A Place To Wonder

For CFFC windows

I read a poem in praise of Ants or

Was it warning like

Handmaids Tale?

How much perfection is needed?

Sure they may survive but

Will they enjoy their lives?

As hunters, wet nurses or even queen?

Is trying and failing, putting wet color to paper,

clay to wheel and pot to fire never knowing the outcome

worth the risk?

That’s the mystery and the joy of discovery of

being human. I’ll take it.

Even the attempt to limit democracy and free speech we’re living through is at least educational. We learn

what we value!

Building ant hills or high rises in Hong Kong who

Does it better? The insect or the capricious human?

Before me on the counter with the sun shinning through it is a small jar of homemade blackberry jam

a product of human hands and imagination.

Who ate the first blackberry and declared it good

Knowing to wait until all the possible summer sun

available has been collected around each small seed

And then only then this gift of summer is ready to be picked

We can tell the sweetness and ripeness with our fingers, soft, hard, too soft, just right! Then pick two for the bucket one for the mouth.

Ooo! I’m reminded of Blueberries for Sal

a story as sweet as the jam on my counter this morning.

It’s about a mother and young daughter’s adventure picking blue berries. It was my favorite story book when I was about 4

My mom read it to me over and over, so much so, that my dad started calling me and my mom Big Sal and Little Sal. It stuck for my mom and to her dying day my dad’s term of endearment for my mom was Sal! As in “Hey Sal get your rompers on and let’s go out”

What a tasty memory.

So today…

There is a dark red reflection nearly a rainbow here before me…

a smear, a splash, a water color painting, a sundial

marking the first day of fall.

However, soon as I greedily

grab the jar for more jam this marker will disappear.

Will time stop because the clock is gone?

What a thought?

What a curious idea?

Maybe it’s right or wrong?

So many contingencies I’m grateful for.

I’m so very happy to be human.

Yours Truly

Little Sal