Thursday, May 28, 2009

Old Days - Old Friends

Aloha
Welcome to Life's Greatest Beach
Walkin' in Waikiki

"Vice is most dangerous when it puts on the garb of virtue."

Danish Proverb



Nephew & Niece

"It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are 20 gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg."

Thomas Jefferson


Shadow Spiders!

"People only see what they are prepared to see."

Ralph Waldo Emerson



It was normal to us.



Just the way we grew up.




From my earliest days, the world seemed like a place full of friends.
In the fields and woods, the naiads, nymphs, and who-ziss watched us play.



It made me feel safe to know that they were there.



And when we ran back home
the gate god welcomed us;



But kept the wandering hungers outside.



The kitchen god warmed us.
Seemed always so happy to see us,



even when we young neglected



to smear honey
on her mouths.




When we were sick, mama gave us little goddesses to chase the fevers away;
They cuddled in our arms,
and the fairies living in the wreathe above my bed



whispered songs and stories,



watching as I slept.




Then one day they came.



They spoke of love



but with stern faces.






Things we could not see,
or feel,
were the only things that pleased them.



Our simple songs
made them angry.



Our harmless,
homely,



helpful little gods
they treated worse than vermin.






I don't think they liked us very much either,



though they claimed to bring us a gift
from a god.



The way we have always been,



the things that brought us joy



and comfort-
they told us these were
all bad things.



That WE were bad,
but they could make us clean.




I didn't understand.



"Good," they said.
"God's ways are not your ways."





Every pleasant thing they changed.
For our good we must look sad,
and keep quiet now.



But how I miss the singing in the moonlight.
How we all felt one in our song.




And the faces,
friendly, watching over,
are all gone now.




They used to keep
the dreadful and implacable away.
We didn't know then
that it was the
Judgement of God.



So we live with the dread,
the fear,
that they they tell us
is just the beginning
of their wisdom.



But I long to be evil again;
How I miss my friends
the little gods.




Our house,
our village,
feels so empty
now.



Now that we serve big God
so far away in the sky.
Why does he watch us so harshly?
Yes
I miss my ancient
friends.
Amen
A l o h a! Cloudia

24 comments:

the walking man said...

Reacquaint your self with the gods of youth and fear nothing from the judgment of the God of creation. After all when it comes to creation that brings peace and joy God made all for the good of all.

Let the liars and them who would take away the light from your being, cast themselves into the pit of their own short sighted despair. Simply because they want company doesn't mean it has to be me or you that gives them what they wish.

I honestly loved this verse Cloudia.

Dina said...

Convincing and sad words. Makes me glad my religion has no missionaries.

Big God can (at times) be close, too, though. As our old Jewish song/prayer goes, "Yedid nefesh, av ha-rachaman..."-- friend of my soul, merciful father.

magiceye said...

amen

/\namaste
aloha

Akelamalu said...

Your childhood Gods never leave you honey.

What a beautiful pair your neice and nephew are! :0

I'm still thinking of you and yoru family and sending Reiki. xx

Dina said...

Cloudia, shalom. I always get so wrapped up in your writing that I forget to react to your photos.
Your family looks so nice, and your spiders are the kind I could live with (not to mention your beach).

Happy Shavuot tonight.

Anonymous said...

What beautiful young people!

This post touches me on a very personal level.

"Things we could not see, or feel, were the only things that pleased them."

How well I remember. Thanks for the reminder that I am now free to choose.

It is nice to once again start my day with your words to set the tone-- whether they be sweet or bittersweet...

Daryl said...

You are some amazing writer.. and you niece and nephew look charming ... love the shadow spiders .. Aloha xox

Sepiru Chris said...

What a wonderful entry, Cloudia.

I feel for the edges (it's in my nature)... and wonder who invited these strangers across your threshold.

No need to answer.

I love the imagery and the wistfulness. The nostalgia and the openness.

Of course, as you well know, the shadow spiders give me the willies.

Those big spiders I posted about last year? They are undergoing their annual fattening up right now. The spider steroid injections have begone. Three months to the apocalypse, attempt the umpteenth.

It's great to see and read a post from you, as your posts always hit too senses directly, and conjure the rest out of e-magic and e-words.

Tschuess,
Chris

Charles Gramlich said...

An excellent accompaniment to Thomas Jefferson's quote. I don't know why people want others to believe exactly as they do. I don't understand it.

Kay said...

Your nephew and niece are very attractive young people. I'm glad they could be here with you.

Anonymous said...

Aloha Cloudia -- I see your eyes in your niece and nephew! Okay, besides regrasping your childhood friendly gods, remember, the Hawaiians had alot of things right. I like the idea of a god for different things, the god of the sea, and Pele for the volcanos. It seems to make more sense to have different gods share these overseeing duties. But modern religion really needs gods to oversee cars and computers. DrumMajor

Elizabeth Bradley said...

Poignant. Lovely young people, your niece and nephew.

Heff said...

As always, very nice.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

What a very moving and sad poem, Cloudia. It makes me cry.

Barbara Martin said...

God made everything including one's ability with poignant poetry.

Anonymous said...

Hey, can I come live with you? I am single, recently divorced from Heff. Stop by my blog and show some love.

The Weaver of Grass said...

I think underneath you are still a free spirit Cloudia.

Cloudia said...

Thank you, Friends
for this bounty of tasty comments!
Aloha-

Anonymous said...

must have been this way!

SandyCarlson said...

Oh, I so agree with Jefferson and these others. Thanks, Cloudia. This is a lovely post.

Feisty Crone said...

Great post, Cloudia.

DeniseinVA said...

Great post and the photos and quotes that go with it. It is a lovely picture of your niece and nephew also.

DeniseinVA said...

Oh Cloudia, I just read your other post. I am so very sad to learn of your Dad's passing. My heart goes out to you and to your Mom, to all of you who loved him dearly. What a blessing to be so loved.

roughterrain crane said...

Please accept my sincere condolences over the passing of your father.