In these first few weeks of summer, I find myself lingering. Taking my time on my morning walk to stop and take a picture, visit with a neighbor, enjoy the bird songs. I linger over morning coffee. I know this is how it should be, but there’s this little mouse in my brain that thinks I should accomplish things. I sing to myself “It is Well”.
When peace like a river, attendeth my way When sorrows like sea billows roll Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say It is well, it is well, with my soul
It is well With my soul It is well, it is well with my soul
Audrey Assad
Peace is my one little word for 2024, so I pay attention. Peace comes to me in songs, in the sounds of the birds, in the slowing down of summer.
When I stopped to take pictures in my neighbor’s garden, she said, “Now write a haiku.” She laughed, but that is what I did. Haiku is a perfect form for peaceful nature noticing.
Canopy of oak arms reaching, tossing tumbling light– peace attends my soul. photo and haiku by Margaret Simon
Freckled lily blossom Lonely lighthouse beacon Pool of goldfish beams photo and haiku by Margaret Simon
Margaret: Thank you for sharing “It is well” which is so beautiful and I haven’t heard in a while. I’m so thankful that this summer is a balm for you. Beautiful photos and haikus. I get that urge to accomplish, but I’m starting to ignore it! ;0)
Margaret, this one is a hymn favorite of mine as well. I love the peace the song brings immediately on hearing it. The beams, the blossoms, the beacon – all guiding us to an inner peace in your poem. Beautiful!
Margaret, that little voice inside our heads can drive us crazy telling us we need to do this or we need to do that. Although hard, we need to turn it off and just be in the moment enjoying and appreciating what we have, what we’ve done, and what is around us. Peace.
Oh Margaret – I’m glad I found my way to you this week! The song, your photos, your haikus were so healing. Just beautiful. I love the idea of the lily blossom being a beacon for the goldfish.
Such a gift, Margaret, to arrive at a place of peace through all the tumult. And then to be an instrument of that same peace with your beautiful haiku! It feels fitting that Karen prompted us to look back and look forward. Your looks are a reflection of hope.
Margaret, your poems are beautiful, and I love them. Listening to birds brings me peace, also. In fact, being in nature anywhere brings me peace. When you are walking taking photos, relaxing, writing poems in your head, you ARE DOING something. You are GIVING yourself much needed peace. Keep giving yourself time to do something for yourself, something you want to do, something new, read a book, do artwork, go get flowers…
In your oak tree haiku, your first line, “canopy of oak arms” you hooked me with my bobber, bait, and fishing pole. Love how you personify those oak arms in your next two lines. What a beautiful lily! It’s great that you made the 2nd line “lonely lighthouse beacon” be a metaphor for your 1st line “freckled lily blossom” and then your 2nd line is a beacon for your goldfish in your 3rd line. I loved the song, It Is Well, too.
What marvelous oak trees. It makes me think of the children’s book called Wishtree by Katherine Applegate. She’s one of my favorite children’s book authors. If you haven’t read this book, then you have to. It’s POV is from the oak tree! Your students and you will love it! Di you ever read Katherine’s One and Only Ivan and the and the books that spin off from that? The first time I read the One and Only Ivan, I cried and called my award-winning author friend up and told I just read the next Newberry winning book!
Thank you for sharing your inspiration and joyful poems. Your post has brought me peace. I feel like I was with you on your walk when you snapped the pics. Thank you, my friend. It is well with my soul and your soul. 🙂
Margaret Simon lives on the Bayou Teche in New Iberia, Louisiana. She is a retired elementary gifted teacher who writes poetry and children's books. Welcome to a space of peace, poetry, and personal reflection. Walk in kindness.
Reflections on the Teche 
Margaret: Thank you for sharing “It is well” which is so beautiful and I haven’t heard in a while. I’m so thankful that this summer is a balm for you. Beautiful photos and haikus. I get that urge to accomplish, but I’m starting to ignore it! ;0)
So glad you’re making time to linger. Your photos and haiku are gorgeous. I especially like the pic of your neighbor’s tree. What a tree!
We have new-for-us hymns being released for a new hymnal. I was thrilled to see “It Is Well” on the first rollout recently. It’s such a lovely song.
Here’s to many slow, peaceful, summer days ahead!
Margaret, this one is a hymn favorite of mine as well. I love the peace the song brings immediately on hearing it. The beams, the blossoms, the beacon – all guiding us to an inner peace in your poem. Beautiful!
Beautiful song…I love those lyrics. I’ll be singing this in my van on the way to school in the morning. I just love those oak arms.
Margaret, that little voice inside our heads can drive us crazy telling us we need to do this or we need to do that. Although hard, we need to turn it off and just be in the moment enjoying and appreciating what we have, what we’ve done, and what is around us. Peace.
Oh Margaret – I’m glad I found my way to you this week! The song, your photos, your haikus were so healing. Just beautiful. I love the idea of the lily blossom being a beacon for the goldfish.
Such a gift, Margaret, to arrive at a place of peace through all the tumult. And then to be an instrument of that same peace with your beautiful haiku! It feels fitting that Karen prompted us to look back and look forward. Your looks are a reflection of hope.
Thanks. I’m speaking to myself as much as anyone else.
Margaret, your poems are beautiful, and I love them. Listening to birds brings me peace, also. In fact, being in nature anywhere brings me peace. When you are walking taking photos, relaxing, writing poems in your head, you ARE DOING something. You are GIVING yourself much needed peace. Keep giving yourself time to do something for yourself, something you want to do, something new, read a book, do artwork, go get flowers…
In your oak tree haiku, your first line, “canopy of oak arms” you hooked me with my bobber, bait, and fishing pole. Love how you personify those oak arms in your next two lines. What a beautiful lily! It’s great that you made the 2nd line “lonely lighthouse beacon” be a metaphor for your 1st line “freckled lily blossom” and then your 2nd line is a beacon for your goldfish in your 3rd line. I loved the song, It Is Well, too.
What marvelous oak trees. It makes me think of the children’s book called Wishtree by Katherine Applegate. She’s one of my favorite children’s book authors. If you haven’t read this book, then you have to. It’s POV is from the oak tree! Your students and you will love it! Di you ever read Katherine’s One and Only Ivan and the and the books that spin off from that? The first time I read the One and Only Ivan, I cried and called my award-winning author friend up and told I just read the next Newberry winning book!
Thank you for sharing your inspiration and joyful poems. Your post has brought me peace. I feel like I was with you on your walk when you snapped the pics. Thank you, my friend. It is well with my soul and your soul. 🙂