Driving home alone

[vaneramos]

The Rainbow Chorus will present its two spring concerts this weekend (Friday evening in Waterloo and Saturday evening in Guelph), which makes for an unusually busy week, hardly any quiet time sandwiched between extra practices. Emerging from the dress rehearsal in Waterloo at 9:30 this evening, I was surprised to find myself not exhausted but buoyed by people and events of my life, especially pleasant reverberations of the the long weekend past. I sank into the half-hour drive home as into a pleasant bath. Flipping through my CD case, I pulled out a favourite I hadn't listened to in several years.

Some of Robert Schumann's music is overrated, but his Piano Quintet is a masterpiece of 19th Century chamber music. The second movement alone is a study in departure from Classical form, but its Romanticism is never overblown. In fact, despite occasional moodiness, the work is prevalently good-natured. And just as the finale seems poised to end with an ambiguously blustery note, it breaks into a satisfying and valiant fugue.

The quintet pleasantly distracted me as I headed home.

I happened to return via Kossuth Road instead of the usual Highway 7. This triggered a sense memory from years ago, probably 1986 guessing by the geography of my life: one beautiful spring morning, driving along Kossuth Road with the window rolled down, I was suddenly overwhelmed with the fragrance of lilacs, and noticed a long bank of them lined the shoulder.

This busy week I've frequently seen them blooming en route from here to there, but never had time to stop or visit Lilac Way. Theirs is my favourite fragrance. I couldn't let another night go by without smelling it. Kossuth Road was quiet, so I slowed and kept an eye on the periphery of my headlights. Sure enough, that famous row of bushes appeared. I circled back and pulled onto the shoulder.

I rolled the window down so Schumann's music could accompany me, but outside it was nearly drowned by songs of toads in nearby fields. I went to the lilacs and buried my face in their bosom, drawing the smell lustily into my nostrils. I walked up and down, sampling different bushes. Several passing cars caught me in their headlights. I must have looked like a lunatic.

As a memento, I snapped off one twig of pale blossoms to bring home. Now it's filling my apartment with redolence of a warm spring night, when the air makes love to the earth.

Comments

[e-compass-rosa.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for sharing this -- I always look forward to reading your vignettes. This one gives me hope.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear that. Hope is very important to me.

[missprune.livejournal.com]

It has been an amazingly good year for lilacs here in Montana. Although I just realized they came into full bloom earlier than usual, and by Memorial Day when they are traditionally wanted for the cemeteries, they may be just about all gone. I enjoyed your entry!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks, E. Everything here is a little bit late because we had such a cold time in April. I still haven't had a chance to really immerse myself for a while in lilacs, so perhaps this afternoon.

[artricia.livejournal.com]

God, I love the smell of lilacs.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Yes, it fills me with feeling.

[twillhead.livejournal.com]

I'm totally with you on the lilac thing. I have four lilac bushes in various locations in the backyard -- one is enormous -- and stepping outside into the lilac-freshened air is always incredible. As Miss Prune noted, however, the lilacs bloomed early this year in Massachusetts as well and are just about past their prime. That the lilac blossoms are so short-lived perhaps contribute to their sensual allure. Such a lovely post.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Everything here is a little late because we had such a cold time in April. I envy you having lilacs so close at hand, but perhaps this afternoon I'll have time to go out and visit some.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's one of my favourite moments of the whole year!

[ubermunkey.livejournal.com]

Oh lord these words stirred my very soul and gave me an erection.

"when air makes love to the earth"

So very sensual and moving...........

love
Munkey

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

It's a potent image for me: intercourse between earth and sky, wind and water. To think of you being aroused by these words inspires me.
Love,
Van