Tuesday, January 4, 2011

To Makayla and Nickolas . . .

. . . after an hour of soaking up your joie de vivre in the simple act of chasing and catching leaves on a breeze:

I have but one request---that in the time it takes for me to grow old and you to grow up, we choose often to sit outside together giving heed to the things of beauty in the natural world---to the shape of a bird’s beak, for instance, or the pattern of its flight, the building and tending of its nest, the care of its young---to the slant of a sun’s ray, or the glint of its reflection on a pine needle, its blinding bounce from a bird’s copper roof, its flash in the birdbath, its dependable reach, its warmth on our knees---to the elasticity of the skin on the back of your hands, the wrinkle of mine---or as we did today, to the fall of one leaf, the single ride of its life, remembering its lime green tenderness when new, its deep green strength when mature, its powerful red seasoning as it nears death, its cleansing brown decay that nourishes the earth long after it is gone, metaphor for you and me---to the wind on our faces and the way it takes the shape of our lungs before it moves on, the breath of the universe. Love, Omi

9 comments:

Jane Robertson said...

We were talking of tears and your post has triggered them again! What a precious poem (I know it's not technically, but feels so) for your mokopuna? (Maori word for grandchildren). As a philosophy to live by this says it all. Thank you!

dkm said...

Thank YOU---yes they are my mokopuna---and I'm glad to know that word. I have wanted to know more of the Maori people ever since reading Sylvia Ashton Warner's book long ago. If I remember correctly, the title was Teacher---a required reading in my teacher training. And later, when I became a teacher, reading of Marie Clay's research with the Maori about how children learn to read only intensified my desire to visit New Zealand. Maybe someday.

Jane Robertson said...

Yes, Sylvia Ashton Warner wrote Teacher. Also Spinster. She was always more appreciated in the US than in NZ sadly. You would be interested in our Kohanga Reo (pre-school) and Kura Kaupapa (primary) Maori language schools (grass roots initiatives) and the work being done on bilingualism...

'Maybe someday' - I do believe that long-held hopes, ambitions do come to fruition eventually!

Pukeko G said...

Hi Debs and welcome to a new year :)
It is a good time to reflect on what has passed and whats to come .. and an image that is always floating in the back of my mind was from Monty Python re the falling leaves .. It was like the leaves were being thrown out of the nest and didn't want to leave, yelling as if they had been thrown off a cliff .. their volume fading as they drew closer to the ground and landed with a dull thud ! You do see lots that others don't :)

dkm said...

Great to hear from you again, and FABULOUS image! What a good movie to dig out this afternoon. Will watch for your scene. How could I have forgotten such a great one? Monty Python and a big cup of steaming hot buttered rum will be the perfect treatment for the ice storm we are experiencing. We're all snowed in here. Very uncharacteristic weather for southeastern U.S. Went sledding yesterday on the four-lane road that is the main corridor through our small city, which has all but closed down. No traffic at all.

Happy 2011 to my NZ friends. Stay well and busy and safe and in good humor in your part of the world. I'll chuckle with you and Monty Python today.

dkm said...

Pukeko G --- Moe, my husband, who is a long time Monty Python fan, knew the falling leaf sketch and found it online for me---surprising title: "Suicidal Leaves," which gives the fall of a leaf yet a different slant---and lends an anthropomorphic quality to the whole thing---as pointed out by Samuel Park, who sometimes comments on this blog, and whose writing blog I follow. Interesting how odd things can interconnect in this world to forever change how we view them ---and lead us to other odd things. We spent the whole evening searching out Moe's old favorite Monty Python sketches---Bring out your dead, dead parrot, the ministry of silly walks, how do you know he's a king, and others." Crazy! Also, by your succinct and well-worded portrayal of the leaf sketch, I'm thinking you must be a philosophy teacher---when you're not birthing lambs. I'm not giving up on the hope for an occasional blog post from your corner---

Pukeko G said...

Thankyou and lovely to hear from you too. Compliments of the season to you and your family. I had not seen that movie since a late teenager I guess so is surprising what stays in the grey cells and what triggers them to be re released eh? Trouble is over time the detail can change but is neat you had it to recall. I will have to dig it out of a hire place and let Niki view as she not seen ! Shame that.

Re our world !! I have seen snow on the palm trees in your side of the world and heard another very cold winter for many. Our neighbours over the ditch (as we Kiwis say) in Aussie are really suffering horrid flooding and loss of life, while we are still rock and rolling from our other mothers shake up (though not nearly as rough as the initial one last year) I have been cutting and splitting old man pine in 36 deg heat in preparation for our winter. I have what some describe as a strange sense of humour and really enjoy good comedys. Have you seen Peter Sellers "Being There" ? Flying High etc. silly but clever.
Maybe I am a bit of a philosopher but would only be shallow (ie thinking of worms rather than magma!)
Take care PG

dkm said...

I know all about gray cells changing memories over time. Our suicidal leaves turned out to be a sketch from one of the TV shows, not a movie---you can find it by googling the title plus Monty Python.

We have read about Australia's flooding. Blessings to all the families dealing with that tragedy. Much catastrophe the world over!

Exactly what season is it there? We are one month into our winter. I'm assuming your 36 degrees are C degrees, not F? Because "36 degree heat" sounds like an oxymoron to us!

Pukeko G said...

We are in summer and yes ..36 in Deg Celcius .. (approx 97° Fahrenheit) Thanks for the MP update .. Will still get a movie if I can find one. :-)