“Vetch and Milk Thistle.” Photographer, Art Wolfe.
As I head into the weekend and to Sabbath rest, I am whispering in my spirit the penultimate verse of John Greenleaf Whittier’s poem, “Soma.”
Many recognize the words from the hymn, “Dear Lord and Father of Mankind,” but do not know they come from the longer poem. What they also may not know is that Whittier–seeing it as showy or unnecessarily dramatic–was not a fan of singing in church; he believed that God should be worshipped in silent meditation.
Worshipping God through song is the gift I can always offer [alone and with other worshippers], so I do not agree with Whittier’s stance. However, there is incredible value in quiet contemplation and meditation, so on that point, he gets no argument from me.
May these last two verses from “Soma” usher you into a period of quiet rest, meditation, and contemplation.
from “Soma”
John Greenleaf Whittier
Drop thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
Thy beauty of Thy peace.
Breathe through the hearts of our desire
Thy coolness and Thy balm;
Let sense be numb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still, small voice of calm!
About the image: The card above came from Karen B, one of my partners for Love Notes 31. The “Vetch and Milk Thistle” scene–from Cappadocia, Turkey–was shot by photographer-conservationist Art Wolfe. A portion of the proceeds of the Pomegranate card supports the Sierra Club’s efforts to preserve and protect our planet.
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Lovely!
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As a former choir girl (high school) I love the sound of voices in praise and worship. Though I often feel closest to God when I am sitting alone, quiet in nature. This is JOYFUL. Thank you, Chandra 🙂
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Music/singing is actually my first love. I gave it up after high school. When I ran into my music teacher some time ago, she was shocked that I was not at least singing in a choir. I still love singing and music. I guess, I moved toward a different agenda. I, too, feel closest to God when I’m alone and quiet–in nature or out of nature. 😉
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Beautiful image and verse. I am embarrassed to confess this ignorance of Whittier, but I have to ask: was he a Quaker?
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He was indeed. I started to mention that in the post. No worries about not knowing. There’s no way we can possibly know everything. 🙂
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