Valentines Presence

Girlfriend, sweet Cuban chica , I saw you took on Hershey tempting me with your blog commercial, that declares photo love so nicely represented, is better than what I get at home, but I want to know why there is not evidence of your salsa, your spice in the ingredients. Unintentional invisible weight is gained on hips, thighs, brains, through knowledge gained when ads for milk, deep, dark, decadence appear in magazines and on screen- Valentine’s Day; false promises of bringing love to the table, home, possibly empty bedroom. Temptation- through words and pictures; removing, causing skeletal wallets to let go of money and time that could be better spent on lost hearts, mami and pappy, or innocent children starving for more than quick release, moody binges, decay, sugary halt disguised in heart shaped shiny boxes, or easy access melted foiled stains. Hurting more than helping. Longing, sleeps all year; until promotion, promises of late night whispers, and candy covered ecstasy ensure sweet years to come with landfill waste. Awaken, heal the passion with gifts of touch, kisses, and heated arms unwrapping dormant feelings lying about on fresh scented linens- Rip apart those advertiser’s greedy proclamations, pretty packaging, by wadding it up, and sending it into the hearth; its true purpose to become cheap kindling that keep away drafty bits of stale confection and memory… Chica...Just sayin...

Homeless Campaign

 

Igloos For The Homeless

Late night after dinner drive running errands
turns into inescapable snow bound obstinacy
picturesque idea machine exploding- blowing
up blinding mounds of snow only to fall back
down around me into imaginary visions of penguins
construction hauling blocks, bricks of snow away- a
slippery means to an end becoming homes for the late
night cardboard crowds lining the streets of  cities like
New York and Trenton, but not Vancouver Island, BC
because they allow their homeless to migrate down from
the mainland because it does not snow or get as cold- so
they will not freeze to death on these long winter nights,
this would allow warmer accommodations for trash treasures
as well as provide housing for piled high basket bombing
vehicles they will would hang from the round edge doorways
like Christmas trees left up in living rooms until June with an
optional indecent exposure pee yellow interior cutting out
window views for the wealth’s security of knowing there will be
melting thirst for more income; more votes from cheap laborers
who’s families are hungry for food on the table complaint control
and help to build inner city power in making three story towers
glisten in the sunlight eventually melting as do all promises of a
better life with equality for all, then maybe Obama passes a brilliant
ski stimulus for the country with money being saved on gas keeping
obesity down to a lower rate with more exercise that I myself might
benefit when the voice of our forefathers wakes me from my night-
dreaming through the dirty watery realistic triangular pyramid shapes
printed on the almighty dollar, but these are freaking way bigger than
one might ever see, even in the south, and so blocking a drivers view
of oncoming traffic; yet the third chance to jump onto the main road
 that leads to the next destination is buried in thought.

Muse Monday 10- My Mothers Poetry

 

[Photo courtesy of My Town Blogger Team Member- Kerry- Oregon]

The Angel’s Plight

There was a little angel whom was fat

Out side St. Peters gates she sat.

She had squeezed, and turned

Until her hips had burned,

But Gods gate she could not get through.

St. Peter shook his head

For he thought the angels plight sad.

As he turned to go, he said

“Angel go below,” “the Devil has a fat vat!

For she saw what a fool she had been

She had eaten herself double

A diet was but trouble.

Now she must pay for her sins

There is a moral to be found here

As the fat angel’s fate grows near

With your scales you can level

Or, eat yourself to the devil

And be unhappy, both outside and in.

- Virginia L. Kennon Akin, 1976

My mother was at odds with herself about weight, beauty, talent, and like many of us- feeling loved. She passed away in 2005. My memories of her were that of Elizabeth Taylor in looks- dark hair, tan skin, and she had a beautiful singing voice. Not to mention her penmanship was always being complimented. However her education only went as far as the sixth grade. She grew up in rural Louisiana, just outside of New Orleans on a farm, and married at fourteen. She had four children, but left that abusive relationship. Four kids in tow, Virginia Louise Kennon eventually met and married my father later in life. She had three children, including me being the middle child.

I remember her battle with depression, and other mental illness that harbored her desires to achieve more than that of  a simple house wife. She wanted to go back to school, but having three kids in an impoverished lifestyle with my father, she just felt it was not possible during those times. Eventually she was hospitalized from a fall. She would never walk again, and remained in a nursing home until her death. My father passed shortly before her, and we felt she never got over his not coming to visit her.

I admired my mother for her many talents. She talked about publishing her own poetry book, Frogs & Roses. So, I once I publish my own poetry book, I am including her works as well.

FSO- Birds

Whilst visiting some of the town bloggers, I had noticed that photographing birds in the garden was a popular pastime so my first thought was to suggest a subject of garden birds. But then I realised that not everyone has the equipment to photograph the real things. That made me look out for alternatives and I noticed sculptures, posters, little models and various other things with birds on them so I hope that your town will prove equally productive and am really looking forward to seeing your birds (real or otherwise). All the best, Scriptor Senex

[My son's city team bird]

When I saw we were going to keep our eye out for birds, I found myself sheltered in my son's drafty and cool apartment right after a snow storm blew me into town last week. I thought surely even the birds are tucked all warm into their nests, so how in the world would I be able to take some decent shots.

Even I forgot about how we can stretch and interpret our themes into some creative output for the members. My St. Louis boy said "Mom, you are in the land of the Cardinals, and I have this jacket on, so bring on the camera"!

St. Louis boy and I went to see Avatar yesterday. I kept reading Mark's snippets about the movie over the course of  this week, and decided before he gave away the story we would go and see it for ourselves. Yes, I illegally took an IPhone photo of the rather odd alien bird flying across the screen. So squint and you can make it out. I am out on just how great it was...

This takes me to the good looking St. Louis boy, and his beautiful bird escort! Notice they are supporting some hot new 3D glasses. Think they can make a savvy fashion statement if they leave the theater this way...uh, I do not think so, but it was good for a laugh!

Now the snow had begun to melt and we took a nice drive, taking care of so many errands and tasks that had been put off, and what did we see, but a tree full of birds. Again you will have to squint...my IPhone does not have a zoom app...

This is the shadow of a bird of prey (below). One that places the fear of 'Ever After' Love in the hearts of girls all over St. Louis! If they happen to fall under his spell...

Ha! My son begrudgingly helped me with my bird post, by allowing his hands to form this creatures shadow on a mound of melting snow...after a few tries I finally got a shot, and with assistance from photoshop we both are hoping you feel it looks as though an eagle proudly displaying his wing span in glory atop a snowy mountain...or at least in this mothers heart...

Thanks for joining me for my 'Bird' post this week, and go check out the many others on this 'MckLinky' site...

My Town Blogger Friday Shoot Out- Birds

Here is one last photo from my archives and actually taken in New Jersey! I took last year during Easter. Food blogs have contest all throughout the year, and I entered this into a 'My Peeps' food post, and you can see my 'Roman Peeps' are protecting their plate of Italian Sun dried tomato Farro, food of the Roman troops... The head Peep is holding a very sharp (and possibly lethal) screw I found in the package of Farro I brought back from Italy the year before... Birds of a tasty kind...

Muse Monday 7

[Photo Courtesy of  Simply Heather]


ON FIRE

Four in the morning
Risen to the rooster
Coffee and biscuits on the stove
This Texas poet ready to hit my 'New' Jersey roads
Never knowing what ingredients spark
Stand down, break out a song in this heart
Skillet, cornmeal and fish ready to jump
Moving around small to large seasoned space
Rattling metal, wood, copper, and cast iron
Counting whistles, and all my lumps
Mountains and kitchens to rise up with my burning desires
I work and rant until this freaky chef puts out the fires

- E, 2008 ©

Muse Monday 4/FSO- Angels

Benevolent Celestial

Artist’s hands
Formed life
Indistinct shadows
Mutated divinity
Thrown collection
Portals of clay
Deceived by light
Face to face
Feeding off chaos
Fending this room
Empty eyes
Staring
Soulless
Hypnotized slave…

Mirrors of
Once was
Deaths scapegoat
Anchored alter
Affinity of fire
Demons
Or angels
Morally ambiguous
Move unclad
Organic battle ground
Company we keep
Hell abide
My pain
their treasure…

© E Stelling, 2009

Demons are believed to have been fallen angels, and they can change their form to suit their needs. In the case of death, they are always regarded as the spirits of those who have died; it is believed that their are good and bad demons. When I created these plaques in my 'throwing' class it was not clear what was manifesting, as I made them after Anelisa passed away. The light clearly cast a shadow of a one sided wing in my eyes...

I am using this as my FSO- Angels picked by Kim, post since I am still feeling under the weather with a flu/cold this past week. This is my living room wall in Princeton, and part of 'My Town'...

Funny how I was inspired to post this Monday, and had not even noticed it was our theme...

We wish you all a Happy Holidays, and a New Year!

The Stelling Household