Light goes on flying

Birdsketch_2Suddenly, it’s November 1st. Day Four of Day One of my challenge to be complaint-gripe-whine-and-gossip-free. Today I lasted until 8:18am.


Light goes on flying. Soon it will be 2008. Imagine that. Light goes on flying. And I know that in the coming weeks, I may be here less as I finish the manuscript for my next book, which many have suggested be called some variation of 37days. And so, as I retreat into that special chocolateandEarlGreyandcelerystickfueled place officially called Writer’s Hell, I may leave you with a poem or picture or two or three, until I return. For when December arrives, we’ll be honoring Ellouise’s sister by learning the alphabet in reverse while the light goes on flying.


For today, my pal W S Merwin sets the mood:


Unknown Age

-W S Merwin

For all the features it hoards and displays
age seems to be without substance at any time

whether morning or evening it is a moment of air
held between the hands like a stunned bird

while I stand remembering light in the trees
of another century on a continent long submerged

with no way of telling whether the leaves at that time
felt memory as they were touching the day

and no knowledge of what happened to the reflections
on the pond’s surface that never were seen again

the bird lies still while the light goes on flying

About Patti Digh

Patti Digh is an author, speaker, and educator who builds learning communities and gets to the heart of difficult topics. Her work over the last three decades has focused on diversity, inclusion, social justice, and living and working mindfully. She has developed diversity strategies and educational programming for major nonprofit and corporate organizations and has been a featured speaker at many national and international conferences.

3 comments to " Light goes on flying "
  • does a very spirted roll of the eyes count? i’m trying. i will keep trying….. :)

  • I’m feeling pretty good about my complaint-free day today. But as J was driving me home from work, I was babbling on about something work-related…when suddenly he asked, “Are you complaining?” “Uh…what?…no! I wasn’t COMPLAINING–I was STATING A FACT.” He started laughing…”I know what you sound like when you’re ‘stating a fact’ and that sounded like a complaint to me.” (Me, breathing deeply and trying my best to sound zen-like, “Oh, noooo, I was just telling you what transpired.” I wasn’t complaining, really! :) But it did sort of unnerve me that he remembers the challenge…since that sort of complicates matters.

  • BUSTED, Marilyn! I considered the same, “it depends upon what the meaning of the word, ‘is’, is” defense today, myself, and then faced the humbling walk back to the starting line.

    Tomorrow brings, DAY SIX! Part six of the Day One adventure…

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