Unknown

You are invited to join the "Invitation to Poetry" found at Abbey of the Arts here. This week’s photo is of a gravestone in the cemetery where Chief Sealth’s (who Seattle is named after) grave is found on the Suquamish reservation. There were several of these unknown graves and Christine has invited us to enter into our poetic imagination and give one of them (or several) a story. Here is mine:


Papoose strapped upon her back,
she strains against the weight.
In her heart she longs to dance
and break free toward the plains.
She cooks and works and serves her Chief
while dreams brew thoughts of life.
Now stooped and bent around the fire,
she stirs a soup of strife.

She’s been the squaw, the mother dear,
and now it seems so clear,
the stamp that’s lain across her heart
rings loudly in her ears.
She’s breathed it in and breathed it out.
It’s screamed within her mind.

Her heart, it breaks, the end is near.
She feels the loss, her own.
No one saw her in this life and
she has been alone.
She hears the word and knows it’s true
Her fate is all too clear.
From now until eternity,
she will be
UNKNOWN.

blossoming

"Each flower is a soul blossoming out to nature" --Gerard de Nerval

sunday meditation

"In Love that Long" --Rumi

I am here, this moment, inside the beauty,
the gift God has given,
our love:

this gold and circular sign
means we are free of any duty:

out of eternity

I turn my face to you, and into
eternity:

we have been in
love that long.

photos by lucy top to bottom: Rodin's "The Thinker"; lit candles at Notre Dame; Monet's "Water Lilies", Musee d'Orsay; St. Chapelle; statue at Musee d'Orsay

returning home

"I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself.” --Maya Angelou

time to go

my chariot awaits (taxi on the right)

airborne over greenland

Bon Voyage!!!

stalking les chiens

Aside from exploring the museums, cafes and amazing sights of Paris, I seem to have taken on one other little past time for which I hold my "nephew," Riley, fully responsible--dog stalking. This started when Riley requested that I bring him back a photo of an "authentic French poodle." I also stated in my Paris Manifesto that I would pet a poodle if it looked my way. This ended up being harder than you might imagine, because seriously I only saw ONE poodle my whole trip and believe me when I say...I was looking!!!

While I would not classify many of these in my "best photos" category (animals are really hard to capture especially when you are trying to be discreet), but they represent to me a funny, quirky little side of my great Paris adventure. So here they are, the Paris pups...

Free-roaming lhaso apso on ile de la cite. Read more here.

Cisco...hangin' out in my 'hood. (He was the biggest dog I saw & he is a 9 month old puppy!) Riley can tell you more here.

I seriously think this one may be Riley and his person, Sunrise Sister. Were they perhaps stalking moi?

Not a great shot, but I think cocker spaniels have become the official dog of Paris. I saw more of them than anything else!

Monsieur Ginger, le chien. Featured today at "Diamonds."

Hard to see, but there were three of these guys!!!

Another Riley look-alike. This time with his male person.

I saw this big fellow last night near the Latin Quarter. He has his own suitcase and everything.

I'd love to know if you have a fave. (I would have to vote for the big guys myself☺.)

One more little FYI--they seem to have banned smoking inside restaurants, but dogs are heartily welcomed. I love Paris!!!

more window shopping

if you are interested in photos as well as commentary, check out diamonds in the sky with lucy here.

can you feel the "flavor" of the different neighborhoods???

what surprise looks like

"Plan to be surprised." from Dan in Real Life

the "bored" gargoyle at Notre Dame

view from the top of Notre Dame (400 steps up)

amazing window from the much under-explored St. Severin Church

Jim Morrison of the Doors grave in Pere LaChaise cemetery

wall to wall Monet "Water Lilies" at L'Orangerie Musee

Paris sunset from the Right Bank near the Champs-Elysee

the Arc de Triomphe just after sunset.

It was definitely a surprise-filled day!!!