And People Stayed Home
Kathleen O'Meera's poem, written in 1869. Kinda prophetic. Take care!
And people stayed home
and read books and listened
and rested and exercised
and made art and played
and learned new ways of being
and stopped
and listened deeper.
Someone meditated
someone prayed
someone danced
someone met their shadow
and people began to think
differently
and people healed,
and in the absence of people who
lived in ignorant ways, dangerous,
meaningless and heartless,
even the earth began to heal
and when the danger ended
and people found each other
grieved for the dead people,
and they made new choices
and dreamed of new visions
and created new ways of life
and healed the earth completely
just as they were healed
themselves.
* * *
The History of the Middle Finger
Well, now.......here's something I never knew before and now that I know it, I feel compelled to send it on to my more intelligent friends in the hope that they, too, will feel edified.
Before the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the French, anticipating victory over the English, proposed to cut off the middle finger of all captured English soldiers. Without the middle finger it would be impossible to draw the renowned English longbow and therefore, they would be incapable of fighting in the future. This famous English longbow was made of the native English Yew tree and the act of drawing the longbow was known as 'plucking the yew' (or 'pluck yew').
Much to the bewilderment of the French, the English won a major upset and they began mocking the French by waving their middle fingers at the defeated French, saying, See, we can still pluck yew! Since 'pluck yew' is rather difficult to say, the difficult consonant cluster at the beginning has gradually changed by a labiodentalfricative 'F' and thus the words often used in conjunction with the one-finger-salute! It is also because of the pheasant feathers on the arrows used with the longbow that the symbolic gesture is known as 'giving the bird'.
And yew thought yew knew every plucking thing. Didn't yew!!
* * *
A Story of the Times.
"It was in Mar 2020.
The streets were empty, the shops closed, people couldn't go out anymore.
But spring did not know and the flowers started to bloom, the sun was shining, the birds were singing, the swallows were soon to arrive, the sky was blue, the morning was coming earlier.
It was in Mar 2020.
Young people had to study online and find occupations at home, people could no longer shop or go to the hairdresser. Soon there would be no more room in hospitals and people continued to get sick.
But spring did not know, the time to go to the garden was coming, the grass was turning green.
It was in Mar 2020.
People were put in containment, to protect grandparents, families and children. No more meetings or meals, family celebrations. The fear became real and the days were alike.
But spring did not know, apple trees, cherry trees and others bloomed, the leaves grew. People started reading, playing with family, learning a language, singing on the balcony inviting neighbours to do the same, learning a new language, showing solidarity and focusing on other values.
People realised the importance of health, suffering, of this world that had stopped, of the economy that had plummeted.
But spring did not know. The flowers have given way to the fruits, the birds have made their nest, the swallows had arrived.
Then the day of liberation arrived, people learned about it on TV. The virus had lost, people took to the streets, sang, cried, kissed their neighbours, without masks or gloves.
And that's where summer came, because spring didn't know. He continued to be there despite everything, despite the virus, fear and death. Because spring didn't know, he taught people the power of life.
"Everything will be fine, stay at home, protect yourself and you will enjoy life".
Note. This story was sent to me by my friend from Australia.
Tailpiece.
Got up on the dot, the chores and was ready well in time. Another uneventful day. The Prime Minister announced a 21-day lock down across the country, beginning at 0001 hrs, tonight to beat the Corona virus.
Suma had called up Lekha asking as to whether I'd handle the situation if she were to come for work, tomorrow and we'd to tell her to stay at her home and not worry about us.
Kathleen O'Meera's poem, written in 1869. Kinda prophetic. Take care!
And people stayed home
and read books and listened
and rested and exercised
and made art and played
and learned new ways of being
and stopped
and listened deeper.
Someone meditated
someone prayed
someone danced
someone met their shadow
and people began to think
differently
and people healed,
and in the absence of people who
lived in ignorant ways, dangerous,
meaningless and heartless,
even the earth began to heal
and when the danger ended
and people found each other
grieved for the dead people,
and they made new choices
and dreamed of new visions
and created new ways of life
and healed the earth completely
just as they were healed
themselves.
* * *
The History of the Middle Finger
Well, now.......here's something I never knew before and now that I know it, I feel compelled to send it on to my more intelligent friends in the hope that they, too, will feel edified.
Before the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the French, anticipating victory over the English, proposed to cut off the middle finger of all captured English soldiers. Without the middle finger it would be impossible to draw the renowned English longbow and therefore, they would be incapable of fighting in the future. This famous English longbow was made of the native English Yew tree and the act of drawing the longbow was known as 'plucking the yew' (or 'pluck yew').
Much to the bewilderment of the French, the English won a major upset and they began mocking the French by waving their middle fingers at the defeated French, saying, See, we can still pluck yew! Since 'pluck yew' is rather difficult to say, the difficult consonant cluster at the beginning has gradually changed by a labiodentalfricative 'F' and thus the words often used in conjunction with the one-finger-salute! It is also because of the pheasant feathers on the arrows used with the longbow that the symbolic gesture is known as 'giving the bird'.
And yew thought yew knew every plucking thing. Didn't yew!!
* * *
A Story of the Times.
"It was in Mar 2020.
The streets were empty, the shops closed, people couldn't go out anymore.
But spring did not know and the flowers started to bloom, the sun was shining, the birds were singing, the swallows were soon to arrive, the sky was blue, the morning was coming earlier.
It was in Mar 2020.
Young people had to study online and find occupations at home, people could no longer shop or go to the hairdresser. Soon there would be no more room in hospitals and people continued to get sick.
But spring did not know, the time to go to the garden was coming, the grass was turning green.
It was in Mar 2020.
People were put in containment, to protect grandparents, families and children. No more meetings or meals, family celebrations. The fear became real and the days were alike.
But spring did not know, apple trees, cherry trees and others bloomed, the leaves grew. People started reading, playing with family, learning a language, singing on the balcony inviting neighbours to do the same, learning a new language, showing solidarity and focusing on other values.
People realised the importance of health, suffering, of this world that had stopped, of the economy that had plummeted.
But spring did not know. The flowers have given way to the fruits, the birds have made their nest, the swallows had arrived.
Then the day of liberation arrived, people learned about it on TV. The virus had lost, people took to the streets, sang, cried, kissed their neighbours, without masks or gloves.
And that's where summer came, because spring didn't know. He continued to be there despite everything, despite the virus, fear and death. Because spring didn't know, he taught people the power of life.
"Everything will be fine, stay at home, protect yourself and you will enjoy life".
Note. This story was sent to me by my friend from Australia.
Tailpiece.
Got up on the dot, the chores and was ready well in time. Another uneventful day. The Prime Minister announced a 21-day lock down across the country, beginning at 0001 hrs, tonight to beat the Corona virus.
Suma had called up Lekha asking as to whether I'd handle the situation if she were to come for work, tomorrow and we'd to tell her to stay at her home and not worry about us.
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