Samhain

Samhain

The day brighter than a grin
Door open the tree outside
Leaves still green. I put out food,

Bamboo shoots, wanton soup, wet
Noodles, all steaming hot. And
Of course, dried chilli flakes. Hot too!

All your favourites. On
A special table sponged and ringed with light -
The Asia of our beginnings, wild rice of youth

I'll listen, dwell awhile,then let dusk take us
Each to where we belong,
Here, there, in-between.

River Changes

Weather's getting warmer here. The Hindmarsh River will soon not get to reach the sea as drier, hotter weather and irrigation take their toll. In the last few weeks the mouth of the river has moved quite dramatically, first to the left, then to the right. Those serpentine curls I so love.The pelican's moved on. Nothing stays the same. Reminds me how much of my life I've lived in rigid ways, the should's, the critic's rarely silent voice (s), the 'doing being' rather than being.

The beginnings of a poem

She waves her turquoise hand
an inflection with the breeze.

Door Days

Creative Writing Ink - Writing Prompt: September 27th
The old door, half ajar, a darkened space you love
to photograph, have to! Number twenty seven, a few short steps
from the corner, the spidery cracked cement of the old town
you'd seen in a dream when you were younger
here right now so that you must stop shake your head
knock gentle on the door peer in
hesitate on the step the place in-between
excited uncertain push the door more
breathe in the smell of books, damp,  paper yellowing with age
tobacco smoke, look at the old man paintings
on walls that seem to seem to stoop
just as you raised your camera
That sudden flash, tears quicker than thought.

home

There are two Southern Right whales off the coast here, in the bay about 200 metres off Seal Rock (Port Elliot, South Australia). A mother and her calf. Over the last dozen or so years whales have started coming back here in the winter before returning to Antarctic waters in September. So these two are late in leaving. It may be that the mother is waiting for her calf to put on more weight.


Nearby is Victor Harbor, which in the 1800's was a whaling port. or a long time whales, having been mercilessly hunted, stopped coming here.



Their return  speaks of their deep intelligence, the deep mystery of life, places of home known so deeply, even when not visited for a century and more.



No wonder we watch spell bound. Perhaps there's an opportunity to return to wonder in life?

Bubbled

I tell myself I've moved on
gone beyond that old refrain
walked the long lone bridge
away from the clouds

of our unbecoming
you said

your body's silky touch
silver Celtic brooch

moon sung white skin

linger in my mind
no matter how hard I try
the bridge that stretches
and now divides
still unites the you that I knew

with the me who walks

so that I must get off the road
walk the beach let the sea
cool my feet put my hands in the clouds
let the water rush over and around me

sky lit, washed, tidal.

Spring Days

Spring Equinox here in Australia. In Victor Harbor, it's been a cold and wet winter after a very slow start. In fact, it seemed winter would never come. And when it did, it brought in some places higher rainfall than normal. So much so most people have been wondering whether winter would ever end!
Tonight, even though the temperature's not that high, it seems different, warmer inside, not so hard to heat the house.

So it's time to till the soil of life. At the same time, it's also good to reflect on what's being put to rest, what's going into the cave of darkness, the point of origin and return.


The dog's happy- more walks on her favourite beach!

Stillness

Stillness
You always hinted you’d leave
I never heard that then
missed the cues
the little twist of the mouth
far away look
head turned away
words askew
as if carried by another current
a shore only you could land on.