Keeping my Poetry Alive

Some poetry and a DJ mix for you.

She stood upon a crooked horizon
Tangerine blood red
Waiting until the curtain closed
Sound asleep in bed.

The butterflies or moths
In her heart concentrated
Tight teardrop shaped
Flames fluttering elated

Phantom fears her enemy
Slipping in to steal the night
Whispering sullied lies and seeds
Her dreams frantic blights.

One can wait forever
Or so it feels, until the sun sets
Worth the cool it brings relief it seems
navy blue sans regret.


Untitled Love Poem

When I look at you I see beauty
The crown of your neck
The shade and shine of your eye
There’s loveliness
In the arch of your back
In the way you touch me
Molding your clay
I surrender to you
Forever fixed.


Untitled

Tell the sadness that is deep
Colloquially, its passes are delusional.
Move your shoulder sensually
Tell despair the moment is preferable.
There you can breathe
Life is real-time raw as ginger root.

Juliana Tafoya

Make Dub Not War Vol. 4

DJ Aporia & Ale Fillman



Download the mix here.

We've had two snow falls this autumn season so far in the city, the first with devastating results to some major branches of the tree in our backyard. The wet heavy early snow on branches that still have leaves buckled under the pressure and snapped. So it is with people, if you put too much weight, stress and risk on them they get bogged down and snap to relieve pressure. The last month has been just overwhelming, fun and inspiring to say the least. (Photo by Leslie Muirhead)

Our trip to Wooster, Ohio to visit Phil's friends and family was great! It included shooting guns for my first time out in the country, drinking Pennsylvania Lager beer Yuengling, catching up with friends and family, Vicki's home cooked meals, fantastic restaurants and food like Coccia House and the City Square steak house. We also went to Cleveland for a day to visit Phil's aunt and uncle and go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and dine in the city. It was a good vacation because we got to take the load of work off, eat, drink and sleep well, try new things and interact with people we love and never see.

Phil and I also attended the Amon Tobin Isam concert, or rather art installation of sound and visual glory October 18th at the Boulder Theater to a sold out crowd. He worked with some amazing artists to create the Isam experience. As Pitchfork says, "Amon Tobin creates aural treasures...He rejuvenates the pallid genre of electronica every time he permits the world to glance through the twisted digital window of his music."
Playing all original songs, he crafted them seamlessly together and with visual accentuation affecting all senses, visual, audio and indeed tactile as you could feel your body shake with the bass and lifted with the beauty of his music which shines in all shades.

One of my other all time favorites, Portishead from Bristol performed right here in our city of Broomfield at the 1st Bank venue on October 27th where we got to be in the music heaven they graciously create. (Photo by Phil Amann) I don't know why Beth Gibbons isn't recognized more for her lyrics and singing, she is just epic, as is the whole band - the drumming, guitar, programming, vinyl scratching were all just top notch and the visuals were pretty tight too. They really strike a high caliber of chord with people: raw, original and gorgeous music and feelings.

Human emotions ran pretty high in October in the whole world it seems, Occupy Wall Street in NYC began with a group of people protesting the financial industries irresponsibility and corruption of public policies, subsidies and bailouts and with unemployment rate on average in the U.S. at 9% its no surprise. (Photo by Roman Tafoya) People have the right to freely assembly and peacefully protest. Naomi Wolf wrote a chilling article on the brutal police assaults on the Occupy Wall Street movement here. So I say, let your causes of concern be heard! Even if you aren't in the streets, support those who are risking themselves for a better future for us all, Iraq war veterans included. Call your state representatives about legislation you do or do not want to pass, write them letters, and sign online petitions these are great democratic ways to help push for the change you want to see too. Major commercial banks have already felt the blow of consumer anger since many are closing their accounts and switching to credit unions. Further, I'd just like to say the super committee in the U.S. Congress in charge of cutting our budget by a trillion dollars, shouldn't be putting clean water or our social security on the chopping block for consideration. Fair trade is better than free trade too, Obama. I mean haven't we learned from NAFTA and the devastating affects on people who have no choice but to be exploited by U.S. corporate interests and the interests of their own corrupt leaders? My causes of concern have been pretty plain in this blog, they are the issues I care about because they directly impact me and those I love and the rights of human beings. I believe in a sustainable and bright future that includes affordable access to education, health care and in freedom and happiness all through peaceful creative cooperation.

Every day we climb stairs
yearning to see the top. Fascist skies stained glass blue
the sun shines through still it isn’t enough.

She talks in rainbow hues riding laughter
working hours and curvatures
her body tepidly absorbing auspicious tides.

The carp in our tunnel the strain in our lobe
Eyes that seek what they cannot yet see
In every echo of every step seems just like a dream.

Be The Change You Want to See

Over the Labor Day weekend I got a chance to make the drive up to Steamboat, Colorado with some friends and family, it was lovely. Tubing down the Yampa river in a tube made for snow and then dipping in the shallow warm water of the Hippie springs was quite the adventure. Boating at Stagecoach reservoir and eating at Beau Jo's downtown were also great highlights and I had the pleasure of great company to enjoy it with and the accommodations of an appreciated condo. It was a great weekend to wind down the summer with and welcome Fall.

Lately I've been working on my meditation in final savasana at the end of yoga class, resting in a natural floating aware feeling of equanimity. Along with the tender moments of sleeping and waking to the love of my life, they are the most liberating from despair and uplifting minutes of peace. There's this breathing exercise I like to do, with each inhale and exhale I concentrate on the words and my breath to fully feel joy in each moment. I believe that whatever gives you peace and marries your body and mind that brings about positive changes is worth practicing for yourself and for others. Recently I went to Louisville, CO to check out the Colorado Yoga Competition at the Farmer's Market and caught an hour and a half of the women's series. It's good to know that the ultimate expression of a posture is a goal and not an expectation as I've heard some teachers say. This national champion's standing bow pose pictured above was truly an inspiring sight as were all yogis who participated.

A few of days ago was the September 16 Mexican Independence Day. On that day in 1810 called "Grito de Dolores", Father Hidalgo rang the bell in the town of Dolores, signaling the beginning of a Reform and revolution to severe ties with Spain spurring a "liberal" movement during which sadly communal land ties of the Indigenous were lost. Octavio Paz in 'The Labyrinth of Solitude' reflects on this - "The war began as a protest against the abuses of the metropolis and the Spanish bureaucracy, but it was also, and primarily, a protest against the great native landholders". The decidedly positive achievements were "Hidalgo proclaimed the abolition of slavery and Morelos broke up the great estates." However, a second revolution from what turned out to be an oppressive military regime orchestrated largely by dictatorial Porfirio Diaz, was necessary; a "regime heir of colonial feudalism: the ownership of land was concentrated in a few hands" and "could produce nothing except rebellion."
The intellectual revolution started with the Plan of San Luis in 1910 and from that "a new generation had risen, a restless generation that desired change." This desire for change was bravely shown by Emilio Zapata and the EZLN, truly inspiring people who have presented the voice of their unspoken struggle to the world since 1994 in Chiapas in protest against oppressive NAFTA policies and class discrimination. For throughout the brutality and opposition they gained some human rights and positive international support, "retaining their distinctiveness due in part to the importance of indigenous Mayan beliefs in Zapatismo thought." While still ongoing with their struggle they remain an important part of Mexican history, of modern true revolution mostly through nonviolent means, bless their beautiful hearts.

My sister Angela and I and some cousins, participated in the El Grito 5K race in Denver on September 11th, 2011. Angie and I finished in 27 minutes, not bad! In all it was a beautiful day to exercise and to be with family and loved ones. The money raised by the race goes to a scholarship for a high school student who excels at cross country and track. It's a great cause and was a respectful day to remember lives lost in the 9/11 U.S. terrorist attacks, as well as remember lives lost in Chile's September 11th.

Also recently, I went to a protest in Boulder organized to bring attention from local businesses and citizens that the planting of more Genetically Modified seeds besides corn, which is currently allowed, in Open Space lands is being opposed. Please watch the Future of Food documentary to learn more about GMOs. Plant pathologists, small farmers, scientists outside of Monsanto and concerned consumers all give a damn and if you do too please make your voice heard and also let the President know you do not support Monsanto super lobbyist Michael Taylor as FDA Food Safety Czar. It has been shown that Big Agriculture is not necessary to feed the world, and if 1/3 of our food produced and processed is thrown away anyways why not buy food from farmer's market outlets occasionally or even generate food in your own backyard to lessen the demand? I can't afford to buy all organic everything all the time either but we can't give up our rights to the resilience of our food and at the possible risk of our health (infertility, weakened immunity are GMO animal study side affects) without raising some eyebrows, some voices and signs.

I can't wait for October this year, there's much to look forward to. Amon Tobin, Portishead, a trip to visit Phil's family and friends in Wooster, Ohio, which is lovely in fall, our friend's Evergreen wedding, Sandra's visit, Lisa and her baby. Change seems to be the only constant, why not accept it, try to change the things you can for the good and enjoy.

The Mountains, the SOA, and Ernest

Really, where does the time go? It's already mid-August, the U.S. debt default crisis averted, albeit conditions, our garden is in bloom, I finished a Hemmingway novel, and we've been to the mountains with family and friends, white water rafting and camping and boating the last two weekends.

Clear Creek in Idaho Springs is an excellent place to catch some great frothy river fun this season, we tackled some class four rapids, luckily we didn't lose Phil, he almost fell in! Then we enjoyed Tommy Knockers brewery in town and the pinball arcade. Lake Dillon is also gorgeous, we shared a pontoon with family and friends then camped up Swan Mountain in prospector with a lake view. The Dillon BBQ festival was tasty, they had hot jalapenos, shrimp bombs, pulled pork tacos and more, and the Dam Brewery was there serving cold beers.

Our garden is turning out, I'm glad we have another round of green beans coming, small red tomatoes, over 6 feet tall sunflowers and some herbs; I made an organic pasta sauce for the manicotti tonight with fresh basil and Italian parsley.
I also decided that a tall iced cold glass of Celestial Seasoning Blueberry Green tea with mint from the garden and blueberries is my favorite drink this summer. But if you want a beverage with more kick, recently I tried a spicy Bloody Mary, and great Southern cuisine at Shugs in Boulder, it's great!



Tomorrow August 16th, is a White House Call In Day put on by the SOA Watch to ask the Obama administration to close the SOA or WHINSEC formerly the School of the Americas. The SOA has been open since 1946 located in Benning, Georgia and has graduated murderers and terrorists claiming the lives of many innocent people in Latin America. SOA graduates participated in committing a military coup in Honduras in June 2009 and removed democratically elected President Manuel Zelaya and replaced him with an oppressive regime. I first heard about the SOA in college when I heard an activist priest come to campus to talk about his efforts in closing the SOA. The push for the Call In Day is to make aware that sixty-nine members of congress will officially request that President Barack Obama sign an executive order shutting down the SOA/WHINSEC thus ending funding a school of assassins and saving the United States $180 million over the next decade.

$180 million over the next decade may not be that much but it's a chunk of the $917 billion over 10 years we are supposed to cut or $5 billion cut out of our "budget". Of course there is opposition to cut defense spending from the right but that's expected, right? Then of course there is a difference between defense spending and security spending so which does closing the SOA fall under? Either way it's a huge questionable expense our resources should not be going towards, it's nauseating to think about actually.

It was funny to hear Mr. Obama talk about "other stuff" in referring to Biomass for Energy and the potential for that industry to create jobs, which was the question, "How will renewable energy create jobs?" He had a town hall on CNN this morning in Minnesota, and while it's a step maybe he could elaborate. The debt deal certainly doesn't sound like a job stimulator much to economists, democrats and critics dismay, but there is one thing I agree about. We must stop playing politics when trying to solve our issues and take the best ideas regardless of affiliation. The Industry Hemp initiative is another cause to take up, talking of the best renewable resource besides solar energy, that could create jobs, with California farmers in the front running.

I've just finished 'The Sun Also Rises' by Hemmingway and on to 'Tender is the Night' by Scott Fitzgerald, two classics I've always meant to read, and what a perfect summer to do so. I love the simple but rich, honest and telling prose of Hemmingway.

"Enjoying living was learning to get your money's worth and knowing when you had it. The world was a good place to buy in. It seemed like a fine philosophy. In five years, I thought, it will seem just as silly as all the other fine philosophies I've had." -Ernest Hemmingway 'The Sun Also Rises' 1926

Achieving Balance

There was a moment this past weekend when Phil and I were hanging out in our backyard on Sunday, watching and listening to the celebratory war zone sounds and lights of neighborhood fire works that I had to think of the headlines of our $14.3 trillion national debt ceiling being reached. The 4th of July was a long weekend this year, being on Monday, a time when everyone tries to de-stress with all the food, booze, driving to see family, friends and getting a good spot for a free firework show. But the debt ceiling debate was on the fringes of my mind, and I thought for how long can we go on celebrating like this until our government slowly takes away public programs and government jobs and maybe even collapses altogether? I told Phil, wouldn't it be easy if the U.S. could just declare bankrupt like individuals and just start all over with a clean slate? I mean is that possible? What would the ramifications be..?

One of my favorite blogs Our Finite World lays down nicely the possible options with scenarios in which governments can deal with debt. Here are the first three which we hear about often option 2 more than any of them: (1) inflate your way out of the problem, (2) cut programs and/or raise taxes, and (3) restructure debt, perhaps delaying repayment and giving bondholders a “haircut” on promised payouts. While we continue to hear about the first three options in the press/maelstrom of Republican vs. Democrat redundant squawks and finger pointing, no one is talking about options four and five.

Option four is my thought on what if the government could just go bankrupt and our debt forgiven, "A debt “jubilee”." As the author describes, the problem with this would be the "assets underlying some of the debt, and the question will be, which of the several possible claimants should get the underlying asset." Senator Ron Paul has a similiar minded solution in which the U.S. Treasury could just ask the Federal Reserve to rip up 1 Trillion of debt. Of course that has ramifications as well one being the Fed uses the interest on the debt owed by the U.S. Treasury to fund some of its operations like the Consumer Protection Bureau. And other ramifications like well it just looks bad, like we can't live up to our obligations. The author of the Times blog seems to see it as a good idea, admitting that it's only short term to keep government services running for another year before we are in the same situation, and that "It's definitely better than defaulting. And it is probably better than massive cutbacks in government spending that could potentially send us right back into a recession anyway."

That brings us to Option 5 - "looks like the easy way out. Just give up, and let a new government come in, and start with new programs and a blank slate. Or a revolution or civil war might produce this same result." Which to me would be the result of Option 4 and possibly the cue for the Venus Project to introduce it's resource based economy proposal on a mass scale. History has shown us that governments are capable of collapsing, remember the Soviet Union and as the Finite World author cites, the breakups of Czechoslovak Socialist Republic and Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia. If you read for a few minutes the proposals of the Venus Project, it actually makes sense. What if money were out of the picture, and everyone was pursuing what really made them happy and contributed their resource for the greater good of our earth and humanity? Why is that so crazy?

Lets go back in history and to Noam Chomsky and his reminder of the economic system as part of the "New Deal" that happened after World War II called the Bretton Woods system. He says, "The Great Depression and the war aroused radical democratic currents, taking many forms, from the antifascist resistance to working-class organization. These pressures made it possible and from a different point of view, necessary - to permit social democratic policies." The Bretton Woods established "the right of government to restrict capital movement. In dramatic contrast, in the neoliberal phase that followed, the U.S. Treasury Department now regards free capital mobility as a 'fundamental right'." Isn't the Fed buying up U.S. Treasury bonds a great example of how the U.S. moves capital to cover its ass as it pleases?

The finite world blogger offers a great step that would improve current conditions that are parallel to an idea of stimulating job growth - inflate salaries. This means not just CEO salaries. "If salaries are inflating and enough people are working, then business revenues and government revenues will inflate as well, so that repaying debt plus interest won’t be too terrible a task. At this point, there is not even a hint that salaries are inflating, and that the unemployment problem has been solved."

While we hear about how our president and government should be doing something about the unemployment rate until our ears bleed, and a few friends or acquaintances continue to job hunt, these are just some possibilities to think about. And if you are the working-class and are working to organize to improve our financial situation for a more transparent credit market, or any social situations, more power to you.

This music album by Actraiser 'The Art of Balance' certainly promotes balance with its diverse genre offerings and smooth production so I thought I'd highlight it and the theme of Balance. I wrote the album review and starting today it is now available on Cold Busted, check it out at the free listening booth, it's very fitting for summer weather or anytime.

Buddhism and Bacon

This last weekend I felt like I was on the go the whole time but for great reasons - Friday I went to Denver to catch up with some old friends and support Recon, a local Drum and Bass and Dubstep night. I had a great time!

On Saturday Phil and I both drove to Denver to catch the Cherry Blossom Festival in Sakura square. There was lots of cool vendors and it was right by the Denver Buddhist Temple where we caught a short lecture from Rev. Fujii. It was an introduction of sorts to Buddhism, a short history and some concepts one being something so simple: a snake is a snake and a rope is a rope. If you think a rope is a snake how stressed you will be, do not mistake one for the other. Be able to see things as they are and not how you want them to be. How wonderful!

It reminded me of a book I read recently by Thich Nhat Hanh a Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet and peace activist 'Be Free Where You Are' in which he says: "If there is despair in you, you need to recognize that energy and not allow it to overwhelm you. You have to practice in such a way that you transform the energy of despair and attain the freedom you deserve - the freedom from despair." Do not despair when a rope is a rope and not a snake, right?! There was also two paper crane origami displays (see pic) that I believe were made as a benefit for the victims of Japan's recent devastating earthquake and tsunami and part of a raffle to donate for their relief through the Buddhist Churches of America.

In quoting Thich again he teaches a practice of "cultivating compassion." He says, "But I know that compassion is not possible without understanding. And understanding is possible only if you have time to look deeply. Meditation means to look deeply in order to understand." Being aware and mindful was also something the Rev. Fujii talked about will illustrious examples. I walked away from the festival with this knowledge, a souvenir fan and some unfiltered sake after a lunch of sushi and small frozen yogurt blueberry mochi, plus I got to see my dad and his girlfriend so I'm glad we went.


Sunday we decided to catch a ride with my sister Angela and my nephew Tosh to go to Keystone, Colorado for the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival in River Run! Here is a pic of Phil enjoying a chocolate dipped piece of bacon with ice cream. My favorite was the beaver tail, a maple butter pastry with maple and bacon crumbles on top! There was also bacon wrapped meatballs, really spicy jalapenos and bacon and a pork loin cabbage bacon plate that was delicious. There was a funk band playing, the weather was perfect (sunny, in the 70s with a breeze) and I had the privilege to eat various bacon dishes with some of my favorite people. The drive home was numbingly full and reminded me of why I love Colorado so much - the mountains are beautiful. And YES, I did my Bikram yoga on Monday which was much needed after all the weekend fun.



BY THE WAY..uncured bacon is the best for you, nitrate free and especially Nitrosamine free as possible.

Summer Solstice and Our Little Garden

Today is the first official day of summer, Summer Solstice 2011. Here are some summer solstice poems I like:

  ''It is summer, it is the solstice
the crowd is

cheering, the crowd is laughing
in detail

permanently, seriously
without thought''

William Carlos Williams (1883-1963), U.S. poet. At the Ball Game (l. 31-36). . . Oxford Book of American Verse, The. F. O. Matthiessen, ed. (1950)...


On The Roofdeck

The lonely, grated metal table starts the day,
an adjustment is made to apprehend
that the other chairs are empty. The June morning
beautiful and still to be, should woo me with
its early luminescence. Yet
the appetite is not shared, lost somewhere in memory.

How lucky the horizon is blue and needs
no handwriting on its emptiness. I am
written on thoroughly, a plagiarized novel
found again. I remember the predictable plot too late, realize the silly, sad urgency of my plight.

'Do you always watch for the longest day of the year
and then miss it?

I always watch for the longest day in the year
and then miss it.'

poem I found online by Gary Freeman

Today was one of those off days, think it got to 80 and I enjoyed it, went for a run with Phil in the early evening, I pulled a few weeds in the garden, let our cat out in the backyard to do her dusk dithering. We ate Veggie Korma for dinner again (I used organic pasta sauce instead of tomato sauce and organic heavy whipping cream, red or yukon gold potatoes and this time almonds instead of cashews but both are yum) topped with fresh cilantro from our herb garden - such a treat especially if you want to take a break from meat. Then I watered the garden only a little since it rained yesterday and then completely forgot to watch the sun set. I think it was 10 minutes after 9pm though that I noticed it still wasn't completely dark so it must have just set.

So far I've used cilantro from our garden for the Korma, and hopefully for a pico de gallo soon, and mint to make Mojitos (with organic sugar is best and fresh squeezed lime juice, I used Ron Rico Caribbean rum, not bad), rosemary on potatoes and basil and the Italian parsley for a home made pasta sauce. I am meaning to make a cat nip tea the next time I have a head ache and a chicken mint recipe soon. Here is a page with gardening tips, for those who are interested. We added organic compost to the soil before planting but I still feel like a gardening novice. I am hoping for some tomatoes, strawberries, squash, green beans, blueberries, cucumber, peppers, carrots and sunflowers (the lettuce already died) sometime this summer. If anyone wants to trade their seeds or recipes with me let me know.