For Tomorrow and Beyond

 

Soft silence fills my home

as day becomes the night; 

afternoon laughter and caring 

with friends are sweet memories 

for tomorrow and beyond.

“As long as there is friendship, today is beautiful.”

~ Billie Joel 

Today Is

 

Morning light, 

still hidden behind roof tops, 

filtered through thin clouds. 

Conversation and laughter 

filled afternoon hours. 

Fraying fabrics of dullness 

from the morning vanished, 

taken by the rhythm of

conversation and laughter.

Today is and 

will be tomorrow 

but for now 

tonight has given me 

the comfort of my home. 

“But the morning light is only the first line

 in the play of the day—“

~ Billy Collins, The Only Day in Existence

Movie Review: (1964) "Mary Poppins" directed by Robert Stevenson

Screen shot

Mary Poppins: as I was scrolling through my TV choices, that charming film showed that it would be playing in a few minutes. I had other writing projects to work on, but, after a moments hesitation, pushed them aside. I have seen this movies three and now four times. Although it is dated 1964, it never is old for me.  Magic (although Mary Poppins would not agree), singing, dancing, playing on roof tops with chimney sweeps, two children (Jane and Michael) are charmed and entertained by this quirky nanny who came to them from the sky. She carried an umbrella and a carpet bag. The head of the umbrella was a talking parrot. The carpet bag held a floor lamp, a great broad leafed plant, her clothes, a measuring tape and whatever else she needed. The measuring tape showed character not inches. Michael: ‘stubborn and suspicious’; his sister Jane: ‘rather inclined to giggle and doesn’t put things away’ and when the children asked about Mary Poppins: ‘Practically Perfect in Every Way’

I was charmed again, laughed out loud and certainly will watch this film again. Both Julie Andrews and Dick van Dyke are white headed now but still living life and working in film. 

“First of all, I would like to make one thing clear: I never explain anything.”

~ Mary Poppins

Directed by: Robert Stevenson

Based on: The “Mary Poppins” books

Screen play by : Bill Walsh and Don Da Gradi

Abbreviated Cast:

Julie Andrews: Mary Poppins

Dick Van Dyke: Bert/Mr. Dawes Senior

Karen Dotrice: Jane Banks

Matthew Garber: Michael Banks:

Glynis Johns: Mrs Banks:

David Tomlinson: Mr. Banks

Hermione Baddeley: Ellen - maid

Reta Shaw: Mrs. Brill - Cook

Elsa Lancaster: Katie Nanna

Arthur Treacher: The Constable

Reginald Owen: Admiral Boom

Ed Wynn: Uncle Albert

Jane Darwell: The Bird Woman

Arthur Malet: Mr. Dawes, Junior

Lovely Whirlwinds

There were two of them ~ 

whirlwinds now spun away 

leaving in their wake

  toys,

   games, 

     flowers, 

       a birthday card, 

dishes swiped clean from chilli and stew

  dishes crumbed with chocolate cake and 

sweet memories of laughter, love and fun. 

and one cautious black kitty out of hiding.

“Children have one kind of silliness, as you know,

 and grownups have another kind.”

~ C.S. Lewis

Celebrating a Friend

Celebration of a birthday

laughter sprinkled through 

all the chatter around a table. 

different backgrounds, 

varied beliefs. 

good food and birthday cake

never too old to celebrate each other.

“Celebrating what we hope for together is better 

than fighting over what we believe separately.”

~ Steven Charleston, Ladder to the Light:

An Indigenous Elder’s Meditation on Hope and Courage

When We Were Children

We are all tired 

tired of the day 

the season 

the night 

tired of the work 

that builds our lives 

and yet we continue

to be grateful, 

to laugh

to love

to create families and homes.

Perhaps our energy feels low 

because the life we live 

is filled with so much more than 

the one that we promised ourselves 

when we were children.

Can we not rest easy within this abundance?

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”

~ E.E. Cummings

Books

Stacked haphazardly or 

lined up neatly in 

real bookshelves or 

shelves for any purpose

Stories of family sagas, 

stories of personal triumphs

Narrative of biography, 

memoir or autobiography 

Novels full of comedy, history or

dramatic, mysterious or mind bending

Instructions and self help for living life effectively

A Bible from a grandparent when I was 13, 

Slim volumes of poetry written by relatives.

children’s books, ancient and brand new

Cookbooks gathered lovingly on their own shelf

All overflowing to a shelf, a counter or the floor

No order by title or alphabet or author

constantly changing at the whim of 

‘what shall I read’, or ‘I read that 10 years ago’

~ I wonder how much I remember 

perhaps a new book will find it’s way 

into my shopping basket at the bookstore 

All of them my faithful companions that have 

taught and entertained with travel, tears and laughter.

“I think books are like people, in the sense that 

they’ll turn up in your life when you most need them.”

~ Emma Thompson

Where is The Poetry?

Where is the poetry in today?

A hot, muggy day filled with banking, 

groceries, pet supplies, 

hair care needs, 

bus rides to and fro. 

to be greeted by the cheerful bank teller; to see students and grandmothers; parents with their children or wee ones in strollers; moving around the city, 

it is too easy for me to be 

critical of how people walk or talk; 

picking at the minutia flowing all around me; a Babel of languages rippling through the hot afternoon.

to feel the kindness of the young man 

who called out from his bicycle: “Be careful” 

when I crossed the street;

seeing the tiredness on the face

of the young mother next to me on the bus,

to hear the laughing chatter of teenagers 

in their last days of summer before school.

This is the poetry of the city.

“Poetry is what happens when nothing else can.”

~ Charles Bukowski, poet, novelist, writer

(1920 - 1994)