ABSENCE

Photo by S. Auberle

Those of you in my legion of five or six faithful readers may have noticed my absence from the blogwaves of late. The reason for this is that I am kneedeep in, consumed by, and obsessed with the final pages of a book I'm writing which, I believe, may see the publishing light of day in 2008. Details to follow on that.

A future reason may be that the ever-absolutely-correct weather people say a huge storm is heading our way, which will likely result in my being snowbound. This is a good thing in that all distractions will disappear from my writing. A bad thing, because I may run out of red wine.

Stay tuned.

- mimi

DREAMING SUMMER

Photo by S. Auberle

DREAMING SUMMER

watching moonset this morning

over ice-bound bay...red sky

east behind Eli's barn

fourteen below zero

furnace hummed all night

must refill the woodbox

ice painting on north window

no cars on the white road...

woke at dawn

from a dream of yellow butterflies

for a little while summer...

now i huddle in my robe

wrap cold-cracked fingers

'round a mug of tea

watch the calligraphy

of branches on moon

in another time zone you still sleep

dreaming, maybe, of summer

or those good old days

when lonesome was just a Hank Williams song

- mimi

WINTER POEM

Photo by S. Auberle

Two degrees

this twenty-third day

of January

and about this time

winter begins to hurt

but the black brush

of crow wings

still inks this sky

yin yang

a Chinese painting

in flowing progress

cracked voices singing

all is joy...

- mimi

A MIRACULOUS CREATURE

Watercolor by S. Auberle

Hey you followers of the Way

searching exhausts the spirit in vain

we all possess a miraculous creature

with neither form nor name

call and it answers clearly

it doesn't live in hidden places

guard it well I urge you

keep it free of scars

- Cold Mountain

translated by Red Pine

MEDITATION

Photo by S. Auberle

"Look up at the sun and the moon

and practice meditation

free from bright and dim."

- Milarepa

HE SAID, SHE SAID

Photo collage by S. Auberle

He says winter

is a cruel old man

his breath a frigid howl

white whip of his beard

slashing fiercely in the cold.

She says Winter is the eternal Bride

the one who precedes

the rites of Spring

her dress the wedding

of wind and moonlight

her voice a whisper of snow

caressing the nakedness of trees

branches reaching for her

like eager arms.

- mimi

KHALIL GIBRAN

Watercolor by S. Auberle

"Accept the seasons of your heart,

even as you have always accepted

the seasons that pass

over your fields."

- Khalil Gibran

MY POEMS

Photo by S. Auberle

MY POEMS

Some may survive,

some may not,

these little poems of mine

in their frayed sweaters

and out of date shoes

(those wearing red

cowboy boots are, however,

still hot!)

Some have, along with me,

grown older--mellow,

one might say, sipping

their rum and coke, still

they do have their moments...

Some have regressed

to the uncensored, uninhibited

howls of children and wolves.

These poems wear old hiking boots,

carry a painted staff and drum

and out of all my children,

oh, I love them best.

- mimi

LETTING GO

Photo by S. Auberle

last year's tattered dress

trembling in the bitter winds

time for letting go

- mimi

WINTER WONDERLAND

LIKE A RIVER FLOWS

Photo by S. Auberle

"I would love to live

like a river flows,

carried by the surprise

of its own unfolding."

- John O'Donohue

LIGHTEN UP

Photo by S. Auberle

Time to cool down and lighten up this blog, after yesterday's entry, which engendered quite a few interesting responses...so here now, some words of wisdom, thanks to Linda M. and Murphy:

WAG MORE

BARK LESS.

SOMETHING AFTER BURNING

Angel sculptor unknown - digital collage by S. Auberle

SOMETHING AFTER BURNING

survives--the ashen ghosts

of fires past, scorched edges

of old love songs

unanswered prayers

the testaments and desires

we watched

curling up the chimney

as if by this burning

we could reclaim hearts

that, in the end,

will also turn to ash,

tatters of light ascending

to the forgiving arms of night.

- mimi

BEANNACHT (BLESSING)

Digitally enhanced photo by S. Auberle

John O'Donohue, an Irish poet/priest, unexpectedly passed away recently at the age of 53. He died peacefully in his sleep. A great loss, because, as someone commented: "the world needs all the divinely mad Irishmen it can get..."

This excerpt is from the poem "Beannacht" (Blessing) from his book "Echoes of Memory."

"May the nourishment of the earth be yours,

may the clarity of light be yours,

may the fluency of the ocean be yours,

may the protection of the ancestors be yours.

And so may a slow

wind work these words

of love around you,

an invisible cloak

to mind your life."

- John O'Donohue

LET IT SNOW

Photo by S. Auberle

WHAT MONET SAW

Photo by S. Auberle

WHAT MONET SAW

Where was I that year?

What museum, what city?

It doesn't matter now,

what matters

is the tenderness

I have not forgotten

in the eyes of a stranger

cradling his small son,

the three of us

splashing together

in that elegant pond

of waterlilies

almost-blind Monet

left for us.

- mimi

WILD

"Haida Totems" - Emily Carr poster

WILD

A procession of elk

crosses my yard this morning.

There is no priest in holy vestments

no banner-carrying boys

no incense bearers--still I kneel

to receive the blessing.

A chalice of sunlight

spills over their proud antlers

the sable dark necks

the fine, muscled rumps and

watching, I cannot quiet

this wild drumming of my heart.

- mimi

WINTER HAIKU

Photo by S. Auberle

brooding skies today

earth palette of grays and brown

January thaw

- mimi

FOGELBERG

Album Cover

"...every time you think you've got it straight, you fall."

- Dan Fogelberg

"Hard to Say" - from The Innocent Age

I first heard the music of Dan Fogelberg in 1980 during a life painting class in Marietta, Ohio. The professor was a fan of Fogelberg, and would often play his album, "Innocent Age" as we worked.

the smell of paint, the shivering model, snowy nights and the bittersweet music...

After class I'd go out into the dark of that old river town, Fogelberg's songs flowing through my head, and I would want to cry at the beauty of it all.

Now, twenty-eight years later, I don't paint any better. I'm just as likely to cry at beauty as I did then, maybe even more so, as the years wind down. I miss those great rivers--the Muskingum and the Ohio--and the friends there, gone too soon.

I know a lot more than I did then. And a lot less.

His words make me see that's okay too.

In Memoriam: Dan Fogelberg

1951 - 2007

HAPPY NEW YEAR

San Francisco Peaks - S. Auberle

Interesting to get a card that quotes your own words! Friends have been using this closing on their Christmas letter for thirteen years. I'd forgotten about it, but on re-reading my words, decided I could do no better than this for my New Year's greeting:

"Lastly, my wish for all is peace...

the peace that begins with us

and flows outward thereafter,

touching all life

with love, respect and care."

- Happy 2008

mimi