About

This page is devoted to poetry and reflections I have written in the past few years. The poetry ranges from the personal to the philosophical. Similarly reflections are personal and philosophical but I have some political thought as well.

One Response to “About”

  1. thoughtshavehands's avatar thoughtshavehands Says:
    November 23, 2024 at 2:14 pm | Reply

    I was in American History class at West High in Knoxville, Tennessee on this dark day, Nov. 23, 1963.
    We were dismissed as a right wing acquaintance snickered saying something about — better choose a side because those in the middle will be crushed in the coming fight. His comment flew past me as I meandered out the door wondering what was happening.
    I had little interest in politics. I was just happy to be surviving high school, while maintaining a few friends. My major concern was do I have a date for the prom, and will I manage to get an ACT score high enough to get into UT.
    Once home we sat in front of the Television set. We saw film of the parade. No one said much as mother made TV dinners. We watched Walter Cronkite declare President Kennedy dead and I remember him taking off his glasses to wipe tears a way, look at the clock and tell us what time it really was.

    From that day on politics and world affairs became real to me. Today the statement LBJ made that we would carry on and he would do his best for the nation has a new connotation.

    Remember Johnson made it his mission to pass the Civil Rights law and tried to build on FDR’s great work only to get lost in the Vietnam war. He remarked after passage of the Civil Rights Act that we had lost the south for a generation. Today we continue to lose our nation to state’s rights. As well as petty fears about race, who you can love, and who you can be. Freedom for human rights has fallen victim to get off my back politics and discrimination against those who don’t look like me. Too many think the problem is big government telling us what to do. Anger, disillusionment and envy trump with resentment.

    The work must continue but fear mongering and hate have shown their strength and unwillingness to embrace anything but itself. Tragic times for America

    Maybe remembering the costs to leaders who tried to bend the arc of justice will be instructive. Lincoln, Kennedy, King, and so many others tried to mend fences and heal our differences but too many are afraid or remain determined not to let their safe tiny worlds disappear.

    Hope can only survive, if together, we help people heal and make the first small changes necessary to build a better foundation for a future that will leave no one behind.

    Give Peace A Chance. THH

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