©Lisa Anselmo
Wednesdays are now Anything Goes Day. Each Wednesday I’m going to devote this space to something creative: an essay, poem, photos—whatever suits my fancy, and hopefully yours. This is something I jotted down yesterday while I was sitting in the sun on my balcony.
Nature is oblivious that we are on lockdown. The sun plays in an expansive blue sky. The trees, unmasked, exchange their pollen, greening our world. Flowers defy the constraints of their potted plots of earth. The birds call and chatter, shattering the silence of the street—Hey-hi! You-you! Hey-hi! Unable to contain their joy, they fly together—up and away from the people stuck in their cages.
“Come soar with us,” they taunt. “Come fly!” Up there in the enormous blue where there are no limits. The sun, too, tugs at us. Come. Be free with us. Out here.
The more we are confined, the more nature is wilding. Running rampant, disobedient. Creating glorious chaos in our world of orders.
“You-you! Hey-hi!” a bird calls to me as I sit on my balcony, hemmed in by the railing. It mocks me from the rooftop above. “Hey-hi! You-you!” it calls again as it flies away. Come. Be free with us. Out here.
The sun tugs and tugs until I feel myself pull apart, pull away from my place of confinement. Up I go, up, up, up over the street, over my neighbors in their cages, over the rooftops. I’m flying, soaring, swooping in the sky with the birds.
“Hey-hi! You-you!” I call to my comrades on air. “Hey-hi!” I’m here. I’m free. My soul cannot be caged.
Get caught up on my diary, here.
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Tip of the day
Detach from your emotions with meditation, exercise, or by immersing yourself in something creative—writing, drawing, singing, cooking, whatever. Spend one hour free from the news and worries of the day. Feed your soul and your body will thank you.
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On the bookshelf
The genius of birds. Click book to buy.
In praise of nature. A classic. Click book to buy.
Fly away to Paris. Click book to buy.
My (Parttime) Paris Life 
After yesterday’s emotional roller coaster of thoughts about the neighbor this was a perfect change of focus. Thanks for the poem. Be free in heart and soul today!
You too, Mari!
I love this Lisa, I feel the same. I am in a fortunate position (in Philadelphia) where nature walks or exercise is not too limited so long as you are taking all the right precautions. I’m so glad Spring has arrived and I hope it is as rebellious as it would like to be for all of us that need a show from inside our nests! Take good care.
Free as the birds !!! Enjoy the sun that will melt the snow, lift our spirits and smile for today and tomorrow. Thank you for this post things feel lighter for me !!!
You-you! Yay!
This was very evocative. I like it a lot. It reminded me of an entry to my own blog that I wrote when I was on the beach in Hawaii. I visualized myself swimming along the shore, in the air, above the clouds.
My day was much more mundane. It’s the first night of Passover and I cooked up a storm–for two. Still, we will have what to eat for a week, which is a good thing. In between cooking, I attended my animation class, online. I had to turn off the camera because I have this Scarlett O’Hara thing going on with my hair. My bangs are growing out (my long-term confinement project) so they’re held back with mini butterfly clips. I look like Scarlett in the opening scene with the Tarleton twins.
“War, war, war.”
I am loving your posts each day Lisa. Your blog on the neighbour got me thinking about how often we unwittingly do idiotic or even dangerous things, and how useful it can be for people to remind us. Hoping that you are enjoying Spring in Paris from your balcony and that you are thinking hard about turning these posts into a book.