In one of my previous posts, “Sweet Distraction,” I excerpted a poem from Tony Hoagland called, “In the Land of Lotus Eaters.” Judging from the responses that post received, that excerpt seems to have touched a good number of people. Many of them said they weren’t aware of Tony Hoagland or his work but were grateful to have been made so. That brings us to this post.
In the eulogy I wrote and delivered at the funeral service for my Dad in January of 2014, I used another Tony Hoagland poem, “The Word.” I know my finding it then was no accident. I know its relevance now is no accident. Rather than copying and pasting it into a post — and since any words of explanation or embellishment I might have chosen to write in such a post would pale in comparison to Tony Hoagland’s — I’ve set it to a fitting piece of music in this video.
I’m as moved by “The Word” today as I was more than six years ago. I hope you are, too.
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Nice article.
Thank you, Aldo.
Just beautiful Mark! I did embrace the sunlight today and look forward to more to come. Thank you for this.💖
Thank you so much for watching and commenting, Darlene. That poem means a great deal to me. So do your comments.
Beautiful, Mark!
Thank you, Kimberly. That one gets me every time.
Thanks, Mark.
H. L. Mencken suggested “Puritanism is the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, is happy.” I think part of our cultural dysfunction (and this time out gives us a chance to finally ditch it) is to miss the connection between pleasure and wisdom. So ‘work’ is associated with pain, even if it’s keeping in shape: “No pain, no gain,” which implies a barter system for living based on struggle and strife.
We found some lillies of the valley yesterday and had a snifforama, then ran into our friend Ray and his wonderful, awkward dog Rosie. Had a long talk about medicine, trees, deer (a couple – a doe and a yearling – wandered through), then headed home. No pain. Gain.
Be good and Hi to Anne.
I think we miss the connection between pleasure and its necessity, too, Mac. And Mencken, of course, was a genius masquerading as a curmudgeon. 😉
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, my friend.