As I’ve said before, the late poet Jeanne Lohmann is one of my favorite poets — and “Praise What Comes” is one example of why. The poem comes from her 2003 collection, The Light of Invisible Bodies.

This remarkable woman recently celebrated her 90th birthday AND published her 10th collection of poems. I had the privilege of writing this endorsement for “Home Ground”:

“Like life itself, Jeanne Lohmann’s poetry emerges from and returns to silence. But between the silences there is so much to wonder at and wrestle with, to love and let go, to grieve and give thanks for, as the poems in this superb collection do. Lohmann’s poetry runs true with the hard-won clarity and respect for mystery that comes from her ninety years of living and loving deeply, widely and well. In a poem celebrating her parents, the poet describes the poem itself as ‘these words that carry the love/of my awkward heart, wisdom unreachable, my questions.’ Jeanne Lohmann’s heart, her questions, and the ‘unreachable wisdom’ she somehow touches with her art will be treasured by all who love great poetry and real life.”

Praise What Comes
by Jeanne Lohmann

surprising as unplanned kisses, all you haven’t deserved
of days and solitude, your body’s immoderate good health
that lets you work in many kinds of weather.

(Excerpted. Read the full poem here.)