Lookouts

©pralinanmi

Remembering Sister


It was probably my father who took this picture of my sister...maternal grandmother...paternal grandmother...and mother. It was taken at the international airport in NY, when my grandmothers came to visit us in July of 1959...one year after my siblings and I had joined my parents in New York; exiles from the growing repression in Haiti.
My sister, Marie-Helene, was eleven at the time of this picture. She would have been 59 years old...today...and the sorrow at not being able to call her...or see her...to wish her "happy birthday" is not any less...even though she "flew across the canyon" years ago.
I love this picture. It is especially meaningful and poignant now...since all four of these strong women have left this world for the other....and I shall carry the memory and loss of these....my guides and teachers........

Uncontrollable Giggles

©pralinanmi
Uncontrollable giggles escape
as
the push of the swing
tilts
the head back in laughter
at
the sheer joy
of
feeling warm air
play
suddenly across one's body...

April's Sudden Snow

©pralinanmi
April's sudden snow
blows frantically to and fro
as if
it does not quite know
where it should go
or
how it's supposed to flow
in this morning's sullen glow....

Hand Block

©pralinanmi

New York Mystery

©pralinanmi

In the past couple of weeks I have been to NY and back...the occasion was not a pleasant one...as I went there to attend my uncle's funeral...which was beautiful despite the sadness...and gave me the opportunity to gaze upon the tranquil face of the uncle I loved...one last time.
I did not have the heart to do too much else this time in the city of my youth...enjoyed many hours with family...visited my maternal grandmother's grave...went to some old haunts...and took way too few photographs. My photographer's eyes...and spirit...just weren't there.
The photo above is one of the ones I did take as we were driving into Manhattan from Queens. I was trying to get a view of the city's sky scrapers from across the river...before we entered into the tunnel bridging the two land masses. It wasn't until I downloaded the photo from my trusty digital...that I noticed the shutter had "snapped" just at the very moment the sign was telling me not to....hummm...