Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, September 2017
Monday Morning Musings (Late Afternoon Edition):
Ask the wind where time goes
(away from spring’s light)
cycling from beautiful bloom
to cold brown earth—the sight
of vultures in skeleton branches, it seems
cleaning up the dead things, and dreams
at night of when and after,
but yet I wake in laughter
and cat purrs, a sniff, a whiff
of coffee, and beautiful dawn breathing if,
and always on the breeze
is life-music, birds in the trees
the sun behind the clouds,
the moon’s setting loud
January sun glowing faintly through the clouds over ramp to Walt Whitman Bridge.
with fierce humming,
another day coming
time circling again,
and again, and again
constant, traveling like light
far beyond our lives and sight.
***
We walk city streets in shadow and light
reflecting back the old and true
perhaps, or not—
maybe we see what we want to see,
or see not at all,
the ghosts and night creatures
walk beside us, and should we fear them,
or they us?
I learn that Mister Rogers loves graveyards
and blood is life—of course–
it ties families together
through generations, as we pack and unpack
stories and belongings
carting them across oceans,
over highways, in and out of rooms,
discarding some, embellishing others
past golden suns and silver moons
to here and now—memento mori,
we all die, forgiven, or not,
still . . .
we all carry stardust
in our blood
through time and space,
and if we can, we find the time
to stop, drink some wine,
share some kindness
and remember those who came before
and those who will come after
we’re a speck in the wind
blowing into forever.
January sun glowing faintly through the clouds over ramp to Walt Whitman Bridge.
After some very loooooong days of packing, today we moved my mom into her new facility. Today was the first day I had seen the place. It’s very nice—homey—rather than institutional, and everyone was quite friendly and pleasant. Tomorrow there will be more moving and cleaning. So, it may take me a while to catch-up with posts and comments–and actually get some work done, too!
My husband and I finally saw the movie, It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, which is actually more about the journalist telling Mister Rogers’ story than it is Mister Rogers. The journalist is played by the Welsh actor, Matthew Rhys, who played Phillip in the wonderful show, The Americans. Tom Hanks, of course, is Mister Rogers. Believe the hype. It really is a very good movie, and even my husband got a bit teary-eyed. The movie is based on this Esquire article, Can you say. . .hero?
We also watched the new BBC version of Dracula on Netflix, which was also quite good. It puts a different spin on the story, which you may or may not appreciate, but I did really enjoy Sister Agatha.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
Light and dark, sun and moon, change and decay, all these things are part of it. I love the misty half-tones in the photos too. I hope things work out.
Thanks so much, Jane. It’s been an exhausting few days and more today, but then hopefully things will settle down a bit.
Lately things have seem sort of misty and half-toned. (Well, you would know.) 😉
I think the frost has something to do with it, but yes, I know (of course).
🙂
I love how you work photos I see from the previous week into the fabric of your Monday posts.
You have done a vast amount of physical and emotional work recently, Susan. Your readers (I, specifically) won’t mind if you skip some days of posting. We’ll still be here; count on it!
Thank you very much, Marian. I appreciate your kind thoughts and words. (And I know you know I’m Merril, not Susan. 🙂 )
Gasp! :-O
🙂
Beautifully done, Merril. Wonderful photos, too.
Glad you enjoyed “Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” – I loved that it wasn’t just about Mr. Rogers but more the effect he had on others.
I finally watched Bird Box last night (Why did I wait?)
I hope the rest of the unpacking goes well and I am super glad that your mom’s new digs are warm and welcoming.
Thank you, Dale!
I kind of forgot about Bird Box. I had read the book, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to see it–if it could really get the effect of the book across. But it’s on my list for sometime. 😉
My pleasure.
Why was I sure you had recommended it? I avoided watching it, expecting horror, and while the situation is horrific, it does not fall into that category. I really enjoyed it.
It’s not horror as in ghosts horror, but I think the book was horrifying in it’s own way.
Oh yes – just the story line is horrific. I must say, Sandra Bullock did an excellent job and not having read the book, we were surprised at the end.
(Not my style to push anyone to read a post but I might have mentioned you in my previous one 😉 )
I must have missed it. I’m trying to sort through hundreds of e-mails in past few days. I will go look. 🙂
I know – you’ve been so busy! Like I said, I don’t normally nudge!
Just read it. Thank you. ❤
Thank you for allowing me to cut in line 😉
Always, Dale! 🙂
🙂 Sweet!
I’m really happy to hear the move went well and you feel good about your mother’s new home. Piece of mind is so important and it sounds like you may have that now. Your photos and musings were beautiful and that tree!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want that in our back yard. It’s incredible. Take care of yourself, Merril. xo
I had to look back to see what tree you meant. I guess the weeping willow at Laurel Hill. I think they had a few there, but that one was really splendid. Those park-like cemeteries always planted them.
Yes, I did like the place. I hope my mom adjusts to being there. It’s too bad that it’s not spring because I know she would like to be outside on the porch attached to her room and outside on the grounds. Thank you for your good wishes, Jill. ❤
We’ll be looking forward to spring so your mother can enjoy that porch! YES! The weeping willow…GORGEOUS!
Thank you!
I can identify with those boxes! I hope all goes smoothly.
And wonderful photos as usual. (K)
I’m sure you can, Kerfe. Thank you!
I hope it turns out to be a good place for your mom, especially the level of care. I was reading ( this relates to Memento Mori) Anne Sexton the other day. I had forgotten how she did not like to remember the dead and wanted to eradicate traces.
Thank you, Luanne. It is a smaller place, and everyone there was so friendly. It’s in Germantown, so outside center city with lots of trees around. I didn’t know–or didn’t remember that about Sexton. I guess she didn’t have much use for historians or archeologists. 😉
I guess not! So then I picked Plath back up to look for that aspect and really her poetry would not exist without her personal history and her family history. But she was pretty down on the dead as well.
It seems so odd to me.
Hah me too! I think Sextons privileged Yankee ancestry felt like a burden. But she wasn’t quite right, as you know.
Beautiful beautiful piece Merril
Thank you so much!
I trust your Mom will settle in and you can all relax. I hope your husband has recovered fro the effect of the beer fumes. Seriously, another beautiful set of musings.
Thank you, Derrick. 🙂 I really did like the new place, and I also hope she adjusts to it.
Good thoughts for the move Merril. It’s a big one. Hope your mother settles in well 🌺
Thank you very much, Susan!
I was swept away with your first line: “Ask the wind where time goes.” I love the feeling your poem gives of cycling, going in circles, just like Life. I hope your mom is settling in and will be comfortable. Is her new home far from you? And thanks for the movie tips. I’ll have to check out the BBC Dracula 😉
Thank you very much, Marie!
My mom is a bit farther away from us and from my brother, but she is closer to one of my sisters.
Dracula is three episodes. Now we’re on to an Icelandic series. 😉
We watched the first episode of Dracula. I love Sister Agatha! My kind of nun 🙂 I enjoyed the first episode, not too much gore and there was just enough campiness to keep it from being too dark. What is the Icelandic series? I think the only Dracula movie I didn’t like was Andy Warhol’s Dracula.
Sister Agatha is a wonderful character.
The Icelandic series is called “Trapped.” It’s on Amazon Prime.
We don’t have Prime any more, but not too long ago I signed up for a trial period and got to watch a couple of films before I canceled it … heh heh …
We didn’t use to watch much on it, but lately there have been such good shows and movies on Prime.
A move like that is always hard. Is it a new life, or one part of the whole transition that is life? Especially when you consider that it’s also part of your life. I’m glad you feel comfortable with your mother’s new home.
Thank you very much, Ken. It’s an adjustment for her. I do like the place, but we’ll see if it all works for her.