Sun and clouds reflected on the surface of the Delaware River, Feb. 24, 2020
Monday Morning Musings:
“It may be the only mark we make. Sic parvis magna … From small things, greatness.”
–Tracy Chevalier, A Single Thread: A Novel
Spring enters in a gavotte
to finish with a sun-kissed flower finale,
but winter interrupts the dance
grabbing the dancers with icy fingers
and thrusting them apart
this dance is the thread of life,
the world wakes again
the birds are beginning to sing–
just before dawn I hear them
rehearsing for early summer’s concert
Later, they perch like fruit on trees
gathering in numbers
to sing farewell to the sun
and the day, old friends perhaps
who can finish each other’s sentences
threading them with references
that bind them together
a single thread, and another
woven into the fabric of the season
unraveled, threaded, woven again.
My sister-friends and I drink tea
we drop story-stitches, pick them up again,
single threads joined together
made stronger by overlapping
knotting them in love
nourishing them with food and drink–
the sandwiches are delicious
and so are the sweets.
We talk of #MeToo, politics,
of scary and stupid people
who sew all the wrong threads
into a horrid designs–
and then we sigh,
change the subject,
pour more tea
into the lovely cups. We drink.
The room is full of women,
and I wonder why
is this a woman’s place
or thing?
This sorting of masculine and feminine,
of black and white threads
of Christian, Muslim, Jew,
and places we’re afraid to go (my friend says),
these are knots that need unraveling. We sigh. Again.
The wind blows cold,
My husband and I stay inside
I make soup
bake bread
we watch movies and TV.
I watch my cat,
he is sick,
I wish I could heal him
with bread and soup–
he watches birds and the sun.
My cat is better, but the world is sick
I wish I could heal it with bread and soup
and tea–
we could talk, women, men, children
weaving our stories together,
each of us a single thread
stitched into a blanket of time.
Does one stitch make a difference, or not–
I watch the sun rise and set,
tomorrow, I may see a flower bloom
small things that make a mark,
the tree that grow from a single seed
the egg that hatches into an eagle
the things that change the world,
single threads, woven together.
Crocuses blooming, and daffodils coming up.
My friends and I had tea at Mademoiselle Macaron in Mullica Hill, NJ. I’m actually more of a coffee drinker, but going out to tea is something special. I’m about halfway through Tracy Chevalier’s A Single Thread. It’s a historical novel that discusses the “surplus women” in between the two World Wars, and focuses on one who joins the embroiderers who embroider the kneelers at Winchester Cathedral. Any readers who go to my local library, I’ll return it for you soon. 🙂
Merril’s Movie Club: We missed it in the theater, but Honey Boy is now streaming. It is Shia LaBeouf’s autobiographical story (he plays his father)–sad, funny, and moving. I thought it was excellent. My cat was a bit alarmed by Bob Dylan’s harmonica music at the end.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
Very, very neat musings, Merril, and woven together beautifully! This is an enjoyable read, topped off with one heck of a beautiful cat. Happy week!
Thank you so much, Resa! That’s a lovely compliment.
The grey-striped one is “my” cat. He follows me all around and sleeps cuddled up against me.
I love that! I have a sleep cuddler over here. Her name is Jeep!
Awww! So cute!
❤
Looks like your cat is as big a fan of Bob Dylan as I am 🙂
I love your word picture, weaving in the birds (just like a medieval tapestry) and the ideas, threads that get knotted and have to be unpicked. The world is sick but I’m glad your cat (the other one) is better.
Thank you–I love “just like a medieval tapestry!” 🙂 I’m glad our cat is better, too. I was worried we’d have to take him to the animal ER–and he does not do well going anywhere or being examined. He seems fine now, so hopefully he just had a bug–or ate one. 😉 I like Dylan songs–his voice, not so much. Ricky the Cat reacts to sound and music all the time. It’s funny to watch.
Ricky is very sensitive. I bet he hates banjos too 🙂
🙂
What a sweet cat, sweet friends, and beautiful words to describe a wonderful sisterhood! 🙂
Thank you very much, Rachel! 🙂
You’re welcome! You know how much I love cats. 🙂
The threads referenced in your poetry today reminded me of the Three Fates, Greek goddesses, who weave human destinies.
My favorite lines: Spring enters in a gavotte
to finish with a sun-kissed flower finale,
but winter interrupts the dance:
Perfect!
Thank you very much for your thoughtful comment, Marian! The Fates and threads! Of course! [Smacks head.] That will have to be part 2. 🙂 I had written something else about spring dancing, so it was probably in my head.
No need for head smacks – beautiful as is!
Thank you! 🙂
I’m so sorry to be late, Merril. Your post didn’t come up in my feed on Monday. I had my annual colonoscopy Monday and I needed your musings to get my mind off waiting to leave for the test. 🙂 I love the smiles in the sister-friends photo! Beautiful musings on this Tuesday evening. I’m relieved to know you’re okay. I was going to email to check on you, but then I realized I didn’t have your address! Glad kitty is doing better.
No need to apologize, Jill. It was so kind of you to go looking for my post and to be worried when you didn’t see it. That really touched me. ❤ I hope the colonoscopy was simply routine, and all went well. I know it's not fun to prep for it!
I always worry when I don’t see a post from a regular blogging bud. It was my annual colonoscopy for the Crohn’s. He biopsied 3 places that looked “suspicious.” Hopefully it’s nothing. Thanks! ❤
It is still very kind. I do hope the suspicious spots turn out to be nothing. I had forgotten that you had Crohn’s.
Thanks, Merril! I’ve been fortunate, after 30 years with the disease, I haven’t had any surgery.
That’s great, Jill! I hope your luck continues! ❤
Also–I wonder if other people didn’t get a notification of this post?
It was strange. after I learned through Twitter that you had posted, I scrolled through every post from Monday on my WP feed, but yours wasn’t there. I thought maybe WP had unfollowed you, but that wasn’t the case.
That is so weird! I hope my posts aren’t disappearing from a lot of people’s feeds. I usually go by e-mail notifications. I know a few times WP unfollowed me from people, and I had to re-follow them.
I also sent you an e-mail after your comment. 🙂
Always inspiring
Thank you!
Merrill, beautiful and thought-provoking reflections weaving in the personal with the global as you work away together. I sense the peace within you all, the frustrations of events, the wish to help bring harmony to all.
I’m a huge Tracey Chevalier fan and I haven’t heard of this book … off to check it out!
Thank you so much, Annika, for your lovely comment. I appreciate your close reading and kind thoughts.
I hope you enjoy the book!
Always a wonderful read and particularly this time. I love the image is women keeping things together – as is so often the case.
Sister-friends are such a necessity!
Thank you so much, Dale.
Yes, I’m fortunate to have both friends who are like sisters and sisters who are friends.
Me too!!
🙂