The Rhodora
“On being asked, whence is the flower.
In May, when sea-winds pierced our solitudes,
I found the fresh Rhodora in the woods,
Spreading its leafless blooms in a damp nook,
To please the desert and the sluggish brook.
The purple petals fallen in the pool
Made the black water with their beauty gay;
Here might the red-bird come his plumes to cool,
And court the flower that cheapens his array.
Rhodora! if the sages ask thee why
This charm is wasted on the earth and sky,
Tell them, dear, that, if eyes were made for seeing,
Then beauty is its own excuse for Being;
Why thou wert there, O rival of the rose!
I never thought to ask; I never knew;
But in my simple ignorance suppose
The self-same power that brought me there, brought you.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
A River In Tennessee
photo by
the wild magnolia
(c)
“...The self-same power that brought me there, brought you.”
These are my favorite words in this Emerson poem.
When we see ourselves as one, we are all connected.
Exciting!
6 comments:
Oh I love this excerpt Sandra!
Thank You Dear Heart for the hug today...it felt really good!
I love your photo's of the river...the place of peace for me.
Tennessee is a beautiful place...I've been there. Swam in the Tennessee river, is was like bath water warm.
Go to Lookout Mountain if you can!
The Smoky Mountains are awesome!
(((Big Hugs))) Sister Soul!
Much Love and Abundant Peace Dear...
That river is beautiful!!
What? The Tennessee River is warm like bath water? How could that be true? I'm a Wisconsin girl and I tend to travel and hike in the northern states and Canada. All of the rivers are cold and I've learned to love their bone chilling bite.
I appreciate the winding literary road to remind us that we are all connected. All-One
what a gorgeous place. and i love that line too. so much power behind a simple string of words.
I love Emerson, and what a wonderful line to pinpoint for us. Thank you!
yes we are Sandi xx
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