Shawn L. Bird

Original poetry, commentary, and fiction. All copyrights reserved.

invocation after earthquake March 15, 2011

Filed under: Pondering,Rotary invocations — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:33 am
Tags: , , , ,

The recent massive earthquake in Sendai Japan reminds us once again how fragile our society is.  Our strength does not lie in the cities we’ve built or our impressive transportation infrastructure.  One belch from a volcano or a shift the  Earth’s plates show us that everything we think is so impressive is quite tenuous.  Our strength lies in our bindings to one another, our willingness to serve, and our gratitude for the blessings of life itself.

(c) Shawn Bird 2011  Free use with Rotary.  Please credit Shawn when you share this in your club; as well, please leave a comment to let us know your club  and when you intend to use it.  With thanks.

 

Chocolate or vanilla? March 14, 2011

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 2:03 pm
Tags: , ,

Prompt #70: Chocolate or vanilla?

Chocolate OR vanilla?

No
Chocolate AND vanilla
Ebony and ivory
Male and female
Bitter and sweet
Life and death
Ying and Yang
Chocolate and vanilla

 

 

 

Hawai’i love March 10, 2011

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:22 am
Tags: , ,

For many years

your love

was an ocean:

pacific,

glorious.

Your dreams

flowed around you like fish,

swirling with life

joy

terror

and companionship.

The storms came

upon tropic seas

but

blue waves

rocked you

back to

comfortable

complacency.

Firey red

tropical nights

bathed you in

beauty.

.

All was well

on the surface.

.

Beneath

the waves

lava

bubbled.

You didn’t understand

when steam

purcolated

on schedule

releasing the stress

beneath the surface

that the day

was coming when it’d

erupt in

turbulent

broil and

form a solitary island

with a different

perspective on

 the ocean.

.

Love

is still

a vast ocean.

Possibility

spreads upon a

limitless horizon.

Climb into your boat:

go fish.

There are many

dreams swirling

in the ocean.

 

My insurance carrier knows me well… March 7, 2011

Filed under: anecdotes,Pondering — Shawn L. Bird @ 6:48 pm
Tags: , , ,

I got my auto insurance renewal notice from ICBC the other day. As I read down to the bottom, I noticed a ‘clip off’ section with the note: “Don’t let this disappear under a pile of paperwork. Cut out the slip below and stick it on the fridge.”
I pointed it out to my husband and commented, “Hon, look! ICBC knows me!”

He snickered and said, “If they really knew you, they’d say, ‘Quick, give this notice to your husband.'”

.
😉 All the sadder because it’s so true.  I adore that man who keeps my world spinning by maintaining the mundane order of things.  Whatever would I do without him?  Someone recently asked me how I manage to keep a daily blog, teach, write a novel, and ‘all the other stuff.’  He’s why.  He holds the string so I can fly.

 

missing you March 6, 2011

Filed under: Poetry,Pondering — Shawn L. Bird @ 6:26 pm
Tags: , ,

I can not be
without you.

.

I can not
be without
you.

.

I can not be.

.

I am not me
without you.

.

I am not

me without

you.

.

I am not me.

.

I need

we

to be

us.

 

story: iloveross17 (chapter two) March 4, 2011

Filed under: narrative,Poetry,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:18 am
Tags: , , , ,

Previous chapters: one,

(Chapter two)

user name: suzieq@

password: iloveross18mos

change password: confused1

Status updates:

Bixby- oh yeah man!

Zara- wtf?

Lena- save me from my boredom!

CHAT ALERT!

Zara- R U OK?

SusieQ- Ya

Zara-What happened?

SusieQ- Still trying to figure that out, actually.

Zara- Do u think Ross saw you making out with Dave?

SusieQ- 😦

 and onto chapter three

 

Pin pricks March 1, 2011

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:10 am
Tags: ,

prompt #58 What is the smallest thing beside you?

.

Angels are dancing

on the head of it
but from the other end
I’m being pricked
and poked.
I’m pitted with holes
and pinned together again.
My pieces are

held tightly and tautly
~if temporarily.

 

Grace February 28, 2011

Filed under: Grace Awakening,Literature,Pondering — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:30 am
Tags: , , ,

In Grace something is transcended, once and for all overcome. Grace happens in spite of something; it happens in spite of separateness and alienation. Grace means that life is once again united with life, self is reconciled with self. Grace transforms fate into a meaningful vocation. It transforms guilt to trust and courage. The word …grace has something triumphant in it.    ~Yrjö Kallinen

I found this quote on the Facebook status of friend who works at the UN. Aside from the concept of grace which is so beautifully explored here, I am fascinated that it was written by a Finn.  If Yrjö Kallinen was writing this in Finnish, it opens up another interesting language exploration, as there isn’t a single word for ‘grace’ in Finnish.  Perhaps Kallinen was thinking of gratia as there is a bit of the wealth of gratia gratium parit reflected here.

I want to know more about this.  If you know where this quote is from, please leave a comment so I can explore more.

Kiitos Yrjö!

Addendum:  March 1, 2011

I found this clip of Kallinen.  He’s speaking Finnish, and so the majority of you will have to read the sub-titles, but if you’re curious to hear his lovely clear enunciation that even I can make sense of have a listen.  Apparently Kallinen was a pacifist and conscientious objector who nonetheless was Finland’s Minister of Defence from 1946-48.  He is speaking about life and dreams and how to revolutionize thinking.  Quite apropos to what is happening in the Middle East at the moment.

Elämmekö unessa? (Are we living in a dream) pt 2 – 1 Translation(s) | dotSUB.

 

Story: iloveross17 (chapter one) February 26, 2011

Filed under: narrative,Poetry,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:06 am
Tags: , , , , ,

Log in
User name: suzieq@
Password: iloveross17mos
Change password: iloveross18mos

Status updates:

Zara- math test! Gonna die.

Bixby- what is the reason to fear what we do not understand?

Ross- is now single.

Lena- have to babysit my little sister, someone text me!

CHAT ALERT!
Zara- Suzanne! OMG! Are you ok?!!!

Log off

.

Deep breath.
Ross…is single??????????

.

 —————————————————————

Next installment: Chapter 2

.

.

Submitted as part of  Monday Poetry Potluck Mar 7, 2011.  If you’re here from the potluck, add the link to your contribution in a comment.

 

Thinking again February 24, 2011

Filed under: anecdotes,Grace Awakening,Pondering — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:25 am
Tags: , , , , , , ,

Well, I am glad that Thinking Day occurs in Scouting Week, so I can carry on with my theme of Girl Guide memories with some impunity. 

Another fun memory of Guiding is singing around the campfire.  I even put a campfire scene in Grace Awakening to celebrate these moments.  One of my favorite things is making up a verse of Quartermaster’s Store for everyone present around the fire.

Got a name?  I’ll make you a verse!  I’m serious!  Send me the name (and pronunciation if it’s not a common name) in the comment section below and I’ll make you a verse for your personal use within Guiding (or wherever your campfire happens to be).

 If you don’t remember the song it goes like this:

♪ My eyes are dim I can not see ♪

♪ I have not brought my specs with me ♪

 ♪I havvvvvve no-ot brought . my. specs. with. me. ♪

♪ There was Shawn, Shawn making out with John ♪

♪ in the store ♪ in the store ♪

♪ There was Shawn, Shawn making out with John ♪

 ♪ in the quartermaster’s stor-or-ore ♪

Come on- gather ’round my fire!

PS. My husband is John.  My Guides loved the naughtiness of this! lol