turning aside to brightness

[Gabrielle Dean]

THE BRIGHT FIELD - R.S. Thomas

I have seen the sun break through

to illuminate a small field

for a while, and gone my way

and forgotten it. But that was the pearl 

of great price, the one field that had 

treasure in it. I realize now

that I must give all that I have

to possess it.

Life is not hurrying

on to a receding future, nor hankering after 

an imagined past. It is turning 

aside like Moses to the miracle

of the lit bush, to a brightness

that seemed as transitory as your youth.

The images today reflect different interpretations of “turning aside”. One is just to dwell in the sheer wonder of daffodils beside a track (in Orkney) and the other is about standing aside, together, to pray for peace, taken at a peace vigil at South Beach .. I've posted it a number of times but it’s a favourite (as are all the thousands of daffodil photos I have taken!)