Friday Poem: Kath

Kath was an elderly lady who was brought to church every Sunday from residential care, maintaining her lifelong place in the church community. She had entered that stage of life sometimes called a second childhood, her behaviour freed from the constraints of being ‘proper’. I don’t recall what the hymn was, but I’m fairly sure it was in waltz time…

This morning
Old Kath got up in church
And danced before the Lord.
Simple, artless, profound;
Beautiful expression of joy,
Slow feet and twisted hands,
A child-like smile;

But she knows something
The rest of us have lost
And she has wings.

I didn’t take photos in church – I don’t think I even had a mobile phone, let alone one with a camera back then- so I’m using these photos I took recently of a joyous and noisy nursery flock of galahs (aka Roseate Cockatoos). They’ve had an exceptional year, for some reason. Local farmers certainly haven’t, what with lack of rain and late, brutal frosts. I have never seen so many ‘immatures’ together, which is why I went out with the camera. Of course they took off instead of continuing to feed on the roadside, and I kept snapping as they flew past. They then alighted on a power line, shrieking and flapping and being generally entertaining.

 

Friday Poem:Dancer

A couple of weeks ago, I visited the Australian National Gallery in Canberra, with my daughter, her partner and little Juniper. We went through the splendid Asian section, where we saw a beautiful Natarajah – Lord Shiva in the form of Lord of the Dance. I was very impressed with it. Since then, it has been revealed that the dealer from whom the Gallery purchased it -at great expense – was  not all he seemed. The Shiva who danced in pride of place in Canberra had been -ah- removed illicitly from a tiny temple in a village in Southern India. The gallery has now said the image will be returned. I hope it gets back eventually to it’s proper home, because it’s devotees really miss it…

Wrist bones and hip bones
Dancing for me
Ribcage and spine bones
Dance in the dark.

Dance, dance for me
Thigh bones and ankles!
Collar-bones, skull bones
Come dance for me;
The flame of life flickers
Dancing the bones.

Bound up with muscle
Wrapped in the skin
With a sweet crown of hair
Spirit dances within.
My bones and your bones
Dance in the dark:
Spirit, our spirits
Dancing the bones.

I wasn’t actually thinking of Natarajah when I wrote the poem – after all, he is dancing the universe into being, not just having a good time -but it seems apt. Nor are the Shivas in these photos the one in the NGA; they are much smaller (and legally mine) but the posture (asana?) is the same. I’m not a huge Bruce fan, but how can I not add this song to this post?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=129kuDCQtHs

Friday Poem: Lord of the Dance

Friday again already! I almost forgot…

 

Lord of the Dance,
Shiva!
Creator and Destroyer
in one-
Dance for me,
Show what I  must
destroy
in order
to create anew;
Teach me to create
and dance destruction.
All that is born must die,
An endless cycle;
And that which is not born
Does not die.
I am that, Lord Shiva;
The Dancer and the dance.

I made this little book to hold the lyrics of Patti Smith’s “About a Boy”. I may share more of it later. Patti Smith is a great poet, musician and artist, truly an inspiration. If you haven’t read “Just Kids” yet, I suggest that you do so soon! She was a (fairly) ordinary girl who grew up to meet and work with extraordinary people in New York in the 70’s. Now she’s a living legend…