Episode 25 - WALLS
Relationships only truly succeed
when we breakthrough the barriers, the walls that divide and separate us.
NO MORE WALLS OF SEPARATION
There is a first day for many events
Being born is the first of many special days
Many of which I cannot remember
The firsts I do remember changed my life.
Meeting my spiritual guide,
Marrying my wife,
Watching the birth of our daughter
holding her tiny body
against my beating heart.
Soft warm skin,
No wall between us.
34 years later
celebrating her marriage.
Grateful that I am a father
aware that so many other parents
are suffering losing children
in shootings, wars and famines.
I want to celebrate PEACE,
the first day when there is no war
when all the violence stops,
when all voices are heard.
With open doors,
Not broken walls.
WONDERING ABOUT WALLS
Inspired by Robert Frost
WALKING WALLS
Walking across the north of England
I admire beautiful stonewalls.
Built by farmers centuries ago
keeping cattle and sheep on their land.
Walking through Devil's Den
in Weston Connecticut
rough wild unkept woods
where charcoal makers did their work
leaving the remains of stonewalls.
New England stonewalls are a place
to put stones removed from stony ground
so farms can be plowed and planted.
Who doesn’t love a wall?
INSIDE WALLS
we move inside
walls surround us.
walls protect us.
Walls hide us from one another
which we sometimes appreciate.
We can hang art on walls
or keep it under the bed.
Who doesn’t love a wall?
English walls are red bricks
plastered over
to be painted white
1850 CT farm house Walls
are wood and plaster
filled with old newspapers
and a pewter milk jug.
Florida walls are
solid cement and metal studs,
no wood studs to screw into.
These walls frustrate
attaching the towel rack
that won’t fall down
at the slightest pull.
BUT
Who doesn’t love a wall?
WORLD WALLS
It’s all mixed up.
Protection, oppression
Friendship, enmity
love, hate
generosity, jealousy .
Walling walls
Border walls
Church walls
Climbing walls.
Praying
Protecting
Keeping In
Keeping out
Testing skill and courage.
Thick submarine walls
taking you down.
Thin Airplane walls
taking you up.
Who doesn’t love a wall?
WATCHING FIRSTS
Each first is opening to a new experience,
So many firsts in life,
how many can we remember now?
The first bite of solid food, free of mother's milk
The first words understood
the first pet
The first friend
The first day in school
The first day leaving home
The first real job
The first romance
The first and only marriage.
©MartinStrasmore2022
