37 Comments
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Jonathan Potter's avatar

She is a bit of a show-off, though.

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Jed Moffitt's avatar

Ha... You are so right. I never thought of it that way

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Sharon Hom's avatar

I think not a conscious “show-off” just an unapologetic grounded self inviting you to meet her♥️

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Jed Moffitt's avatar

Sharon, Jonathan is my friend, but I like your analysis better 😂

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Sharon Hom's avatar

Not analysis, just another appreciative reading that your nuanced poem invited♥️

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Geraldine A. V. Hughes's avatar

🤣🤣🤣💋

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Martin Mc Carthy's avatar

A lily, Jed, could teach us all a lot about how to live and what to be concerned with in this brief life, as this poem perfectly illustrates. The lily just enjoys being a lily. And don't take any notice of Jonathan, he's the biggest show-off on Substack - and delights in it.

Come out into the field

and visit me on my own ground,

on my own terms.

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David Kirkby's avatar

Yes. This is pretty much why I find time in nature so calming.

The priorities all become simple.

Sun, night, rain, wind....

D :)

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Hal Grotevant's avatar

Beautiful poem, Jed -- and such a nice reminder of the importance of meeting people on their own terms.

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Jed Moffitt's avatar

Hal! Great to hear from you man. Thank you

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Caroline Mellor's avatar

Jed - this is absolutely wonderful. #Bemorelily

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Sam Aureli's avatar

It doesn't get ay simpler than that, yet incredibly profound. A great piece, Jed.

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Susannah Violette's avatar

Love that last stanza! ❤️

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School of Blue's avatar

Terrific stuff, Jed. Heart- lifting, reminding us of our priorities beautifully.

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James Hart's avatar

That's precisely the invitation I hear when visiting the forest. (Those are certainly better conversations than some I enter the forest to avoid!)

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Nazish Nasim's avatar

That lily has just dared you, my friend. Did you accept the date? What did you say back to it?

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Jed Moffitt's avatar

Seemed like a pretty mild dare, Naz. I am still looking at it. I figure I am gonna try to just listen maybe?

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Chad R Herman's avatar

This is great. The personification is a gift. What a great piece of poetry. You never know where you'll find the beautiful speech

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Jed Moffitt's avatar

All my thanks for your kindness Mr. Herman

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Stefano Carini's avatar

Jed, do you like the word “consider”?

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Jed Moffitt's avatar

Hey Stefano... I lost you for awhile there in my own distraction and the dissolution of the algorithmic bonds. Good question. Yes ... as words go, I do like consider. What do you think of it?

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Stefano Carini's avatar

Nothing in particular, we all have favourite words.

Nice to hear from you, hope all is well.

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Rajani Radhakrishnan's avatar

I asked a lily the other day

for a prioritized list of

her principal concerns. - I love this question and the answer it got!

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Pauline McKelvey's avatar

Gorgeous poem. "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow". The King James II quotation has been with me for as long as I can remember, Ultimate comfort in nine words.

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Rob Riley's avatar

Biblical, and beautiful, and so true..

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williamphaynes/elliott's avatar

Lilys can be so fickle

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