Tears

If by chance

a tear should fall

healing begins.

“We need never be ashamed of our tears.”

~ Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

Cracks in the Sidewalk

Cracks in the sidewalk threaten 

to suck people into an abyss

to be

buried beneath concrete bureaucracy

unless

by chance

the will to survive

the hands up from the abyss

meet in one place

atop the cracks in the sidewalk.

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

~ Helen Keller

An Amazing Story

I found this story in an old journal. March 13, 2007. I’ve done a bit of editing - that was Doable. Doable. I’ve always wanted things to be doable. Money helps, but the logistics of things is almost more important. Doable. Isn’t that a great word?  Couldn’t there be a story about the Amazing Doable. Let’s see. What could be his story?

The Amazing Twins

The Amazing Doable was a flying trapeze artist flying from perches high up in the air. Flying through the air catching one swing after another. He loved the feeling of freedom that it gave him. He and his twin sister, The Amazing Miss Efficiency, travelled together from town to town. She kept them organized and on time. All the trampolines and ropes and trapezes were organized and kept in tip top condition. At first they travelled in a circus caravan. Then they had their own wagon with a team of brown horses, setting out on their own. Being on their own was not as lucrative as they had planned. There were few chances for a single show to be welcomed into the small towns they travelled through. After a time they had to break up their team of horses and sold one of the horses to a travelling circus. But, as they went, they always found a way to enjoy life and get the work of life done at the same time. Neither of them wanted to miss anything.

As they travelled they noticed that their horse was pulling more slowly, stopping the wagon many times before getting to the next town. And then they realized that their wagon had been patched and repaired so many times that they were beginning to patch the repairs and repair the patches. The Amazing Doable looked at The Amazing Miss Efficiency and said ‘Travelling in this wagon is no longer doable.’ The Amazing Miss Efficiency said ‘Fixing this wagon is no longer efficient. We spend too much time fixing the wagon and not enough time living our lives.’

So The Amazing Doable and The Amazing Miss Efficiency took another chance with their lives. They retired their old wagon, put their old horse out to pasture with a nearby farmer and found new ways to travel. They found new chances to enjoy life and get the work of life done in doable and efficient ways. 

“I think anything is possible if you have the mindset 

and the will and desire to do it and put the time in.”

~ Roger Clemens

Free and Clear

I had my chance and took it. The lineup went around the corner of the old red brick building. White hair, brown hair, purple hair, braids, bobs, dreadlocks and plain stringy hair. I approached the lineup warily, uncertain of what was attracting the men and women heads bowed to iPhones, with pack backs, briefcases and purses. ‘Let’s stay outside’ A disembodied voice drifted on the cool early evening air. What was going on? Was I in the right place? I checked the address I had received against the address on the building. It was right. But where were the signs? There. Up on the wall. A slim blue sign with little letters. Elections BC. As the line shuffled forward to the corner of the building another sign, square and black with red lettering Vote here. ‘Anyone with a voter’s card?’ Hands went up waving voter’s cards. We moved to the head of the line directed into a gymnasium. People milled about finding their place. Tables set up around the room manned by volunteers checked needed ID. At table 53, I showed my voter’s card and ID. I had my ballot. The voter’s booth cleared. X marked the spot. I returned my folded ballot to the volunteer. He removed a tag and returned my ballot to me. I slipped it into the ballot box and moved easily through the crowd out into the cool evening air. The walk home was free and clear.

“Democracy is not just the right to vote, it is the right to live in dignity.”

 ~ Naomi Klein, Canadian journalist

Ode to my Muscles

Individually sheathed and oiled 

braided around my bones

guy wires that move me

tiny muscles work

fingers, toes, and eyes

a smile, laugh or frown

overlapping muscles 

hold vertebrae upright

a gentle wand while

ever larger muscles

work ever larger bones,

smooth flat muscles

wrapped around my torso

for inspiration of oxygen,

expiration of tainted breath

from morning to night

to sit, stand, walk or run

turn, move forward or backward

without question

with only a thought, a reflex

despite being sore or stiff

despite years of living life

always the chance 

for injury or loss

yet always ready to move on

“All we actually have is our body and its muscles 

that allow us to be under our own power.”

~ Allegra Kent

Riding the Wave

Energy takes a dive

temporarily

with each wave

that surges or ebbs

’til a chance for

rest

recuperation

with loved ones

smooths everything out

“When everything goes to hell, the people who stand 

by you without flinching -- they are your family.”

~ Jim Butcher, author

Memory Work ~1

Confabulations continue to confound  

even seeming to make some kind of sense -

therein is the confusion.

No intent to lie or deceive

only to make sense of the present

memory fragmented

pieces of truth put together

haphazardly.

A chance at creating reality.

“What is the nature of the border between truth and lies? It is permeable and blurred because it is planted thick with rumour, confabulation, misunderstandings and twisted tales. “

~ Hilary Mantel