bowing to the shadow......
survivors moved to g bay
another war
another take over
another human tragedy
india comes into my office
and makes eye contact
the canine translation of walk please
i look at the screen flashing
i look at her eyes
and say a huge yes
stepping out into the night
there is a slight breeze in the air
the church clock chimes 10
the dogs romp and wrestle and run
all simultaneously
the stars around me glow, shimmer and attract
the moon not quite half remains orange from the fires
a satellite passes over and around me
in its perfectly ordered trajectory
the roads are clay and stony
i am pleased i found shoes
some sections there are no street lights
and i rely on my knowing of the road
and that gentle moon
and still the dogs run forward and backwards
such bliss
i catch that
a smile is launched from the belly
and spreads outwards
a chuckle starts to brew
and next thing i am one of the mcbeth witches
laughing out loud as i pass the pepper tree
another section of road which has just the right light
to create a perfect shadow
my outline is bold and stretches twice the body's size
i do a dance
and watch the shadow stretch and twist and finally bow
walking on the village dogs are all sleeping
most of the lights are out
and still we walk
another satellite passes by
find myself walking up the steep road to the dam
the dogs run ahead to chase something
an owl soundlessly arises off the road
away from their attention
and lands on the electric wire
i look up at him and he turns his head
to see me
i lie down on the stony earth best to
see him in comfort
the dogs sniff the area around me
they are used to my horizontal inclinations
another owl lands
there are four wires
the one is on the top
and other is just to the right on the second
i am sure it would make a musical note
i wonder how it would sound
the dogs choose to come and lie beside me
there is a deep stillness
i look at the stars and see another satellite
but this one is moving randomly -
perhaps it is from space
and as i am about to get exited about
a possible sighting
one owl swoops down low over me
and lands on a fence post, close by
sunny gets up and it flies off
something tells me i should get home
but i know i won't
the flames which i escaped
were a metaphor for the transformation
unfolding............
embracing the unknown
eventually.......
i find myself walking home
to a house in darkness
electricity out
silent beyond belief
no fans, no radio in kids room
just the silence
and of course haiti, the moon, the owls,
the star, the dogs, the road, the shadow
all within this light of knowing.
Comments
(or click on 'Show Original Post') lol
Thank you su for this wonderous night walk with the dogs....there is nothing like it in the world, is there...those big brown eyes..
Such beauty to be found on your blog! it surely nurtures the soul.
be well...
with love Ravi
vw: stalin
You must all be braver than me... i have not watched any news of what is happening in Haiti... why... looking back at Katrina and before that, the Tsunami...
I already know how horrific things can be and how inadequate and f-up it can get... why join the mentally disturbed! There needs to be sanity and beauty to be upheld... which is why i visit both this blog and your as well nina. It keeps me sane. Following the conversations after the postings... that shows me that there still are real people happening.
BTW i found nina through LV a few years ago and su through nina... love these connections!
be well y'all.
with love
:)Ravi
vw:isero
Your posts are always healing, thank you.
The horror in Haiti may bring changes to them and hopefully tweak many attitudes. What a price.
And add to the horror the fact that Hugo Chavez has said publicly that he believes the quake was caused by weaponry used by the US government:
http://aangirfan.blogspot.com/2010/01/chavez-usa-caused-haiti-quake.html
I have still not watched any footage. I did see an image of baby Elizabeth who was found alive - a three week old infant survived that.
I have been questioning myself deeply about my refusal to take part in the horror that is Haiti but if you look at the front page of my blog you will see some new images.
The fire returned with a vengeance and a community of indigents lost their lifestyle.
The fire fighters needed feeding, and the tortoises needed picking up so I guess I justified my lack of participation by focusing on my immediate yard.
Having watched the Power of Water and the power of intention I wandered if it would be at all possible to have a global meditation for the people of Haiti.
If at a set time, we all lit a candle and sent out our most heartfelt intentions.
How would one go about this?
Hell even if you post a time on your blog and we get 20 intentions that would be something.
Shucks, blush, thank you for visiting once again and nurturing in return.
Pangolin, indeed am i the shadow, the body or the light or indeed the surface it falls upon.
Iona (8) took that picture - she was both model and photographer.
In all fairness I do believe the magnitude of some disasters is just too big. I worked for a security company a few years ago in the control room - we had a couple of major disasters that really weren't dealt with in the best or most effective manner. Poor communications - lack of organisation . I have been praying for the people in Haiti relieved to see people still getting pulled out of the rubble.
Glad to hear you are doing well - fires are so devastating and terrifying - a few years ago I was stuck at work in a security control room - I was probably one of the first to realise how serious the fire conditions were becoming - had a heep of smoke alarms go off in a small town that was situated close to our snowy mountains - I rang the local fire brigade and was told not to bother ringing anyone else because the whole town was surrounded by fire chances were they might not be able to save anything - about 30 mins later I started getting calls from some of the local farmers around our region they too were surrounded by flames - in some cases the fire was only 30mins away from the city I live in - we ended up loosing 400 homes in that fire. The hardest part for me was being stuck at work unable to get home and be with my family - I was frantic by the time I left work - the sky was blood red - it was like looking through the gates of hell - the winds were hot and gusting - I ended up driving at 160 kms/hr and some - to get home that day.
Funny how you, Nina and myself all live in the direct line of fire.
When the fire resurged on Saturday I was close by. I had managed to get past the cordons.
I was watching it and absolutely amazed by its power and sheer beauty.
When a bluegum tree caught fire an unknown sound escaped from my lips.
I could hear a sound roar up its trunk - like a pitched tone that made its way upwards.
Then I watched the birds circling around when the flames died down looking for their nests.
I saw a tortoise scraggling out.
And this time I did not resist the fire or make any attempt to get away. My partner was back from his travels and I trusted he would get everyone out if needed.
The past week I had had several dreams of fire and watching this blaze I thought that it was really time to meet the flames of transformation.
To embrace them.
To let them do what they would do to me.
I sat for several hours afterwards watching the tufts of smoke rising, the aftermath so devastating and yet that holding its own beauty.
Something of me went up in smoke that day -
And you traveling at 160kms per hour - here everyone seems to do that. Must be why our road fatality is the highest in the world.
You know it is required by Nature she burn in her cycle, we have a flower called the Firepoppy which only grows in the immediate area after the flames have passed. Bright red, like your crimson background.
India appears very wise. And Jack, well, he's just too wonderful. Before I read anything here, I admit to lingering over each of the animals and taking in their being. Sunny has a little timidity, India is more of a mood stabilizer. Iona set Zed free.
Please ask Cian to put up the 8 brave Guineas' photos who evacuated the South African wildfire. It should be the frontpage headline for the IHT.
Glad to see things ok there with you. I particularly like the second photo down on the right, it looks like a bowl of ashes. and walking at night too, lovely!
Sunny is timid.
Her mother is a champion sheep dog.
Bright beyond measure. And Arnie and her were the eternal couple.
When he departed, she lost something.
Some part of her is with him in a different realm.
Will get Cian to post some pictures - the day after we returned the rats gave birth and from 24 we went to 56.
I can see why Ganesh used them as his transport - such amazing creatures.
And John - to free mine eyes from the parched landscape I just visited your world.
Thank you for the visual relief - I could smell the sights.
the owls! such imagery . everything is vibrant and immediate here. i was so with you on this walk. its good to know there are so many living things i always wonder where the animals go in the fire. to your house? theyd be wise to do so.
always a nice visit here in this place.