Caroline Gerardo's Blog, page 10

Goddess of Poetry

oil on canvas by
Philip Mercier
Goddess of Poetry
The painter was born in Berlin, of French ancestry, worked in England for Frederick, Prince of Wales.
Sentimental idea of a writer casually thinking,

Twins

"Twins!" I said this morning.
The double yolk good omen.
From my bossy hen Dixie
I hope this simple joy
gives you a smile.

Green

Green
He became a burden. No one in the family would ax the canker to save the tree. After the first stroke, the brain stem falters to tap memory, halts at sensory signals, and tires.
If tissue plasminogen activator is administered immediately in an I.V.,  the clot breaks its root-hold on the mind. But, however, unfortunately, the doctors misdiagnosed the stroke as a sinus infection. Harry was sent home with antibiotics until his left side failed him the following morning in the orchard. There he remained on the ground for a day. The heat of the sun blisters his lips until a neighbor driving by notices the crows, the silly creatures he once fed peanuts sitting vigil with Honey the Golden Retriever. The dog leads the neighbor to his body, who calls for help.
From respirator to "recovery" in a year, he returns home. Doctors warn him the insurance ran out and he can not live alone. The son can notmove back to Tennessee, and the daughter has children of her own. After visits, they find a woman who lives across the creek to bring meals and check on Harry daily. 
He takes to drinking like a sunflower to the light. The gold Scotch was an old friend. Harry curses the son and tells the daughter she's no good. Days after he wonders why he blurts cruel words.  He plans to do better but finds himself screaming at the crows for he no longer can toss the peanuts. His days pass slowly.
The kudzu vines take over the metal roof of the garage. The wind steals shingles from the roof. Harry lets it go. 
One afternoon the neighbor crosses the rocks on the stream that divides their properties. She wears a green apron with meandering wildflowers brimming in the pocket. She opens the front door carrying a basket. The smell of creamy garlic and noodles escapes from the wicker container and Harry stumbles to his feet to serve himself a bowl. But she stops him. "I brought a tincture for you Harry."He grunts a negative sound."If you try this I will bring an apple pie tomorrow. Got a new crop."He nods."Put seven drops of the liquid under your tongue seven times a day. IF you touch the dropper to your mouth, rinse it with clean water from the creek and place back in the bottle."Harry nods again, wishing she leaves him. When the screen door bumps behind her, Harry scoops a bowl of chicken and noodles from the glass dish. The gooey sauce drips on the tile counter. He doesn't stop to clean the spill, he enjoys the warm meal. After making a mess on his shirt, he shuffles to the sink to take a wet sponge to the drips. Then he returns to the basket. There's a note with instructions. A clear glass bottle with emerald colored liquid and a cork stopper. In the basket is a long-nosed eye dropper. He swirls the fluid which has the viscosity of Scotch with the color of moss. What can it hurt? He drops six, then one more underneath his tongue. It is a difficult procedure to hold the applicator and keep his mouth open at the same moment. As soon as the mixture hits his senses he recalls cutting herbs in his Grandmother's garden for the market. The aroma of a waterfall hiking in the army also comes to mind. Thyme and bitter melon touch the parts of his tongue. He collapses on the worn sofa and falls asleep.
Now he dreams of duck hunting a century ago. His younger brother and Uncle jog through the grass to reach the bind before sunrise. In the dream his brother is not shot, he warns him of the impending accident and they live happy lives. Then a gunshot awakens Harry. He sits up on the sofa now damp from sweat. 
Harry finds the bottle and takes seven more drops. This time he takes the directions seriously and places the bottle in the cooler, and rinses the dropper. Harry splashes water from the sink on his face. His cheeks flush. In the light from the kitchen window, he examines his left hand. The fingers curl in a fist, but the thumb moves more flexible.  He continues the regimen but begins exercising his hands on a lime colored tennis ball that Honey offers wet with saliva.
The next day the neighbor arrives with her basket. She brings out a tanned pie with a lattice top. The sugar still bubbling with the cinnamon. She smiles when she finds the tincture in the refrigerator down about a half cup."I'll bring more. This is enough for two or three more days."She asks nothing of him today only waves goodbye.Harry is happy not to try and speak in a funny muffle. He continues the drops and finds improvement in the next two days. He now presses the tennis ball in his bad hand. The dog follows the movement in anticipation of old time fun.Weeks pass as Harry soaks seeds for the fall garden. He holds the hoe with both hands. A caterpillar crawling on the tomatoes reminds him of his daughter catching butterflies as a girl. Harry invites her and the children to visit. The green tincture opens doors, not good as new but alive.
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Ash in Orange Boat

Ash Tree With Emerald Borer in Orange Boat

Dying ancient ash trees shade my cabin.I took a dry leaf to an arborist, "doesn't matter, it is green dragon"No amount of water can re-nourish.
Just cut them down and burn.
He warned the emerald borer persists.Drop the logs at sea and weigh with concrete.Napalm, deportation, ICE ~ it resists.Sorry to inform, hear your last heartbeat.
Just cut them down and burn.Just cut the tree down, send ashes back to sea.

Images and poem copyright Caroline Gerardo

Ash in Orange Man's Boat

Ash Tree With Emerald Borer in Orange Man's Boat

Dying ancient ash trees shade my cabin.I took a dry leaf to an arborist, "doesn't matter, it is green dragon"No amount of water can re-nourished.
Just have to cut them down and burn.
He warned the emerald borer persists.Drop the logs at sea and weigh with concrete.Napalm, deportation, ICE ~ it resists.Sorry to inform, hear your last heartbeat.
Just have to cut them down and burn.

Images and poem copyright Caroline Gerardo

Poem

What is practice, production, poem?
How to pronounce an idea of poem?
                                                                             Pile of sticks
                                                                             Finger clicks
                                          

poem​ them How to pronounce poem noun in British English​us How to pronounce poem noun in American English
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/pronunciation/english/poem/




Copyright July 2018 Caroline Gerardo

Bird Song Poem

Quail Song
Beauty exists at your feet.The hat of a quail smiles.Gift love to all you meet.Songs carry through trials.

thought for the day: unplug network news

Peace

oh Claudia 
The path of sunshine is not always the samelife brings brief joy or constant sting of painwe'll never make sit upons for graceful girl scoutswe failed to finish the embroidery on our huipilesIxchel patterns touched by Maya backstrap loomNada to machine - made lace collars for a groomK'iche' who whistle mist around the mountainsconquered by conquistadors, gangsters ~ coins
oh Claudia
In azure lapis and orchid perfume dresswent to college, to escape violent duresswe'll never fix your hair for the wedding nightwe failed to protect you with a blouse of whiteMan of Ice fired a hole into your headMama rocks your tiny body now deadEveryday myriad of crows beg for seedsAs we recount the rosary prayer beads
oh Claudia
May the waterfall of heaven bring you peace.







Claudia Patricia Gómez González's body was repatriated to her home town of San Juan Ostuncalco in Guatemala. She was shot by Rio Bravo, Texas Ice








oh Claudia El camino de la luz del sol no es siempre el mismo la vida trae una breve alegría o una constante punzada de dolor nunca haremos sentados para niñas exploradoras elegantes no logramos terminar el bordado en nuestros huipiles Patrones de Ixchel tocados por el telar de cintura Maya Nada para collares de encaje hechos a máquina para un novio K'iche 'quien silba niebla alrededor de las montañas conquistado por conquistadores, gangsters, monedas oh Claudia en vestido de perfume de lapislázuli y orquídea azul fue a la universidad, para escapar de la coacción violenta nunca arreglaremos tu cabello para la noche de bodas fallamos en protegerte con una blusa de blanco Hombre de hielo le disparó un agujero en la cabeza Mamá mece tu pequeño cuerpo ahora muerto Todos los días miles de cuervos piden semillas Mientras contamos las cuentas de oración del rosario oh Claudia Que la cascada del cielo te traiga paz.
Caroline Gerardo © copyright July 2018

Harvard Cambridge

Harvard Lampoon Building 44 BowRecent trip to Cambridge, as my sister teaches at Harvard Business School and she needed assistance after knee surgery. Summer in Massachusetts has a light feeling. There are tourists on campus and the restaurants with al fresco seating bustle from lunch until dark sundown at nine.
A stroll through the bookstore and the Grolier Poetry Bookshop are thehighlights of my trip.

Walk over the bridge to my sister's offices at H B S, I found myself
as usual turned around and couldn't spot the gold bell tower of
Baker Library among massive construction projects. The surrounding
streets of the other side of the Charles River clatter with
trenching, demolition and new construction. I hope the university
buys up some of the old garages, tire stores and commercial lots for
long term hundred year plans before they are all converted to lofts and
boutique hotels.
I share a couple lovely sites:
Giant allium four feet high swaying like space pom poms.
Jenny Holzer's Marble Bench warning business students to be kind
and the geese remain on campus from the winter.

Harvard BookstoreEnglish Building Harvard Campus 12 Quincy

Smokey Mountains Hike

Spotting wildlife in the Great Smokey Mountains is free and fun.There are many opportunities to experience nature.
Day hiking trails, camping in back country,
or just taking your family on the loop drive are all joyful surprises.
A couple tips:
Animals are most active early morning and before sundown.
Look for berry bushes and wildflower fields that they love.
Stay fifty feet away from them, they are unpredictable.
Do not feed them, block them, or taunt them from their lives.
Have your cell phone or camera ready for the moment, as
in the field above the bears only peek their heads up to spy
for seconds.
The park is free to visit. Day parking is no cost as well.
Bring mosquito repellent or a natural oils
such as citronella or eucalyptus and reapply often.
Do not leave any food out.
All firewood must be USDA approved because of beetles
and diseases.
Reservations for camping are made online here: https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/carcamping.htm/
There are horse trips, car camping, Glamping, RV parking -
many options for inexpensive $20 a night fees