Desideratum

My Word: desideratum: something which is desired

My connection: My ties to this word evolved from the plural form, which many readers may recognize: Desiderata (Things Desired), a poem steeped in legend for some time. It was purported to have been found on a church pew or scrawled a church wall by an anonymous author. This stemmed from the distribution of printed copies by a pastor to the members of his congregation, after which the members mistook it for an ancient church inscription. That bit of trivia is completely unnecessary, of course, but for me, it adds some charm to the text.

The poem was actually penned by Max Ehrmann, a lawyer, in 1927. It gained popularity when Les Crane recorded it with background music as the title song to an album in 1971– with the mythical version of its origin on the album sleeve. It reached number 8 on Billboard.

Regardless of its ironic path to fame, the poem is a grand piece of work, presenting a list of tenets for living. I won't reprint it here, but I'd encourage you to look it up.

Living Life

I have tried to go forth placidly

At peace with my perception of a God

And I've tried to be at peace with others,

Leaving room to give my “self” a nod.

~

As I've watch the universe unfolding,

Despite the weight of sham and drudgery,

I've admired the world that we've been given

And looked beyond the veils to find beauty.

~

I live aware of all the the trickery,

Yet I freely give of my affection.

I speak my truth and try to listen, too.

I heed the need for personal connection.

~

Though I know I have the right to be here,

I, too, have seen my share of broken dreams

And yet, I wake each day with aspirations

And face the tasks their realization deems.

***

My entry for Penny Fuller's latest challenge:

Thanks for reading!