Lady’s slipper…
And what if you had wings
and flew
into the garden,
then fell
into the up-tipped face
of a white flower…
— in Why I Wake Early by Mary Oliver
I don’t know,
how many years ago,
it was now,
because linear time,
has simply become,
one never ending,
question mark,
but I started,
to have these dreams,
where I was,
in the presence,
of a woman,
and from her,
I learned,
about the look,
of love…
And whatever,
she’s told me,
to do,
I did,
and the path,
has been,
a mazing…
When waking,
from these dreams,
I’d search,
and wonder,
IS THAT YOU???
and it took until,
NOW,
to realize,
that this woman,
is none other,
than MY SELF…
And thank god,
for that discovery,
because now,
I know,
I no longer,
have to go,
anywhere,
to find,
what I’ve been,
looking for…
The other day,
Starshine,
and I,
were headed north,
on Victoria Drive,
as we listened,
to the B-Mac and Taylor show,
and we remarked,
on our own conversation,
about the potential,
for the first,
second,
third,
and fourth lines,
of a team,
to develop,
a license,
to penalty kill…
We were astounded,
by the fact,
that we were speaking,
of things,
we’d never ever,
considered,
before,
with clarity,
and a confidence,
that has crept,
slowly,
from out,
of nowhere,
and there ain’t,
no stopping us,
now…
(re)Training thoroughbreds,
from a distance,
is something,
I never saw,
for myself,
but when you’ve had,
a passed life,
as an oyster,
you never forget,
how to make pearls,
and when you remember,
what you already know,
from previous experience,
it’s just a matter,
of being,
in the right place,
at the right time,
before it all,
comes back to you,
BETTER than,
EVER…
When I picked up,
my car,
with its new,
timing belt,
and wiper blades,
on NEW YEAR’s eve,
my mechanic told me,
point blank,
You’re GOOD to go…
I wondered where,
seeing as,
last time,
he said,
You have ENOUGH,
brake pad,
to get to California…
In-between,
karate chops,
to demonstrate,
the power,
of his chi,
he illuminated,
You’re equipped,
to at least,
50 below…
And in that sleight,
of hand,
I heard,
the cheers,
of a triple crown,
and saw,
the sparkle,
of pink diamonds,
in the back stretch…
The jungle is your head... (photo: Starshine)
Mute point…
Jacinta saw the blue butterfly — a small moth really;
a mud-puddle moth, but pretty, and pale blue like the spring sky —
and she knew what Thomasina was doing…
Jacinta did not think her crazy,
and did not try to draw her to the reception or to move her from this moment of peace…
Women did not get many moments like this in their lives,
sun beating on their eyelids in a hidden corner and no one asking them for anything…
No one asking them to find the salt,
or wait for a man who might come home in three months but might not…
Women of Croydon Harbour knew what was expected of them at all times,
and they did it…
And the men were expected to do things too,
and they did them,
and there was no time left…
— in Annabel by Kathleen Winter
Some people,
probably wouldn’t believe,
that cats can recognize,
the sound of a car engine,
around the corner,
signalling a warm lap,
or dinner…
But they do…
And I know that,
not because,
a psychologist told me,
but because I see them,
come running…
And some people,
wouldn’t believe,
that rabbits,
know,
when you walk,
in the door…
But I do,
because I hear them,
thumping,
a I know you’re there,
for their fresh greens,
and a soft hand,
that says Hello…
One of the things,
I heard,
Mike Gillis say,
to the milk maids,
on THE Team 1040,
is We like our fans,
to be,
in the best condition,
at the right time,
to watch,
our games,
and a 10 am.,
showtime,
on a Saturday,
has the potential,
to be interfered with,
by family activities…
In my mind,
this mid-morning,
match-up,
between the Bruins,
and Vancouver,
with Cory Schneider,
in goal,
is about to,
set a trend,
that is not,
to be messed with…
You just never know,
what’ll work,
until you try it,
and no one,
really knows,
what’s about to unfold,
until,
it really,
happens…
And I have,
solid faith,
in the gut,
of the cannon,
that is calling,
the shots,
to handle,
the mystery,
as it arises,
like a zen master…
I remember the summer,
in between,
high school graduation,
and starting up,
at UBC,
when a friend,
would drive up,
every weekend,
from Seattle,
to pick me up,
from work,
to head downtown,
to our favorite club,
and the bartender’s girlfriend,
telling me,
over Long Island Iced Tea’s,
I’m a change..
I had no idea what,
she was referring to
and my face,
must have been,
dying of curiosity,
because she took me,
by the hand,
and said,
Come,
I’ll show you…
And in a stall,
of the ladies washroom,
I got to see,
the perfection,
of what modern,
1980’s science,
could do,
with what,
didn’t want,
to be a man…
And the thing,
I’ve wondered,
ever since,
is what part,
of a person,
knows when,
what is seen,
on the outside,
matches up,
with what is known,
from the inside,
when there are,
as many ways,
of looking,
and being,
as there are lookings,
and beings,
on earth…
And is Hockey Canada,
and the NHL,
taking,
the necessary steps
to prepare for,
and recruit,
those up and coming,
super stars,
who intend,
to take our national game,
to places,
it’s never gone before,
for the better,
while they fight,
to play,
ambiguously,
or are those organizations,
intending,
to stay asleep,
at the wheel…
I had to laugh,
today,
when Coach V,
was quoted,
as saying,
You guys are beautiful,
in response,
to the furthering,
of ridiculous questions,
by the media,
before the team,
was even on,
the plane,
to Boston…
There are times,
when it is important,
to focus,
on one game,
at a time…
And to stay clear,
on that…
And then,
there are,
those other times,
when seeing,
down the road ahead,
is a chance,
to state,
the very thing,
that needs,
to be said,
in the world,
and it takes,
the right,
kind of man,
to stand up,
and say it…
We are stitched together... (photo: Starshine)
Far cry…
The woman stood in the precise center of the rose…
— in The Girl who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
by Catherynne M. Valente
One of the things,
that puts a smile,
in my mechanic’s day,
is when I tell him,
how his personal investments,
of thousands spent,
on dental implants,
and ballroom dancing lessons,
makes his sixty-two year old body,
worth so much more,
than my car…
Yesterday,
I was interrogated,
as to why,
I’ve taken to watching,
the World Juniors,
for the first time…
There are no simple answers,
to such questions,
but in this case,
I summed,
it all up,
by saying,
I’m expanding,
my focus,
into new,
hockey horizons,
and my answer,
received,
knowing nods,
of approval…
When I’m working with,
a horse,
who’s been made,
precisely for carrying,
the weight,
of his herd,
on his shoulders,
I ask him,
to only show me,
a little bit,
of the story,
at a time,
so that,
I don’t,
fall down…
This two-step,
is delicate,
and strong,
all at once,
and the practice,
is better than,
perfect…
I was out there searching... (photo: Starshine)
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