Dancing with the Maoris

Tena koe again from New Zealand (or San Francisco, if you prefer).

Our first visit to this beautiful country happened to be on Sept. 11, 2001. That night I got to dance with the Maoris. They were extremely kind and understanding about the events in the US. They even said my tongue-out growl wasn’t bad. ROOLOOWHALL!

Sunlight metalling horizon to silver;
long stretch of ruffled grey.
A matt white line of breakers.
Behind the steel, clouds reach darkly up
tops shaded by cold still light.

Keri Hulme

Begin your week with the calm of cold still light.

Na tou hoa,
Keith

Maori meditation

Tena koe (how’s your Maori?)

My knowledge of New Zealand literature is slight (something I hope to correct on this trip). The one book I loved is by the Maori author, Keri Hulme. Her book THE BONE PEOPLE won the 1985 Booker Prize.

O the spun shiny surface,
mica and stars,
I span: stand stunned
reeling over night and mind,
so far, no sand
or chance strange feeling
blunts my eyes blind. . . .

Keri Hulme

May your week be filled with the brightness of mica and stars.
Kia ora koe, Keith

ps. For more “real time” updates from New Zealand, check out the travel blog here: www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/krgentzler/5/tpod.html

A Day Late (could blame time zones, but Kim just forgot)

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone.

I’m in love with New Zealand! It’s always been at the top of my list of places I wanted to go back to, and now we are. It’s got to rank with the world’s most beautiful places. And you’ve got to admit, the former British colonies are very civilized places, even if they don’t know which side of the road to drive on.

Our guide book begins with these words:

“With its spectacular abundance of nature, New Zealand defines itself by its affinity for the outdoors. It can be gentle enough to clear the mind and recharge the spirit, or call for adventure and the exhilaration of challenge.”

Wherever you are this week, find some exhilaration and let your spirit be recharged.

And thanks, Kim, for letting me know that we over 70s can bungy jump free.

Love, Keith

The Poetry of Music: Part 2

Hello all –

Bet you’ve all heard of the poets, Joe Darion, Joan Whitney and Alex Kramer. My point being that lyricists are even less well known than other poets. Joe Darion wrote the lyrics to my all time favorite Broadway musical, Man of La Mancha. Something about a crazy old poet who retains his idealism in a mad world that speaks to me.

To dream the impossible dream,

To fight the unbeatable foe,

To bear with unbearable sorrow,

To run where the brave dare not go, etc.

Joe Darion

Last year Kim, Allen and Max took us to an outdoor performance of Man of La Mancha. I loved it and got my favorite baseball hat with “Dreamer” on it. Which is a round about way to another song that may be my theme song:

They call me a dreamer

Well maybe I am

But I know that I’m burning to see,

Those far away places

With strange sounding names

Calling, calling me.

Joan Whitney & Alex Kramer

Which is really the long way to saying that we’re off for 4 weeks in New Zealand. But, with a little help from Kim, you’ll continue to get my messages. So go ahead, be a dreamer and follow your star this week. Love, Keith