RAIN BARREL SCRAPS---No. 2

When we first divided up responsibilities Stephen Lewandowski was self-assigned to the role of Greek Chorus. Trying to find a weekend that fit everyones schedule and had the Gell Center available had me looking for free weekends in April. While in the middle of that process The Chorus spoke.

A CAUTION FROM THE GREEK CHORUS

BEWARE of moving the date earlier

because up in them hills, the winter

is slow to leave and leaves behind much

mud, frozen ground and slippery slides.

The road to Gell is not great, the parking

worse, and snows last until May under

the dark groves.  Beware their glitter.

I scheduled something at Gell in

early April when in the lowlands

the zlotis and pinkups were in bloom

but behold there was an awful icestorm

that tore down trees, closed the roads,

and snuffed the electricity.  It was a cold time

and my nose ran for a week straight.

I said, "Nevermore shall I plan poetry readings

at Gell Center in April," and I have not unto this day.

So TAKE HEED ye flatlanders

these hills are slow to thaw

and schedule later.

                    Yrs.

                    The Chorus

The singing was pretty bad but the message from the The Chorus rang true.

 

The Greek Chorus has spoken

windows do rattle

tables do shake

I would trust luck

but my luck has a hole in its pocket

and my boots have holes in them too

and so does my plan

Travel through storms

tires skid, spin out or in that strange netherlands

don't quite firmly grip, kind of float

like the beautiful slow meander of the Normanskill

across the top of the asphalt road

queasy feeling like seeing the check arrive

when out for dinner with John Roche

don't want to study anymore ditches

even though I be friend

to a ditch connoisseur

April is a cruel month

The Greek Chorus ain't nobodies fool

I say we heed the raspery song

and wait for the warmer season

when the snakes have returned to their nests

in the boxes of letters in the basement

and the smart and colorful bird returns to the shore

of Lake Ontario to see the water turns from green to blue

(both posts on October 31, 2011)

There was a bit of concern as the I-Ching hexagram #43 Break-through was the original toss used to indicate the image and energy of Cloudburst. A bit of research into the Chinese calendar showed "The hexagram is linked with the third month [April-May]". The Gell Center was available and that is how we ended up scheduled in May and not April.