Didn’t understand
but listened
built an ark
loaded animals two by two
Cold, wet
smelly, nauseating
crowded, stifling
drifting, drifting
day after day, two by two
Rain stopped
water receded
everyone disembarked
slowly
life began again
Seeds and flowers
sun and rain
nurturing and time to grow
Two by two
As we reach the shores of a new year
remain steadfast in times of uncertainty
and set aside time to nurture one another.
No sooner had the calendar turned its page to December then God spread His blanket across the eastern half of the continent. Pre-empting deck the halls and fa-la-la, deer stayed in their thickets and geese fell silent. Caught by surprise littlejennywren darted from her berth ‘neath the boat cover and chattered incessantly at our back…
Another summer of drought the Matta, Ni and Po rivers come and go signs noted along the highway At the Rappahannock I become aware how devastating the absence of rain has been there is little evidence a river ever ran through here, but Somewhere to the southeast the Rappahannock gathers its waters once again unto…
Driving up the hill towards the cabin taking stock of our visit so far one chipmunk no deer no bear (taxidermied animals don’t count) Cresting the hill two does stood in the middle of the road paused, then continued over the fence to join a third That night in the rain we sat in rockers…
Out of storage comes one love seat two boxes of books three cardboard chests marked ‘fragile’. Five candles, found, can light windows. still needed – a little space for the Christmas tree. Reunited with love seat and a patch of sun Annie and Coco snuggle peacefully. Ah, the wisdom of cats! Merry Christmas!
December had barely finished spelling out its name, yet huge, wet snowflakes silently …
There was something magical – and fragile – about the tissue papers on which we corresponded (marked PAR AVION) and the interminable weeks between each letter Post World War II the world was trying to rebuild, heal we (Yukiko and I) were part of that process – two children: one Japanese, one American Our shared…