Self Portrait Tuesday: Life Documentary Series #4
MORNING
It is dark when I wake up.
Rain pouring down, smudging the window with tiny rivers.
It has been three weeks of rain.
I shower. The rooms in my small apartment
are dim and blue and quiet,
except for my baby’s excited babble.
I dry my damp skin
and wait for the collection of memories
and present moments about my life to gather in my mind,
making the daily mosaic whole of who I am. I dress.
The solid metal of my belt buckle. Jeans.
These are the things I put on every day,
that in some small way, make me who I am.
My son crawls up my legs. He needs dressing too.
He asks for every fragment of my soul.
All of my love, right now, this minute.
My hair is wet. Yesterday the hair dresser asked,
“What products do you use?” I shrugged,
“Nothing. Some days I’m lucky if I get it brushed.”
Her laughter tinkled through the salon, polite, young.
The heady earthy scent of coffee comes to me from the kitchen.
Already on the floor, a myriad of blocks.
I breathe in. I breathe out. I am here. Now.
20 Responses to “Self Portrait Tuesday: Life Documentary Series #4”
Leave a Reply
and now I feel like I was there too…
I can smell the coffee.
Very nice! Everything looks calm, i’m sure it’s not though!
I agree with Nichola. My self portrait would be of me scrambling around telling my six year old over and over, “If you don’t get ready now, we’ll be late!”
Nice shots…
Calm??? Are you kidding?
I believe very much in the importance of morning rituals, calm or rushed. For me, they’re my morning ablutions…I too collect my thoughts, my memories, try to grasp something fine that passed through my mind in the night…all so I can center myself for the day. I need to get out of bed two hours before I need to go to work just so I can feel that I’ve had some time that’s mine before i turn myself over to students and colleagues. I thoroughly enjoyed looking at these pictures and following you through the first bits of your morning. I am intrigued by how you get some of your pictures…they are as if you don’t even know you’re being photographed…is your camera set on a timer, or does your husband take them?
Beautiful photos. I like the narrative, too. You are such a good writer!
Carla–I took the photos with the self-timer, no flash. I kind of liked the blurry over exposed effect.
well done - evokes such feeling
This is excellent. I especially love the description of your son - when he comes to you. So powerful. I miss those days.
I really enjoyed this week’s set. It was moving and evocative, especially the detail about the salon visit.
Fabulous!
love it!
Thanks for answering my question…I like the effect you get as well. It’s cool that you end up in front of the mirror in sharper focus, but hidden behind your camera! Have a great day…I’m off to the shower now:>
Beautiful blogging … original, intimate, goof stuff.
“good” stuff …. it may be goofy too but that wasn’t what I meant to say.
Peace …
Thank you for your thoughtful comment on my page … and yes, His Holiness is coming - he is in fact the major reason we decided on the move …
Best,
Richard
I love this. Illustrated poetry.
really loving the movement in these photos.
it’s like a little poetic photo-mentary. I wish I was that relaxed in the mornings!
wonderful…so well said and the pics that you choose go so well with the them…thanks for sharing your creative soul with us…