
Sun above and below, reflections and shadows on the Delaware River
Monday Morning Musings:
“For nothing is fixed, forever and forever and forever, it is not fixed; the earth is always shifting, the light is always changing, the sea does not cease to grind down rock. Generations do not cease to be born, and we are responsible to them because we are the only witnesses they have.
The sea rises, the light fails, lovers cling to each other, and children cling to us. The moment we cease to hold each other, the moment we break faith with one another, the sea engulfs us and the light goes out.”
–James Baldwin, “Nothing is Fixed,” quoted on Brainpickings, where you can also listen to his words set to music.
A constant, the sun rises and sets
to the left of my window in summer, to the right in winter
ever shifting, as we rotate and spin, never fixed
the light changes, shining through clouds and trees
reflected on rivers and sea
and prismed in a sprinkler’s passage, never fixed

Sprinkler rainbow and puddle reflection
the birds fly, the flowers bloom, fall, drop their sees, and grow again
the snapping turtle’s slow crawl, the gracile deer’s leap into the shadows
they pause, then move, live, then die, never fixed

Maybe a snapping turtle? I saw him on the side of the road by the river during a morning walk.
as the moon moves through her phases,
do you hear her fiercely humming?
Reminding us in silvered streams, never fixed,
our stories. We choose to sit or fight
against the dying of the light
to witness gleaming through the cracks, never fixed,
forever light comes from stars extinguished
we see it, or we don’t.

My shadow reflecting–light and shadows
This has been a difficult week for the world, though it is also been inspiring in some ways.

A grown daughter’s childhood companion.
In whatever way you can, speak out, donate, and help others. Here is a short list of things to read, support, and follow
Merril’s Movie Club: We watched Just Mercy, which is streaming free (in the U.S) during the month of June. I was afraid it would be a sort of feel good Hollywood movie, but both my husband and I thought it was a good movie with excellent acting. There are additional facts and statistics at the end. We also watched Uncut Gems, which was good in a different way. It’s available on Netflix now.
I’ve written about the musical Ragtime before. It’s one of my favorite musicals, and it seems particularly relevant during this presidency, and right now, the song, “Make Them Hear You” resonates. Here is Ricky the Cat listening to it. (And yes, I may have made him a little bed by my computer.)