Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Miracles by Walt Whitman from Leaves of Grass (1855)

Why! who makes much of a miracle?
As to me, I know of nothing else but miracles,
Whether I walk the streets of Manhattan,
Or dart my sight over the roofs of houses toward the sky,
Or wade with naked feet along the beach, just in the edge of the water,
Or stand under trees in the woods,
Or talk by day with any one I love--or sleep in the bed at night with any one I love,
Or sit at table at dinner with my mother,
Or look at strangers opposite me riding in the car,
Or watch honey-bees busy around the hive, of a summer forenoon,
Or animals feeding in the fields,
Or birds--or the wonderfulness of insects in the air,
Or the wonderfulness of the sun-down--or of stars shining so quiet and bright,
Or the exquisite, delicate, thin curve of the new moon in spring;
Or whether I go among those I like best, and that like me best--
mechanics, boatmen, farmers,
Or among the savans--or to the soiree--or to the opera,
Or stand a long while looking at the movements of machinery,
Or behold children at their sports,
Or the admirable sight of the perfect old man, or the perfect old woman,
Or the sick in hospitals, or the dead carried to burial,
Or my own eyes and figure in the glass;
These, with the rest, one and all, are to me miracles,
The whole referring--yet each distinct, and in its place.

To me, every hour of the light and dark is a miracle,
Every cubic inch of space is a miracle,
Every square yard of the surface of the earth is spread with the same,
Every foot of the interior swarms with the same;
Every spear of grass--the frames, limbs, organs, of men and women,
and all that concerns them,
All these to me are unspeakably perfect miracles.

To me the sea is a continual miracle;
The fishes that swim--the rocks--the motion of the waves--the ships,
with men in them,
What stranger miracles are there?

by Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass (1855)

4 comments:

  1. Absolutely beautiful! Thanks for sharing.

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  2. Thanks, Paul--this went hand in hand with this morning's reading, chapter 11 in Jesus the Christ! Enjoy your family reunion and all the miracles that are there to see for those who look! Our love to you and yours--
    Nancy

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  3. Someone emailed this to me and I thought you might enjoy it.


    The Heart

    "Tomorrow morning," the surgeon began,
    "I'll open up your heart..."

    "You'll find Jesus there," the boy
    interrupted.

    the surgeon looked up, annoyed "I'll
    cut your heart open," he continued,
    to see how much damage has been
    done..."

    "but when you open up my heart, you'll
    find Jesus in there," said the boy.

    The surgeon looked to the parents, who
    sat quietly. "When I see how much
    damage has been done, I'll sew your
    heart and chest back up, and I'll plan
    what to do next."

    "But you'll find Jesus in my heart. The Bible says He lives there. The
    hymns all say He lives there. You'll
    find Him in my heart."

    The surgeon had had enough. "I'll tell
    you what I'll find in your heart.
    I'll find damaged muscle, low blood
    supply, and weakened vessels.
    And I'll find out if I can make you well."

    "You'll find Jesus there too. He lives
    there."

    The surgeon left.

    The surgeon sat in his office, recording his notes from the surgery,
    "...damaged aorta, damaged pulmonary vein, widespread muscle degeneration.
    No hope for transplant, no hope for cure. Therapy: painkillers and bed rest. Prognosis: here he paused, "death within one year."

    He stopped the recorder, but there was
    more to be said. "Why?" he asked aloud.
    "Why did You do this? You've put
    him here; You've put him in this pain; and You've cursed him to an early death. Why ?"

    The Lord answered and said, "The boy,
    my lamb, was not meant for your
    flock for long, for he is a part of My
    flock, and will forever be.
    Here, in My flock, he will feel no pain, and will be comforted as you cannot imagine.

    His parents will one day join him here, and they will know peace, and
    My flock will continue to grow.."

    The surgeon's tears were hot, but his
    anger was hotter. "You created that
    boy, and You created that heart. He'll
    be dead in months. Why?"

    The Lord answered, "The boy, My lamb,
    shall return to My flock, for He has
    done his duty: I did not put My lamb
    with your flock to lose him, but to retrieve another lost lamb."
    The surgeon wept...
    The surgeon sat beside the boy's bed; the boy's parents sat across from him. The boy awoke and whispered, "Did you cut open my heart?"

    "Yes," said the surgeon.
    "What did you find?" asked the boy.

    "I found Jesus there," said the surgeon.

    Author Unknown

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