Monday Morning Musings:
“Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of things that May be, only?”
–Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
“Every time I sing this song, I hope it’s the last time.”
–Lisa Petersen and Denis O’Hare, An Iliad
After the storm, the moon rises
humming fiercely in the winter sky.
Do you hear her music—
urging, warning, comforting?
Cold, but bright, shimmering
ever-present
reflecting all our ifs
back to us,
and in shadows and dreams,
we sometimes understand.
***
It is the season of joy and sorrow
of unexpected gifts
and the kindness of strangers
of carols and bells
and hypocritical politicians
It is the season of rain and snow
of a full moon setting as the sun rises
of comfort food and warm clothing—and cats–
of a flock of turkeys that suddenly appear
and disappear
like my mother’s thoughts and memories
delusions and dreams
shadows of things that were
or might have been
things that never were or will be.
It is the season of my birth
perhaps a miracle of a sort,
considering the gap of years
between my older sister and myself?
A rapprochement between my parents
carrying on to the birth of my younger sister
two years later?
I guess I’ll never know,
and does it matter?
I am here.
And so, we celebrate
a weekend with food and wine—
we watch Mrs. Maisel.
We walk in the city
decorated with Christmas lights
We are reminded of things that were
of things that might be
We are reminded, too, that there is more
in the world
than what we can see
Though The Poet is doomed perhaps
to sing her song of war
over and over and over again–
“Do you see?” she asks us.
We do.
We see the rage, the endless killing
over what?
A woman? A piece of land?
We hear the lies.
We see the man rallying his base–
evil, madness, pestilence–
Marley’s chains rattle and clank.
The spirits appear
over and over again . . .
and yet . . .magic exists all around us
in birdsong, the moon, the stars,
a baby’s laugh,
a deer appearing in the woods,
sunrise, sunset–
Do you see?
Look.
Listen.
Sing the songs of joy and peace–
dream.
I had a wonderful birthday weekend. We watched several episodes of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, ate Thai Curry Mussels at Monk’s Cafe in Philadelphia, saw a wonderful one-man performance of A Christmas Carol (Lantern Theater Company), saw a performance of An Iliad, (Arden Theater Company), a mostly one-woman show (along with a musician), a glass of wine at Pinot Boutique in Old City. Followed by Chinese food, more Mrs. Maisel, and my own flourless chocolate cake (The Oracle told me to eat cake!)
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