Better Prescription

I've got some powerful new glasses which have allowed me to see things that seem to have gone unnoticed in the past.  For instance, I took a cursory glance at the Ten Commandments and saw a footnote in fine print that I hadn't been aware of at all:

VI.
Thou shalt not kill.*

* Except if thou shalt happen to possess drones. Then it's way cool.

"Democracy as law is a fight for every day. If you don't fight for that, it’s just a piece of paper." 

~ Juan Garces 

Of Thee I Sing

Now understand me well - it is provided in the essence of

things, that from any fruition of success, no matter

what, shall come forth something to make a greater

struggle necessary.

. . . the road is before us!

~ Walt Whitman

Red Letter Day

A few years ago, I wrote a piece of which I was, and still am, quite proud. The poem has appeared in various places in print and can be found on several sites on-line. Today, however, I am equally proud to retire this poem, and to once again salute the flag of MY country. Here, hopefully for the last time, is that poem:

and by the way,

I do not choose to pledge allegiance

to black divided from white,

red states from blues,

shades of brown divided in every town.

one nation, all too divisible.

baptist divided from catholic,

gentile from jew,

muslim from buddhist,

me from you,

one nation, under whose god ?

white collars washed

separately from blue collars

in an oh, so delicate cycle

while collarless slaves

dig their own graves

trying to get to the one nation, invisible.

once they’re here,

there’s plenty to fear -

some living large,

others quite small,

yeah

I’ll pledge allegiance

when there’s justice for all.

~ Ralph Murre

Hurrah!

Hurrah!
Hurrah!
Hurrah!