The Work of Happiness – May Sarton
I thought of happiness, how it is woven
Out of the silence in the empty house each day
And how it is not sudden and it is not given
But is creation itself like the growth of a tree.
No one has seen it happen, but inside the bark
Another circle is growing in the expanding ring.
No one has heard the root go deeper in the dark,
But the tree is lifted by this inward work
And its plumes shine, and its leaves are glittering.
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So happiness is woven out of the peace of hours
And strikes its roots deep in the house alone:
The old chest in the corner, cool waxed floors,
White curtains softly and continually blown
As the free air moves quietly about the room;
A shelf of books, a table, and the white-washed wall—
These are the dear familiar gods of home,
And here the work of faith can best be done,
The growing tree is green and musical.
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For what is happiness but growth in peace,
The timeless sense of time when furniture
Has stood a life’s span in a single place,
And as the air moves, so the old dreams stir
The shining leaves of present happiness?
No one has heard thought or listened to a mind,
But where people have lived in inwardness
The air is charged with blessing and does bless;
Windows look out on mountains and the walls are kind.
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May Sarton, “The Work of Happiness” from Collected Poems 1930-1993. Copyright © 1993
Opening poem chosen and read by Nancy L.
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Scarred from injury yet still reaching for the sky!
This picture mirrors the circles/rings image from the trees in the opening poem. I was fascinated by the bubbles that floated down from the waterfall and by the circle made by the water separating the algae.
Photos and reflections by Bonnie L.
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Photos by Mieke K.
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Sometimes our hearts need the coziness of walls and sometimes they need to soar into a wide open space. The choice is ours to enjoy.
Photos and reflection by Denise P.
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Photo by Sue J.
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“For what is happiness but growth in peace” … I began my walk focusing on this line in the May Sarton poem. I actually like the word “joy” more than I like the word “happiness.” Joy to me is a deep seated feeling — an inner peace — not a fleeting emotion that is often caused by external causes or events. So I walked focused on growing in that inner peace and joy…
The day was magnificent — the crisp air charged with blessing, stopping to bask with the warm sun on my face, the old trees reminding me of an old piece of furniture from the poem, the resurrection fern in glorious green, the sculpture court with soft classical music and human-made treasures…
I was overtaken by a deep sense of gratitude for this joyous and healing place called Brookgreen Gardens, and gratitude for the many blessings in my life. I will try to come back to this place of inner peace and deep joy when life’s struggles emerge, as they most certainly will. The joy, beauty, struggles and pain… it all belongs, as I continue to work on “holding it all gently”.
Photo and reflection by Nancy L.
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