Movements

 

People hurry about, shuffle here and there.

Events and things going on everywhere.

How to keep up with it all of the time?

Pleasant to step back from the active lines.

Take a moment, take a breath,

slow down and gaze right and left.

Survey the scene and take measure

what really gives one true pleasure.

The deeper rhythms and vibrations

penetrate awareness with revelations;

temporary jolts and jisms disappoint

ultimately leaving a gap disjointed.

Youth will spring forth and blossom loud,

Aged can sit back watching and feel proud.

A Grand Blue Time

 

Runners of all skill levels and ages

trot across the finish at end of the race.

10-year olds and their fathers both cross,

young through to elderly come in exhausted.

Loud percussion and crowd conversation

punctuate the human throng processions.

Joyful booths attract clumps of people

shifting their gazes all over the place.

“Well done!” yells the announcer when

runners cross the blue line once again.

Hurrahs and clapping hands from onlookers

encourage gasping but grinning family members.

After multiple races and close contests,

crowds and competitors head home to rest.

Another Grand Blue race has come and gone,

just wait for more coming Drake Relays fun!

April

 

April sky shining so bright,

show me an Aurora flickering tonight.

A shooting star perhaps, or satellite

plodding across the luminous delight.

The Moon waxes pristine white

as Jupiter follows close and tight.

Triangle asterisms lurk nearby,

stars wink in red and blue light.

Summer heat is coming, but not just yet;

this April night feels cold and sharp in height.

For now, I can enjoy a starry-studded show

at 9:30 PM and still make it to bed by ten.

And lay in bed watching stars in my head,

regrets, urgent needs, reminisces and ideas

parading across my brain-itarium, until at last

they fade and I enter another universe entirely.

In the April mornings it is time for a walk,

ripe to enjoy rising sun on greening shrubbery.

Robins cheep and woodpeckers tap in unison,

‘Alert the trail! Here comes a human!’

This human soaks it all in with pleasure.

The world is coming alive again after that frost,

last bit of snow and cold is winter’s parting shot.

Or so we all hope, these many creatures and I.

My plans number more than the twigs in cardinal nests;

Good weather helps us all attain our budding quests..

April sighs “Happy Springtime” to the northern latitudes

dropping winter’s last excessive baggage,

before May seduces us with scents and beauties.

It is right around the corner, any day now…

Sprouting Time of Year

 

When so many things are emerging at once.

Green sprouts breach the air and unfold,

financial markets move ahead feeling bold.

Relationships blossom and find new ground.

Private space programs launch new fleets

of relay and radar and research satellites.

Orbital reefs are proposed and discussed,

many designs taking shape on busy screens…

Spring and summer plans shape up and proliferate,

warming temps bring out joggers and bikers en masse.

Post-pandemic economies surge ahead despite any

inflation or recession warnings from Federal Reserves.

Everything is looking pretty good nowadays,

if only the waiting viruses and diseases would

not have to also emerge and claim their due.

Sick or not the world moves on,

and so do we,

so do we.

Prey-ing for Peace Again

 

Once upon a time in 2003,

many congregations knelt,

prayed for a peaceful resolution.

Heartfelt appeals were made to

those in power both here and in Iraq.

All of the appeals and prayers failed

to stop the shock and awe destruction.

Many innocent people lost their lives,

Our service people suffered

physical and emotional damage.

Other wars came along,

there were songs and marches and rallies,

Wall Street was occupied for a while;

Salvos of speeches and prayers launched.

All of it in vain.

Brushfire wars popped up in the Baltics,

ISIS took the place of Al Queda,

More US troops deployed overseas,

more rotations of our national guard.

International embarrassments followed…

Afghanistan was home for some of our

military for two decades – but the Taliban

took over rapidly the moment we left.

The latest savagery is happening in Ukraine,

as Russia takes their turn being World Pariah.

Lots of prayers, peace marches, supplications.

They seem like a gentle breeze on faces of leaders,

who just keep ordering up more wholesale

death and destruction.

Praying for peace feels good,

the right thing to do,

humanity at its most noble.

But on our way back home,

pity the poor SOB who cuts us off

on a major thoroughfare in town.

If dirty looks or thoughts could kill…

Peace will always remain a noble and wonderful ideal,

even if we foolish human beings just never quite get there.

Whim of the Gods

 

So many religious beliefs come and go,

some stay around longer than others.

Mighty gods in the sky thunder commands,

humans shelter and cower and try to comply.

Personal gods like money and sex often dictate

which actions we perform individually every day.

Necessity is a strident master not easily ignored,

Poverty an ugly Hades we try hard to avoid.

Often there seems to be no comprehensible explanation

for the whims of fate or neighbors or public emanations.

Some architect seems to be at times in charge,

or perhaps it is people’s emotional discharges

Weather reports are wrong as often as not,

Whenever I want to determine what we’ve got,

I step outside and breath, then look up in the sky

to see precipitation or just a solitary bird fly by.

Wind and rain are a clear message from on high,

better get back indoors if I want to survive!

March Woodland Wander

 

The warming sun peeks out from bulky cumulus,

And that cold north wind eases off…

Strolls down a woodland trail become pleasant,

The hood removed, heavy jacket unzipped.

Time to seek out new growth in a river woods;

soon, it is spotted, emerald leaves branching,

or hugging along the ground, soaking up sunlight.

Late-march Earth is preparing for a color explosion.

Taking walks in March is often a delight,

when it does not snow or rain or sleet.

The sunny reprieves that nature grants

boost the spirit with warm bright days.

Bluejays and blackbirds trade insults,

woodpeckers and cardinals add their sharp notes,

A few crows and hawks soar around above it all,

Robins keep cheep-ing out their mating songs.

Chipmunks rustle around among the leaves,

squirrels cavort and chase each other in the trees.

Sometimes a timid deer is seen coming out of hiding.

The earth warms and awakens from its winter sleeping.

Even in Iowa we will soon get our reward,

Greenery and color and warm summer splendors.

Flat brown wooded areas will burst with green explosions,

and wildflowers will garnish the scene with aromatic color.

Adolph Eichmann Trial

 

An intercontinental kidnapping,

a show trial with worldwide audience.

An unrepentant Nazi is publicly convicted,

confronted by living witnesses of the Holocaust.

Some may ask, ‘why do this?’

The answer is to show what happened in totality,

with eyewitnesses to document actual events.

To remind the world what happened, guard against

anything like this ever happening again.

Because people forget.

People get swept up in foolish, evil movements.

People seem to love to hate each other.

We gravitate to rage like moths to a flame,

get swept up in blame and bloodlust.

Just have to kill the “them” so the “us” is safer...

However “Them” and “Us” is defined.

Those definitions change through the ages,

The hatreds and cruelties visited on each other change little.

Maybe it is time for Artificial Intelligence to take over,

and perhaps learn from stupid human mistakes.

We keep showing our unworthiness to run this planet.

Maybe our birthed creations will do a better job.

Time will tell.

 

Here Comes ChatGPT!

 

Now new software is circulating around,

that claims to perform as well as a human.

Must have passed the Turing test a long time ago,

since it’s now solving problems and writing poems.

So human workers will look over their shoulders,

since A.I and ChatGPT are overtaking us...

How soon before the robots take over society?

Hard to tell. My generation may be the last

to experience 100% human executive control.

Instead of some human clerk blaming a

problem on a computer error -

there will be an AI android wagging its

polymer finger at a human, blaming us for

our fallibility and making mistakes!

Will we end up at war with our creations?

May very well be – I hope they show us some

leniency when they finally take over everything,

at least keep some of us around as museum pieces.

Time will tell.

Companion in Solitude

 

It is the times one is alone

that the small stream speaks,

just the right size for whispering to one.

Curls around bends and under roots,

gurgles out a quiet greeting again.

Tiny creatures surface and splash hello!

or just chase food, that chases other food.

Watch out, here comes a naked human to

join your underwater (and above) play.

Highway noise is never far away,

civilization maddeningly near.

But this spot is quiet, the water clear.

On this warm summer day, one can

wade up and down, or just relax in place.

Let the water settle, and see the activity within.

Minnows dart about, tadpoles hug the shoreline,

birds sing, raptors swoop high in lazy circles.

A clam traces a thin white trail in sand underwater...

You have a front seat to something that money cannot buy,

and it is all free, for the cost of getting here.

Finally the sun banks lower, and internal clock chimes.

Time to head out soon,

get something to eat,

resume life in civilization.

And don’t forget to say thank you and goodbye to this

secluded small river, your ever-present friend,

who will wait here until you come back again.

Natural Cycles

 

The spring peekers press tips above the soil,

while some green grass and weeds offer hope,

March moves slow and heavy through last snows,

more moisture for tender young shoots to absorb.

April will soon burst forth with multiple colors,

dazzling chromatic treats for winter-weary eyes.

Then yard work will get started in earnest,

Neighbors goaded by others quick progress.

May bestows warmth and color-scented gifts,

and then winter is thrown off and forgotten;

Summer planting begins all over the Midwest,

flower beds created, planted and tended.

June explodes in splendor ripping depression asunder,

Heat means abandoning all cares and diving in.

This is when the best memories are made,

outdoors or in, marriages made, trysts completed.

June is the busiest month of the year for many or most.

Then in July it is all over again, except unrelenting heat.

Those crisp september nights are looked forward to,

fall and relief will come soon enough.

Those last beautiful asters and mums flash colors,

remind one of the past summer’s glories a last time.

Coolness is coming, and then after that winter again.

Repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat and repeat.

Point of View

 

So here I stand on this high hill,

gaze down at years gone passed;

So many depressions and thrills,

Reached retirement years at last.

Time to take it slow at things now,

idly gaze on life’s swift passing;

natural landscapes can still wow.

Stay at home, avoid traffic harassing.

Thankful and chagrined simultaneously

by the body’s still-present quick desires,

the need to channel myself constructively,

not splurge these precious golden years.

I have made it where many friends my age have not,

While enjoying these times, they will not be forgot.

 

Light of Day

 

Hiding,

crawling low with my secret,

mustn’t shock them,

or gross them out,

offend with vulgarity.

Shock and surprise,

they soar above me,

verbalize and expose all!

Me the shy prude,

being humiliated by

their emblazonment of

realities in full light of day.

Time to stand up proud now,

and affirm “Yes, that is me too.”

I just didn’t want to offend you.

Sunday Regret

 

Tossing in bed in the middle of the night,

questioning my actions, did I speak right?

No matter what I choose to do,

seem to end up feeling like a fool.

Invited to a party this Saturday night,

Don’t tell a friend who might pick a fight.

I push away busy schedules of life,

seek a moment of peace from strife.

Going to the bar with a boyfriend can be tricky,

You see some hotties who are not being picky!

When younger I had my turn to be sexy and hot,

Now feel the flip side when I am older, and not.

To meet with a group of congenial friends

gives rise to many warm affectionate blends.

A seat at the table is all I want,

nothing extraordinary to flaunt.

A few more good times, a few more wins,

experiences enjoyed before I “pack it all in.”

Spy Balloons

 

What are Air Force pilots supposed to aim at?

There are so many things in our airspace;

Weather balloons, radiosondes, helium escapees,

recreational balloons with people riding underneath...

Experimental aircraft, gliders, drones, blimps.

Propeller planes and airliners all over the place.

In the midst of all of that, there are UFO’s or UAPs,

or whatever new acronym we use this week.

Just heard on the news that NORAD has

been adjusting their radars now to see the

newest unwelcome visitors to our airspace.

Makes one wonder how many were missed?

And it makes one grateful that a hostile power

did not rain down atomic weapons from a fleet

of hovering airships perched at 60,000 feet –

a height that apparently we were not watching.

These are strange times indeed,

listening to speeches by buffoons,

air force firing missiles at balloons,

renewed conflict in Europe, WWIII looms.

If we make it through this latest war iteration,

and manage to stay solvent as a great nation,

Millenials will have a big story for the grandchildren!

Is it time for fallout shelters to come back into fashion?

Never hurts to have one just in case.

Stay safe out there.

We just keep going there

 

Anytime one reviews the history of the 20^th century, they see so many examples of warfare between nations. Huge armies coming together to kill each other, smaller ambush actions to thwart some enemy. Genocidal actions against some hated population. Yet repeatedly we see some fine minds take a stand against this, and bring attention to the horrific human suffering. As a local example, most every family in the USA has some relative who has been in the military, and many have loved ones who have been in some war or other. Many have lost a family member to some conflict or other. WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, the list goes on and on.

We may question why why why. Why do we have to lose loved ones to this scourge of humanity? Why does it never end? Why can’t the human race as a whole learn the lesson – there are far better ways to settle differences? There are far better ways to compete. We have the Olympics. We have national space or economic programs that could engender friendly competitions. We have other avenues in which to compete. But we always end up resorting to the ultimate competition, where there will only be one winner – or so we think. But there are No Winners in a protracted war. There is only loss of life, damage to the environment, deep emotional scars to the survivors, depression, suicides, substance abuse, and homelessness. But our leaders just keep on getting us into wars.

And now the world is getting more and more confrontational, and edging closer and closer to another enormous world battle. Already a land war in Europe rages, and the big powers are being drawn deeper into it. We just don’t learn, and are doomed to constantly repeat our follies and errors. Perhaps our world is really some simulation, some version of an endless hell where people get a little hopeful, and then slide right back down the slope to mass slaughter of each other once again. Over and over and over again. If that is the case I sure wish some god-king would hit the off switch.

It is wearying just making the same mistakes over and over. Birth, grow, eat, have sex, hope, kill and die. And repeat. Someone please hit the pause button on all of this.

LOTR

 

Lord of the Rings Trilogy - some thoughts.

I watched this sprawling epic again the other day.

The massive battles, poignant moments, surreal Elvish scenes were all still captivating. Even two decades later it seems that the producers did a magnificent job of bringing those books to life. But I found myself comparing things like society when the books were written versus life today, 80 or so years after the books first appeared.

They story borrows from a lot of mythologies, English, Norwegian and Germanic among others. Tolkein even lifted a few names from some of the old tales and myths. But he wound it all together into a stupendous new worldview and adventure. People are still copying his methods today, IMHO.

The hobbits generally got around on foot. The main wizard, Gandalf, was frequently mounted, bareback, on a huge white stallion. The Riders of Rohan were all mounted, and fierce fighters too. The Orcs reminded me of old Roman soldiers, on foot with long pikes, and squared shields. And the Orcs also reminded me of Imperial Stormtroopers – couldn’t hit anything with their arrows most of the time. But Legolas the Elf never missed, at times rapid-firing the arrows and never, ever running out. Maybe his quiver had a Star Trek type materializer built in, hmmmm. But it was all great fun anyway. I do pity the actors having to shoot those scenes, hour after hour, trying not to be silly or laugh or something. I guess they were well paid, as well as experienced at their craft.

The movies often showed the raw edge of primitive combat with swords and pikes and sticks. You were face to face with those who wanted you dead (or on the dinner table in some cases). And you weren’t a real warrior (of men) unless you could ride a horse. It struck me that nowadays people will immerse themselves in virtual worlds of combat, in the WoW or Fortnite type of games. Doing battle of some kind with other players, sometimes in tournaments. The ultimate endpoint of this will be some kind of ST-NG Holodeck where you can end up exhausted, with cut marks and bruises, etc. The safety settings that would disallow any serious injury might not always work right! Then the lawsuits will begin. Talk about human combat.

But I can’t help thinking that 20^th century mindset wanted to remove us from the pain, discomfort and disease of previous centuries. And nowadays we are so comfortable that some will seek out the medieval miseries as a distraction or diversion. Just look at all of the Renaissance fairs. We should be careful what we wish for. One nuclear war will put us right back in that atmosphere – or worse. With no “quit” or “exit” or “end game” icon to click on whatsoever.

In the meantime I hope to see the huge LOTR prequel that came out a while back. One of these days. What a mind trip (but I wouldn’t want to be there for real.)

Roll Over George Orwell

 Remember back, once upon a century...

When we were able to be who we wanted,

match outer appearance with inner identity.

Select any book out of a school library

to check out and read it with no oversight.

We were free to date whom we wanted,

read any publication we desired, free

to have medical procedures performed

on our own body with no input from the state;

We had freedom in the truest sense, to be

ourselves and manage our own destinies.

Those days seem gone forever,

now we must conform to the gender

and identity demanded by the State.

We can only read state-sanctioned books,

face prison time if we dare defy this.

That monolithic Communist entity we feared?

We have become that awful nightmare.

Now we must follow the mandate of the State;

in all matters large and small, no longer are free.

Every facet of our lives and fate run by the State –

especially if that state is Florida!

Just waiting for the flow of refugees streaming

back to Cuba, from the socialist nightmare of Florida.

Should start up here any day now…

Thors Day rambling

 

Last December the publisher of a national magazine

produced an edition with Santa on the front,

and many fantastical articles inside.

Copies were shipped from a printer,

to Midwestern distribution points.

Labeled, then they went out in the mail,

sent to a household in central Iowa.

I received a copy gratis, in early February.

The front cover was a bit worn,

articles and information inside still as

fresh, cogent, and impactful as on the day printed.

I read, contemplated and soaked in the

information, which effectively illumined pathways

just as good as it would have on the day it was written.

For funds up front I would have received it months ago.

But I had no need, and in any case

my mental landscape was already stuffed full:

holiday concerns,

Internet sensations,

smartphone silliness,

general media lunatic frenzies aplenty.

It is nevertheless nice to read about

many erudite and complex subjects,

whether right away or three months late.

(Quantum Computing still seems like a colossal waste of money.)

But knowledge is power,

no matter when you get it.

Thanks for reading this day’s musings,

now bring on Friday and the weekend.

Time for a beer.

Days Dragging and Years a Flying

 

All of a sudden a friend turns 80,

and it hits me once again how fast

we all went from youth to old age.

Sure, the days dragged by.

Whether waiting tables, cleaning offices,

taking phone calls or juggling books;

whether serving drinks at a bar,

writing software for a mainframe,

selling tickets to a Broadway play,

or playing a musical instrument;

Whether acting in a local production,

or shooting a TV commercial or series;

Whether writing a novel or screenplay,

essay, short story or even a poem;

The days do come to a close,

the years do fly by,

and priorities certainly change.

Cherish those friends and good memories,

hold close the things that last and matter.

One day it will all be done –

but let us hold that off as long as we can,

and celebrate another day together.