One Bird Watching


THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2009

The Title

Last weekend, my sister introduced me to New Harmony, Indiana, a social experiment from the 1800's that has become a modern refuge of peace and beauty in today's world. While there, I stumbled across a poem posted near a lake behind the inn. The author was not named, probably because he/she wanted the poem to stand as a tribute to the Creator rather than to its creator:

Stranger

When no one listens
To the quiet trees,
When no one notices
The sun in the pool;

When no one feels
The first drop of rain,
Or sees the last star;

Or hails the first morning
Of a giant world
Where the peace begins
And rages end:

One bird sits still
Watching the work of God:
One turning leaf,
Two falling blossoms,
Ten circles upon the pond.

As we stood there reading and re-reading these stunning words, a giant blue heron with a wing span of at least 10-12 feet glided across the lake and landed about 50 feet away from us. Slowly he turned to face the water and stood quietly watching the "ten circles upon the pond," the "turning leaves," and the "falling blossoms." The moment was electric. We wondered whether the bird had been somehow trained to arrive at the precise moment of visitors reading the poem, but finally decided that the moment was truly a gift.

I wished desperately to find notecards or at least a poster with the poem and a blue heron during my visit to New Harmony, but it seems no one has taken on that mission. Were I an artist, I would set up a kiosk somewhere in town to sell my inspiration. That being somewhat impractical, though, I have decided to begin this blog as a tribute to the unknown author and to the blue heron which brought the poem to life for me.

So much of my life seems to be like that moment: watching the work of God. It is my desire to share some of my observations with others that has led to this blog. My wish is that it will do for you what the blue heron and an unknown poet has done for me.

Posted by Gayle at 11:39 AM 0 comments

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