Sunday, February 26, 2012

The Enemy


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-------------------Lucifer


Era el más hermoso de todos dicen
el más sabio y su música llenaba los cielos; 

le llamaban Portador de la luz,
la estrella del alba
antes de que lo echaran fuera
y lo hicieran Príncipe de las Tinieblas.
Su delito parece haber sido
sólo vanidad y rebeldía
y aunque más tarde
le dieran cuernos y cola
(y otros nombres tales como 

Enemigo y Embustero Destructor)
no se ha de haber hecho tan feo
o no pudiera ser tan buen tentador.
Lo que sí aprendió del Más Grande
fue el más grande pecado
del abuso del poder
y como corrompe hasta a los dioses
-----y los hace heder.




---------------------------© Rafael Jesús González 2012




© David Vance 2012



----------------------Lucifer


He was the most beautiful of all, they say
the most wise and his music filled the heavens;

they called him The Bringer of Light,
the morning star
before they threw him out
and made him Prince of Darkness.
His crime seems to have been
only vanity and rebellion
and even though later
they gave him horns and tail
(and other names such as 

Enemy and Lying Destroyer)
he must not have become so ugly
or he could not such a good tempter be.
What he did learn from the Most Great
was the greater sin
of the abuse of power
and how it corrupts even the gods
-----and makes them foul.





-----------------------------------© Rafael Jesús González 2012





© David Vance 2012


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Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Mardi Gras

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Carnaval

Antigua fiesta pagana, griega, romana, la dionisíaca, las saturnales, las bacanales celebrando la igualdad entre los hombres, las mujeres, celebrando la embriaguez del estar vivos, el festejo del cuerpo y del alma.

Ahora se le llama carnaval (carne vale) porque es despedida a la carne antes de que se le mortifique durante la cuaresma. Se celebra la carne, los apetitos del cuerpo, sensuales, libres de mandamientos y prohibiciones.

Por eso el antifaz, la máscara que tras el anonimato nos da licencia para romper las reglas, por un momento vivir fantasías. Tras el antifaz, la máscara, una persona aun puede desnudarse y bailar por las calles. Persona, del latín significando máscara, especialmente cuando se lleva en la escena. Y ¿qué es la vida sino diversión de los dioses?

Entonces quitémonos las máscaras del corazón y pongámonoslas sobre la cara si tal es preciso para ser libre, y en vez del rosario, digamos las cuentas de carnaval.

Carnival

Ancient, pagan, Greek, Roman feast, the Dionysia, the Saturnalia, the Bacchanalia celebrating the equality among men, women, celebrating the intoxication of being alive, the celebration of the body and the soul.

Now it is called carnival (carne vale), Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), because it is the farewell to flesh before it is mortified during lent. Flesh is celebrated, the appetites of the body, sensual, free of commandments and prohibitions.

Thus the mask which behind anonymity gives us license to break the rules, live fantasies for a moment. Behind the mask a person may even undress and dance naked in the streets. Person from the Latin meaning mask, especially when worn on the stage. And what is life but the diversion of the gods?

Let us take the masks from the heart and put them on the face if such is needed to be free, and instead of the rosary, let us say the carnival beads.
-----Cuentas de carnaval


De las calles
de Nueva Orleáns
--------en pleno carnaval,
me llamaste;
tu voz un hilo
----de cuentas lustrosas
verdes,
---------doradas,
-------------------púrpuras
me engalanó de encanto
y me hizo bailar el corazón.

Sobre la Bahía
de San Francisco
el cielo amanece
----color de cenizas,
pero mañana en vez del rosario,
diré esas cuentas de carnaval.




------© Rafael Jesús González 2012




-----Carnival Beads


From the streets of New Orleans
--------in full Mardi Gras,
you called;
your words, a string
----of lustrous beads,
green,
-------gold,
-------------purple
adorned me with joy
& made my heart dance.

Over
San Francisco Bay
the sky dawns
----the color of ashes,
but tomorrow instead of the rosary,
I will say those carnival beads.



-- ----© Rafael Jesús González 2012


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Piscis

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-------------
-----------------Piscis


El par de peces nada
entre cristales de amatistas,
entre peñas de heliotropo —
----la luz de Júpiter les llega
----como un reflejo en estaño;
Neptuno perezosamente los vigila.
Si vadeas en las aguas inconstantes,
los verás a tus pies
nadar como imágenes de sueños,
-------pacíficos,
------------------benévolos.


------------------© Rafael Jesús González 2012




----------------Pisces

The pair of fish swim
among amethyst crystals,
among boulders of bloodstone —
---the light of Jupiter comes to them
---like reflections on tin;
---Neptune lazily watches.
If you wade in the inconstant water,
you will see them at your feet
swimming like the images of dreams,
-----peaceful,
----------------kind.



---------------------© Rafael Jesús González 2012

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Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Friendship


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Icniuhyotl


Auh tocnihuane,
tla xoconcaquican yn itlatol temictli:
xoxopantla technemitia,

in teocuitlaxilotl, techonitwuitia
tlauhkecholelotl, techoncozctia.
In tikmati ye ontlaneltoca
toyiollo, toknihuan.


------------------------------------Tecayohuatzin, King of Huexotzinco, c. 1490





(del náhuatl)


Y ahora amigos, escuchen
el sueño de una palabra:
Son una luz
las puntas rubias y tiernas del maíz;
en la primavera despertamos
a la borla dorada de la mazorca
y las pruebas de constancia
en los corazones de amigos
nos engalanan el cuello
con collares de joyas.



----------© Rafael Jesús González 2012


Friendship


(from the Nahuatl)


And now, friends listen
to the dream of a word:
It is a light,
the corn's pale and tender ends;
in spring we wake
to the golden tassel of the maize,
and the proofs of constancy
in the hearts of friends
about our necks
jeweled collars place.




----------© Rafael Jesús González 2012



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Feast of St. Valentine

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La Distancia


La distancia entre nosotros
es suelo sagrado
para atravesarse
con los pies desnudos
elevadas las manos
----------en danza jubilosa
para que una vez
----------cruzado
las huellas de nuestro peregrinaje
brillen en la oscuridad
y alumbren nuestro encuentro
con luz brillante y fija.




------© Rafael Jesús González, 2012


(RUNES — A Review of Poetry, Conección;
CB Follett & Susan Terris, Directoras;
Arctos Press, Sausalito, California; invierno 2007;

derechos reservados del autor.)









-------The Distance


The distance between us
is holy ground
to be traversed
feet bare
hands raised
------- in joyous dance
so that once it is
--------------crossed
the tracks of our pilgrimage
shine in the darkness
& light our coming together
in a bright & steady light.



------© Rafael Jesús González, 2012


(RUNES — A Review of Poetry, Connection;
CB Follett & Susan Terris, Editors;
Arctos Press, Sausalito, California; Winter 2007;

author's copyrights.)
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Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Full moon of the Dragon Year 4710






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Tani Buncho 1763-1840
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Tanka for the Full Moon of the Dragon Year


The full moon rises
over the dragon parade —
a Chinese lantern.
The brave dragons reach for it,
lustrous pearl of their desire.



--------------© Rafael Jesús González 2012





Tanka para la luna plena del año del dragón


La luna plena se eleva
sobre el desfile de dragones —
linterna china.
Los dragones bravos tratan de cogerla,
lustrosa perla de sus anhelos.




-------------------© Rafael Jesús González 2012


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Kano Tan'yu 1671

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Saturday, February 4, 2012

Honoring the Martin Luther King jr. Legacy, CIIS February 15

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Honoring the Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy

Non-Violence
and Other Strategies
for Social Justice




CIIS is honored to host two local Bay Area activists as they share
their insights and experiences with non-violence and social
justice. Both are involved in and serve as advisors
in local Occupy Movements.

INVITED GUESTS:

Rafael Jesús González

*Local, international Activist Poet
*Professor of Writing & Literature, Philosophy
*Honored by City of Berkeley for his life's work

Phil Hutchings

*Veteran Political Activist from the Civil Rights Movement
(Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee)
*Anti-War & International Solidarity Work
*Bay Area veteran of the Civil Rights Movement

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15th
6:30 PM TO 8:30 PM

Namaste Hall, California Institute of Integral Studies
1453 Mission Street, San Francisco, California



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Friday, February 3, 2012

Healing Circle for Occupy Activists

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Healing Circle for Occupy Activists —
Oakland and All Allies
6:30 pm Sunday February 5, 2012
Free--donations gratefully accepted

In recent weeks, activists with the Occupy movement have been hard-hit by police violence, arrest and imprisonment. Join us in a safe space to acknowledge, release and heal from the pain, fear, rage and trauma, so we can come back stronger. In sacred space, we can connect from the heart. Open to those of all spiritual persuasions or none at all!

Sponsored by Occupy Oakland Safer Spaces.
Facilitators
include
Starhawk, Luisah Teish, Rafael Jesús González, Riyana, Jason Scarecrow, George Franklin, Evelie Delfino Sales, Chloe Luna and more.

Oakland Peace Center
Fellowship Hall
29th St. at Fairmount
Oakland, California
BART 19th St. Station
51A Bus


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Thursday, February 2, 2012

Valentine's Day reading February 14

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because

the distance between us is holy ground

Pandemonium Press invites you

to a reading by


Rafael Jesús González

of his love poetry

Gerardo Omar Marín on flute

celebrating Valentine’s Day

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

7:00 - 9:00 PM

Casa Latina

1805 San Pablo Avenue

(near corner of San Pablo & Delaware)

Berkeley, California

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Font sizeLight Refreshments

free to public

Parking available

information: Pandemonium Press, pandemoniumpress@gmail.com


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