Independence Day. July 4. Perhaps amidst our celebrating we might consider what those words mean. Freedom has become more precious to me of late.
In Response to Nadia’s Misdirected Email, I State Exactly What I Am Looking For
Balance. The ability to stand on one foot, on a tightrope, and juggle AR-15s,
ethics and dollar bills, while chanting the U.S. Constitution, in tongues.
Or good health.
Unweighted dreams.
A mechanism for disagreeing without needing to annihilate the opposition.
Doorways without doors, truth without fear.
A simple tulip.
One word to describe that instant between thought and pulled trigger,
intent and wish, the elevated pulse and sense of diminished space and time.
Sanctuary. Regret. Apology. Respect.
A tonic to the bitterness, a foil to the sweet.
Fitted sheets that fold. Uncommon sense.
Love in the abstract. More bacon. Smiles.
A closet that embraces everything you place in it. Everything.
The means of unfiring guns, of reversing wounds to undamaged flesh,
and rounds to their magazines, full and never used.
Self-organizing drawers. Due process.
Mothers who know only tears of joy.
One peaceful day.
Just one.
This first appeared on the blog in July 2016. The poem was a response to an email asking a question intended for someone else: “What exactly are you looking for?”
Perfection.
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Thank you, Leslie. I’m finding mindless celebration a bit difficult these days.
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Ditto.
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I understand that about mindless celebration,considering the times – not just in regards to the current administration, but also to the unequal granting of liberties.
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There’s so much inequality in treatment of people!
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Still hoping. Happy 4th! (K)
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Never stop! Thanks, Kerfe.
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Still altogether too relevant (and great work). I’m using Bah Humbug for a lot more holidays these days.
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I’ve become quite the humbugger!
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Yes. Exactly this. ❤️
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Thank you, Emily!
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I remember this! Another year of grace, insight and wisdom.
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Thanks, Linda. It’s been a tough year. I hope the next twelve months brings more grace.
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Love this. Yes to a complicated, complicated celebration, especially this year. Also. . . I am the queen of folding fitted sheets! 🙂
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OMG! The queen of folding fitted sheets! You must post an instructional video. I am the minor duke of wadding or rolling up fitted sheets. Ha!
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Yes please. All of this. And dancing in the streets. Happy 4th Robert.
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Happy 4th, Ali. Yes, unabashed dancing in the streets!
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All your wants still wanting …
(No amount of bacon could change that one)
Repeating intrigues … as this round ’tis the closet that tugs at me.
Keep wanting!
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There’s never enough bacon. Sigh.
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Even more powerful this year than last.
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Thanks, Cate. It’s been a tough year, physically and emotionally, but the optimist in me keeps forcing himself out…
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The way the lines bounce from one unrelated item (at least on the surface) to another, reflects inequality in an interesting way. I do joy in how you can move like that through your poems.
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Thanks, Daniel. It is a reflection of the way my mind works, and also pays homage to the ordinary bits of life which occupy so much of our days.
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Thoroughly enjoyed!
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Thank you!
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And this one gets even more precious to me. I needed something to calm my nerves down from all the evocations of warfare out there tonight; I thought it was another glass of wine, but no it was this. 🙂
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Glad to provide some comfort, Sunshine. The incessant banging is driving me to distraction…
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The chance to like a post more than once
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Ha!
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Good one
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Thank you.
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Superb
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Thanks, Derrick!
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Robert, this is wonderful. Thanks.
What’s the point of repeating the the hollow words if we do not have faith on them or spin those words to our own benefits.
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Thank you, as always, for your comments. Perhaps we might resolve some smaller issues and then work our way up. Perhaps.
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❤️
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So many sparkles in this one. As a mother, I am drawn to “Mothers who only know tears of joy.” That one sparkles just a little more that the other words. Thank you.
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We’ve had way too much of the other kind of tears.
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“A mechanism for disagreeing without needing to annihilate the opposition.” Very powerful. You need to post and repost, and keep posting!
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Thanks for the encouragement, Alexandra!
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