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a place of simple attention

Photo by Aleksei Agafonov on Unsplash

Home
              after Lucy Griffith

—a place of simple attention
where you know the citrus-faint freesia 
is the first to announce spring, followed by 
violet-edged African daisies, the too-bright 
poppies pulling May into the realm of lust. 
Or where the creek slows to a trickle in June,
and so go there now while you can and dip 
your bare feet into its soothing stream, watch water
cress spread its gentle green along the sandy ledge
while overhead the kestrels and doves rustle 
the fine silk of pines with their taloned perch—
lifelong partners of flight and hunt returning.
We all want to belong to a place, have a place
to belong. Head inside and hang your straw hat
on the worn wooden peg, pour a glass of cool water
from the faucet that opens and gives again.

I wrote this poem last night during The Monthly Pause hosted by James Crews with guest poet, Lucy Griffith. Her poem, “Attention” inspired some wonder-full reflections on how bringing our presence and attention to the smallest of things can bring about a sense of peace and belonging, a sense of place and purpose. She spoke about how the intimate knowledge and stewardship of land can become “home” and I found this to be true, as much or more so than a physical shelter.

You can find Lucy’s poem in her collection The Wingbeat Atlas from Flowersong Press.

I’m grateful for communities that bring poets together not just to write, but to consider ways of finding and expressing simple joy in a complicated world. Thank you, James and Lucy, for the insights and inspiration.

May we all have infinite curiosity about the abundance of the place we call home.

With gratitude,

Ellen