For this third day of Advent, we’re contemplating the virtue of hope, as evoked in the poem The Awakening, written by the African American Poet, James Weldon Johnson.
I dreamed that I was a rose
That grew beside a lonely way,
Close by a path none ever chose,
And there I lingered day by day.
Beneath the sunshine and the show’r
I grew and waited there apart,
Gathering perfume hour by hour,
And storing it within my heart,
Yet, never knew,
Just why I waited there and grew.
I dreamed that you were a bee
That one day gaily flew along,
You came across the hedge to me,
And sang a soft, love-burdened song.
You brushed my petals with a kiss,
I woke to gladness with a start,
And yielded up to you in bliss
The treasured fragrance of my heart;
And then I knew
That I had waited there for you.
Before you go, just a reminder that throughout Advent, the daily poems and Sunday roundups will be free for all subscribers. The Friday essays, however, which tie the poems together with the week’s theme, along with the special Advent and Christmas recipes I’ll be sharing, are only for full subscribers. Until December 7, you can upgrade your subscription for 35 percent less than normal (or give a subscription to someone else for the same discount). Along with having full access to the Advent retreat, all new subscribers will have full access to the archives and all forthcoming posts for the next year. I want this retreat to be as affordable as possible for everyone, so hopefully this helps.
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