Yer'Tis

The rain that had threatened waited til dusk,
When people were scurrying for the train or the bus,
Some of them huddle, some of them shelter,
I jumped through the puddles helter skelter.
Tall buildings sometimes provide some respite,
From the weather’s watery might,
But by now I was skipping through a greener Queens Square,
I loves that city foul weather or fair!

Soggy

Urgh...aching legs, head, feeling sick, teeth chattering- feet like ice...must be 'flu. I don't have time for this! But now I have given in, taken some paracetamol and made a hot toddy and am off to bed. Want to write but brain is "soggy", as Sam would say. So, reiki and calvados- it's got to be a medicinal winner.

Peace

Look up, look down, look all around
Four magpies, then three, then one
On the car
I have gone and come back as three people
Two are fighting
One is holding on
Just
The one is in arbitration with the two
Who is listening?
I hope to find out soon.

Now

Time to go deep underground and attend to what needs to be done. Time for sleep. Time to grow, time to start again. Time to dream. Time to look at the dark and see what is really there. Stories, fear, love. Unravel and begin fresh. Mulch. Death and decay. Regeneration. Grey matter. Fog, mist, rain, cold. Berries and mud. Compost will fertilise what becomes. Weaving anew. But not yet.

Charlie Parker

I didn't listen to any jazz yesterday so I am making up for it today- but actually is Charlie Parker jazz or bebop or both? I am hopelessly ignorant about all this. But I am on a mission to find out now. I would heartily recommend 'The Essential Charlie Parker' to anyone and everyone. It has kept me company all day and I have been having a great time, despite trying to get my head round critical analysis of 2 pieces of writing for my next creative writing seminar next Friday...not done anything like it for a while so it's been good to dust off my academic head and stick it on, in a slightly Worzel Gummidge kinda fashion. And now I'd better get back to it.

Remember Remember the 5th of November

A moving, powerful, emotional day. Dad took Sam to nursery and while he was out I sat down and watched Obama, "Yes we can". Wow. Look what happened! A miracle.
This week is reading week and I have no lectures today but I do have a pressing engagement with the kitchen. It's time to clean and tidy it properly- with no Sam-juggling. And so my own emotional, moving and powerful day unfolded as I listened to the radio telling the story of the new US President Elect, Barack Obama, from so many different people's and peoples' perspectives.
I started to clean and tidy the kitchen, for the first time proper since my Mum died. Letting go of small and everyday things which still hold her energy. If you grew up with a mum who baked and cooked, who would make pastry and give you a piece to play with while she made a steak and kidney pie or a treacle tart. Or you watched her make a lemon meringue pie, or bake a cake. You argued over whose turn it was to lick the spoon or have 'first dibs' on the bowl with the remains of the cake mix in it. How hard do you think it is then to let go of that old mixer, that spoon and all those tangible objects which bound and bind the story of your family together. Today I made a start. I had my own "Yes I can" moment.

LOVE

Love Love Love.