The Breathing

October 16, 2007 · by Christine

An absolute
patience.
Trees stand
up to their knees in
fog. The fog
slowly flows
uphill.
White
cobwebs, the grass
leaning where deer
have looked for apples.
The woods
from brook to where
the top of the hill looks
over the fog, send up
not one bird.
So absolute, it is
no other than
happiness itself, a breathing
too quiet to hear.

-Denise Levertov

(who was once a Seattle resident and attended St. Joseph Parish in Capitol Hill where her funeral was held and she is buried in Lakeview cemetery where some of the photos below were taken)

   

 

   

  

-Christine Valters Paintner @ Abbey of the Arts

(photos taken on a foggy Sunday morning in Volunteer Park and Lake View Cemetery in Seattle)

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Posted in Photos, Poetry | 4 Comments »

4 Responses to “The Breathing”

  1. eileen (the dream) Says:
    October 16th, 2007 at 4:37 pm

    beautiful photos, christine and i love the poem. fog is like a hug from nature – for me. i am also a huge fan of rain. i have been told by many that i would be most happy in seattle.

  2. Christine Says:
    October 16th, 2007 at 7:58 pm

    Thanks eileen, I love fog! I also adore rain and love living in the NW — sounds like you would indeed fit right in here. :-)

  3. Bette Says:
    October 17th, 2007 at 5:00 am

    a breathtaking collaboration between you and Denise! i’m melting with that beautiful fog.

  4. Christine Says:
    October 17th, 2007 at 10:10 am

    Thanks Bette, I wish I had lived in Seattle when Levertov was alive. I did feel like I was melting into the fog last Sunday, I didn’t want it to lift. Of course, metaphorically I’m not sure it does. :-)