Monday, July 1, 2019, 05:36 PM - Poetry and Writing
The other night at the Celebration of Life of my friend Marcel, I fainted, hit my head and knocked myself out. He would have loved that I left his party on a stretcher. Marcel the marine engineer who spent a good part of his career looking at risk and safety. Then we went to the Musee des Beaux Artes (Quebec city) and saw a wonderful exhibit of Miro. He was quoted as saying that he liked, in his art, to "provoke accidents." I loved this and have been contemplating what makes an accident. Something, not disastrous, that wasn't supposed to happen but alters the path. Tuesday, April 30, 2019, 04:19 PM - Poetry and Writing
Marcel, you’re a pirate, a dreamer
a bugger, a spinner of yarn,
you are one of my fondest memories.
Guitar, crackling fire, a few friends,
the ocean A-framed.
If only the world could drift off like
we did that night,
bodies opening to new trust.
In your fourth round,
still standing you bought a motorbike,
a t-shirt with a radioactive sign, asked
the nurses to play Wagner’s Ride.
Nothing big is easy.
A woman found four bees
living from her tears.
This isn’t news to our bodies.
That grief both offers & unseats. It’s
messy, we’re always a little close
to stinging or being stung yet something is fed
when we love. Grace and a big unflinching heart
can hold most of this. When we lean right in
there is space
around words
around the tightening
around minds that keep buzzing
and feeding.
When we let it move
let the space and silence
around sensations bloom,
it is us-
sadness and fear,
symbols and bellies
motorbikes and Wagner,
wide wide ocean and fire
this round, every round
still moving
still open
and yes, by god, you’d insist,
fist & grin if you were here,
still standing.
In memory of Marcel LaRoche. For Sam, Mischa, Natasha and that big unflinching heart.
Wednesday, February 27, 2019, 01:21 PM - Poetry and Writing
up bearing witness
this blood moon tango with light
enso in the stars
tears fall with the chants
honour but don’t privilege
strong winds are fleeting
little red maple
touch of drag with winter hues
more wink than prayer
photo: Warren Summers
Sunday, September 30, 2018, 01:46 PM - Poetry and Writing
Friday, August 10, 2018, 01:29 AM - Poetry and Writing
Design and photos: Karen Smith
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