The Peace of Wild Things (Wendell Berry)
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
A friend sent me that poem, many years ago. I loved it then and that love has survived the years, so much so that last year, when those who were to be attending a show at the Ensemble Theatre were invited to submit a favourite short poem, this was my submission.
The show was ‘John Bell: And Another Thing’, and in it John was going to read a selection of his own favourite poems and prose. In addition, he was going to select and read a few of those that had been submitted.
The show didn’t eventuate last year – Covid put a stop to that – but I was at the Ensemble last weekend and was so moved when John Bell started talking about the poem I’d sent him. Finding me in the audience, he then read ‘The Peace of Wild Things’, so beautifully. When I didn’t think it could get any better, he read it a second time. I emailed him afterwards to thank him, to which he replied: ‘It was such a joy to discover and share this lovely poem……Thank YOU!’
Now, I know this has nothing to do with my painting, but on the home page of my website is a quote – another one I love and one that serves me as a reminder to look for something special in every day. That’s not always easy because most days are pretty ordinary – that’s just life. Some days are worse. But some days are really special and the day I was at the Ensemble, listening to the legendary John Bell reading ‘The Peace of Wild Things’, was one of them, and I thank him for that.
Back to my art! I was at Savills in Lindfield last week, hanging a number of my paintings in their office space, so if you’re in the area, please stop in and have a look. (Details on my ‘Coming up’ page.) They’ll be up all February, maybe a little longer. The picture above shows their reception area with one of my paintings - one my mum always loved. It’s called ‘Summer in the Snowys’.
In addition, the Ku-ring-gai Art Society’s Autumn exhibition is coming up next month, so I’m getting a few pieces ready for that. ‘It’s all in the detail’, an exhibition of miniature artworks by members of the Australian Society of Miniature Art (of which I am one), will be opening in Armidale in a few days (before it moves to Taree later in the year). I’ve also submitted some work for the Northern Beaches’ Rotary Art Exhibition and Auction, also later this month. So …
Coming up
‘Chattels’, at Savills Real Estate, 9 Lindfield Ave, Lindfield, NSW (opposite Lindfield Station), throughout February
ASMA ‘It’s all in the detail’, at the New England Regional Art Museum, Armidale, NSW from Friday 11 February to Sunday 27 March
Rotary Art Exhibition and Auction, at the Mona Vale Memorial Hall, 1 Park St, Mona Vale, NSW from Friday 25 to Sunday 27 February
KAS Autumn exhibition, at the Gallery in the St Ives Village Shopping Centre from Monday 14 to Sunday 27 March
Sydney Royal Easter Show, Homebush, NSW, from Friday 8 to Tuesday 19 April
Until next month.