Words Have Wings
"From the wide window towards the granite shore/The white sails still fly seaward, seaward flying/
Unbroken wings ..." - from Ash Wednesday by T.S. Eliot 
The Ocean Park Hall that opened in 1926 was the perfect place to celebrate its 100-year-history this June. Outside were games, food and face painting. Inside, grainy photos were on display of days gone by, including of the original post office. Deemed the world's smallest at the time, the six foot by six foot building made it into Ripley's Believe It Or Not!. Nowadays, most messages are sent electronically on keyboards and hand written letters in the mail seem a luxury. My poem (at bottom) is an ode to the hand written letter, inspired in part by the Poets and Storytellers United prompt, the quote by T.S. Eliot, reminding that words have wings though they travel by different means and that even Eliot preferred a typewriter in the early 1900's to ink and pen. 
For clarity, above and below are digital reproductions of faded black/white photos. Mail arrived to the Ocean Park community via the railway by the shore and carried uphill. 
My poem in flowery font is from the heart, although not written by hand on paper.
Explore more at Poets and Storytellers United, SKYWATCH and Saturday's Critters.
Check out my sites: Postcards from Penelope Puddle and Musings of A Puddlist In B.C.
Because the state of our planet is the most pressing issue of our time, link up and learn about the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report and watch environmental activist, 90-year-old David Suzuki, in an interview.
 |
| HOLD ONTO THE LIGHT |
Comments
Popular posts from this blog
Paper Bag Princess Gowns & Mom's Homemade Dresses
Remember the beloved children's tale The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch? She had only a paper bag to wear after a dragon destroyed her castle and belongings. The shallow prince whom she rescued showed his true nature by complaining she didn't look like a princess dressed in that bag. Good riddance to the prince but here are some paper dresses any royal or awesome regular girl would be proud to wear. I came upon these works of art at the Oakridge Mall in Vancouver. Hopefully, they will end up in a local museum or someplace where more people will enjoy them. The lovely regal garments made of paper capture the elements and majesty of the natural world. The Langara College Paper Couture Exhibition by Vancouver design students explains what materials are used to create the clothing: "All of the dresses are made from a variety of recyclable white or brown paper, tissue, tapes, glue, spray paint, adhesives, paper twine, coffee filters, cardboard, string, thum...
Angels & Demons
Looking for blue to peek through the hazy skies lately. Along my way I've been thinking about the Ukrainian girl who traveled to America for safety and ended up dead due to a stranger's violent psychotic act. Angels sent her from her homeland believing in safer outcomes but something demonic found her regardless. And tragically no angels helped the mother calling/pleading for help for her mentally ill son before he became a killer. I have no explanation why bad things happen to innocent people, just a poem that ponders the coexistence of good and evil, each causing random ripple effects from which we cannot detach. Explore more at Poets and Storytellers United , SKYWATCH and Saturday's Critters . Check out my sites: Postcards from Penelope Puddle and Musings of A Puddlist In B.C. Because the state of our planet is the most pressing issue of our time, link up and learn about the Intergovernment...
The Couch Art Where Bernie Came To Visit
"On the Web we all become small-town visitors lost in the big city." - Alison Gopnik President Joe Biden's inauguration was bursting with inspirational speeches and events. Heaven knows many who now breathe a sigh of relief also needed a good laugh. That's when Bernie stepped in with his cool attitude and awesome mittens. I couldn't resist joining so many others who included him in various ways in different spaces. I think he looks super cute and cozy on a sofa designed for the cover art of my Couch & Company story. Hope you enjoy it and explore more of the artistic side of life at Paint Party Friday . Still the kid I used to be Visit Postcards From Penelope Puddle and Penelope Puddlisms: BC Life Is A Whale Of A Ride to view more West Coast scenes. Because the state of our planet is the most pressing issue of our time, link up and learn about the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report .
I love community celebrations. It looks like a good time was had by everyone there. I love your poem.
ReplyDeleteI like the mix of vintage photos and new - pleasing to read
ReplyDelete...Ocean Park looks a bit like our Sea Breeze Park.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a nice event. I enjoy old photos, like the one of the post office and community events and celebrations.
ReplyDeleteI love the way you took the prompt and transformed it into a new meaning and a very personal metaphor. And I'm glad to learn from you that Eliot preferred the typewriter; I feel vindicated now for writing my poems straight onto computer, though so many of my colleagues swear that first drafts should always be by hand.
ReplyDeleteYour poetic letter was a joy to read .. any recipient would be thrilled to receive! As always, I so enjoy the photographs you share. A peek into other worlds.
ReplyDeleteWhat a brilliant photo story and capturing of emotion in your poem - your posts are always such a pleasure to see and read - Jae
ReplyDeleteGreat.
ReplyDeleteThanks for bringing it up.
ReplyDeleteEverything about the earlier way of life now feels deeply nostalgic and almost romantic. Handwritten letters, black and white photos, radios, turntables.... Writing letters and waiting for the postman carried a unique sense of anticipation, sometimes followed by quiet disappointment. It was an emotional rhythm that can never quite be recreated by simply refreshing an email inbox.
I tried to hold on to that tradition for as long as I could, but gradually, all my friends and acquaintances moved from letters to emails, and now to instant messaging. The last letter I wrote was in March 2024, which I dropped off at the Istanbul airport.
I wonder if I will be writing another letter... maybe a few postcards!
Beautiful poem Maria! Your photos of the community hall and the old sign are great.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a fun place! Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a great day and a happy weekend!
What a cute little post office. I miss sending and getting letters. I used to have pen pals growing up and it was always such fun getting mail.
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos and your poetry is impressive, a fitting tribute to those other poets. Are you going to publish them in a book sometime? I will be there in line :) Very much enjoyed again, thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteVery kind of you to say. Thank YOU, Denise. Maybe one day I will. :)
Deleteat first it was such a delight to send and receive emails and text... and now i have cards and stamps to write letters and send cards via snail mail... at one time love letters in the wrong hands were used as blackmail and could do such damage... i have love letter i've kept for years... only because it meant so much at the time
ReplyDeleteI sent my first email (yes, I remember it!) when I was 45 years old. So by then I had probably written hundreds if not thousands of letters, including those to my now-husband of 52 years during our courtship. I loved the restored photos and your poem. I can feel sorry, in a way, for the young people of today. A short love text full of abbreviations does not replace a love letter, at least in my humble opinion.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting post- I will follow your links and explore.
ReplyDeleteThere was a magic to handwritten communication that can never be replicated by electronic communication, but most people growing up today will never experience the pleasure. Sadly, I hardly send handwritten communication any more and seldom receive it.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a fun place. I love the black and white photos.
ReplyDelete