Saturday Verse: "Personal" - Langston Hughes

PERSONAL 

In an envelope marked:
          Personal
God addressed me a letter.
In an envelope marked:
          Personal
I have given my answer. 

                                            - Langston Hughes

Should have told you what you meant to me

After George passed away, I promised myself that I would try to be more like him. He was driven to create, and took joy in sharing his creations whether it was fashion, or cooking, or music, or art. George was unafraid of experimentation. He tried and loved everything.

For so much time I've been far too cautious and embarrassed. So here's a dinky little thing I recorded while I was missing George. We used to sing it together. It's breaking my heart that he isn't here to harmonize with me.

It's not perfect, but it's a start.

Veteran's Day

THE HEROES

I dreamed of war-heroes, of wounded war-heroes
With just enough of their charms shot away
To make them more handsome. The women moved nearer
To touch their brave wounds and their hair streaked with gray. 

I saw them in long ranks ascending the gang-planks;
The girls with the doughnuts were cheerful and gay.
They minded their manners and muttered their thanks;
The Chaplain advised them to watch and to pray. 

They shipped these rapscallions, these sea-sick battalions
To a patriotic and picturesque spot;
They gave them new bibles and marksmen's medallions,
Compasses, maps, and committed the lot. 

A fine dust has settled on all that scrap metal.
The heroes were packaged and sent home in parts
To pluck at a poppy and sew on a petal
And count the long night by the stroke of their hearts.

     - Louis Simpson                             

Music for your Midweek: Broncho - "I Don't Really Want To Be Social"

I've given myself a friend date activity task everyday for the past while. Sorry,  I love y'all, but these are my true thoughts.

These guys are playing at Urban Lounge tonight so if you have to be social you can say hi to me there? If you still need to be convinced, you might recognize them from this popular little song.

All day prayer

After you start losing people, you become afraid that anyone could be next.

All day I've had a prayer


     please don't die
     please don't die
     please don't die


And now I feel silly, but I'm still relieved you're here.

The original and
Frank Ocean's

Image from this sweet sad thing I found today. 

Saturday Verse: "Yes, the mystery" - May Swenson

YES, THE MYSTERY

Yes, the mystery
the mystery of life
the horrid mystery of it
Many have seen it clearer than I
have sat in it
been stuck in it
stood in it up to their nostrils
and chose not to breathe
rather than suck in its stench
And not breathing is most difficult
To stop to refuse to not-respond
is most difficult
Why even in the abstract
it's enough to make you vomit
Thank if those roses
were dipped in tar
Thinking it they are
and your eyelids drop off
your neck will never turn again
and you must stare
at the black leather petals forever
Oh Heavenly Father leave us the illusion
of the flies who cluster the lake of urine
gushed by the horse in the fetid prison
of his stall
and the bliss and energy that spins them
as they bathe and dip their sugar there

- May Swenson                                                                               

Music for your Midweek: SOAK - "Blind"

I've revisited SOAK over the past month, and she's great as ever. I especially like this Spotify session version of "Blind". It's lovely.I'm not able to embed the song, so I encourage you to click through. Otherwise, check out the album version here: