Friday, April 20, 2007

sallie wisdom

speaking with my mama over the phone
is not an easy task...
as she is very hard of hearing.
on the oregon coast,
i would have to get
down on the sand
and the dunes to get a signal..
in order for her to hear me,
i would have to holler
mighty to communicate
with her..
hence, the entire beach
was privy to our conversation..
not copacetic..by any means
for the other beach combers!

i would write her cards and lettres
rather than invite others to
our boisterously loud communes..

when i arrived in pacific grove,
thanks to a ride from the
woodland cougar, mark..
(..i have missed
the avenue of the giants..
the coastal redwoods..)
i thought i would attempt
a phone call to ms. sallie.

after much talk about fruitcake
and poundcake with pecans..
i shared my doubts about
the walk..

o mama..can this really be the end?....

she quietly asked..
are you thinking of not continuing?
i expressed my fears
with a grandiose dose of self-pity..
she said..
"sweetheart, you have had
too much leisure time..
too much thought...
(all those dry-out bus rides!)
you know what happens to you.."

eeeek! i do! i do!

we spoke about giving up..
how that might well break my spirit..

..if i do decide to shift,
change, drop..
to honor that with grace..

"wait..see..
what the dalai lama
will say to you.."

!!!!!!!!!!!
rest in retreat
remembre the original intention..
!!!!!!!!!!!

somehow we were able to
speak easily without
breaking the sound barrier
on my part.
somehow she had my number;
she tore it up..
scattering the scraps
to the damp winds..

the one you feed,
my dear..
the one you feed!

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