Thursday, January 29, 2009

Wonder

A sense of wonder is
the way of understanding,
with a child's heart,
that all that's true and good
has come from God; and that
the beauty which we see
is but a glimmer of His majesty.

To A Butterfly

I've watched you now a full half-hour,
Self-poised upon that yellow flower;
And, little Butterfly, indeed!
I know not if you sleep or feed.
How motionless!--not frozen seas
More motionless! and then
What joy awaits you, when the breeze
Hath found you out among the trees,
And calls you forth again!

This plot of orchard-ground is ours;
My trees they are, my Sister's flowers;
Here rest your wings when they are weary.
Here lodge as in a sanctuary!
Come often to us, fear no wrong;
Sit near us on the bough!
We'll talk of sunshine and of song,
And summer days when we were young;
Sweet childish days that were as long
As twenty days are now.

--William Wordsworth

For his feast day

"Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle
as real strength."--Saint Francis de Sales