- Aaron Moore
- Memorization
i am a little church
i am a little church(no great cathedral)
far from the splendor and squalor of hurrying cities
—i do not worry if briefer days grow briefest,
i am not sorry when sun and rain make april
my life is the life of the reaper and the sower;
my prayers are prayers of earth’s own clumsily striving
(finding and losing and laughing and crying)children
whose any sadness or joy is my grief or my gladness
around me surges a miracle of unceasing
birth and glory and death and resurrection:
over my sleeping self float flaming symbols
of hope,and i wake to a perfect patience of mountains
i am a little church(far from the frantic
world with its rapture and anguish)at peace with nature
—i do not worry if longer nights grow longest;
i am not sorry when silence becomes singing
winter by spring,i lift my diminutive spire to
merciful Him Whose only now is forever:
standing erect in the deathless truth of His presence
(welcoming humbly His light and proudly His darkness)
by e.e. cummings
[Source]
Personal Notes
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I decided several years ago that I am bound to memorize any poem that makes me cry. This is one of them.
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However, the specific catalyst for memorizing this was an experience I had up at Rock Lake, where I have gone backpacking with my friend Soren and his family for many years. My dad had come up and there was a long silence in conversation while we were sitting around the camp fire. He just decided to launch off into a recitation of this poem. I sometimes am embarrassed when my dad does this, but it was such a beautiful poem, and it seemed so appropriate to hear it when out in the wilderness like that, it was just perfect.