The face of this sleeping earth.

Kwase Hasui 'Rain at Nissaka' 1942

"There is nothing more difficult then being a stepson of the time"
Vassily Grossman

if I could start over
before I brought a child
into this failing world
I would first dig my own grave
________
we are ordinary until we are not
a hawk gliding above this valley
is grocery shopping
just like you in safeway
clean up in aisle 7
dogs randomly do their business
out in the world
there's no other choice
remember driving the backroads
of calaveras county
and there was no gas station
but there were lots of pine trees
we all deal with the options we have
choose as wisely as possible
we are ordinary until we are not
________
Is democracy still alive? Certainly the conservative fascists are holding at gunpoint. Perhaps they already pulled the trigger when I wasn't looking. Perhaps none of us have been watching, at least not very closely. It could be that democracy is the child that did not survive.
________
oh the million lanterns of the night
oh the soft cornflowers of the night
georg trakl
yes
the smiles of the stars
across the face of this sleeping earth
the clean fresh breeze from the wings of angels
to cool the brows of the children at rest
and of the lovers at their best
yes
how sweet and pure
this darkness of time and ease
this darkness of hope and renewal
this darkness
complete and untroubled
yes
now the people raise their most innocent dreams
up to heaven to taste the thanks
and the holy blessings of the universe
those gifts that the universe might offer so freely
yes
oh the calm sea of the night
oh the million lanterns of the night
those soft cornflowers
those angel wings
yes
by james lee jobe

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James