Monday Morning Afternoon Musings:
With stories,
we entertain, ascertain, explain the past,
another glass of wine drained, slow or fast–
is it enough? We remember
to forget
how seasons turn, grey to green,
but loved ones gone, remain unseen
like ghosts
white blossoms drift
leaving trails . . .we follow.
It’s poetry month, and I’m having a hard time getting anything else done between all the poetry writing and reading. So, I’m making my usual Monday Morning Musings very short and combining it with the dVerse quadrille prompt, where Linda asks us to write about wine.
Passover ended yesterday. I celebrated with pasta, garlic bread, and wine. During a traditional Passover Seder (Seder means order), we tell the story of the Exodus and during the course of the night drink four glasses of wine. My family, when we’re together, does a very untraditional Seder, and we drink maybe one, two. . . maybe more. I’m looking forward to seeing them someday soon.
Merril’s Movie Club: We watched Quo Vadis, Aida? It’s Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Oscar entry, and it’s a harrowing and heartbreaking, but also an excellent and nuanced movie. It chronicles the failure of the UN peacekeeping forces and the mass genocide by Serbian army in Srebrenica, as seen through the eyes of UN interpreter. The director said she had been waiting for someone to tell this difficult story, but she finally did so herself, and she does so without relying on showing tons of blood and gore. It’s available to rent on Amazon. We also watched Mank (Netflix). We both enjoyed it. It tells a fictional story of 1930s-1940s Hollywood, and the making of Citizen Kane, centered on Herman J. Mankiewicz, the writer, played by Gary Oldman. I thought Amanda Seyfried as Marion Davies was particularly good.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
Merril – I always love your musings and this one is superb!
Thank you so much, Linda!
You’re quite welcome.
I really liked the staccato rhythm and the wandering/wondering as we do with wine.
p.s. its 4 glasses usually – my husband always complained of sweet Israeli wine as a young man but things have improved since
Thank you very much, Laura.
When I was younger, I thought I didn’t like wine because I’d only had that sweet Passover wine. We’re not religious, so we just choose whatever wine we want to drink for Passover.
the ghosts leaving white blossom trails is so pretty and powerful at the same time. Lovely photos. The last one looks just like a place I used to like to stop on my bike rides when I lived in town.
Thank you so much, Lisa. The tree by the river? That’s at the park I go to nearly every day.
You’re welcome. Yes. There is (or was, not sure if it’s still there or not) a willow tree down by the lake that we used to ride by when we were kids when my dad used to take us on bike rides. I took my own kids there as they were growing up on bike rides and continued over the years until I moved in 2011. Now I’m making new landmarks as I ride.
I love willows. Good for you!
How beautiful, Merril.
Thank you so much, De!
Beautiful! I really like the rhythm of this, and the ghostly trails of falling blossoms.
Thank you very much! 💙
I love the sense of celebration and remembrance here, Merril. The ending is lovely.
Thank you very much, Sarah!
Your closing stanza is killer, and the rhyme scheme is creative, giving the shape of the piece fascinating.
Wow–thanks so much, Glenn!
Wonderful poem Merril, and beautiful photos.
Thank you so much, Rob!
Sounds much like our family gatherings … and it’s all too long since we’ve had oe!
Thank you! It’s been way too long. 😔
I enjoyed the wordplay of “how seasons turn, grey to green” and the beautiful images! 😍
Thank you so much, Tricia! 😍
You’re welcome!
Morning, afternoon, evening…no matter what time of day your musings are always something I look forward to. Your pictures are so gorgeous, Merrill. Two glasses of wine, four glasses of wine, who’s counting? Cheers!😉
Thanks so much, Jill! L’chaim!
:Perfectly tasty and delicious. I would expect nothing less..
I was considering watching Mank…
Thank you very much, Dale.
Let me know if you do. Have you see Citizen Kane?
My pleasure.
I will! And yes, I have 🙂
😀
A sweet mix of togetherness and memories of the past. There is so much joy in that photo!
Thank you so much, Mish. You’re right. 💙
I really like what you did with the prompt, making it a poem of real life and not just words for a prompt. Well done. Sound like Passover is a very enjoyable time for your family.
Thank you very much, Dwight.
Our “Seder” is always fun–someone writes a silly play, and then we all act it out at the table.
How interesting! :>)
😀
That first stanza is eoic
Thank you very much!
Your Quadrille is a toast to those we have loved and lost, Merril. I love the wistful lines:
like ghosts
white blossoms drift
leaving trails . . .we follow.
Thank you very much, Kim. 💙
Each year there are more people to remember – as you so gently express it.
You’re so right, Derrick, on both counts.
💙
Thank you, Derrick. Yes, you are so right.
That’s very much how I feel, Merril. You really captured it well.
❤
David
Thank you so much, David! 💙
‘but loved ones gone, remain unseen’ – always. I hope you get to see your loved ones soon!
Thank you so much, Ingrid.
I hope you get to see yours soon, too.
Love ones gone….so nostalgic. So much can be remembered and commemorated around a table with a bottle of wine.
Thank you very much. Yes, you are so right. We share so much then.
Hopefully the table will fill up soon. This last year has made those ghosts more vivid I think. (K)
Thank you, Kerfe. Yes, I think so, too.
I love, love, love this poem! The short form is perfect for it, a glowing gem to hold in the palm of my hand.
What a lovely comment! Thank you so much, Liz!
You’re most welcome, Merril!
Four glasses??? I’m not surprised you cut it short 🙂
Well, if you do the full Seder, it lasts for hours and hours, and includes a full meal. . .but yeah. 😀
I suppose that’s fair then 🙂
😀
Lovely, thoughtful poem 🙂 We watched Mank and enjoyed it, although watching someone as much an alcoholic as Oldman played Mank always makes me feel queasy. I feel like I’m getting drunk just watching 😄
Thank you very much, Marie!
Yes, I know what you mean about watching the portrayal of an alcoholic. I think he died of complications from his drinking.
I read a Wiki article on him, saying he died of “uremic poisoning” aka kidney failure. He was only 55. So sad.
Yes it is. I remember he was 55 when he died. Gary Oldman is much older than Mank was in reality at the time when the movie is supposed to take place.
I think at the end of the movie, didn’t they say or have a few lines about Mank’s death and his age. I just remembered thinking, “Wow, Oldman made him look so old,” not realizing the difference in their ages … (face palm).
🤣
A beautiful post. Thank you for sharing the photo. We were privileged to share a Seder meal with dear friends many years ago….when our children were very young. This brought back memories of these dear friends who the year after that meal, moved to New York City.
Thank you very much, Lillian. I’m glad my poem brought back fond memories of your dear friends.
Love how you combined the personal with the wine challenge ….. Cheers.
Thank you so much, Helen!