Programus Interruptus

Briefly interrupting the slog through Europe, a couple of things.

First, one of the blog entries actually got a comment--it's nice to know that sometimes someone is stopping by for a quick visit. Second, the comment itself (thanks, Shawn), is an excellent poem by Mary Oliver, one of my favorite writers. Here's the poem:

When I Am Among the Trees

When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, "Stay awhile."
The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, "It's simple," they say,
"and you too have come
into this world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine."