Wednesday 22 May 2013

Meet Me Under The Ballerina Tree


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I have been taught never to brag but now
I cannot help it: I keep
a beautiful garden, all abundance,
indiscriminate, pulling itself
from the stubborn earth: does it offend you
to watch me working in it,
touching my hands to the greening tips or
tearing the yellow stalks back, so wild
the living and the dead both
snap off in my hands?
The neighbor with his stuttering
fingers, the neighbor with his broken
love: each comes up my drive
to receive his pitying,
accustomed consolations, watches me
work in silence awhile, rises in anger,
walks back. Does it offend them to watch me
not mourning with them but working
fitfully, fruitlessly, working
the way the bees work, which is to say
by instinct alone, which looks like pleasure?
I can stand for hours among the sweet
narcissus, silent as a point of bone.
I can wait longer than sadness. I can wait longer
than your grief. It is such a small thing
to be proud of, a garden. Today
there were scrub jays, quail,
a woodpecker knocking at the white-
and-black shapes of trees, and someone’s lost rabbit
scratching under the barberry: is it
indiscriminate? Should it shrink back, wither,
and expurgate? Should I, too, not be loved?
It is only a little time, a little space.
Why not watch the grasses take up their colors in a rush
like a stream of kerosene being lit?
If I could not have made this garden beautiful
I wouldn’t understand your suffering,
nor care for each the same, inflamed way.
I would have to stay only like the bees,
beyond consciousness, beyond
self-reproach, fingers dug down hard
into stone, and growing nothing.
There is no end to ego,
with its museum of disappointments.
I want to take my neighbors into the garden
and show them: Here is consolation.
Here is your pity. Look how much seed it drops
around the sparrows as they fight.
It lives alongside their misery.
It glows each evening with a violent light.
 
 
Happiness by Paisley Rekdal, via 1 
 

 










 
 
The Outfit:
 
40s/50s Style Floral Chiffon Dress With Silk Lining: bought from the sale at Toast years ago
 
Vintage 70s Does 40s Blue & White Tilt Hat: from Ebay
 
Black Lace Peep Toe High Heels: old from New Look
 
 
 
The Soundtrack
 
Anita O'Day: All The Sad Young Men
 
 
Photographs taken by me, self portraits using the timer on my little digital camera. 
I've had an eye infection for over a month now, which means I'm allowed to wear neither mascara nor concealer to cover up those dark shadows under the eyes. But I've decided to think of the gorgeous ambassador for dark shadows, Jeanne Moreau, and celebrate my dark rings as seductive, maybe even intellectual looking....
 
 
Apologies I've not been visiting and commenting on your posts much lately due to overwork, looking forward to popping by your lovely blogs this weekend!
 
 

25 comments:

  1. I absolutely love this wonderful hat!

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  2. You are beautiful with the snow, but the blossoms are just the perfect frame for you.
    Such a perfect picture, my deares Emalina.
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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  3. With or without concealer or mascara you look beautiful!
    Love the dress flowy materials and that fabulous hat as well as the gorgeous tree.
    I also get eyes infections and for the last 5 years have not wore mascara; just started wearing it again this past weekend.

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  4. I really feel for you with that eye infection, they seem to take ages to clear up. You're so beautiful without mascara and concealer anyway. That dress is so pretty and the words are fantastic.
    Hope life (and your eye) calms down soon. xxxx

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  5. Simply beautiful! So sophisticated pictures!

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  6. Beautiful dress, and the hat and shoes are the perfect accessories. Gorgeous romantic photos as ever. Sorry to hear about your eye infection, hope it clears up soon. I would never have noticed any dark shadows, you look beautiful!
    Hope the work side of things settles down too. xxx

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  7. I'll be there!
    Such a lovely frock; the hat is a sweet touch!
    Ugh, eye infections! Hope that clears up pronto!
    XXX

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  8. oh how absolutely lovely and beautiful, that dress is a dream, it looks perfectly with that blue hat!
    lots of love and kisses,mary

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  9. It's so interesting when I see your posts I always feel a sense of peace. You have such a lovely spirit and it shines through in your choice of poetry and visual images. Love it:) Your hat is also intertwines so nice in the color scheme of your outfit.

    Peace and love:)
    Joanna

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  10. Hope you're eye infection clears up soon, I didn't notice any bags or dark shadows.
    Gorgeous pictures, you looking stunning as always and that dress is lovely. Really enjoyed the poem too. x

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  11. Such a pretty dress and hat in a beautiful setting. You have a knack for creating a photos that feel like another time when days were longer and time went by slower. Beautiful!

    blue hue wonderland

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  12. Hope your better soon, you don't need mascara or concealer you're a real beauty even without!
    Love those photos, they're so romantic. Also lovely dress you're wearing!
    xxxx Tani

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  13. That hat is so gorgeous!! These photos are so dreamy and summery, and I never cease to be amazed by the beautiful surroundings you live in.

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  14. oh wonderful wispy dress! You look amazing

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  15. Gorgeous - I especially love the pretty hat!

    Sarah xxx

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  16. Sorry to hear of your eye infection, but I would not have noticed. You are gorgeous as always beneath the tilt hat and with your luxurious hair as a crown. I adore the black and white photo of you smiling amidst tree flowers. Your dress flows beautifully "under the ballerina tree."

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  17. A timeless look once again, something you do so perfectly! It references so many eras, and suits you to a T in the here and now. The setting is delicious. Last but not least, the poem was extraordinary. Thank you for that moment of beauty as well.

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  18. Sheer elegance at it's finest my dear!

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  19. The print on that dress is so gorgeous! Really pretty hat too.

    Sincerely,
    Sabrina

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  20. What I like about your posts and what differs them from many others in the blogoland that they are not just about outfits but they always tell some story: the background of the photos, the atmosphere, the poem. Beautiful dress and a pretty hat, you look amazing and personally I didn't notice any dark shadows.

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  21. Oh honey, I'm really sorry to hear that you've been battling an ongoing eye infection as of late {{{healing hugs}}}.

    These photos and the soulful words you selected to partner them with are so strikingly beautiful. I adore your floral dress and hat, and the peaceful palette that runs through both.

    Wishing you a super speedy recovery,
    ♥ Jessica

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  22. Lovely hat! I just bought a red and blue hat because there was a huge hold in my hat collection. I have so many lovely blue dresses but no bold blue hats. This is another EXCELLENT hat.

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  23. What a dress and hat! I love the idea of a ballerina tree. I've discovered your Pinterest - I think I'm in heaven! I'll think I'm going to spend hours there repinning...

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  24. This dress is fabulous! It's current, but it also reflects another era beautifully. The garden is beautiful, as are you. I didn't notice any dark circles, even after you mentioned it.

    Sue xo

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