Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Hilton Head Island: ungoofy; Otis; five poems

 


When I see photographs of myself or look in the mirror these days I mostly see a goofy looking old man, so perhaps you will forgive me for publishing the above which is used to promote the SafeHarbor film in which I don’t think I look goofy.  You may think otherwise.



You probably have read or heard that hurricane Otis which has just come ashore at Acapulco as a Category 5 storm underwent in the preceding twelve hours the most rapid intensification ever recorded in the Eastern Pacific Ocean with winds increasing by 115 mph/100 knots during that half day.

This is a cause for considerable concern among those of us who live in hurricane zones.  We absurdly start naming storms when they reach minimum gale force, 34 knots.  That is just moderately unpleasant weather.  We really shouldn’t name storms at all.  We should just label them Blind Force 1, 2, etc. to the end of the season.  But we must now face the fact that we can be in our homes with a tropical storm approaching with an increasing chance the storm will rapidly intensify.

I am sitting on our porch and paused to think about that.  I like it here.  The risk goes with the territory.



I find I have fallen behind in sharing poems which I think at least a few of you will appreciate.  I have felt out of focus this week.  Not ill.  Just not quite myself.  For better or worse I again am myself.  So here are five poems I have recently admired.  

FromTHE POETRY OF ZEN, both by Yuan Mei:





From BEING ALIVE:






The last, as you would expect, made me think of Carol and because she does not often read this journal, I emailed it to her.

I have a criticism of ‘The Third Body’ and that is of the exclamation mark after ‘death’.  It is too dramatic.  A period is enough.  Death is just another thing that happens.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I read it as the exclamation was not to dramatize death itself but to emphasize the point that while age and parting are not certain, death is.

Loved all the poems, especially "Gift" and "The Peace of Wild Things". Thank you.

The picture captures the badass, the he-man, that you are.

Webb said...

Of the punctuation I am open to different interpretations.

That passing on the poems meant something to you is very satisfying to me. Maybe that is one of my functions.

Of the photo, well you seem to agree that sometimes I don’t appear goofy.

Rich Pereira said...

Thank you for the new Poems Webb! You have definitely inspired me to enjoy poetry with your posts! I especially enjoy “Gift”, it cleverly describes my feelings and how I have been blessed to experience my garden on the water, which is truly a gift! I also agree that the picture you shared is Not goofy! Very appropriate for the subject of an excellent film that was interesting and informative!

Webb said...

I'm repeating myself, Rich. Not for the first time. To know that some appreciate the poems I pass on is very pleasing to me.

Anonymous said...

Sitting in New Zealand after a quick trip to the US I found the gift to be a gift thank you Webb

Webb said...

I am pleased, anonymous. Thank you for telling me.