State Of The Union Sale

January 28th, 2010

We’re having a special  Buy any two Senators and get a free Congressman.

Branches Of Government

January 28th, 2010

Know your government!

Horace’s Dream

January 24th, 2010

Horace writes:

I dreamt, after reading an interesting book about dinosaurs, that a t-rex asked me (in perfect English) for help after it had gotten stuck while trying to climb the stairs in my apartment.

Obama

January 23rd, 2010

Let’s see if I understand this.  With all the honk and jive about passing health care reform, with the disaster in Massachusetts, with the evil supreme court decision kissing the corporate ass, with the official unemployment rate at 10% and no slowdown in home foreclosures, what does Obama pull out the stops to lobby for?  Making sure Bernanke is re-appointed to the Fed.

Oh, did I mention?  They actually came out and said, “We’ve got 50 people we can’t try, so we’re just going to keep them locked up without trial.”

Emily Dickinson

January 19th, 2010

And so, we come to Emily Dickinson, Queen of the Neurotic Chicks.  When life has been empty so many times it’s a so what, when every detail of daily life prosecutes and convicts, when your suffering is utterly uncaused, and therefore irredeemable, why then it’s time for Emily Dickinson.   With Emily, no moment may be unremarkable.  It is either a moment of ecstasy, a moment of rapturous communion with the immanent, transcendent and ineffable Presence, or it is a soul-searing indictment of one’s complete and utter failure.  Anything else is unthinkable.

We will sojourn with her again.  But for now, the poem illustrated above.  Or listen to Aaron Copland’s setting.

Why—do they shut Me out of Heaven?
Did I sing—too loud?
But—I can say a little “Minor”
Timid as a Bird!

Wouldn’t the Angels try me—
Just—once—more—
Just—see—if I troubled them—
But don’t—shut the door!

Oh, if I—were the Gentleman
In the “White Robe”—
And they—were the little Hand—that knocked—
Could—I—forbid?

Rev Etc, Wheelwright

January 18th, 2010

Our Far-flung Correspondents

January 17th, 2010

Krassimir reports from Eastern Europe:

The Future Of Meditation

January 14th, 2010

A Poem With A Mutant Snow Flake

January 13th, 2010

Colleen sends a poem and a do-it-yourself mutant snowflake.

Ode To Snow…

Pristine white there is no sun

No golden photon to emblazen

Absolute all color pure reflection

It blinds my every rod and cone

Blue cup clutched I step into that light

Crunched beneath the waver of my boot

Leaving broken edges no less bright

Behind me

Rustling snow from every branch

Hardly waiting for my retreat

The brave ones take the chance

Cardinal red splashed

Black grey junco

Cluster at the feeder

Shards of yellow bill

Eagerly pecked between snowflakes

I stand, breath white on white

As

Seed hulls scatter at my feet

I ponder thus:

St. Francis never had a plastic cup

Nor plastic sack of seed

Nor heated room to venture forth from

Still – when I fill the feeder

No less wonder makes my moment

Free from that disgust

That drains the living not connected

By the bridge of life

To Life

L’Chaim

More Conventional Meditation

January 7th, 2010