Rafael Jesús González: February 2022

Thursday, February 24, 2022

Peace must prevail

The fate of humanity, that of the Earth itself, is at stake as Russia invades the Ukraine. We, the people, cannot stand by as diplomatic shortcomings and myopic vision puts life itself in peril. The costs are much, much too high. Even the sanctions we would impose upon Russia would be disastrous not only for Russia but for our and the world’s economy, and it would accelerate climate change. Intransigence would cost too much in lives and the wellbeing of the Earth.

One chief point of contention, as The Nation notes is that: "NATO expansion provided the context for this crisis—one too often ignored by our media. There is a rank irrationality and irresponsibility in offering future NATO membership to Ukraine—when, as successive US presidents and our NATO allies have demonstrated, they do not have the slightest intention of fighting to defend Ukraine. Instead, Putin’s demand, essentially that the status quo—i.e., Ukraine remaining outside of NATO—be codified, was scorned as violating NATO’s “principle” of admitting anyone it wanted."

Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is execrable by any measure but we must recall the Cuban Crisis of 1962 when we threatened invasion of Cuba because it hosted Russian nuclear missiles near our borders. The missiles were dismantled. We (U.S., NATO) cannot afford insisting upon nuclear missiles on Russia’s border if this incites a war that threatens the entire world. Far too much is at stake for a compromise that small. NUCLEAR WAR MUST NOT BE AN OPTION ON AN EARTH ALREADY IN DIRE PERIL.

It is urgent that we call the White House directly at 202-456-1111 and leave a comment urging that President Biden use every diplomatic tool at his disposal to encourage Russia to end this aggression. Among those diplomatic tools is the assurance that Ukraine not be permitted to join NATO.

In our calls we must make clear that diplomacy must ensure that Ukraine must be an independent nation but does not join NATO.

As Sara Haghdoosti of Win Without War says, "It is clear that we — the pro-diplomacy, pro-peace majority — have to keep showing up, now and in the weeks and months ahead."

We must not stand by, else we perish.

love of life must prevail

WORLD BEYOND WAR

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Monday, February 21, 2022

Piscis

                       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 2022

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 2022

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

Full moon of the Tiger year 4719

Full Moon of the Tiger Year 4719

Enlightenment comes
in play of shadow and light,
awful innocence.
In the forests of the night,
the tiger stalks the full moon.

-------------© Rafael Jesús González 2022

Luna del año del tigre 4719

La iluminación viene
en un juego de sombra y de luz,
terrible inocencia.
En los bosques de la noche
el tigre caza a la luna plena.

-------------© Rafael Jesús González 2022

Ueno Jakugen
middle Edo period (18 century)

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Monday, February 14, 2022

Valentine

No sería bien dejar pasar el único día del año reservado únicamente para la declaración de amor. Recibes esto hoy por, como escribí una vez, los lazos de sangre, los muchos años de amistad, o unos pocos, tal vez meses, semanas, días o solamente un breve encuentro compartido o aun solo por tu cara y tus bellas palabras “zumbadas” por ciberespacio. (¿Hace cuanto?) Tal vez ni siquiera recibas estas palabras (la dirección de e-mail que tengo para ti no sea la corriente; tal vez hayas muerto) o tal vez si recibes esto, no me recuerdes de nada. La lista ha crecido a través de los años, la memoria se esfuma. Tal vez el cariño que hubo entre nosotros se ha perdido por una larga ausencia, por el olvido, por un delito del corazón. O simplemente el tiempo lo atenúa, lo arrastra. Como la fe y la esperanza, cercanos familiares, se puede perder.

Estas palabras te pueden llegar como un salvavidas o tan delgaditas como hilo de telaraña. Pero porque el mundo está enfermo, la Tierra febril por falta de amor tenemos que tejer la red que nos salve. Este ‘te amo” hilado desde el corazón en el aislamiento impuesto por la pandemia te lleva bendiciones.

Y también gracias por lo que haces para hacer nuestra revolución. El mundo está en riesgo porque nosotros, los humanos, no hemos aprendido a amar la vida, la Tierra, los unos a los otros. El nuestro debe ser un amor comprometido hecho carne por la acción. Nuestra revolución de corazón y mente tiene que ser informada por un amor feroz. Es el amor en que se arraigan la fe y la esperanza. Hagamos nuestra revolución con tanta alegría como podamos ante los estragos del cambio climático, la crueldad del fascismo. Nuestro amor tiene que ser un sanar. Debido a que la enfermedad es tan profunda y tan grave, tiene que ser un sanar radical. Nos salvaremos sólo si prevalece el amor.

Como regalo de San Valentín te envío no chocolates en caja con volantes ni un ramo de rosas sino una colección de notas de amor, un ramo de palabras, de cantos.

Rafael Jesús González

It would not do to let by the one day of the year set aside solely for the declaration of love. You receive this today because of, as I once wrote, the bonds of blood, the many years of friendship, or a few, perhaps months, weeks, days, or only a brief meeting shared, or even only because of your face and your beautiful words zoomed through cyberspace. (How long ago?) Perhaps you do not even receive these words (the e-mail address I have for you may not be current; perhaps you have died) or perhaps if you receive this, you do not remember me at all. The list has grown through the years, memory fades. Perhaps what love there was between us is lost because of long absence, forgetfulness, a transgression of the heart. Or simply time attenuates it, fades it, washes it away. Like faith and hope, to which it is close kin, it can be lost.

These words may come to you as a life-line, or only as thin as a thread in a spider’s web. But because the world is ill, the Earth feverish for lack of love, we must weave the net that may save us. This “I love you” spun from the heart in the isolation imposed by the pandemic carries you blessings.

And also thanks for what you do to make our revolution. The world is at risk because we, humanity, have not learned to love life, the Earth, each other. Ours must be an engaged love given flesh by action. Our revolution of heart and mind must be informed by a fierce love. It is in love that faith and hope are rooted. Let us make our revolution with as much joy as we are able in the face of the pandemic, the ravages of climate change, the cruelty of facism. Our love must be a healing. Because the illness goes so deeply and is so grave, it must be a radical healing. We will be saved only if love prevails.

As Valentine gift, I send you not chocolates in a filly box, nor a bouquet of roses, but a collection of love letters, a bouquet of words, of songs.

Rafael Jesús González