Thu 15 Nov 2012

Where do you get your ideas?

Posted by PJ under ideas, quote of the day, writing
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Random quote of the day:

 

“Part of the romance of writing is that the people who hand you your book ideas never know they’re doing it.”

—Richard Peck, Invitations to the World: Teaching and Writing for the Young

 

 

Disclaimer:  The views expressed in this random quote of the day do not necessarily reflect the views of the poster, her immediate family, Siegfried and Roy, Leonard Maltin, or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. They do, however, sometimes reflect the views of the Cottingley Fairies.

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Mon 12 Nov 2012

A morning of contradictions

Posted by PJ under bearing witness, caregiving, mom, my poetry, poetry
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What a morning. The first of these was written right after I got out of the shower where I spent my time thinking about the state of things and feeling the full weight of it all. This time of year is wearying and I am weary, sometimes prone to despair and fits of self-pity. There is at least one profane word in this poem, if that sort of thing offends you.

The second poem was written after I’d gotten my mother out of bed, fed her, joked about the cat with her, helped her with a craft project. Being with her took the edges off my despair, made me realize what was important.

But I present them both, as both are slants of the truth.

Not for the Faint of Heart

It’s hard for the brave to be weak.
Like any wounded tiger, my mother
lashes out at those who come closest.

Most days I let it pass.
She’s old and frail and hurting and afraid,
angry and confused,
and willing to admit to none of that.
I know it’s hard.
My mother, once as mighty as the
slow-churning thighs of the earth,
has to rely now on little wheels
to get across the room.

Most days I let it ride.
Except on the days when I myself
am tired and hurting and afraid,
angry and confused.
Then I defend myself—because I’m human
and frail of spirit.

But it’s not a fight I can win.
Guilt shuts me up and down
as surely as love.
I make amends. I take the blame.

I know the real guilty party is
old age,
that cold-hearted motherfucker
determined to diminish even the strongest
and bravest,
dedicated to grinding each last particle
of dignity
from our bones
while it turns us to dust.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Like a young child she has trouble

Like a young child she has trouble
with openings and closings,
clumsy hands bungling at things;
leaves messes behind her wherever
she goes, unaware, moving on;
totters, toddles and tests her feet,
escaping the prison of the walker,
grabbing furniture to steady herself;
lights never turned off, cabinets never closed.

These things evoke my tenderness,
the mothering core of my heart,
wanting to make safe, wanting
her to feel loved and appreciated,
supported and valued.

These things evoke my frustration,
moving along behind, a steadying hand,
cleaning up, making tidy, never done,
weighed down.

I live in perpetual opposition,
love and frustration, guilt and innocence.

In the end, love trumps all.
In the moment, it is sometimes
hard to remember,
but the truest expression of my heart:
love trumps all.

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Mon 12 Nov 2012

Traces

Posted by PJ under men, quote of the day, women
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Random quote of the day:

 

“The three most short-lived traces: the trace of a bird on a branch, the trace of a fish on a pool, and the trace of a man on a woman.”

—an ancient Irish triad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer:  The views expressed in this random quote of the day do not necessarily reflect the views of the poster, her immediate family, Siegfried and Roy, Leonard Maltin, or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. They do, however, sometimes reflect the views of the Cottingley Fairies.

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Fri 9 Nov 2012

Suffering, succotash

Posted by PJ under art, poetry, quote of the day, suffering
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Random quote of the day:

 

“You don’t have to suffer to be a poet.  Adolescence is enough suffering for anyone.”

—John Ciardi, Simmons Review, Fall 1962

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer:  The views expressed in this random quote of the day do not necessarily reflect the views of the poster, her immediate family, Siegfried and Roy, Leonard Maltin, or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. They do, however, sometimes reflect the views of the Cottingley Fairies.

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Thu 8 Nov 2012

Magic pasta

Posted by PJ under fantasy, food, magic, quote of the day, reality, what the living do
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Random quote of the day:

 

“Life is the combination of magic and pasta, of fantasy and reality.”

—Federico Fellini, I, Fellini

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer:  The views expressed in this random quote of the day do not necessarily reflect the views of the poster, her immediate family, Siegfried and Roy, Leonard Maltin, or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. They do, however, sometimes reflect the views of the Cottingley Fairies.

Tags:

 

Wed 7 Nov 2012

Same place, same thing

Posted by PJ under boredom, quote of the day
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Random quote of the day:

 

“The less routine the more life.”

—attributed to Amos Bronson Alcott

 

Disclaimer:  The views expressed in this random quote of the day do not necessarily reflect the views of the poster, her immediate family, Siegfried and Roy, Leonard Maltin, or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. They do, however, sometimes reflect the views of the Cottingley Fairies.

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Tue 6 Nov 2012

Within

Posted by PJ under angels, quote of the day, soul, the self
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Random quote of the day: 

 

“We shelter an angel within us. We must be the guardians of that angel.”

—Jean Cocteau, Le Coq et l’Arlequin

 

 

Disclaimer:  The views expressed in this random quote of the day do not necessarily reflect the views of the poster, her immediate family, Siegfried and Roy, Leonard Maltin, or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. They do, however, sometimes reflect the views of the Cottingley Fairies.

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Mon 5 Nov 2012

Together

Posted by PJ under love, quote of the day
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Random quote of the day:

 

“Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking together in the same direction.”

—Antoine de St. Exupéry, Wind, Sand and Stars

 

 

Disclaimer:  The views expressed in this random quote of the day do not necessarily reflect the views of the poster, her immediate family, Siegfried and Roy, Leonard Maltin, or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. They do, however, sometimes reflect the views of the Cottingley Fairies.

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Fri 2 Nov 2012

And I quote…

Posted by PJ under quotation, quote of the day
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Random quote of the day:

 

“Quotation, n: The act of repeating erroneously the words of another.”

—Ambrose Bierce, The Devil’s Dictionary

 


Disclaimer:  The views expressed in this random quote of the day do not necessarily reflect the views of the poster, her immediate family, Siegfried and Roy, Leonard Maltin, or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. They do, however, sometimes reflect the views of the Cottingley Fairies.

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Thu 1 Nov 2012

Jaime Lee Moyer needs your help

Posted by PJ under help
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For urgent family reasons, she would very much like to contact her brother’s daughter, Danielle—but she disappeared years ago into the wilds of Washington state and they haven’t been able to locate her. Please take a look a her post on the subject and please help if you can.

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