It was a sunny spring day atop the mountain,
the sky too blue,
the breeze too gentle,
the temperature too temperate
to stay inside doing paperwork.
So we didn’t.
With no particular plan,
we hit the road,
and before long,
we found ourselves
submersed in history
all kinds of history,
some older than ancient . . .
If walls could talk,
imagine the stories
the graffiti-laden walls of the old jail
located in downtown Franklin, NC could tell.
Geologists say that rocks remember.
Of course they can,
so just imagine the stories these rocks,
part of The Gem & Mineral Society of Franklin, NC amazing collection
(located in the aforementioned old jail)
could tell:
Crystals grew inside rock like arithmetic flowers.
They lengthened and spread,
added plane to plane in an awed
and perfect obedience
to an absolute geometry
that even stones –
maybe only the stones –
understood.
~ Annie Dillard
Eggs have no business dancing with stones. ~ Italian proverb
Then we came home and went to walk where we spied these rocks:
If it weren’t for the rocks in its bed, the stream would have no song. ~ Carl Perkins
Study how water flows in a valley stream,
smoothly and freely between the rocks.
Also learn from holy books and wise people.
Everything –
even mountains, rivers, plants and trees –
should be your teacher.
~ Morihei Ueshiba
I tell you what, Sugar:
at this end of a day like this,
there is only one thing to say:
Amen.
I’ll have what you’re having! Stone soup? The mineral kingdom spoke to you today and you were listening. Do you know the Jimmy Webb song “If these Walls could Speak?” It’s about a house and the energy in the house – speaking a man’s unspoken heart. Some say every thought ever thought is still alive, often in the same place where it was spoken, especially if charged with emotion. Imagine what is floating around that jail. Thanks for your presence to it all and your poetic presentation.
Here are the lyrics to Jimmy’s song –
If these old walls, if these old walls could speak.
What a tale they have to tell, hard headed people raisin’ hell.
A couple in love livin’ week to week.
Rooms full of laughter, if these old walls could speak.
If these old halls, if hallowed halls could talk.
These would have a tale to tell, the sun goin’ down and dinner bells.
And children playin’ at hide and seek.
From floor to rafters, if these old walls could speak.
They would tell you that I’m sorry.
For bein’ and cold and blind and weak.
They would tell you that it’s only that I have a stubborn streak.
If these old walls could speak.
If these old fashion window panes had eyes.
I guess they would have seen it all.
Each little tear and silence step fall.
And every dream that we came to seek,
And followed after, if these old walls could speak.
They would tell you that I owe you,
More that I could ever pay.
Here’s someone who really loves you,
Don’t ever go away.
That’s what these walls would say.
You can see Shawn Colvin sing it on Youtube, or Glen Campbell or hear a recording of Jimmy singing it himself.
Always makes me cry…
oh sugar, just reading these lyrics makes me tear up. so beautiful. so perfect for my day. the rocks, the gems, the jail, the graffiti – i was overwhelmed with the history. thank you for sharing this song. i’m going to listen to it now. xo
Wow! What a day. Thanks for sharing it.
One day my Sweetie and I were strolling through an antique consignment store. When we passed an old pine farm table I think I could hear it whisper to me. Imagine the stories of family dinners it had to tell. Oh how I wanted that table. Alas, no room in the inn.
And as long as we’re quoting songs, there is from one of my favorite Jimmy Buffet songs: if you ever wonder why we ride the carousel, we do it for the stories we can tell.
whisper – yes. things whisper to me, too, so you can imagine the whispers i walked through today. and funny how it didn’t tire me out at all. it actually quieted me, rejuvenated me deeply. does that even make sense? love the lyrics you shared, too. perfect. true and perfect. xo
Jeanne,
What an amazing day. I love the rocky tapestry you’ve woven together…images, words, and something very beautiful woven in between.
love you
julie
thank you, jewels. it was an astoundingly amazing day. some of the stones we saw that i didn’t take pictures of. can you imagine what these stones have seen? and aren’t there some beautiful, gorgeous things that come from this earth we call home? love you, too.
Psst! I know someone who lives near Franklin and Cullowhee and goes to school at WCU. We’ll keep the crummy Disney ride music to the ride, though. 😉
Gorgeous pictures! They all look so lovely and sparkly.
well, sugar, you have to tell me more. we drove by wcu twice today. once upon a time, i wanted to teach there. xo
Wow!
oh hey, julie! you know i love you to a crisp, right?
AMEN!!!
I love your puns! and Your rocks and You!
aw shucks, moonshine. (blushes and drags toe in the dirt.)