(poem reflection)

Sit and be still
until in the time
of no rain you hear
beneath the dry wind’s
commotion in the trees
the sound of flowing
water among the rocks,
a stream unheard before,
and you are where
breathing is prayer.

~ Wendell Berry, Sabbath Poems 2001 VI ~

A short reflection for this week on one of my favorite poems by my favorite poet. The poem above was written in a series called “Sabbath Poems” which started in 1979 and continues on through today. Wendell Berry writes these poems on quiet, reflective Sunday morning walks through the woods. Personally, I believe the state of peace he writes in is experienced by the reader.

Summer is a full season – landscape full of lushness, leaves fully clothe the tree’s limbs, events fill every weekend, and music echoes from speakers, car stereos, stadiums, and on and on. It can become overwhelming at times, and a bit exhausting to stay at the “full” pace. If I am not careful my schedule goes from “full” to “busy” in a heartbeat. The difference between a “full schedule” and a “busy schedule” is quite fine. “Full schedule” indicates choosing activities to put into my life which align with my values and what I am aiming for. “Busy schedule”, on the other hand, is adding in activities because I cannot say no or I am just trying to fill the time. Full schedules give life, while busy schedules drain me. Summer can be a fun season for a couple months, but it is unsustainable to live at that capacity long-term. When summer draws to a close, I am ready for the calming presence of Autumn leading into the coziness of winter.

Berry’s poem is a nice reminder, today, to seek the stillness that is unique to summer. Babbling brooks, chittering birds, and the stillness after a rainstorm (which have been so prevalent this summer) are invitations to “sit and be still” – to enjoy for the sake of delighting. The communion between our spirit and God’s spirit is found in these spaces of stillness.

Where the first line is an invitation, the last line is my favorite, “… you are where breathing is a prayer“. God uses this line to gently remind and quiet my soul. A friend defined peace as returning to communion with God. We get busy and work ourselves into a self-induced frenzy with the responsibilities of life. Multiple times a day, she finds herself returning to God’s presence with breath prayer or thanksgiving. Communion is a breath away. And Berry’s poem is a reminder that the invitation is still standing.

Sit and be still
until in the time
of no rain you hear
beneath the dry wind’s
commotion in the trees
the sound of flowing
water among the rocks,
a stream unheard before,
and you are where
breathing is prayer.