Autumn Happens Once
A Spanish Leaf Falls From The Clouds
Into My Embrace
A day. A day. The first of October. We walked past the park of the pyramids and the playground with the dizzy chair. A chair like they should have in every house. Ezra seemed to be just waking up all day long. A day of playgrounds. I guess. So far that has been what has separated Madrid from the other places we have been. They have playgrounds and you see the parents with the children out in the plazas and playgrounds. We must have visited at least 10 different playgrounds on our morning and afternoon walks. In this part of the city (Bernardo and Princesa), they have placed little playgrounds wherever they can – even between buildings. Still no public bathrooms. We live on a street called Calle de las Palmas – which must have been all palm trees at some point, but now is only buildings and small shops and businesses that have a garage door and about 200 square feet for their operations. They also have a music school on the street , so I like seeing all the people carrying their guitars, violins, and other instruments down the street. We walked past Cafe Viena. We took a tour of the Pyramids. In the evening, we walked to the Plaza de Mayo and played. Lots of people and children and families out. The daylight is similar to Alaska here in that the evening energy carries you way past 7:00 (our normal bedtime). We arrived home around 8:00. Bedtime is 10:00pm when in Spain. Haiku’s. Autumn happens once – A Spanish Leaf falls from the clouds – Into my embrace. A Television – Speaks nonsense through our window – the clock strikes midnight. In Spanish culture – Greetings and salutations – Abound everywhere. Travelers like us – Searching for significance – Led by paper maps. Narrow city streets – Ruins transformed into playgrounds – green grass made for fun. Shhhhhh! Can you listen – to the morning of Madrid – Everyone Sleeps In. Fresh bread smell from the – local panaderia – Ezra says I’m hungry. Soccer Spain style – Involves fitness and footwork – strong kicks and strong smiles. Protest in the street – Taxi stopped meter going – Time for us to leave (vamonos family). If you did not know – Viena loves little babes – who speaks only smiles. Park benches at playgrounds – littered with last nights luau – who sleeps here tonight? What! Today we walk – not through the crowded city – just to the playground? University – almost oldest in the world – students still smiling. Biblioteca – the kids were quiet for hours – right next to our place. how I wish I knew – Everything I could do to – make here feel better. Every 16 days – Ezra is a talk-a-lot – tonight was his night. A parade of toys – open a little boys mind – possibilities. Sweaters scarcves Hats Gloves -this is not the Spain I know – when the West wind blows. Ezra is so loud – the small muscles in his ears – are not functioning. I was born in Spain – and given a pelota – you ask me how? At 6 bright light streams – shadows stretching to be real – down Plaza del Sol. A nameless deep cloud – transforms at the end of day – while bird and I watch. A full moon rising – high above Conde Duque – only for our eyes. Viena and I – rollerblading in the park – Ezra coughed at home. The evening begins – Spaniard around a table – drinks, food, smiles, laugh, time. No quiero ir – por la calles de Madrid – Deixa otros ir. I this modern world – what happens in Alaska – is heard in Madrid. Sometimes a leopard – does not need to change his spots – only his location.
oneworldtwokids 