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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Saturday, May 7, 2022

Even in looking foolish

 

May 7, 2011  (I was 66)

 

Even in looking foolish

the fool makes mistakes

when he is not careful enough

to appear continually ridiculous

Unless he upsets his own apple cart

someone will try to buy an apple

Part of a shirt tail should hang out

a cowlick of hair remains untamed

Easy enough to keep speech a bit obtuse

Silence is too easily mistaken for wit

A subtle faux pas in appearance

more dependable less questionable un-beguiling 

Blind vigilance the reliable tool of the reliable tool

incredulity his favorite tactic

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