The Causerie
  • The Causerie
  • Welcome

Causerie \kōz-'rē\

An informal chat or talk: a friendly discussion, typically on a literary subject.

Welcome to The Causerie

Seeing the World Through Smoke Colored Glasses

5/8/2013

2 Comments

 
PictureI've learned to appreciate the softness of gray.
Seeing the World Through Smoke Colored Glasses

I cried when I purchased my
First grey dress.  All the way home. 

The clerk at the store said
'You look so lovely in grey
With your hair color, my dear.' And she smiled a trying smile.

Grey was my mother's choice,
When I knew her last.
First was blue, in her youth,
Which I never wore,
Then grey.

My colors used to be
Dramatic red, chilling black
And dazzling white.

That was then, when
I thought it was important
To be intrepid.

Now my closet is filled with shades
Of winter clouds.  Even some of the walls
Where I live are a light vapor of sorts.

I've learned to appreciate the
Softness.  The neither here nor there.
No sharpness or glare.
Restraint, possibly even elegance.
Unpolished silver.
Grey, the color of cooing doves
And of elderly  women.

Is it conceivable, even probable that
I now understand my Mother
Just a shade more? 


Susan Patterson 


Audio for Seeing the World
Through Smoke Colored Glasses


Discussion: 

I'm not a sappy or soapy person, meaning I'm not greatly sentimental or emotional.  I hesitated putting this poem online, thinking that people would assume I was doing some great tribute to my mother.  I am not. Not that she would not deserve it.  She did…and does. 

But that is not what this poem is about.  It is about shifting to thinking with a different paradigm or perspective.  I now see things and think about things, differently from what I used to.  It is not better.  It is not worse.  It is different.  I know things now that I am older that my mother knew as she grew older. Seeing things as she did brings a whole new world of appreciation to me.  

Sometimes it takes a while to gain the type of  knowledge or appreciation that can be transforming.  God knows that I still don't know all that much, really.  But I am pretty sure that I know, that I don't know.  It is better than not knowing and thinking that I do know.  😊

Best chocolate candy? 

Sees Chocolates, by far.  I know that there are some small-batch chocolatiers with to die for offerings, but when it comes to mass produced chocolate candy, it is Sees.  Do you know good chocolate?  skp

Let Me Introduce an Artist

As a new feature to this Causerie, I am going to introduce my readers to some of the many artists that have come into my life.  So as not to offend anyone in reference to choice and order of introduction, I put all their business cards in a bowl and simply chose one.  I will feature an artist every once in awhile this way, just to keep things interesting. 

The first artist that I will introduce you to is Reneé Healy,  www.reneehealy.com 

Renee lives in Washington State and  offers fine art watercolors and mixed media originals and prints.  I first met her in West Linn, Oregon a few years ago.  When I saw her artistry, I walked into her booth and knew right then and there that she was all about healing.  Don't know why, but that is what I felt.  Her work is very engaging and beautifully colorful.  It is playful at times and other times dramatic.  Reneé paints outside the lines of tradition and inside the standard of elegance.  I have several of her smaller originals.  Take a look at her website and see what you think.  skp
Picture
Small hummingbird by Reneé Healy

Take care till next time.  skp
2 Comments
Janet Voss
5/8/2013 12:44:41 am

There are times when I read a line or sentence somewhere and I have to stop and read it again as the structure or just the words used are so perfect - I'm incredulous that someone was actually able to write it. Your last poem about smoke - colored glasses had that effect with the words - My colors used to be dramatic red, chilling black and dazzling white. Wonderful.

Reply
Janet,
5/8/2013 01:41:11 am

Thanks for your kind words. I do edit, edit, edit. skp

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    If you would like to email Susan, click HERE.

    Author

    Susan Patterson is a published author of three books of poetry and a book of memoirs.  She is heard regularly on RKWP podcast-radio. She also speaks at private and public events. Find out more at the website below.

    If you would like to receive updates and new posts, please sign up on the Welcome to The Causerie page.
    EarleneGrey.com

    Archives

    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All

    What's this RSS Feed stuff?

Blog Sponsor:

Special thanks to Earlene Grey® and Grey Publishing for kindly supporting this causerie.
Website by Western Marketing
Photos used under Creative Commons from David, Bergin, Emmett and Elliott, lamoix, Davide Restivo, naturalflow, WeVe1, johnhope14, kcxd, Boston Public Library, awebbMHAcad, InAweofGod'sCreation, tonyhall, rist2796, BluebearsLair, eioua, Salicia, V-A-K, 55Laney69, Infomastern, riptheskull, sean_hickin, SoulRider.222, scotbot, frankdouwes, Andreas Øverland, bernhard.friess, LuAnn Snawder Photography, Just Bens Photos, Kumweni, Alkan de Beaumont Chaglar, Maura McDonnell, ZeroOne, mripp, Bryn Pinzgauer, Nicholas_T, brookpeterson, George Alexander Ishida Newman, eioua, y.caradec, Nicholas_T, fromthevalleys-, Toronto History, Geecy, joncandy, Karen Roe, Jonathan Miske, verityatthedisco, FrankyChou, Tim Tuttle, DncnH, glasseyes view, Rob Gallop, Miguel Mendez, joncandy, The U.S. Army, darvina06, McD22, .tafo., torbakhopper, MCAD Library, BLMOregon, Norbert Reimer, Jonathan Miske, Jamie McCaffrey, benjaflynn, Valoisa Huone | photographer Petteri Sopanen, PapaPiper, timies_art, World/In/My/Eyes, Jaro Larnos, Infomastern, Joonie - http://justjoonie.blogspot.com/, Zanastardust, pfly, UpSticksNGo, Sharada Prasad, Michael Seeley, SpirosK photography, Wonderlane, cletch, Martin Pettitt, Alaskan Dude, Ben124., pedrosimoes7, Jim Sorbie, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, charinaduenas, jamarmstrong, forum.linvoyage.com, rajkumar1220, Zyllan Fotografía, ThisisalexK, versageek, cletch, BotheredByBees, pomodoroentertainment, Camp Pinewood YMCA, jimmyharris, Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, Pip R. Lagenta, Seattle Municipal Archives, duck vs. chicken, MCAD Library, gautsch., {Guerrilla Futures | Jason Tester}, Shermeee, ArturoYee, jimbowen0306, Mt. Hood Territory, freeparking :-|, flickr.annieandrew, Giorgio Galeotti, VeZoul, Wonderlane, jedydjah, xovesphoto, bertknot, liverpoolhls, Eric Kilby, iamchad, Karva Javi, rumimume, notfrancois, Imageation, hanspetermeyer.ca, Chuck 55, ninara, PK Fotografie, littlemisspurps, Sarah McDevitt, col&tasha, Island Way Photography, davebloggs007, Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism, sunchild123, Th.Papathanasiou, procsilas, Camera Eye Photography, kamsky, facebook.com/snapshotsofthepast, duggar11, *ErinBrierley*, cindy_knowlton2000, Kevin M. Gill, Markus Trienke, Kirt Edblom, tsaiproject, Dougtone, CJS*64 A man with a camera, Kurdistan Photo كوردستان, Wonderlane, Lucas Lima 37, photos_without_borders, -ab, Gonmi, MCAD Library, Lake Worth, L2F1, laffertyryan, Mike Procario, Keith Laverack, AwayWeGo210, bertknot, cheriejoyful, rich701, ierdnall, ninja 4 life, PK Fotografie, Blue Mountains Local Studies, presmd, nicolee_camacho, Vito De Meo, TheFACT, roseannadana, Tekniska museet, katerha, Classic_Movie_Gals, LuAnn Snawder Photography, Kevin Johnston, Tregoning, Mr Moss, Michel Curi, ajuonline, Madalina Ungur, zenera, matthewthecoolguy, Nathan Van Arsdale, gnuckx, docoverachiever, glasseyes view, mckaysavage, Bitterroot, Tim Tuttle, joaobambu, kamsky, synestheticstrings, smileoften, Parker Knight, Kitt Foo, rajkumar1220, Mavroudis Kostas, pedrosimoes7, Waiting For The Word, ed 37 ~~, leo.jeje, adactio, downing.amanda, sⓘndy°, S.MiRK, Meanest Indian, twinxamot, infomatique, MrMitch, Garett Gabriel, librarywebchic, stevendepolo, Paul Stainthorp, coolgeek1998, Debs (ò‿ó)♪, verityatthedisco, paukrus, javcon117, Lars Plougmann, McD22, ulrichkarljoho, tonyhall, Twix, HumanSeeHumanDo, garryknight, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region, slightly everything, e³°°°, chakchouka, archer10 (Dennis), Zhetta, State Records NSW, Katie@!, Flawka, Bjørn Giesenbauer, dvanzuijlekom, RickC, iapetos-1(crazy father), luckyfish, weldonwk, pennyspitter, H o l l y., color line, berny0md, Dominic's pics, ohmyGaly, Marianoff, slightly everything, jetglo, deflam, Jan Tik, Mo Kaiwen 莫楷文, leo.jeje