An entry a month is a good goal, Dan, and I like the suggestion. Looking back, I see that I have added nothing much since August, so I guess I should get busy.
It has been a different few months for me, though, even apart from the symposia, to which I have had no new poems at all to offer. I think this has been largely because of my build-up to the pinnacle event of this week, last Tuesday, my D Day. Dissolution. Default prove-up. Disavowed. Done. I briefly thought I ought to write a poem for the occasion, but nothing seemed to come of it. But thanks in part to you, Dan, I am now resolved: Your “Key of D” poem will have a much more positive resonance than anything I might write about divorce, and I will not dwell on trying to create something out of ashes.
Instead, I will offer something from the past. Lately, instead of writing something new, I have been more reflective on some poems already written, trying to work out bugs and, in the course of my daily dog walking, memorizing a few favorites. The memory work started with my Walking Song, which you will now find on these pages completely revised; that’s been followed with Melodia, and Starry Night, and Standing In An Open Field, and Burrowing Owl. Feel free to follow the links to these, but for today, and for this blog, I am offering what I’m working on memorizing next: Mathematics. Yes, there are a few ashes here in this two year old poem, but maybe even some embers to remember.
There are better things to memorize, of course. Andrew is beginning bible verse memory work in confirmation. On his own (inspired by the verse he found posted at the beginning of Ben Mikaelsen’s Petey), he first picked Isaiah 40: 31 (wings of eagles). Then, because he needed an easier one for his next effort, I offered him Psalm 118:24 (This is the day) with its memory-friendly song to go with it. Four more to go! We are told that Jesus wept, John 3:16 and the Lord’s prayer don’t count for this task. Suggestions, anyone?
Finally, I wanted to report that for the first time in three years, we have put up a Christmas tree, and it feels good to get past the hiatus. This too had been for a lot of D-minor reasons; Disc-slippage in 2009, Displaced home in 2010, and even this year I was on the verge of D-claring myself a D-termined iconoclast. Bah! I had even persuaded Kirsten to share my logic. This morning, as I floated the idea of going out to get one today, she told me “Don’t worry Dad, it’s not worth the trouble.” That settled it. An hour later, after quickly throwing up some lights on the front hedges, we were down the block with the dolly. We will decorate tonight. It’s nice to get back to D-major words.
Commiserating and celebrating with the passing of last week. There is joy in resolution even if there is sorrow in circumstance. And there is prayer regardless.
ReplyDeleteWe just talked today about the color of advent candles and--correct me if I'm wrong, because Europe only has 4 white candles--American tradition has three whites, a red and a Christmas purple, yes? Katerina felt that purple would be too 'lenten'--i.e., wouldn't necessarily fit the mood of Christmas. But I'd love the hint of Lent in Christmas: not to be macabre, but the Messianic baby is born to "dwel[l] among us" and then to die. Shouldn't there be a candle in the wreath to light that way? And as I'm writing, it occurs to me that the color pink is in the wreath, so perhaps not purple. Oh, well--I like the argument anyway!
I posted comments for "Mathematics" and "Burrowing Owl"; "Melodia" and "Starry Night" came up as 'Error' so I wonder if the hyperlinks didn't work for them... Please 'approve' the comment for "Burrowing Owl" as I really enjoyed recollecting that poem and our late afternoon at Montrose Beach this summer.
As for the Key of D, I can think of no better way to chart my way forward. We have major and minor events that so often d-lineate and d-fine, and I'm actually glad not to have too many songs actually in the key of D to draw from. By the way, a Phil Ochs song I love, "I Don't Know", which touches upon your "Standing in an Open Field" is written in the key of G--I could always contrive that or any other song to become the key of D, but that would d-fy the point...
So, as I've previewed with you before, Brother, here is my efforts today. You'll see some Czech references that may be rather 'inside knowledge', as well as the knowledge of Joey born in '99, but I'll be remiss to explain away everything:
Proud March, ninety-nine
in a place where Hrabel soared away
Dad died before his time
set it down—the Word is bound to stay
And I’ll try, odds defy
please to get him through this life
Come sing, key of D
so said Tony — coo as babies do
Daisies? Nevadi
there’s a world of songs that you can choose
Start with Bach, lest you talk
too much through the key of D
Then you might turn to flight
and sing Mother Nature’s Son
Joe grew — babies will
six-years old he got his first guitar
Czech flag, fits the bill—
bridge your fingers to the key of D
And I’ll try, odds defy
please to get him through this life
Sad June, twenty twelve
saw my mentor wave his work away
Not so — truth to tell
all resounds, and hear his song today
Key of D, come and sing
what you never sang before
Nothing’s done — babies run
with the things we’ve sung today