Shaken by Beauty -

Poet (and physician) William Carlos Williams has always touched my heart and my senses. His Red Wheelbarrow and This is Just to Say are two of his more well-known pieces. The imagery is stunning, and his pieces can be read on so many different levels. 

This is a relatively new piece, to me, and again, he does not fail: 

You lethargic, waiting upon me, 

waiting for the fire and I

attendant upon you, shaken by your beauty

Shaken by your beauty

Shaken. 

On an occasional morning I sit by my window with my cup of tea, warm air coming from the heat vent, and I look out and up. Often the morning is just beginning, so I'm fortunate enough to see the clouds fade from Timpanogos, the sun lift up over the mountain. I see the sky turn from grey to blue, or to grey, I listen to the screech of foraging blue jays, and I am at peace.

I am struck by the beauty beaming in, the beauty of my world, this world, and the strength and fragility of life, of us, as we make our way in this space. 

I'm shaken. I try not to listen to, or read, the news until I have had this morning meditation. The anger, sadness, pain, frustration, fear, even cravings and irritations that I/we will experience today, that may have already happened between sleep and awakening - what do I do with the ugly, when such beauty surrounds me? I do my best to let them go. See, they will pop into my life as good and bad always does, but if I stay in the moment - in the moment I will see beauty. 

In the moment I see steam arising from my cup; I see a hot shower, a full meal, a gentle kiss, a closet full of clothes, comfortable shoes; my frailties, my failures, and the goodness that accompanies this. And if I focus on "what next," or emptiness, then woe is me for not seizing the moment to be shaken by the peace. 

This world is a morning poem, and I have but to see it to be shaken by its beauty, over and over. And I am grateful WCW had the words to express this.

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