poems for Dec. 16-- participants' picks

The Height of Love -- Taha Muhammad Ali (Thank you Elaine R.)
Out of the dust- 1961 by John Weisenthal
Going to see the new massage therapist – Bernie Shore
Praising Manners by Robert Bly
By the Waterfall in Watkins Glen, October -- Kitty Jospé

The poem by Taha Muhammad Ali comes from his collection, "Twigs".
I would love to be able to speak the original. The opening line is a brilliant line-break.
What makes me love
being alive

how is it connected for us that what makes us love, often has to do with loving being alive? And how do we spend our spirit -- and how could we not regardless of any suffering.

John's poem is a definite read aloud and captures the energy of a young man working with race horses. Bravo!
Bernie's poem touches on the universals of getting older... and a discussion of
how we deal with troubles... Discussion included mention of the
Dr. Seuss movie: 5,000 fingers of Dr. T.
Do-mi-do Duds...

The Bly received barrels of bullets... Blake: without neatness of execution,
precision of ideas (reflected in Blake's profession as engraver... metal plates... drawing...)
Bly interested in Jung... men’s groups.
narcissism... if you aren’t praising... you’re stealing...

get on your knees... if you please : John doesn’t like the preachiness...
a robin redbreast in a cage puts heaven in a cage. (has resonance...)

And we ended with a meditative whisper of words inspired by a leaf floating in the waterfalls of Watkins Glen.