Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Cheerful Cemetery

Today was my first day out of the house since Sunday when I woke up with a cold.  I treated myself to lunch at Sofra, a wonderful cafe and bakery in Cambridge on Belmont Street. After I had eaten a savory pastry with fennel, and a delicious macaroon, I took a long walk in Mt. Auburn Cemetery, a gently cheerful place, where it seems the dead have just stopped for a rest under the trees.

Mt. Auburn is an arboretum,  as much of a garden as a cemetery.  The saucer magnolia (picture above) was in bloom, along with lilac, azalea, honeysuckle, red horse chestnut, dogwood, and more.

The poet Robert Creeley is buried at Mt. Auburn.  On one side of the stone is his name; on the other, this verse:

Look
at
the light
of this
hour

When I remember his verse, I usually think, "day" not "hour."  But "day" is better, more immediate.  Now I think, Look at the  light of this instant.

2 comments:

  1. Hi Miriam! A friend of mine said when friends and family visit Bosotn her first recommendation is to go to Mt. Auburn Cemetery! That sad thing is I've never been myself: your post and photo have inspired me to finally go.

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  2. Eli, I hope you do. This is the best time, with so much in bloom!

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