Blessings, a Poem, some Pictures, and (below) a Song.

Dear Diary,

The pictures above are by the artist Liz Ryan.

It's high time I posted some Blessings as I have been a tad neglectful lately; there seems to have been a lot of bad news around and as for the weather, I will say no more.

(Where is summer hiding?).

Here goes then. I will do my best.

I'll start with poetry, It's always there to seek out, read or to have a go at writing myself. Lines are always going round in my head (don't you just love words?).

Below is one poem that cheered me recently, it was 'homework' submitted by L, one of our writing group members.

Lauri & the Monster

I was sat telling Lauri

a bed-time story:

It was like Jackanory

but just her and me

when a big blinking monster

fell out of the wardrobe;

before he could strike

I said, "You leave her be !".

We don't want your kind

around here causing trouble.

We've heard all about you ...

you're very naughty.

We will not put up with you

eating our children.

Be off Mr. Monster ...

Be gone instantly !

The monster looked sheepish

and cast his eyes downward

I noticed a tear

then another, then three

and I said Mr. Monster

Oh why are you crying ?

He sat on the floor

and explained it to me.

He said, “I'm the monster

that lives in the bedroom

of every small child

in every country

and nobody loves me

because I'm so scarey

but scarey is not

what I wanted to be.

My fate it was cast

by the toss of a coin

I could have been charming

a Prince don't you see

but I met the wrong side

of a Witch in Llangammarch

and this is the spell

that she cast upon me.

But you, you can save me !

Sweet little Lauri.

You are the secret.

You hold the key.

You can cancel the spell

that the Wicked Witch made

and I'll make you a princess

if you set me free”.

We looked at each other

Lauri and I

not sure what to make

of the monster's story

and as quick as a flash

while our guard it was down

he jumped to his feet

quite gymnasti-cally

Then showed us his teeth

and a bottle of sauce

that he kept in his pocket

specfi-cally.

Strangely enough

we’d assumed this might happen ...

We're not very gullible

Lauri and me.

I snatched up the bottle

of sauce from his pocket

and opened the window

as wide as could be,

then threw it as far

as my muscles could manage.

It landed next door ...

in a nest,

... up a tree.

The monster was foiled

and he starved quite to death.

Kids without sauce

taste disgusting you see.

So the moral herein is:

Keep wardrobe doors closed

And be wary of ketchup

- and tales of “poor me”.

©Ven.June2008

Our writing group is another blessing. Like minded souls getting together for chat and a drink afterwards, sharing our work and our love of the written word. We have a new member who writes songs and he performed his homework for us last night accompanied by his guitar - very original and enjoyable.

Music goes hand in hand with poetry, what are songs sometimes, but poetry set to music anyway? I have posted my Record of the Week below too, it's called No Air and it's one of those tunes that sticks in the mind, always a sign of a hit I think. Apparently the singers were on American Idol, not that I have ever watched it, I just caught the song on the radio in the car yesterday and loved it.

Our writing homework last month was on the subject 'Toss a coin'. My litle prose poem effort is in an earlier blog below. Next month is 'Never Go Back'. I am thinking around that one, waiting (hoping) for inspiration.

Paintings are always a blessing, where would we be without art? Liz Ryan is an Irish American artist who I 'met' online. Her work is really outstanding and puts me in mind of Paul Henry's work and he is one of my most favourite artists (who also just happens to have been Irish).

Real coffee is my next blessing. I am hopeless but M makes lovely coffee and I need the caffeine kick this morning as I was very late to bed last night.

This leads me on to Afternoon Naps. OK I know I have probably used this one as a blessing before, but some days, especially when I am really tired and the weather is dire, then my bed calls me a little more loudly during the day. She tempts me in with a Good Book, but usually after a few pages with that indulgence then I am soon fast asleep. But hey ho......this means I can stay up late again tonight, it's hard being a night owl.

(I am back to work tomorrow morning so had better not be too late to bed tonight though).

I must mention the very kind Purplecoo folk who have been sending their Purple Healing Vibes, from far and wide, to someone in my neighbourhood. The power of positivity and love is truly amazing, would that it could be more widespread in our world.

M has just rescued a finch that was indoors on our kitchen window. Men have their uses so they will have to be another blessing. They have strength and are good at mending things..... they can sing with deep voices and ............and............come on there must be others??? Help me someone...

All this rain has lessened my hay fever symptoms dramatically. That is good news. It's stopped me gardening so I have been able to get on indoors with another writing project. I haven't been sunburnt. Haven't done any of the outside painting that I had planned to do (is that a blessing? I don't think so, strike it out).

Listened to music more. (I know that is bad English - see next sentence).

I have been more lazy (now we're talking, this is more like it), I've read more, I've written more.

I've Looked Forward more.....for surely there must be Good Weather somewhere on the horizon.

(Anyone seen Summer?)

Bye for now,

Go mbeannai Dia duit,

Cait