"There!"

I feel badly posting a newly published poem. Apparently not badly enough not to do so. I continue in hopes that this glimpse will entice curiosity of Wendell Berry's poetry in someone new or give joy to the fan.

This particular poem portrays precisely what I think and feel when the woods welcomes me. Often, God has gives me a lens to see simple beauty. For that, I am thankful.



Poem do not raise your voice.
Be a whisper that says, "There!"
where the stream speaks to itself
of the deep rock of the hill
it has craved it's way down to
in flowing over them, "There!"
where the sun enters and the tanager
flares suddenly on the lighted branch
"There!" Where the ariel columbine
brightens on its slender stalk
Walk, poem. Watch and make no noise.

-WB

End of a storm

Sophie, my canine companion, and I lumbered along Ferndale's backroads in a ferocious hail storm- with our hearts set on the beach. I needed to drink in some salty air and hunt for crabs. My feet were tired. My mind was busy remembering if I gave the crazy lady her sugar free, decaf, hazelnut, nonfat, extra flavor, soy latte.

Then, the storm broke.

A new, old home.

I am living at home, with my parents.
I got a new job serving coffee.
I am making my own adventures.
I am loving my friends and family.

My life is unglamorous, simple and beautiful.

I couldn't be happier. Except that one moment of that one day which sneaks up on me and says, "what are you doing, you lazy underachiever?! Why aren't you moving forward, studying for high ed., getting a better job?"

I am killing the voice, with good food, long walks, naps, and great literature.

Life review, lit review.

I love being home because now I am going to school in a classroom of whatever I need to study- salmon fishing, mushroom hunting, berry picking, house painting, baby playing, cider pressing, and book reading.

I should have majored in literature. I crave words.

I read Jane Eyre. At first I hated her. She nestled like a meek bird next to the mighty Mr. Rochester- never questioning, ever content. Then, he shocked, mortified, and embarrassed her and I felt relieved. When her strength was unmasked and unleashed, I fell in love with her.

Selfishly I love her because she reminds me of me.

Oh, Jane, you crazy fool. I wish my vocabulary and passion was as eloquent as yours.

Foooooood!

I am becoming more and more aware that the things I put in my body actually help or harm me. What a concept!!
I ran across this article on Alternet- about the 7 most grotesque foods. Some of these are appalling! It is amazing what we eat.

Also, today I bought a new book that I am already devouring (food pun, haha). It is a new book by Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma. The newby is called In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto.

No I am not worried about getting fat but I am worried about cancer, general health, and being good to something that has to last me a long time, well hopefully.

Here is a helpful interview with Pollan by Democracy Now.

CIA terrorized the terrorists

NPR posted this headliner today at npr.com.

White House To Oversee New Interrogation Team
by Dina Temple-Raston

Due to pressure from Democratic parties over certain cases Bush dismissed, "the Obama administration stripped the CIA of its lead role in debriefing terrorism suspects, announcing that it will create a new office overseen by the White House to run all future interrogations."

This was due to the terrorist methods the CIA was reported to have used, such as waterboarding and mock execution trials.

The new High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group will be managed by the FBI.

Because I agree with many of the Obama's policies I, for the moment feel interested in this change of power. However, now interrogation is in control of the White House and therefore the President. The constant raise and rise of unchecked presidental power makes me nervous.

James Madison would not be happy for the lack of competeing interests, however he did demonstrate a great deal of optimism for elected leadership.

Obama hails Mideast peace progress

I thought this was an interesting article written by Josh Gerstein - POLITICO.com.

Obama hails Mideast peace progress - Josh Gerstein - POLITICO.com

It is especially interesting having recently become acquainted with Nabeel Jabbour who received his PH.D. in Islamic studies. His book, which I am currently reading, titled, The Crescent Through the Eyes of the Cross, is an exceptionally thoughtful and provoking book about Muslim and Christian relations.

In his lecture I attended this morning in Colorado, Jabbour painted a different story then the one told in this article about relationship between Egypt and American. Furthermore, Obama's continued direction back towards Muslims and Muslim nations lack of engagement with Israel is unsettling at the very least. Jabbour and some of his close Muslim friends raise good questions about America's relationship with Egypt, many see the Egyptian president as been a neocolonial puppet of America.

The other part I am becoming more aware about when thinking about foreign policy in the middle east is this: often times for Muslims it is difficult to separate Christianity, Western ideology, and democracy. The imposition of democracy often feels like the force of Christendom which brings the fears of the Crusades (which do not feel so long ago, especially in light of Iraq).





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