Mother's Day

Diagonals are what
is important in
paintings by Rubens,
the great Flemish
master, the stormy
turmoil of battles
and crucifixions.
The feeling of force
is intensified as
we, the viewers, are
drawn into the
drama.  It's the
same with
hurricanes  the
lowering sky, the
driving rain  the
flat schoolyard
as two figures, a
woman and a
little girl
struggle against
the quickening
wind.  The
woman holds a
gold colored
umbrella, the
little girl holds
her hand.  She
has been told
only half jokingly
that she might
"blow away" if she
doesn't.  She concludes
she better not
risk it.  Down the
shore large waves
are battering the
Million Dollar pier
reducing it to
about a quarter of
a million dollars,
maybe.  Large
chunks are carved
out of the beach
and the t.v. news
men are foaming
at the mouth.

Several years later
the girl sits on
the now quiet
beach and looks
out at the  
skeletal remains of
the pier.  The water
swirls around the
pylons, hypnotic,
oblivious.  The nude
pylons are like
elephant legs
without an
elephant.  The
little girl is
moved to take
a picture.