Of Angels and Everything Affects Everyone
You write and research a book for years, but afterwards someone forgets to tell the angels to stop throwing themselves in your way. The angels keep finding me. This weekend I opened an old beloved book of poetry by Denise Levertov and opened to a poem called, “The Wings.”
The Wings
Denise Levertov
Something hangs in back of me,
I can’t see it, can’t move it.
I know it’s black,
a hump on my back.
It’s heavy. You
can’t see it.
What’s in it? Don’t tell me
you don’t know. It’s
what you told me about–
black
inimical power, cold
whirling out of it and
around me and
sweeping you flat.
But what if,
like a camel, it’s
pure energy I store,
and carry humped and heavy?
Not black, not
that terror, stupidity
of cold rage; or black
only for being pent there?
What if released in air
it became a white
source of light, a fountain
of light? Could all that weight
be the power of flight?
Look inward: see me
with embryo wings, one
feathered in soot, the other
blazing ciliations of ember, pale
flare-pinions. Well–
could I go
on one wing,
the white one?
It was a good week, last week. I sidekicked with the greatness that is Grant Stovel on his CKUA morning radio show Alberta Morning, for an hour on Friday morning. If you haven’t tuned into CKUA Radio before, do check it out! You might remember just a couple of weeks ago, I spoke with Grant Stovel about my novel, and his enthusiasm has just buoyed me, I tellya!
My book made the 49th Shelf’s “Editors’ Picks for November 2021” list which is just very sweet. I’m right chuffed.
In other news, I unlocked the private board I made of inspirational pins I made on Pinterest while writing Everything Affects Everyone. Maybe you’d find it interesting to browse through?
You might remember the post I did on the angel in this photo a while back and wish to revisit it, so here is that link.
If you happened to listen to CKUA Radio on Friday morning you’ll have heard my requested song for the fall fundraiser, Springsteen’s Dream Baby Dream (a cover of the song by Suicide). I love this version below, but there are other versions that are also lovely. Words can be angels, songs can be angels. This is one.
(Technical glitch means you might have to click here to see the video :) )
