Words of Wendell

Read and enjoy :)


The Thought of Something Else

1.
A spring wind blowing
the smell of the ground
through the intersections of traffic,
the mind turns, seeks a new
nativity--another place,
simpler, less weighted
by what has already been.

Another place!
it's enough to grieve me--
that old dream of going,
of becoming a better man
just by getting up and going
to a better place.

2.
The mystery. The old
unaccountable unfolding.
The iron trees in the park
suddenly remember forests.
It becomes possible to think of going.

3.
--a place where thought
can take its shape
as quietly in the mind
as water in a pitcher,
or a man can be
safely without thought
--see the day begin
and lean back,
a simple wakefulness filling
perfectly
the spaces among the leaves.

--Wendell Berry

I'm frustrated by poetry much of the time. Often the writers seem to be skillfully crafting an elegant riddle. Sometimes I want to scream, "Say what you mean and cut all the lyrical hogwash!" But, for the most part, I usually understand Mr. Berry.

I want to be a writer, but not just any writer--a good writer. But that takes lots of practice, and I'm lazy.

Inanimate Retellings

A four-layer jam cake gone horribly wrong, but we laughed...a lot and that made everything okay. Then, baking with Becky and talking about sorrow and Christmasy things.












And...lots and lots of light. There's a span of time in the early morning when the sun bursts through the high rectangle window in our bathroom, and the whole space glows.

Thank You...

1. New Moon for using amazing artists for your Soundtrack.

2. Bon Iver for contiually breaking my heart with beautiful music including "Roslyn" from the New Moon Soundtrack.

3. Lousiville for capturing my heart. I've missed you these past three days, which means something very important--you've officially become my home.

4. Aunt Waynette for sweet potato casserole.

5. Mom and Dad for giving me the good sense to be semi-wise with my money. I was watching "Say Yes to the Dress" and these women are spending on average 5-8 dollars on wedding gowns. Seriously?

6. God that I don't work retail anymore.

7. C.S. Lewis for being so baller. I'm trying to pick up all the books I never finished in my Lewis class two years ago. Till We Have Faces is incredible.

These Things I Remember

I dreamed of company with ballerinas, painters, astronauts, and pilots, but never of friends. And never of God. But how beautiful the future seems with these dear companions. How bright and hopeful the world appears with truth at the threshold.

"Enough"--what a peculiar word. Not something that can be measured.




I've been sulking in self-pity all day. It's really, very unnecessary.


If you're a Twilight fan, New Moon won't disappoint. I saw it today, and was impressed. It was definitely an improvement from the last film.

"It is not possible to be 'incidentally a Christian'. The fact of Christianity must be overwhelmingly first or nothing. This suggests a reason for the dislike of Christians by nominal or non-Christians: their lives contain no overwhelming firsts buy many balances."

--Sheldon Vanauken, A Severe Mercy

A Short Tail

After our first mouse sighting almost a week ago, I distincly remember reasurring my dear roommate Patty with these soothing words: "The last thing you need to be worried about is that mouse trying to get in your bed. He's only scavenging for food and things for his nest."

Last night, 5:28am

One moment I was sleeping soundly, then suddenly I possessed a vague awareness that some thing--some weighty presence--was scampering over the top of my shoulder and down my chest. I threw my blankets off in a mad rush, flipped on my lamp, and stood for several breathless minutes staring at my bead. Did what I think just happened, actually happen? Then! Suddenly, I saw the scarves draped over the end of my bed rustle from the top of my matress down to the floor. That was proof enough. I had definitely just shared my bed with a rodent! I cautiously and expediently grabbed my pillow and ran to Patty's room where we both attempted to share her twin sized bed for the rest of the night. At least if the mouse ventured into her room, we'd be able to fight him together.

That dirty rascallion.