After ten years my morning messages have come to an end.

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“Soon dawn appeared and touched the sky with roses” –  From Emily Wilson’s translation of  Homer’s  “The Odyssey”.

For ten years between 6am and 10am I have created epithets to dawn and posted them on facebook, twitter or instagram.  They are just a group of words, a gang of mates. They chatter amongst themselves and go out into the world regardless of mass opinion or academic scrutiny. Here they are hanging out above an award winning building called MVMNT Cafe built by Morag Myerscough.

“This is the path. This is the gate. This is opening. This is morning. This is a person passing. This is eye contact.” – June 2012

And here, a choir  heralds them  at Stonehenge in Summer solstice.

Shortly after the Manchester bomb they appeared on a gable end

They populated the walls of the award winning Chester Storyhouse for a year.

They celebrated The Foundling Museum and it’s patron.  The Duchess Kate Middleton applauded one of them. The poem is just behind me on the wall.

Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton at Foundling museum. March 19th

Above the moon hidden beneath the bridge in canterbury they became a library of light.

They spoke of Love

They spoke of anger

They spoke to mothers

They spoke in riddles. Can you work this one out. What is it?

They spoke of break ups

They love my memoir so they made an announcement

No wonder. they are the  opening verse on the first page and every chapter

I have a love for them which is very personal.  They started in the virtual world and were brought into the physical one.  It’s time to let them go and wave them goodbye.  My morning ‘poems’ have asked me to thankyou for reading them. They’ve asked me to tell you they were always fully aware of their faults.  But they came good in the end.

There’s 10  years of dawn rhymes out there floating like spores in morning light.  They will become dust on the windowsill and that’s allright. They ask that I tell you this:  Everyone loves a concert and everyone loves applause but they… they  live entirely between the two.

At the graceful bow of darkness
To an audience of waking delight
The pause between end and applause
Is a  standing ovation of light

Addendum:  Why the quote at the top of this post? On reading my morning tweets John O’Rouke asked if I had read Homer’s The Odyssey. John informed me of Homer’s epithets to Dawn. In Emily Wilson’s acclaimed translation of The Odyssey Wilson writes specifically of her translation of them. Wilson’s view is examined in Jason Kottke’s blogpost  “Tracking the appearances of Rosy ‘Fingered Dawn'”. I stopped because I was repeating myself.


77 thoughts on “After ten years my morning messages have come to an end.”

  1. Your morning poems have often been the first thing I have read on waking and have never failed to speak to me or inspire me and set me up for the day ahead. They have held beauty and simplicity and power. Thank you Lemn for all of those gifts

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  3. Always enjoyed your morning words and images. I look forward to reading your in a different format.
    Stay safe and keep well ያገር ልጅ

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  4. I have adored your tweets at dawn. I loved hearing you at Wells, Somerset , I loved reading your book. Good luck to you.

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  5. Like so many, the words sometimes enriched but sometimes tried to get my attention but failed to break through my blinkered thoughts. I shall miss them and imagery that inspired alongside them – thank you Lem

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  6. Sad because I’ve only just discovered these since seeing you at Huddersfield University just before the lockdown. Your morning poem and picture have become a little ray of morning light. Thank you

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  10. These words have lifted Moi up in bad times and in good
    Seen moi mommo n I thru some low times and give us joy when our spirits are high
    Many thanx Lemn for these words and for all you do in being simply you …unique and spirited …..real although raw ….and funny and more !
    Big up for raising the bar for young people in care and leaving care for your inspiration and mostly for your words
    Thank You

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  13. Lemn, thank you for lifting my soul.
    I have loved your dawn rhymes and heavily greet their absence.
    Stay safe.
    Anne Clarke

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  14. Thank you for the beautiful morning words and inspirations. They aways reminded me of our interview at Hilton before seven or eight years. Always amazing and I know Why!!

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  16. Repetition can reinforce, like stitches. It’s the way we learn, the way we teach, and sometimes the way we reach. Every day is a school day, and every day is different. Always. Thank you for your words. I shall miss them every morning x

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  19. Your words give a spark of joy, of contemplativeness, and make me think. I will miss them, and the often beautiful photographs. Thank you.
    X
    Sian

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  21. My world will not be quite the same whether I read your poems in the morning or in the evening when peace reigns. Thank you.

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  22. Thanks for the light when mornings were sometimes dark….any chance of a printing of all those glorious morning words in a volume ?
    Understand why you are stopping and look forward to all your future words…
    Thanks for the light journey

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    • Thanks Pamela. It could be good couldn’t it. WHo knows. No publishers have approached me. And as my morning messages have been SO public I guess the lack of an approach is proof that there isn’t the interest. Shame really.

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  25. Lemm thank you for continually inspiring and elevating my faith and hope. I had the pleasure of working with you at the Roundhouse thanks for the light and awe you shared. I am looking forward to brighter days that will come for sure. Ranj xx

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  26. Oh, my Chancellor, mornings just won’t be the same. Your dawn words have been the honey that soothes the inflammation of troubled thoughts and the sunlight that shows the beauty of the day ahead. I shall miss them terribly but send you thanks, love and blessings for wherever your less-travelled road takes you. Go well.

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  27. I shall miss your daily poetry. It has a stillness that makes me reflect for a moment. And I breathe better. I hope the end of this means the beginning of something new. One door closes, a new one opens.

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  28. Thank you Lemn, they are incredible, have been very impactful.

    ‘How do you do it?’ said the moon
    ‘How do you keep on track?’
    ‘I keep it simple ‘ said the sun
    ‘And I keep coming back!’

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  29. I am sad that we’ve reached the end of your morning tweets. When my son died I found some of them brought me real comfort, while others made me cry. They led me to your book, which I’ve shared with friends. I feel I’ve been on a journey and you’ve been with me for some of it. Thank you Lemn.

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  32. And I just found you! I won’t say goodbye, as your words are forever, in print and in webspace. I will look for you again in the morning. Thank you!

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  33. Dear Lemn,

    I just read, “My Name is Why” for a book club, recommended by Mick Pease a former care-worker who learnt from many mistakes he did in care….. Thank you for this book and opening your life for us to discover the things you went through. From the first picture of you as a baby I wanted to cry but held out till a few chapters and couldn’t go on till I sobbed and sobbed at what happened to you. I was moved to the core of my being with your story as a human being, as a Christ-follower and as an Ethiopian.

    I see it in your eyes (that they are not just words) when you say that you forgave your foster parents and it is beautiful indeed. The description of your aunt is so lovely; your graciousness to interviewers and correcting assumptions and comments that are given by audiences-a blessing to behold.

    I want to say so much … but I knew I had to write to at least say thank you. The day I resolved to write… this was on my devotional PS:118:22 which led me to study this Rock in Acts 4:11.

    Family. Wow. “If it was up to me, I would see her every day”. I thought I was finished crying… I don’t know what to say but “wow” for the siblings that don’t want you in their life… I wish you were my brother indeed.

    Well, thanks again bro. You have a sister and a friend in Virginia. And you need not do anything for that. Just be you.

    What a book. And you have made me discover a love for poetry…Thank you.

    PS: Still on a quest to discover the earth-shattering reason for your mom to name you “Lemn” I won’t give up…

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  34. When it’s time to let go, you know.
    Those words have often provided comfort, allowing some light during some very dark days.
    Thank you Lemn. Take care, remember to be kind to yourself. Sending love during these strange times ❤️

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  35. My lines say I don’t have to read them anymore, It’s not necessary.
    As a faith healer I just have to see you to wish you well.
    I think it’s human evolution.
    A path for all.

    From the palm reader of Hag Fold.

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    • Ifyou are the one who read my palm then I remember you. I remember being worried. I think it was that there were two paths. Yes I had a line which split into two and I worried about that. However, I do think you were right. That must have been forty or so years back

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      • Yes I am the one. Looking back on that day I see the two split paths, positive and negative. Lines in our palm are thoughts and emotions and how we express ourselves. Don’t worry, stay positive.
        You are a good human being.
        If your cake does fall on the floor, laugh and make another one.
        Love and well wishes.

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