My Quiet Place
My Quiet Place
Where is it?
Why is it?
Is it just one Tiny Spot-
A Sanctuary for My Soul-
(which at times grows fatigued-
distressed-disturbed
By a sometimes Cruel World)
Is it in a Redwood grove-
Perhaps-
Carpeted with ferns and Leaves
Soft and Hushed-
Private from the Eyes
of All but GOD?
In a tall, tall Grove.
Standing Tiny and Dwarfed
By the Huge and Silent
Red-barked Trees
Hundreds - maybe Thousands
of Years Old
As Man reckons Time.
From High above.
From the Blue of Heaven
Come Rays of Light
Triangles of Light
Diagonally slanted
Toward the Dark Hushed
EARTH
Below-
Yes - My Quiet Place
Could be There -
In God's own Temple.
In ALL OUTDOORS
I worship HIM
And count my many blessings -
Many Years Have I
As Men and Women Count Time
But only a Flash of Years -
As the Gods count Time.
They alone know the Heavens
The Age of Stars
The Distances between
Tiny Gleams of LIght
In the Black of Firmament
Time and Space that has
No Limits.
They existed Before
And will exist After
Forever --
Yes - Friend - Amigo.
There is Peace
In such Facets of Nature
And One rests there
Becoming United with
The Trees - and the Sun
And the STARS.
Slowly - Slowly -
Gradually - Gradually -
The Outside Noises Cease
The Inner Noises Cease -
And One has found
His Quiet Place
Her Quiet Place
Again.
And Now.
This is my favorite poem by my biological grandfather, Milt Forrest. Today I visited my uncles and cousins (on my mom's side) and was not only thrilled with their company, but my Uncle Dave also gave me a book which he made about Milt. It's filled with his poetry and art, and the story of his life and how it relates to ours (the grandchildren). He died in 1991, two years before I was born, so unlike my sister and cousins i don't even have a vague memory of him. Apparently he lived in a trailer park on E. Cotati (where you are Nathan!) for the later years of his life. *Flips through book* His world was so different than mine... or was it? No.... he lived in the same world I do, I just entered at a different time. But as he wrote, there are things which existed Before and will exist After. Seeing pictures of him as a boy and a young man juxtaposed with those of him in his last years, knowing that his colorful spirit is gone, i mourn this man i never knew but who had an influence on who i am and what the world is around me....
It was neat to see my family, hear quirky family stories and discuss where life is taking them. All my cousins are so old! 18, 22, 24 (almost 25...) *sigh* i still feel like we should be in my uncle jamie's basement room playing video games and playing with all his little gadgets. We used to sit at the "kids table" at christmas, pick blackberries up on the hill, trip over Mary the dog (who would always lie in the most inconvenient places); Mia used to tickle me and I would laugh.... But the house on Mirabel is sold now, and life has thrown different challenges to the each of us, pulling us inexorably down different paths. But in my heart the five of us will always be there....
We were all so young.
Like Milt Forrest was at the beginning of the book.
Now they're all growing up.
I'm growing up too.
