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Poetry and Literature Section: The best of the Web --- poetry for all tastes.
Grandma
15 hours ago
GrandmaI carry in my heart a little lightA diamond in a secret pocket thereA tiny star to follow through the nightKept close and carried with me everywhereAnd this is my Grandma actuallyA spark in the dark she left here for me+Steven Curtis LanceCopyright MMVIII
Franziska's Song: The Return
14 May 2008 at 7:32pm
Franziska's Song: The ReturnYour skin is copper and your heart is goldYour soul is priceless so that it is freeTo belong to God and not be for saleAs you shine and share it sumptuouslyYour eyes are like a tiger's and as boldI feel them as they penetrate and seeLike probing unknown tongues of primal flameTo burn me back to where I want to beThe young learn from yet also teach the oldWhen love returns (if by another name)And the most surprising thing I have learnedIs (with all my heart): I want you with meA tiger looked at me and I got burnedAs if I had been branded in the heartOr was it your heart (since we feel the same)?Let the fire fall free: let the magic startA lion in winter now roaring once moreA circle completing below as aboveAn after which proves to be more than beforeThe return (if by another name) of love+Steven Curtis LanceCopyright MMVIII
A Call to Revolution
12 May 2008 at 5:21pm
A Call to RevolutionAll over the world the children learn to hateBy traditional means unspoken and stillAs part of the rest of the rust of their fateThen some seem surprised when they grow up to killThe children are only following ordersLike their parents did and their grandchildren willEach generation gives blood for the bordersSince that is how they have been posted and drawnIn the dirt with the blood of the human raceUntil the madmen in their maprooms have goneTo wherever the madmen of maprooms goChildren will be trained to be ground in the millTo keep the blood fresh so the borders will showThat blood in that dirt once wore a human faceBut the brain behind that face would never knowThe answer or even what question to askTheir blood was required to draw lines in the sandUnspoken and still they were bred for the taskSo they never had a chance to understandThe machinations of the maproom madmenOnly that the time had come to bleed once moreFellow humans are you not weary of war?It will end when we end it by saying whenToo much is enough and by asking what forAnd why they need our blood to mark the borderKeep our blood in and let our souls out to soarPast maproom madmen to a higher orderNo license to kill no license to stealNo license to grind our children awayThe madmen in the maproom are not realBut ghosts to scatter by the light of dayIn our evolution we found revolutionIf once did not suffice then we must do it twice+Steven Curtis LanceCopyright MMVIII
Falling Stars Mistaken for Landing Airliners
11 May 2008 at 6:14pm
Falling Stars Mistaken for Landing AirlinersI feel like I am utterly at seaAnd that I might go down now with my shipIf you have any idea what to doSome notion of what might become of meThen I will shut up and listen to youBut until then I might very well screamSmothered to sleep unable to wakenFrom nightmares of an American dreamI believe in though my faith is shakenBy post-traumatic stress of yesterdayLinks in the chain of the past forged to lastStill stressful and still traumatic todayConne...
Just So
10 May 2008 at 8:28am
Just SoThough the day grows long and lateThis unique ubiquityCalling us together herePersonal propinquityStretching out from far to near"Diesen Kuss der ganzen Welt"Human solidarityAlways (if not always felt)This is what I celebrateEven though I know we goTo where we have never beenSooner than we ever knowWhen the cycle turns againCloud above and smoke belowThe fog of the world betweenTime is neither fast nor slowTime is only nowOverlapping you and meAs now will allowAll its pleasure all its ...
Wake Up and Scream
6 May 2008 at 9:27pm
Wake Up and ScreamWe speak of secret weapons yet secrets themselvesCarried close to the breast are both simplest and bestAs the most potent weapons life has on its shelvesIf you can keep secrets you can keep all the restMy father was the one who kept the secrets andKept them better than anybody I have knownAs casual as the gun beneath his pillowAs much a part of him as the gun in his handHe traded for a silent deathbed all aloneAnd (although I do not want to) I understandHe left this world kn...
Human Being
3 May 2008 at 7:56pm
Human BeingMuscle into metal flesh into plasticThe fading of feeling to twilight of touchWe were so much happier when we were weakBut they tell us happiness is for the strongThe past would prefer that the future be bleakSo they lie to us though they know they are wrongAnd gears grind our hearts down until life is suchHeaviness the disappointment so drasticIt becomes nothing less nor more than too muchTo bear anymore before we have to speakIf only to recall how it felt once toForget about hopi...
Up in the Trunks of Elephants
30 Apr 2008 at 7:02pm
Up in the Trunks of ElephantsSmuggled up in the trunks of elephantsAnd over the smoky mountains far awayThen all the way to me: I tried it onceAnd decided to try again every dayI enjoy a coffee in the morning(Unless I hear of a new cancer warningOf course) and keep a constant pot of teaBut what has helped most in times of troubleIs the universal herbal remedyPrescribed and administered respectfullyMedical marijuana: a constant potBlooming beautiful buds of the cannabis kindTo adjust attitudes...
Could it Be?
28 Apr 2008 at 8:36am
Could it Be?Here I am and there you areAlone as we can beEach beneath a far blue starIn the solitarinessOf the arbitrarinessThe extraordinarinessOf our separation hereTogether you and meAcross the darkened universeSad eyes opening start to seeA stitch in the fabric of timeWhere as in poems people rhymeDo you believe in magic?It is far but it could be far worseIn the starlight of a night so clearAnd I believe in magicCould your star and mine be the same?Could what we think is far be near?Could...
Robert Frost and Me (Like a Chimpanzee)
27 Apr 2008 at 3:19am
Robert Frost and Me (Like a Chimpanzee)"Diabolically intelligent"Is how I read my cousin Robert FrostWas and how he looked like a chimpanzeeIn his great age (one thing by two things meant)Mortal yet meant for immortalityI would buy my cousin's books if they costLess but can get them from the library"Diabolically intelligent"Sounds a wonderful way to me to be(Even if he looked like a chimpanzee)If younger cousin still an older guyBut lovely ladies love my poetryAnd this has always been enough ...
Months of the Year
14 May 2008 at 2:30pm
Posted by Mike
Months of the Year
Months, Mois, Monate, MesesSeasons,
Saisons, Jahreszeiten, Estaciones Quotes, Citations, Anführungsstriche, CotizacionesYear, Année, Jahr, Año Winter, Hiver, Winter, InviernoJanuary, Janvier, Januar, Enero February, Février, Februar, FebreroMarch, Mars, März, MarchaSpring,
Ressort, Frühling,
Resorte Quotations, Citations, Preisangabe, CitasApril, Avril, April, AbrilMay, Mai, Mai, MayoJune, Juin, Juni, JunioPoems,
Poésies, Gedichte, PoemasSummer, Été, Sommer, Verano J...
Green Way Blog - New Location
10 Apr 2008 at 8:53am
Posted by Mike
New Green Way Blog, March 2008- :
http://greenway.typepad.com
Old Green Way Blog, August 2005 - February 2008 :
http://www.egreenway.com/weblog/
Dear Reader: I appreciate your patience as I migrate to a new format, style, and webserver for the Green Way Blog. Starting in April 2008, this blog will be co-authored by Karen and Mike Garofalo.
Gardening History Timeline
10 Apr 2008 at 8:50am
Posted by Mike
The History of Gardening Timeline
From Ancient Times to the Twentieth Century
Noteworthy Gardens, Events, Persons, Publications, and Facts in the History of Gardening
References and Web Links Organized by Time Periods
Some Information about Agriculture, Farming, Culinary Arts, Botany, Horticulture, Technology, Arts and Crafts
Compiled by Michael P. Garofalo
From Ancient Times to 1600
The Seventeenth Century: 1600 - 1699
The [...]
Eight Ways to Improve Your Live
1 Apr 2008 at 12:30pm
Posted by Mike
The Eight Elements West
1. Consistent Exercise
Energize through safe, results-oriented exercise.
2. Body Alignment
Promote proper posture, spinal strength with flexibility, and body awareness.
3. Natural Nutrition
Implement sound eating practices for life.
4. Sound Mind
Embrace life obstacles with self-awareness, reflection, imagination and creativity.
5. Relaxation and Centering
Cultivate and calm the bodymind connection everyday.
6. Community and Environment
Surround yourself with trusted f...
Proposed Constitutional Amendment: War Powers by Public Vote
16 Mar 2008 at 5:16pm
Posted by Mike
I was surprised when I did a Google search on the “28th Amendment” to see that my own proposed 28th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States was ranked number three.
War Powers Authorization by Public Vote
A Proposed 28th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America
2nd Draft, March 17, 2008, by [...]
New Green Way Blog Online
13 Mar 2008 at 10:27pm
Posted by Mike
New Green Way Blog, March 2008- :
http://greenway.typepad.com
Old Green Way Blog, August 2005 - June 2008 :
http://www.egreenway.com/weblog/
Dear Reader: I appreciate your patience as I migrate to a new format, style, and webserver for the Green Way Blog. Starting in April 2008, this blog will be co-authored by Karen and Mike Garofalo.
Daffodils
13 Mar 2008 at 8:01am
Posted by Mike
“flower arrangement:
just two yellow daffodils,
the first to bloom”
- L.A. Davidson, The Shape of the Tree
Our gardens have hundreds of yellow and white daffodils in bloom.
brilliant yellow
border of daffodils
behind barbed wire
- Michael P. Garofalo, Cuttings
Evidence of Spring
10 Mar 2008 at 10:56pm
Posted by Mike
This peach tree is exploding with both blossoms and new leaves.
The ornamental pears and plums are in full bloom.
Our winter garden includes cabbages, swiss chard, onions, radishes, garlic, and oranges.
Poop Happens
10 Mar 2008 at 8:01am
Posted by Mike
“Nature does have manure and she does have roots as well as blossoms,
and you can’t hate the manure and blame the roots for not being blossoms.”
- Buckminster Fuller
“The main characteristic of Nature’s farming can therefore be summed up
in a few words. Mother earth never attempts to farm without live stock;
she always raises mixed [...]
Senior Health: A Positive Mindset
9 Mar 2008 at 11:30am
Posted by Mike
“What are the qualities that make one’s mindset positive?
They include being able to:
Think in a calm, pacified, and reflective manner instead of being disturbed, agitated, and impulsive in one’s reactions.
Put ideas together rationally and arrive at the right judgment even in the absence of obvious evidence or proof.
Decide, plan, and execute a course of action [...]
Mixture
11 May 2008 at 4:43pm
Posted by Clancy
It's very strange to have a mixture of emotions as I have now. I'm feeling the loss of my dad, but at the same time, I still get joy out of my baby; it hasn't really tempered that. I don't feel that guilty admitting it, as I think my dad would have wanted me to savor this newborn-baby time with Henry. On that note, I'd like to lighten the mood around here with a list of products that have become even more useful than I expected:
My Brest Friend: first recommended to me by Jodi. This thing ha...
1937-2008
5 May 2008 at 9:38pm
Posted by Clancy
Last night my mom called to tell me that my dad passed away in his sleep. Some of you know that he had been very sick (emphysema and prostate problems) for years now, so this isn't unexpected, though it is obviously sad. Emails are fine, but I'm not really up for talking on the phone yet.
The plan now is that he will be cremated -- both of my parents have always said they wanted to be cremated -- and that a memorial service will be held at a later date, probably sometime this summer. I'm stil...
Birth Story
27 Apr 2008 at 6:09pm
Posted by Clancy
At 28 weeks, ultrasound revealed that my little guy was breech. We figured he had plenty of time yet to turn, so I didn't pay it too much mind. But still, I wondered. My mother had a scheduled c-section because I was breech. My aunt on my dad's side was breech. My first cousin Kristie's baby (on my mom's side) was breech and also delivered by c-section. I know there's no real proof that breech birth runs in families, but it only happens in about 3 in 100 births, and I know of at least four br...
Bullets of Truth
27 Apr 2008 at 12:21pm
Posted by Clancy
Uh-huh, a bullets post.
When I look at Henry, I wish I could have a nice long conversation with Keats. The sight of Henry's serene, utterly beautiful little face fills me with tearful and inchoate reflections on beauty, ethics, love, truth, nature, fragility, and deep respect for life. I expect Keats would say, "Yes, this boy is the embodiment of all that I wrote."
Nursing is not easy, but we're muddling through. I wish I had a baby scale so I could weigh Henry every day.
Our house is still...
Precious Little Henry
23 Apr 2008 at 6:24pm
Posted by Clancy
Whew! Our baby made it out safely and has been doing great since yesterday. He was 20 inches, 7 pounds, 10 ounces at birth. We had to be at the hospital at 5:30 in the morning yesterday for the c-section, and the time of birth was 8:40. I intend to write a more detailed birth story later. I'm interested in writing it just to see what it'll look like, as it may be a bit against type as far as birth stories are concerned. You don't read too many planned c-section birth stories, in other words. ...
Up a Week
16 Apr 2008 at 4:55pm
Posted by Clancy
Two centimeters dilated, 80% effaced: that's what the doctor told us at today's exam. Given this progress, we've decided that it will be less risky to move this c-section up a week, to April 22 -- less than a week away now.
Since Baby G. is breech, there's an increased risk of prolapsed umbilical cord, so we want to try to make sure we do this surgery well before I'd go into labor. Prolapsed umbilical cord wouldn't necessarily happen even if I were to go into labor, but if it did happen, it ...
High-pregnant
12 Apr 2008 at 1:22pm
Posted by Clancy
Oooh, I just remembered that I am now (and have been for a while) høygravid. By the way, I can't tell you how jealous I am of Jill's March 24, 2008-January 2009 maternity leave. Ah, to live in Norway.
Two observations about nerdy things I watched on TV last night
12 Apr 2008 at 9:52am
Posted by Clancy
1. There's been a lot of speculation about the identity of the final Cylon. Ron Moore has said it isn't one of the principal characters (Roslin, Lee Adama, Bill Adama, Baltar, Starbuck). Lots of internet nerds think it could still be one of those people anyway. I think Jonathan has said before that he'll stop watching it if it's one of those characters, as it would be too easy and, I imagine, soap-operatic to make one of those characters a cylon.
Here's what I'm hoping: that the payoff of th...
April 29
9 Apr 2008 at 4:37pm
Posted by Clancy
This handy ticker pretty much sums it up:
The little guy is still breech, and this is what I'm opting to do, assuming he doesn't turn on his own (not likely, and I'm not interested in trying an external cephalic version, just so you know). I'm frightened, but I'd be frightened regardless of how this birth happens.
Baby clothes
29 Mar 2008 at 8:31pm
Posted by Clancy
I've learned a lot recently about where to find baby clothes -- specifically, the market stratification and where to find the clothes I like best. Here's a primer:
Strasburg Children: VERY EXPENSIVE. Cute clothes if you like little seersucker overalls and sailor suits (I do). Here's a sample:
and they're made of fine fabrics -- the knit items are pima cotton, and the other items are generally also cotton, like expensive sheets with a high thread count. One outfit can run you about $80.00. Th...
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