I commend the poem on page 21 of this months magazine to you. It was passed on by Lesley Shew, as a celebratory poem for November. It was found in a poetry anthology on the book stall at the recent St. Mary’s fete. Lesley also recommends ‘November’ by Ted Hughes for a contrasting image of November.

We have our beautiful valley here to help ground us in a deeper enduring reality, while the temporal financial structures writhe and strain, do, if you are able, tune from the dire news on the radio and television and allow your senses to appreciate the turning of the year. And of course through nature we can glimpse a yet deeper permanence, one which the festivals at this time of year also point toward: celebrating All Souls, we connect across the thin divide to a reality in which we are all held. We also celebrate All Saints, All Hallows as it used to be termed, Hallow is to make holy; the saints know that the reality we experience with our senses is bound and will all pass away, some forms pass away sooner, other forms, such as the earth itself will take longer to pass away, but pass away it will, the sun has a finite life cycle. That may sound doom laden, but it is meant to be provocative; turn to the reality that does endure. Through poetry, through nature, through beauty, through singing and hopefully, occasionally through divine worship we can engage with the sole permanence in our lives: Hallowe’ed Be Thy name.

November 2008