The Digging (Rennie McQuilkin)

Cycle 5, treatment #1


posted by Lissa mcKinley on Thursday, October 29, 2009 Edit





All, I am here a day early in my chair overlooking Cornell Rd and my steam shovel is doing her graceful dance digging holes and patting down dirt. She is very lovely, really , and she moves with such precision that I never get tired of watching her work. There are people all over the place, right next to her, on top of her, within her, beside her, and no one looks remotely worried that they will be injured!



anyway, I am feeling much improved today....but Chip is at home out cold and held down by the H1n1 viral badboy...oops. sorry, honey! Luckily, the kids have been spared so far. All the unlucky medical students are home suffering with flu or taking one of their first big tests today--I'd rather be sitting here, if you know what I mean!



Oh, the picture. Last week was Will's last home football game (he's a senior), and the senior parents, wild and weird group that they are, were honored. Here we are in our University School finest, and a flower for the moms. Ok, they lost, but it was a good game!



I received this poem about digging potatoes in autumn a few days ago. don't know exactly, but it lovely somehow. See what you think:













The Digging

by Rennie McQuilkin



It's that time of year,

the hedgerows hung with bittersweet.

Potato time.



How early the freeze, I'd say

if we were speaking. We're not.

We turn our spading forks against



the earth. It's stiff,

the Reds and Idahos hard as stone,

a total loss.



Once it was us against the beetles,

blight, whatever was not potato.

How they flowered, rows and rows



in white. Now look.

We give it one last try, and there

far down in softer soil,



a seam of them still perfect.

One after another

we hold them up to the dying day,



kneel down to sift for more.

In the dark of the earth, I come upon

your hand, you mine.



Hope everyone is staying warm and virus-free. Wash your hands!! I will ask again for some food help after next week's chemo, but thanks to all who made last week so much easier.







cheers,



Lissa