Ode to the Summer Sun


I opened the door and peeked out.
‘My God! What is that?’  
It’s only June!  Already the sun is
Here in full force.  

Bolt the doors, shutter the windows.  
Soon it will be too hot to bear.  
Hell has come to us in no uncertain terms.

When and if I go outside,
My eyes will squint shut.  
My skin will burn. Water will come out of
Places of my body that
I do not wish it to.  

Now that the sun is shining bright,
Children will frolic in the open air.
They will have to be managed.  

Workers will pound.  
Machines will whir. Odd music will intrude.   
All those sounds will have to be blocked,
Or muffled, at the very least.

It is all going to be overwhelming.
How is one to bear up under this
Season that Hades has delivered?  
I tell you, I can only grieve for our
Well-sprinkled earth as it follows
That soul poaching orb of summer.  



Susan Patterson
06-2013

I know, I know.  The chosen pictures belie the sentimentality of the poem.  What can I say?  Summer is a glorious time with its colorful flowers and comfy warm weather.  It's just that sometimes, it can all be too much.  Too much glare, too many crowds, too much heat.  What is one to do?  Well, one could be patient and enjoy the season.  One could enjoy the warm evenings chatting with friends in the backyard.  One could enjoy the games with children in the afternoon.  How about the parades?  How about warm kitties laying about in the sun?  How about the gardens and the fresh food?  Happy summer to all of you!  skp

My friend, Edmund Preston, who is the producer of the popular podcast, Radio Kinver, often includes the tag line in his emails,  "Life has fallen me in pleasant places." by Joyce Grenfell.   I think about that line often.  In fact, I keep a copy of it on my desk.  Sometimes life does fall us like an old tree.  But gosh, sometimes, where we hit on the earth, is a very nice place to be.  Metaphorically where we are in life, by whatever means, just might be kinda nice. 

Joyce Grenfell was a British comedian, actress, writer, satirist and musician.  She passed away in 1979, but her work is still very popular.  I urge you to look her up and enjoy her humor.  What she had to say is still funny, current and true to life.  Let me know what you find.  skp

Happy halcyon days to you!    skp

Marilena


She grew in the shadows,
This plain beauty,
A flower that was
Most likely ready to blossom.  

Or maybe she had already opened up,
And no one noticed.  But then
It was difficult to get bright blooms
In the dimness where she was rooted.  

Either way, she
Was only
Discovered
When a person of discernment
Ventured down the road
Where she lived and
Noticed the
Glow leaking
From the shadows,
Out of the darkness
Of her cave.  

It was then that
Marilena was lifted
Out.


Susan Patterson
03-2014

Marilena...grown in the shadows, but blooming, never the less.  This poem could be about birth, rebirth, death, rescue, escape or simply natural growth.  It doesn't really matter, unless it matters to you.   When I first read the poem to husband, James, he said "I like it!  I don't have any idea what it means, but I like it."  Well you may feel the same way.  It's a poem to think about for sure.  I would love to hear your opinions.  skp

Have you ever heard of Israel Kamakawiwo'ole?  If so, then you will know about his music and how transforming it can be.  Israel (known as Iz) was an Hawaiian singer who passed in 1997. Even so, the number of his followers is growing and they devoted to him and his music.  He was most famous for his version of "Somewhere over the Rainbow."  I won't bore you with information that you can get on Wikipedia, but I do urge you to listen to his music.  He was quite the message of peace, healing and love. 

I have the CD,  IZ, Alone in IZ World.  It has music sung in both English and Hawaiian.  But the language doesn't matter.  A listener can hear and feel the music, no matter what the language is or words are.  I put the CD on in my kitchen and sway and dance to the sounds, absorbing the vibrations and the energy they give out  Try the music of IZ .  I'm sure that you will like it.  skp

▶Civility is being God-like in our humanity.      Earlene Grey

Susan Patterson, enjoying a formal evening aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA. 

The Queen Mary is an extrordinary cruise ship that was launched in 1936 from Scotland.  She was named for the wife of King George V and she set the benchmark for transatlantic travel.  Royalty, Hollywood stars and world statesmen enjoyed her exquisite passages. 

However at the start of WWII, the Queen Mary became a transport ship taking Americans overseas to fight in the War.  In fact, James' father, Cecil Patterson, sailed on the ship when he went to war.  We still have the ticket with the room number.  Even though the ship's  elegance is timeless, when boarding the Queen Mary, you can still feel the sadness for the men who lost their lives ensuring freedom world  from Nazi Germany.  

Since 1967, the Queen Mary has been docked at Long Beach, CA.  She is now a floating hotel and even center.  California is proud to  have her grace its shores. 

À bientôt.  skp

One Source  (Variations From One Root)

Tea comes in many variations,
And so do we.
We naively think
There are many different kinds.
There are not.

Assam, Oolong, Earl Grey, English Breakfast,
Asian, Negroid, Hispanic,
Mongol, Caucasian.
Tea comes from one plant.  One root.
And so do we.

We think, “Oh, this is a different tea.”
It is not.
Just grown in a different place.
Just brought up differently.

Let us then not forgo
The enjoyment of our own
Human variations,
Sometimes grown in a different place,
Brought up differently.
Variations from one root.


Susan Patterson
2003

James and I have just returned from the World Tea Exposition, this year held in Long Beach, California.  Bear with me then, and a Causerie  referencing tea.  Thousands of tea professionals from all around the world attend this annual event and it is impressive.  You have never seen so much tea and tea paraphernalia in your life.  From Russia to Africa, tea is grown around the globe.  It has been the source of energy and good health for centuries.  Wars have been waged because tea, and yet civility has been established over it.   All tea comes from on plant, camellia sinensis.  Who would have thought one little specie of a little bit of nothing could cause so much folderol?    Kind like us, isn't it? 

Book sales...pictured is Susan Patterson reading her poetry to a visitor at the World Tea Expo. 

A huge thank you to Gail Gastelu of the Tea House Times for hosting Susan, not only at the convention, but in Gail's magazine as well.  Susan's tea poetry has been spotlighted in the Tea House Times for almost ten years.
 http://www.theteahousetimes.com/

▶Please dear Lord, if I haven't been faithful enough to make it to heaven, at least let me make it to a good teashop.    Earlene Grey

Indulge me.  Right is a photo of James and Susan Patterson just before a formal dinner aboard the ocean liner, Queen Mary.  The event included an awards ceremony honoring some of the best professionals in the tea industry. The food was great, the wine outstanding and of course the tea, supplied by Harney and Sons tea, was top notch.  And yes, there was dancing...just a little in the corner by James and Susan.  Ahhhhh.