After the Spirit

In my land-locked geography,
on a cold wintry day,
I look up over
dusty white
foothills of the Rockies
into a sea
to see
a school of sky dolphins
swimming through
the setting of the sun ~

nannette rogers kennedy

Vanishing Points

Driving down a two-lane stretch
of flat and carless highway,
black winds and indigo clouds
slow dance before me~
night visiting the day.
In my rear view mirror
it looks no different~
vanishing points
in both directions.

On the left side
of the road
stand leaning
and weathered
fence posts guarding
dry and unplowed
fields of hay.
Deer, antelope, cattle and horses
hide in wide
open places
I do not see.

Telephone poles
border the other side
and wires sag
from once-upon-a-tree
to once-upon-a-tree
carrying conversations
I cannot hear.
I ride along with them
to the horizon line.

Out of nowhere flies
a whistling meadowlark~
a splash of yellow
in the dark
singing a song of note,
reminding me
I am not alone.

I am here.

nannette rogers kennedy 2013

This morning, while simply walking out into my back yard, a flock of geese overhead caught my attention, as they always do…You ever wonder why geese fly in a V formation? A couple of years ago as I lay in soft summer grass, with two small children identifying white fluffy sky-dragons, dolphins, and dinosaurs, I watched a massive flock of geese flying in the distance. As the children continued identifying the morphing wisps of clouds, I watched the geese overhead, noticing their precision “choreography” not unlike the famed Blue Angels of the US Navy. I wondered how the geese “decided” to do such a thing? Who gets to be the lead goose? What are his/her qualifications? I’m sure the simple answer would be instinct, but that wasn’t enough for me.

After browsing the Internet, I came across several articles~ Until recently, scientists could only theorize as to why geese and other large, migratory birds adopted the V formation for flying long distances. Most ornithologists believed that this formation made for more efficient flying but could offer no hard proof.

However, a new study put this theory to the test. A team of scientists taped heart monitors to a group of pelicans that were trained to fly behind a small airplane. They discovered that the heart rates of the birds were lower when flying in a V than when flying solo. Migrating birds use the “squadron” formation because it allows them to glide more often, conserving energy. The aerodynamic V shape reduces the air resistance, allowing the geese to cover longer distances. In fact, a flock of geese can fly 70 percent farther by adopting the V shape rather than flying in isolation.

The V formation may offer other benefits as well. Each bird has an unobstructed field of vision, allowing flock members to see each other and communicate while in flight. When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone . . . and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front. If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed the same way we are. When the head goose gets tired it rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point. It is sensible to take turns doing demanding jobs . . . with people or with geese. Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. What do we say when we honk from behind?

Finally, when a goose gets sick or is wounded by gunshots, and falls out of formation, two other geese fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly or until it dies, and only then do they launch out on their own to catch up with another formation or to catch up with their original group.

I say we do have the sense of a goose; we stand by each other for support, and we sit with each other until our souls fly off to join another formation…and eventually we launch out on our own to catch up with another formation or catch up with our original group. We live better together…Apparently, no goose is an island either ~ nannette rogers kennedy

A lovely cardinal ~ makes me think of my mother as the cardinals always do ~ and I exhale ~

Happy Valentine’s Day with this “trying to stay warm” red beauty ~

In the moments
between sunset and dusk
the winter wheat
seems the color
of dark red wine,
and the fields
wave with motion
not unlike a purple sea~
water…but not,
before my eyes.

On a slight hill
against the pink-plum sky
one wooden
ordinary & vacant chair
(barely a silhouette)
sits beneath
a lone leafless tree
above a dancing
earth’s infinite
fingers.

nannette kennedy
february 2013

Beautiful…and I’m proud to say that this was written by my son, Casey Kennedy.

A Letter to Today
by Casey Kennedy

Dear Today,

“How was I?” The day had asked.

“Very well, although I think it may be time you passed.”

Tears started to pool within his eyes.

“But why? We had so much fun together…”

I nodded and looked up to the sky.

Silence between the both of us was… overwhelming.

“If I stayed with you, I wouldn’t be able to go forward…I don’t want to live in the past, you see. I want to live in the present.”

Today’s face filled with dread..

After a short time a smile began to break his stone hard face.

I looked into Todays’ eyes and said, “I love you. Without you life can’t go on. That’s why it is time for you to sleep yourself away, and awake, Tomorrow.”

2013 nannette rogers kennedy

2013 ~ In the spring of 2009 I had the incredible and fabulous opportunity to visit South Africa. The safaris, the wandering free leopards, elephants, lions, giraffes and many more animals that I’d only before seen in photos or zoos were moments of wonder…the safaris, along with the people and its history, literally changed me and South Africa grabbed part of my soul…

One experience however, woke me up to the fact that caves are not for me…at one point our group crawled on hands and knees through a very narrow passage…in front of my was a woman I did not know…in this teeny tiny tunnel, this woman decided to stop. It was beyond my control…I took my hand and shoved her rear end and firmly asked her to keep moving…once out, she shared with me that she had just done the same thing to a person in front of her…we got a good laugh out of the whole thing and both of us made a vow that this cave “tour” was our last : )