Good morning, Alan,
Thanks for your response. The poem, Cargo, literally came to me in a bottle out of the sea.
I am a 70-year-old woman. I never cease to be amazed by synchronicity and serendipity!
I own a house by the sea on South Pender Island, BritishColumbia, though I am American and reside most of the year in Seattle. My family has been coming to the Penders for 30 years. The poem floated by about a year ago and my 36-year-old daughter fished it up. Our intent has been to put it
back out to sea for someone else to find and be touched by Mr. Kimura's poem.
This last week I came to Pender with 2 women friends, and while they were here, I showed them the poem. We were all deeply touched by it. It expresses a truth we all feel is basic to live by. And it created the opportunity for reflection, contemplation and conversation... something old ladies are good at..or these old ladies are....
I entered a google search for Mr. Kimura on my phone, and was sad to learn he passed away this last spring. My friends and I think that his poem, Cargo, may be the gift he brought to the world. It is for us, anyway. And we love that it came to us in a bottle out of the sea.
I don't know who put the poem in the bottle or where it was launched. I suspect, since the paper was completely dry on which the poem is written, that it may have come from a bay around the corner. I enclose a few photos for you to see. The last photo in the lineup, of the schooner, we thought was a metaphor for Greg, carrying his "Cargo".
I'm almost finished! But you know how synchronicity can wind itself round and round...
In my google search, I discovered your website offering the poster designed by your wife (? I think), and Greg Kimura's poem, and your use of it to teach your students. Brilliant, Alan! One of MY sisters teaches art...and so much more. She tells me that what she is really trying to teach each student is how truly special and remarkable they are. I forwarded your site to her, thinking she might use Cargo also as a teaching tool!
One last connection which I noticed is that Mr. Kimura appears to have worked with Michael Meade. The weekend before I came here, I was in retreat with Michael, and we talked about our shadows, reflected in self and society, and worked to free ourselves through truth telling in order to carry our gifts into the world.
How's that for synchronicity!
It's a story I like. Thanks for your weave into it!
I intend to gift the poster to my sister and 2 daughters.
Sally Richardson
Poem in a Bottle
