Nancy, yes! It’s such a great blessing. I love the photo of our two guys taking down that fence. Finally! A barrier may seem merely symbolic, but it isn’t. So glad it came down.❤️
Thank you, Rona. I love the nuances of this poem, and tried to honor them. And it’s important to celebrate the people who keep us alive through the dark and difficult times.
So lovely. We have a very necessary fence on one side (sometimes good fences really do make good - or tolerable- neighbors) and none at all on the other. We have similarly wonderful neighbors and we call the strip of grass between our houses under their gigantic oak tree the Midway Bar. I couldn't bear life in the suburbs. The neighbors were too far away to be real neighbors. So glad they are still there for you despite their move. 💕
The Midway Bar! How perfect. I agree with you about fences: sometimes they really are necessary. I grew up in a suburb, but it was a very long time ago, and no one had fences. Kids just ran wild, and that was normal.
It really is great to have people who are forever neighbors, no matter where they live. A true blessing.
Tears and hugs for you. Mary. Love how you weave the poetry in this ...how fencing/walls have so many meanings in life, how blessed. You both were with such wonderful neighbors. Meant to be...and still there for you. beautifully writen as usual, sweet Mary. 🫶👏 I read your note to Joy...I am one who doesn’t read enough/understand enough poetry. I can do better. Thanks for showing me one way to do it. 🥰
Thank you, Joan! You are so kind. I never paid much attention to “Mending Wall” until I did a close reading of it, and realized how nuanced it is. Sometimes, that’s what it takes to make an essay happen. I am grateful to have wonderful people like our neighbors in my life. And it means the world to me that I have kind and generous readers like you. I’m glad we’re on Substack together.💕❤️
Wonderful (and heart-rending), Mary. Your prose is as taut as a laundry line on a windy day and a lot more colourful. This is writing to cherish, like those forever neighbours of yours.
Mary - thank you so much for this beautiful piece. I can't stand the fences that separate us from our neighbors and you have captured the essence of this so well here. Keep writing!
Matthew, I’m deeply honored by your kind remarks. Writing brings me enormous joy. I’ve been interrupted many times - hence the name I chose for my Substack! - but I now know that interruptions aren’t failures. I’m humbled and grateful that you restacked this piece. Blessings.❤️
Mary every letter you write hurls me to a blank page and that dreaded blinking cursor. Thank you. You are such an inspiration. This is a lovely, lush, letter, full of life and love. Yes, you are a Writer indeed.
Maureen, you are so very kind. My own curser plays tricks on me. I have to keep a close eye on it, or whole paragraphs will disappear. Could say it could use some fencing in, but that would be silly.😊
I am deeply honored by your words. Life and love get me through these sometimes difficult times. And readers like you make me want to keep going. Thank you.
So beautiful! I’m misty-eyed. Isn’t it a miracle when beautiful people appear in your life by accident, and then stay?
It is a gift. I'm incredibly grateful for these two.❤️
As we are you!
Love you so much, Jeannie.❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Yes, you are a Writer. I'm so sorry for your losses. I appreciate the opportunity to revisit an old favorite poem and see it new through your story.
Thank you, Rita. We are so very fortunate to have good people in our lives. And to acknowledge and appreciate them.❤️
Thank you for reminding us that no fortress of fencing can stop Love.
Nancy, yes! It’s such a great blessing. I love the photo of our two guys taking down that fence. Finally! A barrier may seem merely symbolic, but it isn’t. So glad it came down.❤️
Mary, what a beautiful homage to the poem and to the friends who ground us. I'll have to read it again.
Thank you, Rona. I love the nuances of this poem, and tried to honor them. And it’s important to celebrate the people who keep us alive through the dark and difficult times.
Good neighbors make good friends. And how lucky to have friends like that.
They are a blessing.❤️
This was worth waiting for. It seems to me that there were treasures on both sides of the fence. Thank you for sharing.
Monica, you are so kind. It’s just such a joy to finally connect.
So lovely. We have a very necessary fence on one side (sometimes good fences really do make good - or tolerable- neighbors) and none at all on the other. We have similarly wonderful neighbors and we call the strip of grass between our houses under their gigantic oak tree the Midway Bar. I couldn't bear life in the suburbs. The neighbors were too far away to be real neighbors. So glad they are still there for you despite their move. 💕
The Midway Bar! How perfect. I agree with you about fences: sometimes they really are necessary. I grew up in a suburb, but it was a very long time ago, and no one had fences. Kids just ran wild, and that was normal.
It really is great to have people who are forever neighbors, no matter where they live. A true blessing.
Your best friend broke your life?? I feel like every newsletter you write contains multitudes of untold stories.
Beautiful writing, of course. Yay for good friends ❤️❤️❤️
Oh, yes. That’s a story I had to set aside for now. I may be posting about it in a couple of weeks. I’m glad you enjoyed this. Friends are amazing.❤️
Thanks for this. . . Well done!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Robert.
Moving, as always. ❤️
Thank you, Sue.❤️
Tears and hugs for you. Mary. Love how you weave the poetry in this ...how fencing/walls have so many meanings in life, how blessed. You both were with such wonderful neighbors. Meant to be...and still there for you. beautifully writen as usual, sweet Mary. 🫶👏 I read your note to Joy...I am one who doesn’t read enough/understand enough poetry. I can do better. Thanks for showing me one way to do it. 🥰
Thank you, Joan! You are so kind. I never paid much attention to “Mending Wall” until I did a close reading of it, and realized how nuanced it is. Sometimes, that’s what it takes to make an essay happen. I am grateful to have wonderful people like our neighbors in my life. And it means the world to me that I have kind and generous readers like you. I’m glad we’re on Substack together.💕❤️
Newbie to this newsletter. My condolences on your loss. A lovely tribute to good friends.
Thank you, Victoria.❤️
Wonderful (and heart-rending), Mary. Your prose is as taut as a laundry line on a windy day and a lot more colourful. This is writing to cherish, like those forever neighbours of yours.
Thank you, Jeffrey. You are very kind. And what a lovely metaphor! I will cherish it.❤️
I couldn't have said it better. ❤️
Mary - thank you so much for this beautiful piece. I can't stand the fences that separate us from our neighbors and you have captured the essence of this so well here. Keep writing!
Matthew, I’m deeply honored by your kind remarks. Writing brings me enormous joy. I’ve been interrupted many times - hence the name I chose for my Substack! - but I now know that interruptions aren’t failures. I’m humbled and grateful that you restacked this piece. Blessings.❤️
Mary every letter you write hurls me to a blank page and that dreaded blinking cursor. Thank you. You are such an inspiration. This is a lovely, lush, letter, full of life and love. Yes, you are a Writer indeed.
Maureen, you are so very kind. My own curser plays tricks on me. I have to keep a close eye on it, or whole paragraphs will disappear. Could say it could use some fencing in, but that would be silly.😊
I am deeply honored by your words. Life and love get me through these sometimes difficult times. And readers like you make me want to keep going. Thank you.