Pennypack here we come: My first walk since transplant - Last poetry class

An elementary school in Cheltenham. I always pass it on my way to the high school, where I had my last (sob sob) poetry class with Chairman Bill.

Everyone brot in a favorite poem. Three people brought in Emily Dickinson: "After great pain, a formal feeling comes," Edie brot in Billy Collins (oh if only I could find my Billy Collins book - my instinct tells me it's in the lefthand corner by my bed) and Boris Putterman brot in Rumi.

Sarah introduced me to Rumi, a 13th century Persian poet, totally in love w/ god.

Our teacher gave brief discourses on all the poets. I guess you learn things when you have a doctorate.

I sipped some of love's sweet wine,
and now I am ill.
My body aches,
my fever is high.
They called in the doctor and he said,
drink this tea!
Ok, time to drink this tea.
He said,
Take these pills!
Ok, time to take these pills.
The doctor said,
And get rid of the sweet wine of love's lips!
Ok, time to get rid of the doctor.

From Rumi: Actually it sounds like a rock n roll song by the Coasters.

I brot in a poem I saved from Bartleby.com, a mystical chant attributed to Saint Patrick in the 7th century when he was sent to Ireland. Irish bandits sought to assassinate him but he rode by on horseback and instead of seeing St Paddy they thot they saw a heard of deer go by.

The poem is called St Patrick's Breastplate.

Here are my fave lines:

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation.

Next day, Scott and I head to Pennypack Trust, our favorite nature center. He always notices things I don't.

Quiet, he said, there's three turtles on a log. Sure enuf, they were sunning themselves on a log in the pond. Off to the right lily pads were growing.

Dyou think these are the Turtle Daddy, Turtle Mommy and Baby? Baby wants his independence so he's facing thother way. Look how dirty the pond is.

Double-click once or twice for larger view.

Arriving at the pond.
Outside the office is this lovely rhododendron. To the right are some newly blooming buds.
This is the barn w/ the gift shop. It's rarely open. When my kids were lil, we used to visit the bee colony who lived behind glass in the barn, and then would fly free to forage. We loved it!
This huge ole tree may be a gum tree.
May apples do indeed begin bearing apples in May. Peek underneath and you'll see one. That's Scott heading toward the bird blind.


Find Waldo. That's a children's book. Find the geese here. We wanted to see if they were heading toward their nest.

One of the great green meadows of Pennypack.

Dig the strange black stain in the middle of these leaves. Is it there by design? Or is it a disease?

I'd been outa commission for so long I wanted to visit some of my fave places. Five minutes down the road is this beautiful house that looks as if it were built in a former church.

You know what my church is? Nature. Nature is the grandest cathedral of them all.