Monday Morning Musings:
The Fathomable Unknown
Pondering,
you recollect the past,
its sweat-stained shirts
and hulking monoliths–
describe the bells
so that we hear
the tintinnabulation,
the bell-swell, clapper-clang,
ding-dong, soul-singing
ring across the hills and plains
across the years—construe
the meaning behind it all,
Writer, make a city rise and fall.
Create a giant, defiant but
literate, stormy as a cloud–
wonder aloud,
grapple for answers
based in knowledge—
a girl, a famine, misogyny, religion—
the thousand indecisions,
the visions —
life and death
and forgotten facts
buried in earth and under snow,
but know
like the snowbells, they rise and ring,
and like the robins they sing
with bright bill chirps as
their wings catch the light,
a song takes flight
and a tale rises from the dust,
because it must,
a wonder of sorrow, regret,
love, or glory–
Once upon a time. . .imagine. You tell the story.
Once again, I used some of Jane’s Random Words. (Thank you!) I’m still thinking about truth, fiction (see last week’s musings), and the half-truths and flat-out political/cultural lies of our current time (see, the Republican party.)
We watched the movie, The Wonder based on the novel by Emma Donoghue, who also worked on the screenplay. I had read the book, but I didn’t remember all the details. The story is inspired by true accounts of fasting girls, particularly a girl in Wales. For her story based on facts—and not—Donoghue moved the location to Ireland after the famine. I liked both the book and the movie. Florence Pugh is wonderful as the English nurse sent to watch the girl. I’ve read several of Donoghue’s books, and though Room is her most famous, several others are based on historical events and set in past centuries. I found the story of her most recent book Haven, fascinating, though I disliked all the characters. I find it difficult to feel sympathy for religious fanatics and misogynists in any era.
Both of my children had birthdays this past week. We saw one and wished the other happy birthday by phone—then ate some cake.
There was a big football game last night. I don’t follow sports at all. I made my husband some goodies and sat with him for the first half hour. Lots of excitement in my area about the Eagles, but unfortunately, they lost. My husband said it was a good game though.
I’m hosting Prosery on dVerse today, so I’ll be back!
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
Your post was a dizzying and beautiful statement. I need to go sit down.
Wow! Thank you so much!
Lovely musings today, Merril. Of course, your photos are stunning as usual. I love the plumb robin. We’ve been seeing so many lately, along with huge blue jays. Derek and I watched the game. He’s a huge Eagle fan. Needless to say, he wasn’t happy, but at least it wasn’t a boring blow-out.
Thank you so much, Jill.💙
The birds are really getting into spring mode, aren’t they?
I cannot follow football at all. To me, it’s a bunch of huge guys crashing into each other, followed by a commercial.😂 I thought I did well lasting for a half and hour. Of course I was eating . . .
Your musings took you on a spring dance! The bells are everywhere, in the flowers and the bird-voices. Lovely!
YAY! You’re able to comment here. 🙂
Thank you very much.
I somehow saw bells in a quick glance without realizing I saw the word. Then when I went back to look at your random words, I saw the word showed up twice! Oracle 2 definitely wanted that word used!😂
Yes, I can comment! Have to log in twice, put password in twice, but I get there in the end.
The bells was a definite you must use this image!
Oracle II can be just as insistent as Oracle I! 😊
I wonder if she works in government offices too, and they just don’t listen.
She seems hard to ignore. I can’t see her in an office. Perhaps shouting from the park across the street.
I see her sliding documents across a desk with highlighting in florescent pink and watching her hints being ignored.
And then she jams up the copier and disrupts the Internet? 🙂
For starters. Then she gets on that phone.
It doesn’t seem to be working. She’s going to have to step up her game.
Nobody believe in that phone or the red button stuff any more.
🙂
A beautiful poem, Merril. I love the song-sound of it, as if you were ringing in the spring. That came across beautifully.
And I was like you regarding the Superbowl – rooting for the Eagles, but not really caring that much. Lol. 🙂
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment, Diana.
I have zero interest in sports, and I can’t follow football at all! 😂
My dad was over, otherwise I would have worked on my taxes during the game (and probably had more fun). Lol
😂😂
This read almost like a song, a beautiful one, heralding spring. So lovely.
And I, for one, was happy at the outcome of the Super Bowl 😉
I loved Room – both book and movie and should try more of Emma Donoghue’s books.
Thank you so much, Dale! 💙
Since I care nothing about sports, I don’t care that you rooted for the enemy. 🙂
I think she’s a very good writer, and she also does tons of research. Room is going to be a musical!
🙂
Hahaha! I just like to go against the current. We were 4 out of 15 that were rooting for the Chiefs.
I agree. And whoa… an interesting one to choose for a musical…
It sounds like you had a good time!
I still have no interest.
Yes, definitely not a light-hearted musical. But then, I guess there are several musicals on serious or dark topics.
I did – but I am not going back next year! Way too loud for me.
Yeah. I was thinking, no, I don’t believe I would want to see it, but then I kept thinking of various scenes and maybe… 🙂
I’m not one for loud groups/places either.
I did the same thing thinking about it! 🙂
As I get older, too much noise around me distracts me from hearing the one thing I am trying to listen to! My friend and I were both annoyed by the “hens” to our right – four women – neither of us has a tolerance for high pitched voices talking over one another.
Hah! Isn’t that funny!
It does sound annoying! 🙂 Then again, loud men’s voices are annoying, too. I don’t have a high tolerance for noise.
Where were you?
No, you are right. The host got louder as more booze was consumed. Ugh. (My contractor who is also a high school friend. I only knew him, his wife, his daughter and other friend from high school, who happens to be his ex! (They are great friends.))
Well, it was a night out–and mostly fun, right? 🙂 Of course I was in my pj’s by 8. 😂
I had to talk myself into it (I had already said I’d bring nachos, so …) Plus I got to hang out with my girlfriend, so a win!
Yes! 💙
🧡
The poem and the photographs are just beautiful. Happy birthdays to your offspring!!! Superbowl meh–I didn’t care about either team.
Thank you so much, Luanne! 💙
I always feel like a compliment from you is extra special.
I don’t care about sports or football at all. There was a lot of excitement though in my part of the world. All the news was about the Eagles!
As that is so sweet! I am hear the shouting in the Philly area from here haha.
I think it was crying!
Wailing?
😂
I love the robin in budding tree photo. The color and texture of the tree against the blue of the sky is very appealing to me. Happy birthday to your two offspring! The bruchetta looks really good with those nice slabs of fresh mozzarella cheese. Have a good week!
Thank you, Liz! I’m so pleased you liked the photos. And thank you for the good wishes.
It’s hard not to be thinking about truth and fiction at all times these days. We don’t have flowers or robins singing yet, but soon…(I hope) (K)
Thank you. Yes, you’re right about truth and fiction.
We have robins all year, but they don’t really sing in winter. I can’t believe all the crocuses, and the daffodils stems are starting to poke up now, too.
I should visit the garden in Riverside Park to see if anything is blooming yet.
There might be in a sunny spot.
Lots of light and sound in your verses – and your usual excellent photographs painting with light
Thank you very much, Derrick.