I ... entered the poem of life, whose purpose is ... simply to witness the beauties of the world, to discover the many forms that love can take. (Barabara Blackman in 'Glass After Glass')

These poems are works in progress and may be updated without notice. Nevertheless copyright applies to all writings here and all photos (which are either my own or used with permission). Thank you for your comments. I read and appreciate them all, and reply here to specific points that seem to need it — or as I have the leisure. Otherwise I reciprocate by reading and commenting on your blog posts as much as possible.

20 April 2017

Holidays, Holy Days

Well, you know, I'm an Aussie.
We're not very churchy.
Some of us do go (and then
there are all those other faiths) 
but, as I once explained to a Yank 
whose obscure – to me –
reference to Easter in a poem
he had to elucidate for yours truly:
Australia is a much more
secular country than the U S of A.

But holidays – we do have them.
Two in particular. Some of us (ssh!)
aren't all that sporty, but even we
hold it as our sacred duty
to drop everything twice a year – 
for the Melbourne Cup of course,
and the AFL grand final (footy to you ...
though different States have other codes).
Don't argue! We mean it seriously. 
And take it seriously too, by all that's holy!












(It is often said that our national religion is sport.)

Written for Midweek Motif ~ Holiness / Holy Day at  Poets United

19 comments:

  1. Ha ha! I loved this poem, Rosemary. Though I think you wrote it tongue in cheek. We have similar Holy Days here. First and foremost, the day of the Super Bowl (American football championship) and secondly the World Series (baseball championship). Holy Days come in many forms!

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    1. Goodness, Mary, whatever makes you think I was tongue in cheek? (Grin.) In truth, I am not a devout follower of the national religion – but even I have to know who wins the Cup and the Grand Final every year, and I occasionally even watch on TV.

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  2. In Canada, it's the Stanley Cup (for those, living outside of Canada, that's hockey. And no, it's played on a sheet of ice, not a pitch of grass.).

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  3. Although I don't pay much attention to sports many people do in the US. I do know the Cubs won the World Series since I'm from Chicago. That is the depth of my knowledge.

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  4. Haha! I have avoided those kind of holy days--though I sort of get it--the uniforms and horns and frolicking and gambling the thrill of community in sanctified conflict. My two cats were named Cheech and Ryan by their original owners--Phillies, of course. I used to hold 12/1 holy. That's International AIDS Memorial day. BTW, I think "By all that's Holy" is an oath of sorts--which leads me to ask what this oath is based on? Sports?

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    1. Well, see, I don't know enough about American sport to get that 'of course' – but I'll take your word for it, LOL.

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    2. PS 'ALL that's holy' means everything sacred, I guess – even when stuff that other people revere is meaningless to me.

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  5. Lol, I enjoyed this hugely, especially the intro.

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  6. When in Rome do as the Romans. If only everyone would remember this!

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  7. Holy, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. That which is sacred to one may not be to another. You've opened a whole new avenue of holy!

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  8. Look at you! From gloom to good cheer. You are truly resilient. As far as holy days (including Super Bowl), to each their own.

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    1. Perhaps I've mastered being in the moment, lol. Also, many of the sad ones are 'emotion recollected in tranquility'.

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  9. I like your lighthearted take on holiness.

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  10. Brilliant! Originally, Olympic movement envisaged the Olympic Games as a kind of 'holy secular religion' which would bring the people of the world together ..but, the Olympic movement is now compromised by politics, national rivalries, money and business etc etc...Loved your take, Rosemary!

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  11. splendid and expressed with truth and a touch of humor...enjoyed the poem

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