little kinder in my class
who so loves germs and viruses
he’s making a book of them
school nurse
comes in
to
talk about
hand washing
germs
staying well
not wanting
to get sick
or
catching things
like
flu
or
colds
he raises his hand
and adds
‘or, the black death’
yes
the black death
too
—
image credit: funny-pictures.picphotos.net
—
image credit: trevor burke
went to the nail salon
to relax
be pampered
have a pedicure
was put
into
a hello kitty chair
with the
massage option
given water
listened
to my nail tech
who was
a
very
very
very
quiet talker
tried to answer
what she asked
in a way
that didn’t
make me seem
insane
or
off subject
lotion
massage
warm water
scrub
wrap
paint
sleepy
relaxed
drifting
watched
a
bad
made for tv movie
on the screen
with
subtitles
and lots
of hilarious
translation snafus
and ponies
and angst
and there was
candy
all around
and i
read
a trashy magazine
took the quiz
found
i am
most
‘like goldie hawn’
of all
the
celeb possibilities
kept trying
to answer questions
though i had no idea
what she was asking
in her whisper voice
tried to lip read
i probably said that
i like ponies
and
cotton candy
and
my name
is goldie hawn
as i slipped into
a dreamy state
of
hello kitty consciouness
—
image credit: stormfront.com
close call
almost lost
my refund
windfall
and
wondering
how much
this
will
cost them
to
stop
payment
or
to
reissue
a
new check
for
nine cents
and
it’s
not really
making
any
cents
to
me
called a guy
to get a quote
to replace
two tiny windows
in my cottage
he came from
a national chain
friendly
salesy
schmoozy
trying hard
but
too
too
too
much
song and dance
and
it went on
and on
and on
he made me take a quiz
i just wanted
something
a
step
up
from
saran wrap
and
it didn’t
have to
be
able
to withstand
armageddon
he used
his special
infrared light
to demonstrate
the heat factor
all i wanted
was a clear piece
of glass
to keep out
snow
bugs
flying squirrels
and
large enough
to allow
a
friendly fireman
to
fit through
he had
no
sense of humor
and
was
nervous
and so
next
we
began
the
jumping
on the glass
test
the whole thing
took two hours
he made a series
of fake phone calls
to his office
to get me a
very special deal
and i waited
for his phone
to ring
while he was ‘calling’
then
i thanked him for his time
he packed up his things
headed out
with all
of his equipment
and i kind of
felt for him
called another guy
and
this guy
was
standing
at my door
when i opened it
a couple of days later
a gentle giant
with a smile
and
a handshake
my hand
disappeared
into
his bear claw
of a hand
he came in
sat down
asked me
what i wanted
measured my
two tiny windows
he was calm
told me about his daughter
how proud he was of her
almost a doctor
asked me
about
my own children
we laughed together
he used to build houses
now a window guy
guessed the age of my cottage
more than 100
he was right
gave me the price
a very good price
no frills
no quiz
no jumping
no lights
no calls
he was here for
a half hour
he will be back
to put
my
windows in
very soon
–
it’s about listening first, then selling.
– erik qualman
—
image credits: benderconstruction.com, drip book.com, bilingual monkey.com, izismile.com,mybaycity.com
with
the onset
of a new series
of storms
and
many more verses
it looks like
i could
be asleep
for quite some time
—
image credit: study of baby bunny sleeping, pencil on paper by gina matarazzo
“In that distant beginning season, Sun Man’s warm magic flowed over all the land. Whenever he raised his arms, it was day. whenever he lowered them, it was night. The Bee People and the Elephant People and the Tic People loved the rhythm of Sun Man’s light. Their faces crinkled with pleasure in his heat.
But inside the dreamtime, Sun Man grew old. His back grew stiff and his knee joints ached. He rose later and later each morning. He napped soon after breakfast and went to bed in the afternoon.
“What’s going on here?” complained Grandfather Mantis. “I’m not getting heat anymore.” Grandfather Mantis sent the Bird People to find out. The Bird People returned, rumpled and solemn. Darkness was everywhere, even though it was supposed to be daytime. “Sun Man is getting old,” they explained. “This shining all the time is getting too much for him.”
“Well, I’m old,” snapped Grandfather Mantis. “Doesn’t stop me.”
His wife raised her eyebrows but said nothing.
― Carolyn McVickar Edwards, The Return of the Light
—
image credit: kyras.com
as i head into
day 5
still
off the
power grid
the pace of life
has
slowed
days
spent
walking
writing
reading
thinking
bathing by candlelight
catching up with friends
in the coffee shop
on the street
with
neighbors
there is a natural rhythm to it all
waking with the return of the light
sleeping when the dark returns once more
it’s a peaceful and quiet existence
*
until
monday comes
and
i have to
wake up
in the pitch black
to go to school
there’s an art
to applying
makeup
by
flashlight
and
with
only
two hands
luckily
my loyal
carpool partner
has
promised
to alert me
if
my clothes are on backwards
or
anything looks dramatically amiss
and
i find
that
while
i
look
forward to the light
i
am
enjoying the calm
of the dark
—
wisely, and slow. they stumble that run fast.
William Shakespeare
—
image credit: maggielissel.com
no
little one
not today
not tomorrow
may be a while
so
run and play
—
many thanks to aussie artist extraordinaire, jenni gray of art candy, for sharing this baby
and to the power company warriors who are working so hard to bring back the light.
I didn't have my glasses on.... 