Stop This Day

”stop this day and night with me and you shall possess the origin of all poems...”

Walt Whitman

This verse from the poem, Song of Myself, comes in the midst of a flurry of stanzas where the poet is musing over the incredibly deep beauty all around him in his surroundings.

When I read this I am overcome with a sense of awe at how rich our soul can be if we could but stop and take notice.

We move from thought to thought action to action, event to event, day to day and often miss the absolute wonders right here and now.

The challenge of this one verse is simply this. If you and I can stop the crazy train that we are on and right now, on this very day and night, take notice of the miracles of life all around us, we will understand the hidden mysteries that the poet searches out.

Later Whitman says “ you shall not look through my eyes either, nor take things from me, you shall listen to all sides and filter them for yourself.” The poet is giving us the secret to his inspiration.

Magic and wonder is before your eyes right now. Can you stop day and night and see it? Can you see that now is the time to truly start living while you still have time left?

There is an urgency, bravery, and power to this appeal. I hope you will hear it with me.

Tony Gilotte