Thoughts of a Rural Woman

Archived Thoughts for 12/31/00

Oh, the Rigors of West End Living!

From your responses to the PUN-ishments we meted out, humor seems to be as scarce as frankincense. It's hard to separate the grief from the joy at this time of year; when it's dark long after we rise & long before we retire. When the grief gets to be the color of the sky & just as leaden, we cover & fill our homes & work places with brightness. So playing around with words until we get a giggle, seems a worthy gift & a much-needed Resolution with which to start the New Year - resolve to crack a joke at least once a day!

When the rain pours from the sky
like a power massage on high,
& the days are studies in gray,
& the wind blows through the trees
like a dog pursued by fleas,
You've got an idea of west end living!

When whole trees tumble down
so you can't get to town
& electrical wires lay all over the road,
& repair crews labor in the wet
like a Jurassic Park movie set,
You've got a glimpse of west end living!

When all the power flickers out
so the sussurant river becomes a shout
& you're drenched before you've left the porch,
& the phones are dead - it's a holiday!
While kerosene lamps hold the darkness at bay,
You've had a taste of west end living!

When the eave buckets fill
& the water pump is still,
we sit around wondering
what shows we are missing
& who we might be kissing.
You've a notion of west end living!

When logging trucks spray us
like waves off the sea,
& coast roads are slick with kelp
& shells crunch beneath our wheels
tossed up from a roiling tide.
You've felt a bit of west end living!

When lakes appear below all the berms
like dappled mirrors fringed by ferns,
& rivers carry flotilla of fallen trees
& roof leaks stream into waiting pans
in the umpteenth hour of rain,
You've a hint of west end living!

When the winds conspire to clear the air
to somewhere else & the sun appears
& fears arise we might have to mow the grass!
& daylight's leaving ever so fast,
temperatures suddenly drop, here comes frost!
You've been privy to west end living!

When snow turns our world into a greeting card,
with trees perfectly flocked in our yard
& sunrises are mauve, copper & cold
& our black dog prances, stitching his way
across the white & sleeping landscape.
You've known the rigors of west end living!

& then you're inside, snug, bright & warm.

Rebecca