24 Comments
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Geraldine mills's avatar

What a glorious piece of writing.

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Beth Kephart's avatar

Thank you so very much, Geraldine.

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Cindy Ruscitti's avatar

Could this be any more lovely? I have read it over and then over again, and my heart always stops at the image of the bearded iris. My mother grew them in our yard and thank you for bringing me back there. So much beauty in this short piece.

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Char Wilkins's avatar

Cindy, my iris are blooming and I paused at the same place-so true!

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Beth Kephart's avatar

Cindy, Char: Those noble bearded irises. Mine were carried here from another house decades ago. Five years, and they would not bloom. I moved them to another plot. And now they and the peonies crack open my heart on those few days in spring when they are wild with themselves. Thank you both.

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Nancy Jainchill's avatar

"...sky settled on the tongue of the bearded iris..."!!!

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Beth Kephart's avatar

xoxoxo

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Deb Steinbar's avatar

OMG, Beth! I know why I love your writing...and you! Your poetry seeps into my heart and just keeps filtering through all my cells. Your way with words is what words were made for.🙏♥️

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Beth Kephart's avatar

Deb, you are beyond generous. I feel so lucky to be here, among souls like you, who are open, who understand, who feel the tempo of these words.

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Martha Chabinsky's avatar

Oh, the picture you paint! Radiant and true. Thank you for this gift on this blessed cool morning.

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Beth Kephart's avatar

Radiant. I love that word. Thank you, Martha.

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Char Wilkins's avatar

Love the spacing. Love the pacing. Prosey-poemy wonderful.

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Beth Kephart's avatar

xoxoxo

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Ann H Keech's avatar

Such a peaceful flow of familiar images, starting with that peony - yes, bloomed-out, fondled at my front door. Imagining that place of leaving, there in the garden, by the ocean, with nature somewhere. A surprise, of course. Thank you, as always, dear Beth!

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Beth Kephart's avatar

I wish us all this peace, Ann. For someday. xo

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Virginia Foley's avatar

This is exactly how I imagine, (hope), my ending to end. I want a natural burial and your words take this idea to the most absolute peak in the most absolutely beautiful way! Thank you for your gorgeous words! Grateful.

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Beth Kephart's avatar

Oh my goodness, thank you. A natural return to our earth. May that be our way. Thank you for this, Virginia, and also, for, well — you know. Incredibly generous of you, and I am grateful.

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Linda Hoenigsberg's avatar

Beautiful, as always.

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Not The Enemy's avatar

I love "the near beginning." The pause before the leaving, when the all of someone is close and still fully present. Beautiful.

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Beth Kephart's avatar

Thank you, dear Nancy.

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Audrey Riddle's avatar

Beauty tiptoes across the page - both your cyanotype and your words.

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Beth Kephart's avatar

Hello, my friend. You are part of the beauty. Thank you.

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Uma Borden's avatar

I hear the voice of Peggy, the elder Peggy, singing in the garden you make here - across time and in the bittersweet beauty of our few short years embodied. What a grace with images. Thank you.

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Beth Kephart's avatar

Your words about Peggy remain with me — I am so very grateful. And yes, this mood space, this in between. She is still with me. She always will be. Thank you.

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