Tonight: July 17 @ 7 PM - Live & Zoom
Live: Oceanside, NY @ Schoolhouse Green - off Foxhurst Rd just east of Long Beach Rd
Bring: Your chairs and your cares...
Zoom link: Poetry under the stars
Mary C M Phillips will be joined by three other village wordsmiths (*) - you'll find all the details here at her blog:
Caffeine Epiphanies "Caffeine-induced epiphanies and occasional literary musings"
Mary's Spotify channel (singles and albums)
Table of Contents
Author, Author...Mary C M Phillips
Mary C. M. Phillips
Mary C. M. Phillips is a caffeinated wife, mother, writer and musician. Her inspirational essays have been published in numerous bestselling anthologies.
Her spoken word poetry has been featured at the Walt Whitman Birthplace, Rock-n-Soul Gospel on WCWP radio, and Bards Revolution on BlogTalk radio while her written word appears in a variety of poetry anthologies. As a musician she has toured nationally with various recording artists such as Matthew Sweet, Marti Jones, and Don Dixon as well as comedian, Rob Bartlett, and satirist, Barry Mitchell on ABC’s World News Now. Her latest work, Music of the Forest (Rock-it Science Records) is available on iTunes, Spotify and other streaming platforms. Writing inspirational essays and poetry is a way of seeking — and conveying — the invisible. I talso helps us to see beauty in others. Good words — like choice musical notes — quiet the restless soul. To learn more visit: www.CaffeineEpiphanies.com.
...now, for a few personal early-morning musings...
“Let us live lives of quiet inspiration…”
As I was waking, these words were baking…And in an early morning online search found this among the offerings:
(*) The earlier mention of "wordsmiths" reminded me of "village smithy" which led to this song - an adaptation of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "The Village Blacksmith." See, I feel poetry needs to be both spoken and heard...beginning with the speaker. The words carry vibrations that are best experienced as they travel through the air current to our ears...I'm smiling as I write this...How fitting to these musings, that our ears contain a part known as the "anvil."
Students Read-aloud version follows - with very enthusiastic hand motions. Be sure to listen to the end to see where this very cool teacher is taking his kids...He and they are "class acts."
Akbar, thank you for your wisdom...
These lines from the poem reminded me of the wisdom you shared with me at your home about completing one thing before beginning another:
Toiling,—rejoicing,—sorrowing, Onward through life he goes; Each morning sees some task begin, Each evening sees it close; Something attempted, something done, Has earned a night's repose.
I'm now trying to "practice this principle in all my affairs"
Quelle Surprise!!! Somehow "anvil" brought up this famous operatic usage of the word...
So I set out in search of where I was now being led by my Muse...this time she's adorned as an Italian Gypsy...It's also likely that I was under a spell cast by my longtime friends whose ancestors hail from this country - like: Mike, Steven, Gregory, Vinnie, Richie...
Not one but two anvils create a stereophonic opera...
Anvil Chorus lyrics in English
See how the clouds melt away from the face of the sky when the sun shines, its brightness beaming; just as a widow, discarding her black robes, shows all her beauty in brilliance gleaming.
So, to work now! Lift up your hammers!
Who turns the Gypsy's day from gloom to brightest sunshine? His lovely Gypsy maid!
Men: Fill up the goblets! New strength and courage flow from lusty wine to soul and body.
All: See how the rays of the sun play and sparkle and give to our wine gay new splendor. So, to work now!
Who turns the Gypsy's day from gloom to brightest sunshine? His lovely Gypsy maid!
"I go into the forest to lose my mind...and find my soul"
These words from naturalist John Muir are inviting us to explore other spaces...
You'll find her other words at her Spotify channel - the link is at the beginning of this post.
--I've enjoyed Trevor here on Long Island when he came to Mulcahy's in Wantagh.
Among the Trees at Bayard Cutting Arboretum with our Baha'i Friends
I've mentioned our Baha'i friends in several posts. Here's one that included the above photo. It's from our May 24 fellowship time among the trees:
Among the Tree & Lake & Tai Chi Creatures at Hempstead Lake State Park
In several posts, I've mentioned our Tuesday & Thursday Tai Chi gatherings at the low fishing pier in Hempstead Lake State Park. 7:30 - 9 AM. Parking in the lots marked "2 & 3"- by the pickleball courts. You're welcome to check us out. An old friend who's very young in spirit - Richie - is our guide.
Choices...A road less traveled...
The above image of the path recalled this ode to choices made while traveling life's highways and byways...
On the anniversary of Mom's 103rd birthday in Heaven, I’m honoring her poetic influence on me with some reflections on the Nature of things and beginning my “SUNnet” (sonnet) with the title from her self-published book of prayer-verses…which was a life’s work and brought to all of us by her Editor - our sister Peggy.
It was published one day after the 60th anniversary of the day she carried me here.
#music #humor #poetry #MaryCMPhillips #TrevorHall #JohnMuir #RobertFrost #HenryWadsworthLongfellow #TaiChi #HempsteadLakeStatePark #BayardCuttingArboretumStatePark #Bahai #Richie #IlTrovatore #Akbar #AspenForge #MicahDarwin #MaryOliver #Mom #CatherineTittmann