February 19, 2009
Object lesson
…listen
…about the musicWater. Items.
Here are two lovely views from a couple of afternoons ago on South Beach. I’m facing the Olympic mountain range across the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which is where I will be headed tomorrow as Charles and I venture east, (ferry to Anacortes) then south, (drive to Edmonds) then west, (ferry and drive to Port Angeles), then north (ferry to Victoria) and then finally west again (drive to Tofino. ) A mini vacation that I have now officially dubbed the 2009 Pacific Northwest “Wheel and Keel” Winter Tour.
I like objects in or near water. I like the contrast. I like the tension and unspoken conversation between substances comprised of very different elements. I like the drama.
So now I’ll get to be the foreign element, as I traverse through some wilderness and see some extremely gorgeous parts of this planet. I’ll be another object at the sea.
And I don’t object to that one bit.
Glenn Buttkus said,
February 20, 2009 @ 6:53 am
First let me say that you and Charles certainly deserve this mini-vacation, and the divers ferry rides, and the exporation of Vancouver Island. Hope it smoothes the stress, presses flat the wrinkles, and fills you will joy and many new pics, and of course, inspiration for more music.
Thanks for giving me some fodder to line break, to set into motion the Shapiro poem of the month.
Object Lesson
I like objects in or near water.
I like the contrast.
I like the tension and unspoken conversation
between substances comprised of very different elements.
I like the drama.
So now I’ll get to be the foreign element,
as I traverse through some wilderness
and see some extremely gorgeous parts of this planet.
I’ll be another object at the sea.
And I don’t object to that one bit.
Alex Shapiro February 2009
Then I listed to your generous musical clip, A Delicate Balance @ 2.55, and then again, and then again. I started to write my own response to it, to the tone of this posting, and my own poetry emerged. Thanks for that too.
Rock Hard French Kiss
There it is, Alex’s song,
deep and passionate,
jazzy mellow, like coffee brewing,
like hidden birds in the dark
heralding another day,
soon here, soon full upon us;
like a child’s laughter, soft and muffled
clinging to dawn’s breath—
as your music guides our focus
to the drama of spires
at the ocean’s edge;
sea stacks, solitary shards of continent
pulled apart from land, frayed, jagged
naked rock sculptures, granite gods
standing in the waves, bathed in eerie earliness,
and then the notes force the eye hard to the horizon
where tears of thankfulness can flow,
where beauty will be reborn, yet again,
where the hard smile cracks sandstone,
with one’s spirit pressing hard inside
the chest, heart near to bursting
with unsolicited emotions,
just as the searing golden cusp of morning
rises up steaming and wet
from the sea
and kisses you scalding yellow-orange
full on the mouth.
Glenn Buttkus February 2009
Sandy Buckley said,
February 20, 2009 @ 8:57 am
Enjoy your trip Alex! Fantastic blog! Sandy
zenfull said,
February 21, 2009 @ 8:05 pm
looking forward to your tofino exp 🙂
zenfull said,
February 21, 2009 @ 8:10 pm
I tried to post a couple of days ago but for some reason it wouldn’t post.
anyway Tofino is ever so magical.
period
this is a cool video that gives some native background we really enjoyed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_YcE32_j2s
Alex Shapiro said,
February 26, 2009 @ 10:17 pm
Great video!! And really fascinating to learn about the First Nations people there and the history. Plus, the opening sequence is terrific for showing people what the general area looks like. I can’t wait to return!!