The Albatross
Sometimes, to entertain themselves, the men of the crew
Lure upon deck an unlucky albatross, one of those vast
Birds of the sea that follow unwearied the voyage through,
Flying in slow and elegant circles above the mast.
No sooner have they disentangled him from their nets
Than this aerial colossus, shorn of his pride,
Goes hobbling pitiably across the planks and lets
His great wings hang like heavy, useless oars at his side.
How droll is the poor floundering creature, how limp and weak —
He, but a moment past so lordly, flying in state!
They tease him: One of them tries to stick a pipe in his beak;
Another mimics with laughter his odd lurching gait.
The Poet is like that wild inheritor of the cloud,
A rider of storms, above the range of arrows and slings;
Exiled on earth, at bay amid the jeering crowd,
He cannot walk for his unmanageable wings.
— George Dillon, Flowers of Evil (NY: Harper and Brothers, 1936)
We saw huge, white albatrosses glide on their giant wings in New Zealand in 2009. Aloft, in their native element, they are majestic, sublime.
Once captured, and mocked by sailors who force them to waddle on deck where their giant wings hamper their walk, as Baudelaire describes, they are piteous and comic. The gigantic wings which helped them soar are now comic impediments
* * *
God designs an ideal medium, aerial, terrestrial, submarine, for each of us, and we are at home and happy when we are in it. God determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live (Acts 17:26). When we are in the right place, doing what we are meant to do, there is a sense of ease, a sense of soaring.
I have finally found this place. I am living in the town in which I have most longed to live, Oxford, with its heady combination of history, architecture, art, Christian and literary history, beauty, nature and stimulation.
I am beginning to get back into the work I most enjoy, creative prose, and am enjoying my blog. I am again enjoying reading. And I am enjoying the brainy, creative community in my church, St. Andrew’s, Oxford.
Of course, it took years for the pieces of the puzzle to fit together, and for me to discover work and a place which make me very happy.
Taking the time to discover the roles God has created us for, and the work which makes our souls sing—ah, these are worthwhile quests, for when we are doing the right work, and are in the right place and the right relationships, we can soar in the way we are designed to.
How about you? Have you discovered what you would like to make your life’s work? A church which permits your fullest flourishing? What are the dreams which God has placed in your heart, and are you able to work on them daily or weekly, at least a little?
What a string of personal questions! I’d love to hear your answers!
More from my site
Burn-Out Vanishes When We Rediscover Purpose
Being Authentic Can Be Tricky, But NOT Being Authentic Can Break Your Heart
On Success and Failure and Accessing God’s Zany, Left-Field Ideas
Invaluable Advice on Creativity for Bloggers and Poets from the Poet, William Stafford
When Writing Feels Dictated by a Power Beyond Ourselves
I get up, I go to work, I answer the phone for other people, I shuffle paper about, I go home, I cook dinner, do washing, do ironing, maybe do some work for a foundation degree, go to bed, wonder what its all about. The next day I get up and do it again. Suspect its the same for most people.
If you could choose an ideal life or work day, what would you choose? Are there any tweaks you could make to help this ideal day become a reality?
very original. never thought of it like that.
A beautiful poem that expresses so well the need to be in the right environment where we can be free to be creative and release the potential within. I love your description of the individual role each of us has with “the unique instruments we play in the symphony of life..”. Finding which instrument that is and being able to play in tune to produce the music within our souls may take many years or happen suddenly.
I have been on a long journey of chronic sickness where activity has been severely limited and the only tune I seemed able to muster was a plaintive, weak bleat of noise -“I’m still here”. Hidden for many years, yet now bursting forth again, was a desire to write and express myself through words, phrasing, verse. I value the opportunity and fulfilment He is giving me now to share my story. Somehow, though all may seem tangled, knotty and broken, there is a beautiful tapestry which God is weaving through the pain and struggle. His presence is still my hope and stay in life’s storms and the means of restoring and strengthening body and soul.
Yay! I am so glad that you’re writing again, Joy!
What a wonderfully thoughtful blog entry. I’ve been kind of absent for the last few weeks and it is lovely to come back and find the question I have been trying to answer……. basically where next? And opportunities are very slowly coming along as I slowly try to respond. I am glad you are settled in Oxford and able to concentrate on your life’s work. Peace is a special gift. Every Blessing F
Thanks, Freda. I am wondering if God always has ministry for us, but the demographic and age of the people we are called to minister to changes throughout life?
The poem sounds more beautiful in French. I think that we have to be flexible all our lives, to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us onward in the Journey, and in my case recently, to let others take over work that I started. Harder than I thought.
I am sure of the fact that God has something new up his sleeve for me to do though, I can almost feel it and I am excited at the prospect!
Thanks, Jenni. Yes, definitely more beautiful in French!! Yes, I am sure God has interesting things up his sleeve for us throughout our lives, as his love and interest in us never changes or flags–and we always have a new demographic of people to love and relate to.
The journey of self discovery within the vast ocean of possibilities in the Lord seems a lifelong exploration.
Reaching that milestone birthday of 50 has added a strange mix of peace with self and heightened determination to pursue more of those things, activities, moments that enrich my own soul. I long for more solitude – ‘headspace’, as I like to call it. Time to simply be. Time soaking in the goodness of our Creator Dad. Time allowing thoughts to surface, unhindered. And writing. More of that. Realising the things I value above all else and focusing on these – this is my new life’s work.
Thank you for sharing your journey – I’m inspired by your story to find my own ‘voice’ and express it in my own way.
Hi Naomi, we are the same age!!
“a strange mix of peace with self and heightened determination to pursue more of those things, activities, moments that enrich my own soul. I long for more solitude – ‘headspace’, as I like to call it. Time to simply be. Time soaking in the goodness of our Creator Dad. Time allowing thoughts to surface, unhindered. And writing. More of that. Realising the things I value above all else and focusing on these – this is my new life’s work.”
Yes, me too–we are on similar quests!