January 6, 2023

PROOFS THAT GOD EXISTS

 

Rain, but not all rainy days.

The bark of trees – especially pine.

Ice cream – with the right ingredients,

the right cold and the right flavor -

and enjoying it with the right person.

Of course, other sights: a tiny green leaf -

clover growing in between cement on

sidewalk cracks – but not my sidewalk.

A full moon on the ocean – Eucharist –

the monstance of dark black night sky -

light shaking on the waters at 11 P.M.

and big mountains – especially

big Colorado grey mountains and

a lot more – more – keep noticing.

 

Reflections © Andy Costello

 January 6, 2023

Quote for Today

"Hats off, gentlemen - a genius."

Robert Schumann [1810-1856]

On first hearing Frederic Chopin's music [1831]

January 5, 2023

BLUE BLACK INK

 

It used to come in surprise shaped two inch high bottles:

Waterman’s blue black ink. Even as a tiny kid I could get

an injection of ink from them – using the gold colored clip

on the side of’ my fountain pen. It gave me enough ink

to do my homework. It gave me enough ink to write

a 9 year old’s first poems. Where are they now? Sorry

to say, they are mostly gone. Yet I would think they were

part of my path to becoming a poet. Then there was my 3^rd

year high school English teacher – who read a  poem I

wrote out loud. Mentioning my name said, “Never ever 

write a poem again.” Everyone in the class laughed.

As a result of that comment, I didn’t write my next poem,

till I was 35. Fountain pens were almost gone. Ball point

pens were now in – usually with blue or black ink.  

At a workshop we were told to write a poem and I said

to myself, “Oh no!” Yet we had to – and then everyone

picked my poem. I often think where did all the poems I

would have written from 15 till 35 go?  Maybe they are

there in black and blue on the skin paper of my soul.

 

Reflections © Andy Costello

 

January 5, 2023

Quote for Today

"Hear that lonesome whipperpoorwill?

He sounds too blue to fly. 

The midnight train is whining low,

I'm so lonesome I could cry."

Hank Williams [1923-1953]

I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry [1942]

 January 4, 2023

 

DOORS

 

Maybe it’s a good idea to pause

for just a split second when we

come to a door. It's probably not

heaven's door - but who knows -

who really knows who and what

is on the other side of any door?

Stop - pause - wonder - before ringing

the bell or knocking on that door.

Maybe a  prayer would be good –

or a hope – or maybe a question –

or a “You never know” – wondering

whether this person we’re about to meet

could use recognition – could feel we’re really

here for them and not us. Them! Them! Them!

And sometimes - sorry - sorry - sorry - we

can knock and knock and knock and

nobody is on the other side of that door.

Reflections © Andy Costello 

 January 4, 2023

Quote for Today

"It is a sobering thought that when Mozart was my age, he had been dead for two years."

Tom Lehrer [1928 -  ]

That Was the Year That Was [1963]

Mozart died at 35

 January 3, 2023

NOT ALWAYS EXACT

 

It would be nice, but things are not always

exact – like a knife, a fork, or a spoon –

like numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 ,9  or

a hammer, a screwdriver or an axe.

Sometimes we have to deal with a comment

another makes about our motives.

Sometimes someone thinks they know

what we did and why we did it – but they

might as well have been in Madagascar

and we were in Minnesota in an Uber

on a side street and it was snowing.

No clue. They have no clue even though

sometimes we are a sledge hammer and

sometimes we are steel shovel – but

not today. Not today. Today we are  mystery.

  

Reflections © Andy Costello