Twilight of June

 

Now the Thirtieth and the twilight of June,

with the sun canting along across the sky;

End of festivities with colors that festoon

rainbow banners and balloons we let fly.

The long sweet serenade of chicadas

foreshadow some more midsummer heat;

shadows that also lengthen dip inside us,

trigger emotions, tell us solstice is complete.

Just a small pause in the frolicking of summertime,

one to renew our efforts to find joy and make some fun.

We crank the AC as temps and humidity levels climb,

seek out some more adventures before the season is done!

Cooler temps and darker skies will come soon enough,

June twilight a hint, reminder that time does not bluff.

Money Follows Money

 

Girlfriends of Republicans can date Democrats too!

When you are a member of the elite,

the well-placed degreed wealthy ones;

then you get to cross many social lines.

Quips are traded, barbs for sure,

tidbits and nuggets of information.

So those at the top become in the know.

A secret cabal in total control?

Not really – just a lucky moneyed class

with chins held high and superiority in play.

They are in the know and on top and so

they are, in a sense, in greater control...

Control of us poor uneducated workers who

swallow the sound bites and slog on in our jobs.

Who try to be nice to customers and do the dirty

work, and hang on to the weekend and consume...

Consume the spun half-truths and do what we should,

even do our patriotic duty and vote for stooge A or stooge B,

tweedle dee or tweedle dum presented to us as a solution.

Solution to problems intractable as the flawed human race.

The flawed human race that gave rise to them all to begin with.

We are the problem our mothers warned us against.

We are the alien invasion that we fear.

We are the source of all good, and all evil.

We may be the end of ourselves yet!

Happy election year everyone!

Strange Human Behavior

 

Remembering a strange movie I saw once. It was about this guy in his late teens, who requested that this older couple, in their twenties, would “help him commit suicide” by dragging him along with a rope, and beating up on him. It was so odd. Eventually, the older guy got tired of it, and the woman too, had second thoughts. The older guy took off, and the woman nursed the beaten young man to health, then they had a mini-affair. The End. It reminds me a little of the current situation in AI and robotics.

On the one hand you see some shrill post about the US needing a “Manhattan Project” effort to develop AI even more. On the other hand you hear people cautioning against the takeover of the machines, and that we will end up at war with them. So you have one faction almost demanding more research into machine learning, AI and robotics. While others fear an inevitable coming war with the robots. Kind of like us beating ourselves up and wondering why.

I, too, have mixed feelings. A personal assistant robot would be a nice luxury. It could mow the lawn, clean, cook, etc, and be a companion. But then again, if it decided to be mean to its squishy human owner, there wouldn’t be much one could do. Just know where the emergency power off switch is, I guess.

Just another aspect of the bifurcated human mental landscape. We should be careful what we wish for. The more we do in AI research, the more other countries will feel they must do to keep up. Guess there is no stopping this AI race. The motto of it all is “Make damn sure there is a prominent power-off button somewhere!” Happy Monday everyone.

Soon to Exit Route 66

 

Route 66 was a fabled automotive corridor,

where young folks drove to “get their kicks.”

Cheap hotels and roadside attractions mingled

with bars and clubs of various persuasions.

For some of us 66 is the number of age,

Making retirement or relaxing from a career.

One more than the retirement number of yore,

that twentieth-century bellweather signpost.

Any more it is just another number to pass

on the superhighway of technology (and always-on.)

The cloud remembers everything, and we can look back

any time we wish, travel in the “wayback machine” of the Net...

But when one passes it in age it seems a bit jarring,

getting closer than ever to the big “70” and wondering

where it all went, and why so darned fast?

But others are leading the way there,

looking back wistfully on their 60’s.

So here I come too, up on them fast, too fast.

As long as I stay healthy and busy, think I’ll last

even to 70 and beyond. The past seems so vast now.

“One foot in front of the other,”

is what dear old dad used to say.

So that will be the grand plan now,

hoping to see some sights along the way.

Maybe I’ll see you there too, and

give a smile and a wave.

Typos No Longer Allowed

 

“Freudian slips” were once a dip in everyday conversations,

a brief embarrassing chuckle and then resumption of relations,

before keyboards and screens proliferated all over the place.

Now we often rush to type our thoughts into cyberspace.

The helpful spell checker becomes the word replacer,

and at times a built-in laugh-track chuckle creator.

Though the typist may curse and want no distractors

from the AI intruders, they get it anyway, a humor factor.

Not much consolation to those frustrated fat fingers,

when timely communications keep getting hindered.

At least a manual typewriter didn’t change before our eyes,

mistakes were our own and made us more careful and wise.

Someday we will live inside these new AI computers,

maybe then get our revenge on the arrogant intruders!

Some Parties Never Die

 

Those wild, legendary Hollywood parties,

big names letting their inhibitions down;

Escapades out of view of the cameras

were not just buried in 1950’s papers.

Now you can watch them play out again,

in most of their sordid details (not all).

The people involved are now deceased,

but YouTube serves up the scandals fresh.

Errol Flynn’s weird soirees?

Jayne Mansfield’s unfettered orgies?

The Rat Pack’s Vegas getaways?

Joan Crawford’s unleashed energies?

They can all be heard about and ogled

once again, not in any gossip column;

no, with pictures and voice-overs.

The next best thing to being invited!

They never knew that their last big roles

would be in small-screen gossip specials.

Everyone lives forever on the Internet,

our own version of eternal life experienced.

Multi-Level Madness

 

It seemed so magical,

The great product and easy plan,

the motivational books and tapes.

Fix your ambitions on big dreams of wealth,

then set your plan into motion.

Write down a list of everyone you know,

your family, your friends, people at work.

Any one of them could be your ticket to wealth.

Just get them signed up underneath you,

buy and use the product every day (it is fantastic!)

Sing the praises of the product,

motivate your downline levels,

hold weekly meetings and watch

your net worth shoot upwards.

Inevitable failure was not just my fault.

Many others also fell short of the dreams;

after all, it is virtually impossible to get rich

from a pyramid scheme disguised as a business.

Anyway you analyze it, it was not going to work.

Now I am on the only level that counts – well-grounded reality!

Creative Frosting on the Human Cake

 

It seems important to try ones hand at

lighter pursuits, happier engagements.

After taking care of survival needs,

to focus the mind and self on beauty.

To draw or paint a picture,

to write a bit of happy poetry.

To plant some seeds or flower cuttings,

put your touch of color on the world.

Is there any greater expression of the

highest aspiration of humanity?

To leave the world a bit brighter,

more beautiful, enhanced, fine-tuned?

A day in June is a thing to be enjoyed,

celebrated and added to by some artworks.

Performance of higher artistic expressions,

emotive twists and turns atop physical reality.

For we human baskets of fluids and tissues,

cravings and desires and fears and hopes,

are also capable of mental greatness!

Join the highest flickering of intelligence,

indulge yourself in some artistic expressions today.

Happy June – Happy Summer – Happy Pride!

When Tornadic Winds Blow

 

and trees whip around throwing leaves,

papers crawl and hop down city streets.

Standing water ripples out a dance,

stray droplets fly everywhere.

The warning sirens sound a mourning moaning,

that permeates walls and A/C or TV noise;

Coincides with alerts that flash on screens.

Local creeks swell and rivers begin a rampage.

This is going to be one of the wet years,

not like the last few dry ones, no way.

More reminiscent of 2008 or even 1993,

when metaphors for “river” were death and destruction.

How bad will it get this year?

It is only May, and there’s already too much

water everywhere, tornadoes and floods.

Only time will tell, but one can hope

to make it through this year too, like those

disastrous years long before this one.

Might be a good time to invest in a raft.

Dear Dad

 

He smiled at me that day,

“Someday I’ll be pushing up daisies.”

“Oh dad,” I said, “not for a long time.”

His gentle love shone through as usual.

So many memories,

kindness and thoughtfulness,

toughness at times, always wrapped

in a skin of love and concern.

Now so many years later,

he is a memory, like a long dream.

Yet still a part of me completely.

A good day to honor his memory,

this anniversary of his death years ago.

How did I get here, perched on top

of so many decades of days, thinking

of parents and loved ones long deceased?

Those relatives asked the same questions,

but I was just not aware back in my youth.

Youth is to be savored while we have it,

since old age lasts so much longer,

filled with regrets as well as joys.

But Dad, I’ll never forget you,

what you did for us all, every single day

of your life, a gift to humanity.

Thank You!

Am I Asking Too Much

 

Build me a home on the Moon,

a sturdy clear-bubble abode.

Three feet thick and solidly anchored,

springs in place to ameliorate quakes.

Give me a view of the stars at night,

some clear area to let in sunlight.

Build me a greenhouse in a separate room,

so I can grow flowers and enjoy the blooms.

Connect me to solar and nuclear power,

give me supplies of oxygen from a tower.

Be sure to situate a trading post nearby,

to go visit neighbors and buy fresh pastry.

Then I can live out my remaining days

enjoying retirement on the edge of space.

A “front-seat” view of human expansion

outward as we build systemwide connections.

I’ll raise a glass and give a cheer,

“Go human race, the way forth is clear,

take possession of new worlds multiplicity."

then turn on my video and record the activity.

Build me a house and neighborhood on the Moon,

a new economy – and high tech to make me swoon

with delight as Earth shows it’s continuing creative might.

Then one day as I take my last breaths, all will be right.

They can bury me there, while our civilization takes flight.

Love those Leisure Drives

 

A vast blue surface dotted with fishing boats;

Not some distant ocean, but rather our local

Mississippi river shining in springtime.

Taking a drive along the river is a delight!

Sunday morning and there is little traffic,

the rest stops and historical markers uncrowded.

Time to enjoy the sunlit serenity and scenery,

unopposed by impatient or reckless drivers.

That time passes, and then the sun climbs, traffic increases.

Tailgaters in a hurry, trucks barrel along in the opposite lane,

noise and congestion increase, crowds appear at rest stops.

A small, peaceful interlude soon overwhelmed by humanity.

But I, too, am humanity, so I take up space on the roadway,

try to make the last exits and head towards home,

without hitting anyone or getting hit as the afternoon sun

tries to blind me along the busy interstate highway.

Make it home okay, and breathe a sigh of relief.

The next morning I get up, it's raining outside.

And there I am, inside, a map unfolded on my lap…

Plotting my next great exploratory drive north.

Never learning my lesson, and always thirsting for More.

See you out there somewhere – and Safe Travels Everyone!

A walk along the spacetime trail

 

Not just a long walk on an asphalt ribbon,

but drinking spacetime up in big gulps.

Tasting the flight of hawks and vultures,

a waterfall rushing by on the creek,

sun-dappled buds unfolding everywhere.

I absorb ninety minutes worth,

filling up on moving limbs in an

easy gait, some footfalls on grass to

let bikers pass by on their electrics, hearing

a strident twittering of robins and sparrows.

Once I reach my vehicle, get to relax and

digest the experience of varied spacetime as

only a mind can, in all its fulsome scenery.

From my sore feet to my tingling scalp,

this spacetime went down good and smooth,

like the best of beers or finest of wines.

Tonight I’ll dream and drink a little more,

wake up refreshed and sober, ready to

consume more galactic vistas in nearby locales

.

Will leave it to the physicists to figure out

reality with their equations and computers.

I’ll just have another glass of time, please,

and slam that puppy down without a twinge of guilt.

Drink up!

Weaponize

 The military is always on the lookout for new weapons;

Various advanced drones and aircraft flit about in our skies,

Beamed laser weapons have been tested for many years,

apparently without any useful results.  They should take a lesson 

from Marconi and Edison:  Keep on trying!

Perhaps better yet, weaponize peace and diplomacy.

All human beings want pretty much the same things:

food and water, shelter and care for loved ones.

Good times, love and laughter, and especially

freedom from endless warfare and conflicts.

Spread the word like a hypersonic missile:

Compassion, peace and empathy will remove

high casualty counts and increase productivity.

Cooperation can solve many vexing problems.

Casting blame and accusations, going on the attack

will only do more damage, and produce great suffering.

Fire your ballistic missiles of love and empathy,

and do the worst thing imaginable to your enemies:

absorb them into the greater whole of humanity,

 so we can solve our serious problems and move on out 

to ever greater accomplishments and experiences.

3, 2, 1....Fire!

Avoid Nuclear War

 

Ever since I’ve been alive,

all I’ve known is the nuclear sword poised,

hanging over us all, ready at any moment

to fall and send us all back to the stone age.

There was that brief decade of thaw,

when the Soviet Union disintegrated;

we seemed the victors in a new world order

that came about, for better or for worse.

Some mighty war toys got spent in smaller conflicts;

The new scare of terrorism reared up,

and every one had to adopt that security mindset.

Especially after those towers got hit and collapsed!

A new century brought new terrors,

but I never thought that the nuclear threat from

the last century would rise up again, bad as ever.

Now the world seems more fractured than ever,

Russia and China are allied against us again.

Yet somehow advancements keep coming,

the world survives, and some conditions get better.

So while the news frightens and alarms us,

we still enjoy more electronic conveniences,

we still manage to eat good and stay sheltered.

Most of us, anyway.

We never knew just what would happen until it did,

back in those Cold War days. Ironically,

we still do not know what will happen to us all.

Just have to keep trudging down that road.

Peace is still the best choice for leaders to make!

On the importance of important things

 

I like to post some poetry and the occasional mini-editorial on this blog. But I view it as a place to get out my creativity at times, and sometimes general impressions of things. This is not a bid for political power, or any kind of great importance. Rather is it just as a way to make my small ‘scratch on the fabric of the universe,’ a way of saying “I was here.” Just another flawed human being adding his voice to the chorus of humanity. Not in any bid to “be important” in some historical sense.

However, I am important to myself, and I hope, maybe to a few friends as well. Many other people are important to me in my life, in one way or another. My family is important, even though I don’t communicate with them very much. I still value them, and care about them. I’m not sure how may more years I’ll get to spend on this Earth, above it rather than buried in it. But my time with others is important. Making some happy memories with other people is important. Good health is important. (Some things that used to be important are not nearly as much now. )

After I retired, getting out and seeing the world (that I missed while trapped in a work setting) became more important to me. Watching finances to keep on going without undue money stress is very important too.

Fame and reputation I could care less about at this point. If I seem like some kind of a poser,  then my apologies.. Just trying to get out my “two cents” in the brief time allowed me here. Thanks for reading.

Emotions Conveyed Through Time

 

Vibrant colors that ripple and shimmer from different times

through history, emoting to us from the floor or a wall;

they give us strong messages in a deep primal language,

the impact more powerful than from mere words alone.

They speak of war and misery, or love and joy;

routine images of irises in a vase next to pears,

blooming waterlilies in a pond in spring,

or vast landscapes in a new land beckoning.

Full three-dimensional works tempt one to touch,

but deny that with a boundary, forcing a closer look.

Sight alone must convey the full impression,

though my fingers itch to feel and add sensation.

Shining ceramic impasto rises off the canvas,

tall lucite boxes with vacuum cleaners inside;

Human figured sculptures in various states of gesture,

all blur the lines between “see” and “touch,”

forcing one to feel it with their mind -

as if there is any other way that we really feel anything.

It is a wonderful experience to absorb these

communiques from many different human epochs.

Hopefully many can enjoy this art walk through history.

Viral Villanelle

 

Vacations can be such a wonderful thing,

abandon your worries and enjoy many pleasures.

Those sneaky viruses can spoil a weekend fling.

It sure is fun to tour and gaze at all the residents bling,

then relax in a nearby swim spa for good measure.

Vacations can often be such a wonderful thing.

Stroll pleasant avenues under festive light strings,

peer into shops with some exotic local treasures.

But beware the sneaky virus that will spoil your fling.

A delicious meal with wine, before some nightclub zing,

drink, dance, sing and maybe lose your composure!

Exotic vacations can be such a wonderful thing.

Perhaps that special person might surprise you with a ring,

Banishing any thoughts of some possible unknown exposure.

You can still be grabbed by a virus that will spoil your fling.

Let us hope that you do not feel influenza’s sting,

or feel like you just got hit by a sickening bulldozer!

Vacations are usually a wonderful, delightful thing,

unless you get clobbered by viruses that will spoil your fling.

Getaway in February

 Sometimes the only thing to do is get away,

escape the dreary winter scenes and undulating temps,

flee to a world of palms, mountains and desert.

Golf courses, swimming pools, tennis courts

all populated with happy tourists enjoying a

joyful vacation interlude, throwing their cares away.

Hope that more can experience this fun and wonder.

Hang in there, someday your Palm Springs moment will come.

Wishes are Happy Things

 

Wish that all people would be accepted and get along,

we could work together to solve common problems,

respecting gender, racial or orientation differences,

Accepting the need to cooperate,

to solve serious common problems.

Wish that all corporations were ethical and altruistic,

workers were dedicated and hard working;

well paid and otherwise fairly compensated.

Wish that there were four-day workweeks, plenty of vacations,

paid family leave and many other compensations.

Wish that we could do all of this and still out-compete

all the other nations on the Earth.

Wish that despite economic competition we could get along

with all the other nations on the Earth, and

live in a peaceful and harmonious world together.

Wish that poverty and sickness and disability could disappear.

I wish that scientific advancement could proceed quickly,

and grant us longer lifetimes, and more ease and comfort;

Yet I wish that we could all remain in good physical condition too.

I wish that we could explore and colonize the Solar System, and beyond.

I wish that we could explore all the deep oceans and utilize that space.

I wish upon a star, that we could do all of these wonderful things.

But for every light there is a dark,

for every up there is a down,

for every pretty flower there is nourishing muck underneath.

If it were perfect, it would not be real,

and in a state of constant perfection, how do you recognize it as such?

So we are human, stuck with all of the unevenness and contrast,

and while we manage to keep from extinguishing our very selves,

we just would not have it any other way.

There is never a genie around when you need one!