Peace

Despite the noisy chaos 

    of this world

peace settles on my heart 

as a dove white feather ~ 

to tie myself to

the rattle of swords, 

the devastation of homes 

is of no help.

Pleas for help rain down. 

I feel overwhelmed until 

I remember my belief in 

ripples of calm each life can offer.

Despite the noisy chaos 

    of this world

peace settles on my heart

as a dove white feather.

“There is peace even in the storm.”

~ Vincent van Gogh

Bell Towers

on a bench far from the bell towers, the air silent save for 

the raucous calling of crows 

to interrupt this peaceful Sunday morn; crunching leaves, dry cracked earth, 

squirrels scampered, a backyard barbecue grilled juicy hamburgers. 

a woman played with her child on bright blue and red swings. I imagined 

the tolling of the bells - 

their music drifting into the sky, 

settling over the city in peace and calm.

“For bells are the voice of the church; 

They have tones that touch and search 

the hearts of young and old.”

~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

No Worries

I missed it ~
the whispers in my ear 

the tightness in my midsection

the frantic busy in my head

I looked around ~

Did I forget something?

Did I turn the stove off? 

What have I missed?!

It did feel good ~

the whispers were kinder

I just felt ….. good!

And perhaps calm?

I got comfortable with it

This peace of mind.

This spacious feeling

This day full of me.

“Make the most of yourself….for that is all there is of you.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

A Measure of Peace

Warm and mellow, 

music softens the hour, 

bringing to the soul 

measured notes of peace

found only in eventide.

“Music is the language of the spirit. 

~ Kahlil Gibran

A Wrap Up

Settled into the music 

of Henry Mancini, 

underscored by 

the hum of the dishwasher, 

assures me 

that it is time 

to slow my day ~ 

wrapping it in peace and calm.

“What a nice night for an evening.”

~ Steven Wright

Change of Heart

Drops of red against the green

A sad reminder 

of the horrors of war

Soft green backdrop of growth

 ~ A hope filled example 

of the blessings of peace.

“It is not enough to win a war; it is more important to organize the peace.”

~ Aristotle

Seven Decades

 

Head bowed ~

Her wisdom remains in

seeds sown throughout

seven decades of service 

Rest in Peace 

Queen Elizabeth II 

21 April 1926 - 8 September 2022 

“Let us not take ourselves too seriously. 

None of us has a monopoly on wisdom.” 

~ Queen Elizabeth II (in her 1991 Christmas broadcast)

In the Midst ~ 2

Oases in the midst of

joys and sorrows exist 

where our feet are planted

Oases ~ to rest, regroup

and breathe deeply to find

peace in each moment. 

“In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.”

~ Deepak Chopra

At Sunset ~1

Lost in the trees 

at sunset ~

the peaceful dark

is blessed by gilded 

purple-blue and mauve.

“Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places

 where other people see nothing.”

~ Camille Pissarro

Chapter Two, Episode Ninety-Two - Conflicted - Situationally Theirs

Conflicted

Larger than life arguments.....Mrs. Eliot could hear her daughters, again. Soon there would be a slamming bedroom door. Stomping adolescent feet racing each other down the stairs. In harmony, “Mom!! She’s being stubborn again!” And “Mom! It’s not me, it’s her. She's bossing me around again!” Calmly she got out lemonade, took plastic not glass tumblers from the cupboard.The argument that had descended from upstairs sounded more heated than usual, despite the same pattern. There they were, right on time, squeezing and elbowing themselves into the kitchen, Dez red-faced and Emelina’s mascara reaching her chin. Both of them furious. Their mother wanted to reel time back and pull out two chairs, had them face each other quietly until they could talk civilly. They were too old for that a now. 

“Lemonade, girls?” She gave them their drinks, then turned away from them and continued peeling potatoes. Silence. Dez slouched into a chair, slurped her lemonade. “Don’t slurp!” Emelina rolled her eyes and sipped her lemonade. “See mom, she bosses me about everything.”

“Yes, dear.” Their mother put the potatoes in the oven. “I’ll leave you girls here while I go to Fresh Seafood for tonight's salmon. Please check the potatoes in twenty minutes and give them a stir.” She exchanged her apron for a light sweater, picked up her purse and went out the door.

~~~~~

Dez remembered that afternoon. “She was being too bossy. She even handed me a spoon and told me that I should stir the potatoes.” She was on her way back to Hartley to an interview for a part-time job. It was a temp job for receptionist placement. Not her favourite type of work, having to dress up for every shift, but it paid pretty good. She’d have some benefits with it so she wouldn’t have to depend on her sister for everything. It had been too easy too fall into that trap. “Listen to yourself! ‘A trap’ sounds like Em’s got evil plans for me.” Arriving in Hartley, she pushed it all out of her mind. Her interview was more important.

~~~~~

Emelina stirred her coffee til it was cold. “I suppose mother walked out on us because she was tired of our fights. She never said anything except to check on the potatoes and stir them.” She made a face when she sipped the cold coffee. Pushing it aside, she flipped through the pages of an old photo album. “There you are, mom and dad.” She ran her fingers over the glossy black and white. “I remember that afternoon, mom. I think it may have been the last real fight Dez and I had. We’re in another conflict now. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do. Dez has gone off to a job interview in the city. She does live here on Estate but I don’t know…….I just don’t know.” She closed the album and slid it back in the bookshelf. 

~~~~~

“That’s what peace is, right? Postponing the conflict until 

the thing you were fighting over doesn’t matter.”

~ James S.A.Corey, Drive

Passage

Clocks tick

in quiet or chaos;

between each moment

breath flows in and out

bringing peace and calm

in quiet or chaos.

“Again time elapsed.”

~ Carolyn Keene,

The Secret of the Old Clock

With Caution

Re-doing everything………..

filling unfamiliar wide spaces 

plugged with 

reading, making things, 

baking, sleeping, games, 

puzzles,walking, exercises

Zooming, wondering … 

is almost frightening

With caution, relief

and unfamiliar excitement

we take up old interests,

face to face visits and fun ~

not shiny screen people, yet

an invisible threat still hovers ~

a tiny quiver deep inside

has yet to find peace.

“Misery don’t call ahead. That’s why you have to stay awake 

- otherwise it just walks on in your door.”

~ Toni Morrison, Home

On an Early Morning Walk ~ Little Enough

Early this morning, 

when I walked on my own

the waters were calm

silence gentled the day 

save a lone gull riding

a soft current of air while

peace reigned abroad on the land.

For the many that fought, for the 

many bodies and spirits that died,

thank you seems little enough

to allow me to walk on my own.

“We must find time to stop and thank the people 

who make a difference in our lives.”

~ John F. Kennedy