Today's favorite site:

http://www.everypoet.com/haiku/default.htm Genuine Haiku Generator: From everypoet.com, this 100 Trillion Haiku beauty will fill your head with wonderous and sometimes utterly disjointed poetry



Well said:

"To stop an illegal and unjust war, soldiers can choose to stop fighting it."



— Lt. Ehren Watada

Quiet Practice, Hope

Fold into shiny paper fragile in nobility

a whispered prayer gift of wind for peace.

When no answer comes fold another whisper

but when dawn pacifies, rejoice.



Meditations on peace in peacelessness

1/1/07 — This year opens in a somber swirl of joy and sorrow. Joys include continued health in a warm house, wonderful time spent with family and friends, and the exuberant devotion of a very happy puppy. In a great many ways, it's good to be a middle-class American with a stable and rewarding job, lots of good books to read and food to eat, and a feeling of relative safety as I go about the business of living my life.



On the other hand, the world — people, animals, and plants — continue to suffer while for some of us, life goes on.



The news of the day reports that 3,000 Americans have died in our "war of terror" in Iraq. I weep for them and those they've left behind, but more than that, I weep for the more than 650,000 Iraqis, many innocents, who have died under our occupation. And for the millions suffering in Darfur and other oppressive political tyrannies, and for the millions of hungry, sad, homeless, and harmed Americans on or near the streets all around me.



Taopoet's muses are moaning, and the winds howl. I huddle quietly, wondering. How will we end this?  

Lighting the Long Night

The neighbor across the street, kitty-corner, the one who adores his strip of lawn (greenest for blocks around), was out stringing lights just a couple of hours ago. Some folks already have theirs up, and as Solstice and Christmas approach, when night falls mid-afternoon, more and more lights will twinkle the landscape to life when it's stone dark at four-thirty in the afternoon.

Are Christmas lights intended to commerate the birth of Christ or bring the missing beauty of illumination to the neighborhood during the season of long nights?

Taopoet once read that Christ is thought to have been born in April, closer to Easter, which of course remembers the day he ascended. It is said Christmas was integrated by the Pagans under Roman influence. Easier to absorb the Christ fellow into Solstice than to fight him, and he seems like a fine man to celebrate, so what the heck?

This year, like every year, we'll celebrate the pagan traditions of bringing in the tree and decorating it, decking the halls, gathering with family and friends, overeating amazing foods, and overdrinking (gently) sweet, hot, or (and) alcoholic beverages. We'll put up lights against the long and early nights, anticipating, then celebrating the return of longer days and the promise of spring to come! 

Singing with the Muses



Thanksgiving is arguably the greatest American holiday, for we of European descent. All the cooking, eating, visiting, resting, and reflecting on every luxury afforded us, however large or small, reminds us to pay homage to ourselves for coming along after those who conquered this great land and built this great country for our eventual enjoyment.



This is not to pass judgment for or against this fine holiday; I'm just singing along, and today, two days later, I am following the muse to an amazing soup! Here's the recipe, if you'd like to try it:



Boil your turkey carcass for a few hours. You can even boil it awhile, then let it cool, then boil it a little more tomorrow. Once you're convinced that it's released all of its turkey goodness into the water old Tom is immersed in, strain the broth. Carefully picking around all that bone and cartilage, add lots of small bits of turkey to the broth. Cool and store in the refrigerator.

At your leisure, chop a few cups each of carrots and celery, and onion to taste. Saute, adding some herbs if you'd like — thyme, dill, and a pinch of tarragon mingle nicely. Toss the sauted vegetables into the soup, bringing to a boil. Simmer for as long as you like, but at least an hour.



At long last, a quarter hour before serving, stir in a cup or two of leftover mashed potatoes (throw in a few yams, if you're adventurous and they're available). Serve it up with stuffing dumplings (you can figure that out yourself) or really good bread.



When life gives you leftovers, make them sing!