Friday, February 27, 2009

TINY DANCERS

Photo by S. Auberle

"Those who contemplate

the beauty of the earth

find reserves of strength

that will endure

as long as life lasts.

- Rachel Carson

www.gratefulness.org

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

ASHES TO ASHES

Print by S. Auberle
Ash Wednesday
Church of the Holy Angels
I'm six years old
kneeling before an altar
fingers rubbing my forehead
fear chilling down my back
as the priest whispers above me
ashes to ashes, dust to dust...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ash Wednesday
Church of Red Earth
I'm sixty-something
kneeling in a crater
where lava once poured down.
I rub dirt on my forehead
find a potsherd
and remember
those buried beneath me
their sins and bones
only red dust on my jeans.
- mimi


Sunday, February 22, 2009

SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION

Artist unknown
SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION
Only six people, it is said
separate any person from another
anywhere on this earth.
I want to believe that,
I want to believe
with just six connections
I could know an Eskimo,
an African tribesman,
a mother in Iraq.
I want to believe it would take
only six people to reconnect
with a gypsy I once saw,
the woman in cold rain
on the steps of the Duomo
in Florence, Italy. I would find her
again, her feet knobby and bare,
her black hair tangled in dusty braids.
Begging, she would whisper again
for my bambino, please,
for my bambino
and this time
I would take her chapped, brown hand,
place lira in it, close
her fingers around the bills.
This time I would get it right,
not turn aside
as her sleeve brushed my coat.
This time my shame
would not outweigh hers.
- Sharon Auberle
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In going through old writings of mine, in preparation for a book of collected poems, I came across this favorite, previously published in The Peninsula Pulse.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

THREE QUOTES

Photo by S. Auberle
"Advice is what we ask for
when we already know the answer,
but wish we didn't."
- Erica Jong
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Art is what you can get away with."
- Marshal McLuhan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Faith which does not doubt
is dead faith."
- Miguel de Unamuno

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

SHE HAD SOME HORSES

Photo by S. Auberle
SHE HAD SOME HORSES
galloping through her dreams
night mares and stallions
leaping fences
prancing, dancing by her.
She had some horses
wild, full of light
spirit white horses
but she couldn't rein them in
climb on their backs
dash away
at last, untethered.
There are some things
you can't do with dreams...
aren't there?
(after Joy Harjo)

Monday, February 16, 2009

PATIENCE

Photo by S. Auberle

For the teaching of patience, which many of us need in this alarmingly fast paced world, there is no greater teacher than an orchid. A friend gave me this plant a while back, and it already had buds on it. I settled it into a sunny, south window and anticipated beautiful blooms any day. That was several months ago, and I'm still anticipating, though it now has seven buds on it! For those who care, its name is Phal Sogo Yukidian 'V3'. In spite of its name, I've no doubt, it will be lovely. Someday...

If I keep a green bough
in my heart,
a singing bird will come.
- Chinese proverb

Friday, February 13, 2009

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Photo/Collage by S. Auberle
HEARTS
There is a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in.
- Leonard Cohen
Maybe growing old
is just learning
to cradle each other's heart
in our hands
like broken baby birds
or snowflakes melting
in fists of light.
-mimi


Tuesday, February 10, 2009

LIFE LAUGHING AT ME

Photo by S. Auberle
Have you ever been in a blue funk
driving down those roads where
you've been a thousand times before,
hitting the same bumps, same old potholes
when suddenly, in a pickup truck,
a poem passes by
and you start to smile
and the road smoothes, the sky turns blue,
sun beams its warmth on you
and on the two snowmen cheerfully slumped
in the back of the truck,
waving their melting arms
carrot noses and stone eyes
slightly askew
like your view of the world
before that poem drove by you.
- mimi

Sunday, February 08, 2009

ALMOST




Photos by S. Auberle - Fish Creek WinterFest Days
but not quite...summer


Wednesday, February 04, 2009

TURN AGAIN

Photo by S. Auberle
"It is a wholesome and necessary thing
for us to turn again to the earth
and in the contemplation of her beauties
to know of wonder and humility."
- Rachel Carson

Sunday, February 01, 2009

FREEZETIME

Photo by S. Auberle
sometimes
I just sit
looking out
at frozen waters
no sound
but the clock
ticking
my seasons away
- mimi