Sweetgum leaves here and here, if you're clicking, but I hope you can go for a walk with the leaves. And here is a beautiful floating tulip poplar leaf at the blog of Joel Gillespie.
I think I'm a little sad, too, because I finished Valis, by Philip K. Dick--wonderful, hilarious, dark, and full of knowledge about ancient religions & extraterrestrials. And human nature.
Quoting him from the official website:
"The core of my writing is not art but truth. Thus what I tell is the truth, yet I can do nothing to alleviate it, either by deed or explanation. Yet this seems somehow to help a certain kind of sensitive troubled person, for whom I speak. I think I understand the common ingredient in those whom my writing helps: they cannot or will not blunt their own intimations about the irrational, mysterious nature of reality, &, for them, my corpus is one long ratiocination regarding this inexplicable reality, an integration & presentation, analysis & response & personal history."
Uh oh. This probably means I am "a certain kind of sensitive troubled person" but one who enjoys commas around an ampersand. And bright yellow leaves.
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Synchronicity update: new issue (Nurture) of Glasschord just went up, with 4 of my poems in it, some about golden leaves. Much to see, read, and listen to in this and all issues of Glasschord!
If you kick the sweet gum leaves on your walk you will find hiding punctuation marks in nonstandard groupings, shuffled by squirrels.
ReplyDeleteAh, such joyful leaf kicking! I will do it, to see the punctuated sidewalk!
ReplyDeleteKathleen, a wonderful post! I will enjoy reading further...and yes, commas around an ampersand, what is not to like about that! Thank you for the link to the pic! For your enjoyment, while you are kicking leaves and such...two sweet gum pics - http://www.flickr.com/photos/joelgillespie/4056484633/ - and
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/joelgillespie/314950041/.
Yay! Thanks for the visit, Joel, and these links to more of your great pix!
ReplyDeleteHey, all, you can visit Joel's blog or his flickr pix and see/read some great stuff!
Thanks for the quote from Dick Kathy.
ReplyDeleteHis ideas seem to be projected out there in the future but they feel like they are accelerating toward us. I love the films that have been made from his work(Blade Runner, Minority Report, Scanner Darkly, etc)
me, too--open to sadness. yesterday i caught my breath how many times while rounding the corners of my neighborhood--the trees! what happens when green lets go. wowness.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ron and Sherry. I love your version: "what happens when greens lets go" and "wowness."
ReplyDeleteI always kind of felt sorry for him, having to tell truthful unlikelihoods and all that. It's so much easier when you're only doing it because you want to.
ReplyDeleteMy husband was an enthusiastic Dickhead. I plan to read all of him one day, just as I have this goal of reading all of LeGuin. But with a goal like that it's like, why complete it? Because then what's to stop fate from slamming me on my back being done with it?
I just started a book by China Mieville which uses ampersands instead of "and"s. All I can think of is, how does anyone get away with this? Maybe I'd do it, if I could.
I must be reading Dick at just the right time. Was advised to try him so many times!
ReplyDeleteI walked in the changing leaves out at Parklands yesterday. The oak trees did seem very sad, but the maples were a glorious gold and a local farm dog that accompanied us on our walk was full of joy.
ReplyDeleteWhat a glorious walk, Kim!
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