A picture-poem in prelude and four movements, illustrated by Rachel Shiyah-Satullo’s photographs. In each array, click on first picture to initiate full-size sequence. The first two galleries follow two successive equinoctial sunrises that seemed to provide an operatic “objective correlative” to Rachel’s feelings at the time, and overture to what follows.
Sun Dance I’ve seen sunsets aplenty But sunrise is a rare sight Never the early riser I have been up past midnight More than I’ve arisen mornings To see the dawn’s early light But Rach is up before me Making daybreak oh so bright With fine camera eye from Her homing perch of delight
Cloud Dance Some days it’s not the sun that paints the sky But clouds of varied shape and hue Fluffy white, looming gray, shot with blue In flotillas of scintillation. Which is cloud nine, where we walk on air? Is it luminous or nacreous? Mackerel sky or mare’s tails? Cirrus, cumulus, stratus, or any pair thereof? Of course the sun is behind it all Contributing light and color To the mysterious show Of mist in motion.
Snow Dance Though snowstorms of a foot or more Are rarer than they were of yore Still the sky on occasion opens wide And down comes a blanket of white To cover all in soft sparkle and glow A slow flow that knows joy and woe.
Moon Dance The moon also rises, full of promise Like a curtain to the marvelous night Fantabulous magic-whispering night Or like a ghostly galleon sailing Through billowing waves of cloud Shrouded in gossamer veils of mist Its light playing hide and seek Or else hung like a solitary jewel In the deep blue sky.
Rachel is a sensitive creature with Sensitive temperament and instrument To bring the beauty home to dwell. As she knows too well, it is our lot to Do our best with the light we’re given Day in day out till the end of our days.
Thoreauly Yours 