Sunday, August 24, 2008


Why does a squirrel leaping from branch to branch never fall?
Because they have no fear of falling --
they can let go of one limb before clinging to another.


Some flowers for Hope...


PRAYER

Wind, water and winding sheet,
bring me peace and sunset,
and let me wake when others sleep
that I may walk through dreams.

Ok, listen. This isn't chess.
This isn't the makings of a neutron bomb.
Really there's no places that we differ
except that I am actively speaking out the voice within me
while you remain silent.

18 comments:

Jon said...

I love that some of you speak too...

switch said...

and some of us are smiling like fools.

switch said...

oh and where and what is that first photo?..it's perfectly intriguing.

BBC said...

Why does a squirrel leaping from branch to branch never fall?

You have a lot to learn friend. Many a squirrel has become lunch for a critter on the ground after missing a branch.

And you know what? It's okay, it's just part of the food chain, the critters on the ground have to have something to eat also.

BBC said...

Fern, the first photo appears to be a sundial some farmer put together.

Jon said...

Hey Fern...
So that shot is at this ecological reserve near Niagara... it's a funny place because all the structures there are scaled down (it's sort of like a place you'd take field trips at school) so the silo and windmill appear much further away... this was at sunrise...

BBC...
yes sometimes they do fall... but not from fear of it... I've seen ants trip over their own legs... that's always funny... they get up and look around as if to check if anyone saw them... embarrassed... so nature makes mistakes... it's not a perfect system... what can you do...

American Hill BIlly said...

Hopper,

I loved it. bbc did point out a fact, but it is a rarity. You pointed out that they have no fear....What an excellent point that people need to learn!!! Don't be afraid!! Skulls??? What do they tell us?? We are born, and We die. The only two absolute facts in this existence....

Where's the sun dial??? I want to visit that place!!!

Thank you for the post

United In Peace And Freedom

Anonymous said...

Wondeful photos--especially the top one, which seems like an accidental, post-industrial stonehenge--and the lines about the squirrel beneath. Ever see a dog that's just lost a leg--the way it will simply adapt, and start running on three legs? No stopping to be depressed or feel sorry for oneself, when you're a dog....

DeLi said...

porvoking. but i like most the last picture. i really love yellow flowers, they are so promising and hopeful.........

Anonymous said...

wow-- hopper, thanks for the flowers. I almost never get flowers in my day to day life.... this was so thoughtful; I'm touched.

I liked the sundial,too. Prayer is quite the juxtapose.Tell me, are you ever frightened by the power of words? Not that fear is any reason not to speak words.... sort of like the squirrel, I guess.
and on that, the squirrel stanza reminded me of a silly thing I heard years ago and I don't even remember where or when, something about the four laws of wing walking ( I think it has something to do with the daredevil women who used to walk on the wings of planes at county fairs in the 1920's and 30's)
#1 in order to get off the ground you have to lighten your load
#2 in order to take a step you have to spend a terrifying amount of time in mid-air
#3 before let go of something make sure you've got a hold of something else( oh, well, this is not exactly in line with the squirrel)
#4 flying isn't the miracle--landing is!

sorry if my comments aren't exactly --I don't know--stellar.
thanks for the chance to visit and think
and thanks again for the flowers;they made my day
Hope

Roxanne said...

hopper - i like the moods in this posting ... different facets of the same theme - the poetic side and then the almost - shall I say primal side? without speaking, you don't survive. there's a different voice speaking in the second half - which is refreshing to see. hope you're well, rox.
p.s. BBC's comments are a riot :) how true, how true.

Lynn Cohen said...

bouncing in here from Human Beings last post and again its about taking chances...risking, leaping in faith that we'll make it to the next branch safely...trusting...and important not to stay on the old branch...
I guess I am filled to the brim with our current elections and retoric filling my head daily in the news, TV, convention time here in the USA.
I am so ready to take a leap of faith with Obama and feel we will land safely on the next branch that has to be better than the old branches we've been dealing with for the past eight years!
I speak out for voting.
I speak out for change.

I too love the yellow flowers.
thanks for all the above.

SHUBHAJIT said...

" i am actively speaking out the voice within me while you remain silent"
Quite provocative in many respect. and also i identify the line...

BBC said...

You ever watch a sand flea?

They're good jumpers but they land backwards, then turn around to jump again to get to where they're going.

Weird, and just where in the hell does a sand flea think it needs to go anyway?

Do they have little sand flea party's or reunions in that sand? Orgies maybe?

Echo said...

I have a son like that squirrel, fearless, but, again like that animal, sometimes he does fall. It's just that they pick themselves up and keep leaping that's the important part.

human being said...

hope motherly nurtures our hops...
hope helps us get up
when we fall...
hoppers are hopers...

(inspired by the presence of Hope here)

Duke said...

I love the rhythm in this. Even as I'm typing it fights with my tapping fingers for beats in my head.

Beautiful photos as well. The roses posted on the 31st remind me of those in my garden here, as well as ones I saw in Parc Butte Chaumont in Paris. I guess a rose's beauty remains the same all over the world

Lynn Cohen said...

It's awfully quiet in your camp.
You okay? Just busy working?
Consider yourself missed.