Ledger of the head’s transactions
log of the body’s voyage,
it rides all day in a raincoat pocket,
ready to admit any droplet of thought,
nut of a maxim,
narrowest squint of an observation.
It goes with me
to a gallery where I open it to record
a note on red and the birthplace of Corot,
into the tube of an airplane
so I can take down the high dictation of clouds,
or on a hike in the woods where a young hawk
might suddenly fly between its covers.
And when my heart is beating
too rapidly in the dark,
I will go downstairs in a robe,
open it up to a blank page,
and try to settle on the blue lines
whatever it is that seems to be the matter.
~ excerpt from Journal by Billy Collins from Picnic, Lightning
Isn’t that a wonderful poem on journaling? I am going to try some visual journaling this weekend and so I’ve got my Mod Podge, paper scraps and other bits ready. I promise to share the results.
And, speaking of journaling, my Etsy shop is about to turn 1 year. Thank you to all of you who have visited, shopped and passed along the recommendation. For my Etsyversary I’m having a sale this weekend. All of my beaded journals are only $9, plus shipping. So, if you are looking to start doing some journaling yourself or need a little gift I hope you’ll stop in and check out the sale.
Have a wonderful weekend and read some poetry. More book talk soon.
Congrats on your Etsyversary!
Yes, I need to do better about journaling! Blogging and Facebooking have knocked it from its top spot!
Great poem.
Marvelous poem. I am looking forward to seeing the results of your visual journaling. Have a great weekend!
That is a great poem, Iliana! Congratulations on reaching your one year anniversary of your shop! I love your journals. 🙂
Great poem and perfect for you! I’m still loving the journal you made and try to keep up with my yoga entries in it.
Sandy – Thank you! 🙂
Tiffany – I hear ‘ya! My real journaling has definitely slowed down. I tend to go through phases so right now I’m definitely in a quiet one when it comes to that but hopefully I’ll get my mojo back this weekend 🙂
Stefanie – It’s so lovely isn’t it? I just love his poetry! I’m curious about the results too. hee.
Literary Feline – You are so sweet, thank you! 🙂
This is a fantastic poem about journaling…Thanks for sharing it with everyone! Happy Etsyversary! I’ll have to check out what I can buy from your shop for gifts…yippee!
What a great poem! Congratulations on hitting the one-year mark!
I adore that poem. I’m going to go find my iliana bookgirl journal and write it down in cursive.
THANK YOU! – Care
Thanks for sharing the lovely poem on journaling, Iliana. I give my grammar school teacher (actually a priest) credit for encouraging me to keep a journal. The benefit of that is felt many years afterward. I’ll stop by the store. 🙂
I love, love, love that poem – thank you so much for sharing it!
Happy anniversary! I’m off to your store to shop;-)
I hope to do some needlework finally tonight (as soon as I can drag myself off the computer!). I gave away your journal that I bought to someone for a Christmas gift. I couldn’t think of anything to give her and knew she would appreciate something so creative, so now I need to go and check out your Etsy store! Have a great weekend, too!
That is a great poem! I’m looking forward to seeing the results of your visual journalling!
Thanks for sharing this poem. I loved it!
Congratulations on your 1 year anniversary. Thanks for the link so that I could buy one of your beautiful creations. 🙂 Wisteria
Congratulations on your Etsyversary! I’m so tempted to get one of your journals but I’m holding out to see what other postcard ones you create. 🙂
Thank you for sharing that poem! I adored it…especially the part about “settling on the blue lines…whatever was the matter.”
I love your journals. I’m going to have to treat myself to one.
Iliana…I have something for you on my blog.
Hi Everyone – Thank you so much for stopping by my little shop and for all the good wishes! I am so glad you guys loved the poem. There is more to it and it’s just as wonderful as that short bit I posted. Hope you’ve all had a great weekend – I look forward to doing some serious blog hopping soon 🙂
Another great Collins poem! Thanks for posting the excerpt. And congrats on the shop milestone–I’ve been telling my friends about it, and one of these days I hope to take a few bookbinding classes myself, as you’ve inspired me!
Mindy – Isn’t his poetry just great? And, I hope you do take up bookbinding. It is so much fun and to see your finished product makes you appreciate books even more if that’s possible 🙂 Keep me posted!
Wonderful poem about journaling and yay, an etsy-versary and sale!