Monday, January 02, 2006

This year

I resolve
to build no weapons of mass destruction
nor to lie about other countries doing so
in order to justify invading them

I resolve
to listen to Bach's violin concertos
early on green sunny summer mornings
and to play John Coltrane late at night

I resolve
to honour the growing dead not by grieving them
but by keeping the best of them alive in memory
every day of my life

I resolve
to take photographs only in black and white
and to develop them in the sacred dark
with silver bromides acids and magical light

I resolve
to listen to wind play in wolf willow and sage
and to pick out and hear each of its voices
as carefully as I choose the words on this page.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, thank goodness, no more weapons of mass destruction. It's about time, Coyote! And I resolve to drink more coffee with you, in the New Year. That means I must make more time for enjoying life. Making more time for life...this year's resolution.

ether said...

Your new year resolutions are admirable, Coyote. They inspire me to make my own list as well.

Happy new year, :)

coyote said...

Happy year, Lucy!

And Nonny; yeah -- I decided that any cake recipe that packed 14 ounces of semisweet chocolate, a dozen eggs and 14 ounces of butter into a single 10-inch springform pan was simply too scary-deadly to be unleashed on an unsuspecting world...

WFKA5M said...

Poetic resolutions. Bravo.

coyote said...

Thank you, Muse. And what shall you resolve...?

ether said...

I *love* printing black and white photographs in the dark room.

It's magic.

David Scrimshaw said...

And I must congratulate you, Coyote, on choosing resolutions that are both measurable and realistic.

I hope we'll see some of the photos here on your blog.

WFKA5M said...

I'm thinking, but haven't much resolve at the moment...

J.T.Parreira said...

I agree about this poem's subject.
www.poetasalutor.blogspot.com

João

J.T.Parreira said...

Poeta Salutor again:
I like very much John Coltrane, the man of the Giant Steps...
Thanks.
João

coyote said...

And thanks to you, too, João...

Muse; just a suggestion, but you may consider re-reading R.D. Laing's Knots...