L'aura del Campo

Jon-ken-poi, death and homelessness.

Handling death. Michael Stoops of the National Homeless Coalition visited our town. Last day of Indian Summer. Images of the last flowers blooming. Jon-ken-poi and Japanese culture.

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AUTUMN: 6 Qudrat (9 November)

'é a lua,  é a lua,  na quintana dos mortos'
♣    Federico García Lorca    ♣

MY THOUGHTS

How does your family handle death? A comment in malaya 's blog made me reminisce on my father's death.

I saw my dad the evening of February 25th. My mother said he was ill and sleeping, but he overheard that I wanted to see him. We spoke biefly; he was very sick, but had a doctor's appt. the next day. My brother-in-law went over Friday morning but said he was too sick and called an ambulance; dad was admitted in the hospital. I remember calling my sister in Seattle and she asked whether she should get a flight. I said no ... wait till tomorrow and we would see. In a couple hours, my little sister said I should come to the hospital. I got there 10 minutes late as my other sister was calling. (She got the next plane.)

Everything was surreal. I really needed to not be alone that evening, but ... The next 3 days were going-through-the motion. I felt totally out of place at the funeral.

My mother was fine; she grieved in her own way. None of us fought over anything so that was a relief.

These many years later, though, it still seems unreal. I personally want to be buried where I die, not cremated, not flown half a world away. I want certain people involved, but not my family.

And I'd like to say some things while I'm still breathing, but at the moment choose not to. I write, so they can read all about it later.

At least my dad didn't linger. Me? I no longer know. Some days I don't care.

Nada does a tribute to her father "Invalid Entry" , who at 84 is still going strong. I checked on my father's military record. Didn't find much, but he is listed as enlisting in New Jersey (which I wouldn't have ever guessed) and being a staff sergeant.

WEATHER

70º and beautiful Indian Summer!
64º in Bellefontaine, Ohio
82º in San José, Costa Rica

IMAGES

Still blooming:

one pink primrose; purple salvia; white clematis; orange marigold; purple chrysanthemum; purple obedient plant; thyme; white fibrous begonia; yellow chrysanthemum; white snapdragons; purple sweer peas; pale yellow daisies; rudbeckia; pink roses.

POULTRY

Under the Campanile

Pebbled terrazzo, this bell tower's plaza,
soaks-in November's sad song.

Now past the frost, a respite from frost
it sings o'er where buffalo roamed,

when brush fires burned and the dry prairie turned
black while the red-wings' trills warned

across this wide valley, this crimson-blue valley,
as now clangs our old college song. [163.424]

Obviously, this needs work to strengthen the words and maybe the images, but I like the rhythm.

WRITING

Allyson and I talked about my novellette 'Ao Hanada' and Japanese culture today at Tea. I mentioned mountain-sky-sea as a metaphor of rock-paper-scissors and she responded enthusiastically that jon-ken-poi (ai-ko-dasho) is used alot. When I mentioned my mountain character Akai, she said that that would be Akai-sama out of reverence. She understood my use of Sakura (cherry) and Ume growing out of a crack. So ... I feel encouraged to continue working in the direction this is going and learn more about Japanese culture as I go along. I suspect that I absorbed even more than I realized as a child.

READING

'Women of the Plains, vol.2'. Some good stuff, but mostly dreary poetry that just isn't. Even I write better ...

BLOGVILLE

dragonfly~guess who's back? warns about keeping Africam on continuously as the allowable download may max out. See her entry "Invalid Entry"  and the previous one.

From charlesthec's blog: "If you have not heard, Iva Iva Lilly Durham is in critical condition at Genesis West Hospital, Davenport Iowa, Room 6033, 563-421-2633 altho it is difficult for her to receive calls right now. Her family has been contacted, etc. but she is a fighter. Please pray for her."

MY LIFE

Went to two meetings with Michael Stoops. Totally out-of-it this afternoon. Did eat some good meatloaf though. Still doing my inhaler but lungs are doing much better. Can I complain about the tingling in my right leg? Not? Okay. This evening I'm okay.

I did get to Tea @ 3 and gave out my poetry to Douglas, Sarah, Jon, Richard and others. Caught the tail end of a presentation/talk about the Japanese Tea Ceremony.

WATT'S GNUS

Went to two meetings where Michael Stoops of the National Homeless Coalition spoke. Last year Lawrence was designated the 2nd meanest city. He stuck by that.

I got the chance to ask him about Jackson Mississippi where the homeless were subjected to a 10 pm curfew until the Coalition got involved and the mayor backed down. And then there are the cities in Florida who were ticketing those who helped the homeless and/or limiting the distribution of food to the needy.

So maybe this town isn't so bad. But ... this town has resources that other places don't and much lower numbers. And ... the city did pass the laws.

http://www.nationalhomeless.org/

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