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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Sunday, October 25, 2020

There are times the microcosm gets kicked in

 

from this week in October, 2006  (I was 61)

 

There are times the microcosm gets kicked in

and all is awash in blood light

Anxious dread that it’s too late

to correct a mistake of exposed weakness

Futility looms in the rapid patchwork attempt

to construct a temporary defense

that may not work at all

but may make time to think of something better

Then the persistent fury abates

as if the resolve of the invading force weakens

The dams hold with seams leaking

and we take our breaths in relative calm

to consider major repair to our small craft

knowing it will never be enough for all that’s out there

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