March 30, 2019

Today, in the warm Indian Ocean,

 Our small boat smashed over waves for hours

In search of the elusive dolphins.

It was much like our safari ride, 

Where I tensed muscles or relaxed muscles

Trying to lessen the jarring on my back.

Neither worked.

All I could think of was

“When will this be over? “

And then we found them.

All of the discomfort was forgotten.

The dolphins were interested in us.

They crested in the sea.

They rolled over the surface

In ones, twos, threes.........

They gathered in the distance

On the left of the boat.

And when I glanced to the right,

They were literally beside me.

Every so often, I would gasp,

As a dolphin rose up vertically on its’ tail,

Or leapt into the air doing rolls and spins.

It was amazing.

Jim told me, I hadn’t  watched  enough tv.

The number of dolphins grew and grew,

I was still snapping out of focus photos 

And munching on my breakfast sandwich,

When we motored back to the reef for snorkelling.

The reef is huge,

Over three hundred square miles.

However most of the reef is dead.

Mankind is not kind.

We rolled into the water with our masks and snorkels.

Colourful fish in all sizes and shapes

Glided below and around us.

Tiny green fish, with yellow tails,

And neon blue side fins, striped with red,

Were my favourites.

I didn’t see the octopus, or eels or turtles,

But Pria, our guide, assured me 

He tried to point them out.

That the reef was dead was depressing,

And I was still dreading trying to get back into the boat.

Jim eased my discomfort by also feigning problems

Getting back into the boat.

 He was hauled and pushed

Until he eventually fell into the boat.

I did likewise.

It wasn’t pretty.

On the way back,

The boat stopped for tea and Palm sugar

 At a lovely beach.

Our boat driver, Tamila,

Kept patting the sand

And telling me to sit down.

Eventually, I obliged but

I knew I was in for problems.

Jim had a lovely swim

But I couldn’t join him,

Because I couldn’t get back up.

Thankfully, when Jim came in 

He hauled me to my feet,

So that I could get back to the boat!

Oh muscular dystrophy,

You have added an unwanted challenge 

To my life.

I hope, I can keep my joyousness

Despite this disability.

December 25 2019, a true Christmas Story

True story from Christmas 2019

Joy Snihur Wyatt Laking

Last evening I went up stairs to go to bed.

When I went into the bath room 

There was a bug on the yellow tile counter.

I don’t recall ever seeing a bug in the bath before.

This bug had long horns and  very long skinny front legs.

It’s shield shaped flat back was a mottled gray/brown.

It had big beetle-like back legs.

What to do?

I needed time to think.

I put a cup over the bug.

Do I just toss him in the toilet

To die a miserable death of drowning?

Do I squash him with tissue and pop him in the garbage

Never to be thought of again?

Do I put a paper over the cup

And go back down stairs and let him go outside?

It’s cold, it’s winter,

It’s Christmas Eve for goodness sake.

He might freeze to death.

I lift the cup off the bug

And he has crawled up inside.

I shake the cup and the bug rolls on his back.

All his little legs madly flail as he fights to roll over.

I nudge him back out of the cup onto the counter

Right side up.  

I think about the life of this bug.

What does he eat?

Does he have a family?

His life is not like mine

But he too is a visitor on earth.

I watch while my bug

Walks towards Jim’s shaving kit.

Then I turn off the light

And go to bed.

Ode to our Library

Ode to our Library

A derelict old brick normal college
Has been transformed into
A magnificent community place;
Our new library.
It’s arched windows, roof top dormers
Domed main entrance, embellished façade
Are all restored to glory.
No longer just a place for books
And hushed voices,
Now, the library welcomes everyone.

In winter, skaters glide around the rink in front of the library.
Children clutch pylons or parent’s hands
And feel like Olympic ice dancers.
In summer, families sit and chat in the outdoor space.
Occasionally, sound systems and signs
Fill the ramped and stepped entryway.
Crowds rally or protest.
On Saturdays,
The community market goers from next door,
Spill across the area.

Inside our library, books are still borrowed.
There are also clubs, activities, community meetings,
Book launches and art exhibitions.
Even Santa stops by to visit.
Architects have preserved some of the
Classic old walls and details
And blended them with spaces,
That are vibrant, welcoming, functional.
Building community isn’t easy.
The library didn’t just happen.
It was created because people cared enough.