Journey with a drop of water
in an ordinary stream on an ordinary farm.
Begin at the rusty barbed wire fence in the northeast section.
Consider tumbling, flowing,
floating, pooling, rippling,
swishing, swirling,
bank left
crashing, splashing,
bank right
movement through sunlight and shadow
embrace stones
waltz around pebbles
glide across sand
dive beneath limbs
carry fish
Emerge at the one land bridge.
Elizabeth Frazee 3-Apr-96 (WOW…20 years ago)
I was so elated that I purchased I Ching: The Book of Change translated by David Hinton (new to me). I am amazed that I found Eliot Weinberger’s review in my twitter feed. Here is the link:
http://www.chinafile.com/library/nyrb-china-archive/what-i-ching
His review is comprehensive, concise and engaging. My study of I Ching began 17 years ago preparing collage interpretations, followed by a lull, then re-engaged last year with photo interpretations posted in Elfcroft’s Friday Photos.
Here are some gems from Eliot’s review:
“it can explain everything”
“crucial words have no fixed meaning”
“Everything is connected. Everything is in a state of restless change.”
“Chinese characters as ideas rather than words”
“Cosmic filing system”
“microcosm of Chinese civilization”
“tease the mind”
“read in an infinite number of ways”
………the possibilites…..:)
Come to us,
Welcome, we are here for you.
Relax your head, your neck, your shoulders, your legs, arms, fingers and toes.
Warmth will soon surround and envelope you.
Nestle between us.
Quiet your thoughts.
Drift off to sleep, to dream.
Sooth your soul in the nest we create for you.
Peace be with you.
EF 6-Mar-99
It was October 1995.
Walking to Meadow
Crrrrisssppcccrrracckllewwooosshh walking through autumn leaves.
Wide trail lined with small trees and undergrowth
Deep ruts from tractor tires
Adjacent to small irregular shaped fields for corn and soybeans
Winding stream with rocky bed to cross twice
The stream
Broad wings take hawk gliding above tree tops
A mossy granite block marks the place where a one room farm-house stood
I stopped near the end of the road by steep eroded bank
Observing bright afternoon sun’s reflection on a calm pool in stream
A cool gust of wind sends ripples across water
Twinkling stars appear on the surface
My destination is meadow bounded by tree covered ridges
Meadow with island of tulip trees
Tulip trees with bright yellow leaves
Tulip trees with brown flower pods pointed to clear blue sky
Elements earth and sky connect through trees
I found my connection with earth and sky walking to meadow
Elizabeth Frazee 15-Oct-1995
End of the lane
Daffodils
Ahh spring, clumps of daffodils are blooming in lawns in every direction. Like a song that plays in your mind, the Wordsworth poem “I wandered lonely as a cloud” has been in my head. When I did a Google search for the poem, I discovered it filmed to rap music in 2007. A human performs it in a squirrel costume….really. It is available on YouTube. For me, this poem is better the old-fashioned way…..a classic from 1804.
I WANDERED lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the milky way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. The waves beside them danced; but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: A poet could not but be gay, In such a jocund company: I gazed--and gazed--but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought: For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils. Written by William WordsworthSpring mix
elfcroft 