what happened was
that while you were extolling the virtues
of waffles and strong coffee,
across the bridge a small section of freeway
fell, caved in on itself, and though thank
God no one was killed and even the driver
of the big rig that caught on fire managed
to walk away, hail a taxi to the nearest hospital,
even though no permanent damage was done that day
you find it strange now, with the kind of hindsight
one gets after dramatic news stories, you find
the connection strange, that bridge separating
your breakfast from a freeway disaster,
you find it strange, the connection, any connection
really: the Virginia Tech shootings sidling up alongside
the beautiful spring day you woke up to that same morning;
the casualities of war rising at the same time
your own hopes are rising, something in your heart
steadied now, dependable; how, amid the larger shattering
of the planet you are finding fresh and lasting love.
and even though you want to be smart, stay alert,
learn to scan a campus or an airplane or a bus depot
with diligent acuity, you can't help your loose
and fuzzy cheerfulness, your eagerness to walk
the long, wide acreage of your one and only life.
4 comments:
I get this. My need to see life a journey I want to walk and all the things that make me want to walk it seems such a contradiction to the desasters in the world.
I'm glad that I'm not the only one feeling this strange almost-guilt for feeling okay. For feeling good. For being determined to live well in spite of all the sorrow all over the world. Perhaps we have to live well, to be joyful so that the entire world doesn't collapse in response to the heat, the fire of fear and violence. Thank you, Maya, for giving gentle, peaceful, inquisitive words to what I have been feeling and asking. Gail
Imagine my surprise when I logged onto my blog and saw a message posted by a woman on the other side of the world who Ive been reading the thoughts and dreams of on almost a daily basis for the past year, but have not yet introduced myself to. How did you find me?! And how perfect that you did!
Im smiling at the universe right now...
Thank you for your words, every wonderous one.
Sometimes it is much easier to live in our own little micro-portion of this cruel and confusing world and to disregard the tragedies and disasters we feel that we, personally, can do nothing about. Most times all I think I can do about life on this planet outside of "my world" is to have a positive attitude and try to project it toward others.
Thank you for, once again, putting my thoughts and feelings into words.
-rd
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