TO KNOW THE DARK

A POEM BY WENDELL BERRY 

To go in the dark with a light is to know the light.

To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight,

and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings,

and is traveled by dark feet and dark wings.

The next total solar eclipse falls on August 12, 2026. This eclipse will pass over the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, Greenland, Iceland, Portugal, and northern Spain. It’s definitely not too soon to start planning.

Retirement Measured in Scones

I watch as schools are closed, sold or leased, the already outsourced maintenance workers forced to move on or merely shift locations. If it is Tuesday, we clean “The Latest Healthcare Facility to Replace a Dead, Large Retail Space” instead of the empty, boarded up school of last year.

Where do the battered, aged Chromebooks go? Where do the teachers go? The administrators? The extremely large cups of coffee that were keeping some of these people in motion?

Today’s observations: I like making coffee. I like playing games and slowly nibbling orange scones. I like leaving today’s mess of educational testing behind. I don’t want to think about moving algebra into earlier grades, especially since we can barely do today’s math, not according to the schedules laid out by educational “reformers” anyway. As demands to teach critical thinking skills compete with demands to eliminate homework and memorization, I prefer doing collages, watercolors and an occasional acrylic nonmasterpiece.

I’ve got this. Reader, if today’s crazy is making you crazy for whatever reason, I have a piece of advice:

DETACH

Does it matter who — or even what — closes the door behind you? So many bakeries, reader. So little time. So many scones meant to be savored with delicious lattes or cups of Earl Grey tea, hot or iced. I’ll say it again: DETACH.

When your inner self tells you what you want to do — or not do — believe him/her/them/it.

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