Current family duties will preclude me from updating here for a bit. Thanks.
He thought he kept the universe alone;
For all the voice in answer he could wake
Was but the mocking echo of his own
From some tree-hidden cliff across the lake.
Some morning from the boulder-broken beach
He would cry out on life, that what it wants
Is not its own love back in copy speech,
But counter-love, original response.
And nothing ever came of what he cried
Unless it was the embodiment that crashed
In the cliff’s talus on the other side,
And then in the far distant water splashed,
But after a time allowed for it to swim,
Instead of proving human when it neared
And someone else additional to him,
As a great buck it powerfully appeared,
Pushing the crumpled water up ahead,
And landed pouring like a waterfall,
And stumbled through the rocks with horny tread,
And forced the underbrush–and that was all.
When all Earth’s seas shall Levitate,
Dark shawled within the skies,
Upon our eyes will Starfish dance
Their waltz of Blind surprise.
The sun will Rise within wine Dark
As Argonauts imbibed,
Whose drunken arms embrace that sleep
Where Phaeton’s horses Stride.
Upon all of Earth’s wind-sanded shores,
As dolphins Learn to soar,
All we once were on the land
Shall be sealed behind the door
Of Ivory and Chastened Gold,
That the Mystery solved complete
Shall never til the seas’ Long fall
Wake mariners from their sleep.
— Van der Leun
I CELEBRATE myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.
I loafe and invite my soul,
I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass.
My tongue, every atom of my blood, form’d from this soil, this
air,
Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and their
parents the same,
I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect health begin,
Hoping to cease not till death.
— Walt Whitman
Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?
I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.
I do not think that they will sing to me.
I have seen them riding seaward on the waves
Combing the white hair of the waves blown back
When the wind blows the water white and black.
We have lingered in the chambers of the sea
By sea-girls wreathed with seaweed red and brown
Till human voices wake us, and we drown.
— The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T. S. Eliot
Gerard Van der Leun
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Will pray that all works out well.
Hope it’s nothing serious. Let us know if prayers are needed!
All the best!
What EOP and Esky said above. Sending good hopes and wishes your way.
Ditto, ditto, ditto, Gerard.
Hale Adams
Pikesville, People’s still-mostly-Democratic Republic of Maryland
I sincerely hope all is well.
Gerard’s Mom took a tumble and skinned her knee.
All is well at this time, he will report in later.
Lois is resting and has been looked at by the EMT’s and will get a good nights sleep, Gerard not so much. Send him some prayers, he has asked for them. Thanks, this is coming from a good friend.
“Send him some prayers, he has asked for them.”
Have sent and will keep sending.
Hope and pray all is well with you both.
Thank you Geoff C. The Saltine. It’s clear how GVDL adores his Mother. Will direct prayers his and his Mother’s direction.
“Gerard’s Mom took a tumble and skinned her knee.”
DAM!
Last night I wrote, “Hope Mama’s doin’ OK!”, and then didn’t send it, didn’t want to draw ill will.
And now this.
Sincerly hope she’s alright.
She’s an American Heirloom.
Can you imagine sitting and talking to Lois?
Her life spans a century.
To touch memories of a time before the great war, the Titanic, when motorized kites filled the air. WoW.
I’d bring a legal paid full of questions and subject matters.
And a bit of quality chocolate.
Looking forward to seeing “all is well” for all. Agree with Ghost, this precious lady has some wonderful stories yet to be told!
Prayers and mojo from Utah.
We’ll miss you (and your Mom) for a bit. Our prayers are with you. Meantime, we’ll put our critical thinking on hold ’till you’re back.
Prayers for Mama and Gerard.
Love you brother
Praying all is well, for both of you, and will remain well, Gerard.
Thoughts (good ‘uns) and prayers for your Mom and yourself. Make haste slowly in your return and her recovery.
Prayers coming for you and for your Mother from another Northern Californian and a fellow traveler from the Bay Area ’60’s…….
Best wishes, Gerard. I hope things turn out well for all.
Gerard,
Good wishes and prayers for you and your Mom.
Praying.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Mrs VdL – suspect that skinned knees have lots more mileage in them. Greetings and grateful thanks from Norfolk England for rearing the best blogmeister of the intertubes. Your vicarious influence is manifest and much appreciated.
That last comment was mine, mistagged. 🙂
Gerard,
I’ll continue to pray for your mother’s recovery. Your blog is a wonderful resource. But, as you obviously know, the real world takes priority over such things. Tend to your mother – I guarantee we will still all be here when you return.
Thanks,
Tom
Prayers UP for a speedy motherly recovery attended-to by an obviously devoted son and heir who is followed and revered by hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of we inter-stellar bloggers … Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Amen. Maranatha! .. In Him! .. <3 <3 <3
Wish your mother well for me Gerard.
Bless her heart!
She reminds us all of the need to keep some skin in the game to play our part.