A poem arrived today … as I drove down Great North Road … and I thought it might be a thing to share …
Rush through we must
But, of course,
They are here, always,
The ancestors
Even for and with those who don’t know, or care,
Peering forward for just a passing instant back in time
Glancing up almost knowingly
Almost missing a beat in daily life’s rhythm
On streets
In factories
In kitchens
In fields, forests, or caves
Almost wondering
Almost intuiting our existence
As we do theirs
And as we, almost unknowingly, touch the lives of those who may come after.
Image credit: Youes
8 replies on “Life and Time”
I’m sure you remember a time when Life & Time magazines where the ‘go to reading” material .. or do you ?? Am I that old ??
Read your offerings with interest still.
1989 is 35 years ago -1/2 a life time and what has changed? When did the highjacking begin.
Yes, time goes Diana, and we would do well, I think, to see our place a little more ‘contextually’ at times. Nice to hear from you. Ian
Timely isn’t it with the election on its way and who carries the flag of those who are going to come after us for many they are sitting on their knee those of my colleagues with tamariki. Remembering those who have passed and those yet to come and those of us now who make a difference every day without even really understanding the impact of what we do every day that will be seen in years to come in the microwork we do with individual lives. Think well about our future and those who are coming up I believe we need to vote thinking about our planet and all of us who have and do and will dwell in it.
Thanks for that Caroline – One of the things aboout poems is the way different people can take different things from them at different times – and yes, oppressed groups have along history of struggle to get a fair slice of the pie and why would anyone want to vote for political parties committed to reinscribing the power of the wealthy and privileged. We do, however have a fight on our hands as many things collude to obscure this truth.
Funny timing – Peggy and Fred and you were in my thoughts driving to work this morning x
Ha Jade – yes, time and timing can be funny things. Hope all is well. x
Kia ora Ian
Very timely in the wake of Oranga Tamariki’s mandatory reporting of child abuse. The poem fits perfectly with the ‘e moko’ concept. Who will take care of you ‘moko?’
Kia ora Piki
Seems talk of mandatory reporting across the board has died down again. I don’t know as much as I should but I do like the notion of whakapapa as a fluid moving thing back and forward in time with its histories and obligations – a much better way of understanding ourselves I think. Also useful to think about whose histories get to be written and one thing about social work is seeing the courage in the everyday struggles of ordinary people who carry their own stories. This work is a privilege in that sense, and so it goes …