Monday Morning Musing As Easter ends

May 16, 2021

Columbus, Ohio

Next Sunday is the Feast of Pentecost, so today is the final Sunday after Easter. Resurrection surely seems to be an appropriate theme as we see some tentative return to pre-pandemic life. Here in Ohio, we still have a state-wide mask mandate until June 2nd; it's as though we have a little bit of time to imagine not wearing our masks from time to time. To me, masks are like seat belts and motorcycle helmets....they'll save your life if they need to.

Today I want to share a poem with you that I first became aware of when it was featured on the television show Madame Secretary (seriously, if you haven't watched this show....it's worth a binge!) The poem is called Good Bones and the poet, Maggie Smith, has published a volume of poetry by the same name. She has some other volumes out as well and she's a treat to follow on Twitter. But, y'all....here's the thing....she lives in the same neighborhood of Columbus that we live in! How crazy is that? So, here's your word to ponder from the pen/heart of my neighbor I have yet to meet, Maggie Smith...

Good Bones

Life is short, though I keep this from my children.

Life is short and I've shortened mine

in a thousand delicious, ill-advised ways,

a thousand deliciously, ill-advised ways

I'll keep from my children. The world is at least

fifty percent terrible, and that's a conservative

estimate, though I keep this from my children.

For every bird there is a stone thrown at a bird.

For every loved child, a child broken, bagged,

sunk in a lake. Life is short and the world

is at least half terrible, and for every kind

stranger, there is one who would break you,

though I keep this from my children. I am trying

to sell them the world. Any decent realtor,

walking you through a real shithole, chirps on

about good bones: This place could be beautiful,

right? You could make this place beautiful.