from JWGs LITERAL TRINKETS Esperanza, Vieques, Puerto Rico January 21, 2012 6:27 a.m. AST This vacation has been an adventure of hearing how other people play. Noise, at night, has been excessive. Mornings, except for the distant crowing of many roosters, are quiet. One can hear the Caribbean. Two more books were read yesterday. I finished James A. Michener’s THIS NOBLE LAND. And, I read Pier Paolo Pasolini’s A DREAM OF SOMETHING . Michener’s THIS NOBE LAND: MY VISION OF AMERICA, published in Nineteen Ninety-six, is, in my opinion, superb. After reading it, in conversations, I was always quoting Michener. It is a book I will keep on my reference shelf. I shan’t even begin to say what stuck to me in this first reading for every page holds a nugget of wisdom. I am sure I will inherently quote him in these pages. It is too, too bad that what he wrote over ten years ago holds more truth than ever. This warring nation in which I live must become more accepting and appreciative — especially with the Arts. Creativity is neglected, or rather, ignored. The pages Michener wrote as an octogenarian chastises our weakened society. Of course, it is always nice to see published what I, myself, in my ignorance, have concluded. It doesn’t take much of an education to realize what has to be done to properly adhere to our Constitution — and make it better. I do not trust our Supreme Court. The Women, and Breyer, I trust. The Others are out to destroy what we have. They seem to forget why this Country felt it needed a Constitutional Democracy. They forget that compromise is essential. They forget that a People’s attitudes can change when properly educated. Last night, I was told that the People would never elect a truly bright intellectual to our Presidency. I concur. The People, unfortunately, want one of themselves, I will be frank, a dunce who spent many hours in the corner; a person who never thinks of the whole of society. A Daniel Moynihan would never be elected even though he could have produced. Those under the President, sitting in the Congress as Senators and House Members, do not admit that they are capable of mistakes. Their supposed pride is more important than the pride of their Nation. Many times, when René and I are travelling, we are embarrassed at what this nation, as a supposed unified People, has done. This nation is no longer a Democracy. It has become a tyrannical Theocracy. Immediately, those who point this fact out are politically crucified. I wish our Supreme Court in their opinions, and our President in his speeches, would educate us to the nuts-and-bolts of a true Constitutional Democracy. They should point out why our first Confederation did not work. I know many People are not aware that we had, as States, the guidelines in the Articles of Confederation when we first began in the Seventeen-hundreds. The Articles of Confederation pasted together separate States with differing laws. It did not make us a unified country which I believe was, and is, wanted. If we do not adhere to our Constitution, and respect the Individual under each and every law, we will have a rebellion. At this point, in my Life, I do not care if this country tears itself apart. I do care for the People, like me, who I know live in each State. How horrible it would be to be caught behind the border of a hostile State. There are too many hostile States in this Country. It is hoped that our Constitution will keep them in check. With the current Court, which seems to adore giving more and more power to the individual States, the fact that we are, supposedly, United has been lost. I, myself, feel lost. I know I cannot walk in every County in every State and feel that my Life is safe. Today, all I can do is quote the last sentence Michener wrote in his THIS NOBLE LAND: “I hope our genius for doing the right thing will guide us.” Pier Paolo Pasolini’s A DREAM OF SOMETHING was sketched out in Nineteen forty-eight but was not published until Nineteen sixty-two. It is a tale of friendship. It is a tale of want. It is a tale, a sad tale, of staunch, emotional pride. Pasolini’s work intrigues, and entertains, me. A DREAM OF SOMETHING is aptly named. When young, dreams, and bonds, are made. Oftentimes, we cannot not submit to our dreams and trouble ensues. Pasolini showed us, briefly, scenes which were poetically sketched. I use the word “poetically” because he left much to the reader’s imagination. Pasolini trusts his reader. He does not overstate his intent. Politics, Religion, and Life are dreams of something we all desire: Happiness. Some of us find happiness. Some of us do not. All of us mourn for what could have been. Mourning can get us in trouble. This day, on this island, I relish being isolated. I relish what I have. I relish what I have become. My dreams, when I was young, were impossible dreams, so I thought. I made bold choices which I do not rue. Yes, I admit, as you know, to my weaknesses. I cannot mourn what was or could have been. My happiness has been attained and is being heightened by sharing my experiences. My old spirit is still young enough to have the excitement of exploring. Earlier, I wrote “isolated”. These vacations, that René and I take, are used to isolate our ideas, our ideals, our future. We allow ourselves to Be. Yesterday, when we walked to the edge of Sun Bay to look back at the sunset, we saw youth and horses, fish and fallen trees. The tide was low. Our spirits were high. They remain high. Even with all of the troubles around us, we have isolated our lives as a unit. We have extended this unit by being solid and extending our belief that kindness and sharing mean a great deal. We know that overextending gets one, ands us, in trouble. Fortunately, I, especially, have learned this lesson well. This lesson René always had in his pocket. His patience, with me, has been practically steady. When it was not, I heard the wake up call. That is in the past. I remember the good. I do not mourn. I have cried. I look forward to the tomorrows. There are too few left. However, I can honestly say that there will be a Tomorrow.
Posted on: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 09:40:59 +0000
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