This is a lovely and companionably haunting piece by Anne Porter, who did not have her poetry published until she was 83 years old. Her first book of poetry was a finalist for the National Book Award and over the next 17 years, Porter would see her work anthologized and widely featured. She died in 2011, shortly before her 100th birthday.
Are you an unpublished poet? It's never too late. Wishing you "ragged miracles" and "flowering weeds of poetry" this holiday season.
Noel
by Anne Porter
When snow is shaken
From the balsam trees
And they're cut down
And brought into our houses
When clustered sparks
Of many-colored fire
Appear at night
In ordinary windows
We hear and sing
The customary carols
They bring us ragged miracles
And hay and candles
And flowering weeds of poetry
....
(Read the rest here, at Poets.org)
~~~~~~~~~~
Photo credit: Jeswin Thomas as Pexels.
11 comments:
Yes, to ragged miracles! Porter's poem rings of the hope I searched for in my post this week... in the fragrance of balsam.
Praying for this new year to bring a few ragged miracles, lit by Christ 💫🙏🏽
Wishing you a blessed Christmastide, Karen❣️🎄❄️May the season to come bring joy and holy contentment to you and yours🙏🏽💫
Another yes to the "ragged miracles," but also to the "flowering weeds of poetry!"
Oh, my. This is written by a person who is beyond rose colored glasses. I like it. Thanks for introducing this poem and poet to me. That phrase, "flowering weeds of poetry" is a gem for my journal.
This is so truly lovely.
(that was me - dunno why I was suddenly anonymous !)
How inspiring she is! Thanks for the beautiful post, Karen xo
It's a beautiful story of Porter, Karen, & when finally she did publish, many must have been in awe, and thankful! I love the poem, thinking of those 'ragged miracles' as other have. Merry Christmas!
Thank you for this lovely poem, Karen. As others have said, "ragged miracles' and "flowering weeds of poetry" are memorable phrases. I'm clicking over to read the whole poem now.
Beautiful poem Karen, I love her "fresh truth of children" and their "birdlike voices," thanks for sharing, and how inspiring Anne Porter is. Merry Christmas!
Yes, you're never too late our too old for poetry! Long live those flowering weeds of poetry. Thank you, Karen. xo
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