poem I liked

Something I've done at the JC Library was get us involved with the September Project, started by some librarians at Seattle Public and U. Wash. They're endevouring to hold some kind of event at public libraries every 9/11 to counterweight that whole "Day of Fire" shtick. This year it was a showing of the documentary "Poetry in Wartime." We had a pretty nice little turnout and rather interesting discussion afterward. I still get their newsletter, and the other day it had this rather great poem in't. Enjoy.

The Poem in Time of War Sherman Pearl

should wake the city shouting EXTRA! EXTRA!
then whisper the story behind the story
like a conspirator.It should be short, stirring
as the president's call to arms;
soft enough for a flag at half-mast;
strong enough to stiffen the bereaved;
spacious enough to serve as a body bag.

The poem should carry the news that men
die miserably for lack of.It is
a brief on behalf of the living, a paper megaphone
for the voices of the dead.It must be
the world's last will and testament, a listing
of what will be left.It steals from forebears:
Sassoon's doomed diary and Auden's call to love.

The poem would be a prescription for healing
but who could read such a scrawl?...or a bandage
over the wounds, except that blood
tends to obliterate words.
Maybe all the war poems could be sewn together
into a vast thick quilt we'd pull around
our shoulders; might warm us on nights like this.

Don't Look Down!

We have done gone high tech and got one of them counter things after 2 1/2 years of posting. And links! We have links now!

I feel like Steve Martin in "The Jerk" when he found out his name was in the phone book.... "things are gonna start happening now!"

Good job Brook, should we email you link suggestions?

How Quickly Life Can Change

Some of you may be aware that quite a few months ago, my loving Husband, who was a strong, decent man, became addicted to crack cocaine. For those not familiar with the nature of this drug, it's destruction starts immediately, and very few are immune to the instant addiction. My Husband went from being an upstanding business owner, wonderful provider (not just for his family, but for many people), and a fantastic loving parent, to almost completely non-functional and weak in a way that almost defies description.
James had emphysema, and was not a well man on his best days, but he had a few good years ahead of him provided he took care of himself and his health. We separated in early October, because his drug use made him unpredictable, and a crack addict/alcoholic has no business around a child. I couldn't handle him, and had to let him move on and embrace the lifestyle that had taken him over. There was nothing I or anyone else could do.
Last night, James passed away in his sleep. His immune system was destroyed by his addictions, and he had pnuemonia on top of his already terribly compromised lungs.
I'm posting this, with several things in mind...first, as a reminder to all to always let your loved ones know that they are loved, because it can be gone in the blink of an eye...second...do all that you can to ensure that no one you love ever touches this drug...and third, to ask that all on this forum will please pray/think good thoughts/send positive energy toward me and my little girl at this time. Also, I want to thank Brook for being supportive when I informed her of what was happening in our lives.
All of us at one time or another take for granted the blessings in our lives. I would give anything for just one hour with the man I married. I never thought I would be a widow at 39.

A humble suggestion

This blog needs a list of links to other relevant blogs and sites.

Things I am pissed off about today

If a relatively unknown commentator like Armstrong Williams is worth a quarter of a million dollars, you gotta wonder what the journalistic whores at Fox news are getting paid by the White House. In light of this payment, I ask the conservatives of the country, should we impeach if the “President” violated 2 different federal laws by paying Williams? And if Bush was didn't know this bribery going on, shouldn’t he have? Who is in charge down there? If the last election was about morals, then why are we allowing bribers to stay in office?

A final note, today CBS purged 4 persons in connection to Rathergate. Now that this is behind us, can someone tell me where in the fuck that coward was in 1972?

And I have never even met Jennfer! So don't blame me!

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston Split

By JOHN ROGERS, Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES - Hollywood glamour couple Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston (news) have split, Pitt's longtime publicist confirmed Friday.

"We would like to announce that after seven years together we have decided to formally separate," the couple said in a joint statement released by Pitt's publicist Cindy Guagenti. "For those who follow these sorts of things, we would like to explain that our separation is not the result of any speculation reported by the tabloid media. This decision is the result of much thoughtful consideration."

--- Don't even think about dragging me into this Britney!

-bill

Things are tough all over!

I know many of our readers have been concerned with how to make ends meet in these tough economic times, and now we get good news from the government! Last year, before going out of sessions, Congress managed to pass itself a raise, so now they are taking home even more of your hard earned tax dollars! This will be an economic boon for anyone that knows them under the trickled on theory of economics, for instance, you may expect our own Senator Frist to invest even more money into a chain of hospitals that has a history of performing late term abortions on teenage girls.

This economic stimulus package was passed last year, but was not signed into law by "President" Bush until after the election. Under the 27th amendment, it could not take effect until a new congress is seated (interesting side note for history buffs, the 27th amendment was actually part of the original 12 amendments written by James Madison as part of the Bill of Rights, but did not get a sufficient number of States to sign off on it until the Clinton administration, when it became the most recent amendment to the Constitution.) So, had Bush not signed off on it between the November election and when Congress comes into new session in January, Congress could not have gotten this raise for themselves and we all would have suffered! Thank goodness we have a "President" so concerned with our financial well being!