“Without Farewell” and “What Men Call Life”

I didn’t write these next two poems: “Without Farewell” and “What Men Call Life”, but, wanted to share…  They were actually written by my grandfather.  The first poem, “Without Farewell”,  he wrote early on, in 1932…  perhaps, about one of  his own parents or ?

Without Farewell

Some part who part without farewell,
not knowing tis the hour.
Without the tale they longed to tell.
Without one fading flow’r.

And some will grieve, who parted so,
some secret in the breast,
they never told – and never know,
how greatly they are blessed.

They never met for some last time –
the last hour was so sweet –
as all the hours hope makes sublime
when mortals part to meet.

There is no memory of tears,
no shadow on the past.

Wolf Mountain Sanctuary…

I recently learned of this place, thru Dreamwalker’s Blog, called Wolf Mountain Sanctuary when  “Sue Dreamwalker” posted it in the comments section of this post.

Here is the video she shared:

Wolf Mountain (http://wolfmountain.com)

I watched the video… and then, went to the website, where I clicked away through picture after picture of this place, and the beautiful wolves and people there.   I couldn’t help but see green… wondering why I never wound up with a job like this?  Then, I realized they welcome visitors… to come and actually be with the wolves.

Seriously?
Where is this place?
Exactly.

I had to know, because I  immediately knew I wanted to go there, regardless of where it was.   Oh.  California?  *sigh* Of course….  waaaay over in California.  Ok, so definitely not a day trip, and truthfully not exactly in the budget at the moment anyway.  (“Sorry kids.  No Christmas presents for you!  Mom ran off to Wolf Mountain!”.  Hmmm..   ??  yeah… that might not go over so well!)  But, oh.. some day… I’m thinking some very lucky day for me, I’m going to go to this place.  I want it more than I want to go for a ride in a big hot air balloon…. and, I want that pretty badly too.

Moment of Silence

The moment of silence,
of remembrance and reverence,
hung thick in the air,
out of place.
An invited intruder
that compels us
to stop

and listen –  for once.

The stillness moves us,
allows memories to flood
into hearts and eyes
so that we can almost see
with profound cognizance
what most often gets lost
in the crowded sounds
of life.

We listened – until,

the voice of a child,
caught up in his own moment,
broke the silence,
provoking a, “sssshhhhh” from his mother,
while others scowled,
convincing him to sit quietly
beside his deafening confusion.
Crying silently, he fit
right in.

The moment – lost.

~ smj

“No music, no pomp, just images and silence….

Silver Screen Lullabies

I suppose
it’s time
to break the habit
of depending on you

to talk me down each night
and bore me to sleep
beneath your flickering lights.

Allowing your on-screen images
to replace tomorrow’s tasks lists
and yesterday’s all to real faces.

Using your stories in low voices
to drown out my own sounds
of worry and relentless questions.

I just want
to fall asleep
independent of you
for once, content.

~ smj

Pull Myself Together

I walk a fine line
between
who I am
who I was                       
and
                                     who I’d like to be
continually trying
to pull
my        self
together

===

I wrote the above words just as part of a comment that I made to my friend, enreal  (http://enreal.wordpress.com/2011/01/25/i-simply-dont-know ), and felt it so much when I re-read it, that I needed to post it here as a poem. It’s so simple… but truly captures so much of how I often feel…

~ smj

 
“And I’m a million different people from one day to the next”
The Verve – Bitter Sweet Symphony