One of the lovely quirks of participating in a holiday gift swap with people on the other side of the world is that things can show up just as you think the holidays are over. In this year’s swap, I paired with two people, so Tabatha’s gift (which I’ve already posted on) appeared before Christmas, but this week my second gift, from Margaret Simon, appeared in my letter box. How lovely!
Margaret sent me the most delightful card, with art by her father, John Gibson.
Margaret couldn’t have known when she selected this card that my word for this year would be ‘Pause’, which is why I shivered when I read the verse inside the card: ‘Bring silence and stillness to this season of joy.’ A perfect reminder for me to pause.
Also in the package was a copy of Margaret’s poetry collection, Illuminate which she wrote in response to her father’s annual Christmas cards. John’s art uses pointillism – thousands of tiny dots make up each image. And Margaret has lovingly written a poem in response to each artwork. What a treasure to receive. I am digesting the poems, and the arts, slowly, savouring each as I pause to ponder their wonder.
Margaret also very kindly wrote a poem just for me:
For Sally
I found you under a book avalanche
Where you were happily absorbing
Word upon words
Story upon stories
Filling your cupboard
With timeless treasures.
(Margaret Simon, 2023)
I love that Margaret was inspired (I think) by this Instagram post:
View this post on Instagram
Thank you so much Margaret! And thank you for your illuminating gift. Thanks to to Susan, who is hosting this week’s Poetry Friday Roundup. I’m heading over there to see what other poetry goodness is on offer this week.
This is a delight. The gift that keeps on giving…
Indeed. Thanks for visiting, Liz.
Oh, this is lovely, every bit of it. What a wonderful thing to receive after the holidays are officially over–but they’re never over when you have poetry friends.
I agree – the holidays keep coming in the poetry world.
What a special gift from Margaret! A special cupboard for your to be reads is a good idea, even as it seems impossible to get through. Good intentions, though! Careful!
Isn’t it amazing that there are gifts that are just right–and we get them just when we need them. I love that you have selected pause. It’s a lovely word.
Thanks Linda. Yes, it seems the perfect word for me this year – I find myself breathing it out at least once a day – a bit of a mantra to keep myself steady.
Yes, the cupboard is a help. Started when I ran a book review site, to keep the review books in order. I no longer review, but still find some kind of system helpful, even if I know I will never ever get through all those books.
So funny, your overflowing cupboard, Sally. I guess I would be there, too, but my books are only in stacks, ha ha. I have Margaret’s beautiful books, so I know you will love them, her words, her father’s art – marvelous!
Thanks Linda. Stacks, cupboards, shelves, boxes – I don’t think there are many bookish types who don’t have some kind of stash of ‘gonna reads’.
What nice poetic gifts you received, Sally! Happy New Year, too. My husband has been getting up early every morning to watch the Australian Open tennis tournament. Maybe one year we’ll go in person!
I’ve been watching the tennis too, Susan, and thinking how I would love to be there. Really good tennis this year and Melbourne is always great to visit.
Thanks for sharing about Margaret’s poetry and her father’s art, as well as this poem she wrote for you.
You are welcome Elisabeth. Thanks for visiting.
Thanks for sharing Margaret’s gift, and good luck with all that reading, absorbing words and stories.
Thanks for visiting, Rose.
What a fun gift! I love that she intuited your OLW!
Indeed. Thank you for visiting.
What a great post! Careful of the book avalanche! That’s one advantage of mostly reading on my Kindle these days — I’m less likely to get buried under a stack of books.
I love that poem! And what a wonderful shiver of a gift; so precious!
ILLUMINATE is such a beautiful book! And yay for Margaret’s gift to you arriving at exactly the right time. xo
It is indeed. Thanks for visiting.
Sally, as a fellow colleague who has committed to enjoy a purposeful pause each day, I am excited to see how our OLW fits in our lives. Sometimes, we overindulge in our favorites and then need to step back. Thanks.
Thank you for pausing here on my post Carol. I love that poetry fits so well with our commitment to pause.
Sometimes I wonder if that’s where I’ll be found, under a pile of books I’ve been meaning to read! 😉
SO many books, so little time. But it’s fun to get through as many as we do, isn’t it?
Another beautiful gift! And so perfect. I love when the universe calls (synchronicity 🙂 )
Thanks Patricia. Yes synchronicity is a wonderful thing!
I’m so happy this gift made it around the world to you. My father died in 2022, and even though my grief has gotten more tolerable, I still think of him every day. His love of art, his study of astrophysics, and his deep devotion to my mother inspire me to be better. I’m happy that we could connect across continents.
What a lovely poem! Although I could not see the picture, I can certainly imagine you under an avalanche of books! : )
Thanks Tracey. I pretty much live under that avalanche! It’s not a bad place to be 🙂
Thank you again for the gift Margaret and for visiting. My father died in 2022 also, so that is another connection we have.