Monday, January 30, 2017

riverbabble 30 winter 2017

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Library of Congress, 1939: Buttermilk Junction


riverbabble 30



Poetry


Dennis J. Bernstein:
         Visiting Gettysburg
         Science for the People

Patrick Cahill:
          Woman With Dog
          Cannonball Adderley, Jazz Workshop, 1959

Andrew R. Crow:
         Cocktails
         Two Haiku

Colin Dardis:
          The Vacancy of Hours
          Box

Richard Fein:
          At Cedars of Lebanon Cemetery
          Floppy Red Hat

Bill Gainer:
          A Lonely Love
          Surrendering the Leaves

Rafael Jesús González:
         Ay Cuba / Oh Cuba
         Variación sobre lo que dijo Willy S / Take on What Willy S. Said

Suzanne Nielsen:
          Raining From Heaven
          Shattered

d. n. simmers:
          Like the taste of blood on the tongue
          We heard the cry of stony fields

Andy N:   Europa II (VIII)

Amy Neill Bebergal:   Moving Rocks

Maureen Brady Johnson:   Against the Current

Michael Lee Johnson:   Sing it Frank, Physical Therapy

Robert Masterson:   Diminishing Form #17

Mat McGee:   Nesting Dolls

James B. Nicola:   Balloon

Carlos Reyes:   Trust

John Swain:   Manitou

Corlene Van Sluizer:   Winter Solstice

Phibby Venable  Even When the World Is Erratic

Mercedes Webb-Pullman:   Lorca's bones, Caserna de la Guardia Civil, Vizna

Anne Whitehouse:   Fertile Earth

Fiction

Roger D. Hicks:   Burying Old Buck

John Laneri:   From Wines to Sunsets

Fernando Meisendhalter:   So, What Are You Up To These Days?

Ken Poyner:   The Gain Sum

James Shaffer:   The Edge of Everything

Sandy Vrooman:   A Solstice Tale

Alice Whittenburg:   A Buttermilk Sky

Flash Fiction

Janet Buck:
          A Roach's Point of View
          The Peephole

KJ Hannah Greenberg:
          Ring-a-Round the Birthday
          Marvelous Millions Associate, Thug Thousands

Maureen Kingston:   At the Notions Counter

Lester Weil:
          Buttermilk Junction
          Live Free or Die

Essay

Edward Mycue:   Writing

Jim Ross:   When I Walk in, Court Adjourns

Tom Sheehan:   Rough Immersion

Photography

Library of Congress, 1939:   Buttermilk Junction (cover) 



His smile faded as he walked, a heavy cloud hiding the sun slowly, shadowing Trinity's surly front. Trams passed one another, ingoing, outgoing, clanging. Useless words. Things go on same, day after day: squads of police marching out, back: trams in, out. Those two loonies mooching about.
                                                        JAMES JOYCE, Ulysses, Lestrygonian, 7755-7759.





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Saturday, January 28, 2017

Year of the Rooster 4715

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Year of the Rooster 4715

The rooster, the cock 

flexes its wings, head raised high,

red-bright comb erect,

and easy in its rightness,

bravely cries a new morning.



       
-------------------------------------------- © Rafael Jesús González 2017








Año del gallo 4715


El pollo, el gallo

dobla las alas, cabeza elevada,

cresta rojo-vivo erecta,

y fácil en su exactitud, 

bravamente vocea nueva mañana.



       
------  -----------------------------------© Rafael Jesús González 2017







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Saturday, January 21, 2017

Women's March January 21, 2017


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The Women's March January 21, 2017


We must be very grateful for the Women's marches in the United States, throughout the Americas, throughout the world January 21, 2017, the day after the inauguration of the 45th president of the United States, in resistance to the fascism that menaces us all. Thank you, thank you, our sisters, for your womanhood, your power, your grace. Let us hope that your actions make patent the very essence of what must be our revolution against the patriarchy of millennia that has brought us to this juncture, a patriarchy that has wounded us all and distressed the Earth itself to the point where her very ability to bear and sustain life as we know it is at stake.

Perhaps we should be grateful to the 45th U.S. president, embodied caricature of the masculine, wounded, distorted, and perverted by a toxic patriarchy, to terrify us from our nightmare.

Thank you and please, our sisters; come into your power and bring in the age of the healer, for the age of the warrior has not served us well and must come to an end. Please and thank you, brothers, for honoring women and liberating the feminine within ourselves. It is a matter of women's liberation and of men's liberation as well from a patriarchy that maims us all. We are all liberated together or none of us are. The world and the Earth depend upon it.


© Rafael Jesús González 2017



https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/1xa0iLqYKz8x9Yc_rfhtmSOJQ2EGgeUVjvV4A8LsIaxY/htmlview


Marcha de las Mujeres 21 de enero de 2017


Debemos ser muy agradecidos por las marchas de las mujeres en los Estados Unidos, por todas las Américas, por el mundo entero el 21 de enero 2017 día siguiente la inauguración del presidente 45 de los Estados Unidos en resistencia al fascismo que nos amenaza a todos. Gracias, gracias, hermanas nuestras, por ser mujeres, por su poder, por su gracia. Esperemos que sus acciones hagan patente la mera esencia de lo que debe ser nuestra revolución contra el patriarcado de milenios que nos ha llevado a este punto, un patriarcado que nos ha herido a todos y afligido a la Tierra misma a tal punto que su mera habilidad de dar y sostener vida tal como la conocemos está por perderse.

Tal vez deberíamos estar agradecidos al presidente estadounidense 45, caricatura encarnada del masculino herido, deformado y pervertido por el patriarcado tóxico por aterrorizarnos de nuestra pesadilla.

Gracias y por favor, hermanas nuestras; lleguen a su poder y hagan entrar la era del/la sanador(a) que la edad del guerrero no nos ha servido bien y debe acabar. Por favor y gracias, hermanos, por honorar a las mujeres y liberar lo femenino en nosotros. Se trata de la liberación de la mujer y de la liberación del hombre también de un patriarcado que nos mutila a todos. O nos liberamos todos juntos o ningunos somos. El mundo y la Tierra depende en ello.


© Rafael Jesús González 2017



https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/1xa0iLqYKz8x9Yc_rfhtmSOJQ2EGgeUVjvV4A8LsIaxY/htmlview   
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Aquarius

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-----------Acuario

 


A Acuario,
---el airoso,
------fijo en su servicio,
lo vigila Urano desde lejos;
Saturno le pesa como plomo
y su luz como granate ardiente
destella en el cántaro de amatista
que carga Acuario,
----sus tobillos, sus pantorrillas
----bañados en el aire fijo
----de sus ideales luminosos.



 


--------------© Rafael Jesús González 2017





-------------Aquarius


 

Aquarius,
---the graceful,
------at ease in his service,
is watched by Uranus from afar;
Saturn weighs on him like lead
& its light like a burning garnet
bounces sparks on the amethyst jar
that Aquarius carries,
----his ankles, his calves
----bathed in the fixed air
----of his luminous ideals.


 


-------------------© Rafael Jesús González 2017
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Sunday, January 15, 2017

Martin Luther King Jr. (1/15/29 - 4/4/68)

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----------After the Lecture

---------------------------for Martin Luther King Jr.

A woman said I was not polite
to the opposition,
that I was harsh
and did not encourage
discourse.

Perhaps if I were Christ,
I could say, “Forgive them
----for they know not what they do.”
Or the queen, and apologize
for stubbing my executioner’s toes.

But only if I knew
the executioners
----were mine only.

What courtesy have I the right to give
to them who break the bones,
----the souls of my brothers,
------------------my sisters;
deny bread, books
----to the hungry,
----the children;
--------medicine, healing
--------to the sick;
roofs to the homeless;

who spoil the oceans,
----lay waste the forests
--------and the deserts,
violate the land?

Affability on the lips
of outrage
is a sin and blasphemy
----I’ll not be guilty of.




----------© Rafael Jesús González 2017



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr.


--------Después del Discurso

------------------------a Martin Luther King Jr.

Una mujer me dijo que no fui cortés
con la oposición,
que fui duro
y que no animé
discusión.

Tal vez si fuera Cristo,
pudiera decir — Perdónalos
----que no saben lo que hacen. —
O la reina, y disculparme
por haber pisarle el pie a mi verdugo.

Pero solamente si supiera
que los verdugos
fueran solamente míos.

¿Qué cortesía tengo el derecho a darles
a los que quiebran los huesos
----y las almas de mis hermanos,
--------------------mis hermanas;
les niegan el pan, los libros
----a los hambrientos,
----a los niños;
--------la medicina, el sanar
--------a los enfermos;
techos a los desamparados;

que estropean los mares,
----que destruyen los bosques
--------y los desiertos,
violan la tierra?

Afabilidad en los labios
de la furia justa
es pecado y blasfemia
----de la cual no seré culpable.




-----------© Rafael Jesús González 2017




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Saturday, January 14, 2017

Salvage the Future benefit, Saturday January 28

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 https://www.facebook.com/events/655099868004016/

 https://www.facebook.com/events/655099868004016/


My beloved representative
  the Honorable Barbara Lee
  who always speaks for me:

 the Honorable Barbara Lee



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Thursday, January 12, 2017

full moon: Caligula & the Moon


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-----Calígula y la luna


Calígula se dice
le hablaba a la luna llena.
¿Qué le diría a la diosa
de la caza, fría y casta?
¿Intentaría encandungarla
a su cama sucia
con sugerencias obscenas?
De las locuras megalómanas
de imperio ni la luna es salva.



----------© Rafael Jesús González 2017




                 





-------Caligula & the Moon


Caligula it is said
talked to the full moon.
What did he say to the goddess
of the hunt, cold & chaste?
Did he try to lure her
to his dirty bed
with obscene suggestions?
From the megalomaniac madness
of empire not even the moon is safe.



---------------------© Rafael Jesús González 2017






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Sunday, January 8, 2017

Submitted: unsolicited poem

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---Land of the Free, Home of the Brave

------(Unsolicited poem for the inauguration 
-----------of president #45 of the U. S. A.)


Let's make 'Merica Great Again —
you know, like when we were free
to own slaves, & men (not women)
were created equal (if you were
"White" & moneyed); free you know,
to kill Indians & take their land,
move them, if we must, with treaties
we never meant to keep, Great
like when we stole half of Mexico,
then Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines,
you know, Hawai'i, 'Merican Samoa, Guam
& I forget what all — Great Again 
because we don't own, subvert, & invade 
enough of the world,
tear up the Earth enough, 
& the 1% are not rich enough, 
the 99% are not poor enough. 
'Merica is not Great enough, 
so we must Make 'Merika Great Again.



                    © Rafael Jesús González 2017


(Running this by a friend, she asked: Is there nothing great you see in 'Merica? My answer: Yes, yes, yes — the long and courageous struggle by people of good will and compassion for democracy, justice, peace, and the welfare of the Earth. Of these there are more than can possibly be named and for whom one name can stand: Martin Luther King Jr.



That greatness lies in you who are healers to the extent of your compassion and sense of justice in the spheres in which you move, you who love life, you who will not be represented by the president-elect who may silence, imprison, torture, kill us to "make 'Merica great again" in his terms and those of his ilk.)



 Presidential Portrait




---País de los libres, hogar de los bravos

------(poema no solicitado para la inauguración 
-----------del presidente no. 45 de los EE. UU.)


Hagamos a 'Mérica grande de nuevo —
sabes, como cuando éramos libres
a poseer esclavos y los hombres (no mujeres)
fueron creados iguales (si fuesen
"Blancos" y adinerados); libre sabes,
a matar indios y tomar sus tierras,
desplazarlos si tuviésemos con tratados
que jamás intentamos honrar, Grande
como cuando le robamos la mitad a México,
luego Cuba, Puerto Rico, las Filipinas,
sabes, Hawai, Samoa 'Mericana, Guam
y no recuerdo que más — Grande de Nuevo 
porque no poseemos, subvertimos y invadimos 
lo suficiente del mundo,
destruimos lo suficientemente la Tierra 
y el 1% no son lo suficiente ricos, 
el 99% no son lo suficiente pobres.
'Mérica no es lo suficientemente Grande 
así que debemos Hacer a 'Mérica Grande de Nuevo.



                    © Rafael Jesús González 2017



(Repasando este por una amiga me preguntó: ¿Es que no ves nada grande en 'Mérica? Mi respuesta: Sí, sí, sí — la larga y valiente lucha por gente de buena voluntad y compasión por la justicia, paz y el bienestar de la Tierra. De ell@s hay más de l@s que son posible nombrar y por l@s cuales un nombre puede servir: Martin Luther King Jr.



Esa grandeza está en ustedes que son sanadores, sanadoras al limite de su compasión y sentido de justicia en las esferas en que se mueven, ustedes quienes aman la vida, ustedes que no serán representados por el presidente-electo que tal vez nos callará, encarcelará, torturará, matará para "hacer a "Mérica grande de nuevo" en sus términos y los de su índole.) 



 

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Thursday, January 5, 2017

Epiphany — 12th Night

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------------------ Magos
 
 

Pensar que yo, Baltasar de Caldea,
------tenedor de las cosas sacras,
------dejé los observatorios,
------cargado de incienso,
------para llegar allí.
Aun hasta al punto de encuentro fue largo;
para Melchor de Nubia cargado de oro,
para Gaspar de Tarso cargado de mirra,
fue aun más largo.
-----Y de allí a Judea
-----y más allá condujo el lucero —
-----------a la morada de animales,
-----------lugar natal del infante mendigo.
Si era dios,
---como todo dios,
---------ha de haber llegado a mal fin.
¿Qué significaban los agüeros?
-----Tal vez sería el viaje mismo,
---------oír de los leones de Nubia,
---------de los ríos de Tarso;
y sobre todo,
-----sí, tal vez sobre todo,
---------- el ofrendar.




-----------------------------© Rafael Jesús González 2017




Adoration of the Magi, Andrea Mantegna 1495-1505



-------------------Magi


To think that I, Balthazar of Chaldea,
----keeper of the sacred things,
----left the observatories,
----laden with frankincense,
----to come there.
Even to the point of meeting it was long;
for Melchior of Nubia laden with gold,
for Gaspar of Tarshish laden with myrrh,
it was longer.
---And from there to Judea
---and the star led on —
--------to the abode of animals,
--------birthplace of the infant beggar.
If he was a god,
-----like all gods,
-----he must have come to a bad end.
What meant the auguries?
----Perhaps it was the trip itself,
-------to hear of the lions of Nubia,
-------of the rivers of Tarshish;
and above all,
----yes, perhaps above all,
-----------the gifting.




-----------------© Rafael Jesús González 2017
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(Dear Winter: Poems for the Solstice;
Marie Harris, Ed.; Northwood Press, Thomaston, Maine 1984;
Author’s © copyrights)




Anonymous, Mexico 19th century


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Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Xochipilli diminished


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En la muerte de dos sacerdotes de Xochipilli

--------------------------a Juan Domingo y Roberto Almanzán
-----------------------------(1951-2016)-------(1937-2017)


La vida es rica y breve
como arco iris que mide
de un punto del tiempo a otro
y esfumándose como humo de copal
deja vacíos los puños
de Xochipilli, Príncipe de las flores,
perdidas sus flores y sus sonajas




---------------------© Rafael Jesús González 2017




           






On the Death of two Priests of Xochipilli

----------------------t to Juan Domingo & Roberto Almanzán
-----------------------------(1951-2016)-------(1937-2017)


Life is rich & brief
like a rainbow that measures
from a point in time to another
& fading like incense smoke
leaves empty the fists
of Xochipilli, Prince of flowers,
lost his flowers & his rattles.




--------------© Rafael Jesús González 2017



Juan Domingo & Roberto Almanzán
(1951-2016)---------------(1937-2017)



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