A Year of Life!
2021 I attempted my first 365, a photo a day, photography project. I may not have managed a photo a day but I certainly grew as an artist and a person.
I will be creating a legacy book, for my children.
For you, I have condensed it down to one image from each month. A year of life!
Should I create a calendar?
January
Named after Janus – God of beginnings and transitions.
Again I reply to the triple wind
Running chromatic fifths of derision
Outside my window: Play louder
You will not succeed. I am
Bound more to my sentences
The more you batter at me
To follow you.
And the wind,
As before, fingers perfectly
It’s derisive music.
William Carlos Williams
February
Named after februum – purification
Little month of February,
You are small, but worthy – very!
Will you grow up like the others,
Like your sister months and brothers?
Every four years with a bound
With a leap up from the ground,
Trying to grow tall as they –
All you stretch, is one small day!
Even then you’re not so tall
But just the shortest month of all.
March
Named after Mars – God of war
In the snowing and the blowing,
In the cruel sleet,
Little flowers begin their growing
Far beneath our feet.
Softly taps the spring, and cheerily, –
“Darlings, are you here?”
Till they answer, “We are nearly,
Nearly ready, dear.”
“Where is winter, with his snowing?
Tell us spring.” They say.
Then she answers, “He is going’
Going on his way”
“Poor old winter does not love you;
But his time is past,
Soon my birds shall sing above you; –
Set you free at last.”
April
Named after aperire – ‘to open’
List! List! The buds confer
This noonday they’ve had news of her;
The South Bank has had views of her;
The willows adream
By the freshet stream
Shall ask what boon they choose of her.
Up! Up! The world is astir;
The would be green has word of her;
Root and germ have heard of her,
Coming to break
Their sleep and wake
Their hearts with every bird of her.
See! See! How swift concur
Sun, wind, and rain at the name of her,
A-wondering what became of her;
The fields flower at the flame of her,
The glad air sings
With dancing wings
And the silvery shrill acclaim of her.
Sir Charles Douglas Roberts
May
Named after Maia – goddess of fertility
The rain that’s falling soft and slow
Has set the tulip bed aglow,
A flaming mass of colour.
And oh, the yellow and the red
Against the blackness of the bed –
The garden seems Enchanted
And how the tiny rose leaves shine,
So new and wet, and on the vine
A tiny yellow warbler.
And in my heart I bend my knee
To him who made such things to be –
So exquisite and tender.
Alice Baker
June
Named after Juno – goddess of marriage
Far up in the deep blue sky,
Great white clouds are floating by;
All the world is dressed in green;
Many happy birds are seen,
Roses bright and sunshine clear
Show that lovely June is here.
F. G. Sanders
July
Named after Julius Caesar – It being the month of his birth.
Let us find a shady way
Pretty little brook;
Let us have some candy handy,
And a picture book.
There all day we’ll stay and play and
Never mind the heat.
While the water gleaming, streaming,
Ripples round our feet.
And we’ll gather curly pearly
Mussels shells while bright
Frightened minnows darting, parting,
Scurry out of sight.
What if, what if, – heigho! My oh! –
All the ‘ifs’ were true,
And the little fishes wishes,
Now, what would you do?
August
Named after Emperor August – several of his triumphs were at this time, including the conquest of Egypt.
Lazy summer afternoons,
Walks along the beach,
Balmy evenings, cloudless skies,
Stars just out of reach,
Sailing on a quiet lake,
Hammocks in the shade . . .
These are the simple treasures
Of which August days are made.
September
From the Latin September- “seven”. It was originally the seventh of ten months, September became the ninth month but retained its name.
The breezes taste
Of apple peel
The air is full
Of smells to feel –
Ripe fruit, old footballs,
Burning brush,
New books, erasers,
Chalk, and such.
The bee, his hive,
Well- honeyed hum,
And mother cuts Chrysanthemums.
Like plates washed clean
With suds, the days
Are polished with
A morning haze.
October
Like September, October was originally the eight month, ‘octo’ meaning eight. It moved but retained its name.
Autumn leaves of red and gold
That crunch beneath your feet,
Pumpkins on front porches,
Candy corn, and trick-or-treat.
Tart and tangy cider,
Apples ripened on the trees,
A hint of winter coming
On the chilly
Autumn breeze.
November
Again like September and October, November took its name from the Latin ‘novem’ meaning ‘nine’ and retained its name when January and February were added.
November comes and
November goes,
With the last red berries
And the first white snows.
With night coming early
And Dawn coming late,
And ice in the bucket
And frost by the gate.
The fires burn
And the kettle sings,
And earth sinks to rest
Until next spring.
December
Decem, meaning ten as it was originally the tenth month of the year.
Wintry mornings wrapped in white,
Evenings, calm and still,
Snowflakes dancing all around,
Sled rides down a hill,
Gatherings with loved ones –
Such a pleasure to remember –
All memories and special gifts
That come with each
December.
A Year of Life!
“For what it’s worth: it’s never
Too late or, in my case, too early to be
Whoever you want to be. There’s no time
Limit, stop whenever you want. You can
Change or stay the same, there are no
Rules to this thing. We can make the best
or the worst of it. I hope you make the
best of it. And I hope you see things that
Startle you. I hope you feel things you
Never felt before. I hope you meet people
with a different point of view. I hope you
Live a life you’re proud of. If you find
That you’re not. I hope you have the
Courage to start all over again.”
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Here’s to another year documenting life!
Why is Photography Important?
I’ve read that children feel safe, welcome, seen and loved if there are images of themselves in the family home. I love this idea and think this is something every family needs to know.
