Mission Statement

Bearing Witness to Local Natural History-- from the wildness of Indiana








Saturday, August 24, 2013

Betrayed by the Shadow

It was the shadow that betrayed its presence. Backlighting by the sun created a shadow on the leaf. This Cope's Gray Treefrog was revealed-- hiding in the leaf of a Prince's Feather (Amaranthus sp.) in my native wildflower plot. 

I thought about Shadow & Light in our lives and remembered this beautiful poem by the mystical poet Rumi --

Cope's Gray Treefrog


 Shadow and Light Source Both

How does a part of the world leave the world?
How does wetness leave water?

Don't try to put out fire by throwing on
more fire! Don't wash a wound with blood.

No matter how fast you run, your shadow
keeps up. Sometimes it's in front!

Only full overhead sun diminishes your shadow.
But that shadow has been serving you.

What hurts you, blesses you. Darkness is
your candle. Your boundaries are your quest.

I could explain this, but it will break the
glass cover on your heart, and there's no
fixing that.

You must have shadow and light source both.
Listen, and lay your head under the tree of awe.

When from that tree feathers and wings sprout on you,
be quieter than a dove. Don't even open your mouth for
even a coo.

 Rumi (1207 - 1273)


2 comments:

Pat said...

This simple photo and the poem selected to accompany it, clearly demonstrate experience and some very keen observantional and analytical skills. Having come upon and captured an unexpected beautiful image, and subsequently interpreted it in this way, you, Joni, have succeeded, with this blog, in conveying some of the fullness and richness of your life.

Joni James said...

Thank you Pat for your kind words. I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog and leave a comment.