Nothing says "I've seen it all" quite like that spare snippet. Well crafted. May you keep seeing with new eyes and desiring everything, to find it in blossom.
Celebrating your birthday and the birthday of another writer friend.
You. An air sign on the cusp. My son, an air sign (Gemini) also on the cusp.
A long time ago, so-glad-to-see-him-in-the-rearview-mirror Aquarian used to call it the airhead sign. Funny, perhaps, but definitely NOT true of you. Or my friend in Tucson. Or my son.
Thank you, Janie. Regarding our mileage and its variance, I would expect nothing different, and nothing less. I am watching the inaugural address. Biden just pardoned half his family, and Trump just promised to go to Mars. God help us all.
The back of the hand becomes more and more like a diagram of a wetland and its tributaries as we age and our wisdom rises like the veins of the hand. Happy Birthday X.P.!
This is a small bit from Louise Glück’s “Tributaries” which might serve on this day for our nation:
“They’ve been exiled by the world of hope,
which is the world of action,
but the world of thought hasn’t as yet opened to them.”
Happy Birthday! May this year continue to bring wonderful poems and reflections, much love, good health and many moments of beauty and delight. Thank you for your many gifts to me this past year and over the years! I’ve never quite put the obvious together before this year and realized that you share your birthday every four years with inauguration day. I love knowing you share your birthday with David Lynch. I’m sorry that I’m reading this at almost 2 PM so missed the noon meditation. I love your poem and the photograph…both move me immensely. And I smile to read your comment about “must see” TV.
Happy Birthday, XP! As Spock would say,”live long and prosper!” Thank you for all of your unique and innovative poems and for educating us on poetry forms—as a relative neophyte to writing anything but boring technical reports, reading your work on Substack has been a treat! As for wrinkles, age spots and bulging veins we are all going to get (or already have), every one signifies one of your accomplishments. May you display them as a badge of honor!
Heh. Thanks, Glenn. Yes, the show will go on, improbably renewed for another season. If we can't turn it off, we can keep the volume low and go outside with the birds and the trees and meet friends along the way.
"Look at this—
the back of my hand."
Nothing says "I've seen it all" quite like that spare snippet. Well crafted. May you keep seeing with new eyes and desiring everything, to find it in blossom.
Thank you, Mark.
Happy Birthday, Fellow Aquarian. ♒️ Thank you for alerting me to the David Lynch meditation today. He will be missed.
Thank you, Angela, and the same to you, whenever it lands. His book "Catching the Big Fish" is gold.
Thanks. Needed that grandmother's hand perspective. Perfection. And a very Happy Birthday to you.
Thank you, Ann.
Happy birthday, XP!! Only you could have come up with such a creative use of the back of my aging hand. Love it!
Thank you, Celeste.
Happy Birthday X.P.!
On we go
Doing what we know
Is right
Thank you, Kim.
"the back of my hand ..."
"Rivers running blue"
Celebrating your birthday and the birthday of another writer friend.
You. An air sign on the cusp. My son, an air sign (Gemini) also on the cusp.
A long time ago, so-glad-to-see-him-in-the-rearview-mirror Aquarian used to call it the airhead sign. Funny, perhaps, but definitely NOT true of you. Or my friend in Tucson. Or my son.
My mileage is definitely varying from yours.
Thank you, Janie. Regarding our mileage and its variance, I would expect nothing different, and nothing less. I am watching the inaugural address. Biden just pardoned half his family, and Trump just promised to go to Mars. God help us all.
Today is a day of reading and writing and crosswords puzzles.
Later, the reading will include the NYTimes ... or at least the headlines.
Mars? If he were JFK, he's be standing outside, without an overcoat.
NY Times for the puzzles. And the ccoking app.
Always! Our mileage is aligning, at least a bit.
I may not always follow the tire tracks of your mileage but will fight to the death for your right to log it.
Likewise, my friend
Reluctantly I am an air sign too. Often need to be grounded and get back to work, what was I doing? (Working on this in my golden years.)
The back of the hand becomes more and more like a diagram of a wetland and its tributaries as we age and our wisdom rises like the veins of the hand. Happy Birthday X.P.!
This is a small bit from Louise Glück’s “Tributaries” which might serve on this day for our nation:
“They’ve been exiled by the world of hope,
which is the world of action,
but the world of thought hasn’t as yet opened to them.”
Thank you, Victoria.
Wonderful poem and perspective and who better to honor than David Lynch today.
Thanks, LeeAnn. Today, like you, I’m writing and revising. Nothing better!
Indeed and happy birthday!
This is beautiful!
and Happy Birthday dear XP!!!!! I am so glad that you were born!
Thank you, Cathy, and likewise.
Happy Birthday! May this year continue to bring wonderful poems and reflections, much love, good health and many moments of beauty and delight. Thank you for your many gifts to me this past year and over the years! I’ve never quite put the obvious together before this year and realized that you share your birthday every four years with inauguration day. I love knowing you share your birthday with David Lynch. I’m sorry that I’m reading this at almost 2 PM so missed the noon meditation. I love your poem and the photograph…both move me immensely. And I smile to read your comment about “must see” TV.
Thanks, Mary. Meditation is timeless, so you can probably join in on your own schedule.
Lovely
Happy Birthday, XP! As Spock would say,”live long and prosper!” Thank you for all of your unique and innovative poems and for educating us on poetry forms—as a relative neophyte to writing anything but boring technical reports, reading your work on Substack has been a treat! As for wrinkles, age spots and bulging veins we are all going to get (or already have), every one signifies one of your accomplishments. May you display them as a badge of honor!
Thanks very much, Carole. Live long and prosper yourself!
Stunning, just stunning. And happy birthday!
Thanks so much, Lisa. ❤️
My age spot had kids.
Good poem.
Like the wife, I could not subject myself to the Trump show — it will go on and on and on, though, and we won’t be able to avoid it.
Heh. Thanks, Glenn. Yes, the show will go on, improbably renewed for another season. If we can't turn it off, we can keep the volume low and go outside with the birds and the trees and meet friends along the way.
Happy Birthday! May your rivers overflow with poems such as this one.
Thank you very much. ❤️
Happy birthday X.P.! Beautiful poem.
Thank you, Rosa. Looking forward to returning to your beautiful poem.