05 April 2009

spring cleaning

yes, even the blogs! as my lenten internet fast & a favorite springtime activity of reorganizing/streamlining have progressed, i realized that with my blogging, less really is enough.for now, write away & snap366 will be snoozing while poetic elements & photographs will be found here, randomly interspersed. (phil did beg - pun intended! - to keep dog blog up & running though. i can't say "no" to that face...could you?!?!) since the end of 2008's daily photos, i must admit my camera sees less action. i do have mixed emotions about that, but i do continue to keep it close by for those amazing must-capture moments. as for writing, my classes have progressed to a level of reading/writing intensity that leaves very little spilling over in the way of creative stuff.one of my favorite weekly activities that i plan to continue is the poetry in response to one single impression. when possible, i will continue posting something in response to OSI's sunday prompts here. for 5 april, the prompt is 'listening' suggested by laurie @ april wine...a marvelous word, something i need to do more of.listening
'listen'
one of momma's favorite words
often followed by some advice i did not want
& sometimes, did not heed
i often wondered what you meant when you offered that word
& said nothing more
i did not worry about your intent
because days seemed numbered infinite
but when you lay dying my ears opened more each day
& suddenly i could not hear enough
of what you had to say
& then came the day
you would say no more
to me with words like as before
& still your command echoed in my head
'listen'
even as you had passed that word came on the wind
it's letters spelled in the ringing angelus bells
at sunset

23 comments:

anthonynorth said...

A beautiful poem.
As for changes, I go thru the process quite often myself.

floreta said...

you did a great job of tying in listening with the wisdom of both mother and mother nature!

lissa said...

beautiful poem and great advice

Maggie said...

I can still hear many of the words of wisdom spoken by my mama even though she has gone on before me.

Great poem.

SandyCarlson said...

To say "listen" is to say "this is important." I remember the magic of that command. Scared me.

Anonymous said...

Loved your two lines over at the dusty lens. I like this poem as well.

Nothing like spring cleaning!

Jim said...

Isn't it wonderful how important parential instructions come back to help or haunt you! You have done so well with this,
thank you.
I remember one item the most from my Mom, "Jim, you won't find a nice girl in a bar." Meaning by nice girl, one that I SHOULD marry. That was okay with me because I didn't spend much time in bars.
And I wasn't looking to get married either. ( I did that a couple of times, the second is taking.)
:-)
..

Deborah Godin said...

It's all here - listening, ignoring, living, dying - the process and the journey, beautfully accompanied with photos.

Geraldine said...

So much wisdom here. I like the spring-cleaning (even blogwise) comments too. Less can be more!

Hugs, G

Quiet Paths said...

This is dynamic and filled with the quiet peace which passes understanding... it touched my heart. thank you.

Jim said...

Hi 'Ms. di Bello' -- I'm with you, not really for lent but because I was doing too much. So I cut way back, one a week on each blog (that are on my profile) will do for now. I will 'shut down' for a couple of weeks, last of April and first of May.
I think I left a comment already that hasn't been moderated yet but will rewrite it now. It was 'tired time' last night. If you have it that's okay. If not, a new comment for publication will follow this note.
Jim

Jim said...

Your nice poem rings several bells with me. And others, "listen" is a nice parental command. (Sometimes spouses get carried away trying it as well.)
First instance is our toy poodle, Katrin. I swear she is hard of hearing. I now have a thin four foot twig on the back porch that gets her attention. I could never reach her with my hand to swat her.
Second to relate is my Mom's (she died in 1999) saying to me, "Jim, you cann't find a good girl in the bar." She was trying to marry me off, I wasn't in a hurry and didn't go to many bars but I can still remember her telling me this.
Mrs. Jim found me at an apartment supper the landlady put on once a month. I had never attended any before, and never did since.
..

Tumblewords: said...

I love the softness and the reminder written here - and the photos are wonderful.

MHN said...

What a lovely and touching poem.

Raven said...

Beautiful, beautiful poem. I love your photos too, especially that last one which has a spirituality to match the poem.

Beth P. said...

Mothers!

Thanks for this--and I'm so glad you're keeping OSI and not sweeping us up in the dustbin...

Amias (ljm and liquidplastic) said...

Mothers are wonderful. Never is the advice more precious then when we lose the messenger. Nice.

Anonymous said...

Buona Pasqua! xox

Anonymous said...

I am 'listening' to my mom like that right now. She has told me more in the last few months than in the whole rest of my life. You wrote about it beautifully.

zoya gautam said...

" What a lovely and touching poem "

- A - C - said...

Lovely poem, moving and deep... food for thoughts...

Crafty Green Poet said...

these photos are gorgeous, there is a wonderful light in each of them....

SandyCarlson said...

Just back admiring your photos and your words after I realized (thanks to your blog comment) that you live in NC!

My daughter discoverd wisteria for the first time this trip and thought it was a magic flower to be growing at the tops of trees.

Your state is beautiful.