Love and the Island of Caves
Love and masks in an urban area
in the time of covid-19 lockdown
We have come to this place
where we are real to each other only
Facing each other in Plato’s cave
Everyone else a masked shadow
passing. In the lilies above our bed
the flowers fade and there are only the spaces,
macabre faces in a slow dance of fear.
Most real to us are the shafts
of sunlight in the bougainvillea
mixing crimson with potato-bush blue
the chirruping choir of sparrows
and the chew-chit of the collared sunbird,
as lost as we in their new freedom.
Voices of neighbours unrhythm our morning
Laughter across the yards invade us
dislocated nouns and verbs fall about us,
diffusing. Memory and pain pour from us
as we eucharist at home.
Strangely we discover a life we once knew
The machine hums and fabric and cottons colour a table
Pens and pastels wash through paper
Meals are conjured and senses savoured
And we play.
In the streets we haste past strangers
in the dawn glow
Momentary recognitions
At dusk images of our children and theirs
arise and fade into untouching loneliness
Another day
Our friends die and eddy into the silent clouds
Touching and tasting puts the world under siege
Now it is only you my love
For this we had chosen each other
In that distant time of freshness and promise
For only our love serves and saves
In this island of caves.
Bob Commin 2020
Soul Food
Cheryl Gammon, a mathematics teacher, wife and mother reading the poem See his blood upon the Rose by Joseph Mary Plunket (1916)
Dorian Haarhoff poet and storyteller shares a story during these covid-19 days.
Pentecost Prayer
Come O Fire and Flame Of divine Love And burn away the chaff of our lives Speak to us that we may speak to others Enlighten us that we may enlighten others And set us on fire with love for one another through Jesus the Christ Amen
The Journey
I love this painting of the Emmaus Road by Daniel Bonnell. There are the layered colours, the partially foreboding ultramarine sky, the pink and purple and orange sky which speaks of loss and bereavement but also passion, the cerulean blue above the yellow and orange sun. We see the three lonely figures in the right hand corner of the painting, so vulnerable in the land and skyscape. Yet as they go the new day awakens with brilliant sunlight which will claim that sky and transform the day. What we are seeing in the vast canvas of colour is what is …
William Struthers Cunningham
Before moving through the slides please play the audio music below and take you time in reflection.
Season of Creation 2: Snake
Dear Friends and followers of my Blog, Here are two offerings which I hope may interest you. Season of Creation: Snake and my reading of D.H.Lawrence’s poem and of how it found me. Soul food is also back with various offerings. I have finally transposed a memorial service for my brother-in-law, Billy Cunningham from a Zoom powerpoint onto my blog to make it available to family and friends. Unlike powerpoint the reader has to move the slides move on, and in the right places click the video’s and music to play. It may be of interest to non family members …
One comment on “Pentecost Moments”