We who with songs beguile your pilgrimage / And swear that Beauty lives though lilies die, / We Poets of the proud old lineage / Who sing to find your hearts, we know not why ... (James Elroy Flecker)

5.6.20

Hello Earth #5


Hello Earth,

Here I am, all thrilled and smiling after an unexpected video chat with a dear friend / old love. He caught me just out of bed, hair all mussed, but I couldn’t mind, so good to see and talk. I made my morning coffee as we spoke. He was at the temple he built on his land in Guatemala. He and his wife (whom he didn’t have, long ago when he and I ...) have collected a whole lot of food for those in the community doing it tough. When he first tuned in he was wearing a big red bandanna mask. 

Earth, we have been bad for you, we humans, and for each other, and all the life forms. Yet how can I regret living in the age of technology, when it means I can have a visit like that between our far-apart countries? He showed me the beautiful lake they live above, with fishing boats out on it even in the misty rain. I showed him the mountain range I see from my front door — also a little misted, rain clouds hovering. ‘Oh, that’s beautiful!’ he said. He laughed about my just-out-of-bed hair. ‘We all look like that here, everyone in lockdown.’

Leaning in, I feel hugged by the warmth of that call.  Scorpios aren’t good at staying friends with past loves. This is the only time I’ve managed it. (He has an extraordinary wife, as I had an extraordinary husband in Andrew, neither threatened by it.) And it’s such a good friendship: we know each other so deep — and indeed are beyond caring about messy hair, or the long woolly beard he’s sporting now. It was good to see his eyes, his smile, hear his voice. 

Listing gratitudes: all of the above. That it is possible! That it happened. 

Offering you my happiness, Earth, I think it wondrous that I, who loathe the cold, am warmed at the start of winter, from so far away, by a true love of the soul. I offer you this in belief that the energy can spread. In a time of world-wide pestilence, in a time of widespread, all too justified rage, I offer love.




Inspired by Satya Robyn’s latest ecourse. As this one is more prose than poetry, I made it 369 words so as to share it at Writers’ Pantry #23 at Poets and Storytellers United. 

14 comments:

  1. Lovely exercise and what a wonderful heartwarming story! Thank you for sharing your happiness with us. I must give the exercise a try.

    ReplyDelete
  2. How beautiful is that moment, that enduring warmth and love... those are the things that make life what it is...feeling your positive energy through this poem! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lucky Earth, to receive such a beautiful message, Rosemary. A little anecdote, a thread of your life history, and philosophical thoughts all packed into a ‘hello’!

    ReplyDelete
  4. That was so heartwarming. It gives me hope, something about the value of deep relationships that sustain.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am warmed by this tale. My heart is full...with the gratitude that has overflowed from your cup of words lovingly strung together. Ah, me! Life is good!

    ReplyDelete
  6. That you for sharing the beauty of the above--it contained a lovely thread of hope.

    ReplyDelete
  7. These words, especially the conclusion, makes me think of a poem by H. which ends with the line, "And yet, I love." That is the best message for this time in our history. So, thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I really appreciate the positivity, Rosemary. :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. This is incredibly heartwarming, Rosemary!💝 I can almost picture you "hair all mussed," during a video chat with your friend. I also love the "Hello Earth," exercise and can't wait to try it out. 😍

    ReplyDelete
  10. Relationships like this are gifts--thank you for gifting us with this story--it made me feel great!

    ReplyDelete
  11. To reconnect with a long ago friend gives one a warm fuzzy feeling. Thank you for sharing the experience with us!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm glad you can reconnect and have such a good outcome. The world needs more of those and it landed for you. Tis a good thing.

    ReplyDelete
  13. i loved this! yes it's very possible to enjoy what technology has done for us and yet still appreciate our past loves. very good!

    ReplyDelete
  14. A beautiful re- connection, and a beautiful piece of prose. Hope all is well with you these days dear Rosemary. I always love seeing your flower photography on FB.

    ReplyDelete

DON'T PANIC IF YOUR COMMENTS DON'T POST IMMEDIATELY. They are awaiting moderation. Please allow for possible time difference; I am in Australia. ALSO, IF YOU ARE FORCED TO COMMENT ANONYMOUSLY – do add your name at the end, so I know it's you!