Sunday, February 10, 2008

A plug and a poem

First the plug:
This Friday I'm singing at Anna's Jazz Island at 2120 Allston way in Berkeley at 8pm. Please come! No pity party allowed, just some great musicians backing me while I sing some great songs. Should be lots of fun.

Now the poem, a beauty by Barbara Crooker

"All That Is Glorious Around Us" by Barbara Crooker

It is not, for me, these grand vistas, sublime peaks, mist-filled
overlooks, towering clouds, but doing errands on a day
of driving rain, staying dry inside the silver skin of the car,
160,000 miles, still running just fine. Or later,
sitting in a café warmed by the steam
from white chicken chili, two cups of dark coffee,
watching the red and gold leaves race down the street,
confetti from autumn's bright parade. And I think
of how my mother struggles to breathe, how few good days
she has now, how we never think about the glories
of breath, oxygen cascading down our throats to the lungs,
simple as the journey of water over a rock. It is the nature
of stone / to be satisfied / writes Mary Oliver, It is the nature
of water / to want to be somewhere else, rushing down
a rocky tor or high escarpment, the panoramic landscape
boundless behind it. But everything glorious is around
us already: black and blue graffiti shining in the rain's
bright glaze, the small rainbows of oil on the pavement,
where the last car to park has left its mark on the glistening
street, this radiant world.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Carla...
Lisa Beley here. I know, it's been a few years.
I had tea with your Mom on Sunday and she told me what's been going on and told me to check out your blog.
As I think you know, it will be ten years in July that my Mom passed away from ALS.
I would love to reconnect, chat, email...hell, come and see you. My sister lives just south of you in Oakland.
My email is labeley@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

That poem is beautiful. It's just what I'd like my play to say, only about 10,000 better.


I enjoy reading your blog and I wish i was there to see your concert.


Kim

Anonymous said...

DANG-just checked in to your blog Sunday night 2/17 and am peeved at myself that I missed you at Anna's - - I would love to see you; you must be barraged with offers - are you still getting marin.edu address e-mail? I'm in Pt Richmond - let me know at 415-342-5207 or virginiareed@sbcglobal.net
Your blog entries are very strong and beautiful.