Maple tree budding against an ever changing sky.
Monday Morning Musings:
“It seems impossible that their calm should ever return or that we should ever compose from their fragments a perfect whole or read in the littered pieces the clear words of truth.”
–Virginia Woolf, To the Lighthouse
The world seems broken–
fragments scattered on the winds
that howl, looking for a place of calm,
I’m looking for that place of calm,
the hope left behind in the jar.
This week has lasted for years
my brother’s birthday came
and went,
passed over
in this time of plagues–
still we cooked and ate
and celebrated through screens
the holiday,
a remembrance of slavery and freedom
the bitter and the sweetness
of life
full of opposites, sometime topsy-turvy
like a puddle-world–
the sun illuminating rippling trees
but only at the right angle
After the storm–a world in a puddle
can you see it
before it’s gone–
and where does that world go?
Added to our memories,
a transitory moment of joy
I find them in nature
like the Romantics, I’m looking
seeing daffodils, rainbows, and revolution,
the world changing minute by minute
as clouds drift together and apart
and trees reach up to touch them
I stand and watch them
see them float by
in a corona sky
And now, I’m waiting
for the storm to pass
for the scent of bright green grass
carried on a soft spring breeze
along with sound of the robin’s trill
and the sparrow’s twitter
the blue jay’s squawk
the chickadee’s peep
the titmouse’s call
and the mockingbird singing them all
in a chorus of sound
fragments of a perfect whole
littered pieces of truth,
scattered and sublime,
simple and somehow profound.
Delaware River, West Deptford, NJ
I’m counting this as my NaPoWriMo poem today because I don’t know if I’ll be able to write another, and we may lose power. We’re supposed to have storms with damaging winds today. My mother is sick. My cat is sick and won’t eat. We did have two virtual Passover dinners. I”m having a problem uploading the photos, so the slide show is a compilation. The second one was a Seder hosted by our older daughter that included her friends from all over the country and outside the U.S., too. But. . .last week seemed to go on forever. It’s early morning, and I already want this day to be over.
Merril’s Movie Club: Two totally different movies on Netflix. Tigertail (NOT Tiger King) is a moving story of a Taiwanese man who seeks the American dream. He remembers the dreams he had and the joy he used to experience as he tries to build a relationship with his grown daughter. One review I saw called it elegiac. It’s in Mandarin, Taiwanese, and English.
The Girl with All the Gifts is also remarkably moving–for a zombie movie. There are some new twists in this zombie tale where some children, the second generation afflicted by the zombie fungal disease, are sort of hybrid creatures. Sennia Nanua who plays the main character, Melanie, is excellent.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
Here’s hoping for better days ahead. I’ve read To the Lighthouse but don’t remember those spectacular lines. Thank you, Merril, for sharing your bumpy ride this week and pushing through all this, some I can relate to. Better days ahead . . .
I especially enjoyed the slide show. =)
I found the lines on Brainpickings, so now I need to reread it, too. Doug’s taking Mickey to the animal ER. I hope there will be better days–right now, it’s looking worse.
Oh dear keep safe in there…🤗
Thank you.
There’s a restlessness that has set in for me too. A month gone, with barely a few hours outside these two rooms. Truth is indeed littered in the wind today, and who will be able to put the pieces back together again. Sending all best xoK
Thank you, Kerfe.
I’m sorry to hear you’re having a rough time, Merril. I hope this week gives you moments of joy that will get you through this challenging time. I had one this morning when despite the strong winds, I spotted a little hummingbird taking a sip from our feeder. ❤
Thanks, Jill. The little hummingbird moment sounds like a bit of magic. We’re taking our cat to the animal ER now, so not feeling too joyful.
Praying for sweet Mickey, Merril.
Thank you very much, Jill. He’s the white cat you’ve maybe seen in some of my photos.
it is a topsy-turvy world right now, and somehow life goes on. we are very adaptable creatures, much more than we ever imagined –
Yes, that’s very true, Beth.
As I, too, “wait for the storm to pass,” it is a pleasure to read your poem.
Thank you very much.
Moving piece, Merril, glad you chose to post it. Thinking of you. Waiting for calm here also.
Thank you very much. I appreciate your kind words.
Welcome, Merril!
May moments of joy break through every now and then Merril. Be safe in approaching storms. I wish your mother and cat well. Your photos are lovely. ‘Unorthodox’ is a 4 episode series that is brilliant.
Thank you, Susan. Yes, I watched Unorthodox–mentioned last week.
The thing is, during this crazy, surreal time; we KNOW we are not alone. We are all feeling some level of imbalance and most of us are looking for moments of joy to make this time endurable. Wishing for you and yours moments of calm during this unpredictable storm!
Thank you very much, Dale.
Always a pleasure, Merril
Love these lines: “in a chorus of sound / fragments of a perfect whole / littered pieces of truth”… The birds are wiser than we are.
Thank you so much!
Oh, dear, I hope your mom and your kitty will be well. Your photos are always lovely and I’m enjoying what seem to be a series of “reflection” photos. Take care ❤
Thank you, Marie. Yesterday sucked. Our Mickey is gone. The animal hospital let us be with him. My mom has tested positive, so who knows what will happen with that? She’s seems OK for now. I did go out and took more puddle and reflection photos early this morning.
Oh, my heart breaks to hear that Mickey is gone. He was such a beautiful kitty, very photogenic. I’m so glad you were able to be with him. And your mom … what a world of hurt you are in. I hope she stays okay and that someday soon you can see her, even if you have to suit up in full surgical gear. Take care, Merril. Love you.
Thank you, Marie. ❤️
I’m looking for that place of calm,
the hope left behind in the jar.
What a phrase ❤ Take care, and I hope everything is all right – is your cat better? I hope the power doesn't go out and that your mom gets well soon.
Thanks so much, Shuku. My mom has tested positive, and she’s in a nursing home. . .she seems to be OK. But poor Mickey is no longer with us. Yesterday was just an all-around horrible day. I’m still crying about Mickey, but today is better–it’s sunny and the birds are singing. (Mickey is the white cat that you may have seen in some of my posts.)
The birds remind us that while some things change, some remain the same. (Except for the smog free skies over major cities, in this time.)
😏
May you have the power and the peace to continue.
Thank you, Derrick.
I hope the winds didn’t do too much damage up your way or knock out your power. I hope your mother is better today, and that the cat is well, too. I hope that you’ve found a bit of calm now that the storms have passed.
Thank you, Robin. It’s hard to say about my mom, since we can’t always get through to nurses or her. She’s actually tested positive, but seems to be doing OK.Unfortunately, our poor Mickey (the white cat) is no longer with us. They did let us be with him when he passed yesterday night. I’m very sad. But today I did take a walk early in the morning, and that helped some.
I am so sorry, Merril. Sending you hugs.
Thank you so much, Robin.