Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Idle Thoughts, Not Idyll



What I'm thinking about:

Well, mainly my own obstreperousness and reactivity to the patriarchy.

I keep thinking of all the discussion about the events in Ferguson and all the pressure for balance and civility. Sometimes, obstreperous and reactive, I think staying composed is a whole lot of bullshit.

I'm not thinking about reacting -- except in my mind.

When I see a woman with her head and face veiled walking behind a guy in khakis and a sweater, I want to rip it off her with a flourish, then rip my own shirt open and flaunt my breasts to her man. Actually, maybe he's not her man, but she's definitely his woman.

Again, this is in my mind.

To be fair, I'd do the same to the woman in the wig, wheeling and walking her five or six small children down the street.

Give me liberty or give me death?

I'm not ashamed to say that American history has never moved me in the way it's supposed to.

I wish I were smart enough to understand Noam Chomsky. Reading his words is like entertaining fish in my brain. They flit by with fantastic ease, but they're slippery. I just can't catch one before it disappears into murk.

I'm thinking about what kind of world it'd be if Officer Wilson were more like Barney Fife, let's say, yelled out the window at the two teenagers walking in the street, on their way to dinner at Aunt Bea's and shouted, Ya'll get on the sidewalks, boys!, and drove on.

I'm thinking about all the ruckus in the middle east, how it just goes on and on and on and there are some people who are evidently not tired of it. 

I'm thinking about the death penalty, the Texas machine that would kill a mentally ill man who wore a cowboy hat with bling to his own trial. Evidently, there's a stay on his impending execution, and we're all supposed to feel relieved. This needs to be debated and figured out?

I'm thinking about that hallowed thing -- The C O N S T I T U T I O N and how I'm sick of those who say it's something akin to The Ten Commandments, but don't pay any attention to something like the Eighth Amendment.

I read that when you're dead, you don't know that you're dead. The people left behind have a difficult time. It's the same when you're stupid.


To live outside the law you must be honest, said Bob Dylan.




9 comments:

  1. I needle-pointed that quote once. Never did make the damn thing into a pillow. I should have.
    I kneel at your feet, woman. You knock me out, over and over.

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  2. Yes. Exactly. This, especially, hit me hard:

    "I'm thinking about what kind of world it'd be if Officer Wilson were more like Barney Fife, let's say, yelled out the window at the two teenagers walking in the street, on their way to dinner at Aunt Bea's and shouted, Ya'll get on the sidewalks, boys!, and drove on."

    And this: people who are stupid don't know that they are.

    You are a marvel. You pull everything into focus right here.

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  3. All these thoughts swirling around and around doing nothing but keeping me awake at night. I've murmured, muttered, chanted and whispered "let me remain patient and filled with lovingkindness" over and over again.

    I am in awe of your words.

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  4. Wow. This is a terrific post. You've captured the crazy state of the world, the sorrow and insanity. I wish I could write like this.

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  5. Amazing. Yes, all of it. And me too Noam Chomsky.

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  6. Yup. It's the world of duality and it's a bitch.

    I don't know how to find forgiveness. Or compassion.

    I fear for all the mothers of black and brown children. I fear for their children.

    How did Nelson Mandela find love in hiss heart after 25 years? I don't know.

    XXX Beth

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  7. I appreciate your anti-Jingoism, but as to Noam Chomsky...do you know that he supported the Khmer Rouge and never admitted that that was a mistake. Ever since I found that out, I've liked him a whole lot less.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for your comment, Anonymous. I think your assertion about Chomsky and the Khmer Rouge is arguable. I've read a bit about it in the past and found this piece, in particular, interesting and thoughtful: http://bigwhiteogre.blogspot.com/2010/07/chomskys-views-on-khmer-rouge-distorted.html?m=1l.

      Delete
  8. I've read Zizek's piece before. I still find Chomsky's response lame. So it's arguable. ;-)
    Btw.: I came to your blog through the poetry side of it. Respect!

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