Thank you for sharing these thoughts about the difficult condition and outlook for our world. Lilacs are a beautiful a beautiful metaphor, not only because they return annually, but the smell of lilacs early in the spring welcomes the rest of summer--and memories.
The Russian composer and pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff had to flee his homeland during the Revolution. A man of some means, he had to leave everything behind, including music and money. Before he left, he'd written a song called "Lilacs." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaiAPSBRfdE
When he got to the U.S., he had to make his living playing recitals instead of composing. He's recognized as one of the greatest pianists. "Lilacs" was one of his favorite encores. You can hear both memories and looking forward to renew experiences to remember.
This is a beautiful reflection, thank you for sharing it. I read Walt Whitman’s poems last year when I got stranded in North Carolina during Hurricane Helene, and I wrote this poem that I would like to share, inspired by his work:
Do Not Build It
If I should be important enough
To merit a statue when I die,
Do not build it
Instead, go into the woods and find a mossy log
And sit in silence
Instead, take the money for stone and buy dinner
For the person with the cardboard sign on the street corner
And find out their name, and then name of their first love and their childhood best friend
Instead, sing to the moon at night
And do not care if you are on pitch
Instead, go to your love and trace the edges of their palm
As you walk down the sidewalk in the golden light
That makes even cigarette butts beautiful
Instead, live
For my monument is beating hearts and sweat-lined hair
Thank you for this reflection. It reminds of “South London Forever” by Florence and the Machine, a song that always touches me in terms of climate grief. One of my favorite lyrics: “there is a special kind of sadness that seems to come with spring.”
Thank you for sharing these thoughts about the difficult condition and outlook for our world. Lilacs are a beautiful a beautiful metaphor, not only because they return annually, but the smell of lilacs early in the spring welcomes the rest of summer--and memories.
The Russian composer and pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff had to flee his homeland during the Revolution. A man of some means, he had to leave everything behind, including music and money. Before he left, he'd written a song called "Lilacs." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaiAPSBRfdE
When he got to the U.S., he had to make his living playing recitals instead of composing. He's recognized as one of the greatest pianists. "Lilacs" was one of his favorite encores. You can hear both memories and looking forward to renew experiences to remember.
So stunning! Thank you for this contribution!
This is a beautiful reflection, thank you for sharing it. I read Walt Whitman’s poems last year when I got stranded in North Carolina during Hurricane Helene, and I wrote this poem that I would like to share, inspired by his work:
Do Not Build It
If I should be important enough
To merit a statue when I die,
Do not build it
Instead, go into the woods and find a mossy log
And sit in silence
Instead, take the money for stone and buy dinner
For the person with the cardboard sign on the street corner
And find out their name, and then name of their first love and their childhood best friend
Instead, sing to the moon at night
And do not care if you are on pitch
Instead, go to your love and trace the edges of their palm
As you walk down the sidewalk in the golden light
That makes even cigarette butts beautiful
Instead, live
For my monument is beating hearts and sweat-lined hair
And curses from careless lips
And dishes, done or undone
Thank you oh so much for sharing here ! What a gift
I love this! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for this reflection. It reminds of “South London Forever” by Florence and the Machine, a song that always touches me in terms of climate grief. One of my favorite lyrics: “there is a special kind of sadness that seems to come with spring.”