THE WEIGHT OF THIS SAD TIME
“The weight of this sad time we must obey, speak what we feel, not what we ought to say. The oldest hath borne most. We that are young shall never see so much nor live so long.” – William
PIECES OF MY FATHER
On this day in 2004, my father died. Each year, the day is, for me, one of reflection and reverence. A journey back through memories. My father had a scar on his thumb, a dent really, from a childhood accident.
HOW VIOLENCE IS BORN
When I was in high school, a boy I knew joined the Marines and eventually went to Vietnam. We began writing to each other, starting when he was training to be a soldier and extending through two tours of Vietnam.
DEATH BY EXHAUSTION
The last lines of T.S. Eliot’s poem The Hollow Men read: “This is the way the world will end, not with a bang but a whimper.” I would like to expand on that and suggest that our collective whimper might
AMERICA’S PRE-EXISTING CONDITION
America is not feeling well. She suffers from a myriad of symptoms — fear, anger, depression, occasional nausea brought on by fear, anger and depression. Sometimes there are chills and shortness of breath, a tightness around the heart. Mornings are
DONALD TRUMP’S ODD SENSE OF HUMANITY
Shortly after bombing an airstrip in Syria, Donald Trump addressed the American people with a short speech clearly written for him, since he spoke with the awkwardness of a third-grader delivering a book report on a book he hadn’t read.
DEAR REST OF THE WORLD
Dear Rest of the World, You have undoubtedly noticed that America now has, ensconced in the White House (when he’s not on the golf course) a less-than-sane individual. To make matters worse, he is shadowed by a rumpled man who
THIS IS NOT A REALITY SHOW
The First Amendment of the Constitution states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably
A FAREWELL LETTER TO THE OBAMAS
Dear President and Mrs. Obama, For the past eight years we in this country have watched you inhabit the enormous roles of President and First Lady, giving your positions the respect and humility that such an honor deserves. Elegance can
WHAT LOVE CAN DO
A day after her daughter Carrie Fisher died, Debbie Reynolds said — according to her son — “I miss Carrie. I want to be with her.” A short while later she was gone. Amidst the sorrow, especially for the family