Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Of Blogs and Barometers . . .

To see what reminded me of this today, please take a look at a most remarkable blog named "A Majority of Two", and the piece about Traditions . . . centered on tapping on a barometer every day to see which way the wind is going to blow, figuratively. I wrote this piece shortly after my father in law passed away. He was a sailor, and as such, always kept an eye on the weather. . . and the barometer. We also had a barometer in the house where I grew up, and tapping on it was a regular habit.
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.
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. . . Ancient Barometer
.
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Time has come to a halt
The clock has ceased its tireless ticking
The barometer has taken over
A changing of the guard of sorts
The needle turns from clock wise to counter
From "Fair Sailing" to "Under the Weather"
.
On the ancient barometer
Over the terminal bed
The needle has dropped
From "He is Dying" to "He is Dead"
And tomorrow the needle
Will continue dipping
To "He is Buried, He is Gone
The Rest of You Must Carry On"
.
The ancient barometer over the bed
Cried out for all to see
"He has Lived, but He is Dead"
Even the wounds
On the silver-plated Christ
Re-opened and bled
But the soul of the beloved
Has taken to his heels and fled
To some place unknown
Where only those called may go
.
The barometer, ancient barometer
Hanging silent over the bed
Quiet as the endless rows of bones
That line the Paris Catacombs
Has not budged these thirty years past
Frozen as a face carved in wax
The needle fixed on "Stormy Seas"
But rising soon to "Peace at Last"
No breath no motion no heart to beat
Like a long forgotten question
One no longer needs to ask
The ancient barometer
Has given up the task
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.
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6 comments:

The Sagittarian said...

We have more than enough barometers in our house too, and The Stud regularly taps them 9all of them!!) to see what the weather is doing. The rest of us just peek out the window...

Nice poem BTW

Jo said...

That poem is exquisite. Do you ever read the New Yorker magazine? You should submit that poem to the New Yorker Magazine.

Omigosh, it is wonderful...!

Steve said...

Nicely done. The phrase "ancient barometer" really works as a gentle refrain and makes the reader conscious of the passing of time. Really liked this.

That is the chicken said...

What a wonderful metaphor for a life lived and for a death.

Joanna Dover said...

Thats funny - my father is also a daily 'tapper' jst reading this made me think of him!

John Petter said...

Hey i like that post and i think for sailors and also for North America in every home it is recommended as peer i think because in America any time Storme is come and for sailors it is life saver.
So as i think it is good for whether conditions.