‘Frost and Spring’
Greetings,
Today’s contribution comes from Kitty Macintyre, our honorary Pagan Chaplain. It is a poem she wrote in February this year; the frosty background is from a photo taken by a colleague of hers.
That sense of cold is one which has been around over recent days. Even though the air is becoming milder, things we associate with winter are to the fore – coughs and fevers, staying in, hunkering down. And imprisonment is clearly also a metaphor for much of our experience – limitations on movement, on freedom, of seeing people from our lives. Kitty’s poem, with its promise of thaw and freedom, will be close to many people’s hopes at this time.
And so as a counterpoint to Kitty’s poem, or perhaps a sequel, how about this most joyous account of spring, by e. e. cummings. Even though spring is delayed for us humans, the buds, the birds, the blossom show it still to be unfolding.
in Just-
spring when the world is mud-
luscious the little
lame balloonman
whistles far and wee
and eddieandbill come
running from marbles and
piracies and it’s
spring
when the world is puddle-wonderful
the queer
old balloonman whistles
far and wee
and bettyandisbel come dancing
from hop-scotch and jump-rope and
it’s
spring
and
the
goat-footed
balloonMan whistles
far
and
wee
Let me also say that both Mansefield and St Salvator’s Chapel are now closed for private prayer. But we encourage anybody accustomed to pray in Mansefield or St Salvator’s Chapel to continue to pray, at home. In addition, Sam Ferguson will be offering the following:
Pray with Sam
From next Monday 30 March the Assistant Chaplain, Sam Ferguson will be holding regular prayer sessions. Every evening – Monday to Thursday – at 5pm, Sam will be praying Evening Prayer.
You are very welcome to join her in this time of focus for light and love to surround us all. If you have people or situations you would like included in these prayers, please email Sam at [email protected].
And I hope, tech and my patience with tech permitting, to lead Compline tomorrow night at 10 pm from my house, live-streamed. Look out for details tomorrow.
Yours,
Donald.