February 13, 2023

SOUNDS

 

While I still have my hearing, I listen.

Trains – the North Jersey Coast tracks -

are only three streets away from here.

Ambulances – at least ten a day –

pass by our house – screeching:

“Move over. We need to get to

the hospital and get there right now."

We have boats going by, but they

are quiet  - out there in the ocean.

Helicopters fly by – just two a day –

up and down – along the coast.

People – still the most interesting.

Once by myself on a train – four

women were heading for a college

class reunion in New York City.

They were in four seats facing

each other – right across from me.

I had a spiral pad, two ball point pens –

and I listened and listened – jotting

down all I could get. It was better

than a newspaper or a novel. Great

sounds for an hour and a half trip -

and they had no idea I was there.

© Reflections, Andy Costello

 February 13, 2023

Quote for Today

"It is one great purpose of the Park to supply to the hundreds of thousands of tired workers, who have no opportunity to spend their summers  in the country, a specimen of God's handiwork that shall be to them, inexpensively, what a month or two in the White Mountains or the Adirondacks is at great cost, to those in easier circumstances."

Frederick Law Olmsted [1822-1903]

and Calvert  Vaux, [1824-1895] in the

Report submitted with 'Greensward' Plan, 

awarded first prize by the Board of

Commissioners of the Central Park

[April 28, 1858]

 February 12, 2023

TITLE  OF  A  SONG

 

I wish I could write it –

a great singing song.

Don’t we all? Don’t we all?

It would have to have grab!

It would have to have notice –

sing along - ability. Sing along

with me. More like rain – less

than like snow. It would have

to have plenty of rhythm –

no potholes  - smooth, smooth –

easy on the wooden floors where

it is being sung  - every time it is

being sung – and obviously I’d

want many sing alongs with my

song. Hey it’s my song. Oops!

What was its title once again?

 

© Reflections, Andy Costello

 February 12, 2023

Quote for the Day

"Though I have looked everywhere

I can  find nothing lowly

in the universe."

A. R. Ammons,  [1926-2001]

Still, [1972]

 February 11, 2023

HIS  DESK – HIS DRUM

 

His desk became a drum –

tapping it – tap tap – with

the tips of his fingers – but

what he really wanted was

to come up with a poem –

that does what a primitive

drum does – music, a beat,

getting the spirit in a reader

dancing – moving – wandering

and wondering - the new. Tap.

Type. To get that sound out from 

under your sleeping inner, inner self.

Tap, tap, tap and running with it.

 

© Reflections, Andy Costello

February 11, 2023

Quote for Today 

"Life is made up or marble and mud."

Nathaniel Hawthorne  [1804-1864]

The House of the Seven Gables [1851] Chapter 2

 February 10,  2023

WHAT'S  HAPPENING?

Every day has its moments – its twists and turns.

We give them times and moments – days and years -

so we can be able to label them when different things

happen  – not just for history – but for talking about our

lives. What’s happening?   When? When? When?

 

When I was 11 years old – my dad took me to Portland …..

Last year  - I think it was last year – it was in the summer –

I ran into Archie. I hadn’t seen him since our Coney Island days….

She dropped me – just like that – I didn’t see it coming – and

the hurt is still there – rubbing me like sandpaper for a year now….

 

I’ve been happy thinking about the time I got to Estonia ….

Always like a chocolate shake and a Big Mac ….

Thanks to Raymond Macintosh I learned how to play chess ….

Miss not reading the Washington Post every morning ….

Try to say the Rosary prayer every day ….

© Reflections, Andy Costello