For The Sunday Whirl: Wordle #72
http://sundaywhirl.wordpress.com/
Unknowing Flight
Number nine always reminds
me of smoothly curved line,
white pelicans lifting themselves
from quiet South Dakota lake,
just beyond the Bad Lands.
Memory shifts to beginning:
light camping gear stashed
in back of Mini-van, gassed up,
ready for last minute leaving.
Barely contained excitement
evidenced an hour later
in embarrassed laughter
as we realized we had both
forgotten deodorant.
Finally crossing own city limits,
two weeks and five thousand miles
later, two eagles soaring above, as though
to welcome us home from refreshing
flight into what had previously been
unknown.
Elizabeth Crawford 9/2/12
Notes: Almost gave up on the list of words, then thought about that line of nine pelicans lifting themselves in unison and the rest is pieces of the story of our first real road trip.
Soul's Music 
a metaphorical migration brilliantly shown, Elizabeth. I hardly noticed your wordle words – mine are painfully obvious, so I take my hat off to you!
Viv, I don’t agree. Read your haiku and enjoyed them all, nothing painful about them. Although we did several road trips, that first one remains the one most often remembered. We were such babes in the woods,
Elizabeth
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Ah Elizabeth… how stunning .. I feel lifted, lulled and entranced – a brilliant piece of writing. Thank you for sharing…what seemed like an effortless telling ! 🙂
Thanks Pearl, the road to it was anything but effortless, but once I fixed on those pelicans, the rest of the words fell into place. The wordles are often an uphill climb for me, that may or may not be a good thing for this old woman,
Elizabeth
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Gorgeous!
I’m glad you didn’t give up, I really like how you used the words, especially the more difficult ones =) Nice work. Loved loved loved the last stanza. I want to go hiking/camping now…
Lilu, secret? We didn’t use the gear, spoiled ourselves with motel rooms after driving and rubbernecking all day, every day. And honestly? Taking the trip was intimidating enough, trying to camp in strange dark places might have been too much for either of us,
Elizabeth
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Very refreshing! Thanks for taking us along on that trip and the feeling of homecoming. (Interesting, I too wrote about some birds in flight.)
I actually took notes each day of what we had seen and experienced. We had another notebook just for bird sightings alone. And I really liked your lesson about the geese,
Elizabeth
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Beautiful… all of this has lovely imagery. The pelicans taking to flight wold have been so nice to see. We once saw around 5 or 6 Bald Eagles eating berries in a field and the car engine must have startled them, watching them take off was magnificent. I giggled at you forgetting the deodorant though…bet you each smelled soooo sweet ..haha
Great wordle, I forgot it even was one!
Thank you daydreamer. After driving over three hundred miles that day, we had dinner and then went for a drive (seriously). My partner in crime was fascinated by the Bad Lands and watching the pelicans rise up in unison was such a gift. We knew they were pelicans because of their black tipped wings. We manuevered closer to the lake and even got a few pics of the few that had remained in the water. It was all magic to me,
Elizabeth
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I enjoyed the way you constructed this poem…beginning and ending with birds. Lovely reminiscences, Elizabeth. As far as deodorant goes, well you were ‘one with nature.’ And why not!!
Lol, Mary. We didn’t forget to bring it along, just forgot to use it in the rush to get started. When we confessed our shared oversight, I stopped on the side of the road and we both lathered up with howls of laughter because I said that we didn’t want anyone to know we were North Wisconsin Hillbillies just because we smelled like it. Really good memories,
Elizabeth
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Gorgeous image in that first stanza, Elizabeth! I love the way you’ve shared the story.
Marianne, I work hard to make sure I include all twelve words each week, and am simply grateful when the last stanza isn’t ragged because I forgot one. This story is so much longer and filled with so many firsts that I don’t feel like I did it justice, and barely touched on the reality. It was a soul satisfying experience.
Elizabeth
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Absolutely stunning, the poem, the visual image of the pelicans lifting off, the process notes….what a vivid and beautiful memory, Elizabeth. Makes me want to go on a road trip – with you!!! hee hee!!!!!!
I can just see it Sherry. We’d forget a whole lot more than deodorant, I’m sure! Hearing aids, canes, glasses and meds for starters. We’d be lost before we got out of the driveway, yet I can hear us cackling and yelling, “We might be back…”
Elizabeth
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I loved this piece, and want to go with you. Beautiful!
You, I and Sherry? No end of the trouble we could get into, I’m sure. But just thinking about the laughter we’d share and the stories we would make sets my mind to just how to accomplish that. We really need a plan, but not one with too many details, okay? I can’t walk far but I certainly love to drive,
Elizabeth
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No deodorant? Not necessary here it sounds like… lovely road trip.
http://lkkolp.wordpress.com/2012/09/01/upon-hearing-the-news-of-being-discharged/
Thanks Laurie and I explained about the deodorant above. It was more than lovely, it was a wonderful experience of freedom and self-reliance I will never forget,
Elizabeth
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I love road trips. Loved the image of the pelicans and the deodorant made me smile.
Makes me smile every time I think of it, Peggy. We did several of them after this initial one and never lost that excitement or the laughter.
Elizabeth
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From a memory of pelicans, beautiful writing rises. This is so lovely, Elizabeth. The two eagles at the end are perfect.
Thank you Brenda. We didn’t do Montana until the following year. And the eagles were significant for so many reasons. Synchronicity plays such a large part in what I do and remember. Thanks again for the words, my friend. I may struggle with them more often than not, but they prove to be worth the frustration.
Elizabeth
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Elizabeth, this is lovely. There is always a peaceful feeling when returning home, and you have captured it quite well here.
Pamela
Pamela, the trip itself was a real eye opener in so many ways. And you are right, there is a feeling with coming home, full circle that is deeply satisfying, right alongside of that one that says “Already?” Thanks for your generous words,
Elizabeth
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So beautiful – especially the nine pelicans! Sometimes the most difficult ends up being the most rewarding, yes? Love this Elizabeth.
http://thepoet-tree-house.blogspot.ca/2012/09/last-scene.html
Thanks and I agree, perhaps the reward is simply getting through the difficulty and to the other side. I grouse about the wordles often, but keep coming back week after week. I think that says something, lol.
Elizabeth
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the images of pelicans and nines, of eagles and welcomes, of embarrassed smiles and deoderant…all this and more make me love this tale
Thank you so much for saying that and I’m glad you enjoyed it. I thoroughly enjoyed your short piece of fiction.
Elizabeth
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Elizabeth, on the first stanza alone. this is an incredible piece. The nines as graceful pelicans is an image that stays with me. Love this.
Thanks Walt. Pelicans are known for their bouyancy in the water, but I find them similarly so in the air. Graceful is a very good word.
Elizabeth
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Thank goodness for the 9 Pelicans! Wonderful out and back again writing.
Lol, Terri, once I settled to the pelicans, I worried how to curtail the tale so it wouldn’t unwind for several pages. The wordle list of words actually helped that process a great deal, keeping me on track with a focused agenda. I might have gotten carried away otherwise,
Elizabeth
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While eating his lunch yesterday my grandson says he spotted a hawk. I’ve been trying to teach him more than just ‘birdie’ – while I didn’t see it, I do think it is quite possible that is what he saw. Birds are fascinating. Very enjoyable verse to read. I also used ‘gassed’ early on just to get it out of the way…
http://julesgemsandstuff.blogspot.com/2012/09/sw-72-doughboy.html
Thanks for sharing, Jules. I was an adult before someone helped me see all the hawks that inhabited my world. I’ve had a number of close encounters with them, including one where a hawk gave me a feather as a gift. My children and grandchildren know of my fascination for birds so often ask questions. That may be the best part. As I told Terri above, the words themselves sort of defined where this piece went and I am grateful for that,
Elizabeth
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A delightful and enchanting memory. I always loved road trips…the more, the better. 🙂
Couldn’t agree with you more. I can’t move as easily now, but I still love to drive. Glad you enjoyed,
Elizabeth
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I was in that road trip with you!!
tipsy fingers play footsie
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