Monday Morning Musings:
“Now I will do nothing but listen,
To accrue what I hear into this song, to let sounds contribute
toward it.I hear bravuras of birds, bustle of growing wheat, gossip of flames,
clack of sticks cooking my meals,I hear the sound I love, the sound of the human voice,
I hear all sounds running together, combined, fused or following,”
–From Walt Whitman, Song of Myself
Beneath every cloud
watch this song bloom–
it is bright sun, wild wind,
moon murmuring peace–
ancient cycles breathe color and bloom
We gather in a flurry of hugs and kisses,
wings outspread,
bright with color,
like tropical birds
cooing and chattering
instead of trills or caws,
I hear the sound I love,
the sound of human voices
the sound of people I love
it is a moment to remember,
my mother’s 95th birthday brunch.
We celebrate with food and drinks
in a courtyard room,
doors open to a day of August beauty
we talk and laugh
(the sound of voices)
take photos
(the sound of groans and laughter)
we sing happy birthday
(the sound of music)
and eat the cake my daughter has baked and decorated
Afterward, we take my mother home
she comments on the length of my daughters’ dresses
and I laugh that she who is nearly blind can see this
and the “designs” on one daughter’s arms
We talk about art–
her famous artist cousin, Abe Hankins,
she points out his work on her walls,
he lived with her family for a time
and taught my teenage mother dances,
he had lived in Paris and brought French style and flair,
he wasn’t a starving artist because his wife supported him
(or so my mother says)
one daughter is enchanted by a photo of my mom with her cousins
when they were all young
my mother tries to remember a hospital she was in
when she a little girl with diphtheria
“well, it was ninety years ago,” she says
no sound of planes in the sky when she was young
no telephone in her house
parents who traveled by ship across a sea to live here
never to see their homeland again
war and peace
sounds of life and sounds of silence
fuse, follow, ancient cycle
breathe in
breathe out
we open presents,
more art,
this time from one daughter
a poem and cookies from me
all sounds running together
stemming, streaming from hearts full of love
We go home, change into PJs
eat again and watch TV
my sisters text me and my daughters–
“Can you believe I’m eating again?”
commenting on how my mom has–
well, her own sense of reality, sometimes
voices in our heads, voices on the screen
fusing together
time for dreams
The next morning, I wake to birdsong
it seems effortless and amazing
but what do I know?
bravura display, to my human ears
I go for a walk
listening to Hamilton
and almost dancing to the riverside
Sunday morning sunshine,
a little breeze
the end of summer,
autumn is on the way,
another cycle of the seasons,
the cicadas hum
the geese march, swim, fly, and honk
the flowers are blooming
(And I’m not throwing away my shot.)
all the sounds running together, combined—
birds and Broadway
In the afternoon, we go to a wine festival
taste wines
sample foods
eat the cheese and enjoy the day
enjoy each other
ancient cycles
time-bound and timeless
the sounds I love running together,
combined, fused or following,
the sound of nature
the song of myself
the song of all of us
echoing in my heart
blossoming
The Oracle seemed in tune with my weekend. We celebrated my mom’s brunch at Jerry’s Bar in Philadelphia, and we went to the Riverwinds Wine Festival in West Deptford, NJ.
A special shout out to Ken of Rivrvlogr of writes poetry, especially haiku and tanka, of nature and current events, and Robin of Witlessdatingafterfifty who takes photographs of her family and area of Ohio and write book reviews in verse. I truly appreciated that they both spent time going through my past blog posts yesterday. Check out their blogs!
A salute to the fabulous celebration for your mom. Happy Birthday wishes to her. I laughed on her comments even with being nearly blind. 🙂
Thank you very much, Frank.
Her comments were pretty funny. 🙂
She may not see well, but cheers to her wit!
Thank you, Frank! 🙂
Amazing. Long before I got to it, this line was rebounding in my head: ‘time-bound and timeless’
Wow–that is amazing, Derrick! Through time and space, and across an ocean. 🙂
Oh, yes – the ocean 🙂
🙂
I enjoy these so much Merril. And what a beautiful message from the Oracle! Tell your mother my younger daughter spent a year or two as a child mourning the fact that I didn’t name her Syliva “It’s such a beautiful name!”. And so she gifted it to one of her Barbies–a huge compliment. (K)
Thank you so much, Kerfe.
I will tell my mom. She discovered (as an adult) that she was originally named Sara, as was her cousin Sali. I don’t know where Sylvia came from. I love that one of your daughter’s Barbies was Sylvia. My daughters named all of their Barbies, too.
My grandmother was named Salma Salome but was always called Sally. She never revealed the significance of the original name!
Interesting.
I think Sali was Selma.
There was a mixture of Jewish and English names then. 🙂
I think that’s true. And today?–yikes.
Sylvia…my typing is so dyslexic!
🙂
Your post speaks of abundance and family love. And cycles too – can’t wait for cooler weather to arrive in Florida, probably in mid-October.
Thank you, Marian.
I can’t believe how beautiful the weather has been here for the last few days–not at all like August. I’m sure your sister in PA. says the same.
“the sound I love, the sound of the human voice” flows throughout this, Merril.
Thank you for the shout out. I’ve had some absences this year – preparing for a wedding, a wedding, a stellar family/eclipse event (and soon, a delayed honeymoon). I always try to catch up on reading afterwards, but realized I’d missed a few from one of my favorite poets.
Thank you so much, Ken. I appreciate your very kind words!
I am glad you have such wonderful reasons for absences from bloggerland in the fabulous experiences you are having in real life.
You have magical times, Merril. They seem so solid, what family should mean.
Thank you, Jane. It was fun having both daughters around–including a conversation today about “spite pee-ing” based on a childhood incident. 🙂
Did your daughters do that? Trixie does, but I didn’t know people did it too.
They were in the car today talking about a childhood incident and getting very silly. 🙂
I like to hear grown ups acting silly. Shows childhood isn’t far away 🙂
Yes, I agree. 🙂
🙂
a wonderful weaving of the two poems and the musing, and the photos, enhancing each, mirroring back: what are the songs around me that i do not notice…
Thank you very much. There are many songs around us. 🙂
yes…sometimes i need to be reminded that though the song can be heard, the way one listens can turn a harmony into something discordant
Yes, that’s true.
I guess I should add that i need to remember, too, that there can be others around one who are hearing the harmonies as discordant tunes 🙂
Yes, also true.
What a beautiful gathering and beautiful family, and another wonderful weaving of words and weekend, poetry and pictures.
Thank you so much, Robin!
I am in awe of remembering something that happened 90 years ago. Just think of that! Beautiful family, Merril. xo
Thank you very much, Luanne. It is pretty amazing, isn’t it? I was happy we could all get together to celebrate 95 years with her!
So amazing and so wonderful!
🙂
So many smiles and much love! Your mom’s smiles said it all. You wrote a poem and read it for your mom on her special day? How thrilling for her! I Googled Abe Hankin’s paintings, and they’re extraordinary — the abstract ones, especially. You’ve been busy, dear Merril!
Thank you, dear Rose. One daughter, husband, and I took my mom to lunch and clothes shopping a couple of weeks ago, so that was her birthday present from me. The poem and cookies were for the actual celebration. 🙂 This summer has been a big whirl of business, Rose! The weekend was fun stuff. Now back to the grindstone, as I play catch-up with work.
Your mom’s celebration was non-stop and after 95 years, well deserved, for certain! It’s good you took a break for family. 😀
🙂
Your mom is incredible! And she has an incredible family who celebrates her every year of life. I loved your poem ( inspired by Walt Witman-one of my favorite poets) and your photographs and your celebration of family.
Thank you very much, Pam! 🙂
I found my shout out from you!! 📣📯🔊
I am quite fond of you and like to go and see what you have written, Merril.
Music, nature, rhythms, sounds, silence and lots of love flowing through your family. It is like a vine of ivy, young tendrils and offshoots, older roots with strength and courage flowing throughout.
Happy belated 95th birthday to your mother!
🍷 💐 🎂 🍷
May the year linger and loiter, lounge and lengthen. . .
Your daughter’s cake looks delicious (as recent cupcakes as flowers did.) Your cookies have the best taste ever, coming from a passed down, altered for improvement, recipe!
My Mom’s reality varies at times of day. During quiet still moments in the garden, she shows clarity. Later raucous times, when toddler Jackson (Rich and Susan’s grandies is 2 and 1/2) comes running and shouting, Mom wants to raise her voice and be confusedly vocal. 😉
Thank you so much, Robin. I seldom post them, but often when we’re wandering, I tell my husband I’m taking a door photo for my friend Robin. 🙂
I’m sorry that your mom’s reality varies. It must be difficult for you and your siblings.
Aww, one day we should meet up. Then he would see I exist outside of doors and Ohio landscape.
I may have mentioned I planned to head first week of November to see a friend in Long Beach, Mississippi. She and I went through a lot during our college days together. The only things are, she spends time in Michigan during the hurricane season and also, the tickets plus gas prices seem to be rising. We shall see!
Mom isn’t diagnosed but remembers best in the morning and is more coherent. She is still quite interesting and loving. We are blessed to have them here on earth. My three longest living friends all are without their mothers, two with no parents alive. They remind me to treasure these days and moments.❤
It would be fun to meet up sometime, Robin! Good luck with your trip to see your friend. The less coherent at night thing is quite common from what I understand. It’s sometimes called “sundowning.” I’m glad you still get to have fun with her.