Sunday, April 20, 2008

Serendipity & Subtraction


Photo of a confluence on the beach by my home in Newfoundland, November 2007.


And the confluence of serendipity and subtraction is irresistible.

Subtraction, I was told by a wise old man once upon a time, is the secret to true happiness, never addition.

So on this principle, we were sorting through my Toronto lockers today in an effort to purge more "stuff" and I opened a box of books and sitting right on top was Nuala O'Faolain's "Chicago May".

I had goosebumps just looking at it. I am not meant to keep it. That is oh, so clear. It needs to be subtracted from my stash and added to someone else's.

So would any of you out there like this book? I thoroughly enjoyed it - it is a true story, well written by Nuala and it has some great old photos.

Let me know and I will mail it to you - on me, of course.

PS:
This is the poem that goes with the above photo for the photo-poem-card series I've developed:

Glove story

Grasped, then
Clasped.
Flower from the graveyard
Hay from the harvest
Leaf from the alder
Told to the stones
And
The stones
Weep.
And drying off
Say
No more now for
Tomorrow at dawn
The fish will return.

7 comments:

  1. what a great idea, WWW. i've read the book so won't put my name in here. but it was a fascinating book, and i loved how she mixed chicago may's story in with her own experiences and observations.

    (and as for the comment you left on my blog--i love the idea of a small you retrofitting the baby buggy to make yourself a go-kart!)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have not read her, but tomorrow I shall hit the library and find her somehow--thank you for sharing this lovely piece.

    Beau in Seattle.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lovely pic and poem, WWW.

    I ordered the first novel of the author you speak of (can't spell that name easily!) for my husband - a second-hand edition from Amazon - very cheap 1c plus postage!

    I'd best wait to see if he likes it, so won't ask for your book - I feel sure someone from the previous thread will love to have it. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love the photo and the poem! Very nice. You're doing a photo-poem-card series? Are they for sale yet? I still send out notes to friends, those old-fashioned handwritten notes, the ones that require us to address an envelope and put on a stamp - remember those? And I love buying cards and having plenty on hand so I can choose the exact right one for the person I'm writing to - and then I make the envelope. So if you're selling, I'm buying!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi WWW

    Aren't you lovely. I won't ask for the book because my sister is a buyer at a library and will get me any book I want and I don't want you sending from Canada to Australia.

    xxx

    Pants

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'll go for the book WWW, you know how I just found two of her novels at the library. Eduard is picking them up for me today. I can't wait.

    Pleased to be here again after some absence. I missed being able to get around, but I am catching up now. I am visiting all my favorite people first. Then the rest will come.

    Ciao...

    ReplyDelete
  7. Laurie:
    Always a rebel that was me, tho often of the passive aggressive kind, like dismantling the doll buggy!
    Beau:
    Aw shucks, you're welcome!
    T:
    It's on its way to a happy owner shortly. Let me know how hubbie likes books.
    Verna;
    I'll email you privately on this, thanks, what a shot in the arm!!
    Pants:
    Oh so good to hear from the Repantriated One! Lucky you with a libary sis.
    Irene:
    I tried emailing you but it bounced back, can you email me (see upper left sidebar) and give me your addie?
    XO to all
    WWW

    ReplyDelete

Comments are welcome. Anonymous comments will be deleted unread.

Email me at wisewebwomanatgmaildotcom if you're having trouble.