Yoknapatawpha

all these years 
we have wondered
how his energy
is gained..
his lengthening life
those many details
swift literary command..

could an answer be
hidden here in front
of our eyes..?
a simple password
we've seen 
most recently on
that teeshirt in blue..

Yoknapatapha..
this strangest of words..
 more to be known..
the Chickasaw proclaimed
Split land their meaning..
but the Sole Proprietor
recall that pipe and mustache..

in direct opposition
saw slow water 
and drew his map..
this magical map
not geography not history
but somewhere between..
did he retain that Split..?

the Split remained as
dark territory below
chaotic and enclosing 
those good as deSpain
with rats named Snopes..
are we closer now
to a secret revealed..?

let's now recall
his penchant for maps
perhaps our key..
the story for him
without his map
was no story at all..
you probably have guessed..

this humble blackboard 
stands in clear disguise..
he rises quite early 
most eager to draw
a new Yoknapatapha.. 
our Friday map..
smooth water thus flows..

his secret now unveiled..?
can we now say what..?
sorry..most likely 
never and not..!

---CharlesC...Dec 2012

"History is not was, it is."
--William Faulkner

for Paula

a friend

from so long ago..

much to remember

here a few sparkles

from her stream of years..

first the boys

a pair as our own

golf and a phone booth

readily come to mind..

then there's Rosie

black and huge

we know for certain

mention brings tears..

from her Peak ascent

to Tucson descending

her parents care

brought comfort and Light..

to cap this stream

along came Greg

 his smile and guns..

a new horizon joyfully found..

this sketch is enough

but let's mention Jolene

mixing those cranes

with that Mexican hair..?

Happy Birthday, Paula

may this unpredictable

bright stream

keep flowing on...

Election

this new forked division

attractive to the majority..?

unattractive to the minority..?

perhaps not at all...

hopefully the birth

of a healthy recognition..

all must acknowledge

a significant new

 red and blue creation..

our common fleeting glimpse

of momentary Reality..

which is

feeding back

even just now

into the Light...

Stumbling

We do not

wish to be

accused of this..

an awkwardness

failure in life

mumbling our message

speech that's flawed..

our balance upset

falling and slipping..

but what of

those mistakes

those stumbles which

change our path..?

what of those

new insights

we stumble upon..?

a discovery made

when the normal

 expected..?

when only our

stumbling could have

led to gold...?

A November Walk

A breeze with a

chilling edge

contrasting a cliffside's 

bright reflection

a passing appearance 

 of warmth of the sun..

the flowing breeze 

cold boulders another

 downward flowing 

from some

 early eruption..

this afternoon walk

surveying my notes

suggestions of descent..

sunlit high cliffs  

wearing shadows of pines..

streaked cloud patterns

joining bare branches

pressing downward

 this merging of lines..

descent of the leaves

all fell in past weeks

now grinding to dust

by cycles and feet..

and then

an encircling band

the sunset

 red horizon all around
without hesitation

ringing the town..

November descends

this once more...

Resemblances

It is reported

that all reality

is composed of

innumerable patterns of

similarity and difference

all streaming from
a common source

a Formula most simple..

is our modern role

 one of discovery..?

the patterns we seek

 lying in wait..

 our need now

to find a new eye

new vessels.. 
building up

our inner
 resemblances...?

Lady V

when she arrives
at that V
in the road..
we wonder
is her freedom found
in the choosing
or the choice..?
if she chooses choosing
she is not free
for the other choice..
if she chooses choice
making no choice
ends her choosing..

does the V itself
contain the secret
the freedom she seeks..?
that V point
containing all choices
needs accompany
inspire and energize..
on her chosen path
remembering
she becomes once more
again and again
that point...

(With gratitude to Mae and Lady V for
prompting this musing...)