Sabbatical

Sabbatical
Sabbatical!!

Thursday, January 7, 2010

The Surface (Jorie Graham)

This is day 4 of our try at caffeine, alcohol, sugar, meat-free eating.  The headache is lessening finally, and I've rediscovered how much I love vegetables--in soups, roasted, raw, any way.  Also, there are so many different grains I haven't even tried before....and I really like almond milk.  Did I say non-dairy?  This is my first week back at work, and I feel a little overwhelmed, but I'm settling in.  I think the caffeine withdrawal isn't helping, though.  I'm still trying to come to terms with 2009, but also tyring to move on and pay attention every day to 2010.  I feel good now, I'm trying to get back in shape, I want to live well right now.  We also have this looming loss as Will has signed on the bottom line (or we have!) and will be off to college in the fall.  This is a bigger deal than either of us is admitting to each other, but we also need to enjoy every minute we have with him not tainting the good times worrying about him leaving....easier said than done, but we'll keep trying.  The good news is that he is so ready--mature enough, full of the right values, eager and happy.  Parenting is such an amazing ride, isn't it?  rips your heart out, drops you to your knees, makes you laugh out loud, and keeps you believing in love.  nice.

Try this, I think it is beautiful:

The Surface


It has a hole in it.  Not only where I 
                                       concentrate.
The river still ribboning, twisting up,
                               into its re-
arrangements, chill enlightenments, right knotted
                                       quickenings
and loosenings--whispered messages dissolving
                               the messengers--
the river still glinting-up into its handfuls, heapings,
                                         glassy
forgettings under the river of
my attention--
and the river of my attention laying itself down--
                                        bending,
reassembling--over the quick leaving-offs and windy
                                        obstacles--
and the surface rippling under the wind's attention--
rippling over the accumulations, the slowed-down drifting
                                        permanences
of the cold
bed.
I say iridescent and I look down.
The leaves very still as they are carried.

No comments: