Many years ago, Don Graves introduced me to the work of Parker J. Palmer and his book THE COURAGE TO TEACH. On his website, Palmer describes himself this way:
Parker J. Palmer, founder and Senior Partner of the Center for Courage & Renewal, is a world-renowned writer, speaker and activist who focuses on issues in education, community, leadership, spirituality and social change. He has reached millions worldwide through his nine books, including Let Your Life Speak, The Courage to Teach, A Hidden Wholeness, and Healing the Heart of Democracy.For the past few years, I have followed Parker J. Palmer on Facebook. He is someone who helps me focus and stay calm, when the world seems crazy and unbearable. In the past week or so, he has had a couple of poems that I have loved. I gave you the beginning and the end, then a link for the whole poem.
Shoulders
A man crosses the street in rain
stepping gently, looking two times north and south,
because his son is asleep on his shoulder.
No car must splash him.
No car drive too near his shadow…
We're not going to be able
to live in this world
if we're not willing to do what he's doing
with one another
Naomi Shihab Nye
Read the rest of the poem here.
Another one I loved was "Sometimes" by David Whyte. You can read that poem here.
Poetry Friday is at Book for Learning today.
6 comments:
Yes. Everyone is precious and fragile, and somebody's kid.
Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
I follow Palmer on FB, too, always makes me stop and listen, maybe to those questions from Whyte's poem, Carol. Thanks for sharing.
Isn't that what we do, when we're at our best -- carry each other?
Thank you for these, Carol. xo
I love the profound simplicity of this:
"We're not going to be able
to live in this world
if we're not willing to do what he's doing
with one another."
Why is this so hard?
what a kick the end of this poem has to elevate it.
We all need more calm wherever we can find it.
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