Infinity Song's "Outside Myself"

 

The Eldest

Our family's eldest

carries a reminder

of a childhood fall

within the layers of skin

upon the knee

That hit first.

Some thoughtful days

might find her

appreciating that

particular sensation

manipulating the

old shards

guessing at each

shape and size

within their

self carved caves.

Is she remembering

the fall?

The moment?

Taking stock

of all the injuries?

Or, my guess,

reminding herself

that she's a survivor.

~KG March 29, 2021

The Last to Know?

Have you ever had one of those, "am I the only person in the entire world, who's never heard of this?", moments? That's been me, the past couple of months. I've dealt with oily, acne prone skin, since I was in the sixth grade. My Mom and I used to watch for anything new on the drug store shelves in acne products. After years of using products that dried my skin out, I'm kinda surprised I don't look more ... prunish. 

Later, I began to listen to Paula Begoun and to use her products. That was a big improvement--though the benzoyl peroxide cream, bleached out sheets, comforters and the occasion shirt, if I wasn't careful getting dressed.

Recently, because of "trends", I began to experiment with cleansing oils on my nose--my nose, the holder of unsought tiny oil wells. In short time, I noticed a change, a reduction in pore size and contents. And then I wondered what would happen if I gently used a toothbrush with the cleansing oil--even better. 

Then, yesterday, I did an internet search, and discovered people have been recommending and talking about this for a long time. How the heck did I miss that? Oh well, I learned in time for some pandemic entertainment. And I'll take it. Love, K.

Color Me Covid Curious

 Some time during the past covid-week (a week of indeterminate number of days), I read an article that proclaimed from the get-go: "You're not the same person you were before the pandemic". I skimmed and scoffed and then shared with N. 

And he agreed. It's possible I was (briefly) gobsmacked by his casual response, embracing the article's assertion. "What do you mean?", I asked, urging his explanation out of his mouth. 

"There's no way our old selves could've handled the pandemic for such a long period of time. Our lives have become condensed. We are not the same people we were at the beginning." As usual, I searched for a chink in his statement, but was overcome with the realization of the truth he uttered--that agreed with the article's author.

Does that mean we're all adaptable, to different degrees? Do we have to be open to it, or experienced with changes? What makes one person able to deal and another spend all their effort and emotion resisting? 

I'm curious. Love, K

Small Kindnesses By Danusha Laméris

Small Kindnesses

By Danusha Laméris

I’ve been thinking about the way, when you walk

down a crowded aisle, people pull in their legs

to let you by. Or how strangers still say “bless you”

when someone sneezes, a leftover

from the Bubonic plague. “Don’t die,” we are saying.

And sometimes, when you spill lemons

from your grocery bag, someone else will help you

pick them up. Mostly, we don’t want to harm each other.

We want to be handed our cup of coffee hot,

and to say thank you to the person handing it. To smile

at them and for them to smile back. For the waitress

to call us honey when she sets down the bowl of clam chowder,

and for the driver in the red pick-up truck to let us pass.

We have so little of each other, now. So far

from tribe and fire. Only these brief moments of exchange.

What if they are the true dwelling of the holy, these

fleeting temples we make together when we say, “Here,

have my seat,” “Go ahead — you first,” “I like your hat.”

Sunshine Brain

 Whoa boy, that sunshine is stirring me up today! 

Maybe it was that extra trip to the grocery store, that got me going. Hard to say, but when I'm not pacing around the house, I'm pacing in my head. 

Is that a thing? Asking for a friend. How you doing? Love, K

"You Be Illing"

 All it took, was to hear this rap song at the end of a series season, we're currently streaming, and it's living strong in my head. Silly lyrics with a nice beat. See you in the kitchen--because THAT'S where we dance!

(To)day when I was chillin' in Kentucky Fried Chicken

Just mindin' my business, eatin' food and finger lickin'

This dude walked in lookin' strange and kind of funny

Went up to the front with a menu and his money

He didn't walk straight, kind of side to side

He asked this old lady, "Yo, yo, um...is this Kentucky Fried?"

The lady said "Yeah", smiled and he smiled back

He gave a quarter and his order, small fries, Big Mac!

You be illin'

(To)day you won a ticket to see Doctor J

Front row seat (in free!) no pay

Radio in hand, snacks by feet

Game's about to start, you kickin' popcorn to the beat

You finally wake up, Doc's gone to town

Round his back, through the hoop, then you scream "Touchdown!"

You be illin'

The other day around the way I seen you illin' at a party

Drunk as skunk you illin' punk and in your left hand was Bacardi

You went up to this fly girl and said "Yo, yo, can I get this dance?"

She smelt your breath and then she left you standin' in your illin'

stance

You be illin'

(For) dinner, you ate it, there is none left

It was salty, with butter and it was def

You proceeded to eat it 'cause you was in the mood

But holmes you did not read it was a can of dog food!

You be illin'

Tiny Desk Concert, Robin Pecknold from Fleet Foxes

 

You're Not Imagining It . . .

Credit to: @donnaashworthwordy

 

Baked Mac and Cheese ala Alton

 

"The Longest Blip of Time"

 

The USPS Package

Every day, it seems I read or hear someone mentioning how slow the USPS is right now. Whether it's a news article about the slow deliveries of medications and bills, or when you go to send a package in the mail, or a mention of the current, problematic, USPS board.

So, I took it in stride, when I went to mail a small package on Monday, yet disappointed to hear it might take 4 days to arrive. Over the course of the pandemic, I've sent four to five packages, and all have arrived quickly. 

The following day, I entered the tracking number, and received a message saying it had not been entered into their system yet. I tried again, later in the day, and that's when I discovered I had made a mistake entering the number. But guess what? That package had already been delivered. Woohoo! What experiences have you all had?

Love, K

Smithereens

Saturated limbs,

embracing the sky.

Carpeted, covered, encased,

in thick, lush, sodden, moss.

Flowers of lichen,

catching their rain share.

Then ice rained down

upon our tree town.

Then again.

"Stay strong!"

"Hold on until the sun rises!"

Messages sent

via crown and root.

Crashes, booms, thuds, cracks

Old soldiers uprooted.

Young hybrids, topped,

toppled, sheared, eviscerated,

delimbed, trashed, 

SMITHEREENS

Soon, we'll welcome the Spring

the healing, mending, scarring,

regrowth and rotting.

Then we'll honor and feed,

the survivors,

by burying the dead.

~KGM 03/03/2021

March On!