Cartography

Lovely read by R.A.D. Stainforth...one of his best...

These words fall hot from the atmosphere, 

burn through the page like meteors,

quietly shuffle among themselves,
visually represent the area between,

highlight intersections
with a lipstick smudge or tear ―
because X always marks the spot.

Read my willing palm, 
see the rhythms and regularities
span natural contours.

We come together,
fit curved like a globe, 
some kind of oracle,
where continents and seas
connect singular dots,
chart the attraction,
fold hips, point scale,
like a map.

tk/December 2012

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what a wonderful world

You wouldn't believe it, since my knowledge of geography is terrible, but I happen to love maps and globes, especially lovely vintage ones.  On my weekly G-Dub (my local Goodwill store) trip, I found this cute little four inch, transfer-painted steel globe, with a delicious patina.

As soon as I get home, I hop online to see what I can learn about my vintage finds. There were a few clues on the globe to help date it:  Leningrad, named in 1924, following the death of Lenin; Persia, officially renamed Iran in 1935; Siam changed to Thailand in 1939; and Korea was known as Chosen under Japanese rule from 1910-1045.

Well, to make a long story short, the little child's desk globe was made by Ohio Art Company, in Bryan, Ohio, in 1928. They're fairly rare, and as far as I can tell, sell in the $30-$60 range.  How much did I pay?  $8.99.  A little on the high end, for G-Dub, but I felt a certain spiritual connection.  It looks very much at home on my desk.  I'm always amazed at the size of the Atlantic...

When we contemplate the whole globe 

as one great dewdrop, striped and dotted 

with continents and islands, 

flying through space with other stars 

all singing and shining together as one, 

the whole universe appears as an infinite storm of beauty. 

― John Muir