Welcome to the 119th "episode" of my Tuesday's Truths series. I am honoring it by sharing the mini essay posted atop this entry which was written by E.B.White and published ninety-two years ago today on March 26, 1927.
Followers of this blog undoubtedly know that White is one of my favorite writers and whenever I get the chance to share his letters or passages from his books as well as his essays, I'm eager to let others know about him.
Regarding the works of Edna St. Vincent Millay, I confesss I don't know as much about them (understatement) as I do of a number of other writers, including the poet Mary Oliver, who died this past January.
I'm quite acquainted with Oliver's poetry re a number of birds (including her poems which reference types of avian creatures who visit my garden such as the male Northern Cardinal...
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| CARDINALS ARE FEATURED IN "WORDS IN OUR BEAK" |
European starlings...
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| STARLINGS ARE FEATURED IN VOLUME 3 |
and the Northern mockingbird...
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| NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD FEATURED IN VOLUME 3 |
... which are all included in my book series, Words In Our Beak.*
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| THE WORDS IN OUR BEAK BOOK SERIES |
I'm also know of Oliver's poems re bird types whom I've seen in Central Park, such as Cormorants (who are featured in volume three of the series), Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets; all seen in the following images respectively.
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| CORMORANTS ARE FEATURED IN VOLUME 3 |
And I've studied her non-bird-themed poems including ones that tell "stories" of bees (an insect who is featured in volume one of my series)....
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| OTHER BEES ARE FEATURED IN VOL 1 |
... as well as her works of poetry telling "tales" of squirrels and raccoons; who are animals I've seen in the cities' parks.
During this Lenten Season, I find myself thinking of the following poem by Mary Oliver:
Dear Lord, I have swept and I have washed but
still nothing is as shining as it should be
for you. Under the sink, for example, is an
uproar of mice it is the season of their
many children. What shall I do? And under the eaves
and through the walls the squirrels
have gnawed their ragged entrances but it is the season
when they need shelter, so what shall I do? And
the raccoon limps into the kitchen and opens the cupboard
while the dog snores, the cat hugs the pillow;
what shall I do? Beautiful is the new snow falling
in the yard and the fox who is staring boldly
up the path, to the door. And still I believe you will
come, Lord: you will, when I speak to the fox,
the sparrow, the lost dog, the shivering sea-goose, know
that really I am speaking to you whenever I say,
as I do all morning and afternoon: Come in, Come in.
I've referenced this poem here on Blogger in the past, but it comes to mind again today as I prepare for a Lenten-themed event that I plan to attend tomorrow.
But getting back to the writers I'm honoring in today's post, I may not be very familiar with Edna St. Vincent Millay's works, but Mary Oliver certainly was.
According to a number of sources, including a page within Wikipedia, "At 17, the poet Mary Oliver visited Steepletop (one of Millay's homes) and became a close friend of Norma (Millay's sister). Oliver eventually lived there for seven years and helped to organize Millay's papers."
Today I give many thanks to wonderful writers who leave such a legacy and I'm very grateful for the inspiration they have given me in my writing; including my Words In Our Beak book series.
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*Info re my three volume Words In Our Beak book series:
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| SEE PRESS RELEASE |
Book Seller Info: http://bit.ly/2AFZDCz
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2zxVujM
Barnes & Noble On-Line: http://bit.ly/2AAnB26
book culture On Columbus (a bookstore on the UWS in NYC): http://bit.ly/2FsC1Uf
 |
| SEE PRESS RELEASE |
Book Seller Info: http://bit.ly/2q75g8e
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2DY0mz0
Barnes & Noble On-Line: http://bit.ly/2G65m6H
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| SEE PRESS RELEASE |
Volume Three: ISBN: 978099637853
Book Seller Info: http://bit.ly/2IzH2iu
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2IYkmpABarnes & Noble On-Line: http://bit.ly/2vedQot
EACH OF THESE BOOKS CAN BE ORDERED FROM ANY PLACE SELLING BOOKS BY GIVING THEM THE TITLE, OR ISBN, OR MY NAME, PATRICIA YOUNGQUIST.
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