Thursday, May 12, 2011

the qualities of light and space

martin johnson heade newburyport meadows


i give you the whole
the inestimable scale
of yourself
and ask you to compare it
with the largest space
in your experience

perhaps
the expanse of a water meadow
the vast fullness of a hay field



the improbable and unlikely
details of even one moment
of your living
would flood and overwhelm these spaces
in less time than
you will take to read these words


so dance on the experiencing
of this moment
this pregnant expansion
of your seeming insignificance
into the greatest gift the universe has to bestow
on itself

which is
always has been
and forever will be
the gift of you

martin johnson heade hayfields a clear day

9 comments:

Titus said...

Beautifully done steven, and I particularly like your inversion of the 'usual' thoughts on looking at the vastness and splendour of nature.

Tess Kincaid said...

Thank you, Steven. I needed this today, my friend. xx

steven said...

tess - have a peaceful day. steven

steven said...

titus thankyou. beginning with the awarenses of even one moment, expands the sense of your presence and possibly even your purpose. it brings the experiencing of this place so much closer. steven

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

A lovely reminder to open up to the vastness of being. Thanks steven - I needed that today, as I began my day in forgetfulness.

Reya Mellicker said...

You are something else! Wow.

We're so tiny and so vast.

ellen abbott said...

even if your words weren't inspiring enough, I'd have to come every day to see your new header.

Jo said...

I had written a far-too long comment on this post just as Blogger went down the other day (maybe THAT'S what happened), so I'm glad to be back online today and wanted to read this once again.

Oh YEAH, Steven. This piece signals the beginning of a new phase of your beautiful work.

For the first time since I began reading your blog, I see a confidence in your articulation that I haven't seen before.

I love your perspective, your mindset, and your thought process so much, and how you are able to present it so beautifully.

I look forward to you sharing more of your wisdom with us.

Those paintings are two of the most beautiful I've ever seen.

steven said...

so it was you!!! i wondered . . . . . ! thankyou for your generous support of my very early beginnings as a writer. i have no idea where i am going or even why i am going wherever i am going. what matters is that i am honouring an imperative to at least work as hard as i am able to try and articulate something of what i know for some reason. the paintings - oh my jo they are truly beautiful! steven