A Poem after Class

Aloha - I took a brief class from the Red Cross in International Humanitarian Law. I wrote this during class.


Caught up in the tides of history,
I am no longer am what or who I was.
But then, no one is.

Beliefs shattered, remade, forged,
behind these walls of stone or flesh or blood or mind,
I was not a warrior, who visited death upon others nor did it visit me.

Then, swept up in the tides and spoils of war,
I succumbed to the pull of circumstance and violence visited upon me.
War was an unwelcome visitor whom I tried to bar at the door with my tears.

All too soon it became my most intimate companion.
It became my wife, my lover, my succubus, a brother, a sister, a father and mother. Cradled at the breast of war I soon knew naught else.

Yet it was, is and remains my abhorrence.
I deny violence yet am capable of it.
Give me a gun of paper,
I will write you to death.
Give me a gun of steel and I will, I will, I will . . . .

Who are you to take the life of the ones I love,
my son, daughter, lover and wife and mother, father, brother and sister.

Who are you? Shiva Death the destroyer of worlds?
Let anyone who thinks they cannot kill,
the blood of the ones they love upon their breast.
The choice to kill determines the path they will write upon their dying heart.

Blessed are the Peacemakers for I know them not yet I shiver in hope that the path of peace is upon us as the blessing of Allah.

It is winter now, at least for what passes for Winter here in Northern California. My mood can be so tied to the season. Cultural imperatives set aside, I shall embrace what the season brings . . . not the artificial forced happiness go juice fed to us by corporate drones the world over. No, for me I will take the dark renewal of winter, the gentle rain on Redwood Boughs, the sprinkle of winter fog on ferns and meadow grass. Perhaps this time is the time to think again of what our lives are about, to remember, anticipate, plan, reflect and renew commitments both new and made long ago.

November 2008

A Poem unmeant for Reading

It, it is the ocean of my soul that I commit to you and it is does not heed the you or I or me and its only cares are the care we let it have.

I thought I knew love and you and myself.

But I know that now, at last, I know nothing. That everything that was . . .
was that dream
we all have it . . . a lovers glance, a wink, a nod . . .
then to awaken a different life.

I see this rock in the ocean sand, the claw of a lovers scrabble buried deep,
the endless tide of love and wash of wave and sleep and desire.

Oh my love did I not love you and did you not love me?

I saw the printed words upon the pages left for you.
I have the solidness and well meant words intended for me!

Should we be shamed in our deceit?
Without intent we love in that moment and it last . . .
in a moment I lived a life with you of babies and grandchildren
idealized and perfected without pain, hurt, agony, to roil us so.

Only you passed me in my life.
I in yours.
glimpsing possibilities in reflections of lustful waves of longing
submerged, deep with light and air, gasping hoping for love.


David McCullough
November 11, 2008

That the Divisions of Eight Years will End

At long last, the nightmare of deceit, lies, treachery and personal enrichment can begin to be challenged. At long last there can begin to be a beginning to the end of a government of hypocrisy and impulses that are a betrayal of the beliefs that this country was supposedly founded upon.

I rejoice in President Elect Obama's victory. It is mine and many others greatest fear that he will be assassinated. I would do almost anything to make sure that this will not happen. I wish the Secret Service the best of luck, planning, and intelligence in their effort to avoid the loss of POTUS and any of their principles.

This is a great victory and the beginning of hope for many Americans. At last I can once again live in a country where I am proud of the ideals we are supposed to espouse, encourage and live. I want to be proud to be an American and it is my hope that is possible.

I sat there and cried with the people of America as President-Elect Obama gave his acceptance speech. I am moved by what he said, scripted to death or not, it was a moving, inspirational and magnificent speech. The danger therein is of expectations raised too high and I fear for him, his family and the people of this nation.

It is incumbent upon us to walk with him, at every level to participate in this democracy - such as it is. I am guilty of too high a level of cynicism and pessimism and perhaps have led me to not participate as much as I should have and needed to. It will be my goal to investigate how to end that and begin to take part.

Thank you President-Elect Obama. You have given me my pride back, my hope and an idea that perhaps, just maybe . . . Yes, We Can!

Love of Pablo

Someone sent a comment on my Thursday, Sept 25, 2008 post of a poem I wrote. I am unsure if I have written of my love of Pablo Neruda's poems. I know so little of him but I love his work, his descriptions, his incredible portraits, cadence, story-telling and so much more.

So it was such a gift from an anonymous commentator and I thank you, whomever you are for sharing this poem of Pablo's for me. I can only hope my reading of his work is branded upon my soul, heart and brain.

I wish that I was a better communicator than I am and thought I was! When I read Pablo . . . there is cautious hope singing in my veins and heart and blood.

Mahalo, thank you and gracias my anonymous commentator. You have honored me.

David

The Vote on November 4, 2008

I live in Northern California right now and this is how I voted in the November 2008 election. I researched a lot but a very valuable site was: http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_2008_ballot_measures


Barack Obama
Lynn Woolsey (U.S. Representative)
Wesley Chesbro (Ca. State Assembly)
Prop 1A (High Speed Rail) YES
Prop 2 Farm Animal Cage YES
Prop 3 Childrens Hospital YES
Prop 4 Abortion Waiting Period NO
Prop 5 Drug Treatment/Rehab YES
Prop 6 Police/Law NO (hard to believe but read the fine print)
Prop 7 Renewable Energy Generation NO (cannot believe this but read the fine print)
Prop 8 Eliminates right to marry NO (and hell no at that people!)
Prop 9 Victims Rights NO (once again, read the fine print but sounds good.
Prop 10 Alternative Fuels/Energy NO (Mahalo to T. Boone Pickens for this one)
Prop 11 Redistricting YES
Prop 12 Veteran's Bonds Act YES
Sonoma County 5th District Supervisor: Rue Furch
Measure Q, Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit District YES (and hell YES people!)

I did my best to read as much as I could but I really hope I was not tricked or read something improperly or was not thorough enough. The great thing is though that at the very least . . . I have the right and the opportunity to vote. The time is critical for so many of us Americans now. I am afraid that if McCain does win by some amazing fluke or manipulation of the vote that there will be a revolution, and perhaps a violent one, or certainly great unrest in this country. I would take to the streets myself to protest a McCain win but really, what the hell does that mean?

What so concerns me is that Americans are beginning to lose confidence in the voting process not to mention their government. This must change.

Thanks for reading.

David