Archive - 2015
August 25th
Poem Fragments
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Tue, 08/25/2015 - 16:53The Perseids: A Guided Meditation
I started this back during the Perseids. I had ideas of where I wanted to go with it, but haven't had time to come back to it, So, here it is as is. Maybe I'll work on it more later.
Turn off the 42 inch meditation focal point,
the focal point with talking heads
that distract us from what matter,
the focal point that jerks your emotions
with bright flashes and loud explosions.
Sit on the porch, with your head tilted back
and choose a smaller focal point.
I like Marfak, Theta Cassiopeiae,
Cape Cod Pitch Pines
Likewise, I had originally thought of this as a longer piece. We'll see when I get back to it
The sunlight seeped through the pitch pines
above the warmed berries below
creating a dappled image that would flummox
even the most dedicated jigsaw puzzler.
August 24th
The Whale Watch
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Mon, 08/24/2015 - 19:30It was a nearly perfect day for our annual whale watching trip. The rain and fog had moved on leaving the sky a dull grey, and the sea nearly a mirror. Even the slightest movement of sea creatures seemed amplified.
With the rain and the fog, the heat and humidity left, making the smooth ride even more comfortable in the cooler, drier air. The whales seemed to be enjoying themselves as well, as minke and fin whales sped around the boat and humpback mother whales played nearby.
Kim and Fiona stood on the bow of the boat for much of the trip, but I remained seated, except when we were near whales.
After the whale watch, we headed up the pier to our annual dinner at The Lobster Pot. Like the whale watch, this was also highly enjoyable, and after a great dinner, we returned to our campsite to decompress and prepare for another night on Cape Cod.
August 23rd
Sunday on the Cape
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Sun, 08/23/2015 - 19:30It is Sunday evening on Cape Cod. It has been foggy today, but we went to the beach anyway. I swam a bit, walked on the beach, collected stones and built small cairns with them. In the morning, I went to St. Mary’s of the Harbor in Provincetown.
I read a bit more of Michael Cunningham’s Land’s End, and did a little of my own writing. I have a lot to write. I slept for a while. Now, my stomach is bothering me and I have a sore throat. I hope it is just a passing thing.
August 22nd
Isaac Was Here, Too.
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Sat, 08/22/2015 - 09:29The evening’s oppressive heat and humidity
finally broke in the middle of the night
in a fierce storm
leaving the morning
cooler, yet still damp.
On the beach
we wrote
“Isaac was here”
in the sand
as we looked out
over a great sea of grief
to our friends
remembering their son
in London.
In the sand was a leaf of dune grass
looking like a trampled palm leaf
on the streets of Jerusalem
towards the end
of Holy Week.
Near the words
were tiny fish
washed a shore
by the storm
that couldn’t be saved.
The waves will erase our words,
but not the memory
Isaac was here, too.
August 21st
Leaving on Vacation
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Fri, 08/21/2015 - 08:54It is warm and sticky as a light rain falls in Connecticut. For the past few hours, I’ve been cleaning the car and packing for our trip to Cape Cod. All of the usual issues arise. I always worry that we are taking too much stuff, but also, forgetting something. I get frustrated at how much junk needs to be cleaned out of the car first. I worry about keeping the line of sight out of the back window clear and about making sure the kayaks are firmly secured. Kim worries about the pets. Have you seen the kitten?
Eventually, the car is packed, we have showered and are almost ready to go. But first, I need to take a few moments to gather my thoughts. There is so much writing I need to get done. Website updates for one organization, meeting minutes for another. I need to write a couple more reviews of the Fringe festival, as well as do some personal writing for my own development. There are various deadlines to meet, even during vacation.
I take a glance at Facebook. A six year old child was killed in a traffic accident less than three miles from our house. A friend across the ocean is burying her son today. There is the litany of prayer requests in various Facebook groups. Yesterday was the Feast of St. Benedict. The Epistle appointed for Sunday starts off “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God”.
I hold all of this in my heart as I send positive thoughts to those who are suffering, and then get in the car.
