Midsummer Day

In Tucson, many celebrate this day, also St. John the Baptist Day, as Dia de San Juan. They brave the heat and, as today, emerging humidity, in order to "bring downt the rain." To all those we commit their energies to this fiesta, I salute you! As for me, I will take shelter in an air-conditioned house today.

This morning I go for a PT assessment. My back has greatly improved. I had two doses of 400 mg of Advil yesterday (down from 600 mg) and didn't take a muscle relaxant. So far, so good. Mostly, they will focus on my ankle. I worked it a bit more yesterday when, for the first time in 12 weeks, I made a simple dinner for Mark and me. Later, at the Y, I did my now-usual 20 mins. on the bike, weights and then 5 mins. cool down on the bike. As I do the last 5 mins., I work my ankle back and forth on the pedal, stretching out the tendons. My ankle ached as I got myself ready for bed, but, after resting, it's okay (relative term) for the morning. I have a massage tonight and hope to do a neighborhood swim. Biking is, and always has been, "work" for me while swimming is mostly joy.

I wrote a new poem yesterday, a sestina--a form prompted by Writer's Digest. I pick six words and then there is a strict 7 stanza format for each stanza to end with a different configuration of the six words. Interesting exercise. I may tweak it later, but, as a Midsummer Day gift, here it is:

Sestina exercise from Writer’s Digest, May/June, 2010 p. 15
Yellow Birds Soar Swiftly Toward Sky by a.fonte 6/23/2010

In the morning, yellow
flowers open. Birds
flutter their wings and soar
upward, into the clouds, swiftly
moving white strands toward
the sun in the sky.

Transformed by clouds, the sky
stretches beyond our view where yellow
flowers open leaves toward
the light. Songs of birds
aflight soften swiftly
as they soar.

Our spirits also soar
gathered up by colors of the sky,
as morning swiftly
changes into noon. Yellow
petals begin to droop, birds
scatter forward and toward.

We walk toward
the garden, where green tendrils soar
up the brown walls. Birds
hover above in the sky.
Squash blossoms are yellow
as we pick them swiftly.

Moving swiftly,
we skip toward
the kitchen, where yellow
lemons and peppers are boiling. Water vapors soar
into the air. The sky
outside is a mélange of clouds and birds.

Cooling them swiftly
we push vegetables toward
the sharp knife and slices of yellow
pepper, lemons and squash soar
into the kitchen air. Outside, the noontime sky
is bright with light, shining on the wings of birds.

Busy birds
gather together swiftly,
sheltered from the hot, desert sky.
They bustle toward
cool shady branches that soar
thickly together in a forest shining yellow.


Yellow birds
soar swiftly
toward sky.