The Island- part five

A new chapter

                                 The Island

We stood at Lake Gichigana and Nicole held me, her arms around me making me feel okay. She told me a short tale about the Lake Superior. She pointed toward the meeting place of Lake Huron and Lake Superior and she whispered. The old Ojibwa Medicine man told me. Once great lovers would meet and feast on love kiss and love embrace. He promised her the moon and the stars where the lakes fell into each other. A great storm came in the Winter. He could not find her in early Spring. They say if you listen. A ancient love song is played.

"My little Feather,

where are thee?

I am waiting,

praying to the moon and the early stars.

Come to me,

I am waiting, I am waiting.

I am at lake Gichigana where the water always meet.

Where we danced and sang when our hearts were young.

I am waiting for you, my little feather."

She kissed the back of my neck and I turned to her. I whispered, dear Nicole, you are a miracle, you are a gift, a celestial spirit in my world of madness. She held silence and she looked into my eyes. She took my hands and she told me. We must walk the Island path, a four mile circle with so much to be seen. We have two hours before lunch. Lana is timely and she liked things that fall into proper place. Idyllic had been touched by the ancient Gods and the Ojibwa free-spirits. You will love the view of the wildflowers, my wild rosemary gardens and the rose bushes from four continents. Some of the roses are beginning to bloom. I love when the roses begin to bloom. It mean the warm days of Summer is near. The trees are ancient, kind Lake Superior rain ensured the trees stay strong and never stop growing. The Captain said some of the trees here are a thousand years old. He told me often, the trees talk to him. If we listen to the trees, watch the birds. We will know when the big storms shall come. The birds and the free animals take cover before the storms come. Silence mean danger. Lake Superior, our Lake Gichigana blessed the Island, Idyllic had a grand protector from the confusion of life we can fall into. The island surrounded by the lake, is in the arms of kind nature. The spirit of Gaea is always near and observing. I loved her face when she spoke. Her everchanging hazel eyes made me swim in them, her voice soft and gentle, made me hold silence so he could hear her speak. She was a ancient storyteller. She made him forget his troubles and his heavy burden.

She stopped and she told me. You have learn to love the silence dear Johnnie. I have lost many to old wars, old hate and old age. Healing take time, sometimes forever. Some people cannot stay at Idyllic, they have great mission to accomplish. They must do something to change our world. Idyllic can be a final place for the many of us, but a rare day. Sometime like you come and visit us. We love the visitors on the island, allowed us who shall never leave the island, to befriend new people, learn new story and add to the myth and tale of Idyllic. Maybe one day, you can return to the island and stay. We need a tavern poet. The Captain is the lake poet, he won't drink the alcohol he create , he said the drink of madness shall never touch his lips again. No taverns for the Captain. I see the Hemingway sickness in your voice, in your eyes. Finding salvation in the whiskey and the gin. Even Hemingway found his island, stay awhile, he is on the South American coastline now, sharing drink with Ezra Pound, James Joyce, Fitzgerald and Ford Maddox Ford. They are watching the giant iguanas on the Galapagos islands. Johnnie, silence is necessary but we can't swim in negative things forever. We will never forget the people we loved. I can see your brothers, together, dancing with your Ojibwa grandmother at the never-ending pow-wow in the clouds. They have found some kind of peace. Some of us, cannot accept the struggle of living.

I asked her, why can't I stay here with you at Idyllic? If I wanted. She smiled and she told me. Dear Luna create the island for us, without homes anymore. She sought us out who became nameless and forgotten. Everyone here had a grand tale of places, great adventure and never-ending heartbreak.  Tomorrow I will share some of my stories of adventure, disappointment and a happy ending. You are not ready yet dear Johnnie. Luna can finish the answer to your question at lunch. She is the seeker, the oldest of us. She is the moon who watches the night. She had heard the secret tears, the joy of happiness and a billion wishes. The island was create by Luna. I told you, Idyllic found you, allowed you in.

She saw great sadness in my face and she stopped talking. She kissed my face and she held me close. I asked her, do you truly believe my brothers found peace? How can call of death overtake the willingness to live? I heard the whispers of death often. Life is sweet, death is sweet, life is hard and death is easy. She whispered to me. We cannot control the wind, we cannot master the sea and the star are forever. Each of us walk on the tapestry of a thread. Some of us are barely holding on and some of us are like the mountains. Already steady and strong. All you can do Johnnie, is your best. Sometimes we feel like we didn't do enough. We accept the pain of another, even if we tried to help. 

The walk to the restaurant was wonderful. So much ancient art, wildflower fields and beautiful wild roses beginning to bloom. Nicole held my hand with a gentle touch. I was feeling better.

We arrived at Luna's restaurant. She had a set-up of many kinds of fruit and small sandwiches. She had hot water for the many tea bags on the table and prepared strong coffee for me. She had cakes, cream and sugar waiting for us. She was wearing a Summer dress, showing strong shoulders and arms, sun-kissed legs I adored. I loved her red hair and her eyes of gentleness and kindness. She looked at me like a grandmother looked at her grandchild. She said welcome back Johnnie. I hope you are enjoying Idyllic. She went to Nicole, kissed her face and her lips. She came to me and she kissed my forehead and my face-cheeks. She told us to sit down and enjoy the food. She sat with us and she asked me. I hope you are finding Idyllic kind and wonderful. If you need anything, please ask. She touched my knees and she whispered to me. No strangers today at the island today.

She looked at Nicole and she told her. A small brunch, the town is very quiet this afternoon. Everyone is excited. The Island song-bird Alya is here. She will sing for us at five pm. We are very lucky, every April and May, Alya visit us. She is a blessing to our world, her song are needed and they are blessed. I went to save her once and she saved me. All of us need the mercy of kindness. This is why you are still with us. My friend, Morningstar, a caretaker, she told me of your sadness. Morningstar listens to the wind and she felt your suffering. She led you to Idyllic before you made the final journey. Morningstar told me. You have much to do still. Life can be seconds, minutes, hours and days. Something is coming your way and a dead Johnnie. Please don't steal away the possibilities you can do. We must make every second, joyful and worthwhile my new friend. Some of us are saviors, some of us are great lovers and some of us are teachers. Johnnie, your Hemingway journey hadn't begin. Now, no-more talk. Please enjoy the food.

I looked at her and I asked her. Dear Luna, Idyllic, is this real or a dream? She laughed at my words and she told us. Real life or not, we never know. I hope you are having a good dream. Life can be trickery. Could be a dream, could be myth or tale. I pray a good dream Johnnie. I told her. This is utopia. She took my right hand and she kissed it. She smiled and she told me. Me and Nicole, we love utopia. I told my friend Jerzy to bring his homemade Ambrosia wine to the concert today. Jerzy is our greatest writer on the island. I found him alone with plastic bag and a death wish 40 years ago. Now he is the island wine maker and he can tell you a million stories of life. He told me often. In a lifetime, we will live a thousand lives and die a thousand times. If we are lucky, we will find peace, good wine and befriend many kind people. He is on the wall dancing with Nicole. 

I held silence and I wanted this dream to never-end.  The sandwiches were wonderful and the coffee very strong. Nicole and Luna drank their tea slowly, adding cinnamon and a touch of honey to the lavender tea. I watched their faces, their faces, youthful, no scars. They looked like ageless beauties. I loved the curves of their face, the faces of the ancient goddesses. Their bare shoulders uncovered and tanned legs made me feel like a man in a Dante's story. I reached over and he kissed Nicole right shoulder. She tasted of salt and I told her. I wanted to know if you were real, not a dream only. She laughed, she smiled and she told me. A Greek law, if you kissed me one shoulder, you must kiss the other shoulder too. I kissed her left shoulder and I laid my head against her. She caressed my hair and my face, she whispered. We must return home. You promised Lana, you would allow her to paint your face. You must sit near the lake and be painted. She does canvas first and later. Add your face to the wall of the bridge. Lana liked timeliness, she knows, she had two days for you to sit for her. One day, you will return to us and she will paint your old face.

I asked her. What if I don't want to leave idyllic? She smiled and she whispered, in time, the island will accept you.  Your life isn't written in stone yet. We decide our journey, wrong or right. You will play many people Johnnie. Tonight when the moon is above us. I will tell you my story, at least, pieces of my story. I have lived many lives, held many faces and thank you God for Luna. I was living a life of the spiral of confusion. Idyllic gave me a place where I could heal. Now I am a healer and a naturist. You must decide your life. I laughed at her words and she told me. If the wine is tasty tonight, you could see two muses, maybe sirens dancing for Lake Superior. Luna smiled and she told us. I may join the dance of late Spring. It is a warm and wonderful May-day. She look at Nicole and she told her. Nicole, please tempt the sailors no-more tonight and Johnnie. Please enjoy Idyllic and tonight I will share a handful of knowledge and gossip. Please remember your Ojibwa heritage. This island given to us by the ancient tribe. The old one's allowed us to stay with them. Allowed me to find a safe place for the people who needed a place to rest, utopia. One day, when your body is tired, Idyllic will allow you to return, to stay with us. Become part of Idyllic myth and tale. Nicole tapped my shoulder and she whispered. Lana shall be waiting and we left for the cottage.

Coyote

 

Author's Note

new chapter

Reviews

[Neville]

.......... Having considered each and every word .. when I got to the end of the page, the only thing that stopped me being disappointed, is the fact I realise this can only be the beginning of something even more awesome ................ Neville

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Neville for reading and the comment. Need to edit still.

[Dave]

What a shame that Idyllic is only in the mind! Who wouldn't? want to go and stay there?
Johnnie, I have loved your story.
Take care - Dave

[Coyote Poetry]

I would go and live my friend. Thank you Dave for reading and the comment. I do appreciate.