Ace of Cups, Reversed (Big Time)

“Don’t lend your hand to raise no flag
Atop no ship of fools”
Ship of Fools – Grateful Dead (Hunter/Garcia) 1974

I grew up in Southern California in the 80’s-90’s. Back then, my mom’s father, Jack Barney Wyman, was a photographer for the Daily Breeze newspaper. He used to take me to the docks and we would visit the boats he had privileges on – he’d been a Merchant Marine during World War II.

My favorite boat to visit was the famous Queen Mary – probably because she had all the ghost stories that made her more eerie than the rest. Grandpa used to photograph ships, too. My mom sent me a few of those pictures after he passed away in 2020, along with a few other bizarre shots I will post another day.

I am so grateful he did not live to see his beloved southern California waterway destroyed. Love you, Grandpa. Rest in peace.

"Oil Spill" by Heather Defresne

Drenched in darkness
Cloaked in pain
I will never visit these waters again

Leaving the Pacific
A memory in time
Floating inside the back of my mind

Poisoned with oil
Destruction left only
If I went back, would the ocean even know me?

The Devil plays hard
He doesn’t give a fuck
Hoping we will continue to gamble our luck

That Gaia will Heal
And recover once more
Instead of giving up and shutting the door

On humanity, on us
On creatures, on life
Replacing the rain with fires and strife

Or flooding the lands
With more than we need
It keeps the grass green, but drowns out the seed

Our cup runneth over
Yet, we take and we take
Never returning the love, for Mother Earth’s sake!

I’ve forgotten my promise
To clean up the trash
My neighbors leave behind in the cache

I’ll renew this vow, now
To do my fair part
No matter how small, at least it’s a start.

Much love,

Heather XO