ocean eyes
In a recent department meeting, it turned out that of 11 people, 2 are undergoing physical therapy for knee problems and one is about to have MRIs done on both knees. One other person was absent from the meeting because he's about to undergo surgery for a hole in his intestine. I'm beginning to think I should stay far away from all my coworkers, at least until after Nationals. (Actually, none of those are problems I'd want to deal with after Nationals, either.)
Of the four ancient elements, I am a water person; I have some admixture of air and some of fire, nearly none of earth. The best part of rowing for me is being out there in the sunrise with the lake and the sky. The best part of having a backyard pool is knowing it's there. I spent my summers in childhood staying in the pool all day, not so much swimming as hanging out and playing with friends and seeing what I could do in the water.
When I first went into the desert, it took me some time to learn to see it, to see how alive it was when all the greens were shades of gray-green and sage. It does look green to me now; when I see actual forests of actual trees, they're a bit of a shock at first. I love the red mountains around me now, and how the clouds mass over them in thunderheads during monsoon season. Still, when I visit the ocean, as we did in Oregon a few weeks ago, it's difficult for me to leave. I've had a line in the poem below in my head since we came back, but haven't quite been able to work it into anything until now.
This daily desert's beauties, undeniable,
Yet are lost on me,
Muted by familiarity
As a mother's beauty in her daughter's eyes.
Today, my eyes still full of ocean,
I do not see it at all,
As a son in a lover's thrall
Overlooks his mother in the other's presence.
Posted by dichroic at July 27, 2004 01:43 PM