"I was so busy rushing headlong into the future, loving libraries and

books and authors with all my heart and soul, was so consumed

with becoming myself that I simply didn't notice that I was short,

homely and untalented."

     From the introduction to Bradbury Stories ( William Morrow publ.)

                             by Ray Bradbury

                         

Since retiring in May this is the first time I have the luxury of  

sitting down at home and fiddling with my books. It seems to 

be a time to read, think and look, both forward and backward.

My books; mirrors to the reflections, loves, lives of so many 

others, both real and imagined, help as well.

"We live forward, but understand backwards'

                       from Reading Dante: From Here to Eternity

by Prue Shaw

" we are asleep over charts at running windows

we are asleep with compasses in our hands

and at the bow of the stone boat

the wave from the ends of the earth keeps breaking"

from The Estuary

by W.S. Merwin

I have been out of circulation for awhile, we went on

an Alaskan cruise with no internet access we cared to

pay for and then I had a cold and sat around feeling sorry

for myself. Now recovered and with lots of photos from

both the cruise and the summer at the cabin I will try to

post more often. I am not sure if the subject of Merwin

poems exactly matches the photos but they often mirror

my feelings, while observing and experiencing the world

with all it's history, complexity, colour and movement.

" I am the child who plans the Ark

back of the house while there is still 

time and rides bareback on the dark

horse through the summer night until

day finds us on the leafless hill

who stands at evening by the lake

looking out on it as I will

as long as I am here awake. "

    from Testimony

        by W.S. Merlin