Silent Tears

 

After a thunderstorm 

rain leaves behind only 

the steady beat of 

drip, drip from the eaves

When a heart breaks

sadness slips over eyelids

in silence.

“It is such a secret place, the land of tears.”

~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery, writer

(1900 - 1944)

Sheltered

There was a storm coming.

a storm and a struggle 

and I learned to say ‘no’

no umbrella would suffice

for the wild winds coming 

because I learned to say ‘no’ 

silence crashed in the midst

being brave was a never thing;

only in daring stories, but 

because ‘no’ meant different 

ways, I learned to act bravely 

to step aside when storms brew 

with heat and turmoil in the air

and storms will always pass.

“Out of difficulties grow miracles.”

~ Jean de la Bruyère

French philosopher and moralist

1645 ~ 1696

Silence within the Storm

Rolling growling shoving my mood aside, the blackness of the cloud bigger, louder than the blackness of my mood, as though I have no right to try to match nature’s mood. Burly and stomping through the heavens 

dumping cooling rain, 

icy hail no matter where it lands. Allowing lightning to pierce the bulky cloud for a 

fraction of a second. Just long 

enough to see a dripping lamp post, 

a shining street. Silence within the 

storm, between raindrops and hail 

bouncing on sidewalks and 

pavement. Then it stalks away, 

leaving the drip drip drip 

from the rain-washed city, 

promising to return.

“There’s something about violently, growling thunder….

and the sound of hard racing rain that settles my spirit.”

~ Niedria Kenny, Compilation of Contemplation

Prairie Views

The prairie sky is grander than our puny schedules, plans, goals, directions ~ when clouds gather and become the dome above us, magic happens. Today clouds gathered  behind my clear view. They swirled and flexed their muscles, becoming gray and grayer, with patches and wisps of white ~ that clear sky had no choice but to let them come, 

bringing thunder, winds and rain and 

when finished with their tantrums

leaving us with clear skies at sunset.

“After sunset on the prairie, there are only stars.”

~ Carl Sandburg

One More Step

 Commitment to the next step, 

no matter the storm, 

simply a breath and a second.

“Don’t watch the clock; do 

what it does. Keep going.”

~ Sam Levenson

On a Late Afternoon Walk - Taking a Chance!

Interested in the pieces of tiny hail bouncing on the sidewalks, against the bridge and on my hooded head, I picked up my pace. The black cloud above, thundering and tailed by lightening gave me more encouragement.

On my way to dinner with friends, I was getting wetter with each step. Veering into the park, I saw shelter! A restroom with an outdoor overhang that I shared with a cyclist. The rain and fine hail continued for another five minutes before wind took the black cloud off to the south! Billowing white clouds and blue sky brightened the rain swept city.

“There is peace even in the storm.”

~ Vincent van Gogh

After the Storm

A violent prairie storm 

whipped the city last night, 

branches bent ~ twisting away without hesitation.

Today, stunning sun calmed and dried it all ~ from branches, 

seed pods dried in clumps, 

await their turn to separate and fly.

“Our patience will achieve more than our force.”

~ Edmund Burke

Potato Weather

 

The balcony looked empty

except for a pot or two

They looked awfully lonely

So I planted a potato or two

whether they grew or not ~

but lightning, thunder and rain came down and my two little potatoes grew!

“Planting is not the end; it is only the beginning of planting.”

~Henry Sherman Adams, Making a Rock Garden

Prairie Spring Storm

 

Photo taken July 2008 

In the city, clouds gathered silently until angry thunder knuckled our heads, slashed rain viciously on ant-like traffic plowing through sudden rivers and lakes. Lightening flickered ominously through the storm salted with pebbles of ice that rattled car roofs and beat on windshields. Storm clouds hovered overnight, brief rolls of thunder hinted that the spring storm was relocating to drench someone else, somewhere else. 

Today, the sun glistened on our world.

“Thunder rattled the window panes two stories high and lightning split 

the sky; it was as if the whole world was in turmoil that night.”

~ Sara Niles, Torn From the Inside Out

Cathedral Village Art Festival

Families, food and music on

13th Ave closed to traffic 

for at least eight blocks and 

filled with tents for  ~

  artworks, clothes and jewelry

  jams, jellies and baking

Food trucks with a variety of cuisines

Local musicians played at cross walks

The day started out cloudy and cool.

clouds lifted and warm sun 

accompanied Festival goers as

they wandered and browsed,

stopped and purchased,

gathered in small groups

to greet each other,

or line up at food trucks

on this final Festival Day

                                ~~~~~

Later this evening, the street was washed clean

by a prairie thunderstorm complete with hail!

Hope all the tents, people and electronics

had wrapped things up before they were soaked!

“[An arts festival) helps a city to express itself. …

It lets it come into its own.”

 ~ David Binder

Waiting to Rumble

gathering strength

waiting to rumble

to fling cold rain

on thirsty land

or ~ just hover

waiting to rumble

“What avails a storm cloud

accurate in form and colour

if the storm is not therein?”

~ Albert Pinkham Ryder, painter

Born: March 19, 1847

Died: March 28, 1917

Author's note:  Weather is so strange ~ Manitoba is floating away, while we are grateful for rain!

Storm

Thunder grumbled a giant grumble, rain pounded against sleep.

winds ripped through trees,

cold rain slashed and soaked the city

frayed grey clouds blew through the skies, leaving the wind to dry the world,

shoppers lurched and braced against the wind, holding tightly to packages and bags

today the sun shone warm and bright

as though it had all been a bad dream.

“One thing you can always count on is that 

after a dark storm, the sun always comes out.”

~ Greg Dutilly, Many Roads

April Snowstorms

I delight in snow in winter when sun is shining and winds are calm, clouds are low and snow falls gently. Then it is a magical frosted world.

An April snowstorm riding on bucking north winds, clouds thickened with a million-billion little ice arrows, is soft, beautiful and threatens danger. 

Like a brilliant smile calling us out to play only to be hit by the driving steely fist of the wind, laughing its way through still barren trees, chasing geese, crows and ducks; rabbits and squirrels to find whatever shelter there may be. 

An April snowstorm feels like an insult, 

to the promise snatched away from us ~

after soft warm days, ice breaking up on lakes, 

animals and birds mating freely.

An April snowstorm ~ a disruption to 

spring flow of gentle breezes and sunshine. 

We grow tired of fleece, toques and gloves, 

snow boots and snow shovels. 

This too shall pass, I’m told.

“Snow in April is abominable,” said Anne. 

“Like a slap in the face when you expected a kiss.”

~ L.M.Montgomery

In the Midst ~ 1

Creating zones of comfort

in the midst of stormy weather

(emotional, political, financial or the real thing) ~

a real challenge to our resiliency

feet planted firmly on 

  a narrow, 

    slippery wet board

muscles unused to being planted firmly ~ never knowing when the next wave or wind will

gulp us down deep into watery currents without any life jacket.

Creating zones of comfort

before the storms of life or of weather

builds resiliency felt most strongly in stormy weather

staying always where our feet are planted firmly

strengthening muscles of heart, mind and body

always ready for the next wave or wind

that threatens diving deeper than we want to go

family, friends and new ideas are the life jackets that can save us from drowning.

“People drown, quietly, before our eyes, all the time.”

~ Ilsa J. Bic

Sacred Spaces

Sacred spaces

Carved from footsteps

in Mother Earth

Shaped with intention

and the silence of a still pond

Moulded from hands

warm with life’s glow

Sculpted with kindness

directly from the soul.

Surrounding our lives

to create safety within storms.

Fashioned by each of us

To wear with gratitude and calm.

“Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again.”

~ Joseph Campbell