Day 244

Ode to the Evening Sea

Oh sun sparkles on blue water,
Oh smooth, green, transparent,
Radiating light then dark...
The hush and rushing roar of the waves...

We dance in, shedding school, molting work,
You take our feet in your hands,
You rock us in your strong arms,
The rhythm of your lullaby soothes us to smile
We are light as feathers, as foam,
Flying down the green valleys,
Our laughing mouths full of the sky...

At last we emerge into the setting sun,
Our limbs once more laden with gravity
Our skin tasting like salty tears,
Without crying...

The sea and everything within it was central to the Minoan civilization, my favourite people in Art History.  They thrived for a few centuries long long ago, and made art and sewerage systems and had a matrilineal society with a mother goddess and female priestesses.  According to archeological evidence there don't seem to have been any dwellings for poor people within the excavations, so there is a theory that they also accomplished somewhat of an egalitarian society such a long time ago, between the 27th and the 15th centuries BC. 

Here is a drawing of a Minoan bull-jumper, one arm missing, but an otherwise intact  ivory figurine which was probably attached to the figure of the bull, if there was one, by gold threads.  There are also frescoes of this strange practice.  Such a beautifully proportioned little figure. 

I just swam for exercise today.  Tomorrow is the big race!  Butterflies abound in my tummy.