As once a Child was planted in a womb (and later, erected on a hill, a wooden cross) one year we dug a hole to plant a tree. Our choice, a Cornus Kousa with its fine, pink, four-petaled bracts, each curving lip touched with a red as deep as human blood. It rooted well, and every year it grows more glorious, bursting free in Spring—bud into full flower, flame-colored, flushed as wine. Even the slim sapling’s roughened bark speaks of that tree, nail-pierced and dark. Now, each new year, fresh blossoms shine radiant, and each cross-blessed, as if all love and loveliness has been compressed into a flower’s face, fresh as the Son’s new-born presence, a life only just begun.
The dogwood leaves turn iron red in Fall, their centers fully ripening—into small seeded balls, each one a fruit vivid as Mary’s love, and edible. The sciontree, once sprung from Jesse’s root, speaks pain and life and love compressed and taken in, eye, mouth, heart. Incredible that now all Eucharists in our year suggest the living Jesus is our Christmas guest. ~Luci Shaw “Dogwood Tree” from Eye of the Beholder
Tree, we take leave of you; you’re on your own. Put down your taproot with its probing hairs that sluice the darkness and create unseen the tree that mirrors you below the ground. For when we plant a tree, two trees take root: the one that lifts its leaves into the air, and the inverted one that cleaves the soil to find the runnel’s sweet, dull silver trace and spreads not up but down, each drop a leaf in the eternal blackness of that sky. The leaves you show uncurl like tiny fists and bear small button blossoms, greenish white, that quicken you. Now put your roots down deep; draw light from shadow, break in on earth’s sleep. ~Roy Scheele “Planting a Dogwood”
For every leaf and blossom unfolding to the Light above, there is a root with tendrils surging deep to conquer the underground darkness.
Christ is born as our deep root of salvation.
He nourishes so we might flourish; we bloom because of Light drawn from shadow.
Advent 2023 theme …because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1: 78-79 from Zechariah’s Song
Light beyond shadow, Joy beyond tears, Love that is greater when darkest our fears; deeper the Peace when the storm is around, nearer the Hope to the lost who is found.
Light of the world, ever shining, shining! Hope in our pain and our dying. in our darkness, there is Light, in our crying, there is Love, in the noise of life imparting Peace that passes understanding.
Light beyond shadow, Joy beyond tears, Love that is greater when darkest our fears; deeper the Peace when the storm is around, nearer the Hope to the lost who is found. -Paul Wigmore
My love and tender one are you My sweet and lovely son are you You are my love and darling you Unworthy, I of you
Haleluia, haleluia, haleluia, haleluia.
Your mild and gentle eyes proclaim The loving heart with which you came A tiny tender hapless bairn With boundless grace of face
Haleluia, haleluia, haleluia, haleluia.
King of Kings, most holy one Gone the sun eternal one You are my god and helpless son High ruler of mankind
Haleluia, haleluia, haleluia, haleluia.
My love and tender one are you My sweet and lovely son are you You are my love and darling you Unworthy, I of you
Haleluia, haleluia, haleluia, haleluia. ~Traditional Gaelic carol Taladh Chriosda (Christ Child Lullaby) from the Hebrides
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He has dwelt in the West since the days of dawn, and I have dwelt with him years uncounted . . . and together through ages of the world we have fought the long defeat. ~J.R.R. Tolkien from The Lord of the Rings
It is only 10 days before we bid farewell to autumn and accept the arrival of the winter solstice, signaling the long slow climb back to daylight. This giving-way to the darkness has felt like a defeat we may never recover from.
Yet the sunset becomes a startling send-off for fall, coloring Mt. Baker and surrounding an almost full moon with purple in the eastern sky. Our farm, for a deceptive few minutes, appears rosy and warm in crisp subfreezing weather. Then all becomes gray again, and within an hour we are shrouded in thick fog which ices the asphalt as darkness fell. It becomes a challenge to avoid the deep ditches along our country roads, with the white fog line being the critical marker preventing potential disaster.
The ever present fog this time of year cloaks and smothers in the darkness, not unlike the respiratory and gastrointestinal viruses that have hit many households hard this week. Plenty of people have been feverish, coughing and snuffling, unable to see past the ends of their swollen noses, as if the fog descended upon them in an impenetrable gray cloud. It is an unwelcome reminder of our vulnerability to microscopic organisms that can defeat us and lay us low in a matter of hours, just as a sudden freezing fog can lure us to the ditch.
We are forced to stay put, our immune systems fighting back at a time when there are dozens of responsibilities vying for attention in preparation for the holidays. Little gets accomplished other than our slow wait for healing and clarity–at some point the viral fog will dissipate and we can try climbing back into life and navigating without needing the fog lines as guides.
Ditches have been very deep for some folks recently, with unexpected deaths of loved ones, the diagnosis of cancers with difficult treatment options swallowing up their light and joy. Despite profound losses and pain, people courageously continue to fight, climbing their way out of the darkness to the light.
The day’s transition to night becomes bittersweet: these bright flames of color herald our uneasy future sleep after fighting the long defeat on this soil.
The sun “settles” upon the earth and so must we.
Be at ease, put down the heavy burden and rest. We can celebrate, with chorus and gifts, the arrival of brilliant light in our lives. Instead of darkness overcoming us, our lives become illuminated in glory, peace, and grace.
The Son has settled among us and so shall we be comforted.
Advent 2023 theme …because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1: 78-79 from Zechariah’s Song
Sure on this shining night of star-made shadows round, kindness must watch for me this side the ground, on this shining night, this shining night
The late year lies down the north All is healed, all is health High summer holds the earth, hearts all whole The late year lies down the north All is healed, all is health High summer holds the earth, hearts all whole Sure on this shining night, sure on this shining, shining night
Sure on this shining night I weep for wonder wand’ring far alone Of shadows on the stars Sure on this shining night, this shining night On this shining night, this shining night Sure on this shining night ~from James Agee’s poem
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And God held in his hand A small globe. Look he said. The son looked. Far off, As through water, he saw A scorched land of fierce Colour. The light burned There; crusted buildings Cast their shadows: a bright Serpent, A river Uncoiled itself, radiant With slime. On a bare Hill a bare tree saddened The sky. many People Held out their thin arms To it, as though waiting For a vanished April To return to its crossed Boughs. The son watched Them. Let me go there, he said. ~R.S. Thomas “The Coming”
You have answered us with the image of yourself on a hewn tree, suffering injustice, pardoning it; pointing as though in either direction; horrifying us with the possibility of dislocation. Ah, love, with your arms out wide, tell us how much more they must still be stretched to embrace a universe drawing away from us at the speed of light. ~R.S.Thomas “Tell Us”
Ah, this is Love~ You the Incarnate, stretched and fettered to a tree
arms out wide to embrace us who try to grasp a heaven which eludes us.
This heaven, Your heaven You brought down to us, knowing our pain and weakness.
You wanted to come here, knowing all this.
Holding us firmly within your wounded grip, You the Son handed us back to heaven.
Advent 2023 theme …because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1: 78-79 from Zechariah’s Song
O living Word Please come and dwell in us Lord wipe away these tears O ancient Son, so long foretold We’re desperate souls, draw near
And we will stand Securely in the strength of the Lord Every heart will surely come and adore The Great I Am
O our Shepherd King Please come and dwell with us To fields of grace Lead on
We need You now Break our chains by Your glory and power Make us captive to a holy desire Come to us O Lord Come to us O Lord
Prince of Peace, Emmanuel Lord draw us close, unto Thyself King of kings, God’s chosen One We need you now, to Thee we run
We need You now Break our chains by Your glory and power Make us captive to a holy desire Come to us O Lord Come to us O Lord Songwriter: Eric Marshall
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God came to us because he wanted to join us on the road, to listen toour story, and to help us realize that we are not walking in circles but moving towards the house of peace and joy. This is the great mystery of Christmas that continues to give us comfort and consolation: we are not alone on our journey. The God of love who gave us life sent his only Son to be with us at all times and in all places, so that we never have to feel lost in our struggles but always can trust that he walks with us.
The challenge is to let God be who he wants to be. A part of us clingsto our aloneness and does not allow God to touch us where we are most in pain. Often we hide from him precisely those places in ourselves where we feel guilty, ashamed, confused, and lost. Thus we do not give him a chance to be with us where we feel most alone.
Christmas is the renewed invitation not to be afraid and to let him – whose love is greater than our own hearts and minds can comprehend – be our companion. ~Henri Nouwen from Gracias: A Latin American Journal
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24: 13-15, 31-32
I tend to walk through life blinded to what is really important, essential and necessary. Self-absorbed, immersed in my own troubles and concerns, I stare down at my own feet as I take each step, rather than looking forward at the road ahead.
Instead, I could be enrapt and listening to the Companion who has always walked beside me.
This living breathing walking God on the road to Emmaus feeds us from His word. I hunger for even more, my heart burning within me.
Jesus makes plain how He Himself addresses my most basic needs: He is the bread of life so I am fed. He is the living water so I no longer thirst. He is the light of dawn so I am never left in darkness. He shares my yoke so my burden is easier. He clothes me with righteousness so I am never naked. He cleanses me when I am at my most soiled and repugnant. He is the open door–always welcoming, with a room prepared for me.
So when I encounter Him along the road of my life — even if I don’t seem to be making progress, staying frozen in the same place — I need to be ready to recognize him, listen, invite Him in to stay, share whatever I have with Him. When He breaks bread and hands me my piece, I want to accept it with open eyes of gratitude, knowing the gift He hands me is nothing less than Himself and I’ll never be the same again. I hunger for even more, my heart burning within me.
Advent 2023 theme …because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1: 78-79 from Zechariah’s Song
I wonder as I wander out under the sky How Jesus the Saviour did come for to die For poor on’ry people like you and like I; I wonder as I wander out under the sky.
When Mary birthed Jesus ’twas in a cow’s stall With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all But high from God’s heaven, a star’s light did fall And the promise of ages it then did recall.
If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing A star in the sky or a bird on the wing Or all of God’s Angels in heaven to sing He surely could have it, ’cause he was the King
I wonder as I wander out under the sky How Jesus the Saviour did come for to die For poor on’ry people like you and like I; I wonder as I wander out under the sky ~Appalachian Carol
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In the dark I rest, unready for the light which dawns day after day, eager to be shared… I need more of the night before I open eyes and heart to illumination. I must still grow in the dark like a root not ready, not ready at all. ~Denise Levertov from “Eye Mask”
photo by Joel DeWaard
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. ~Isaiah 9:2
photo by Joel DeWaard
Take heart… There is a power here in the bowels of the earth, a “deeper magic,” as C.S. Lewis called it. Death is not given the final word. Christ doesn’t need to turn east to greet the sunrise: he is himself the Dawn by whose light we see light (Psalm 36:9). The sun will not set again. That was our last night. Ever. ~Sarah Arthur from Introduction to Between Midnight and Dawn
Over this past week of gray rainy days that begin and end in an all-encompassing and, in some ways, comforting darkness, I am feeling quite “hunkered down.”
I’m seeking shelter right now, surrounded like a root yet to sprout, needing time to ready myself for the power of the Light soon to come.
In the fullness of time, I’ll be called forth to merge with the Dawn.
Advent 2023 theme …because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1: 78-79 from Zechariah’s Song
Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life: Such a Way, as gives us breath: Such a Truth, as ends all strife: Such a Life, as killeth death.
Come, My Light, my Feast, my Strength: Such a Light, as shows a feast: Such a Feast, as mends in length: Such a Strength, as makes his guest.
Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart: Such a Joy, as none can move: Such a Love, as none can part: Such a Heart, as joys in love. ~George Herbert “The Call”
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Some days, words simply don’t come. I am stilled and plain – silent in darkness. God is in the depth of these empty hours. He is there – waiting alongside me.
Advent 2023 theme …because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1: 78-79 from Zechariah’s Song
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The night after she returned from the hospital the uneven rumbly liquid breathing of one soon
to go under kept me at the surface of thoughts I couldn’t escape. Clonazepam, Lorazepam,
not even Ambien could pull or sink me. And in the morning, sure enough, we couldn’t coax or shake her awake
except for a few seconds when someone or thing wrenched her eyes open and let her answer no
to every question in a scornful voice we’d never heard before before pulling her down to that rocky undertow.
Through the morning and afternoon every breath, a grunt, a rattling that soaked the bedclothes and pillows in sweat.
Then at 3 pm, she returned—recognizing her two daughters speaking her own name and the name of the president.
The hospice nurse put a line through the word “Comatose” scrawled at the top of her chart and for the next few hours
a light or absence seemed to emanate from her almost emptied irises. No sentences. No speech as the white
nimbus of hair, thick and lively around her head nodded yes to sitting up and getting dressed—
to sweet potatoes and Jeopardy! as though part of her remained in that rheumy underwater place
that took her breath away and wiped out the syntax of explanation and inquiry, leaving only
no I won’t and certainly not and don’t ever wake me up again. ~Lisa Sewell “The Land of Nod”
Vigil at my mother’s bedside
Where do your dreams take you? At times you wake in your childhood home of Rolling wheat fields, boundless days of freedom. Other naps take you to your student and teaching days Grammar and drama, speech and essays. Yesterday you were a young mother again Juggling babies, farm and your wistful dreams.
Today you looked about your empty nest Disguised as hospital bed, Wondering aloud about Children grown, flown. You still control through worry and tell me: It’s foggy out there Travel safe through the dark Call me when you get there Take time to eat Sleep sound, ready to wake fresh tomorrow
I dress you as you dressed me I clean you as you cleaned me I love you as you loved me You try my patience as I tried yours. I wonder if I have the strength to Mother my mother For as long as she needs.
When I tell you the truth of where you are Your brow furrows as it used to do When I disappointed you~ This cannot be A bed in a room in a sterile place Waiting Waiting for death, Waiting for heaven, Waiting for the light
And I tell you: It’s foggy Travel safe through the darkness Eat something, please eat Sleep sound, ready to wake fresh tomorrow Call me when you get there.
Advent 2023 theme …because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1: 78-79 from Zechariah’s Song
Wake, Awake for Night is Flying Let the shadows be forsaken, The time has come for us to waken, And to the Day our lives entrust. Search the sky for heaven’s portal: The clouds shall rain the Light Immortal, And earth will soon bud forth the Just.
Of one pearl each shining portal, where, dwelling with the choir immortal, we gather ’round Your dazzling light. No eye has seen, no ear has yet been trained to hear what joy is ours! ~Philipp Nicolai
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The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. ~Isaiah 9:2
Advent is the season that, when properly understood, does not flinch from the darkness that stalks us all in this world. Advent begins in the dark and moves toward the light—but the season should not move too quickly or too glibly, lest we fail to acknowledge the depth of the darkness.
As our Lord Jesus tells us, unless we see the light of God clearly, what we call light is actually darkness: “how great is that darkness!” (Matt. 6:23). Advent bids us take a fearless inventory of the darkness: the darkness without and the darkness within.
Advent is designed to show that the meaning of Christmas is diminished to the vanishing point if we are not willing to take a fearless inventory of the darkness. ~Fleming Rutledge from Advent- The Once & Future Coming of Jesus Christ
It is this great absence that is like a presence, that compels me to address it without hope of a reply. It is a room I enter
from which someone has just gone, the vestibule for the arrival of one who has not yet come. I modernise the anachronism
of my language, but he is no more here than before. Genes and molecules have no more power to call him up than the incense of the Hebrews
at their altars. My equations fail as my words do. What resources have I other than the emptiness without him of my whole being, a vacuum he may not abhor? ~R.S. Thomas “The Absence”
There is no light in the incarnation without witnessing the empty darkness that precedes His arrival; His reason for entering our world is to fill our increasing spiritual void, our hollow hearts, our growing deficit of hope and faith.
God abhors a vacuum.
We find our God most when we keenly feel His absence, hearing no reply to our prayers, our faith shaken, not knowing if such unanswered prayers are heard.
In response, He has answered. He comes to walk beside us. He comes to be present among us, to ransom us from our self-captivity by offering up Himself instead.
He fills the vacuum completely and forever.
Advent 2023 theme …because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1: 78-79 from Zechariah’s Song
O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer our spirits by thine advent here; dispel the shadows of the night, and turn our darkness into light.
The people that in darkness sat a glorious light have seen; the Light has shined on them who long in shades of death have been.
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Almanac of Quiet Days is by Whidbey Island poet Lois Edstrom who wrote a poem for each of fifty full color photographs featured on the Barnstorming Blog by Emily Gibson of Whatcom County, Washington.
Ekphrastic poems are understood to focus only on works of art—usually paintings, photographs, or statues…to interpret, inhabit, confront, and speak to their subjects.
“Particularly in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries there is a good deal of such poetry…” wrote John Hollander in The Gazer’s Spirit, a collection of ekphrastic poems and the artworks they confront. Some of the ways modern poets have faced works of art, Hollander wrote, “include addressing the image, making it speak, speaking of it interpretively, meditating upon the moment of viewing it, and so forth.”
Available to order from Amazon here Your review of this book on Amazon helps to get the word out about it!
Local Whatcom County folks! You can find it on the poetry shelf at Village Books in Fairhaven and in Lynden
Reviews:
When in a single volume, verses of power and insight are joined with photographic images of striking natural beauty, the combination is a rare gift for reflection and enjoyment. How better to celebrate Creation in its varied forms! Poet and Author Luci Shaw
Leonardo da Vinci said, “Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.” In this case, of course, we are referring to photography, not painting. But the truth of da Vinci’s dictum remains unchanged. Edstrom and Gibson’s collaboration is nothing short of a triumph. Here, poetry and photography partner in a volume that will provide many hours of enjoyment as da Vinci’s wisdom plays itself out in real time. This is a collection not to hurry through, but to savor in quiet moments with a glass of your favorite wine. ~Michael Escoubas on Quill and Parchment Full review can be found here
“In this gorgeous ekphrastic volume, a physician farmer and retired nurse combine their photographs and poems to convey the richness surrounding us. Grazing Haflingers and ripening grain; enchantment in the deep forest and the reading room; spiders weaving; bumblebees gathering and snow geese soaring; these and many other scenes of peace and tranquility soothe the soul. In creating this collection, Edstrom and Gibson render a form of healing deeper than the physical.” —Sheryl Clough, Editor/Photographer, Writer; Author of Ring of Fire, Sea of Stone and Poul na Brone: In the Hollow of the Millstone
“Fresh Air” is among the poetic gems to be found in a new volume of ekphrastic poems by Lois Edstrom and Emily Gibson. The photograph captures layered landscape decorated in subtle pastels of blue, green and yellow. There is a tree line bordering the outer reaches of a pasture. Taken through a window looking out, both the photo and the poem bid readers to, “Open the window. Breathe deeply. / Let fresh air in.” If fresh air is a need in your life Almanac of Quiet Days, is calling your name.” —Michael Escoubas, author of Little Book of Devotions: Poems that Connect Nature, God, and Man
The “Almanac of Quiet Day’s”( by Lois Parker Edstrom, photographs by Emily Gibson) is so much more than a lovely book of pictures and poems to sit on your coffee table. It is a feast for the eyes and nourishment for the heart and soul of a person.It urges one to sit, be still and contemplate God’s creation. Then to hope in the quiet work that goes on in the heart as it matures….like a plant responding to the seasons of life. A person might just see that life’s struggles are there for a reason and dwarfed by the enormous height, width and breadth of this wonder-filled world. Read and see if you don’t walk away feeling somehow deeper than before you surrendered your life for a few moments to look at the world through the eyes of Lois and Emily. Jan Lovegren, Washington
Lois Parker Edstrom’s books open doors into new views of our world always; in Almanac of Quiet Days, she again does so, but the views are redoubled with the inclusion of startling and crisp photos by Emily Gibson, a new name to me but one I’ll look for in the future. In this book, we discover the miracles in our world along with Edstrom who herself seems to be finding with surprise the small (and often unnoticed) details not to be dismissed. For instance, the imperfection of a bug-eaten, twisted, and weathered leaf that is “…the color of rich burgundy wine,/deep purple veins that branch to the tips/of its serrated edge. The holes open the leaf/to light and air, forming a filigree of nature…” And the accompanying photo allows us to perceive this beauty that we might otherwise walk by. As Edstrom says in yet another poem, this is “…how one must look/through and beyond the obvious to find what is true.” In some cases, it’s Edstrom’s language that carries us into new visions as “…birds tuck their songs/into the case of a wing…”; through this image, we have an immediate and new understanding of “evening.” In other cases, she gives us the magic of what isn’t there with the abandoned schoolhouse that is alive in memory or the rich description of snow geese that have flown. This is a book to discover and savor in the same way one sits quietly soaking in a lingering sunset. Marion Blue
Emily Gibson’s photos and reflections in her Barnstorming blog have grounded me every morning for years. They keep me in touch, through word and image, with the steadfastness of the natural world despite any human hyperactivity that’s spinning around me. I have come to appreciate that gift more and more while living in the recent years’ unsettling political climate and ongoing global pandemic. I have a need for regular contact with things that are real — trees, wildlife, mountains, domestic animals. Lois Parker Edstrom’s poetry adds another element of beauty to Emily Gibson’s photography in the book Almanac of Quiet Days, and I treasure the opportunity it’s brought me to check in to a place of quiet simplicity and serenity, if only briefly, on any over-busy day. Wendy Edwards, California
This is a beautiful and uplifting book. The photos accompanying each lovely poem are perfectly paired. You can open to any page and be transported to a place of wonder and deep appreciation for the beauty of this world. I’m a long time reader of Emily Gibson’s blog, and I am delighted to be introduced to the work of Lois Parker Edstrom. This is a great book to gift, as well as own. Melinda Coppola, Massachusetts
I have been following Emily Gibson’s “Barnstorming” blog for many years, and I often marvel at her photography that stops me in my tracks. I was delighted when I found out that there is a book of her work, with an added plus – Poetry by Lois Parker Edstrom. Each page is a new delight. Summer is here, and the house guests are arriving. This is set up in the guest room with a comfy chair and view to the waterfall. I know my many guests will be as delighted as I have been for these moments of tranquility. I highly recommend this book! Leah Puhlman, Oregon
It’s a tender book. A peaceful one. And if the term “ekphrastic poetry,” has you scratching your head, let me add that, true to form, these ekphrastic poems draw from literal elements in Emily’s photos and then muse about them, expanding each photo’s potential interpretation. In these pieces, poet Lois comments on time and personal history; rural life and the natural world; relationships, beauty, awe—subjects photographer Emily regularly considers. A perfect poetry form to bring this photographer and this poet together. ~Cheryl Bostrom, WA
This is a book to discover and savor in the same way one sits quietly soaking in a lingering sunset. Marian Blue – Amazon review
I have known of Emily’s photos for some time due to following her on social media, so when she recommended this book of Lois’ poetry, accompanied by Emily’s photos, it was, as is said, “a no brainer.” I have read the book through and have enjoyed both poems and photos. Now it is on my side table and I frequently pick it up just to open it up to any random page for a spiritual boost. I highly recommend it. Brian Colgate, B.C.
The book is here! The photos are beautiful and so are the poems. They fit your photos well. I will enjoy it very much. Thank you and God bless you and yours. Joyce Clements, AL
The photos are first class with thoughtful poetry alongside. I love it. Nancy Matheis, WA
Received my copy of “Almanac of Quiet Days” this morning. It is wonderful from cover to cover. Your pictures and the poetry are so complimentary! Know I will enjoy reading it over and over. Thanks to you, Ms Edstrom and the staff who put it all together. Pat Hanson, NY
We received our book today. It’s beautiful! We’re very grateful and feel so blessed. Pastor Rick and Elizabeth Shafer, NC
I want to let you know how much I’ve been enjoying the pictures and poems in your book! It is really lovely. It’s amazing how the writer sees the pictures and how she comes to the words they inspire in her. Wonderful! Nancy Casey, WA
The beautifully illustrated poetry book arrived yesterday. We will treasure it! Eunice Powell and Ardis Lawrence, WA
I am ENTHRALLED with your book and the poems. thank you thank you thank you. What a bright beautiful place in my heart and life today. Jack Newton, WA
This is just a note to tell you that your book arrived yesterday afternoon and I delighted in scanning the pages. I am glad you included the beautiful scene with the Haflingers grazing in the pasture surrounded by trees. It has been one of my favorites because of the serenity Ms. Edstrom described in her poem. Pastor Michael Hirnuma, California
If you’re unsure of its meaning or find the term ‘ekphrastic poetry’ a little discouraging, purchase (at a very reasonable price!) a copy of Almanac of Quiet Days and enjoy the surprise of beautiful photography blended with excellent poetry inspired by the images.Together, photographer Emily Gibson and poet Lois Parker Edstrom have hit a bases-loaded grand slam you’ll want to enjoy again and again. Rob Burnside, Pennsylvania
What a remarkable publication by two talented women! Doug and Margaret Gibson, Nebraska
We just received the book and are delighted with it. Looking forward to many more of your heart-warming, thought-provoking posts on Barnstorming. David Lewis, paracletos.org
…to bear in her womb Infinite weight and lightness; to carry in hidden, finite inwardness, nine months of Eternity; to contain in slender vase of being, the sum of power – in narrow flesh, the sum of light.
Then bring to birth, push out into air, a Man-child needing, like any other, milk and love –
What could a baby know of gold ornaments or frankincense and myrrh, of priestly robes and devout genuflections?
But the imagination knows all stories before they are told and knows the truth of this one past all defection
The rich gifts so unsuitable for a child though devoutly proffered, stood for all that love can bring.
The men were old how could they know of a mother’s needs or a child’s appetite?
But as they kneeled the child was fed. They saw it and gave praise!
A miracle had taken place, hard gold to love, a mother’s milk! before their wondering eyes.
The ass brayed the cattle lowed. It was their nature.
All men by their nature give praise. It is all they can do.
The very devils by their flight give praise. What is death, beside this?
Nothing. The wise men came with gifts and bowed down to worship this perfection. ~William Carlos Williams “The Gift”
The uncontained contained infinite made finite humble made worthy a Deliverer delivered hungry sated on mother’s milk unsuitable made perfect darkness illuminated with possibilities the eternal here and now
How can you measure the love of a mother, Or how can you write down a baby’s first cry? Candlelight, angel light, firelight and starglow Shine on his cradle till breaking of dawn. Gloria, gloria in excelsis Deo! Angels are singing; the Christ child is born. Shepherds and wise men will kneel and adore him, Seraphim round him their vigil will keep; Nations proclaim him their Lord and their Saviour, But Mary will hold him and sing him to sleep. Find him at Bethlehem laid in a manger: Christ our Redeemer asleep in the hay. Godhead incarnate and hope of salvation: A child with his mother that first Christmas Day. ~John Rutter – words and music
Advent 2023 theme …because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1: 78-79 from Zechariah’s Song
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