Gardening Day

Oh, it is so nice out. Yesterday and today even ... waaaay under 116, only in the high 90's yesterday and rain ... and today low 100's. So, I weeded my roses and my front garden and rakes junk up and now I'm hot and tired and I work tonight (darn).

But it was great! And ... more rain later this week. I love monsoon season.

The Liquorish River

I'm going to be posting some stuff that I wrote some time ago. This is one of those.

The liquorish river beckoned me,
promising all that could never be
by standing on the shore so tame
by waiting there in slow refrain for evil or for good

it called inviting all who may
to come and enter don't delay
to come and view its depths unbound
to come to try the muted sounds that called within its depths

I stood a moment caught in time
that call so furtive and divine
that seemed to be life's final kiss
that seemed to promise endless bliss if only entered I

Swiftly now it whispered sweet
displaying it's unending treats
one tiny taste of slow delights
one tiny sip of night to night
might cause my feet to fail

A moment only there I stood
a moment only safely shod
but close, too close the shore did break to clasp me to that endless lake
to clasp my hand fast to that friend whose grip would never ever end

But life is strong in it's own song
and held my heart in love's sure bond
and pulled me back from endless depths and pulled me from that soulless threat that called so many there

The licorish river beckons still
when nights are long and hurts are full
come dance with me for just a while
come dance and cross that final stile
but life is stronger still

— Joanne Nakaya © 2002

Blog of the Day -- July 20, 2005

I saw a purple sky
today
a solitary runner
racing across the burgeoning light
softly, insistently caressing the hills
a trumpet from the east

light
joined the race
shoulders streaming with lavender
tendrils of smokey night in her hair
laughing in delight and triumph

reigned
and heralded in a new day

I like this but I think it needs some work. It's not quite where I want it to be. I woke early, took Paca out and sat watching the dawn chase the night from the sky. I yearn to be content, but desire and a sense of time slipping through my fingers battles contentment.

Blog of the Day --- For Neva

Thanks for the topic, Neva. I agree, personal meanderings are good. They stretch me too, take me out of my comfort zone. I feel uncomfortable about being personal, as if people will see too much of who I am; that my poetry will reveal more of who I am than what I am prepared to reveal. I think my fears are residue from just being a kid.

Often, when I was young I didn't understand my parents anger. I always assumed it was about me, so I thought it was my responsibility to fix. Because I didn't know what I had done, I concluded that there was some mysterious thing wrong with me that made them unhappy. It has taken years of effort to hide the unknowable. So now, ancient baggage reigns, and I'm afraid that my writing will make me too transparent and that others will see the 'whatever' that is still wrong with me; that I still cannot see.

So I need to confront my fears and write anyway. After all, in the light of day they are not very realistic.

Thanks Neva!

So Today I Write

Columbian Erotica

Thick and dark and honey sweet
hot as summer
burnished peat

savor savor savor on
when nothing else
will bring it on

close your eyes
and breathe it in
through sinew bone blood and skin

don't delay
the time is now
let it flow from root to bough

open wide
the ride's not done
the second sip awaits your tongue

Blog of the Day -- July 16, 2005

I have waited, and wondered, how I will write of the loss of Cordie and Gizmo, our two Akitas. Now I know:

Half an hour before sunrise
while the moon still reigns supreme
I wait

Half an hour before sunrise
while the birds tuck sleepy heads
beneath their wings
I wait

Half an hour before sunrise
while the long night lengthens
in triumph
I wait

Half an hour before sunrise
you are gone and will never return
and yet forever will
I wait

Blog of the Day -- July 12, 2005

OMG it's HOT!!! Up to 115 today. Even for Las Vegas it's hot. I want to climb into an ice cube and wait until October (pant pant pant). I obsessively carry water around with me everywhere. I flood my little veggies every morning and jealously measure the progress of little watermelons, corn, cantelopes, green beans, zuccinis, green peppers and tomatoes. We've hit the swimming pool twice this week so far, and it's been great!

I was surfing the net and found a quote that intrigued me from ComeReason.org. It is, "I appreciate the concern you have in making sure that Christianity isn't unduly corrupted by pagan influences." It occured to me that the opposite might be true, that pagans might be concerned about the Christian influence that has changed their pagan holidays. Think about it. You're a pagan, Constantine enters Rome and decides that everyone will now be a Christian. In order to make it more palatable he takes the current dieties and religious observances and converts them to Christian holidays. A new diety with all of the old familiar trappings. You probably would have been furious. It explains why God insisted that all of the pagan tribes that the Hebrews found in the Promised Land be wiped out ... no converting old holidays into new ones, with any hint of old theology still intact ... just start new.

Isn't there a quote in the bible where God will change the corruptible into the incorruptable? Yep, there is, I think in the book of Revelation, in the future, may be not so distant future.

Voyeurs of Death

Voyeurs of Death

Watchers of decay
Gleefully do they imprint
Sweat-dewed palms
Upon their pier glass

Peering, avid with
Each incision holds its breath
In anticipation of
The culminating event

Panting with
Exertionless effort
Red rimmed eyes
Follow every move
Fearful to blink
And lose that brief pinnacle
Of time and event

The essence of life
Lost in the glaze of death
Frosts the air in the brief of time
And erased is gone

As the voyeurs of death
Live on

Blog of the Day -- July 11, 2005

On June 1st we had two cats (Killer and Squeaky) one kitten (Princess Wookie), one elderly Akita (Paca) and two younger Akitas (Gizmo and Cordelia). Today we have Princess Wookie, Squeaky, Paca and a newly rescued 3-year-0ld Akita (Nikki) (sigh). Too sad.

I've been taking my grandkids on summer outings to take their mind off of Giz and Cordie. They ran off on July 4th and are still missing. We rescued a young Akita from the pound, she had less than 12 hours to live ...given up because she shed ... a horrific crime I guess if you don't happen to be a dog (versus a puppy) lover.

The outings are good, for all of us and I'm glad we could save Nikki, but I miss Giz and Cordie. Through the years there have been many losses, but it never gets any easier. The only consolation is the joy we were privy too while they were with us; it keeps me from refusing to get more pets when ours get old and move on.

life is too sad
too sad
life is too short
too sad
life is too weary
too sad
but
life is also
deliriously
exuberantly
joyfully
present
too