Hippie Poem Wednesday
This hippie poem appeared on The Writer’s Almanac today, which gives it far more poetical credibility than coming from, say, a site with the name of Mystic Mamma. It’s by Joy Harjo, whose birthday is today.
Eagle Poem
To pray you open your whole self
To sky, to earth, to sun, to moon
To one whole voice that is you.
And know there is more
That you can’t see, can’t hear
Can’t know except in moments
Steadily growing, and in languages
That aren’t always sound but other
Circles of motion.
Like eagle that Sunday morning
Over Salt River. Circled in blue sky
In wind, swept our hearts clean
With sacred wings.
We see you, see ourselves and know
That we must take the utmost care
And kindness in all things.
Breathe in, knowing we are made of
All this, and breathe, knowing
We are truly blessed because we
Were born, and die soon, within a
True circle of motion,
Like eagle rounding out the morning
Inside us.
We pray that it will be done
In beauty.
In beauty.
To sky, to earth, to sun, to moon
To one whole voice that is you.
And know there is more
That you can’t see, can’t hear
Can’t know except in moments
Steadily growing, and in languages
That aren’t always sound but other
Circles of motion.
Like eagle that Sunday morning
Over Salt River. Circled in blue sky
In wind, swept our hearts clean
With sacred wings.
We see you, see ourselves and know
That we must take the utmost care
And kindness in all things.
Breathe in, knowing we are made of
All this, and breathe, knowing
We are truly blessed because we
Were born, and die soon, within a
True circle of motion,
Like eagle rounding out the morning
Inside us.
We pray that it will be done
In beauty.
In beauty.
Tuesday Project Roundup: Car Knitting
Before the camping trip I realized that 1.) I would probably not be driving and 2.) if so, then I could knit in the car. So I looked around for a small accessory-type project and landed on a knitted tie (using this pattern).
No, it is not for me. But it’s not a sweater, so I’m hoping to avoid any “sweater curses.” And no, I haven’t worked on it since the car ride home.
Sunday Night Conversations: The Right Word
Here’s some advice about word choice, as given out by my best friend last night:
“I watched The Universe last night and they were describing things like the scale of our solar system and the speed of light. And that’s the time to use the word “awesome”–not when someone refills the ice in your water.”
Friday Unrelated Information
1. This is making the rounds in advertising circles and it is awesome: This Advertising Life.
2. Here are some pictures of Skyler enjoying his birthday presents this week, taken from my brother’s blog.
Playing the piano!
And riding on an inflatable rubber burro…
I have no idea where my parents found this, but it’s really great. Every kid needs a red rubber donkey, right?
Thursday Poem
The opera last night reminded me of this poem. It’s not really about opera, though.
After Love
Jack Gilbert
He is watching the music with his eyes closed.
Hearing the piano like a man moving
through the woods thinking by feeling.
The orchestra up in the trees, the heart below,
step by step. The music hurrying sometimes,
but always returning to quiet, like the man
remembering and hoping. It is a thing in us,
mostly unnoticed. There is somehow a pleasure
in the loss. In the yearning. The pain
going this way and that. Never again.
Never bodied again. Again the never.
Slowly. No undergrowth. Almost leaving.
A humming beauty in the silence.
The having been. Having had. And the man
knowing all of him will come to the end.
A Night With My Imaginary Boyfriend
Tonight I get to hear my imaginary Russian boyfriend sing in the Met’s “Live in HD” broadcast of La Traviata. I’m looking forward to it. I’m sure he is, too.
It’s been non-stop culture around here lately. I’ll have to listen to this if I start feeling too fancy.
Tuesday Project Roundup: (Glacial) Progress
Look Who’s One!
The Smartest Baby in the World* is one years old today! He had a big party Saturday afternoon to celebrate. There were cupcakes:
There were so! many! colors! on the gift bags:
And there was the toy piano to try out:
It’s incredible to think that in 36 weeks you can grow a brand new human, and that in 52 more you can go from this:
To this (yes, he’s walking):
Happy birthday, Skyler!
*Totally un-biased auntie opinion.
Friday Unrelated Information
1. This weekend, I have tickets to the Utah Symphony for the first time in a couple of years. (I used to be there nearly every week back in the days of student tickets.) I hear good things about the orchestra under the new music director.
2. I also have Skyler’s first birthday party to attend on Saturday afternoon. I bought him a toy piano, since aunties get to force their interests on their nephews.
My brother is going to love hearing “PLINK PLONK PLINKPLINK” all day, every day.