March 30, 2014

Hello again, everyone! I just remembered something that occurred at my fourth birthday party. So, opening my apartment door and saying to myself, From this time on I will remember had to have been when I was three or younger.

Anyway, my grandmother made my favorite strawberry ice cream. It was so fantastically delicious. I adored it and it was served at the party. I remember sitting at a rather long rectangular table. All the little friends were seated with me around the table. I don’t remember any of them, except one little boy who sat two seats down from me to my right. As we were eating my grandmother’s incredibly delicious strawberry ice cream, I suddenly heard from my right, “MORE! MORE”. I bent my head to look around the child directly on my right, and there he was, demanding, “MORE MORE”. I remember being furious with this kid; how dare he want more of my precious strawberry ice cream. I wanted it all to myself. At least what was left of it after everyone had been served. This party could have been at the Lincoln Park Zoo’s Pavilion that was rented out for such events like kid’s birthday parties. What has not remained in my memory of my fourth birthday party is: did the little boy get more of my strawberry ice cream? And was there any left for me to take home? Most likely not for both questions!

Be safe … be well … be happy.

Love, Wendy

Johann and Me

March 23, 2014

Making my bed on a Monday
Morning
No sun appears through a curtain
Of low clouds
Inland from the sea
The classical music station
Broadcasts just noisy
Static
When it’s music I need
On this gray sunless
Day
I insert a CD
Into the CD player
Preludes and fugues
Of Johann Sebastian Bach
And at this moment for me
It is the sun
Breaking through the clouds
Songs of the wind
The roar of thunder
It is the love     the joy
The beauty from
ALL THAT IS
Channeled through the genius
of a human soul
And the fingers of a man
Who lived on earth
With me

Oh the glory     the magnificence
Of this music
Fills me with the majesty
The wonder of everything
Beautiful
In this world
As the brilliance of
Another
Four centuries later
Brings Johann Sebastian Bach
To Life
I am at

Peace

Aleppo, Syria

February 2, 2014

Child of Aleppo
Caught in the earth
Caught in debris
Where a bomb
Fell
Hands digging frantically
To release you
As other hands
Gently
Brush dirt
Brush dust
From your face
To keep the miracle
Of your breath
Coming
While you lie still
Your eyes closed
No whimper     no cry
Could I hear

And then
The cameras follow
You
To when you stand
Bathed
Wearing clean clothes
To show the world
This little girl from
Aleppo
Alive and beautiful
As beautiful a child
As ever I have seen

More information about the children caught in the Syrian crisis.