Monday, January 31, 2011

I wonder....

Who is more dangerous to the world at large.

Monsanto or Al-Qaeda? 

This was asked by a poster who signed a petition at  http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/bring-down-monsanto-monopoly/

what do you think?

Sunday, January 23, 2011

A Prologue

Raise a cold winter morning.
Awaken to frost in the bones-
The sleep destroying chill
that drives the mind awake
with the need to provide warmth.

Once the fire is lit and bones
are warm, the mind calms
and other duties are recalled.
So - we fall asleep -
forgetting all traces of a
well-tuned need to take care
of ourselves and no other.

Later, with light, we rejoin
the world, satisfied to rise
in warmth and dull thoughts
of unconscious competence.
but - oh! for an instant-
we were a primitive!

Jan 1981
published winter 82
periodically Alive

it was one of those mornings today. I recall the original when I was up and in the kitchen making breakfast before i looked at the clock and saw that it was only 3 a.m.  -20F something and blowing.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Out of the Silent Planet

Is it only extreme existential loneliness to be rereading C.S. Lewis's fine book "Out of the Silent Planet" and wonder about the hrossa (non human but sentient and talkative beings) and wonder at the possibilities of knowing other sentient beings on Earth in the same way?  What if! oh what if!

Sunday, January 9, 2011

social etiquette failings :-(

So - the suggestion is to never talk about yourself in a conversation - always get the other person to open up about themselves.

Have you listened to what gymnastics that entails?? (insert imaginative scenario)


 in any case. freedom of speech is a fragile gift isn't it. no matter where it leads.

perhaps we should encourage one another to speak freely and calmly so we don't have to burst when we think we aren't being heard.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Monday, January 3, 2011

snow by lamplight

Have you ever
watched snow
(the fine dry snow
of sub-zero nights)
fall through the light
of a street lamp?


Shards of mercury-
minute burn holes
from a 16mm
black and white film-

brilliant thoughts
in an otherwise
mediocre and
empty mind.

still.  beauty.