Thursday Text: A Death in the Family

I just finished reading a book called A Death in the Family by James Agee. (I posted about his poetry previously.) I wasn't sure what I would think of the book, but I ended up liking it. Some of the parallels to my life story were astonishing, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

The moistures of May drowned all save the most ardent of stars, and gave back to the earth the sublimated light of the prostrate city. Deep in the end of the back yard, the blossoming peach tree shone like a celestial sentinel. The fecund air lavished upon their faces the tenderness of lovers' adoring hands, the dissolving fragrance of the opened world, which slept against the sky.

Thursday Text: Sure On This Shining Night

I know it's a day late, but I wanted to post about a poem that we heard recently in the form of a song by Morten Lauridsen. The poem is called Sure On This Shining Night, and it's by James Agee. Beautiful.

Sure on this shining night
Of star made shadows round,
Kindness must watch for me
This side the ground.
The late year lies down the north.
All is healed, all is health.
High summer holds the earth.
Hearts all whole.
Sure on this shining night I weep for wonder wand'ring far alone
Of shadows on the stars.

My posting may be a bit sporadic over the next week, but I do have some ideas for things to come!