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
My True and Endless Love I am engrossed in my sincere passion My true and endless love I have opened a book And the world flows forth Eternity lies before me The past, present and future All to be devoured I have been famished But now I eat I consume I breathe.
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Barbeque If you find yourself hungry around Saint Augustine, Florida, by all means look for this pink pig! The first time we ate at Smokin’ D’s, we stood by the truck and used the flatbed for our table, the food was absolutely delicious. Over the years, when driving south, we have often returned...
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Can you see him? I love walking into the wild, in my own back yard! He blends in so well. A closer look. Oh, he has spotted me. He is off!
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To love a painting is to feel that this presence is… not an object but a voice. ~ Andre Malraux ~ The Tower of Babel by Pieter Bruegel A reminder of Babylon’s past; for those who continue to engage in Mesopotamia. Art can never exist without naked beauty displaced. ~ William...
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The Royal Poinciana There are few trees more magnificent than the flowering Royal Poinciana! Its’ striking display of color brightens spring and summer, in tropical climates, with an all but unequaled exuberance, which has justifiably earned it the name Flamboyant in many regions of the world. While I usually prefer a...
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