Geese practicing social distancing on the Delaware River.
Monday Morning Musings:
“Neither the spider has planned for the leaf nor the leaf for the spider — and yet there they are, an accidental pendulum propelled by the same forces that cradle the moons of Jupiter in orbit, animated into this ephemeral early-morning splendor by eternal cosmic laws impervious to beauty and indifferent to meaning, yet replete with both to the bewildered human consciousness beholding it.”
–From Maria Popova, Figuring, quoted in Brainpickings
“The heart’s reasons
seen clearly,
even the hardest
will carry
its whip-marks and sadness
and must be forgiven.”
–Jane Hirshfield, “The Weighing”
I dream of the oak tree
its roots tunneling
expanding through darkness
linking to other roots
in connections we never see
even as I do see—
do you?–
the branches saluting the sun,
the buds opening, sleepy-eyed
to greet the sun
and do you gaze, dazzled
to see how bushes, flowers, trees
literally bloom overnight—
do you hear the robin’s scolding–
“Look around you!”
One crow flies,
then another
calling, gathering in a tree,
“Now” they say.
“Now.”
And I do look–
to the sky
and the ground below.
Which is the reflection, I wonder,
perhaps reality is the upside-down world,
The World in a Puddle. Photo of a puddle in the parking lot at Red Bank Battlefield, National Park, NJ. March 2020. Merril D. Smith
perhaps this is the dream?
Shadow-me drifts
moving with the river currents
fading with sun
and tides
the ebb and flow
of life–
sun and moon,
stars,
the planets
move through our skies.
Once they were gods
now only so in name,
but is their power and beauty decreased,
or only different?
[See this photo of Jupiter.]
News of my mom comes–
she is isolated,
as if in space–
my dead father comforts her,
and I see the heart weighs,
reflects
the upside-down
and the shadows,
feels the ebb and flow
and forgives.
Another puddle reflection, March 2020 Merril D. Smith
Like the rest of the world, we’re at home. We’re on Season 3 now of Babylon Berlin. We had a homemade pizza and movie night. We watched a new movie on Amazon Prime, Blow the Man Down. There’s a definite Coen Brothers vibe, complete with a Greek chorus of sea shanty-singing fishermen.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
The world is upside down right now. And if the ever there was a time to open our eyes and reflect, it is now.
Lovley post.
Be safe.
Thank you very much! You stay safe, as well.
Thanks
Beautiful post, Merril. I giggled at the geese practicing social distancing. 🙂 Homemade pizza just makes everything seem right in the world, doesn’t it? Thanks for brightening my morning!
You’re very welcome, Jill. Thank YOU!
I love the crows calling, Now!
Just read Damien’s poem and there are a lot of similarities with yours. I wonder if it’s a message? Maybe I ought to consult…
Thank you. The crows have seemed very active. I saw groups of them at daughters, at home, and at the park. I started to think they were following me. I just read the results of your consultation. I’m not sure if I saw Damien’s. I’ll go look.
Dreamy reflections, Merril. I hope your Mom can bear what is happening.
Thank you, Derrick. I’m not sure how aware she is. We tell her what’s going on, but I don’t know if she remembers.
Perhaps that is no bad thing
Perhaps so.
Uplifting – thank you! My heart goes out to you and all who have loved ones “locked away for safety” … prayers that those isolated can feel the remote love vibes … in a way, we are all in the same barricaded state. Thank heaven for poetry and imagination and dreams flowing freely!!
Awww–thank you so much for your kind words. And yes, I am thankful for poetry, imagination–and virtual friends!
Lovely, Merril. As a previous poster wrote, the world IS upside down.
Thank you, Cindy. Yes, I agree. We’re all topsy-turvy.
How fitting, the upside world of which you speak so eloquently. And I can’t hit Like enough times to prove how much I Love your puddle photos!
Our gods have deserted us, but the stars keep watching over us. We should always listen to crows. (K)
Thank you, Kerfe. The stars do watch over us, and the crows know so much.
Love those puddle reflections. An upside down world indeed. Goodness, another challenge for you and your mother with the need to isolate her. My heart goes out to all of you.
Thank you so much, Janice. I appreciate your kind thoughts and words.
I’m a bit obsessed with puddle reflections lately.😀
Crows very active at my house too. I listen. I send my best to you and your mom and family.
Thank you very much, Claudia. This must be a crow year.
I hope you and yours stay safe and well, too. You’ve been in the hot zone in Montco, but NJ is not doing too well either.
Seems like things have slowed down here some, I think because they seemed to get a slightly earlier start on closing things. School has been out more than 2 weeks and we’ve been closing down almost 2 weeks. I hope it works out. I did see NJ racheting up, I am keeping you and other NJ friends in mind.
A day late but hey.. I’m here, right? 😉
Love the crows calling “Now!” and your reflection images are insanely gorgeous.
So, you mention you saw “Blow the Man Down” but you don’t say if you liked it or not… It may be my movie date night for Friday if you say it’s worth it 😉
Thank you very much Dale.
“Blow the Man Down” was fun. I wouldn’t say great, but my husband and I both thought it was entertaining. Margo Martindale is always worth watching. (My husband, “Is she the Russian spy?” He meant from The Americans.) 😀 If you like movies like Fargo, you’ll probably like it.
Always a pleasure.
I love Margo Martindale so she is the only reason I would watch. She was also on “Justified” She is so good. I’m thinking it’s gonna be one of the possibilities, then!
It does feel as if the world is upside down. I’ve felt that way for a long while now. I love your puddle reflections. They are so beautiful, especially the first one that looks as though it is reflecting the galaxy. The robins and crows are right.
Beautiful musings, Merril. Lovely to read on this rainy day. 🙂
Thanks so much, Robin. I’m glad you enjoyed reading this.
The world, in general, becomes another world when you’re required to view it remotely. At times, the news looks like it could have been written by the Coen Brothers.
Very true. Thanks, Ken.