Tag: joy

Logophile

I’ve touched those words before now,

They reached and asked me to,

Tongued with tenderness their tone,

Words command of you,

Turned the pages where they live,

Leafed and loved them too,

When joy they’ve given, I give back,

The least that I can do.

 

Kissed some pages, slept with them,

They’ve warmed me when I’m cold,

Comforted or made me cross,

Even made me bold,

Bent o’er backwards when they’ve asked,

Given birth when told,

Filled in blanks and filled the blank,

A love that can’t grow old.

 

Books I’ve fingered stand the test,

Some I must let go,

A library that needs thinned down,

Released to let them sow,

Off to others, bid adieu,

True loves I can’t let go,

Logophiles know what I mean,

Words desire it so.

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By Purpose, By Joy

it is time

to gather

to filter and reduce

to expand

upon the joy

that ministers

to see wih clarity

free and freed from tumbled

thoughts and things

time to simplify

with touch of loving kindness

to self

to what has served

time to pleasure art

to clear the path

to creativity

it is time

by purpose by joy 

Affirmation

I know it can be a real pain in the posterior to listen to someone else’s music choice. Time. Always time.

Today I took time, had time, enjoyed time, rediscovered time , passed time, had a lovely time.

Doing?

Hanging out in the garden with my kids. Twenty-two year old and I connecting. Doing shoulder stands on the grass with my eight year old. I was better at it. Just sayin’.  Thirteen year old ‘posing like a haddie’, being a thirteen year old with charm and exuberance. The rest of my crew were elsewhere.

We nibbled, sipped, giggled, talked about everything under the sun.

Mostly, it’s down to sunshine. It’s here! 24° ‘s worth. All bloody day. Right up until it started to cool but was still pleasant enough to sit out and enjoy. And when over? Well, the mood was already established. Move into the kitchen. Big kitchen. Sip, chat, music. Dance. Yoga moves. Hands down, I can do more than my kids. Any idea how life-affirming that can be to a 54 year old? Exactly!

I had to chase them from the kitchen to bed. I asked, ‘What song would you say captures this evening?’

Mary-Kate’s answer surprised me. All the moreso because I’ve been meaning to post this song for a few weeks.

It takes me back to a holiday when my eldest (one of the absent) introduced me to this duo. Maybe about ten/twelve years ago. Thereabouts. 

The duo didn’t hang about long. Difference of artistic direction, apparently.

I could yak on about the ins and outs of this evening but I won’t. Instead you might want to replace the details with details of your own. Those times when somehow – without apparent effort – everything about family just comes together.

The dou are Savage Garden.

The song ‘Affirmation’.

The words – probably the nearest thing I have to saying what I -and maybe many of us – feel about so many things.

And it’s pretty good for dancing to. Bendy yoga moves optional. But most enjoyable.

Today love and life and family is affirmed.

May you find affirmation in the words. And in your family. In your life.

If you have the time it’s worth a listen. The song is catchy. The lyrics – on screen – would be well worth adhering to as a credo.

 

Surcease

Wonder,

in the shadow of the moonlight,

calls you near me,

child bereft of toy and worldly joy,

hearkening to music in the starlight,

cherubic voices promising, as a chorus,

a sweeter love,

all moments to enjoy

an earthbound pleasure,

in the joy of angels,

a muted fear,

trumpet blast to ease,

seclusion,

in the bosom of all music,

oblivion, in harmony,

surcease.

Tally Marks

Tally marks on life’s wall,

One, two, three, four,

Strike through.

Depressing mostly,

Days and year

In review.

Who likes to see

The wall gouged so,

Not I.

But inevitability,

Like the strikes,

Circles the calendar,

We go on.

The one day,

The only one,

(apart from birthdays!)

When a settled desolation

Holds heart in its hands

And questions all.

Strike this one through,

Willingly,

Bearing in mind,

That the very young,

Hope constant in their hearts,

Needing no reminder,

Celebrate new years

And birthdays

As growth marks

On the way forward.

Perhaps we have just forgotten,

Every day,

Even this one,

Is a gift.

So I’ll dance

With the very young,

Partake of their libation,

Joie de vivre,

Happy in all days

And years.

Tally marks unknown.

The Meaningful Key

Minus mic,

his voice still carried,

barely and with just enough humour

to detect genuine humility

and passion.

He spoke

of early sadness,

not being good enough

and

finding meaning.

He spoke

of childhood,

of family split

and dodging school

to fail.

He spoke

of finding

worth in himself

through purpose

and work

and sharing

a shed

with rats,

cockroaches,

scary spiders

and other youths

in a far-off land

where native children

were taught in awe and desperation,

drinking thirstily,

desperate for education.

He spoke

of forgiving himself

and his mum,

of whispered prayer

to find strength.

He spoke

of changes

in direction

to aspire

to doctor dream,

of local service

then returning

to Africa,

giving back

what he had found.

He spoke

of waiting soon

his first child –

to spontaneous applause

at his awed thrill.

His face lit

the stage.

A lad, I thought,

of tender years

for nothing

marred

his glowing face.

But experience

lent truth

to his age

and joy in life.

From sad and broken beginnings,

he spoke,

while I choked back tears

at radiant happiness

and a voice

that spoke

to youths

and adults alike.

He spoke

of finding

the meaningful key.

May Music, Day 21 – Anything Could Happen

Every song I like or love is because they speak to me in some way. It may only be because of the beat or the rhythm. Perhaps because of memories they evoke. It could be that the vocals or instruments are so rhapsodic that I’m in awe. Sometimes it’s  because of associations they hold with people and times. It could be because of the words.

I’ve already posted my favourite song because it is also from my favourite movie and that was a question for day Day 11.

The title of this song, Who Wants To Live Forever?’ draws me in every time I hear it like no other song does. The lyrics remind me to live and to love. Now.

“Who Wants To Live Forever”

There’s no time for us,
There’s no place for us,
What is this thing that builds our dreams, yet slips away from us.

Who wants to live forever,
Who wants to live forever…..?
There’s no chance for us,
It’s all decided for us,
This world has only one sweet moment set aside for us.

Who wants to live forever,
Who dares to love forever,
When love must die.

But touch my tears with your lips,
Touch my world with your fingertips,
And we can have forever,
And we can love forever,
Forever is our today,
Who wants to live forever,
Who wants to live forever,
Forever is our today,
Who waits forever anyway?

 

But, as I’ve already posted this song, Twindaddy’s request for today must be another. I’m going for my favourite of today. It’s on the current in car CD and has been played to and from work every day this week.

On the way home today, with the sun shining, the skies the most gorgeous pale blue and only light fluffy clouds around – not a single rain cloud in sight – the thought of a four day weekend after tomorrow’s shift, a breeze generated by the open windows and this music on, I felt so happy. I’ve had all the depression I ever care to experience.  Life is for capturing the happiness in each day. ‘Who waits forever anyway?’ ‘Anything Could Happen’.

Hope and Blue Skies Hope and Blue Skies

Ellie Goulding, ‘Anything Could Happen’.

 

 

May Music, Day 16 – Don’t cry out loud…

…or in company.

I’ve cried for any number of reasons. Even at an advert one time. But, I don’t typically cry at sad. Unless it’s real life. And I don’t like crying in front of people. A quiet weep or a rollicking good muscle-jerking flood both have their places in my life. But, preferably, on my own.

In fact, I get quite annoyed with anything that seems contrived to make me want to cry. Like that bloody movie, ‘The Champ’!  I hated that! The whole thing was designed to play on emotions.

Like watching those shows that reunite long lost relatives. Why make a show out of it? Just do it for folk, if you’re gonna do it. No, they have to bring on the violins and tug at people’s mushy bits. That bugs me. Don’t mess with my emotions.

I’m more likely to cry at things that make me happy when it comes to movies and songs.

Not when ET died. But when the flowers blossomed again and I knew he was alive even before I knew he was alive!

Like watching ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’. Not because of the music played but because anything that makes me feel all squishy inside at the inherent goodness in people makes me weak at the waterworks.

So, a song that I cried at? Which is what Twindaddy is asking as question 16 for day 16 of his 25 days of music challenge. I’m drained with this, btw, just in case you’re interested.

The last one I can think of, I’ve cried at every time I’ve heard it. It’s the last scene and song of ‘Les Mis.’. Fecking sobbed my eyes out. Right enough, I did that for most of the movie but hey ho.

The first time I saw it I was with my two eldest daughters at the cinema. Poor Mary-Kate was inconsolable. Claire was all, Wtf! And I had a raging headache by the end of it from trying to suppress the tears that were blurring my vision most of the way through it and certainly by the end. Streams escaped and I had to stifle sobs, trying not to draw attention to myself. I hate crying in public.

We had to go and drown our sorrows over dinner that night. Laughing soon rectified the headache and any desire to cry. Especially since said eldest daughter ribbed and ridiculed the whole movie. I won’t go into details on Claire’s brand of humour but we all felt much better after a few wines and laughs. Tears then too. Of a different variety. And I love crying with tears of laughter.

The last scene was, well I better not tell you what happens, in case there are still some people who have yet to see it.

!!!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!!! Do not watch this if you haven’t seen the movie!

I’m greetin’ just watching and listening to it for the umpteenth time. Happy and sad and fabulous to the Fth degree. Sniff…

Shug’s not looking too well in this. But what a marvellous job he and all the other actors did.

So, if I want a wee greet….it happens!…I watch this movie. Because, of course, I bought it to ensure that I could have the viewing pleasure all over again and, locked in splendid isolation with a box of Kleenex, I enjoyed a major wailng session…..guaranteed snotters and puddles. I like that sometimes. It’s a wummin thing. Or maybe just a me and Mary-Kate thing ‘cos she does that too. 🙂

Elysian Fields

I’m rising and falling

and floating thru’ time

like a leaf on a breeze

in the mist

to Elysian Fields,

lush pastures to seize

while a song plays and

drifts from my lips.

 

I open my eyes

to view what’s in store and

gasp with delight

at the scene;

my Mother and Father,

all those long gone,

dancing

as if in a dream.

 

Their laughter like lilacs,

their faces in bloom,

roses red

on each cheek,

my face shines with joy

at each girl and boy

suspended in time

that we seek.

 

Air rushes by,

my heart gives a cry

as I’m torn from this world

full of wonder

clouds scud the night,

spirit in flight, in a whirlpool

 I’m dragged

back down under

 

to life on the earth

where worries await

and trials are the test

of my soul.

But eyes closed, cast within

I see fields again

and the faces of my

Elysian goal.