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Beth Patterson

Host, Virtual Tea House

inter-dependent intersections

card3 

Collage I made in mid May.  It is one of a series of 7 that has to do with my friend A's life and death.  This is about the crossing of the River Styx, Charon the ferryman,  and also, on this side of the river, about her love of canoeing.  A masthead of a Viking ship wanted to be on the collage for reasons unknown to me.  A's death was conscious, open-hearted, open-eyed.

Where else

but in the dream world

or the river  between worlds

would the beloved canoe of many leisurely paddles

and the focused determination of Charon the ferryboat man,

known only for one way trips

collide as in a collage? 

 

The intersection of light water with dark

canoe with ferry

Light and Torah with Authenticity and Truth

were my dream's mirror of her journey.

 

Thanks to  the elusive Haiku Tuna for this week's provocative One Single Impression prompt: intersections 

Follow the link to read a variety of amazing responses to this prompt.

 

Published Sunday, June 07, 2009 12:05 AM by Beth Patterson

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Comments

 

Jim said:

Hi Beth, very nice. I am sitting in the back of the canoe in the dream world with your passenger.  Those one way trips bothered me some, I'm sure it did the passenger.

You poem reminded me somewhat of 'Hotel California' by the Eagles "You can checkout any time you like, But you can never leave! ("all just prisoners here, of our own device").  

:-)

..

June 7, 2009 12:41 AM
 

gautami said:

Very touching.

I agree with Jim about that Hotel California song..

<a href="http://firmlyrooted.blogspot.com/2009/06/strings-cross-with-wires.html">strings cross with wires</a>

June 7, 2009 1:02 AM
 

Nathalie (Spacedlaw) said:

Nice tribute for your friend. It is so good that you were able to physically bring this together to focus grief and love.

(your Charon looks like Alan Moore...)

June 7, 2009 1:55 AM
 

Anthony North said:

This is alchemical in nature, and a lovely tribute.

Beautiful.

June 7, 2009 3:41 AM
 

SandyCarson said:

And I am thinking of Tennyson's "Crossing the Bar." Not a bad journey at all....one that is pleasant to make with the graceful dreams of a friend to share the way.

June 7, 2009 6:27 AM
 

sandi mcbride said:

This is lovely Beth.  Thank you for the images...visual and spiritual

Sandi

June 7, 2009 6:57 AM
 

Maggie said:

This is a beautiful tribute to your friend and her one-way canoe ride.

I was touched by the light she carried with her.

June 7, 2009 10:41 AM
 

Beth Patterson said:

Thank you all for your words of wisdom and encouragement.  I am really allowing myself to go deeply into this grief and love for a life well-lived.  It is life-giving to do so.

Yes, Nathalie, Charon does look like Alan Moore...that's so funny!  

And, Maggie--she carried her light with her through the whole experience. It never went out.  I can only assume that it still shines, and will help light my way when it's my turn...

June 7, 2009 11:13 AM
 

Poetikat said:

Lovely. I have that wonderful image of Charon with his barge-pole (if one can actually conjure up a myth).  I very much enjoyed the trip.

Kat

June 7, 2009 11:55 AM
 

Tammie said:

Lovely piece, I wandered there.

June 7, 2009 12:14 PM
 

JanePoet ~ JP/deb said:

Beth ... what a beautiful poem and collage.  The intersection between life and death ... another step in the journey.  Peace, JP/deb

June 7, 2009 2:43 PM
 

KiteHorse 凧 馬 said:

Learning's confluence;

A year's don'ts and eight month's do's:

Five books of Moses

June 7, 2009 6:43 PM
 

floreta said:

great accompany to the photo! i like how you've placed a name in the poem. makes it seem more personable and specific.

June 7, 2009 6:51 PM
 

deli said:

dreamworld

June 8, 2009 1:31 AM
 

Geraldine said:

A touching take on this wonderful prompt. I love the gentle "feel" this work has...lovely! Hugs, G

June 8, 2009 11:25 AM
 

Tumblewords said:

Lovely tribute. The collage says a thousand words. Having 'gone' and returned, I've penned several poems about Charon and the Styx so this piece strikes home in a very poignant way.

June 8, 2009 2:19 PM
 

Beth Patterson said:

Thank you all for your kind words!

Tumblewords, I just left you a message on your blog...you piqued my curiousity!

June 8, 2009 3:02 PM
 

sue said:

powerful images and powerful verses.

June 8, 2009 3:19 PM
 

zoya gautam said:

gentle "feel" _

Lovely tribute

June 8, 2009 9:34 PM
 

patti said:

First of all...what a beautiful tribute to your friend- just lovely~  Second of all- I am fascinated by the collage- that is one of my goals this summer- to dabble with one- at the moment though I am way too intimidated to try.  I love yours!

June 10, 2009 4:48 PM
 

Beth Patterson said:

Thanks,  Sue, Zoya, Patti--

Patti--the collages are really simple--if you'd like, I'll do a post sometime soon about the process?

June 10, 2009 5:53 PM
 

gabrielle said:

there are so many intersection depicted here:

the intersection of your beloved friend departing, you standing on the shore as she sets sail

the intersection of this moment when the reader shares in your beautiful  remembrance

and finally, the mystical intersection where we let go of everything we know and set forth into the infinite

so much dignity and love in this poem.  And the collage so full of personal totems, augmented the sense of sacred journey.

Thank you for sharing this.

June 11, 2009 12:21 AM
 

one more believer said:

hi beth... art is such a beautiful road of expression.... passing is sometimes hard for us who are left behind... waiting for our turn... absolutely adored your collage... a conscious passing is intriguing...

June 11, 2009 3:49 PM
 

Beth Patterson said:

Last year on solstice, I posted about the life and death, in 2003 of my beloved friend Katrina . Her

June 21, 2009 3:04 PM

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About Beth Patterson

The Virtual Tea House website became 'word-ripe' when, over a cup of jasmine green, I realized that the web has an expanding part to play in the communal aspects of spiritual growth.

With a master's degree in religion, my career spans 20 years in end of life care and I currently work in the field of child abuse intervention and advocacy.

Here in beautiful Central Oregon, my spiritual homes of the high desert and the mountains are both in proximity. And for good measure, four hours away is Grandmother Ocean and the stunning Oregon Coast.

I'm making decent progress on the goal set by my mother early on: she taught us that the goal of humanity should be to become ever-more eccentric, i.e. more fully human.

Entering the 'forest-dweller' phase of life, I am honored to host the Virtual Tea House for all who wish to explore how our lives are enriched and made new a thousand times each day by the spirituality we embody. Exploring this engagement together is the purpose of the Virtual Tea House.

Welcome! Let's have a cup of virtual tea together and share what brings us joy, what we are being taught by life, how we are leaning into the Big Questions posed to us each day in sometimes 'distressing disguises'.

Follow me on Twitter, if you must
http://twitter.com/MyraB

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