Monday, May 19, 2008

On This Day

New England was enshrouded in darkness at noon on May 19, 1780, in the midst of the Revolutionary War. Birds sang evening songs, farm animals returned to roosts, and humans were bewildered, commenting on the strange beauty of the preternatural half-light. Many thought it was Judgement Day. In 2007, evidence from Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario documented a massive wildfire as the likely source for the infamous "Dark Day."

China stands still to mourn tens of thousands of quake victims
Bush opposes homeowner rescue legislation he claims bails out lenders
How to save $451 per month

Yearbook to be reprinted after heads are switched on student photos
Custody hearings begin for polygamist compound's children
Truck carrying 14 tons of Oreos overturns on highway

My neighbors erect makeshift memorial for Mrs. Woo, killed inside her dry-cleaning store during robbery Friday. Over rows of wrapped bouquets, they share memories of a spirited woman, previosly robbed twice and undaunted, a woman who manned the store by herself because her husband was too sick to work, a woman with a green thumb who sewed buttons for free for the helpless

The smell of charcoal burns in Prospect Park.
Clouds swarm. Birds peck at swaying trees.

I simmer vegan meatballs in red sauce, pour over pasta al dente. I think of Chef Boyardee after school. I think of love and war.

1 comment:

GMC said...

Beautiful. I love the mix of personal observations with facts both painful (Ms. Woo's tribute) and humorous (lost Oreos), as if to point out the general absurdity of human life (switched heads). Thanks for sharing.