A Ripple, A Wake, A Wave and A Crest

It is not that there isn’t food-for-thought, there is

It is just that there is no thinking going on

There is starvation in the words

Should ~ Could ~ Would

The overgrowth of issues needing solution

provides all the grist we need

***

We lay in the waveless water bed

reading the Sunday paper, working "the big" crossword

watching "CBS Sunday Morning" with Charles Kuralt

as we slip into a comfy nap.

***

The trance of day to day living

dispels the friction of minutes and hours

colliding with each breath we take.

Life’s undeniable tectonic plates.

Not if but when.

***

May we all see hope

in the eyes of our children.

That one day they may see hope

in the eyes of their children.

09.11.2001

The day before I had a job interview for a position with a company called First Health Insurance. They had recently bought a local medical bill - processing company named CCN. The VP of Human Resources flew in to Tampa from Chicago for the day and was planning on a return flight the next day 9/11/01.

Her name was Nancy. She was around the same age as I and had been with the company through several years of rapid growth. She was excited about the future prospects as the company continued to grow mostly by acquisition.

We got along pretty well that day and I felt good about my chances. The next day things changed forever for all of us.

Vicki called me from work in the morning and for the next several days I just remember being glued to the television watching in amazement as the video of the jets crashing into the twin towers repeated. Each new hour it seemed more information and different perspectives filled the sound bites around the constant replay of the amazing video footage.

The stories of terror, panic and bravery were all unfolding and being shared through whatever media was available. I remember thinking what was it that these innocent people from all walks of life could have done to deserve an attack and an end like this? What was it that we did or represented as a society that could provoke such hatred to produce a plan for such indiscriminate carnage?

All this in the name of god? Our curse and blessing as humans is this brain functionality. In our wants and needs we are not that different from the other species on this earth, but as it has been observed before, we are the only species that will kill for reasons other than sustenance.

It is our daily fight for order and sanity. It is our hell on earth. I hope we can come to our senses, but there is so much damage done.

Fall Tease

The last couple of days have been slightly mashed with the tease of fall. Slightly less humidity in the air and the smell of text books, pigskin and marching bands. It is still around 90 degrees here in Tampa but drier air really does make a difference.

There is a little more pep in everyone's step along with a slight curl of the lips that hints of a smile. I miss the fall season up north, but after 30 years down here I am beginning to appreciate the subtle changes of semi-tropical seasons.

We are not out of (said with a hush) "hurricane" season for another couple of months, but the end is in sight.

Still, as I am reminded of fall, I remember doing a lot of walking home on dark nights with a brisk breeze and too much movement of the dead and crispy fallen leaves.

Walking Home

06/18/11

I found a place that I’m not looking for

behind creaky doors, between cracks in the floor

In the dark recesses of a cold fall night

wind rustling dry leaves as I speed up my stride

Thinking I might be found out and exposed

like the emperor’s set of invisible clothes

“He has nothing for us after all,” I may hear,

left behind, ignored and alone I do fear

Is home a direction that gives me relief?

Do these memories cause me joy or just grief?

no rapture, no moments of glee to resound

If I speak and none listen do I make a sound?

Still I’m driven to walk these streets my mind knows

at the pace of a frightened boy running home

Play It Loud

E-MAIL:

All,

I was thinking about driving around on my own back in Roch. and cranking up the radio pretty loud most of the time.

Seems like there were only a couple of stations that played palatable music, WBBF (seems like Jack Palvino was the main DJ) and WSAY (I can only remember Tommy Thomas, because Joe Clifford was that guy for a bit).

I remember being struck by the fact that they made Joe use a fake name instead of his own until he explained they did that for continuity sake. They paid so little that the job was like a revolving door. They would have to keep remaking promotions for the show if every time some new Tom, Dick or Joey took over. Made sense.

Back to singing along. Since Joe and I did a lot of cruising around together, in the '57 Chevy with the rotted out back floor that Chris Putts' boyfriend at the time (Gary something) gave me, or the light blue '60's Ford (also given to me I think) or Joe's Corvair, we did manage to belt out what I think were pretty good harmonies to Simon and Garfunkel, Beach Boys, Beatles, Stones and every one else on the radio.

I was wondering if each of you did the same thing with your friends at that crazy carefree time in your lives or if you did something else similar.

So truth, did you get your crazies on with the early freedom of the road and radio??


POEM:

Play It Loud

09/01/11

When we were finally able to drive alone

we cranked the radio tunes up!

We knew the words to every song

and sang along “con gusto”

Yes, we could sing every melody

and harmony as well

The radio and the road were ours

with no worries

Time has passed for amped up music.

We pay more attention to the road

Now, we hear the old songs

at a moderate lilt

But in our minds we see

that kid at full tilt.

"Behold!"

I miss the word "behold" as it used to be applied with astonishment (usually in the bible), like "Behold, a miracle before your eyes!"

It is a Charlton Heston epic sized word. A biblical frequent flier, at least in the old texts. I'm not sure if it is used as much as the churches attempt to draw in a younger "now generation" of believers.

As for me, these days I am grateful to "be held" on occasion and every day seems to be a miracle!

"Behold, a new day!"

Glad I could get that out of my system.