Category: Notes

The Pope is almost here

These are fragments I’ve scribbled down while listening to the Irish national news today.

They came quickly from a fund of anger that festers within my body.

I’m sharing these phrases here in case I don’t sculpt them into verse soon. These are the exact words, warts and all.

The Pope is coming here

Defender of the Faith
God’s Vicar on Earth
Protector of priests
Conspiracy
Defender of pedophiles
rapists
Jesus Christ must be tossing in his grave
Confessor
Propagator of Untruths
Poser for the Poor
Prayers
Celebrator
Defender of Eucharist.

A chalice of putrid blood
the blood of people
abused
destroyed lives.
Destroyer of children
Leader of liars
Bishop of Rome
the central committee for the propagation of vice
7 deadly Sins
Mortal sins.

Salvation from prosecution

Infallible corruptor

The institution of Pope is here already in every parish + diocese

The silence of brother
the silence of priests, nuns
housekeepers
confession.

How shall the faithful welcome him?

longing, flags, reverence, prayers,
adoration

 

Walter Whitman – 3 notes about Walt

Monday is the first day of the New Year, a good day to consider what the poet Walt Whitman wrote over 150 years ago:

“Re-examine all that you have been told… dismiss that which insults your soul.”

This is the message my mother carried with her from war-torn Europe. This is the message we can carry with us as we march into 2018…

Christopher de Vinck is the author of “The Power of the Powerless: A Brother’s Legacy of Love” and lives in Pompton Plains.

______________________________

 By Joseph Albright

For The Jersey Journal

Historically speaking, did you know that:

American poetry that many readers think of as essentially “American”–free, open ended, rough and inclusive–came largely from poets in New Jersey, particularly Walt Whitman, Stephen Crane, William Carlos Williams, and Allen Ginsburg.

Whitman was born on Long Island but spent 20 years in Camden, N.J.

His “deathbed edition” or “Leaves of Grass” was prepared in 1891.

Ralph Waldo Emerson heralded Whitman as the poet for whom America had been waiting.

_____________________________

John Tamiazzo, PhD, is executive director of Verde Valley Humane Society.

… Seeing the smiles on their faces and listening to their positive attitudes, reminded me of a book I was currently reading on the life of American poet Walt Whitman, authored by Whitman’s personal physician, Richard Maurice Bucke, MD.

Buck spoke affectionately throughout his memoirs about Whitman’s demeanor.

He said that in the 20 years he knew Whitman he never argued or spoke unkindly about anyone. If literary critics spoke harshly about him or his writings, Whitman would simply say that they were absolutely correct in their criticism, thus lessening the emotion of the situation immediately.

Bucke wrote that the central teaching in Whitman’s poetry and lifestyle is that beauty is all around us and we just need to recognize and appreciate this beauty with our God-given senses.

Whitman strongly believed that we are missing out on the enjoyment of life when we long for things we don’t have or become judgmental too often.

Instead we can simply open our eyes to take notice and to see the bigger picture, open our ears to quietly listen, and open our hearts to a deeper wisdom and knowing of how much there is to be thankful for…

Bucke said that he never met a man who genuinely enjoyed so many things and people as Walt Whitman.

Whitman was kind, generous, gracious, and grateful. He was especially fond of children and animals. He exuded such enormous charm and love that he literally transformed the lives of everyone he met…