TO THE OPEN ROAD
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AFOOT and light-hearted, I take to the open road,
Healthy, free, the world before me,
The long brown path before me, leading wherever I choose.
Henceforth I ask not good-fortune—
Healthy, free, the world before me,
The long brown path before me, leading wherever I choose.
Henceforth I ask not good-fortune—
.
I myself am good fortune;
Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing,
Strong and content, I travel the open road.
I myself am good fortune;
Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing,
Strong and content, I travel the open road.
.
The earth—that is sufficient;
I do not want the constellations any nearer;
I know they are very well where they are;
I know they suffice for those who belong to them.
The earth—that is sufficient;
I do not want the constellations any nearer;
I know they are very well where they are;
I know they suffice for those who belong to them.
.
(Still here I carry my old delicious burdens;
I carry them, men and women—I carry them with me wherever I go;
I swear it is impossible for me to get rid of them;
I am fill’d with them, and I will fill them in return.)
(Still here I carry my old delicious burdens;
I carry them, men and women—I carry them with me wherever I go;
I swear it is impossible for me to get rid of them;
I am fill’d with them, and I will fill them in return.)
.
You road I enter upon and look around! I believe you are not all that is here;
I believe that much unseen is also here.
You road I enter upon and look around! I believe you are not all that is here;
I believe that much unseen is also here.
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Walt Whitman
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Crossroad of the world !.
It’s that time of the year again when for a few days there is a respite from the daily grind (yes, even the Dew is not immune from that mundane reality !) and so, wielding my bucket and spade and fighting through ‘scattered showers’ your faithful correspondent is outta’ here ! Away to the wild Atlantic coastline, the Clare hills, the Burren stones and the urban delights of Galway city, gateway to the West. In geographical terms I may not be crossing any borders or hopping continents but in terms of mind landscape believe me this terrain is a world and a half away. At the first sight of ocean coming out of Lisdoonvarna there is a sense of entering an altogether different country, a place set apart where the ‘other’ is the everyday currency and ones very breath is taken in lieu of a passport and is only returned on leaving this hallowed ground. In the presence of beloved, with a few carefully selected volumes and a writing pad, the next week or so will be spent in a state of suspended animation between earth and heaven with sometimes the two blending into a seamless one. The blogs will be scarce for that time (an added bonus I hear some say!”) but allowing for the wonder of broadband and the technology of Wi fi who knows ?
Gerard O'Shea
3 comments:
Ger, you definately need a holiday. I have been sensing this for some time, what with Slugs and all. But blogging on your holidays !!! You need some sorta distraction or something. Actually you should go to........................ Vegas and.............. totally your mind off things. The guys in Vagas make sure you never think about the things you normally think about, in fact they would be very upset if you thought about the things you normally think about. And amazingly Vagas is a lot cheaper than you think and the weather is incredible, all the time!! Go for it and have a real holiday, you need it.
hope you get to dip your toes in that wild Atlantic with your beloved and that you survive the Burren and above all, that the Burren survives you!
Enjoy the time away! I will check back in a week or so!
Chase the wind or watch it blow. Learn to listen again and hear His voice, still and small, speaking in large loud ways to your heart.
Blessings.
John
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