An Incubation






These hot days steam by. They desiccate. Grass is pale, brittle, like old parchment. Everything without shade is crotchety, dust, fetid, or sheltering in water. I have been all of these, and the last three days each a long shift with bare respite. And my ears become stoppered with infection. This hot world becomes silent. 

Bees move flower to flower, birds turn, open beaks, there are leaves twitching, soundless.
Did this air on skin always feel like a tumble of morning petals?
Um, yes. And the smell of the warming earth under dew, yes, that has ever been my treasure. 
But having a sense impaired, also yes, the focus on what is left is re-treasured; the sense of moment blooms, re-blooms. 
Meditative appreciation, under-grumbled with intermittent pain. 
As some people get tattooed for decorative reasons but some require each etch to bear meaning - I am in need of learning from every ailment. (I try to just be ill sometimes, not much success.)
The outside world is silent.
In my head a muffled heartbeat, a thrum of blood tide, a viscous blurring. Clear bubbles in the ear lava open, buzz and caw and trees-in-a-breeze noises appear, are swallowed up again. I am left in womb-ish muffles, wondering. 





Comments

Love the shadow shot! It looks like a painting.
UGH! Trying to bear the unbearable heat is bad enough without having an ear infection on top of it. I don't blame you for being a bit crotchety. I am, too... and I don't even have an ear infection.

Beautifully written, as always.
Lisa Southard said…
Parched earth is painterly, but I did cheat a bit with editing :-)
Lisa Southard said…
It's not so painful now, more an annoyance. But I'm still a bit grumpy with it - trying not to be!
Thank you Susan :-) x

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