Gift of Celebrating Life as Lived

Poetry is my way of celebrating as I live it, life. Below is a poem in tribute to English language (or any human language really).

Two houses

There are two houses of this tongue I speak,
The upper house chock full of deals and ideals,
The lower one is not, but contrary and riven.

We love to think our speech a remedy
Consulting first the conditioning of one
And then the reconditioning of the other.

The higher order would have its verse
In chapters of iambic pentameter and
The lower rabel would have it course.

Folly it is to hold though that words
To no chapter in no system of worth
Will ever be so constrained or chained.

But admit as well the presence in our midst
Of broken speech and the newly born jibe,
Those who sing out phrases heard but not.

Let's remember this our language
Has no nobility if it be not live
And lift us off our arses one and all.

Sixty Years Young

Yesterday, I had a perfectly normal Wednesday. Up early for breakfast and early morning birthday greetings from loved ones and out the door to Caribou for newspaper and coffee (thanks to a birthday gift from my dear sister, Theresa) and then on to Metro Mobility for a great day driving in the ice and snow ruts of undermaintained city streets, then made it early to church choir, and a late night hot chocolate stop at Starbucks with Rev. Rich Johnson, who was so thoughtful to invite me out to mark my birthday. He's a sweet guy and let me talk about myself. Today I had time for facebook and hotmail exchanges with friends and family who celebrated my birthday with me and to reflect on yesterday's events. I am so grateful for life and hope to keep that positive attitude even as going gets rougher with age.