AGILE

Agile
I was reading Michael Mc Donald’s take on Sandy Recovery from the New Yorker Magazine (Jan 7,2013):
It’s the fragile, agile networks that make a difference …
It’s the horizontal relationships like the ones we’re building that create security on the ground,
not the hierarchical institutions.

AGILE

Oliver is not yet two.
He’s fragile.
But agile.

Poppa says:
“You’re tired, Buddy.”

He reclines.
Snug
Horizontal.
Fills the step.

Sleeps now.
Climbs later.
Agile.

Wood now.
Pillow later.
Agile.

Grins
A satisfied smile.
Agile.

Amethyst

AMETHYST

Impressed by the amethyst.

My birthstone
grins in violet,
not shyly
but glaringly
bold…

tipsies things
’til stirred;

leaps on toes
from magenta paths
to magic carpets
flying!

Am I this
amethyst?
I’m trying.

Jeanne Poland

Miriam of Nazareth: Maiden to Mother

Miriam of Nazareth

According to Luke 2:1&7, a census was ordered for Joseph’s royal line, to be taken in Bethlehem.
There, Miriam wrapped the child in a blanket and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them at the village inn.

Matthew 2:1 tells us Bethlehem was in Judea and the birth took place during the reign of King Herod.

Miriam inhales the bovine breaths, moisture’s milk
As sheep blink lustrous eyes and bleat;
Surround the manger’s golden straw
The rustling and the moans converge to heat.

As sheep blink lustrous eyes and bleat:
“His name is Jesus, Master, Holy One, the Promised”
The shepherds, angels, kings, they bow and kiss.

Surround the manger’s golden straw:
Aura of food for animal and men: Bread of Life.
He’s cradled, swaddled, tight by Joseph’s wife.

The rustling and the moans converge to heat
What foreign forces drop in stable’s arms:
The afterbirth a covenant: protect from harm!

Miriam gave birth in a foreign land without family to assist. The maiden birthed in pain and pondered the secrets revealed by Shepherds, angels and Kings.
Later, Simeon would proclaim: (Luke2:35)
This child will be the greatest joy of many.The deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. The new mother pondered.
John foretells:(John 1:13)
Al those who believe, trust and receive him will be reborn from the will of God. Miriam pondered.
Luke 2:19 finishes:
Miriam quietly treasured these things in her heart and often thought about them. Mother to us now, we who believe, place our trust in her.

TRANS port

transfiguration

TRANS port
By Jeanne Poland
1/1/2013

Tick tock click!
Out crawled “TRANS”
New for 2013
From the great beyond!

TRANS acts: carries on.
TRANS actions: proceeds.

TRANS cends: exceeds
TRANS actional: therapy for the ego.

TRANS scribes: TRANS scription
Arrangements of lyrics and music.

TRANS ept: cross shaped church
Right angle to nave.

TRANS fer: convey
TRANS figure: change form

TRANS fix: impale
TRANS form: change appearance

TRANS former: charge electricity
TRANS ient: fleeting

TRANS it: across
TRANS sition: passing

TRANS literate: change languages
TRANS som: top of door

TRANS parent: light rays
TRANS pose: change order

TRANS verse: cross wise
TRANS poet: moves in verse.

2012 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The new Boeing 787 Dreamliner can carry about 250 passengers. This blog was viewed about 1,700 times in 2012. If it were a Dreamliner, it would take about 7 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

SELF-CARE@72 YEARS OF AGE

Selfportrait2
Keep the baby dry and fed.
Hold and clean
Breathing free.

Nurse the baby warm abed
Stroke and oil
Moisture be.

Wash and fold; clothe and wrap
Fresh and new
Menagerie.

At each sun-up, start anew:
Wash and clean and fold and cook.
Nurse that baby; keep her fed,
Warm and clean within her bed.

Taking care of baby will
Be taking care of you!

INVERSION

      Light
Upside Down

Light
Upside Down

This morning
I watched sun on snow
while gray sky streaked
heavy: grounded
overhead
lifting snow drifts
upside down to hover
overhead

light above
earth below

spirits flying
ground rooting
to its core
w h i t e t o g r a y t o b l a c k.

PRUNE THE PLANTS

Fuscia Christmas Cactus

Prune the plants;
New shoots dance.

Snip the tip;
Roots then sip

Deep below:
Tendrils grow.

Invisible surprise!

December 25, 2012
I was very sick for Christmas: dehydrated, anemic, acute bronchitis, diabetic spike of 285, bladder infection, allergic reaction to levaquin. I had to stay in the manger while my 74 year old sister cared for me.
On Christmas Eve she went to Hunter Mountain to snow-shoe but found it cost $60 to walk on the mountain path.
Then the Nor’easter forcast for the 26th would endanger her driving home to Boston. Snow in the Berkshire Corridor was not snow shoe weather either.
So, on Christmas Day, she spent the afternoon pruning my plants; dusting and talking to them. It was priceless. We decided to get rid of the beastly ones, not civilized enough for the living room.
Every time she cut off a Christmas cactus, I cringed. I gasped at each bright fuscia blossom but forgot the root growth and new shoots invisible to my glance.
She strengthened, loved each plant, and renewed each one. Honored it.
She strengthened me; loved me in each feeding, and renewed my 72 year old bones. Honored me for Christmas.
Sister Virginia Mary of Christ (my religious name) had a visitation for Christmas by her sister, Virginia. It was MAGIC!

CHILDREN PERFORM POETRY

Ken, Joy and I gathered for a second time. My iPhone shares with you:

In the Wall

The wall exclaims!

The wall exclaims!

Wall of China
exclaims
every five feet:

from deep below
the inner core
spews rainbows!

Jeanne Poland
(this is a response to Laura Salas who asked for a poem with under 15 words)
http://laurasalas.wordpress.com/2012/12/13/hold-it-together/comment-page-1/#comment-5927

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