a brain for hire.
Have brain, will travel.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Forgetfulness
The camera loves affection and death,
it helps us remember.
The day loves night and the night loves day, that's why the transition is beautiful to the eye.
Cameras only lie because people use them.
The day after any other day is never as sweet as the day-after we remember 10 years later.
Art is not art because art is some other thing, it is what it is because it is us.
Affection, love, beauty, and art are stronger because of our forgetfulness.
Newness is not always invention.
it helps us remember.
The day loves night and the night loves day, that's why the transition is beautiful to the eye.
Cameras only lie because people use them.
The day after any other day is never as sweet as the day-after we remember 10 years later.
Art is not art because art is some other thing, it is what it is because it is us.
Affection, love, beauty, and art are stronger because of our forgetfulness.
Newness is not always invention.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
I don't get it
(Painting by Susan Rothenberg)
When we had company, and the grown-ups were telling jokes, I loved to sit and listen. When I had an opening I would often ask my father to tell this joke. I absolutely loved this joke. what follows is my best recollection.
A man had a team of horses, and he could not tell them apart.
So he asked his neighbor, what can I do to help me tell these horses apart.
Why don't you dock the tail on one?
Sounded like a good idea, so he docks the tail on one.
But damn, if that did not look so good on that horse...
that he docked the tail of the other horse.
So again he could not tell them apart.
Back he goes for more advice.
Why not roach the mane on one?
So he did, but damn, that looked so good, he roached the mane of the other one.
Back he goes for more advice.
Well how about you measure them?
So he does, and sure enough there was a difference,
the black horse was a hand taller than the white one.
When we had company, and the grown-ups were telling jokes, I loved to sit and listen. When I had an opening I would often ask my father to tell this joke. I absolutely loved this joke. what follows is my best recollection.
A man had a team of horses, and he could not tell them apart.
So he asked his neighbor, what can I do to help me tell these horses apart.
Why don't you dock the tail on one?
Sounded like a good idea, so he docks the tail on one.
But damn, if that did not look so good on that horse...
that he docked the tail of the other horse.
So again he could not tell them apart.
Back he goes for more advice.
Why not roach the mane on one?
So he did, but damn, that looked so good, he roached the mane of the other one.
Back he goes for more advice.
Well how about you measure them?
So he does, and sure enough there was a difference,
the black horse was a hand taller than the white one.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Yeah, it is hard work
It's a full time job just being me, probably the same for you. Factor in the job that pays and every day is double duty. But just because I am working doesn't mean that I don't want to have fun. Life is equal parts of fun and pain. Walking across the South Dakota prairie I know this is true: too many things can result in pain if the fun is outside knowledge of the terrain. The same is true on a spiritual level.
What we want is not necessarily what we receive. What we need is never on time. There is pain and hurt in every scenario of life from birth until the end. It is our responsibility to love and let, at the same time put an end to what we can. We think; we grow; we learn: there is no reason for old pains to continue but they do. I grow tired and perpetrate the crimes of the previous generations. We grow restless and destroy the things around us. We are bad at learning. When we learn we are not good at sharing.
Life is pain. Life is work and .... The next time you visit a bar in Mexico or a nightclub in Athens or an apple farm outside Spokane or anything that is nearer to you know this: the world lives and breathes the same as you are already doing. Changing location is for yourself only; it does not change the world's ills or life's fun. You are the agent of change. You are the difference.
I love you,
signed me
What we want is not necessarily what we receive. What we need is never on time. There is pain and hurt in every scenario of life from birth until the end. It is our responsibility to love and let, at the same time put an end to what we can. We think; we grow; we learn: there is no reason for old pains to continue but they do. I grow tired and perpetrate the crimes of the previous generations. We grow restless and destroy the things around us. We are bad at learning. When we learn we are not good at sharing.
Life is pain. Life is work and .... The next time you visit a bar in Mexico or a nightclub in Athens or an apple farm outside Spokane or anything that is nearer to you know this: the world lives and breathes the same as you are already doing. Changing location is for yourself only; it does not change the world's ills or life's fun. You are the agent of change. You are the difference.
I love you,
signed me
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Violence in Season
A resting Persephone
first with her hands, then with her mouth
orchestrates her awakening
She needs wind and water and the plan for spring.
So long ago she was dancing a field
first with her body and then with her mouth
she demonstrated the wind and sang the rain
She longed not for love and loved only to live
There are few facts to her awakening
first with her mouth then with her body
she yawned and stretched her slender beauty
she breathed deep and shed the tear that started everything.
One must be cognizant of the past
The dull fields of ugliness
The long lament of useless boredom
The violence that came later
The lost youth, the loss of years
An arresting Persephone
Her seasons can so easily destroy everything.
first with her hands, then with her mouth
orchestrates her awakening
She needs wind and water and the plan for spring.
So long ago she was dancing a field
first with her body and then with her mouth
she demonstrated the wind and sang the rain
She longed not for love and loved only to live
There are few facts to her awakening
first with her mouth then with her body
she yawned and stretched her slender beauty
she breathed deep and shed the tear that started everything.
One must be cognizant of the past
The dull fields of ugliness
The long lament of useless boredom
The violence that came later
The lost youth, the loss of years
An arresting Persephone
Her seasons can so easily destroy everything.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Psychoanalytics aside
Freud and his contemporaries made one radical discovery that is often washed over - ideas can result in disease. The mind can construct a result that has an outcome of a lifelong disorder. The mind can imagine it's own illness and follow through. I am tired of mine. I am tired of everyone else's as well. What else can we talk about?
For some the answer is nothing.
For some the answer is nothing.
and how do you know what is love
and how do you know when it is not there. or there.
there and gone, there and gone, there and gone.
looking for its arrival and return has exhausted my spirit.
as a construct it wreaks too much havoc. with its supposed presence and alternate absence.
Could I be done with it.
there and gone, there and gone, there and gone.
looking for its arrival and return has exhausted my spirit.
as a construct it wreaks too much havoc. with its supposed presence and alternate absence.
Could I be done with it.
and should you get to the world
where your dream could be realized
you might freeze.
cause once you go there completely,
it might destroy you.
and you will be white as ash.
or it might do nothing.
even worse.
you might freeze.
cause once you go there completely,
it might destroy you.
and you will be white as ash.
or it might do nothing.
even worse.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Dharma v. happiness
There is nothing done that cannot be undone.
There is nothing said that cannot be retracted.
Those statements are only true if love is mutual.
There is nothing said that cannot be retracted.
Those statements are only true if love is mutual.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
I am only looking for perfection
no, not that kind
not the kind that I think I want.
not that one either,
not the one that looks like I expected.
the kind that feels like I expected.
it is the kind that is not expected.
the kind I can't look for or find.
the kind I have to be looking for to find.
the kind that will hit you between the eyes
the kind that will leave you looking so stupid.
the kind that will happen everyday.
only it doesn't.
that kind.
not the kind that I think I want.
not that one either,
not the one that looks like I expected.
the kind that feels like I expected.
it is the kind that is not expected.
the kind I can't look for or find.
the kind I have to be looking for to find.
the kind that will hit you between the eyes
the kind that will leave you looking so stupid.
the kind that will happen everyday.
only it doesn't.
that kind.
What is and what will not be
Every day dies with sleep
For some this is metaphor
for others it is tragedy.
To me it means
turn off the heat
lock the door
walk away.
The hammer touches the nail
drives the head flush:
Open the next door.
For some this is metaphor
for others it is tragedy.
To me it means
turn off the heat
lock the door
walk away.
The hammer touches the nail
drives the head flush:
Open the next door.
Friday, October 9, 2009
The Cowboy in the room,,,
.... doesn't give a shit about you or me.
Who are you?
What do you want to be?
Puissants arrive,
you have no welcome
unless you are ready to play.
He's a killer.
How long are you going to talk?
Who are you?
What do you want to be?
Puissants arrive,
you have no welcome
unless you are ready to play.
He's a killer.
How long are you going to talk?
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Dialectics can become singular
It is not enough to sin and find forgiveness.
The question before you is are you willing to sin enough to destroy the memory and find something good?
I am always willing and able to set the fire.
The question before you is are you willing to sin enough to destroy the memory and find something good?
I am always willing and able to set the fire.
What is racism?
My girls eat everything.
This year they are addicted to grasshoppers of every sort: every color.
With the grasshoppers also came the black crickets, but neither will have anything to do with the crickets that moved into the garage.
Should I look for adjustment classes?
This year they are addicted to grasshoppers of every sort: every color.
With the grasshoppers also came the black crickets, but neither will have anything to do with the crickets that moved into the garage.
Should I look for adjustment classes?
Sunday, October 4, 2009
I was in the thrift store(at least it seemed like the thrift store)
and a family came in, they had a voucher from the River. There were 2 women, small wiry black ladies, a mother and grandmother. There were 4 children, somewhere between the ages of 6-13, 2 girls, 2 boys. One of the boys was white, as a ghost almost and moved like one. He looked to be slightly mentally disabled, and seemed to be the oldest in the group. I explained to them how they could spend their voucher, and they began to pick out clothes, and bring them to the counter. What about him I asked, oh he is not ours, we just brought him with us. He floated around the outskirts of the group, and when a substantial pile of clothes was on the counter, he asked if he could help fold them. The grandmother remarked-he just loves to help with anything, he is just always helping. He helped me bag the clothes. One of the girls asked if she could have a necklace, I let her choose one, and then the other one wanted one, and then the boy. I asked the pale one if he wanted one, he nodded shyly. and he looked and looked over everything I had. I turned to another task and some minutes later I hear-excuse me ma'am, do you have any necklaces for men? I went back over to him and the display he was looking at, it was mostly chains, and none were appropriate, then I saw a beaded choker. I explained to him how this was more of the thing that young men are wearing now. Then I looked him in the eyes and asked "would you like this one?" He did not say anything but flashed me a smile, it was one of the most real I have ever seen.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
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