Poem of the Day

The Long Year

Like a shipwrecked sailor, I am tossed
Wave after wave, across and aloft,
Salt-spray fills my mouth and blinded eyes,
The Sea roars, deafening drowns my cries;

Storm-tossed and sickened, with no relief,
Each wicked wave wastes my true belief,
I long for the peace of rest and sleep,
To let go, to sink beneath the deep;

No sun's rays shine upon me,
No bird's sweet calls to urge me,
No land to rest the weary,
I feel my heart sink deeply;

O! This Ocean, ever-wide and strong,
Merciless swept me this whole year long;
I cannot escape its mighty grasp,
I cannot believe a year has passed;

In this great Ocean of despair and pain,
So battered and slashed with icy rain,
I'm fevered and foiled with every wave,
Yet no rope, no raft, has come my way;

No sun's rays shine upon me,
No bird's sweet calls to urge me,
No land to rest the weary,
I feel my heart sink deeply;

Hammer-pounds the Sea, beating my head,
Salt-crust bleeds, hallucinations red,
I will not let go, nor will I yield,
Despite the power this Sea does wield ~

For the New Year dawns in clouded sky,
Far away echoes an Angel's sigh,
A breath of hope wafts over my face,
I will to fight on to a better place;

No sun's rays shine upon me,
No bird's sweet calls to urge me;
No land to rest the weary;
My hope aloft will raise me.

© Alys
26 December 2004

Welcome To Alys In Wonderland

I feel like the world is all topsy-turvy. Earthquakes, tsunamis, political unrest. I feel like Alice in Wonderland. Trying to make sense of it all -- imagine what would happen if Sherlock Holmes found himself in Alice's dream -- curiouser and curiouser; anything but "Elementary, my dear Watson." So welcome, don your Deerstalkers and let's get busy -- blog on . . .

Today's News:

The earthquakes and tsunamis death toll rises every hour. In terms of disease and contamination, it is only beginning. What can we do to help? Let's hope applied anthropologists around the world are working with governments and aid centers to produce long-term plans that will best support and help the devastated areas. The diversity of the areas affected, the myriad lifeways impacted -- anthropologists need to offer their expertise.

Does anyone have information about the long-term changes in the coastlines? The news reports say that many small islands have disappeared under the sea, and coastlines are affected too -- anyone have information on long-term changes?