Wednesday 28 December 2011

Mighbrow: Catcher Caught

This might be a timely post with the inevitable resolutions that we're all about to declare; shaking our fists at the past and, ever hopeful, beckoning in the new year. 
Positive emotions such as love, compassion, gratitude, forgiveness, trust and faith can make us vulnerable because they are not immediately pocketable and are future orientated. Fear and sadness have immediate pay offs; misery (or at least melancholy) can provide quilted comfort and insulation. Hope and joy are investments that might lead to disappointment, whilst we can surely wallow in heartache immediately … 
Ambition and hope are the invariable bed mates of disappointment and regret, a subject that has fueled my songs for an age. 
I'm not alone of course, many have wallowed in those murky depths before me, with more distinction and success. At least I'm still afloat; the trick is, firstly not to drown; to keep moving, and then, I guess, to recognise whether you are swimming or just treading water. 
Me? I specialise in doggy paddle, but find it best to be prepared...














Catcher caught

The weight of expectation
Is the load of the luckless
I invest in the silence before the bell
And wait
Breathless
For a moment

There it was, did you see?

If you look away they will come
Slipping in unnoticed
From corners that have never been dusted
Knowing they won’t be missed
If you miss them

Try it

Look away

Then
Just out of view
Just beyond the corner of your eye
You’ll sense their shapes shifting
And hear their whispered promises
Of vague possibility

4 comments:

  1. Thoughtful and sober homily Brother Trev... These Mighbrow intros are excellent. The previous Oceanbound entry was beautifully written as well. Amen.

    PS: Questions from ignorant American... What's a Mighbrow? And how do I post a comment without being bloody anonymous?

    Toronto Tim

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  2. Thanks Tim, I wondered if I was coming on a little pious, although 'sober' is the last word I would apply to the past pickled days.
    'Mighbrow' is a p*ss poor pun; 'highbrow' meets 'my furrowed brow' and becomes his straight man.
    'Anonymous' is a bit frustrating (ask Di); you can 'sign in' as yourself if you have an account ('Google' etc)... I have such an account (easy to set up I seem to remember) that applies a pic of me to every blog that I try to be (anonymously) cryptic on; so, a blessing and a curse to be named.
    It'll soon be the 10th Tim; time for your next missive...
    I'm currently working on a 'best of' for 2011; didn't realise it was such a verdant vintage. Still, from green shoots etc. Are you doing one? Films/Books/Music? I'd love to see; maybe publish it here.
    I'm off now as seem to have swallowed a middle school dictionary...
    Love to Myrna

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  3. Nah, nothing pious there, just good reminders that I wish we could have permanently embedded into our noggins to prevent staring into the abyss too deeply. Love the photos!!!
    Ah, alliteration, puns... Grammar class coming back to me 40 years on! What's next gerunds and dangling participles?
    Don't expect any Best of 2011 from me... ask me in a couple of years... I'm horrible with dates, and other than movies I'm very scatter-shot. But my song of the year goes to "Poison & Wine" by Civil Wars. Movies: Source Code, Tree of Life, Hugo, Muppets, um... Thor? Still catching up...
    I find the Emerson quote works well when looking for excuses, "Never read any book that is not a year old."
    Homework already done, sort of... It's more "Moi, Moi, Moi!" as the delightful Miss Piggy would say. It will require more of your "polishing a turd" skills.
    OPA! Tim

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  4. Thanks Tim. Funny, I couldn't decide which Civil Wars track to feature on my 'Best of 2011' CD (more of that later). I had Poison & Wine, C'est La Mort or Falling. It's such a fine album (maybe my best of year).
    Films? Still pondering; looking forward to Hugo; heard that tree of life was hard work but loved Thin Red Line etc so will commit when I have 3 hours to spare. Right, I'm off to stuff a chicken...

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