Monday, December 10, 2007

Why is this happening?
Not my country. Not my faith. Yet.
The snow covered streets of Colorado are far from bustling Mumbai.
A schoolbus, for heaven’s sake a bus with kids, in the neighboring country to the west I refuse to call by name.
So completely random.
Tomorrow, my home state votes. No way must the genocide of 2002 be allowed again.

Slow down, the forecast says; slow down and listen to the earth move on its axis.
In peace.


She waits every Sunday evening, laptop on the ready. This is aunty, aka my ex-landlady.
Quick with questions, slow to get it.
Taking notes so that she remembers.
Photographs. Sepia. Color. Some thumbnail only.
Of her wedding. In all her finery, that fresh-as-mountain-dew look on her face.
Of the kids.
Of homes moved across the country, three kids in tow.
Of the son’s first birthday.
His graduation ceremony.
Of the son’s first frigate, and its not a toy.
Of the grandkids.
Day one, year one, scrawny baby.
Day one, year twenty-five, stethoscope in hand.
Quite a journey. So much to note.

8 comments:

CRUSTY MOM-E said...

uhoh! What happened? a bombing? accident? I hope safety is there and fear is not..sigh...why can't we all just get along, right?

I have to remind myself to slow down all the time...hustle and bustle..very very hectic.

Be safe, okay???
Have some tea and find new hidden passions!! :)
Always,
Crusty~

austere said...

Thank you, Crusty.
I guess I have to stop being so sensitive.
It is this wave of random civilian anger outbursts and deaths that is upsetting me.

Yes, time for something new.
:)

manuscrypts said...

if its a wave, maybe it isnt random anymore...

austere said...

sobering, Algeria- 67?

Anonymous said...

I am sick of the murder. We can not win against stupidity. No way.

Are you interviewing aunty? A biographical narrative ... Sometimes I think these stories should be collected and stored - but who would read, who would visit the museum? Tomorrow I will lecture about an interesting man who died at the beginning of WWI, not as a soldier. Just months ago he wrote letters with collegues in France and they wrote to him, that they should/would do more for peace ... Another time "the sword" won over "the pen". Intellectuals are for the birds ... bird-feed

austere said...

It is happening just too often for comfort. A certain edginess to the air?

I think her children and grandkids would love to read this.She's the only person in her age group who keeps in touch over chat! Yes, mob fury and wars, can one even argue with the show of force..intellectuals keep their ammunition safe for saner times.

CRUSTY MOM-E said...

it really is painful, isn't it? To see the world encompassing the little futures with drama and issues..fast zip zip paced ...no wonder there is an increase in ADHD or ADD.
sigh..
ALways,
Crusty~

austere said...

yes, crusty, veering from one drama to another, sometimes I feel like stepping back and away, to Walden.