Curtains

 I've stopped dreaming. At night. My daydreams, however, are vivid. Which is just as well because the world has been so dull as it rained for almost 15 days continuously. And when the sun eventually emerged, bashful as a love-struck boy, the pendulous clouds clustered around and hid him from view - again. More wind, rain, puddles and broken roads followed. and while the weather did its thing, puffed-up-people-that-care gathered to talk about climate change and hopefully influence the puffed-up-people-that-decide-stuff. And above the incessant rain, above the blanket of grey black cloud - the sun sat with chin in hand and shone with love. Across the table - the moon basked in the display and reflected her lover's love with a luminescence of her own. and the stars smiled...

and just coincidently I was reading Isaiah, chapter 60, and verse 19 says: "The sun will no longer be your light during the day, nor will the brightness of the moon give you light, But the LORD will be your everlasting light. Your God will be your glory." which is so cool and reassuring, altho my reasoning is probably out of context, cos in my life - well my family really : there's been some serious illness. and while my loved ones lie inert and unresponsive in a sterile hospital bed - I am tempted to think the worst as if the miserable weather was controlling their health. (like englanditis or something). but in truth the Good Book uses the word 'everlasting' to describe the presence of God's light.

"Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun - Here comes the sun, and I say
It's all right"

and in the middle of the seasonal deluge I joined the Durban Mens Choir. and as part of the whole apprentice/rookie thing I was hailed to operate the curtain at a series of performances up-the-hill-in-Kloof. its amazing to travel at night in the rain when the world is as damp as a kiss. my eyes are shot at the best of times - but in the misty darkness - well... I passed a towtruck parked beneath a streetlight. His eyes glowed red from lack of sleep - (towtrucks are the urban vultures that must feast when there's prey to be had - and with the rain - there was carnage aplenty). I passed an upended bakkie half way up Fields Hill - blue lights blinking and slick traffic cones. Said a prayer of thanks for safe passage and arrived at the venue unscathed. and sitting on my plastic chair behind the curtain - I received my instructions on when to open and when to close. I opened the curtains on cue and the choir belted out their first song. The bass singers resonated my ribcage like the vellum on beaten drum. and I contemplated the curtains. heavy red things. closed : they held promise. open : they disappeared as the singing tableau unfolded. they became insignificant. and when the curtain closed for the last time dousing the sound of applause - I felt a curious sense of peace. I realised that altho they were closed and shut out the light. They would reopen at the appropriate time to thunderous applause. But whether open or not, God's Light was an 'everlasting' presence beneath my beaten breast

pic taken at Albert Falls on an overcast day & lyrics borrowed from The Beatles "Here Comes The Sun"