The Pedestrian Poet

Veil

monica — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 23:18:09 +0000

They had nothing to say to each other. All had been said for them behind walls, and curtains that veiled them from choice. Just as he now stands separated by a veil again, but one of a different origin this time. The veil that separates him from childhood to manhood as his bride walks down the aisle. He has never seen her face before and knows not what lies behind this barrier except for his future. He wrings his hands behind his back with fingers that shake and sweat. He is not ready. He wishes he could run or cry, do thing that a child would do. But he can’t as his future fast approaches down an aisle graced with flowers and the whispers of a family divided by a thin line. A line between exchange of goods and exchange of humans, they wonder if there is a difference.

The son knows the difference as dread fills his heart. How could he love a woman who is only a girl. How could he love at all because he is only a boy. The unfairness of it all drips down the back of his throat like poison that hardens his heart. This is no day of celebration, but a day in which a boy’s future dies. He turns his eyes away from this long walk so he doesn’t have to look at his wife.

She reaches his side and they both feel it. The palpable tension of futures stitched together like two cars crashing into each other. Neither looks at the other as the ceremony begins. He is numb as the venom spreads throughout his limbs. She is terrified as fear wracks her body, making her rigid and brittle.

This is the end as they turn to face each other. The veil between future and past is all that is left. With trembling fingers that are clumsy with anxiety, the boy lifts his hands and slowly pulls back the veil. Her eyes are squeezed shut as if to deny the reality of this moment as he looks down at her. She slowly opens her almond eyes and looks up at him with eyes dark and hazel and full of fear. She sees the fear within his own dark amber eyes and knows this is it.

This is the only future he could have ever wanted as a grin softens his face. She is as beautiful as he could have ever hoped. He is as kind as she could have ever dreamed. They just stand there and smile at each other as the veil falls to the ground. He found love in her eyes and she found love in his warm hands. They didn’t need years to get to know each other; all they needed was a moment to know this was right. So they turned together hand in hand to face the world, wanting no other future than the one they had.

Road Trip: Solvang

monica — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 05:11:53 +0000

My family has departed on a biking road trip adventure where my mother and I explore and hike while my brother and father ride their bikes. Our first stop is in Solvang, California just an hour past San Luis Obispo.

This quaint little danish town is full of a tourist’s delights with adorable shops, beautiful architecture, and amusing things all over town. We began with a short stop at an OStrich and Emu farm which sadly was closed. We were able to sneak a couple of shots from the highway.

After our brief moment at the ostrich farm we headed to the mission outside of Solvang called, Old Mission Santa Ines. The view over the valley was very nice and we had a lot of fun exploring the interior and exterior gardens surrounding the Mission.

Solvang itself is really cute with criss crossing streets covered in adorable stores built with Danish architecture.

Next stop was a short hike to Nojoqui Falls. We drove down a really enchanting road with giant trees dripping with spanish moss.

Italy: Street Performances

monica — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:13:43 +0000

Wind Mother

monica — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 22:28:03 +0000

The wind gently rolls through the trees
Like a mothers soft whisper in her infants ear
Telling her of things not yet unfurled
But waiting on the distant horizon
Like a run away balloon
Swept into the abyss
that is not cold, dark or lonely
but quiet and filled with the warmth
of a contented heart that beats
not because it has to but because it wants to

Dancing in pirouettes on the shoulders of the leaves
Rattling the bones the edifice of this green breeze
Until just one person stops to watch and listen
To the secrets swept up by this whirlwind
As the bones are rolled to reveal the truth that lies
In the scattered remains, a world foretold
But not yet cemented
The wind is shifting in this dire breath
Switching back from foot to foot
A ballerina bowing and swaying
With the whispering wind
Dancing not because someone is watching
But to release the rhythm bounding in her mind

Clarity is the remnants of the words left behind
As your hair is tussled and your clothing left displaced
A clairvoyance unachieved until this moment
All you needed was the gentle prompting of the wind
Like a mother letting her child go into the dark, cold, lonely world
That isn’t quite so lonely
And isn’t quite so cold
yes there is a darkness
But your child will find the way
Like a blind woman they will be guided
By the caresses of the wind
When all else is darkened
There will be your hand

Grit and Gravel

monica — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 01:22:48 +0000

The soft bare flesh of your palms
Marred along with the bony knees
That refuse to carry you along this path
Dirt and gravel dig into your skin
As you sit facing the Eastern Gate
Prostrate like a child before your relentless master
On hands and knees too weak for strength
But too strong to kneel
Defiance is your name
As you grit your teeth and grip the gravel
Between your blistered fingers
There is no blame just a silent battle
As you crash to ground
Like the rebounded toss
Of the writer’s crumpled paper
As another idea
Dies and dies again
Breathe in the ochre
Of this ground where you find yourself kneeling
Paint your face with the ochre
Of the very ground you were once told to kneel upon
Let it be your armor, your war paint
In the coming battle
Where once you had hesitation
Shaking as straw in the wind
Let this gravel be your battlefield
And your oppression become strength
We are the children of warriors
But we have yet to prove ourselves
Even as you sit with battered pride
And bleeding palms
This is just your beginning
Let this blood be the signature
That is remembered by all
You who wept for what was right
We remember your name

Update

monica — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 01:21:21 +0000

I know it has been disappointing how little I am updating my blog but I just want everyone to know I am still here. I have recently been frustrated with my blog and feeling it has started to go in a direction that I never wanted. Very soon I am planning on starting a new and getting back to the way I wanted this blog to be. I am going to start writing more and publishing everyday as soon as finals is over, think of it as my New Years Resolution. So from New Years on I will start to regularly post again. I am sorry it won’t be sooner because I am heading into my first ever finals week at UC Berkeley but I will try to post when I can.

I am sorry if I have been letting down my readers but I am trying to start fresh very soon. So keep on holding on, the time has almost come.

Florence Part 2

monica — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:12:49 +0000

Florence: Part 1

monica — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:09:32 +0000

Walking into Florence is like entering a labyrinthe of colored houses, narrow alley ways, and open market places. There is so much to see here that is just simply astounding.

Everywhere you walk is something new and beautiful to look at; every corner beholds a new and interesting facet to this city.

We visited the Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli gardens which were beautiful.

And took a much needed break from the over bearing sun in the shade of the garden.

Bikes of Italy

monica — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:36:48 +0000

Italy is a place of bikes where the alley ways and streets are filled with both bikes well loved and abandoned. Some are tagged with graffiti, while others are dainty and clean. Some are simply left abandoned, down a dark alleyway for someone else to find.

They are so interesting to look at with the a thousand different backdrops from different city walls. The city changes but the bikes stay the same. They are a monument to mobility that mark the streets without mercy.

Johnny Depp At Berkeley!

monica — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 06:01:35 +0000

I just got back from an exciting encounter at Berkeley where in I got to meet and photograph Johnny Depp. Yes, the Johnny Depp. In an exclusive invite only event at Uc Berkeley, Johnny Depp’s new movie, The Rum Diary, based off of a Hunter S Thompson novel, was aired a week early. Oh and a Q&A with Johnny Depp after the movie. I love Hunter S Thompson, and the work done between Johnny Depp and Thompson is phenomenal. I am a die-hard fan.

Any who… The movie was really good, a few loose ends but a decent movie indeed. To get what you all are waiting for, Johnny Depp. I lurked in the back row with my telephoto lens to get these pictures.

He was exactly like what I imagined. He was the same as all his interviews, movies, or anything he every does, he was just Johnny Depp.

He was so nonchalant, but not in an arrogant way, very down to earth. It seemed like an altogether likeable guy. I really enjoyed his outfit. He had on like four necklaces, five rings, and a few bracelets as well as glasses. I feel like every interview I have ever seen him in he is wearing that hat. Not that it is bad, it is just sort of funny.

I really enjoyed his mannerisms. He was very expressive in his hand motions and altogether interesting to listen to as well as watch.

He talked a lot about Hunter and his relationship with him which was very interesting. Oh and he tried to take his jacket off and the interviewer that has there basically jumped to try to help him take it off. Johnny Depp gave him the funniest look, and started to laugh. So awkward and so funny.

P.S look at his tattoos, they are so interesting. I wonder what they mean.

Overall, a fun night. Very interesting to meet and see a celebrity. I wound up leaving a little early because I thought I was going ot either be kicked out or have my camera taken because we were not supposed to have “professional grade” equipment. So after I got to hear him talk for a little while and get a couple of good shots, I was outta there. Very cool, I hope to do this again some time soon.