white rabbits, seabiscuits & planning trips {our bones as soul}

 

Mary Oliver has a poem called *bone* which gives me chills.  It speaks of soul, of longing, of oceans and of knowing the golden sand lays 'neath the gray sea waves (like the knowing of our soul existence 'neath this soft watery exterior).

You will find that poem in her collection titled "Why I Wake Early" and you won't stop there...no.  I'm certain you'll linger over this book for eternity. 

Notice the poet takes us to the details we oft times overlook?  That is the job of the poet-to point.  We need only to give our full attention and look to where she points.

Today I awoke (early) and exclaimed "White Rabbit!~" For last night before the fat rains and cracking thunder my eldest and I shared a dish of salted green pistachios & a girl movie & she regaled me with that of which she knows for sure.  Listening to her speak makes my heart burst with pride, (not knowing whatever small act of karma was responsible for the gift of her in my life or perhaps it was just sheer luck) and my mind open to the knowledge that only eleven year olds are privy too.

One thing she did share with me was the old English superstition of waking on the first day of the new month and saying "White rabbit," before saying anything else. This brings the sayer good luck for the whole month~!

She had us all in a tizzy making sure we remembered, the six year old mini version of her, her little sister, marking up a pink post-it note to stick on the closet door in front of the bed as a reminder! Well the funny thing was, it stormed so loudly and raged on for hours and the dog was panting and shaking and the eldest girl and I crept around the black house staring out the windows at the storm (fascinated with nature) and so when we finally went up to tuck her into bed with her fan on {to drown the noise of course...} the little one sat bolt upright in bed like a mini-Bella Lugosi and with zombie eyes and a squeaky cute little voice said at the top of her lungs "White rabbit!" then fell back asleep within seconds.  The eldest and I were in hysterics.

Whatever your superstitions, whatever your poetry, whatever brings you joy and love and good karma this August...I wish it all for you and more. xoxo

P.S. I'm going to Morocco in 2012.  Would you like to go too? Watch for more information in a post this week.

 

Comments

[Sherry Smyth]

I love learning new things...like "white rabbit" (which I will now have to wait until September to do...please ask youngest to make and market post it notes with this reminder!)..and I love that we are learning this from an 11 year old wise woman.

Rain? Thunder? That didn't make it this far west but I was in Whitby yesterday and there were some mighty ominous clouds!

I did chuckle at the littlest one though -- shouting before she fell back to sleep...she was determined to remember. As for the fan on to drown out the noise? Both my boys did that as children -- it was how they went to sleep every night -- they just became so attuned to that "hum".

[Gillian daSilva]

yes! white noise! love the fans for that :)
we were hit hard, the rain drops were so big they hit the house like baseballs. for a second i thought it was hail...but it wasn't. just big old fat rain.
xox

[Steph]

What a beautiful post Gillian! I'd never heard of the "white rabbit" superstition, I may pack it up and take it out for September. :)

[Gillian daSilva]

Thank you! While I'm not usually superstitious, I am a believer in manifestation so every little intention helps. Whispered or hollered...I'll make my own path.

xo

[Swirly]

Brilliant! And Mary Oliver - yes - I saw her speak not so long ago, and after she read The Journey, everyone in the audience just sighed. It was one of the most magical moments of my life.

[adee]

thank you so much Blue for introducing Mary Oliver. i searched and found 'bone' and i loved the way she plays with language 'at the edges of knowing'... brilliant, but in a soulful, diffused sense of way :)

yes, it is the poet's touch to bring that we often overlook, and children also do the same. they make us look at our mundane lives in such a new, magical way! now i'll also wait for September to start with the 'white rabbit' :)

and yes, you must have had some good karma to be gifted with these beautiful kids in your life!

as always, love reading your posts, some more than others :D

love you -adee

[christina]

hi sweetness!
i SO think i need this book.
xoxo