Let us do it right, this time

[pameladean]

Ever since I first read it, my New Year's reading has been the poem by John M. Ford called "Restoration Day: Plainsong" from the last Liavek volume; it was later reprinted in his NESFA Press collection, From the End of the Twentieth Century. Here is its peroration.

"All over the redeemed City they are working joy-blind,
Shaping pots, baking bread, sewing fabrics and wounds,
Making with their hands the ultimate prayer
Of those who endure in the hope of the truth of the world:
Please, you gods and fellow mortals,
Let us do it right,
Let us do it right, this time."

Amen.

P.

Comments

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Oh. Goosebumps.

[kightp.livejournal.com]

Serendipity: I just did my annual re-read of Mark Helprin's Winter's Tale, which contains much about the New Year and the redeemed City, and has a similar, heart-pulling message of hope.

Amen, indeed.

[elisem.livejournal.com]

Amen.

[thinkum]

Amen, indeed.

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

Oh. My. God.

I like this. <----understatement of the year!

[roadnotes.livejournal.com]

Yes. Please.

[angeyja.livejournal.com]

Discovering his work was one of my great joys of the old year.

"All over the redeemed City they are working joy-blind.."

Joyblind making, and remaking, endure, hope, truth.

[huladavid.livejournal.com]

sewing fabrics and wounds

I love that phrase - it covers so much territory. (I hope to ghod this makes sense to somebody. English, she is a languish I have learned goodly.)

Maybe I may have mentioned this to you, but when I was in the Sign Language Program I tested out of having to take English 101 by using the mantra, "What Would Pamela Do?"

[lcohen]

amen.

may 2005 be joyous for you and yours.