SCATTERED BY THE SILENCE (photomorph) & O HOLY NIGHT (on a night's dreams) by Roswila

O HOLY NIGHT

shiver me timbers!
I sing “O Holy Night” on and off
all night in my dreams; even as I dream,
I know this is strange -- I love the music
of old hymns but am not religious --
and though some of the dreamy pleasure
is in knowing I’m hitting the high notes
(and there are plenty in this hymn to miss
given I lost my soprano top years ago)
I think the wish here is for a savior’s
intervention during this pandemic;
and, there you have it, the heart behind
my passionate dream-time singing;
“a new and glorious morn” indeed,
but each time I wake it's still dark out
and filled with an agitating silence;
no UCSB students squealing and laughing
outside my window, no cars and trucks
rolling by or noisy motorbikes:
we’re all sheltering in place trying
to stay on top of this unwelcome silence;
and so, I turn over yet again,
fall back to sleep
and dream-sing the hymn


[written about my dreams of 3-27-20. Here are the lyrics to O HOLY NIGHT that I was singing in my sleep:

O holy night the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees
O hear the angels' voices
O night divine
O night when Christ was born
O night divine o night
O night divine

I’d say more, but I’m certain I’d go on way too long. In many ways, I’m in a situation to be grateful for. Of course, how long before it collapses around all of us living here in our Retirement Community is anybody’s guess. And I simply must put a shout out of gratitude here for my friend, Blue, and all he does to help me. And to our staff and community resident volunteers.

Photomorph “Scattered by the Silence” (Screenshots 3, 10-15-19[36]) by Roswila]

PLEASE NOTE: in most browsers you can click on the above image for a larger version. Also, the photo accompanying a post is not necessarily meant to illustrate it, but to reflect some small, even slant or contrasting aspect of the verse, similar to Japanese haiga (illustrated haiku).

There are many other sorts of posts on this blog. I indicate which are about or influenced by dreams. Some non dream focused posts are book reviews, "regular" poems (some by other writers), scifaiku, writing exercises, Tarot haiku, photos, haiga, and so on. However, most of those are in much older posts. There's a listing by month going back to early 2006, at the end of the sidebar.

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until next time, keep dreaming,





[a/k/a Patricia Kelly]
**** If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”). Roswila's other blog (dedicated to her photos only, i.e. no poetry or other writing; daily post); TRYING TO HOLD A BOX OF LIGHT.