Our winter break was shortened by a week, but the spirit of the season remains undiminished! Wishing you and your loved ones all the merriment and joy this special time brings. To add a touch of warmth to your festivities, I am passing along to you a lovely poem Mrs. Earle shared with me, one that resonates with themes close to our hearts during this season of reflection and rejoicing. We hope it brings you moments of contemplation and cheer.
Snowy Night by Mary Oliver
Last night, an owl
in the blue dark
tossed an indeterminate number
of carefully shaped sounds into
the world, in which,
a quarter of a mile away, I happened
to be standing.
I couldn’t tell
which one it was –
the barred or the great-horned
ship of the air –
it was that distant. But, anyway,
aren’t there moments
that are better than knowing something,
and sweeter? Snow was falling,
so much like stars
filling the dark trees
that one could easily imagine
its reason for being was nothing more
than prettiness. I suppose
if this were someone else’s story
they would have insisted on knowing
whatever is knowable – would have hurried
over the fields
to name it – the owl, I mean.
But it’s mine, this poem of the night,
and I just stood there, listening and holding out
my hands to the soft glitter
falling through the air. I love this world,
but not for its answers.
And I wish good luck to the owl,
whatever its name –
and I wish great welcome to the snow,
whatever its severe and comfortless
and beautiful meaning.
Vernon Proud!
Ben Keefer bkeefer@pps.net Principal
