Come to think of it, even if they don’t understand those things they can’t delete any of them. They will always be safe because they are born out of the love of life.
Thanks, Cal. I think it's "can't." I think it is a deficiency in them. I don't think they are capable, and they know it, and that is the source of all their anger and hatred.
I’m saving that poem. It’s a great one! So prophetic.
I feel like we are all on a long dark train leading into a very dark ominous tunnel with no end in site. And we can’t get off because it’s going too fast. Will we ever see a speck of light in the far distance? I fear the elders on this train may not.
Damn man! Both your poem and video clip with Zarina are IMO spot on wake up calls! Why anyone needs such an alarm as overt as all this corrupt stuff has been and continues to be is beyond me, but good on you both! Also, that was so very proper looping in Casablanca, as this sure as shit is no time for apathy. Thx much for sharing and maintaining your clever, well-informed and finely honed razor’s edge words from your precision sharpened pencil point. Here’s to tipping jars and quashing, squashing & squelching czars & Nazis — prost 🍻🇺🇸♾️
Insightful poem. Such versatility! How was Berlin? Does Europe think we've all turned orange? Definitely a bad week for aviation. After digesting all the input, my conclusion is that, from 2 directions, ego and greed caused the DC accident, with, first, the Trump-Musk threats, insults, firings, shut-downs, and myriad other stressors. Second, the needs of Pentagon top-brass to be kept "safe" at any cost, even human life. Except maybe at 3am, no helicopter should be in that area, but as on 9-11, that's reportedly the Pentagon brass' disaster escape route, so "we must practice" -- with "experienced" pilots who have less flight time than an old crew meal, because higher-paying airlines have sucked up all the more experienced pilots, because we can't afford better pay, because the wealthy need the money -- and we must make it real -- nothing to good for the Old Boys, so let's use night-vision goggles, just to be sure we max the risk to the rest. That awesome black hole in lower Manhatten memorializes one tragedy. May they build a DC momument to the crash of democracy and lives lost to Trump and more greedy, upper-crud ego. And now grant-funding. Wondering how many hopes, dreams, and regular folk have to perish before sanity revolts.
Thanks, Maureen. Berlin was great, as it always is. My friends from other countries were kind and sympathetic, and also a bit scared at what America might become. The rally was remarkable and bodes well.
Brynn, who was a Naval aviator, had a great thread explaining why the accident might have happened, from a technical perspective...this will make more sense to you, of course:
I agree with you re the busy-ness at that hour. It's like how the SS SUVs are always kept with engines running, JUST IN CASE. Musk did his doge fuckery. Air traffic control was short staffed. And why was the helicopter there to begin with? Human error mixed with poor planning. And then exploited by Orange Hitler to blame women and minorities. A tragedy, all around.
Hope Berlin was great, such a wonderful city. Thanks for the poem, never apologize for anything you send, it is all meaningful and gratefully accepted.
"To set upon the throne a venal liege.
We thus are terrified (who are not bored)
Of violent overthrow of new by old.
In broken bits around us lie the walls—
Things fell apart; the center did not hold."
These words resonate. 4547 is as venal as one can get, the purchase price as cheap as saying nice words about him. A useless bag of shit surrounded by the real danger, the 2025 gang. Terrified, Mrs Old Man refuses to speak her native language outdoors, afraid she is that someone will hear her speaking Spanish and soon she will be whisked away to guantanamo bay. Just printed red cards as recommended by Joyce Vance, we both carry them. Mr Old Man who is truly bored by this poppycock, loses much needed sleep over the unspoken fear the missus might just be whisked away, now that Elon the Musk controls the government payment system, the always reliable monthly Social Security direct credit payment is so much less reliable and so many other things, should I fly, will my groceries become so expensive as tariffs, combined with CEO induced price gouging leave my morning cheerios berry-less. As the overthrow and revenge take hold, where the reliable if dowdy career civil servants walk away if not swept away leave gaping holes in much needed services, the center does not hold. So many broken bits, much caused by one ego maniac whose mantra of disruption is good translates to chaos, no one to check him. Will we become the United States of X? We are in the worst possible place as the two party system craters, one in abject thrall to the venal one, the other who should form the opposition and provide checks and balances is in complete denial and disarray.
I would say woe is me but then remember woe is we is a more apt saying. I read Bill Serle's comment, the counter-point to this diatribe and think, WE shall prevail. Composure in the face of overthrow and broken bits, James Taylor's "Fire and Rain" playing in the background of my mind. Yes composure is needed along with a xanax or two. My only disagreement with James, may God help us, Jesus is number two, we need number one. Plus Greg's much needed perspectives.
Back to my mindless games on my tablet, the only respite from broken bits and a crumbling center, this plus continuing the effort to get out of dodge, to be near our only child in jolly Old England.
Thanks, Old Man. The ICE Gestapo is terrifying, and I suspect a lot of people will get swept up in it. It is incumbent upon local communities to thwart it. I hope they will. And needless to say I hope you and your wife are safe.
I move that "X" be, ahem, excised from the alphabet permanently. No reason for it to eksist.
And on a happier note...
One of the best-ever Simpsons episodes is when Homer is an astronaut. James Taylor is a guest on that ep, and he's hysterical. At one point, he's singing to the astronauts who are up in space. He sings, "Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground...err...I mean...sweet dreams and flying machines flying safely through the air..." So good.
It is very sad to see the Mrs who is a US citizen and a well respected former language teacher who graduated college with honors all of a sudden fear for her right to live a peaceful life in her adopted country. Over 50 years of being everything a good citizen should be trashed by morons. Call it irrational? In these days the irrational ones are leading our country doing highly irrational things, so yes, fear is a rational reaction. SO VERY SAD, we live in the worst of times.
nice poem. I'd say work around the passive voice as you revise. And remember--it was the 4th CRUSADE that hit Constantinople. That scans perfectly and if much more accurate than vandals, as it happens. "An in the capitol crusaders smash" The only other thing is that the end of the poem makes it seem that the whole thing is the Muslim's fault. I'm quite sure that's not what you mean. You could say "Christian" Mullahs (including quotes) or Western Mullahs. Perhaps "Would-be Mullahs" is best?
Poems created within a person aren’t really a critique-able entity are they? They’re art. They are complete when the poet is done with the poem. That’s my understanding.
Yes, Susan, I just made up all what I said out of my tiny brain. But to me there’s an unwritten poetry exception for criticism because of where poems come from. A soul.
Thanks for this, Susan, which is helpful and also gets into some of what I was thinking, choosing the words. Some thoughts:
1/ I know the Vandals didn't do 1204. They didn't do it in the fifth century, either. But the word captures the spirit of the onslaught. ("Onslaught," dammit, is a word I should have used!) So I conflated it intentionally. However, "Crusader" isn't perfectly accurate, either. The person who re-routed the Christian army to Constantinople was -- wait for it -- the DOGE of Venice. Who was also blind!
2/ I was worried that the end might come off as anti-Islamic, particularly with that word, "mullah." And I didn't want that, not least bc in the Dark Ages, the Islamic kingdoms SAVED so much old knowledge. But I don't consider the Taliban to be Muslims, any more than I consider the Leonard Leo extremists to be Catholics. Plus it WAS that troglodytic mullah who gave the order. They have perverted the faith. Omar's men were, and are, savages. And maybe that's the right word: "sightless savage." But I decided to keep it bc "mullah" sounds so guttural, and also to equate the American Taliban with their awful predecessors.
I appreciate the criticism, and your thoughtful reading of the poem.
Now that's a poem every bit as good as the best prose you've been giving us lately, as I've been moved to observe most weeks. I've never said the following to another person in my life but I say to you, do it again. Now please let your emotions be complemented by Snyder's rationality and advice again this week. "Do not be alone and do not be dismayed. Find someone who is doing something you admire and join them." I'm trying to bring his clear sight & action to others I know. Some of us like you can do more, but none of us may do less & hope that we'll be saved by a miracle. https://snyder.substack.com/p/the-logic-of-destruction
Thanks, Richard. I very much appreciate that. And thanks for pointing to Snyder's piece, which is excellent and useful. I have some ideas percolating on what we might do, and he hints at some of it in his piece...
The ignorant destroy that which they don’t understand. God only knows the knowledge that has gone up in smoke or the art that is gone in a blast of hate. And the cycle continues. I fear for all the museums in DC; the African American Museum, the Native American Museum, the Holocaust Museum; all at risk now by those who who would rewrite or eradicate history of a people altogether. It’s frightening how wide ranging the hate can spread. My heart is breaking for what could have been.
They've already taken down a lot of archives from the federal websites, at USAid and at CDC, NIH etc. It's already the trying to blot out history. But history will have the last word. It always does.
Little rage filled men breaking what they don’t understand.
What don’t they understand?
Beauty, joy, art, good humor, friendship, children and women , good men, heroes, and the interconnectedness of all things.
Thank you for this poem.
Come to think of it, even if they don’t understand those things they can’t delete any of them. They will always be safe because they are born out of the love of life.
Beautifully put!
Exactly that, Susan. Exactly that. Re interconnectedness: how breaking one thing breaks everyyhing. Thank you.
I am okay with this becoming a habit 😊 thank you.
Me too.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Wisdom and joy.. they are destroying those things too.
I've got to believe the tide is going to turn on this thing - eventually How much damage - incalculable at this point. Until then .
(It's early in the morning, still dark, it's cold, )
Pace Yeats, the gyre doesn't always widen. It contracts sometimes. Pendulum swings the other way. The sun rises.
"...sightless mullahs resolved to break what they can't (won't) understand."
Bingo!
Signed,
Cassandra of the legion
Thanks, Cal. I think it's "can't." I think it is a deficiency in them. I don't think they are capable, and they know it, and that is the source of all their anger and hatred.
Good one Greg.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done…
One soon day tech will provide so much “Daily Bread” that all humankind will be out of poverty and into the light
that literacy provides. All nations will reject war and use of force. ..
What up? There are more damn-good people than no-damn-goodniks…
United States. Euro Zone. United Nations. NINJA* (India. China. Indonesia. Japan. Korea. Asian.) United States of Africa. EEE.**
Earth Mars Co-op.
Who knows? - He do??
Billserle.com
*I need help with acronyms. **Etc. etc. etc.
Thanks, Bill. Especially these days, I very much appreciate your resolute optimism.
I’m saving that poem. It’s a great one! So prophetic.
I feel like we are all on a long dark train leading into a very dark ominous tunnel with no end in site. And we can’t get off because it’s going too fast. Will we ever see a speck of light in the far distance? I fear the elders on this train may not.
Good analogy, Mary. Except that Musk has put Tesla AI in charge of running the train...
We will prevail !
Yes we shall!
Beautiful
Thank you.
Damn man! Both your poem and video clip with Zarina are IMO spot on wake up calls! Why anyone needs such an alarm as overt as all this corrupt stuff has been and continues to be is beyond me, but good on you both! Also, that was so very proper looping in Casablanca, as this sure as shit is no time for apathy. Thx much for sharing and maintaining your clever, well-informed and finely honed razor’s edge words from your precision sharpened pencil point. Here’s to tipping jars and quashing, squashing & squelching czars & Nazis — prost 🍻🇺🇸♾️
Thanks, Dock. Casablanca has always been my favorite film, but now? Good Lord, now. I can't watch it without weeping.
Insightful poem. Such versatility! How was Berlin? Does Europe think we've all turned orange? Definitely a bad week for aviation. After digesting all the input, my conclusion is that, from 2 directions, ego and greed caused the DC accident, with, first, the Trump-Musk threats, insults, firings, shut-downs, and myriad other stressors. Second, the needs of Pentagon top-brass to be kept "safe" at any cost, even human life. Except maybe at 3am, no helicopter should be in that area, but as on 9-11, that's reportedly the Pentagon brass' disaster escape route, so "we must practice" -- with "experienced" pilots who have less flight time than an old crew meal, because higher-paying airlines have sucked up all the more experienced pilots, because we can't afford better pay, because the wealthy need the money -- and we must make it real -- nothing to good for the Old Boys, so let's use night-vision goggles, just to be sure we max the risk to the rest. That awesome black hole in lower Manhatten memorializes one tragedy. May they build a DC momument to the crash of democracy and lives lost to Trump and more greedy, upper-crud ego. And now grant-funding. Wondering how many hopes, dreams, and regular folk have to perish before sanity revolts.
Thanks, Maureen. Berlin was great, as it always is. My friends from other countries were kind and sympathetic, and also a bit scared at what America might become. The rally was remarkable and bodes well.
Brynn, who was a Naval aviator, had a great thread explaining why the accident might have happened, from a technical perspective...this will make more sense to you, of course:
https://bsky.app/profile/brynntannehill.bsky.social/post/3lgy4xrit5c2b
I agree with you re the busy-ness at that hour. It's like how the SS SUVs are always kept with engines running, JUST IN CASE. Musk did his doge fuckery. Air traffic control was short staffed. And why was the helicopter there to begin with? Human error mixed with poor planning. And then exploited by Orange Hitler to blame women and minorities. A tragedy, all around.
Hope Berlin was great, such a wonderful city. Thanks for the poem, never apologize for anything you send, it is all meaningful and gratefully accepted.
"To set upon the throne a venal liege.
We thus are terrified (who are not bored)
Of violent overthrow of new by old.
In broken bits around us lie the walls—
Things fell apart; the center did not hold."
These words resonate. 4547 is as venal as one can get, the purchase price as cheap as saying nice words about him. A useless bag of shit surrounded by the real danger, the 2025 gang. Terrified, Mrs Old Man refuses to speak her native language outdoors, afraid she is that someone will hear her speaking Spanish and soon she will be whisked away to guantanamo bay. Just printed red cards as recommended by Joyce Vance, we both carry them. Mr Old Man who is truly bored by this poppycock, loses much needed sleep over the unspoken fear the missus might just be whisked away, now that Elon the Musk controls the government payment system, the always reliable monthly Social Security direct credit payment is so much less reliable and so many other things, should I fly, will my groceries become so expensive as tariffs, combined with CEO induced price gouging leave my morning cheerios berry-less. As the overthrow and revenge take hold, where the reliable if dowdy career civil servants walk away if not swept away leave gaping holes in much needed services, the center does not hold. So many broken bits, much caused by one ego maniac whose mantra of disruption is good translates to chaos, no one to check him. Will we become the United States of X? We are in the worst possible place as the two party system craters, one in abject thrall to the venal one, the other who should form the opposition and provide checks and balances is in complete denial and disarray.
I would say woe is me but then remember woe is we is a more apt saying. I read Bill Serle's comment, the counter-point to this diatribe and think, WE shall prevail. Composure in the face of overthrow and broken bits, James Taylor's "Fire and Rain" playing in the background of my mind. Yes composure is needed along with a xanax or two. My only disagreement with James, may God help us, Jesus is number two, we need number one. Plus Greg's much needed perspectives.
Back to my mindless games on my tablet, the only respite from broken bits and a crumbling center, this plus continuing the effort to get out of dodge, to be near our only child in jolly Old England.
"The center does not hold." My greatest fear. Heavy sigh. We will prevail. We have too! We can't have the 'United States of X.' Thank you.
Thanks, Lisa. I am with you. We will not have that. We will have anarchy first.
Thanks, Old Man. The ICE Gestapo is terrifying, and I suspect a lot of people will get swept up in it. It is incumbent upon local communities to thwart it. I hope they will. And needless to say I hope you and your wife are safe.
I move that "X" be, ahem, excised from the alphabet permanently. No reason for it to eksist.
And on a happier note...
One of the best-ever Simpsons episodes is when Homer is an astronaut. James Taylor is a guest on that ep, and he's hysterical. At one point, he's singing to the astronauts who are up in space. He sings, "Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground...err...I mean...sweet dreams and flying machines flying safely through the air..." So good.
It is very sad to see the Mrs who is a US citizen and a well respected former language teacher who graduated college with honors all of a sudden fear for her right to live a peaceful life in her adopted country. Over 50 years of being everything a good citizen should be trashed by morons. Call it irrational? In these days the irrational ones are leading our country doing highly irrational things, so yes, fear is a rational reaction. SO VERY SAD, we live in the worst of times.
nice poem. I'd say work around the passive voice as you revise. And remember--it was the 4th CRUSADE that hit Constantinople. That scans perfectly and if much more accurate than vandals, as it happens. "An in the capitol crusaders smash" The only other thing is that the end of the poem makes it seem that the whole thing is the Muslim's fault. I'm quite sure that's not what you mean. You could say "Christian" Mullahs (including quotes) or Western Mullahs. Perhaps "Would-be Mullahs" is best?
Poems created within a person aren’t really a critique-able entity are they? They’re art. They are complete when the poet is done with the poem. That’s my understanding.
he indicated that he was still revising it. All I did was make suggestions. He is welcome to take them or leave them.
As someone with years of poetry workshopping behind me, I'm pretty sure that is kind of the way things work.
Yes, Susan, I just made up all what I said out of my tiny brain. But to me there’s an unwritten poetry exception for criticism because of where poems come from. A soul.
Some poems are like prayers.
Some actually ARE prayers. Lucky for students of lit everywhere, there's no ban on analyzing.
https://poets.org/poem/prayer-my-daughter
Thanks, Susan, but it's totally fine; I appreciated her criticism, just as I appreciate your comment.
Thanks for this, Susan, which is helpful and also gets into some of what I was thinking, choosing the words. Some thoughts:
1/ I know the Vandals didn't do 1204. They didn't do it in the fifth century, either. But the word captures the spirit of the onslaught. ("Onslaught," dammit, is a word I should have used!) So I conflated it intentionally. However, "Crusader" isn't perfectly accurate, either. The person who re-routed the Christian army to Constantinople was -- wait for it -- the DOGE of Venice. Who was also blind!
2/ I was worried that the end might come off as anti-Islamic, particularly with that word, "mullah." And I didn't want that, not least bc in the Dark Ages, the Islamic kingdoms SAVED so much old knowledge. But I don't consider the Taliban to be Muslims, any more than I consider the Leonard Leo extremists to be Catholics. Plus it WAS that troglodytic mullah who gave the order. They have perverted the faith. Omar's men were, and are, savages. And maybe that's the right word: "sightless savage." But I decided to keep it bc "mullah" sounds so guttural, and also to equate the American Taliban with their awful predecessors.
I appreciate the criticism, and your thoughtful reading of the poem.
"The world knows many religions but Nature has but on truth.
Manley P Hall.
That should be ONE truth
Figured… my ability to type on tiny keyboards has never been good cal!
We dance round in a ring and suppose,
But the Secret sits in the middle and knows.
-Frost
"DARKNESS"
Greg sorry to tell U but the darkness is NOW like wars, "Forever Wars."
More murderous Emperors, more war, more starvation, more darkness until Nature eliminates the human pestilence.
It ebbs and flows, though, and we need more ebb and less flow!
Now that's a poem every bit as good as the best prose you've been giving us lately, as I've been moved to observe most weeks. I've never said the following to another person in my life but I say to you, do it again. Now please let your emotions be complemented by Snyder's rationality and advice again this week. "Do not be alone and do not be dismayed. Find someone who is doing something you admire and join them." I'm trying to bring his clear sight & action to others I know. Some of us like you can do more, but none of us may do less & hope that we'll be saved by a miracle. https://snyder.substack.com/p/the-logic-of-destruction
Thanks, Richard. I very much appreciate that. And thanks for pointing to Snyder's piece, which is excellent and useful. I have some ideas percolating on what we might do, and he hints at some of it in his piece...
The ignorant destroy that which they don’t understand. God only knows the knowledge that has gone up in smoke or the art that is gone in a blast of hate. And the cycle continues. I fear for all the museums in DC; the African American Museum, the Native American Museum, the Holocaust Museum; all at risk now by those who who would rewrite or eradicate history of a people altogether. It’s frightening how wide ranging the hate can spread. My heart is breaking for what could have been.
They've already taken down a lot of archives from the federal websites, at USAid and at CDC, NIH etc. It's already the trying to blot out history. But history will have the last word. It always does.