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Saturday, December 15, 2012

Confusion


Cocooning in grief
dangerous safety

go away
stay with me

sound
sharp

go away
stay with me

voices
unfamiliar

go away
stay with me

methodical tasks
movement is life

go away
stay with me

quietness deafening
life noisy

go away
stay with me

“Light griefs are communicative,
great ones stupefy.”
~ Seneca

Friday, December 14, 2012

Emptied





Shock - confused by
infuriating disbelief 

Grief - numbing to one’s very core.



“The empty vessel makes the loudest sound.”
~ William Shakespeare

Thursday, December 13, 2012

A Bridge to Another World


It was just a plain, ordinary bridge that looked
strong
solid
straight
not too narrow
not too wide

The night was dark ~ 
how long was the bridge
not so distant lights looked more welcoming than the land just behind ~ 
hostile and dangerous ~
too dangerous for this traveler of many worlds

But what lay under the bridge
beneath was there a 
deep chasm to be forever lost in
raging river threatening to drown any soul falling in
was the bridge as new and strong as it looked

how could I tell
who could tell me
walking in the world,
sureness of strength and wits
had carried much weight,
but were no longer reliable.

is this the only bridge to be crossed
dare I set foot on it
dare I try to go into this other world 
just to get out of this self-created chaos

no rules are posted for crossing a bridge this size ~
just keep to the side
hold on to the rail should steps falter
keep moving slow and steady.

The choice to turn back always remains ~ but....
what if I am the bridge?

"If you doubt yourself, then indeed 
you stand on shaky ground."
~ Henrik Ibsen

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Wandering through Winters

The house across the street here
in Victoria one early morning
before the moon had gone down.
Rain drip-dropped from low clouds avoiding my protected kitchen window dribbling through 
eaves and downspouts

Not a prairie winter with 
glistening icicles
white, crunchy snow 
blue, blue sky
winds that whip up the grainy powder 
sending it skidding across highways and into driveways

Nor winter in the great plains of Texas
dry sandy brown grass,
brown leafless trees
blue skies and a few evergreens 
the only relief of color
wind whipping and loosening top soil
sandblasting anything daring to stand in it’s way
Snow a short lived treat - for some

Winter on this west coast island
grass green in yards and boulevards
growing unchecked with
any other growing plant - hardy flower or gangly weeds.
In those nights dipping below freezing
garden’s vegetables wilt into thawing mulch on the bare wet soil
sky cloudy and patchy blue on the good days
winds like giant hands claw mightily through trees and 
shake stout fences, angry that they stay standing.

Winter in all these places share 
warmer clothes - whether snow boots or rain boots
comfort food - chili, stew, hot cocoa ______ (you fill in the blank)
a desire to hibernate 
in a cosy bed
curled up on a sofa
out in community for laughter and good cheer.
(Sometimes a magic snowfall does quiet any of these lands.)

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and 
warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for 
a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.”
~ Edith Sitwell

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Book Review: At The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje

January 03, 2017
This is one of the first, if not the first, Book Reviews I attempted, posted in November 2012. As I read it, it is not particularly 'reviewish' if that's a word. Discussion by the very mature women in my book group, in my memory, proved to be a good time.

The Cat’s Table on a ship is
reserved for ‘lower class’ folk and was
not so welcoming and pleasant as this table....

.....unless you are three small boys
on a three week adventure 
in a ship bound for family in England
across the Indian Ocean
through the Suez Canal
and into the Mediterranean
~ with a chaperone who is maybe just not that attentive.

Michael Ondaatje’s flight of fancy took us through the holds of a passenger ship with kennels and a garden
a dangerous prank in a storm at sea
sly slipping of a dog on board at the first port of call at Aden
mystery
romance
intrigue

Once all of those twists and turns were exhausted,
this group of eight very mature women
segued into.......lunch ~
banana bread and oranges
coffee and cheese 
laughter and chatter about
everything from nanotechnology
to the Four Horsemen of the Apocolypse
and everything in between.

“What is interesting and important happens mostly 
in secret, in places where there is no power.”
~ Michael Ondaatje, The Cat’s Table

Monday, December 10, 2012

Balancing Christmas Treats


I’ve read today about 
some very real and very serious issues.
Genetically Modified foods and 
how they are impacting food supplies.
Homelessness - in this situation, 
food supplies are scant and not on a regular basis.
Political finagling at 
global, 
federal, 
provincial
local levels,
not to mention the responsibility that we all have to discuss with our families end of living and life issues.

In the midst of this anger, angst and worry
about the state of our being and the world in general,
today has had some very special and joyous moments with
laughter, friendship and
gingerbread houses of all shapes and sizes.

Our Monday walking group took a side trip today to visit 
The Great Gingerbread Showcase 2012
at the Laurel Point Inn in Victoria.
An annual competition for professional and amateur bakers,
all proceeds donated go to Habitat for Humanity Victoria.

There was, as a group, a second, and much needed,
side trip into the restaurant for coffee and their annual Christmas special ~ this lovely ginger cookie sandwich with
caramel sauce
cinnamon spice sauce and
a white chocolate straw.

A delicious way to donate to filling a need.....

Website for Habitat for Humanity Victoria:  http://habitatvictoria.com/

“I always try to balance the light with the heavy - a few 
tears of human spirit in with the sequins and the fringes.”
~ Bette Midler

Sunday, December 9, 2012

A Christmas Staff Party


The evening was festive
for colleagues and friends
Good food, drink and laughter
to Christmas time lends
ease away from the work 
that we share in each day
to share a few games, silly gifting ~ 
yes, we can play!
All that’s left from this eve are these bright coloured lights
so Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

“Maybe Christmas, the Grinch thought, 
doesn’t come from a store.”
~ Dr. Seuss