Dear Ann.~ This issue of your newsletter is a gift I will savor and reread in the coming days. Thank you for allowing us to see the world through your eyes and words. Today, not quite 5 weeks past ankle reconstruction surgery, I am going for a walk beyond my little neighborhood, amongst trees, grasses, birds, beneath the great gray sky. And I will put your suggestions to practice. Thank you. Happiest of holidays to you.
Dear Kim, I’m so happy to know that your recovery is progressing. I hope you’ll find some beautiful words or music to help elevate and distract you from any lingering discomfort. I know how hard it can be! I went through major back surgery years ago, and the recovery was grueling. But there was also so much beauty to be found in working through the process. Peace and comfort to you as you continue to get stronger!
Your message has arrived in New Zealand on Christmas morning. What a sweet surprise. Just the best gift to end this year with along with a beautiful song. Thank you.
What a lovely piece, Ann. As I read it, your writing reminded me of Gretel Ehrlich's description of walking as "an ambulation of the mind." It was beautiful how you described the act of reading a poem as walking around inside of it, or walking with specific lines.
Such a beautiful post! Poetry can do the same for me. There are so many treasures out there!
And this is very much true for me:” One of the most sacred and helpful of these is the simple act of walking outside—a stolen hour spent in the rhythm of my own footsteps.
When I walk with intention, my feet, my breath, my senses all locate me. I am gently tethered in the here and now. This is deeply good for the body.”
What a wonderful thing to wake up to Christmas morning. I took some time for myself, and had a slow read of this before getting up. All of this resonates a lot with me, and things I hope to achieve with walking, meditating, and poetry this coming year. I hope your Christmas is a good one Ann - and thank you for the wise words ❤️
Friend, I can't thank you enough for the gifts you've given me this year. All the patient and thoughtful answers to my wonderings. You are a rare human. Every time I press my ear against the walls of this labyrinth, I hear you and the Forgotten Poets rushing by on the other side--laughing and reading each other the poems that will live forever! I can't wait to see what new work wants to come through you in 2025. Cheers, Dick! Here's to more poems and more songs and more of everything that's life-giving and real. ❤️
Makes total sense to me, Neil. Poems are the pure essence of language . . . "the shape that thoughts come in" as Edgar Ballantyne so beautifully says. I love your Sijo poetry and the owls in this post remind me of you and your friends way up there in the wilds of Canada!
"This is how the practice of contemplative walking is born—each time anew—breathing. . . relaxing. . . slowing down the mind. . . inviting peace into the body . . ."
Thank you, Ann. This is precisely what I needed to read this morning as I prepare to fling myself down to JFK and then across the continent in the belly of a mechanical bird.
I keep trying to read slowly. It's not as easy as it sounds?
What a generous gift, Ann, to invite us into the walking/reading/writing of your contemplative practice. It's an honor and a blessing to pay attention to you and with you. 💞
I feel the power of the solstice working in me already, Ann. So, I was ready to receive your beautiful offering. I need to linger more over poems or lines that speak to me, until I've really absorbed their unique message. Next year will be a year of refinement, of deeper focus. Wishing you all the best for the rest of the holidays x
Your poems are already deep and layered and surprising--and still--you're always doing the work, Conny. Your devotion is so beautiful. May the new year lead you on & on into more of what you love to make. xo 💛
Thank you for your beautiful wishes! Just for clarification: I meant to say that I want to read the work of other poets more slowly, like as a mindfulness practice 😊
Dear Ann.~ This issue of your newsletter is a gift I will savor and reread in the coming days. Thank you for allowing us to see the world through your eyes and words. Today, not quite 5 weeks past ankle reconstruction surgery, I am going for a walk beyond my little neighborhood, amongst trees, grasses, birds, beneath the great gray sky. And I will put your suggestions to practice. Thank you. Happiest of holidays to you.
Dear Kim, I’m so happy to know that your recovery is progressing. I hope you’ll find some beautiful words or music to help elevate and distract you from any lingering discomfort. I know how hard it can be! I went through major back surgery years ago, and the recovery was grueling. But there was also so much beauty to be found in working through the process. Peace and comfort to you as you continue to get stronger!
😘❤️❤️❤️
🫶🏻 🙏🏻🫶🏻
Your message has arrived in New Zealand on Christmas morning. What a sweet surprise. Just the best gift to end this year with along with a beautiful song. Thank you.
Oh thank you—how happy you just made me feel. I’m sharing your joy today!
What a lovely piece, Ann. As I read it, your writing reminded me of Gretel Ehrlich's description of walking as "an ambulation of the mind." It was beautiful how you described the act of reading a poem as walking around inside of it, or walking with specific lines.
I’m marking this to read, James. 💛
I believe this was in Unsolaced--though you can't go wrong with any of them.
Such a beautiful post! Poetry can do the same for me. There are so many treasures out there!
And this is very much true for me:” One of the most sacred and helpful of these is the simple act of walking outside—a stolen hour spent in the rhythm of my own footsteps.
When I walk with intention, my feet, my breath, my senses all locate me. I am gently tethered in the here and now. This is deeply good for the body.”
Wish we could walk together!
Merry Christmas!
That would be a dream—someday! 🙏💛
What a wonderful thing to wake up to Christmas morning. I took some time for myself, and had a slow read of this before getting up. All of this resonates a lot with me, and things I hope to achieve with walking, meditating, and poetry this coming year. I hope your Christmas is a good one Ann - and thank you for the wise words ❤️
Friend, I can't thank you enough for the gifts you've given me this year. All the patient and thoughtful answers to my wonderings. You are a rare human. Every time I press my ear against the walls of this labyrinth, I hear you and the Forgotten Poets rushing by on the other side--laughing and reading each other the poems that will live forever! I can't wait to see what new work wants to come through you in 2025. Cheers, Dick! Here's to more poems and more songs and more of everything that's life-giving and real. ❤️
An excellent post Ann. I like how poems can often convey more with less compared to descriptive writing. I hope that makes sense!
Makes total sense to me, Neil. Poems are the pure essence of language . . . "the shape that thoughts come in" as Edgar Ballantyne so beautifully says. I love your Sijo poetry and the owls in this post remind me of you and your friends way up there in the wilds of Canada!
I love the idea of walking around inside of a poem, and remembering that love is a constant light. Thank you.
M.K. I love your poems--so alive and lit with your spirit--they are very beautiful and spacious poems to walk in. May the new year bring many more. 💛
Thank you for saying that. You are too kind. Looking forward to more micro seasons too.
💛💛💛
Wonderful.
Thank you Alan!
Ann that was very comforting and soothing and beautiful.
Kathleen, thanks so much for walking with me. Wishing you ease and comfort as we finish this year. 💛
Enchanting and inspiring. Made me take a much-needed deep breath. Thank you, Ann!
Thank you for being here Hasse! 💛
💜
Such a lovely practice. Thank you for the gift of the Linda Gregg poem. I'm going to copy it into my winter journal. Peace keep you, dear friend.
I’m honored Kortney🌞💛
"This is how the practice of contemplative walking is born—each time anew—breathing. . . relaxing. . . slowing down the mind. . . inviting peace into the body . . ."
Thank you, Ann. This is precisely what I needed to read this morning as I prepare to fling myself down to JFK and then across the continent in the belly of a mechanical bird.
I keep trying to read slowly. It's not as easy as it sounds?
Good Jed! May that bird fly smoothly and safely! 🙏💛
Oh, what a beautiful contemplation! One of my responses was "who IS this person? a nun? a monk?" Such nice writing and thoughts -- and photos!
Marc, Hildegard Von Bingen lives large in my imagination! Thanks so much for reading 💛
What a generous gift, Ann, to invite us into the walking/reading/writing of your contemplative practice. It's an honor and a blessing to pay attention to you and with you. 💞
Oh, Elizabeth, I wish we could walk together. At least we can wander in the same poems sometimes. Yours are so good for this 💛
This is so nice, Ann. I finally got to read some of your writing. Beautiful!
You start my day with warmth & kindness—thank you, Silvio!
I feel the power of the solstice working in me already, Ann. So, I was ready to receive your beautiful offering. I need to linger more over poems or lines that speak to me, until I've really absorbed their unique message. Next year will be a year of refinement, of deeper focus. Wishing you all the best for the rest of the holidays x
Your poems are already deep and layered and surprising--and still--you're always doing the work, Conny. Your devotion is so beautiful. May the new year lead you on & on into more of what you love to make. xo 💛
Thank you for your beautiful wishes! Just for clarification: I meant to say that I want to read the work of other poets more slowly, like as a mindfulness practice 😊
It’s a spiritual way to read… will feed you good food. 💛