By Charles Simic
This peaceful world of ours is ready for destruction—
And still the sun shines, the sparrows come
Each morning to the bakery for crumbs.
Next door, two men deliver a bed for a pair of newlyweds
And stop to admire a bicycle chained to a parking meter.
Its owner is making lunch for his ailing grandmother.
He heats the soup and serves it to her in a bowl.
The windows are open, there's a warm breeze.
The young trees on our street are delirious to have leaves.
Italian opera is on the radio, the volume too high.
Brevi e tristi giorni visse, a baritone sings.
Everyone up and down our block can hear him.
Something about the days that remain for us to enjoy
Being few and sad. Not today, Maestro Verdi!
At the hairdresser's a girl leaps out of a chair,
Her blond hair bouncing off her bare shoulders
As she runs out the door in her high heels.
"I must be off," says the handsome boy to his grandmother.
His bicycle is where he left it.
He rides it casually through the heavy traffic
His white shirttails fluttering behind him
Long after everyone else has come to a sudden stop.
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My morning and afternoon were pretty uneventful -- folded four loads of laundry, answered a bunch of mail I'd let slip while distracted by the Olympics -- I know I'm way behind on answering comments, sorry! Had leftover Mount Vernon peanut soup for lunch, argued about the absolutely infuriating Utah law that could get a woman imprisoned for years if she goes horseback riding while pregnant and has a miscarriage deemed to be a direct result. Had dinner with Gblvr, again at Tara Thai since it's always good and it's convenient, and it also leaves us near Target so we can go look at stuff, which tonight was spring clothing, St. Patrick's Day socks, and food (I had to get milk and butter before Snowpocalypse III, which is supposed to hit Thursday and make me scream).
It's going to be a flower week -- here are some from Brookside Gardens' conservatory over the weekend:
I wanted to get home in time for the women's short program, which, as it turns out, NBC didn't bother with till around 10 p.m., so I needn't have hurried. I was really, really glad Joannie Rochette skated so well and also glad that she didn't end up in first place -- she doesn't need two days of pressure feeling like she has everything to lose, I would think it would be much better for her to have two days of really working to prepare to kick ass in the long program. Rachel Flatt looked very energetic but not as sophisticated as Miki Asada or Kim Yu-Na -- I was so happy to see Brian Orser there with her! Ando didn't look as good, but I thought the standings were fair enough. Now I just hope we're not buried under snow again when we watch the long program.
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