I know lots of people who do, but I don’t. (Normally, that is. This photo is an anomaly.) The warm shelter of the quilt is too cozy, my body insists on just a few more minutes — and then a few more, and a few more. But those stalwart folk who rule their bodies with an iron will, rise and go outdoors and reap rewards I know nothing about. One of them is definitely the poet William Stafford:
Any Morning
Just lying on the couch and being happy.
Only humming a little, the quiet sound in the head.
Trouble is busy elsewhere at the moment, it has
so much to do in the world.
People who might judge are mostly asleep; they can’t
monitor you all the time, and sometimes they forget.
When dawn flows over the hedge you can
get up and act busy.
Little corners like this, pieces of Heaven
left lying around, can be picked up and saved.
People won’t even see that you have them,
they are so light and easy to hide.
Later in the day you can act like the others.
You can shake your head. You can frown.
(“Any Morning” by William Stafford from The Way It Is. © Graywolf Press, 1999.)
That final couplet is so persuasive I almost think that tomorrow morning I may arise early — in quest of pieces of Heaven —
Touch2Touch 
Pieces of Heaven left lying around?? Such a lovely way to view the world.
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Isn’t that an incredible phrase?
Thank you for your comment, Mystery Person!
(Or do you perhaps have a Bright Life?)
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Yes. That’s me. Pressed the wrong button but you are onto me Judith!
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It’s an aura! So powerful it comes right through the computer!
😆
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Wow. Good to know. Will have to be careful how I use it;)
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🙂
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I may join you (your time :))
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Ho ho! No pieces of heaven lying around that late in the day, Mrs. C!
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Just lovely. And what a sensitive photo! I love it! Claudia
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You recognize the scenery!
Really a neat poem — and what I didn’t know about Stafford is that he’s the father of an absolutely extraordinary essayist named Kim Stafford —
a very talented father-and-son duo. Thanks for commenting, Claudia!
Love from the east —
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Wonderful!
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Thanks, Naomi!
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My favorite hours are dawn and dusk. The silence, the serenity, the pause, the holding of breath… love the image of little pieces of heaven hanging about. That’s it, exactly!
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It is a wonderful image. I love to hear about it from poets from Stafford, and like you!
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I’m an early riser,I don’t do very much just enjoy the stillness. Yes you should give it a try!
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No doubt you’re right — most of the people I’m simpatico with (bloggers who visit here!) are of your opinion.
🙂
We shall see —
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Beautiful poem indeed T2T. My favourite part of the day is mornings as well. Thanks for sharing. 😀 *hugs*
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All of you morning people!
There must be something to it —
😉
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Not when it’s cold..hahaha 😀
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At the moment, then, I have no excuse. But for most of the year I do 🙂
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Well, I can use that excuse now as it’s winter here..hehehe. So, no excuses for you then! LOL!
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While you lie slugabed? Probably not!!!
😉
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Whahahahahaha! Okay, just for today then..LOL!
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If I wake up past 6, I feel as if I have lost the day! That beautiful expanse of time just before dawn, just before the world wakes up, just before there are expectations – ahhhh, my favorite!
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Wow, if I took a poll, getting up early would win hands down!
You make that “beautiful expanse of time” sound great, Jen.
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I love “little pieces of Heaven left lying around” and “Later in the day you can act like the others.
You can shake your head. You can frown.” Wonderful stuff here!
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It really is, isn’t it! Thanks for visiting and commenting, Emil.
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I wish my iron will functioned better than my body clock which always seems to have me up far earlier most days. Having said that, the cone of silence in those early hours is divine. You enjoy your extra hours under the duvet!
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LOVE your “cone of silence in those early hours” —
love it conceptually, at any rate.
😉
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“.. pieces of Heaven left lying around” – LOVE this! 🙂 I sleep late but am an early riser because I love the quiet of the early hours, and it feels like I have the world to myself. Great photo and poem.
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Gosh, after all this testimony about the quiet, the solitude, the true privacy — I really DO have to give it a try!
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Another lovely poem by William Stafford. He’s one of my very favorite poets. And my inspiration, always, to get up early and get to writing, but I hardly ever do it! Maybe you’ll inspire me!!
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The blind leading the blind, I think. 😉
For some reason it makes me think of the line from English author Jerome K. Jerome: I love work; it fascinates me; I can sit and watch it for hours.
P.S. I think you would LOVE some of the essays by Stafford’s son, Kim Stafford. Check him out on google.
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You’re right, I took a class from him when I first started writing. He’s a thoughtful, intuitive, and generous teacher, as well, of course, a great writer. I haven’t looked at what his latest book is; I’ll check it out.
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It’s nice to hear. I admired some of his essays so much, it’s good to know the character of the person matches the quality of the writing.
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Reblogged this on Shied Camouflage and commented:
From snooze-button addict to morning person.
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Thanks for the reblog!
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You’re welcome
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Gorgeous image! I usually wake up early, and get up as soon as I awake. It wasn’t always that way. I love the light, those few minutes before the sun comes up, and I used to go out to the park and take pictures.
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You certainly are out there with the vast majority of my blogging friends.
You guys see something I don’t, and have more self-discipline than I can muster up so early in the a.m.
(I do like the quiet, though.)
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