I don’t write in a journal everyday, but I have accumulated many entries over the past 50+ years beginning in 1966. Some items evolved into longer works. Among the leftovers little pieces survived. I thought a collection of these with a piece culled from the same date in a past year would make an interesting yearbook. The consistencies and inconsistencies of mind, skipping back and forth across time, provide varied perspectives. It is difficult to remember the context of the past we’ve lived; we also make suppositions about times that predate ourselves.

The few alterations from original drafts were to improve clarity. The worst of my work is not included. There remains enough mediocrity and immaturity to make me feel humble and you feel smart. There are also moments of accidental insight and incidental humor.

Author Stephen Crane referred to his little pieces as pills…apparently they were small and somewhat hard to swallow, but good for you.


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Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Miners climb out of the mouth of the earth


May 9, 1969  (I was 24)

Miners climb out of the mouth of the earth.
All day they practice dentistry, extracting iron
teeth.  It’s a messy job at best, and their boots
are blood-stained.  If they keep at it and don’t
get swallowed, they eventually gain recognition.
They have a magnificent monthly journal, The
Hanna Miner.  After twenty years a 1” x 1 1/2”
black and white photograph.  After thirty years
a 2” x 3” (wallet size).  After forty years
a 5” x 7” (I suppose you could frame it).
It is however, disgusting to see
how they let their own teeth go,
pictured there next to the company president
with his monthly million dollar smile.
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