lately, every day’s a GPS

the international symbol for the Daughters of Wisdom, a French community of nuns I served in for ten years: 1957-1967

the motto

was “God Alone”

Deus Solus!

I learned to look at the world as She does!

Lately on the roads of Western Massachusetts,

I listen to my GPS

to follow the ribbons of curved roads

through the vales

over the hills

bridging the ponds

edging the lakes

spying the wild turkeys

Tanglewood

Jacob’s pillow

Lenox, Lee, Stockbridge and Great Barrington

Western MASSACHUSETTS

in all its May GLORY !

This state peeled its way from England

and moved west

settling estates by the wealthy

which would be given to every man

of every color

to nurture under our spacious skies

where our GPS looks down

and is often pleased!

(Yesterday I met a woman and man from Ireland. She taught Literature and he, Geography. We will stay in touch so I can learn more about Belfast and we can share the glory of the light coming through the dappled leaves) (from The Ponds on Fox Hollow)

American (Field Guide)

watercolor  by Mary Shephard

.

The American

April 4, 2017 (Field Guides)

American

I am a continent
surrounded by two mighty oceans

a middling zone
feet at equator

skies with moon and sun;
earthly mountains and vales

dessert creatures underground
flower blossoms blowing in the wind

majestic and humble
all at once an altar for my God.

quicksilver
all rights

Field Guide
Once, in the cool blue middle of a lake,
up to my neck in the most precious element of all,
I found a pale-gray, curled-upwards pigeon feather
floating on the tension of the water
at the very instant when a dragonfly,
like a blue-green iridescent bobby pin,
hovered over it, then lit, and rested.
That’s all.
I mention this in the same way
that I fold the corner of a page
in certain library books,
so that the next reader will know
where to look for the good parts.
Tony Hoagland
in Unincorporated Persons in the Late Honda Dynasty