Categories
Photography Writing

Egrets

Where the path closed
down and over,
through the scumbled leaves,
fallen branches,
through the knotted catbrier,
I kept going. Finally
I could not
save my arms
from thorns; soon
the mosquitoes
smelled me, hot
and wounded, and came
wheeling and whining.
And that’s how I came
to the edge of the pond:
black and empty
except for a spindle
of bleached reeds
at the far shore
which, as I looked,
wrinkled suddenly
into three egrets – – –
a shower
of white fire!
Even half-asleep they had
such faith in the world
that had made them – – –
tilting through the water,
unruffled, sure,
by the laws
of their faith not logic,
they opened their wings
softly and stepped
over every dark thing.

Mary Oliver, “Egrets”

 

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Categories
Photography Writing

Route 66

If you ever plan to motor west,
Travel my way, take the highway, that’s the best.
Get your kicks on Route 66.

It winds from Chicago to L.A.
More than 2000 miles all the way,
Get your kicks on Route 66.

Now you go through Saint Louie,
And Joplin, Missouri,
And Oklahoma City looks mighty pretty, you’ll see…
Amarillo…
Gallup, New Mexico,
Flagstaff, Arizona,
Don’t forget Winona,
Kingman, Barstow, San Bernadino.

Won’t you get hip to this timely tip
When you make that California trip?
Get your kicks on Route 66.

As song by Nat King Cole…not the Rolling Stones version and definitely not the Depeche Mode version

 

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Lucky people — two photos! I can hear your modems groaning.

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Categories
Photography Writing

The Negro speaks of rivers

I’ve known rivers:
I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the
flow of human blood in human veins.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young.
I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.
I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.
I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln
went down to New Orleans, and I’ve seen its muddy
bosom turn all golden in the sunset.

I’ve known rivers:
Ancient, dusky rivers.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

Langston Hughes “The Negro speaks of Rivers”

 

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Categories
Just Shelley

Women’s Early art

As I was continuing my research into the mysteries of poetry for Poetry Finder, I stumbled on to an incredible site that I had to provide a link to — the Women’s Early Art network.

There is no explanation to the site, no wordy “why we’re here”. All you’ll find at the site is art, elegantly presented, in various forms related to historical and contemporary, Eastern and Western women. The works range from old African American quilt patterns, to the Environmental Poetry of Princess Shikishi (including sound effects), to the Book of Ruth as early feminism. There’s even a page regarding earlier woman as music composer, containing MIDI recordings of each (try the Thriller — Ragtime!)

Once you’re done with these pages, then browse hundreds of links in the reciprocal link pages.

Like poetry? Art? Quilts? Music? Pottery? How about fascinating and elegantly beautiful as well as organized sites? Stop now, go there.

I do believe that the RDF Poetry Finder is becoming the most enlightening and just plain fun project I’ve ever worked.

“When I swim, I am a fish, I am a wave, I become a sea.”

Print of Pearl Diver and words from “Goddesses”, by Mayumi Oda

 

oda_pearldiver.jpg

Categories
Just Shelley

Women’s Early art

As I was continuing my research into the mysteries of poetry for Poetry Finder, I stumbled on to an incredible site that I had to provide a link to — the Women’s Early Art network.

There is no explanation to the site, no wordy “why we’re here”. All you’ll find at the site is art, elegantly presented, in various forms related to historical and contemporary, Eastern and Western women. The works range from old African American quilt patterns, to the Environmental Poetry of Princess Shikishi (including sound effects), to the Book of Ruth as early feminism. There’s even a page regarding earlier woman as music composer, containing MIDI recordings of each (try the Thriller — Ragtime!)

Once you’re done with these pages, then browse hundreds of links in the reciprocal link pages.

Like poetry? Art? Quilts? Music? Pottery? How about fascinating and elegantly beautiful as well as organized sites? Stop now, go there.

I do believe that the RDF Poetry Finder is becoming the most enlightening and just plain fun project I’ve ever worked.

“When I swim, I am a fish, I am a wave, I become a sea.”

Print of Pearl Diver and words from “Goddesses”, by Mayumi Oda

 

oda_pearldiver.jpg