{"id":2740,"date":"2018-09-07T00:00:14","date_gmt":"2018-09-07T04:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.udmercy.edu\/mission-and-identity\/?p=2740"},"modified":"2019-09-18T16:45:22","modified_gmt":"2019-09-18T20:45:22","slug":"sept-7-small-fond-local","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.udmercy.edu\/poetry\/2018\/09\/07\/sept-7-small-fond-local\/","title":{"rendered":"Sept 7 – “small & fond & local”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Friday, \u00a0September 7, \u00a0the first full weekend in September<\/p>\n

In Detroit where I live, a Northeast weather path brought an end to gummy sticky air that hindered breathing.\u00a0 This poem happened to me during the same week when many of us are still negotiating modest compromises between summer\u2019s best and its worst. \u00a0This morning, when I stepped out for some errands, \u00a0fresh, \u00a0chilly air greeted me. \u00a0Tiny changes in weather patterns, much like an evanescent smile exchanged with a passing friend, \u00a0well . . . . \u00a0such small events refresh my spirits and imagination. \u00a0Yours too I hope.<\/p>\n

Micro events, that\u2019s what today\u2019s poet sees and savors.<\/p>\n

Best to read the poem out loud, with pauses. \u00a0 More next week.<\/p>\n

john sj<\/p>\n

P.S.\u00a0Thanks to Mary Catherine Harrison who introduced me to poet Mary Karr with this poem.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s Post \u00a0\u201cThe Voice of God”<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mary Karr<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ninety percent of what\u2019s wrong with you
\ncould be cured with a hot bath,
\nsays God from the bowels of the subway.
\nbut we want magic, to win
\nthe lottery we never bought a ticket for.
\n(Tenderly, the monks chant, embrace
\nthe suffering.) The voice of God does not pander,
\noffers no five-year plan, no long-term
\nsolution, nary an edict. It is small & fond & local.
\nDon\u2019t look for your initials in the geese
\nhonking overhead or to see thru the glass even
\ndarkly. It says the most obvious crap\u2014
\nput down that gun, you need a sandwich.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mary_Karr<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Karr speaking at the\u00a0St. Louis County Library<\/a>\u00a0on September 8, 2016<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Friday, \u00a0September 7, \u00a0the first full weekend in September In Detroit where I live, a Northeast weather path brought an end to gummy sticky air that hindered breathing.\u00a0 This poem happened to me during the same week when many of … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":139,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[11641],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.udmercy.edu\/poetry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2740"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.udmercy.edu\/poetry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.udmercy.edu\/poetry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.udmercy.edu\/poetry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/139"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.udmercy.edu\/poetry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2740"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sites.udmercy.edu\/poetry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2740\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2742,"href":"https:\/\/sites.udmercy.edu\/poetry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2740\/revisions\/2742"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.udmercy.edu\/poetry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2740"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.udmercy.edu\/poetry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2740"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.udmercy.edu\/poetry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2740"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}