Daily Reading: Fly Upward

These are the books I plan to begin my day reading. They are meditative. Mornings are my favorite time of day because, at my house, they’re quiet. Right now I’m hearing a ship’s horn on the river just a block away, warning of its position , in the murky Mississippi. It’s a sound that’s mournful and comforting, both. How can that be? The air outside is shimmering with millions of droplets of foggy water, tree branches are shimmying in the wet breeze. My old dogs are snoozing as they do after breakfast every day now. All is still except for the foghorn, the drip, drip, drip of drizzle off the awning, and an occasional bird call. Sounds that go unnoticed by most.

Three of these are books I’ve had for quite some time but have only dipped into now and then because the stories and poems are ones I want to savor individually. Books of poetry and essays are books I don’t want to read straight through, all in a row. But, I’ve decided to read a passage and a poem or two every morning, beginning today. Rooted and Winged, is a book of poetry by Luanne Castle I recently purchased. I virtually met Luanne via my blog on Word Press a few years ago. She’s a wonderful poet and I’m immersed in her words after only reading two poems this morning. It’s a good omen for the day.

No matter what I notice,
no matter what I record, I will never
capture the ease of wind-filled wings,
tail feathers a translucent back lit fan,
as my hollow bones jettison the detritus
to fly upward against the source.

--- from "Tuesday Afternoon at Magpie's Grill" in Rooted and Winged by Luanne Castle