The Vibrant Channeled Creator

THURSDAY APRIL 20, 2023
 
 “Let us pray that we may never be tired of bearing witness to the Gospel, even in times of tribulation. May all the martyr saints be seeds of peace and reconciliation among peoples, for a more humane and fraternal world, as we await the full manifestation of the Kingdom of Heaven, when God will be all in all. In the joy of the Risen Christ, I invoke upon you and your families the loving mercy of God our Father. May the Lord bless you all!” 
Pope Francis

People Like Us
by Robert Bly

      There are more like us. All over the world

There are confused people, who can’t remember

The name of their dog when they wake up, and people

Who love God but can’t remember where

He was when they went to sleep. It’s

All right. The world cleanses itself this way.

A wrong number occurs to you in the middle

Of the night, you dial it, it rings just in time

To save the house. And the second-story man

Gets the wrong address, where the insomniac lives,

And he’s lonely, and they talk, and the thief

Goes back to college. Even in graduate school,

You can wander into the wrong classroom,

And hear great poems lovingly spoken

By the wrong professor. And you find your soul,

And greatness has a defender, and even in death you’re safe.

“People Like Us” by Robert Bly from Stealing Sugar from the Castle. © Norton, 2013. Reprinted with permission.

My people were devout Christians who believed that Satan was loose in the world seeking whom he might corrupt but they didn’t see government as being in his employ. They weren’t paranoid; they believed in the power of the Word.Scripture says to love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and to love your neighbor as yourself, and this is clear as can be walking around Central Park among the cherry blossoms, the runners, the families — you notice how a little kid dashes away from his parents for about twenty feet and then turns to check their whereabouts. They are the center of his world. My sweetie and I hold hands, we’re a part of this enormous tract of goodwill in the middle of Skyscraper National Park. People in South Dakota may imagine New York as a hellhole of violence and corruption, and if this gives them comfort, fine, but we’re here and it’s April and everyone in our sight feels lucky to be here together.

Garrison Keillor4/19/23

Dark and Late
by Catherine Abbey Hodges

This dark porch

has brimmed

with light

like a bowl of water

like a throat with water

afternoons of light

years of light

years of afternoons

scintillating down

fragrant noons

underwater-green dusks

and nights

dark and late

lit by candles, hands,

eyes with the leap

that’s the life

we’ve come for,

what we carry

nonchalant

white knuckled

down the spill of years,

what carries us, what

meets us in the end

and on the way

on each other.

“Dark and Late” by Catherine Abbey Hodges from Instead of Sadness. © Gunpowder Press, 2015. Reprinted by permission.

It is the birthday of the man who inspired the word “beatnik” in the 1950s: poet Bob Kaufman (books by this author), born Robert Garnell Kaufman, in New Orleans, Louisiana (1925). Kaufman’s mother was a Roman Catholic woman from Martinique who loved to play the piano and buy books at auctions. His father was a German Jew; “my Negro suit has Jew stripes,” Kaufman often said of his lineage. Details of his life are hazy because he didn’t keep a diary or leave behind any letters, and while he completed three volumes of poetry, he preferred to recite his poems in coffee houses rather than write them down.
As a teenager, he joined the Merchant Marine. In his 20 years as a sailor, he circled the globe nine times and survived four shipwrecks. On his first ship, the Henry Gibbons, he became friends with the first mate, who lent him books and encouraged him to read.
It was at sea when he first read about the Beat poets, many of whom also had maritime ambitions. Gary Snyder wanted to experience the culture in port cities around the world, and he worked as a seaman during the summer of 1948 and again in the mid-1950s. When Jack Kerouac, as a freshman at Columbia, failed chemistry and lost his scholarship, he joined the Merchant Marine to make money to re-enroll. Allen Ginsberg was suspended from Columbia for fighting with his dormitory housekeeper, and he followed Kerouac into the Merchant Marine. (Ginsberg tried marijuana for the first time on his maiden voyage.) When he was 22, Lawrence Ferlinghetti fell in love with the sea when he lived on the Maine coast for a summer and worked scraping moss off rocks. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he enrolled in Midshipmen’s School and was deployed at different lighthouses and naval watch posts throughout World War II.
When Kaufman was back on land, he studied briefly at the New School in New York City, where he met William S. Burroughs and Ginsberg. The three eventually moved to San Francisco and joined Gregory Corso, Kerouac, and Ferlinghetti to form the heart of the Beat movement.
Improvisational jazz influenced Kaufman’s street performances and earned him the nickname “The Original Bebop Man,” but it also earned him the attention of local police. In 1959, he was tossed into jail 39 times for disorderly conduct. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Herb Caen said he had Kaufman’s spontaneous oral poetry in mind when he created the word “beatnik.”
Later, Kaufman cofounded Beatitude magazine, which helped launch the careers of many other poets, but he continued to live a mostly itinerant life, filled with drugs, a stint at Bellevue Hospital, where he underwent electroshock treatments, and continued police harassment. By the mid ’60s, he had published two volumes of poetry — Solitudes Crowded with Loneliness (1965) and Golden Sardine (1967) — and in the early ’80s, his friends gathered old recordings and notes and had them published as The Ancient Rain: Poems 1958 – 1978 (1981).
When President Kennedy was shot in 1963, Kaufman took a vow of silence and didn’t speak again until he walked into a coffee shop in 1975 and recited his poem, “All Those Ships that Never Sailed.” He said:
All those ships that never sailedThe ones with their seacocks openThat were scuttled in their stalls …Today I bring them backHuge and transitoryAnd let them sailForever.
His wife encouraged Kaufman to write down his many poems, but he wished to stay hidden from history.
He said, “I want to be anonymous. My ambition is to be completely forgotten.”

Tall Girl Running
by Louis Simpson

There is no gene which single-handedly builds a leg, long or short. Building a leg is a multi-gene cooperative enterprise.          —Richard Dawkins

She went running by.

I never saw a girl with such long legs.

She ran by again.

I shouted to her,

“You run like an angel.”

She smiled and said,
“Thank you.”

She did some knee bends.

I said, “Where did you

get those legs?”

“My father,” she said,

and went her way smiling.

“Tall Girl Running” by Louis Simpson from Struggling Times. © BOA Editions, Ltd. 2009. Reprinted with permission.

Monday April 17, 2023

 “Let us reflect on these facts. In order to believe, Thomas wants an extraordinary sign – to touch the wounds. Jesus shows them to him, but in an ordinary way, coming in front of everyone, in the community, not outside. It’s as if he said to him: if you want to meet me, do not look far away, remain in the community, with the others. Don’t go away…pray with them…break bread with them. And he says this to us as well. That is where you will find me; that is where I will show you the signs of the wounds impressed on my body: the signs of the Love that overcomes hatred, of the Pardon that disarms revenge, the signs of the Life that conquers death. It is there, in the community, that you will discover my face, as you share moments of doubt and fear with your brothers and sisters, clinging even more strongly to them. Without the community, it is difficult to find Jesus.” 
Pope Francis
 

FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 2023
 
 “When hope is spent and we feel loneliness in our hearts, inner weariness, the torment of sin, the fear of failure, let us return to Jesus. For He is the only one who always defeats death and always renews our life. Our wounds can be passages, openings that, in imitating the wounds of the Lord, allow God’s mercy to enter. His grace changes our lives and makes us artisans of peace and reconciliation.” 
Pope Francis

Be Kind
by Michael Blumenthal Laney Margolis
To all those who are offended that the dancers aren’t wearing enough clothing, I would suggest that you just stay away from ballet sites. Professional ballet dancers are both artists and elite athletes. Studies have shown that they are among the strongest, if not the strongest, athletes in the world. We do not ask why elite swimmers wear small bathing suits and elite runners wear tiny shorts, so why would we ask why ballet dancers are wearing minimal clothing? In this particular picture, they are dancing in a ballet called “Caravaggio.” If you know anything about art, you know that Caravaggio was a revolutionary Italian painter in the 1600’s who pushed the boundaries of what was then acceptable as art with his use of light and realism in his paintings. At the time, some thought his work obscene, but art historians now believe he was one of the most important artists in history. His paintings were raw, realistic, shocking and incredibly beautiful. It is no wonder that a ballet inspired by him would include all of those elements. Ballet dancers use their bodies to create art and if there is anything more beautiful than the human bodies in this picture, I haven’t seen it. No need to moralize about art. If you see pornography, that’s in your mind, not in the ballet. Or the painting. Or the statue. The human body, especially when trained and honed, is incredibly beautiful. Religion, politics and cultural values are man-made things; if your beliefs make it impossible for you to enjoy what nature made, then just avoid looking at it. So sorry you’ll be missing out on all the wonderful things you can see
when you have an open mind.

Be Kind

by Michael Blumenthal

Not merely because Henry James said

there were but four rules of life—

be kind be kind be kind be kind—but

because it’s good for the soul, and,

what’s more, for others; it may be

that kindness is our best audition

for a worthier world, and, despite

the vagueness and uncertainty ofi

ts recompense, a bird may yet wander

into a bush before our very houses,

gratitude may not manifest itself in deeds

entirely equal to our own, still there’s

weather arriving from every direction,

the feasts of famine and feasts of plenty

may yet prove to be one, so why not

allow the little sacrificial squinches and

squigulas to prevail? Why not inundate

the particular world with minute particulars?

Dust’s certainly all our fate, so why not

make it the happiest possible dust,

a detritus of blessedness? Surely

the hedgehog, furling and unfurling

into its spiked little ball, knows something

that, with gentle touch and unthreatening

tone, can inure to our benefit, surely the wicked

witches of our childhood have died and,

from where they are buried, a great kindness

has eclipsed their misdeeds. Yes, of course,

in the end so much comes down to privilege

and its various penumbras, but too much

of our unruly animus has already been

wasted on reprisals, too much of the

unblessed air is filled with smoke from

undignified fires. Oh friends, take

whatever kindness you can find

and be profligate in its expenditure:

It will not drain your limited resources,

I assure you, it will not leave you vulnerable

and unfurled, with only your sweet little claws

to defend yourselves, and your wet little noses,

and your eyes to the ground, and your little feet.

“Be Kind” by Michael Blumenthal from No Hurry. © Etruscan Press, 2012. Reprinted with permission. 

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12TH, 2023
 
 “Let us think of the women of the Gospel: there was the sealed stone and despite this, they go to the tomb; there was an entire city that had seen Jesus on the cross and nevertheless they go to the city to announce that he is alive. Dear brothers and sisters, when one encounters Jesus, no obstacle can prevent us from proclaiming him. If instead we keep his joy for ourselves, perhaps it is because we have not yet truly encountered him.
Brothers, sisters, before the women’s experience we ask ourselves: tell me, when was the last time you bore witness to Jesus? When was the last time I bore witness to Jesus? Today, what shall I do so that the people I meet receive the joy of his proclamation? And again: can someone say: this person is serene, happy, good, because he has met Jesus? Can this be said of every one of us? Let us ask Our Lady to help us be joyful proclaimers of the Gospel.”

Pope Francis

MONDAY, APRIL 10TH, 2023
 
 “Remember your own Galilee and walk towards it, for it is the “place” where you came to know Jesus personally, where he stopped being just another personage from a distant past, but a living person: not some distant God but the God who is at your side, who more than anyone else knows you and loves you. Brother, sister, remember Galilee, your Galilee, and your call. Remember the Word of God who at a precise moment spoke directly to you. Remember that powerful experience of the Spirit; that great joy of forgiveness experienced after that one confession; that intense and unforgettable moment of prayer; that light that was kindled within you and changed your life; that encounter, that pilgrimage… Each of us knows where our Galilee is located. Each of us knows the place of his or her interior resurrection, that beginning and foundation, the place where things changed. We cannot leave this in the past; the Risen Lord invites us to return there to celebrate Easter. Remember your Galilee. Remind yourself.”
Pope Francis
 

Poem for the Family

Before I went to sleep, the soft lamplights

from the tenements across the street,

still, in the night, resembled peace.

There is something I forgot to be grateful

for. But I’m not uneasy. This poem

is enough gratitude for the day. That leaf

tapping against the window, enough

music for the night. My love’s even

breathing, a lullaby for me.

Gentle is the sun’s touch

as it brushes the earth’s revolutions.

Fragrant is the moon in February’s

sky. Stars look down & witness,

never judge. The City moves

beneath me, out of sight.

or a haven. Heaven for a poet

homeward bound. Rest my son’s head

upon sweet dreams & contentment.

Let me turn out the light to rest.

“Poem for the Family” by Susan Cataldo from Drenched: Selected Poems of Susan Cataldo.

SUNDAY, APRIL 9TH, 2023
 
 “Brothers and sisters our hope has a name: the name of Jesus. He entered the tomb of our sin; he descended to those depths where we feel most lost; he wove his way through the tangles of our fears, bore the weight of our burdens and from the dark abyss of death restored us to life and turned our mourning into joy. Let us celebrate Easter with Christ! He is alive! Today, too, he walks in our midst, changes us and sets us free. Thanks to him, evil has been robbed of its power; failure can no longer hold us back from starting anew; and death has become a passage to the stirrings of new life. For with Jesus, the Risen Lord, no night will last forever; and even in the darkest night, in that darkness, the morning star continues to shine.”
Pope Francis
 

In the dark, Mary Magdalene comes to the empty tomb. It is 3 AM and she finds the tomb open and Jesus gone! She rushes to the disciples and asks them what happened to Jesus.

New life must gather itself in the dark. Like owls, we must see in the dark: the human in the divine and the divine in the human. It is often difficult to see what is lost is found….Eastered and given new life. We have to see the Lord, perceive the Lord. “I am alive”, he says. Her heart exclaimes with joy: “Rabbi”! Recognition of Redemption! The gardener plants the seed of New Life! Easter faith! and An epic of love!

Australia – In Australia Easter bilbies (a much-loved endangered species) are quickly replacing Easter bunnies (considered pests). Chocolate manufacturers even donate a part of their profits to bilby preservation.

Easter traditions vary from the sacred to the profane (mostly the former), from the “Oh, how beautiful!” to the “Say what?” Here on this Easter weekend are some images and descriptions (after the pictures below) of Easter traditions around the world. I hope you enjoy them, but more–much more–I pray you may know the joy they represent!

 

https://mitchteemley.com/#jp-carousel-47622

 

In Croacia

In Spain:

FRIDAY, APRIL 7TH, 2023
 
 “The cross displays the nails that pierce his hands and feet, his open side. But to the wounds in his body are added those of his soul. How much anguish, Jesus is alone, betrayed, handed over and denied by his own – by his friends and even his disciples – condemned by the religious and civil powers, excommunicated, Jesus even feels abandoned by God (cf. v. 46). We too are wounded – who isn’t in life? Who does not bear the scars of past choices, of misunderstandings, of sorrows that remain inside and are difficult to overcome? God does not hide the wounds that pierced his body and soul, from our eyes. He shows them so we can see that a new passage can be opened with Easter: to make holes of lights out of our own wounds.
And I ask you: what do you do with your wounds, with the ones only you know about? You can allow them to infect you with resentment and sadness, or I can instead unite them to those of Jesus, so that my wounds too might become luminous. Our wounds can become springs of hope when, instead of feeling sorry for ourselves or hiding them, we dry the tears shed by others; when, instead of nourishing resentment for what was robbed of us, we take care of what others are lacking; when, instead of dwelling on ourselves, we bend over those who suffer; when, instead of being thirsty for love, we quench the thirst of those in need of us.”
Pope Francis

A Post from David Harrison

Hi everyone,
I have agreed to allow ten of my books to be released in Braille editions to be placed in area public libraries at no cost. The Legends Project is a nonprofit organization established to make more books available to blind and visually impaired readers. I’m delighted to be asked. Years ago part of one of my books was released in Braille and I’ve often thought that I would love to have more of my work made available this way. Here’s a recent TLP press conference in a neighboring community.

I’m providing the project director with this list of books, two extra in case alternates are needed. I won’t be paid for this project. The Legends folks will raise the money to cover costs. A law signed in 1996 makes it legal to take copyrighted materials into Braille as long as no one is paid and its for educational purposes. The process of creating a Braille edition will take half a year or so after the funds are raised.
A Place to Start a Family – Charlesbridge
Now You See Them, Now You Don’t – Charlesbridge
The Dirt Book – Holiday House
And the Bullfrogs Sing – Holiday House
I Want an Apple – Holiday House
Rum Pum Pum – Holiday House – co-written with Jane Yolen
After Dark – Wordsong (Boyds Mills & Kane)
Pirates – Wordsong (Boyds Mills Press)
Cowboys – Wordsong (Boyds Mills Press)
Crawly School for Bugs – Wordsong (an imprint of Highlights)
When Cows Come Home – Boyds Mills Press

In response to jeanne

In response to jeanne poland:
How appropriate to have your rapture on Good Friday! The day that Jesus began his Feast of Love and Redemption! You’ve planted the seeds of Easter Joy!

Thank you, Jeanne. I’m on my way this morning to help Sandy buy geraniums to festoon our patio for another summer of bright joy. Give my best to Don.

david harrison just commented on I’m in love.