Recently, my sister called me to relay the latest news about her 5-month-old granddaughter who she was baby-sitting. As my sister watched her grandchild eat and play and drift off to sleep, she remembered a poem she had studied in college titled “Barter” by Sara Teasdale. I looked the poem up and found it lovely. I just wanted to share these thoughts with others.
Barter
Life has loveliness to sell,
All beautiful and splendid things,
Blue waves whitened on a cliff,
Soaring fire that sways and sings,
And children’s faces looking up,
Holding wonder like a cup.
Life has loveliness to sell,
Music like the curve of gold,
Scent of pine trees in the rain,
Eyes that love you, arms that hold,
And for your spirit’s still delight,
Holy thoughts that star the night.
Spend all you have for loveliness,
buy it and never count the cost;
For one white singing hour of peace
Count many a year of strife well lost,
And for a breath of ecstasy
Give all you have been, or could be.
