Monday Morning Musings:
“Legacy, what is a legacy?
It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see”
From Lin-Manuel Miranda, “The World Was Wide Enough,” Hamilton
All ghosts linger–
they sail on secret rhythms,
brilliant in the joy
they celebrate
floating beyond
the melancholy twilight,
blushing in time’s embrace,
they laugh the poetry of morning
and cry midnight’s anguished tears.
***
Legend says—
at Yorktown, the British played
“The World Turned Upside Down”
But now
let’s sound the truth–
(facts unknown back in our youth)
of the airports there
and the rockets’ red glare
over forts that didn’t yet exist
People believe, they twist
facts to follow ignorance
a delightful dance
enhanced
by putting down others
smothering new thought
we say, we ought
to do this or that
and debate
ideas reborn, the hate
lingers, like ghosts
unfurl the blue, white, and red
we eat, well fed
find comfort and ease
with old friends,
no worries to please
they accept me
as I dance, don’t flee,
smile to see another side
of me (I sometimes hide)
well maybe it’s the drink
(very pink)
but doubtful, I think
since I danced around my kitchen
making ratatouille, listening
We’ll tell the story of tonight. . .
or we’ll forget
no regrets
in memories fragmented
by time segmented
the ghosts linger
like dreams
my mom tells, unreal,
but she feels
somehow, they appeal
false stories
in strange categories
one day weak
the next lucid, painting
no straining, no waning
her truth, her art
from her heart
that her eyes can’t see
she’s free in creating,
though it’s frustrating
for her and us
the ghosts linger, discuss
in whispers
we sisters fret
regrets,
but let’s
just do this
on another day, we’re fine
homemade pizza and wine
Stranger Things
the Upside Down brings
relief, as believable
not inconceivable
in this crazy world,
where conspiracies unfurled
believed as fact
impossible to retract
swirling in tornado winds
we wait to see what sunshine brings
a new day
a new way
yet the ghosts linger in
morning laughter
midnight’s tears
all the ever afters
of joy and fears
future on past climbs–
we see the light
of stars long dead,
still traveling through time
in sparkling trains go, come
and still, a legacy
(enduring beyond)
the moon, she hums.
Another strange week with presidential lunacy amidst his narcissistic parade, storms alternating with sunshine–and some quality time spent in the basement during a tornado warning! My mom is perfectly fine one minute, and totally not the next. We watch the new season of Stranger Things (still a couple episodes to go) on Netflix, but sometimes feel like we’re already living in the Upside Down.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
The way you’ve woven together ghosts and false stories really starts my week and my sleepy overtired brain off with a powerful image that I will be untangling at least all day. Think of the web of ghosts in the world. If it were visible it would look like the whole world was held together with ghosts, sort of like duct tape. But then false stories, they are their own duct tape, aren’t they?
What is Stranger Things that everyone keeps talking about? I am TV illiterate.
Thank you for the lovely compliment, Luanne! Much appreciated.
Yes, false stories definitely are their own duct tape. Maybe more of a web or a maze. And I picture the ghosts more as a tapestry–oh, dear, now I’ll have to write about that.
Do you have Netflix? Stranger Things is on Netflix. Season 3 came out on July 4, that’s why you’re hearing about it right now. It’s set in the 1980s–and has the vibes of some of the movies from that era with kids, like Stand By Me–and Winona Ryder. There’s another world, the Upside Down with creatures that come into our world. I’m not doing a very good job of describing it. Hahaha. Watch the trailers. 🙂
Yes, write about the tapestry of ghosts!!!!
Hmm. We do and don’t have Netflix. We have an account that we share with daughter, but our TV is so old-fashioned it’s very difficult and we don’t want to watch TV on a computer.
OK. That’s going to be a title of something for me: The Tapestry of Ghosts!
We don’t have a “smart” TV–we use Chromecast to “cast” our Netflix to TV. Maybe that’s an option.
It’s definitely the Upside-Down. Hearing Trump name-calling journalists on the news again this morning, I wonder how much more he can degrade the presidency and our country. But ghosts are also ghosts of hope…
I’m glad your mother has lucid moments. It’s an unpredictable roller coaster, the very end of life.
As usual, full of wisdom and love. (K)
Thank you very much.
Yes, it is a daily roller coaster ride with my mom–very stressful–and it is not helped by our Upside Down world or the book I’m working on sexual harassment. So many horrible things–I do have to stop and find beauty and love in the world.
I can feel the sense of your being caught in the opppsites Merril. Hard to bear but be born it must. I wish you and family well –
Thank you very much, Susan. Yes, lots of opposites these days.
I love the photo of you and your mother laughing, Merril. It’s certainly one to cherish.
I like how images I see on your Facebook pages during the week are woven into your Monday musings. About your mother: Hang on to the creative bits; treasure what she can still paint – or not. She is still with you, and that’s something.
Thank you, Marian.
Yes, there are good and bad days with my mom. Trying to get pictures of good times. 🙂
Thank you, Jill.
I think so, too.
I simply adore your Monday Musings, Merril!
I read, and breathe and look forward to the next line, then sigh when I realise the end has arrived…
Oh my goodness, Dale. That is the most wonderful compliment I’ve ever received. Thank you SO much! 😘
‘Tis the truth. 😘
🙂
The Oracle was whispering in this one (and my daughter with her musical moon). I don’t know what Stranger Things is either, but they don’t come much stranger than your president.
It looks as though you’re doing a great job of keeping your mother happy, and she’s doing a great job of keeping herself active and participating in life.
Thank you, Jane. Yes, the Oracle was definitely whispering. 🙂
And you are right about your assessment of our current president.
Good and bad days with my mom. . .
🙂
I think that, while he’s visiting us, the Telepromptee forgets that he’s not in the Upside Down, where he’s free to rewrite the facts, unchallenged.
Perhaps. We need “El” to close the gate.
Such a skilful weaving of two different confusing situations
Thank you very much, Derrick!
No sense to be made of a president who thinks we had airplanes during the American Revolution…we are living in the upside down for sure.
Good post.
You are right, we can’t make sense of any of it. Thank you very much.
The upside to living in the upside down would be if the upside down was the Down Under, or Oz. We have a friend from Tallahassee who moved to Perth, Australia many years ago. It’s not a perfect place but it’s more right side up than we are. I heard about the airports during the Revolutionary War. Who knew George flew? Man was ahead of his time. 🙄 One of your lines, “Just do this,” perfect in relation to the photos of you and your mom and family. I don’t want to live in a bubble, but these days I feel like shrinking my world to just the people I love is the healthiest thing to do. Thank you for sharing your mom with us ❤️
Thank you, Marie. Things are just crazy here, aren’t they? If someone wrote a novel about it, the criticism would be that it’s too unbelievable. I’ve heard some not so great things Australia is doing recently, too. Sigh.
Good days and bad with my mom–hence the just do this. 🙂
It sure feels like the Upside Down. There are days when I’m not even sure this is reality (and then it turns out that it is, whether I like it or not). I love your weaving of words, of ghosts and false stories, of joys and heartache. You write the poetry of life.
That is such a lovely thing to say. Thank you very much, Robin!
Today has been crazy around here–stuff with my mom, the weather, etc.
Crazy weather here, too. I couldn’t believe how dark the clouds were that moved in with the storms. I thought for sure we’d have a tornado warning, but we lucked out. Just a thunderstorm warning. I hope things are better with your mom this morning.
Thank you, Robin. I’m glad you didn’t get anything too severe. I was afraid we’d get another tornado warning, too. There was a warning for a little bit north of us. SO crazy! My niece lives in PA in the Reading area where they had severe flooding yesterday. Her husband and son had to leave their car and walk home because the roads were flooded!
Thank you for your kind wishes.