Thursday, May 26, 2011

Far Away


This post is a blend of explanation and apology for being so absent from blogging lately.  The sad truth is that it won't be very good at either explaining or apologizing, because I don't have much time this morning to write it.  While I've been feebly managing to cobble together a weekly post each for The Magpie's Fancy and The Magpie's Pen, I've barely been around to visit my favorite blogs in over a month.  Please believe me when I say I miss all your beauty and brilliance!  And please forgive me for missing your posts.  In addition to my regular freelance work, I'm in the middle of a rather all-consuming, collaborative writing project, and while it's wonderful, it leaves me little time or psychic energy for other writing or even for taking and processing photos.

The shot above is of a centerpiece at the wedding of two good friends of ours this past weekend.  The bride's parents are from India, and they had a traditional Hindu ceremony, which I loved, especially since the priest explained to us what was happening and why at each step.  And the attire!  So many beautiful saris in every glittering jewel color imaginable!  My friend's sari was ivory with deep red and gold accents.  She was stunning.  The day after the wedding we watched our youngest niece compete in her first triathlon.  She's eight, and it was a thrill to watch her finish the race, exhausted, but still smiling, just as she nearly always does.  What a weekend of milestones and celebrations. 

I'm anxious to catch up with all that has been going on in your life, too.  Please tell me that you have crazy times like this, too!  When things calm down I will drop by to visit you and marvel at your latest creative work.  

Before I sign off for today, I thought I'd share with you a poem.  I was asked to give a reading at the wedding reception, and I chose this one by Jeffrey McDaniel.  It is both funny and deeply moving, which make it a joy to read aloud--and it is, I think, a perfect wedding poem.

The Archipelago of Kisses

We live in a modern society. Husbands and wives don't
grow on trees, like in the old days. So where
does one find love? When you're sixteen it's easy,
like being unleashed with a credit card
in a department store of kisses. There's the first kiss.
The sloppy kiss. The peck.
The sympathy kiss. The backseat smooch. The we
shouldn't be doing this kiss. The but your lips
taste so good kiss. The bury me in an avalanche of tingles kiss.
The I wish you'd quit smoking kiss.
The I accept your apology, but you make me really mad
sometimes kiss. The I know
your tongue like the back of my hand kiss. As you get
older, kisses become scarce. You'll be driving
home and see a damaged kiss on the side of the road,
with its purple thumb out. If you
were younger, you'd pull over, slide open the mouth's
red door just to see how it fits. Oh where
does one find love? If you rub two glances, you get a smile.
Rub two smiles, you get a warm feeling.
Rub two warm feelings and presto-you have a kiss.
Now what? Don't invite the kiss over
and answer the door in your underwear. It'll get suspicious
and stare at your toes. Don't water the kiss with whiskey.
It'll turn bright pink and explode into a thousand luscious splinters,
but in the morning it'll be ashamed and sneak out of
your body without saying good-bye,
and you'll remember that kiss forever by all the little cuts it left
on the inside of your mouth. You must
nurture the kiss. Turn out the lights. Notice how it
illuminates the room. Hold it to your chest
and wonder if the sand inside hourglasses comes from a
special beach. Place it on the tongue's pillow,
then look up the first recorded kiss in an encyclopedia: beneath
a Babylonian olive tree in 1200 B.C.
But one kiss levitates above all the others. The
intersection of function and desire. The I do kiss.
The I'll love you through a brick wall kiss.
Even when I'm dead, I'll swim through the Earth,
like a mermaid of the soil, just to be next to your bones.

~Jeffrey McDaniel 




xo Gigi

17 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness Gigi, what a beautiful poem. Perfect choice. Life does gets busy at times and that is the best part about blogging, no schedule, no demands, just be present when you can and no one does a better job than you. Delighted when you visit, understanding when you can't. Much love. XO

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  2. Sande, you are just the best. Truly. xoxo

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  3. That is the most wonderful poem Gigi.....Sande has summed up my sentiments about blogging perfectly...xv

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  4. Great to catch up with you, Gigi. Sounds like your life is busy and full! I loved this poem.

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  5. Love the poem, Gigi! Ditto Sande's sentiments!! Have a fabulous weekend, my friend! Warm hugs and smiles! xxoo :)

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  6. That single photograph conveyed so much of the beauty of the wedding. The guests must have loved the intimacy inherent in a poem like this.
    I always think it is more important to live our life fully and with presence, than feel pressured about our blog :)

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  7. Dearest Gigi ~

    This poem took me down memory lane of kisses...I love it! And I agree, the perfect poem to share with those tying the knot.

    Never, ever, ever worry about blogging and such. You are missed, but life does seem to fill up with so many wonderful things that demand our attention. Trust me, I know.

    Always thinking of you and wishing you the most happiness.

    Bisous,
    Melissa

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  8. What can be said after that poem?
    Nothing from moi except a marvel at how words touch the heart.
    Vickixx

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  9. Hi Gigi,
    Well, you really mustn't apologise for not visiting our blogs. Firstly because mine is certainly not filled with creative work so you're not missing much !!!! haha, and, real life has to take priority and blogging and commenting takes up SO much time. I think that we all understand when we don't hear from our special blogging friends for a while. We all know what it's like......and, I was thinking about you the other day when I was dusting around my sea glass and shells that you sent me. I think that's what so lovely about blogging and the people that I have met. Giveaways and tokens that have been sent by blogging friends are more than just materialistic things. They are always there to remind us of those special people out there.
    The wedding sounded wonderful and so lovely to see a different culture's wedding ceromony.....and, the poem was the perfect reading.
    Much love Gigi and don't work too hard.....find a little time for yourself. XXXX

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  10. I am so happy you shared this poem. Poetry speaks words beyond mountains, and this poem is a perfect selection xx loveliness

    sweetness xx
    hope to hear from you*!
    www.amyflyingakite.com

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  11. Lovely post. Take your time Gigi.

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  12. Dearest Gigi,

    Lovely post including the poem.
    Oh, such crazy way too full schedule times I do know myself. Can't believe we made it through the past weeks...
    Today and tomorrow I have quite some touching Memorial Day stories. REAL stories...

    Lots of love,

    Mariette

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  13. It's sorta reassuring to know that you have lots of things going on and some really exciting work happening. I'd rather read you every month and know life is zinging by in a whirlwind of joyful work, than read you every day because you felt you needed to entertain. Love you because you're you. Frequency is only a human notion. The universe is bigger than that ;-)

    The poem is exquisite, as always :)

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  14. What a most perfectly perfect wedding poem! Oh, I just love it. I was picturing you reading this poem aloud, delighting every soul at that wedding with those delicious words.

    I hope you are finding a little quiet amongst the frenzy, sweet friend.
    I miss you. xo

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  15. Busy is good for the most part:)

    Love love love this poem! I will copy it and remember it for my next anniversary...our 34th:) What a wonderful choice for a wedding reading!

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  16. To give a reading at a wedding. That is a delight in itself. To blog when it moves the spirit is the beauty of blogging. Sometimes I find myself also feeling like I have to "keep up" with articles and posts. Don't worry, we've all out here and all compelled for so many reasons to reach out and connect with one another. Good luck with your projects. It sounds like it is ALL good!

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  17. Oh, that is a perfect poem, and one I've never heard. Thank you for that gift today.

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