Executive Orders

From my friend, Vonita at movingtowardsthelight.com.

Vonita's avatarPoems and Petals

Flourish of a pen

Fresh ink dries on crisp paper –

Worlds are torn apart

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Civilized Savages

Sacrificed virgins
While calculating the odds
Victory is ours!


Consult soothsayers
Before venturing abroad
Northumbria bound.


Ransacked the churches
Incorporated their gods
Melding religions.

Snapshot #97

I’ve begun walking around our neighborhood with a couple of friends. The steps seem to come much more easily with the exchange of witty banter, and I am racking up the miles. 

One friend led us across the dam that borders Lake Yvette, and I snapped this picture halfway across. I’m calling it, “Damn Fine Dam View.”

Sleepwalking

I slipped out in the darkness, fumbled with my shoes under the yellow light of the street 

Lamp. A pebble picked up from the sidewalk bruised the tender skin of my  heel as I

Hobbled down the middle of our street guided only by memory and the full moon’s 

Shine. I imagined foxes and deer watching over me as I crept through the dark,

Waking to find myself standing in my own bathroom surrounded by clothes sorted

For washing. Perhaps I should refrain from eating spicy foods too close to bedtime.

Photo by Michal Pudelka

Alternative Facts

I’ve tackled the Iditarod,
Sailed the seven seas,
Made a fortune in the market,
Survived the killer bees.

My art work’s in the Louvre,
Next to Munch’s Scream,
I swam the English Channel
Made the Olympic team.

Every day I run ten miles,
Uphill and in the snow,
I’ve earned a star in Hollywood,
Same as Russell Crowe.

In the tabloids I’m lauded
As the leader of the pack
I swear to you this all is true
In a world of Alternative Facts.

Snapshot #95

I looked up after completing my evening walk and saw this captivating sight. I call this one, “Sky Writing.”

Trust and Obey?

There’s a new sheriff in town
I’ve heard he speaks loudly,
Carries a teeny tiny schtick
His minions denounce loudly,

Don’t mind his words
Just trust in his heart
But I’ve listened and looked
Can’t tell his intent apart
From the hate and the bile
He spews with such glee
If he expects obeisance
He won’t get it from me.

Trust and obey?
For there’s no other way?
To survive four years
Of a would be tyrant’s sway.
Pardon my dissent,
I’ll use reason and wit
Hide under the hedgerow
And gleefully resist.

What We Lost

Studly Doright was out of town much of last week. My days were busy, but my nights were long and empty without my favorite guy here to make sure the tv was set either on American Pickers or Sports Center. I find that I’m not nearly as fluent in the art of Remote Control Manipulation as Studly.

On Wednesday evening I took myself to see Hidden Figures, a film about the importance of a group of African American women as human computers at NASA in the early 1960’s, and the obstacles they faced while simply trying to do their jobs. 

Because they were Black, these women weren’t allowed to use any restrooms other than the one in their wing of the building, often necessitating long, frantic walks to take care of basic needs. Because they were Black, they couldn’t get coffee from the communal pot in their office. Because they were Black and female they weren’t allowed to sit in on critical meetings, even when their presence might have resulted in quicker solutions.

This is a good film, and it made me furious. It should make all of us furious. When I think of all we have lost as a nation because we refused to recognize the abilities, the talents, the intelligence of all people regardless of race or gender I want to scream. 

Who knows what diseases might have been cured, what inventions developed, if society hadn’t been so intent on excluding women in general and women of color in particular from full participation in society?

And what groups of people are we excluding now? What groups do we try to keep in their place? Oh, maybe there aren’t separate restrooms anymore, but our new commander-in-chief would love to discriminate against Mexican Americans and Muslim Americans. He treats women as chattel to be grabbed as needed. 

My rant is over, but this argument isn’t. Get pissed off. Don’t allow trump to segregate or alienate or exclude any group of people because of his fears, his insecurities. 

Now I’m going to master that damned remote control. If a group of women could figure out how to put men in space and safely bring them back to earth, I can surely figure out how to efficiently switch between multiple channels in order to avoid commercial interruptions.

Peace, people.