landscape

Bent

/ Shelley Rae Bell / Leave a comment 

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 the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”

by Mary Oliver

What’s This Now?

/ Shelley Rae Bell / Leave a comment
ma·ca·bre
/məˈkäbrə,məˈkäb/

In works of art, macabre is the quality of having a grim or ghastly atmosphere. Macabre works emphasize the details and symbols of death.

 frightening or unpleasant, and usually involving death, decay, or violence

elephant ear-1141

What’s this I found, where I had walked,

that blocked my way?

It was grim and fierce in stance.

I could not go, I could not stay.

s.bell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What to do About the Bend

/ Shelley Rae Bell / Leave a comment

I can’t see that far…

but the water knows the way

around the bend

and out to oceans

where freedoms lie.

SBell

 

 

“Water does not resist. Water flows. When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress. Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you. But water always goes where it wants to go, and nothing in the end can stand against it. Water is patient. Dripping water wears away a stone. Remember that, my child. Remember you are half water. If you can’t go through an obstacle, go around it. Water does.” 
― Margaret Atwood, The Penelopiad

 

“River”
by Josh Groben

Some days I can’t say why I’m feeling lonely
And some days I am too proud to ask for help
And I stumble through the noise trying to find some peace
A stranger in the crowd, I lose myself

So I walk down to the river
Where the troubles, they can’t find me
Let the waters there remind me
The sun will be there when we wake
I walk down to the river
Though I might not understand it
It’s not always as we planned it
But we grow stronger when we break
So I walk down to the river
I walk down to the river

This raging world can get so overwhelming
Looking for a meaning when it won’t make sense
In my head it’s getting loud like I can’t outrun this cloud
No matter where I go well there I am

So I walk down to the river
Where the troubles, they can’t find me
Let the waters there remind me
The sun will be there when we wake
I walk down to the river
Though I might not understand it
It’s not always as we planned it
But we grow stronger when we break
So I walk down to the river
I walk down to the river

Let the calm pull me under
Far beyond the thunder
And tell me it will all be okay
Let the waves take all my worries
Conquer them with fury
Give me shelter, be my escape