a complete book series
one of life’s greatest pleasures
reading it straight through
-my sincere gratitude to Gail Carriger and her steampunk Parasolverse novels
first nice day in awhile
I videochat outside
to helo fly-bys
my seed starts languish
friends speak of garden bounty
I stare at my sprouts
new mask reqs at work
digging through my closets, find
old fabric untouched
ah, impermanence
just when I find new normal
life throws a curve ball
I’m not looking back, but I want to look around me now.
This PSA brought to you by Rush.
Time Stand Still by Rush
I turn my back to the wind
To catch my breath,
Before I start off again.
Driven on
Without a moment to spend
To pass an evening
With a drink and a friend
I let my skin get too thin
I’d like to pause,
No matter what I pretend
Like some pilgrim —
Who learns to transcend —
Learns to live
As if each step was the end
Time stand still —
I’m not looking back —
But I want to look around me now
See more of the people
And the places that surround me now
Freeze this moment
A little bit longer
Make each sensation
A little bit stronger
Experience slips away…
I turn my face to the sun
Close my eyes,
Let my defences down —
All those wounds
That I can’t get unwound
I let my past go too fast
No time to pause —
If I could slow it all down
Like some captain,
Whose ship runs aground —
I can wait until the tide
Comes around
Make each impression
A little bit stronger
Freeze this motion
A little bit longer
The innocence slips away…
Summer’s going fast–
Nights growing colder
Children growing up —
old friends growing older
Experience slips away…
[Another version worth a look is the US Army Band’s performance in honor of Neil Peart back in February 2020:]
sleep for eight hours
wake tired, no energy
can’t focus, tears fall
every night I check
the deck planter filled with seeds:
any shoots this time?
the rain keeps falling
as rhododendrons explode
pinks, fuchsias, reds
exhausting work day
go to bed at normal time
—wide awake at 1 a.m.