Messilla
Occasionally, I'd wake to the sound of a hot air balloon passing over
the house, a short snarl of flame followed by a long, cool gap of
silence. And once, while everyone was still sleeping, I got on my bike
and followed to where one landed in a field across the highway, where
I stood on the ditch and watched the huge, austere bulb touch down
and the passengers, a boy and his father, climb out of the basket and
the crew deflate the envelope; where after an hour or so, just as I'd
hoped -just as I'd been hoping - someone called me over to help
fold the fabric. It was nothing like I thought it'd be. It was a lot of
waiting and then being spoken to brusquely by men who were not
my father. It did bring about a great feeling of neatness, though,
watching the enormous thing folded and folded and folded again,
until it fit, impossibly, along with the cooled burners, into its own
basket, which was hoisted onto a truck and driven away. Couldn't we
be accounted for in the same way? Didn't we, too, carry our whole
lives in our mouths?
the house, a short snarl of flame followed by a long, cool gap of
silence. And once, while everyone was still sleeping, I got on my bike
and followed to where one landed in a field across the highway, where
I stood on the ditch and watched the huge, austere bulb touch down
and the passengers, a boy and his father, climb out of the basket and
the crew deflate the envelope; where after an hour or so, just as I'd
hoped -just as I'd been hoping - someone called me over to help
fold the fabric. It was nothing like I thought it'd be. It was a lot of
waiting and then being spoken to brusquely by men who were not
my father. It did bring about a great feeling of neatness, though,
watching the enormous thing folded and folded and folded again,
until it fit, impossibly, along with the cooled burners, into its own
basket, which was hoisted onto a truck and driven away. Couldn't we
be accounted for in the same way? Didn't we, too, carry our whole
lives in our mouths?
"Messilla" by Carrie Fountain from Burn Lake. ©
Penguin, 2010
in the Odd Fellows 'penthouse'
just yesterday I saw the (a) great blue
loping up-Fox toward the dam
looking perhaps for a fishing spot
to set itself down
along a slower-flowing current,
if any, in the rushing and swollen Fox
At dawn it will stand for long spells
motionless, staring at the water
to jab ruthlessly at a passing fish
and swallow it whole -
surprise, surprise
then back to the unmoving sentinel
fish-quest until full...
It is unmistakable:
bigger by far than anything
plying the skies in these parts;
long gangly legs trailing behind;
in front the crooked neck
with long beak sharp,
its wings so large and aeronautic
that it only flaps a little to hold altitude,
glides, glides, glides
from out of our prehistoria...
I'd like to think
'they can't take that away'
That's my wish
for us.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADKhAqpr0TY
.......
Dee and our son Lee
at a family wedding in Maryland
last week.
Dee in her well-earned role
as the unusual relative from Wisconsin
wore her shawl-wrap of an altar cloth
from the Congo
(Congregational UCC Church, Waukesha)
Lee came up from NYC for the event
and Mothers Day...
.......
Here downtown
from our windows facing the 5 pointsin the Odd Fellows 'penthouse'
just yesterday I saw the (a) great blue
loping up-Fox toward the dam
looking perhaps for a fishing spot
to set itself down
along a slower-flowing current,
if any, in the rushing and swollen Fox
At dawn it will stand for long spells
motionless, staring at the water
to jab ruthlessly at a passing fish
and swallow it whole -
surprise, surprise
then back to the unmoving sentinel
fish-quest until full...
It is unmistakable:
bigger by far than anything
plying the skies in these parts;
long gangly legs trailing behind;
in front the crooked neck
with long beak sharp,
its wings so large and aeronautic
that it only flaps a little to hold altitude,
glides, glides, glides
from out of our prehistoria...
I'd like to think
'they can't take that away'
That's my wish
for us.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADKhAqpr0TY
.......
MORE FARMERS MARKET
(LAST SATURDAY)
SPRING ONIONS (Ramps)
http://southernfood.about.com/cs/ramps/a/ramps.htm
MORE FARMERS MARKET
(LAST SATURDAY)
SPRING ONIONS (Ramps)
http://southernfood.about.com/cs/ramps/a/ramps.htm
.......
Spring blooms in the downtown
This week Dee and I had breakfast at the old Metropolitan
(Dady-Oh's)
and on the walk back home
- the one block -
I got pictures of the Gingko leaves bursting forth next to the Rotunda
and in our stony courtyard
in the back, the birch tree cluster
also grows leaves
contrasting with the carefully aligned
rocky masonry.
and upstairs at the Five Points windows
a tree blossoms its white canopy near Dave's
and the Healing Forest studio.
A mourning dove is at the seed tray, taking periodic views
inside to make sure the cat is not going to leap at it
while it's looking down.
It is a happy sound to hear the mourning doves call all around
just now, in spring.
.......
CORRECTION TO LAST WEEK RACCOON:
We incorrectly stated in reference to pianist Seth King Gengler
that Nic Gengler is Seth's stepfather. Actually, Nic is his legally
adopted dad. Sorry.
Since that needs to be set straight, it gives us the opportunity
of again providing the link given last Sat. to Seth's splendid
and masterful Stravinsky Utube recording at his Lawrence recital.
DO NOT FAIL TO VIEW THIS: (CLICK ON IT)
