September 24, 2020

SHUT  UP!

 

Just two words.
Just 5 letters.
They work.
Sometimes it causes
the other to shut down –
sometimes for a long time.
 
“Shut up!”
 
They are much stronger
than a yawn or a looking
at one’s watch or simply
saying, “I gotta run!”
 
“Shut up!”
 
And sometimes they
get us to open up and
tell each other what’s
shut up – down deep –
in our feelings.

 © Andy Costello, Reflections 2020

 

September 24, 2020

 

Thought for Today

 

“Do your best.  The backyard would be very quiet if no birds sang except the best singers.”

 

Someone

 

 September  23.  2020

TORN DOWN HOUSE

Mangled stucco and concrete –
rubble – the remains of the
house that was taken down –
the house where we used to live:
326 – 62^nd Street, Brooklyn, NY.
 
Bulldozed – crumbled  – crushed –
till it finally gave in - and caved in -
making room for the Gowanus
Parkway above – now with
thousands and thousands of
cars and trucks and buses -
going though and over where
my brother and I played with
our cars and lead soldiers.
 
Now our house exists only in
the black and white photographs  -
that slip out  of the old albums –
when I page through them –
falling out because the scotch tape
has lost its stickiness.  Ugh .... Age….
 
But wait -  now - in 2020 – in this
lost year of the pandemic – I’m
grateful that I have time to look at –
so many pictures and scenes that
I’m realizing are still  sticky, sticky, 
stuck, stuck - in my  memory - when I go 
back there to the 1940’s and early 50’s.

 

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2020

September  23, 2020

 

Thought for Today

 “If you could turn back the clock,  where would you stop?”

 Someone

September  22,  2020

 SOUNDS  IN  A  FULL  CHURCH

 

Benches going up and going down -
squeaking up and banging down.
People greeting one another ….
Others going, “Shush! Shush!”
 
Down deep in the soul roam
lots of  deeper sounds:
“Help!” – “Thanks!” – “Why?” -
“God! God! Where are You?”
 
God the Father just hugs and holds on.
God the Son says, “I am with you!”
God the Holy Spirit groans sounds that
keep sounding around the halls in our heart

 

 © Andy Costello, Reflections 2020

 September 22, 2020

 

Thought for Today

 

“Two pessimists met at a party. Instead of shaking hands, they shook heads.”

 

Someone

September 21,  2020

SOUNDS  IN   A  SILENT  CHURCH

 

Wooden benches adjusting
after a customer left 5 minutes ago
and went back into the street.
 
A candle in a red glass holder
going out after 13 hours of
praying for a worrying mother.
 
An ambulance rushing down
the street  - taking a dying
person to the nearest hospital.
 
The wind trying to get inside
the church through a crack in
a stain glass window.
 
The opening of a side door
for an old man who drops into
this silent church every afternoon at 3.

 

                                                                                       © Andy Costello, Reflections 2020