The Week in Review

Well. I'm working today, which means no Superbowl, No Poetry gathering at a friend's house, pre-game & spending time with friends.

Thankfully, last weekend I had the opportunity to spend time arousing my mind and stimulating my creative drive.

I had the chance, after work, to read an excerpt from my my poem turned short story Sanctuary in Mind on Stephen Pitters's show Spokane Open Poetry Program.

It was harder than I anticipated. Because it was more personal, more intense, more passionate. A different intimacy then reading in front of an audience I can see. It's knowing you, out there, somewhere, are listening to me and I cannot see your face, your expression when you hear my words, and I wish to. This is an advantage of memorizing poetry, and writing in rhyming verse and not just writing in alliterative or rhythmic verse, which is harder to memorize.

Stephen is a congenial, warm, host who does everything to make his guest feel comfortable. I told him I was nervous and he said why would I be nervous? Well, when confronted with hospitality ala Stephen Pitters it's hard to stay uncomfortable, that's for sure.

Afterwards, I went to the  the Philosopher's Guild Meeting, "Are politics rational?" 

The place was packed. I went to the back, and a fellow philosopher offered me a more comfortable chair, which I gladly took.

What I came away with, after an hour of listening and making one statement, is that politics aren't all rational. Problems in law often come from bureaucracy. Too often people forget the spirit and heart of the law and that the law needs to have one and be tempered with mercy and compassion, because there is no real justice without love, and no real power without love, justice, mercy and compassion. Civilizations & cultures have failed, in my opinion, at the end of the day, because they did not successfully balance heart with mind, body with soul.

And because people are often, too busy passing judgement and wanting to have their opinions listened to without actually listening to, or putting themselves in the other person's shoes.

I ended up sitting next to three poets from Spokane's Open Poetry and Slam Nights at the Empyrean. It was good to see them.

Before the reading, as well, while eating my delicious minestrone soup, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation next to me.

The two young women, single, had their hair down, and as they spoke with their married male friend who joined them, the reached to put their hair up, at the same time, in sync. There's a poem in that.