Today’s Special Value: “Writing in the Dark”
> </span In the New York Times last Sunday a writer expressed his views about the impulse to write. I thought it so good I’m posting some of his thoughts here.
The writer is David Grossman, an Israeli novelist, who “reflects on what literature can accomplish in a time of permanent policical emergency and personal loss” the title is “Writing in the Dark”one of my favorite songs is “Dancing in the Dark”, both the Dietz and Schwartz classic and Springsteen’s. Writing in the dark mmmmm….might lead us toward the light…..
”The power of memory is indeed enormous and heavy, and at times has a paralyzing quality to it. Nevertheless, the act of writing itself at this time creates for me a type of “space” a mental territory that I’ve never experienced before.”
” Writers know when we write, we feel the world move; it is flexible, crammed with possibilities. It certainly isn’t frozen.”
” When I write, even now, the world is not closing in on me, and it does not grow ever so narrow; it also makes gestures of opening up toward a future prospect.”
More tomorrow </span
Today’s Special Value ~ Sonya
Sonya to Uncle Vanya
End of the play “Uncle Vanya” by Anton Checkov
I believe, truly, passionately that we will find peace….we will hear the angels sing, we will see the sky sparkling with diamonds and we will enter a life, bright, lovely, refined, we will know joy, and look back on these troubles of ours with a smile, with tenderness, and we shall rest.
Today’s Special Value is
Mezza Lessa’s Bare Essentials for Summertime Fun!
Every women (especially ML’s) need to take that extra bit of time to relax, kickback and renew themselves. Today’s hectic schedules and questionable lifestyles can leave a person (especially an ML) drained, pale, lumpy, frazzled, and badly in need of a break.
The warm weather and summer vacation is the ideal time for rejuvenation! But how? when circumstances rise up to throw yet more challenges in ones way!
So Due, ever the explorer, has begun to devise ways to design her summer for a positive experience, and suggests that Uno think about this and make contingency plans just in case!
So the Bare Essentials : Summer 2007
According to Due
~A woman, ( even an ML), needs to feel good about herself, and being a girl, (even an ML, or especially an ML) well we want to Look Good! You know if we look good we feel good! And that’s not just a cliche but a reality! SO! for Due anyway! make an effort to exercise in a meaningful way, not just here or there dancing, but more of a routine. I’m at a good weight but want to keep it there as well as strengthen my body so that I can dance longer and better! Now what and where I’m going to do it I have to figure out!
~ To work or not to work in the summer?…well working structures my day and keeps me from getting crazy, and negative at home. On the other hand it saps all of my energy that i need to put toward some creative projects, and I want to be free to go to Italy, and have a lot of research to do sooooo….I’m thinking maybe not to work but have to really plan my day…especially the mornings.
~If I don’t work I need to find a place to go to write and hang outside of my house….the college is a good choice, but sterile, need a place like your cyber cafe, maybe there…but it’s a bit far, got to be a nearer place!
~ Projects around the house! Si! I’ll have the time to redo my room, and redo the sun-room for the kids to hang in.
~ plant tomatoes!!!! This time in pots on the deck so that the deer or whoever is eating them woundn’t get them! and basil too…. not really a gardener, but think it would be great to do and you can eat what is grown! ( a little olive oil, some nice Italian bread! Yum!!)
~Creative projects: Write, research and arrange for anniversary show, with book, and exhibit. Screenplay (Uno inspired) working title:”Il Bacio~The Kiss”, Story:Visti d’Arte, finish, Article on Aquiloninese immigration to New Jersey. Have new costume made, write grants for NIAF and OSIA, publize ensemble, work on new material etc….!
~ Change therapist, and/or participate in some kind of support group or something concerning these concern!
~ Make more Friends…Go DANCING as MUCH as POSSIBLE!
OK Uno…what do you think?
Other things that have happened to
Uno in the past month or so:
~ she took a drawing class and found out she can draw!
~ she created a blog to express herself, and connect with others!
~ she made it through the dark winter and into spring!!
~ she helped her husband through a challanging time!
~ she kept Due from jumping off the Verrannzanno!
~ she was super duper brave and talked to her ex!
~ she got a pair of tap shoes!
~ she walked up La Strada Della Morte Fini in the sunshine and saw the flowers bud!
Maria in Aspic
Maria sits Sphinx like on the deck he built
Letting things he says slide
Smirking out of his range
Commenting just out of his ear shot
Tense, half dead, a rebel in wait….foot soaking in ice,
Smoking, smoking, smoking, smoking
That girl is not an audience.That girl can pierce the dark.
That girl is bubbling, churning
Skin swelling, about to explode!
Her heart already gone flying up over the neighborhood,
Her hands deep in dirt
Making flowers bloom between rocks,
Forcing the light with a torch and a glass of wine.
Now girl wait some
Then live in the driveways between houses
Live in the moments before the final bell rings
Run to home room.
You’re just on time!
Easter GirlEaster Girl wears everything new!
socks with ruffles, shiny shoes, scratchy-stiff dress,
white lace underwear, little pink rosebuds too
Puffy princess with scabby knees and elbows.
“““`
Mid morning: sauage curls begin to unfurl
the incipient wind scrapes bare legs
shivering outside the church
Too cute to eat!
OK just the ears then,
bunnies can live without ears can’t they?
hollow
then crush!
horrible but yummy!
“““““
Pow! “What’s wrong wit you kids? eat dinner first! they don’t appreciate nothin!”
Mangia! black olives, lasagna, roast pork,
(at least it’s not Carolyn del Guerico’s “Pet” duck Quacky!)
”Fa Napola! youse kids are slobs! look red gravey on your dress! youse can’t keep nothin nice…”
Gravy stains on our collars,
in the corners of our mouths,
orange soda stains too,
black jelly bean tongues.
“““““
All the uncles are snoring!
one alseep has me caught
on his lap with his arm around me
I want to get up and play
but too afraid to disturb him,
or hurt his feelings….
““““
Assess the gifts: while you lie;
cute lamb!
14k gold cross,
with diamond chip
from grandma and grandpa,
foil covered chocoate eggs
in fabulous clear plastic tube
from favorite Uncle Gerald,
stuffed pink bunny with one sort of cross eye,
(OK, still cute as long as you look from the other side.)
“““““
I’m slipping off !
dress slick,
neck hurts
feel dumb
hung up there
new gold cross
dangles on it’s thin chain
winks in the tv glare
“““`
Must look stupid!
““““`
Easter Girl!
caught in sleep’s grip
rise up with your stains
time to show off your cross,
time to play with your
lamby,
time to
Resurrect!
Wash away the stains
Then
run in the muddy bare yard
find the
last patch
of
sunlight!
Love Stripped Away
The raw chill of the autumn air,
hidden warmth of sunlight fair.
Traumatic thoughts repudiate,
sad memories I contemplate.
Pain ravages temporal hearts,
unsuspecting as love departs.
Caught off guard by loves blindness,
shrouded in life’s faith and kindness.
Thoughts scrawl deep within my mind,
deep illusions seem so unkind.
Pain pillages reality,
on the brink of insanity.
Love to me so quintessential,
causes hurt so detrimental.
Leaves me with my soul stripped bare,
to search once more I will not dare.
Heart of stone can not be broken,
nor melted from the lies spoken,
Forever more I shall forsake,
never again will my heart break.
by Sandygram
Per La Donna Under the Covers…
The stigmata
poked holes on hands in breasts,
forehead gleaming drip drop of red.
eyes, glass turned upward
head back, cloth slipping off soft shoulders.
soundless screams on the highway
standing on the feeder road,
invisible.
I’m running, running, running fast,
little girl fast then falling smack on the concrete,
knees scraped white, then bleeding,
hands too, hot, red, hurt
not embarassed, no one sees, no one comes
Now
Witness, See, Look, Acknowlege,
Listen,
Gather
Write the story.
It needs to live outside of you.
To have someone know you, deeply, intimately and with heart and spirit, is life’s perfect moment and the greatest gift of love. To no longer be heard, to no longer be seen, to feel that moment fade away, is the cruelest sort of indignation a soul must bear.
God Cara, it’s so true I know, I thought that was what you were going through… I understand better now…
you’ll feel better, I promise, we’ll find a way, we won’t stop searching until we do.
XO Due
I’m not sure, but i think i know you well enough to figure you may be retreating into yourself right now…hope not, but maybe that’s what you have to do. remember that I’m here because I think I do understand and you may need someone to talk to, or cry to… and since we are the only two Mezza Lezzies we seem to understand each other.
I’m not judging and as always will dance at your wedding, or dance down our loopy lezzie path, or whatever, (but not on your grave!)
If I seemed blunt last night in my response to Jen’s email it’s because I think you were ready to hear it spoken from someone else, aside from her and yourself. I don’t know anything for sure, there is so much that surprises me about life, but after reading it, and from what you’ve told me about all of her stuff and your stuff and the stuff you both shared, well I just had to be , ah, “straight” with my take on it…you did send it to me for that reason, didn’t you? I hope it didn’t add to your hurt.
Your being heartboken makes my heart break for you.
Because you’ve told me I have witnessed this extraordinary experience, the love and the pain. I don’t take it lightly …maybe that’s why the term “bearing witness” is so strong a concept.
Cara, it was true, it was wonderful, it mattered.
And if now you have to go through the painful transition of losing this love, you’re stronger because you had it and you will fly.
XO Due