MAGIC

Photo by S. Auberle

"Whatever you can do

or dream you can,

begin it.

Boldness has genius,

power and magic in it."

~ Goethe

www.gratefulness.org

BLUES

Photo by S. Auberle

wet night

in the city

jazz drifting out

from smoky bars

rain dances

in the streets

alone

ALL GOOD THINGS

Photo by S. Auberle

"My father was very sure about certain matters pertaining to the Universe. To him, all good things--trout as well as eternal salvation--come by grace and grace comes by art and art does not come easily."

~ Norman MacLean, A River Runs Through It

FLOCK

Photo by S. Auberle

Just returned from a bike ride, heading into a north wind. My hands are so cold and stiff I can hardly type. I thought it was spring! Since last week's 70 degree temps, it's rained, blown, iced and snowed, so I'm not quite sure why I thought so, but apparently I'm not the only one. This flock of lovely flamingoes must surely be feeling out of place, after their long migration up from Florida. Where is Jimmy Buffett when we need him?

????

Photo by S. Auberle

gray city morning

outside the coffee shop

a lonely bike rack

one bike locked to it

one vacuum cleaner

there are things in life

we're not meant to understand

but we live with them

and it's okay...

really, it is

~mimi

JONATHAN LIVINGSTON SEAGULL

Photo by S. Auberle

I love seagulls. Yes, they can be raucous and annoying--especially in flocks. But you have only to see them soaring gracefully overhead, sunlight falling through their wings, translucent against the blue sky--and Jonathan lives. I love that they are the eternal optimist, unflappable (pun intended) as the gull in the above photo shows, waiting patiently for his ship to come in (pun also intended..sorry). And they are unafraid, willing to connect their little red eyes with yours, willing to communicate how much they love you for tossing them the single cracker or moldy piece of cheese. Life is glorious, what more could anyone possibly want?

ice out

forecast warm and clear

anticipation

~ mimi

SOMETIMES DREAMS ARE POEMS

Collage by S. Auberle

It must be the full moon, but lately my dreams have been bizarre. There was the magic carpet dream--a rug of royal blue, flying through the sky; the dream of a carousel spinning in the sky; the bathtub dream--full of cut geraniums--this was one of those frustration dreams we all have, where I wanted to take a bath, but could not clear the tub of the flowers, which kept filling the tub; finally, the skyscraper dream--with windows that looked out onto the ocean, except that with every floor you ascended to, the water ascended with you, and at the top--out of that water emerged an animal--a buffalo or yak of some sort, led by an aged Tibetan man. The man then began setting up tables with art objects for sale: carved figures, prayer beads, small wooden boxes--which appeared to be depthless, and contained many layers: tiny pearl jewelry pieces, paints and paintings, brushes, and finally, a beautiful robin's egg blue necklace, carved of a single character. I asked the old man what the character meant and he said love...

ANOTHER MOON

Photo by S. Auberle

Moon last night

in the eastern sky

rose-red

though not

in her vigorous youth

she rises up

jubilant

from Mother Lake

trailing rubies,

coral and gold

familiar

yet surprising

old made new

on this Resurrection Eve.

~ mimi

BROKEN SNOWSHOE MOON

Digital Photo/Collage by S. Auberle

This is the month of Broken Snowshoe Moon--among other names--according to the Anishnaabe (Chippewa, Ojibwe tribes), and in my personal language--Most Glorious Returning Birds Moon. One last mound of old snow lies in my lane, but tulips are rising up and up. The postmistress is smiling again, the baker in his coffeeshop inventing a new spring tartine. The restaurant goats are thinking of returning to their roof, where they will once again cause innumerable traffic jams by tourists, and our local baker/sailor/poet is peddling his good bread. I'm considering raking the garden, selling a book or two, or washing winter from my windows, till I come to my senses and realize the absolute necessity of watching the grass grow...

METAPHYSICAL MEANDERINGS

Photo by S. Auberle

(cleaning files--this is an old poem...)

WE WAIT

for something

to show us the way

to nourish

this flesh and bone

weave these rough ribbons of days

into a soul--we wait

for miracles, the old grace

of someone whispering

everything's gonna be allright

we wait

while outside the door

in a blue north wind

a wing lies in the forest

underneath--eight ladybugs

warm as this

my body and blood.

- mimi

DREAMING SPRING

Painting by S. Auberle

"I had assumed that the Earth,

the spirit of the Earth,

noticed exceptions--those who wantonly damage it

and those who do not.

But the Earth is wise.

It has given itself into the keeping of all,

and all are therefore accountable."

~ Alice Walker

Living by the Word

COULD BE

Photo/collage by S. Auberle

Gimme a head with hair, long beautiful hair

shining, gleaming, steaming, flaxen, waxen...

~ from the musical "Hair"

The dark-haired woman

offers a pouch:

draw a rune, she says,

and meditate on its meaning

then you will unlock

the secret of life.

From the sack I pick a piece of wood

on it, three waves intertwine.

The woman looks at it, puzzled,

unable to interpret.

She searches the shop,

the dusty books and papers,

beneath a golden Buddha statue.

I continue dreaming

curious to know the answer

but the woman can't find it

so I sit on a cushion

and braid my hair, the locks

silken and heavy in my hands.

His coiled curls gleaming

Buddha smiles...

- mimi

APRIL HAIKU

Digitally altered drawing by S. Auberle

morning sunlight

cranes calling outside my door

April symphony

- mimi

HAPPY APRIL FOOL'S DAY

Image from the Internet

Just for today,

free your inner clown,

your fool, your jester, the one

who's dying to show you

the emperor has on no clothes.

Just for today,

splash in puddles, tell knock-knock jokes,

play tricks, be a kid again.

Just for today,

throw that load off your back

and lighten up.

You can put it back on tomorrow...