“Hope” is the thing with feathers –
by Emily Dickinson
“Hope” is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all –
And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard –
And sore must be the storm –
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm –
I’ve heard it in the chillest land –
And on the strangest Sea –
Yet – never – in Extremity,
It asked a crumb – of me.
Do you have a persistent little bird perching in your soul that keeps on singing even amid a fierce storm? “Hope is the thing with feathers” and during this stormy year, hope is something we all need. For some of us, it is easy to be optimistic, while for others, our natural inclination is to expect the worst. Perhaps you are somewhere in between. We are at the halfway point of what has been a year for the history books, and you may be tempted to fret over what this year still has in store. If so, take a moment and listen to that little bird singing in the storm. Hold on to the hope that the rest of this year can get better, that there are lessons to be learned through the challenges, blessings to be gained in the upset and unexpected, and encouragement and strength to be found in community.
At Down Home, we are embracing this as our summer theme: Hope for the 2nd Half. As we all recover and regroup from a grueling last trimester and endeavor to prepare for a fall currently full of unknowns, join us in choosing hope and community. Each week of the summer we will strive to bring you a story of hope from our SLOCA community — celebrating the learning, character growth, community, and connection from this past school year while looking ahead with hope for the year to come.
Here’s another poem to encourage you!
Write it on your heart
that every day is the best day in the year.
He is rich who owns the day, and no one owns the day
who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety.Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could.
Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt crept in.
Forget them as soon as you can, tomorrow is a new day;
begin it well and serenely, with too high a spirit
to be cumbered with your old nonsense.This new day is too dear,
with its hopes and invitations,
to waste a moment on the yesterdays.Ralph Waldo Emerson, Collected Poems and Translations
4 thoughts on “Hope for the 2nd Half”
Your poetic suggestions are a blessing to me and I’m sure to many.
Thank you, Sandee. The right poem can often be more powerful than prose.
“Hold on to the hope that the rest of this year can get better, that there are lessons to be learned through the challenges, blessings to be gained in the upset and unexpected, and encouragement and strength to be found in community.”
yes!!! such a great reminder, Sharon! thank you for your gently nudge :). so good. and we do need to hear this. because how easily we forget!
here’s to a NEW day!
Thank you, Cheryl! My hope is for readers to feel encouraged during these often discouraging days.