Ribbit.
To be nobody-but-yourself -- in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else -- means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting. e.e. cummings, courtesy of The Writer's Almanac
Another busy weekend awaits me. We don't have class today, but I'll be attending my midterm conference. I also have to find that memorial at the cemetery, return some stuff to the library, get gas (oh wait, I did that yesterday), get the truck washed, cancel our YMCA membership (never go, plus we have the elliptical here and we can use the gym at a local park for free), try to find an Avatar birthday cake for Tree (I called the major grocery stories who said they don't have them, but want to check to make sure), buy groceries, get Tree ready for, and take her to, her friend's Halloween party...I know there is more, but I can't remember. I get so overwhelmed with part of the year with all of the holidays, Tree's birthday, and now school stuff to stay on top of. Taking care of myself is going to be important over the next three months. Tai chi should help. I'm trying to learn the first movement of the first form. I remember the name ("brush knee twist step") but can't remember all of the movements! Maybe I can find them online. So much to remember. Speaking of remembering, I'm getting closer to memorizing the poem. Let's see if I can recite it now:
In A Dark Time
Theodore Roethke
In a dark time, the eye begins to see.
I meet my shadow in the deepening shade.
I hear my echo in the echoing wood.
A lord of nature weeping to a tree.
I live between the heron and the wren,
Beasts of the hill and serpents of the den.
What's madness but nobility of soul
At odds with circumstance? The day's on fire!
I know the purity of pure despair.
My shadow pinned against a sweating wall.
That place among the rocks? Is it a cave
Or a winding path? The edge is what I have.
A steady storm of correspondences.
A night flowing with birds. A ragged moon.
And in broad day the midnight come again.
A man goes far to find out what he is.
Death of the soul in a long, tearless night.
All natural shapes blazing unnatural light.
Dark, dark, my light, and darker my desire.
My soul some heat-maddened summer fly
Buzzing at the sill. Which I is I?
A _____________ man, I climb out of my fear.
The mind enters itself, and God the mind,
And one is one. Free, in the tearing wind.
Okay, let's see how I did!
In A Dark Time
Theodore Roethke
In a dark time, the eye begins to see,
I meet my shadow in the deepening shade;
I hear my echo in the echoing wood--
A lord of nature weeping to a tree.
I live between the heron and the wren,
Beasts of the hill and serpents of the den.
What's madness but nobility of soul
At odds with circumstance? The day's on fire!
I know the purity of pure despair,
My shadow pinned against a sweating wall.
That place among the rocks--is it a cave,
Or a winding path? The edge is what I have.
A steady storm of correspondences!
A night flowing with birds, a ragged moon,
And in broad day the midnight come again!
A man goes far to find out what he is--
Death of the self in a long, tearless night,
All natural shapes blazing unnatural light.
Dark, dark my light, and darker my desire.
My soul, like some heat-maddened summer fly,
Keeps buzzing at the sill. Which I is I?
A fallen man, I climb out of my fear.
The mind enters itself, and God the mind,
And one is One, free in the tearing wind.
Not too bad! I still have about a month before I have to perform it in class. Maybe typing or writing it out regularly, in addition to reading and listening to it, will help commit if fully to memory. Memory is a horny toad. It looks mean and spits at you occasionally, but you still love because it's so gosh darn cute.
Another busy weekend awaits me. We don't have class today, but I'll be attending my midterm conference. I also have to find that memorial at the cemetery, return some stuff to the library, get gas (oh wait, I did that yesterday), get the truck washed, cancel our YMCA membership (never go, plus we have the elliptical here and we can use the gym at a local park for free), try to find an Avatar birthday cake for Tree (I called the major grocery stories who said they don't have them, but want to check to make sure), buy groceries, get Tree ready for, and take her to, her friend's Halloween party...I know there is more, but I can't remember. I get so overwhelmed with part of the year with all of the holidays, Tree's birthday, and now school stuff to stay on top of. Taking care of myself is going to be important over the next three months. Tai chi should help. I'm trying to learn the first movement of the first form. I remember the name ("brush knee twist step") but can't remember all of the movements! Maybe I can find them online. So much to remember. Speaking of remembering, I'm getting closer to memorizing the poem. Let's see if I can recite it now:
In A Dark Time
Theodore Roethke
In a dark time, the eye begins to see.
I meet my shadow in the deepening shade.
I hear my echo in the echoing wood.
A lord of nature weeping to a tree.
I live between the heron and the wren,
Beasts of the hill and serpents of the den.
What's madness but nobility of soul
At odds with circumstance? The day's on fire!
I know the purity of pure despair.
My shadow pinned against a sweating wall.
That place among the rocks? Is it a cave
Or a winding path? The edge is what I have.
A steady storm of correspondences.
A night flowing with birds. A ragged moon.
And in broad day the midnight come again.
A man goes far to find out what he is.
Death of the soul in a long, tearless night.
All natural shapes blazing unnatural light.
Dark, dark, my light, and darker my desire.
My soul some heat-maddened summer fly
Buzzing at the sill. Which I is I?
A _____________ man, I climb out of my fear.
The mind enters itself, and God the mind,
And one is one. Free, in the tearing wind.
Okay, let's see how I did!
In A Dark Time
Theodore Roethke
In a dark time, the eye begins to see,
I meet my shadow in the deepening shade;
I hear my echo in the echoing wood--
A lord of nature weeping to a tree.
I live between the heron and the wren,
Beasts of the hill and serpents of the den.
What's madness but nobility of soul
At odds with circumstance? The day's on fire!
I know the purity of pure despair,
My shadow pinned against a sweating wall.
That place among the rocks--is it a cave,
Or a winding path? The edge is what I have.
A steady storm of correspondences!
A night flowing with birds, a ragged moon,
And in broad day the midnight come again!
A man goes far to find out what he is--
Death of the self in a long, tearless night,
All natural shapes blazing unnatural light.
Dark, dark my light, and darker my desire.
My soul, like some heat-maddened summer fly,
Keeps buzzing at the sill. Which I is I?
A fallen man, I climb out of my fear.
The mind enters itself, and God the mind,
And one is One, free in the tearing wind.
Not too bad! I still have about a month before I have to perform it in class. Maybe typing or writing it out regularly, in addition to reading and listening to it, will help commit if fully to memory. Memory is a horny toad. It looks mean and spits at you occasionally, but you still love because it's so gosh darn cute.