Take a look at the news today: bomb in Omagh; murderous riots in Afghanistan triggered by insane preacher in America; civil war in Libya; in Cote Ivoire; unrest in Yemen; Syria; radiation leaks in Japan, etc - does it not seem particularly dire? Well, yes and no. 1,601 years ago, the sack of Rome was pretty bad. Still - I cannot help feeling things unravelling a bit these days. We must have faith. Steady as she goes. Courage. But human nature is not impressive, altogether. We should be doing more to hold things together, surely? Still, 1.2 billion people in India have common cause to cheer their peaceful victory in the great game of Cricket. So - maybe, in the artifice of play, we can locate a still point of joy after all.
A poem for my mother, July 15 When she was dying And I was in a different country I dreamt I was there with her Flying over the ocean very quickly, And arriving in the room like a dream And I was a dream, but the meaning was more Than a dream has – it was a moving over time And land, over water, to get love across Fast enough, to be there, before she died, To lean over the small, huddled figure, In the dark, and without bothering her Even with apologies, and be a kiss in the air, A dream of a kiss, or even less, the thought of one, And when I woke, none of this had happened, She was still far distant, and we had not spoken.
Comments
Yes, I was delighted to hear that India had won the cricketing world cup only to have that uplifting information immediately followed by news of the brutal murder of a young policeman in Omagh. My delight turned to despair within a matter of seconds. Such, I suppose, is life.
Best wishes from Simon