Tuesday, February 26, 2008

p

This week a poem submitted by one of our group.  Thoughts and comments are welcome.

 

baily's beads

life is a song
in this night
the dark is met by dark
and harder conversation.
the coming eclipse
leans heavy on the sky
i'm not ready
for this stage of life to pass
punctuated
by a brief absence of light
my lack of preparation
fails to slow time
this dark
will only be a verse
the chorus will echo
of lightlyness.
my prayer now is of desired resonance:
i yearn to dwell on
the brightlyness
of the moon
as it returned to the sky
not the moment
filled by loss

 

e.h. sullivan

 

Note:  Near the beginning and end of total solar eclipse, the thin slice of the Sun visible appears broken up into beads of light. These lights are called 'Baily's Beads' after the British astronomer Francis Bailey, who discovered them. They occur because the edge of the Moon is not smooth but jagged with mountain peaks.

 

Monday, February 25, 2008

q

 
That man is truly good who knows his own dark places. –Beowulf
 

Monday, February 18, 2008

p

Don Chu Go
 
Don chu go talkin bout the sunrise
purty pinky sunrise
as if they ain't all kinda people
suffrin evry corner a this world.
 
Remember them you hear?
I don wan no purty dove
sittin on a cedar poem
till all yer ancestors an mine
are walkin free.  We got work to do.
Hear me?
No sirree girl don chu go
hangin up this phone!
 
I know yer type.
You think it's okay
ta cuddle yer sorrow
hide behinda bush
lookit little stones
lemme find a shiny one!
Cracks ina ground
like they got some kinda wisdom
well i do think they know morin
most of us but that
aint no way to spend a day.
Use yer voice!
Cry out fer pain, injustice,
come on lazy girl
don't be satisfied with dillydallydaisy poems
you don pay nuf attention to rough stuff.
People are dyin!  I want you to shout!
Thats what the owl an I talked about this morning
in Brackenridge Park.
 
Now I'm gonna get off
let you go about yer business
but goddam it better be real business
or you gonna hear it
from yer ol buddy.
 
                                        (in memory, Maury Maverick Jr.)
 
Naomi Shihab Nye

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

q

Those who failed to oppose me, who readily agreed with me, accepted all my views, and yielded easily to my opinions, were those who did me the most injury, and were my worst enemies, because, by surrendering to me so easily, they encouraged me to go too far...I was then too powerful for any man, except myself, to injure me.
    Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France  (1769-1821)
 

Monday, February 11, 2008

p

Ice in the Mountain Well

 

Yesterday,

I shattered the ice

To draw water—

No matter, this morning

Frozen just as solid.

 

            Rengetsu

 

Thursday, February 07, 2008

q

We can do anything we want to do if we stick to it long enough.

            Helen Keller

 

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Poem

Light clarity avocado salad in the morning
after all the terrible things I do how amazing it is
to find forgiveness and love, not even forgiveness
since what is done is done and forgiveness isn't love
and love is love nothing can ever go wrong
though things can get irritating boring and dispensable
(in the imagination) but not really for love
though a block away you feel distant the mere presence
changes everything like a chemical dropped on a paper
and all thoughts disappear in a strange quiet excitement
I am sure of nothing but this, intensified by breathing

 

Frank O'Hara

 

your participation

This is my irregularly periodic reminder.
 
I am always happy to receive your comments, suggestions, and most especially your poems.
When sending out a poem written by a subscriber, I always forward any comments that I may receive about the poem.  Please note that after sending me your poem(s) it may take a few weeks before I can fit it into the schedule.
 
Other comments are appreciated.  I especially enjoy those that challenge or take exception to something I have sent.  But I also enjoy hearing about those that tell of  a poem or quote that touched or inspired you or was serendipitously timely for you.  Your suggestions for quotes and readings are also always welcome.
 
Finally, if you know of someone who you think would appreciate these emails, please have them visit my blog http://sotan.blogspot.com/  or they can write directly to the address below.
 
Stephen Wilder
 
Stephen Wilder