You caught him out, (the one form)
On the day when (the weight deadens)
Where did you go (when your eyes closed)
Not (the blue light of his eyes)
I envy (the slow old)
No (don’t cry)
Was it evening in Barcelona, when
II
Hungers of Distance
Beneath me sleep
I am not sure you (live anywhere, no)
The Good Friday altar is bleak
Oh (the white utopia)
Receive the night
A thurible swings (longingly)
The moon (came down)
Too long stranded in the air, the land loves
This land would like to fold
Near me (scents of bath oil)
I wish for (swiftness)
I sit, alert (behind the small window)
Through this fester of bony earth, trying
The first breath of morning breaks the dark enough
It is an old habit to praise the light
Left unto itself, the earth is one field
The undertaker has a low, slow voice
In the beginning
III
Clay Holds Memory
November’s hunger strips the fields, its thin light
The clay (first breathed)
Night would not let me in
These stones in the wild
The dark inside us is sistered outside
From where she is (he seems singular)
Tight ground (grips you)
Concealed within daylight
She has become (a country woman)
Impaled in fright
In the sunday church
Under the frame (of their stubborn farm)
Since what is (gradual becomes less)
No blind hubris (did this to her)
IV
Icons of Love
Our love is (a sister of the light)
Before this line of shore was touched by tide
Pain can turn the heart’s cradle
Winter colours creep (towards you, cold)
After (all the words)
My love, (your questions)
I can no longer trust my voice, its white
I would send a raven
A circle of white wind
From you (I don’t want anything new)
Your clear shoulder (when the clothes have gone)
The flow of your voice
This evening (everything rests)
It gave us (the hungry landscapes)
I am gone, further out now
About the Author
John O’Donohue was born in County Clare, Ireland, and lived in a remote cottage in the west of Ireland, where he grew up speaking Irish as his native language.
A highly respected poet and philosopher, John held degrees in philosophy and English Literature and was awarded a PhD in philosophical theology from the University of Tübingen in 1990. His dissertation developed a new concept of Person through a reinterpretation of the philosophy of Hegel.
John traveled widely, lectured across Europe and America, and wrote a number of international bestselling books Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom, Eternal Echoes: Celtic Reflections on Our Yearning to Belong, Beauty: The Invisible Embrace, and To Bless the Space Between Us, which he completed shortly before his untimely death in January 2008. He also wrote Person als Vermittlung, on the philosophy of Hegel and a collection of his poetry, Echoes of Memory, which was his first published work.
Praise for WALKING IN WONDER
“How glorious it is to hear the voice of John O’Donohue again, the lark-tongued poet, philosopher, theologian and anam cara, who left his imprint on everyone he met. Anyone who spent time with him—in person or in books—came away changed. In this spirited conversation, John is fiercely alive with the electric fizz of being, fully attuned to life, ruminative, and so infused with wonder that every question becomes a lantern. As ever, he delves deeply into the plateaus of being human, and explores the thresholds that arise, frighten, but must be crossed to become the self one dreams. I so cherish this unexpected gift.”
—Diane Ackerman, author of The Zookeeper’s Wife
“As this magnificent book demonstrates, even on the printed page John O’Donohue’s voice—so lyrical and eloquent, so profound and impassioned—flashes vividly to life, beautifully capturing a radiant soul filled with humor, compassion and utter selflessness. Indeed, John not only brilliantly articulated the magic and necessity of joy and gratitude, he ignited a sense of genuine awe in every life he encountered, and he will undoubtedly inspire future generations to learn how to infuse their own lives with meaning and wonder.”
—Andrew Carroll, New York Times bestselling author and the cofounder, with the Nobel laureate Joseph Brodsky, of the American Poetry & Literacy Project
“John Quinn’s self-effacing work as editor and broadcaster is rightly renowned. Here he presents, for wider audiences, his absorbing conversations with John O’Donohue’s glorious, far-seeing, far-reaching spirit. Welcome to these luminous encounters!”
—Lelia Doolan, Irish activist in various fields
“In these conversations, John Donohue’s timely words feed the deep spiritual hunger that creeps into our hearts as individuals and our nation as a whole. He reframes the human story of fear, aging, death, otherness and absence, reminding us that they are all bound up in the mystery of wonder. O’Donohue lives on as a prophetic and priestly presence for such a time as this.”
—Rev. Dr. Katharine Henderson, president of Auburn Seminary
“In each chapter the reader experiences a rich and exhilarating new conversation. We witness a man whose intellect and life force are in full bloom, deeply rooted in spirit, humor, curiosity and compassion. John invites us to pause and reflect, challenging us to reach beyond our well-trod and comfortable assumptions.”
—Richard Harrell, musician and educator at the Juilliard School, San Francisco Conservatory, and Orfeo Foundation
“Luminous! Walking in Wonder shines light on life’s dark mysteries and offers sustenance for spiritual hunger. As you confront the inevitable thresholds of loss, absence and aging, this book will serve as a road map to help you navigate with grace, gratitude and a fearless heart. John O’Donohue’s elegant words are a call to live with abundance, to look inward with courage and to look outward with compassion. They are a reminder to embrace the wild energy of your soul.”
—Gina Vild, coauthor of The Two Most Important Days: How to Find Your Purpose—and Live a Happier, Healthier Life
“John O’Donohue’s insights in this new collection offer a glimpse into the wonder and presence of knowing him. His signature themes rooted in Celtic spirituality and contemplative exploration offer breadcrumbs on the path, encouraging us to embrace the beauty and gift of each day.”
—Davy Spillane, Grammy Award–winning musician and composer at North Atlantic Music, Ireland
“This volume is a testament to the timelessness of John O’Donohue’s wisdom. His words are not only inspirational to those of us catalyzing substantive social change but compel us to consider how we nurture, support and thrive amidst chaos.”
—Rev. Diane J. Johnson, PhD, national interfaith and social justice activist, and founder and president of Mmapeu Management Consulting
Copyright © 2015 by The John O’Donohue Legacy Partnership and John Quinn
Foreword copyright © 2018 by Krista Tippett
“Dawn Mass” copyright © 1992 by John O’Donohue
“Balance” copyright © 1992 by John O’Donohue