Who I am.

I write about the landscape of grief, nature, and the wisdom of fools. The author of four books, my essays, poems, and reviews have been published in over 50 journals, including in the Huffington Post and Colorado Review. I’ve won the River Teeth Nonfiction Book Award, the Chautauqua and Literal Latte’s essay prizes, and my work has been nominated for four Pushcart Prizes and named a notable by Best American Essays. My account of hiking in Yosemite to deal with my wife’s death, Mountains of Light, was published by the University of Nebraska Press. http://www.markliebenow.com.

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Brother Sun, Sister Moon: The Little Things


Grief has made it obvious that something has gone wrong. It constantly reminds us of everything that we’ve lost. The journey of grief moves us away from death to where we become aware of what is left, and for a long time, it doesn’t seem like much.

It was half a year before I could perceive the simple, physical pleasures of the world again, like the taste of food and the scent of roses. It was a full year before I felt anything that could be called a moment of joy.

The feast day of Francis of Assisi is this Saturday.


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