At the Fair

Hundreds of artists sharing what

they’ve been driven to create. No one

knows why, but here it is: in pots that

spiral to their spout, in jewelry to wear

over the heart, in a photograph of a still

spot in Maine, and in wood from the

forest carved into a chair. Above us all,

the summer breeze twisting through

trees that watch us come and go.

Now, a woman with a scar in a

beautiful dress interrupts my wonder-

ing to say, “I have to have this butter

dish.” The one my wife fired last winter

between two heavy snows. I wrap it up

and thank her and look to the breeze,

the never-ending sweep of life that

lifts us from our hardships enough

to create the colorful things we

have to have to make it through.

A Question to Walk With: Tell the story of watching an artist work and what you learned from this.

 This excerpt is from my book of poems, Landing Home.

Join me at my new 5-session online Master Class, The Gift of Deepening and the Radiance in All Things, coming up August 28 – September1. I am also offering a free reading and conversation on September 11th. If you feel led, you can learn more at Live.MarkNepo.com.