Today, let us unpeel one more layer and take another step towards wholeness. Here is an excerpt from the White Egret by Derek Walcott. Enjoy your weekend all.
Be happy now at Cap, for the simplest joy-
For a line of white egrets prompting the last word,
For the sea’s recitation re-entering my head
With questions it erases, canceling the demonic voice
By which I have recently been possessed; unheard,
It whispers the way the fiend does to a madman
Who gibbers to his bloody hands that he was seized
The way the sea swivels in the conch’s ear, like the roar
Of applause that precedes the actor with increased
Doubt to the pitch of paralyzed horror
That his prime is past. If it is true
That my gift has withered, that there’s little left of it,
If this man is right then there’s nothing else to do
But abandon poetry like a woman because you love it
And would not see her hurt, least of all by me;
So walk to the cliff’s edge and soar above it,
The jealousy, the spite, the nastiness, with the grace
Of a frigate over Barrel of Beef, its rock;
Be grateful that you wrote well in this place,
Let the torn poems sail from you like a flock
Of white egrets in a long last sigh of release.
Photographed by Susan Koster
With blazing clarity
His eyes, they take you somewhere
Wide awake dreaminess
Compelled to watch him
He created many roles
Reminiscent of Tharp Classics
He choreographed my part
In unorthodox venues
We dance
The composure
In Seasons
Our movement a language
-
Poem by Brenda L. McCartney
“I celebrate your becoming. I look forward to the rest of our lives with hope and marvel at the possibilities.” Happy Birthday Enrique!
Painting by William H. Johnson
I had a colleague who had her first child at forty two years of age. When I met her, her son was nine years old, healthy and very intelligent. Every afternoon at three o’clock she would complain about the traffic congestion on her way to pick up her son. One day I could not withhold my thoughts anymore, I said to her “think about the woman who wishes she had a child to pick up after school. She came to me a week later and said Brenda you know that day you told me to stop complaining from that day onward, I realized how blessed I was to have such a duty of care. ” She continued to express that no matter how long she had to wait, it was joy to see her son at three o’clock. It has been years since that talk and every time I see her she says thank you for that day.
Sometimes someone just needs a word of correction/praise/encouragement life can be changed just by a simple decision we make. Today look at your problems and complaints and see your gift(s) or blessing(s).
I read a book called ‘Walk Tall’ by Carleen Brice and this exercise always resonates with me as someone who loves the arts. She writes “Close your eyes and picture your life as a work of art – a novel, song, sculpture or painting. What are the words, sounds, shapes and textures and color you see. Now open your eyes. Is this what you want your life to say, sound like or look like? If not change it”
Today create your beauty.
Happy Father’s day to a wonderful father; my husband Enrique A. McCartney
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