Late Ripeness
“Not soon, as late as the approach of my ninetieth year,
I felt a door opening in me and I entered
the clarity of early morning.
One after another my former lives were departing,
like ships, together with their sorrow.
And the countries, cities, gardens, the bays of seas
assigned to my brush came closer,
ready now to be described better than they were before.
I was not separated from people,
grief and pity joined us.
We forget - I kept saying - that we are all children of the King.
For where we come from there is no division
into Yes and No, into is, was, and will be.
We were miserable, we used no more than a hundredth part
of the gift we received for our long journey.
Moments from yesterday and from centuries ago -
a sword blow, the painting of eyelashes before a mirror
of polished metal, a lethal musket shot, a caravel
staving its hull against a reef - they dwell in us,
waiting for a fulfillment.
I knew, always, that I would be a worker in the vineyard,
as are all men and women living at the same time,
whether they are aware of it or not.”
~ Czeslaw Milosz ~
My name is Cristina Jill Mosqueda Cooper. I pause looking at my name, and think about how much there is to explain with those words alone. My mother gave me a name to use in each of my worlds, Cristina for my Cuban life, and Jill for the American life. I suppose it is there were the paradoxes of my life began.
I have been many things in my life, from a housekeeper to a high school history teacher; but no matter what else I did, I was always a writer. I love words and the power and passion which they can be used to create. I love reading words, writing words, speaking words, and listening to words – especially words from people that I love and respect.
It is my desire to live life on my own terms, and willingly or not, I have paid the price demanded, by the world, to be myself. I share my life with Kate, with whom I have lived for the last 23 years, and Miss Merry Margaret, our little mutt who really is the world’s most perfect dog. I also travel, cook, garden, sculpt, and make large messes doing all of the above. Welcome to my world, that is all for now.
Web Site: http://thatisallfornow.com
June 2009 This is the Honor I Pay You “Dear Jill: Just had you on my heart, and also wanted to tell you how much I’ve enjoyed reading your website. You are very good writer, Jill! Not that I know much, but just wanted to share that with you. We don’t tell one another...
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May 2009 Camilo y Celia – What is in a Name? ‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy; Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What’s Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What’s in...
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April 2009 Sausalito Sunsets Not soon, as late as the approach of my ninetieth year, I felt a door opening in me and I entered the clarity of early morning. One after another my former lives were departing, like ships, together with their sorrow. And the countries, cities, gardens, the bays of seas...
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March 2009 Camille and Jean The Immaculately Dressed Bingo Buddies This ain’t a song for the broken-hearted. No silent prayer for the faith-departed. I ain’t gonna be just a face in the crowd. You’re gonna hear my voice, when I shout it out loud. It’s my life. It’s now or never. I ain’t...
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February 2009 Youth “There are two lasting bequests we can give our children. One is roots. The other is wings.” ~ Hodding Carter II ~ It was the pictures which first gave away her secret. Allison was in love, or maybe just in very deep like. Allison had sent me several links,...
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January 2009 Happy Birthday Luis! “Luckily, we had brought plates, silver, linen, blankets, and ashtrays with us from the States, and we were able to shop for American goods at the embassy PX.” ~ Julia Child ~ My Life in France The after Christmas cleaning is finished. The village has been...
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December 2008 Family The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another’s desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out...
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November 2008 Still Dreaming Not only is another world possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing ~ Suzanna Arundhati Roy ~ We have come to Washington D.C., on our annual road trip to New England, for Thanksgiving. This year, we are staying in Annapolis,...
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October 2008 There are no Foregone Conclusions Go Vote Even if You are Voting for the Other Side Independence Hall, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, the room where the Declaration of Independence was born “Dewey Defeats Truman” The Chicago Daily Tribune – November 4, 1948 President Harry S. Truman has always been one of my...
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In Memoriam David Paul Cooper “‘Can you not drive off death? I will give all my possessions for a moment more of time.’ Queen Elizabeth of England cried out to her maids of honor, on her deathbed.” When Death Comes by Keith Harris Once again, I have found myself sitting...
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