Your New Year

I don't know why but January 1st has never been my New Year. I vacillate between Solstice and St. Stephen's day, depending on my mood, as the beginning of the next year. It is a sign of my Age that I even know what St. Stephen's day is, or my view of the language that it has nothing to do with boxing though a goodly number of English speakers would disagree.

My New Year's greeting for December 22 this year and your New Year this day:

The bent shoulders of sacred Matanuska
seem relieved of trial and tribulation
as they begin to glow
first bloody red
then bolder and golden
in the auspicious first light
of our sun’s northern new year
That moment in the revolution
most filled with promise and prospect
where the expression of time
past, fleeting, and to be
is re-equated in the glory of it all
Hearts beat anticipation
not regarding the eons
that visited the mountain
with new light

And so our friends and loves
…and your friends and loves too
…and most especially those not befriended
and perhaps unaware of love
It is our deepest desire
that the light finds you,
peace and understanding
furthers our kind,
that potentates, prophets, and rulers
bend and bow to love and truth,
disarm their warriors,
refuse evil ways
and trade their unwise power for prosperity and charity
for all the worlds
with new light

Love to all,

Truth?

I have lived most of my life in tiny villages. Yes, I was born in a major city and spent 5 years in the heart of Manhattan but most of my time has been in little places like Embudo, New Mexico or Nichols, New York or Cockeysville, Maryland. I have also a few years in larger towns like Kotzebue, Alaska. I only bring this up because of vetting, to let you know I have experienced and may be an expert on the issues I have witnessed.

The concern is, "What is truth?" It is certainly not immutable, at least not where people are involved. It does seem to have something to do with perceived reality, belief, and trust and little to do with proof or knowlege.

The First Entry

I doubt I have the determination to keep this up...but here goes.

It is a chilly day, about 20F. I just read where Seth Kantner was awarded $40K for his work. I'm pleased for him though slightly jealous. I am absolutely positive that I am a better writer, of course I will need to write before I can make a true comparison.

The writing thing has kinda been on a boulder strewn road lately. I still haven't quite decided what to make of the response to Definitive Guide to Kotzebue. The young woman who was at the center of my fame has not, as of yet, ever written me directly though she does make disparaging personal comments, calling me lazy, or "technically white" and stuff like that, and presumes she knows me....though I don't believe we've met. I suspect James supplied the misinformation to keep up the story.

And that brings the thoughts around the circle. James Mason certainly deserves some recognition at least as much as Seth. I can't imagine how difficult his job must be writing a newspaper where the truth is not politically correct. His photography seems to suffer there too.
And I think it is the "truth" thing that effects it. Look at his Bosnian and Yugoslavian work and compare it to the girl's basketball shots of today. Grizzly shots of suicides, child abuse, headless walrus and the like certainly would cost him his job. Seth, I envy his luck, James, I envy his talent and am saddened by his situation, assuredly of his own making.

I understand being ham-strung by politics of place or association. It is an excuse I use frequently to avoid writing or to hide in poetry. I hope I get over it and get back to the grind and get something done then I can righteously complain about Seth's good fortune.

Congratulations Seth!

At first there were none...

It is ALL Bill's fault!