Extra: poem by Bob Hicok published by Rattle Magazine. sent out 10/27

 This just arrived in my inbox 30 minutes ago.   I am not sure if it will have the same impact in the line-up we will discuss on  November 6.

Try to be the best human being you can be in this remaining time before the elections.

I am thanking Bob Hicok in my heart and Timothy Green, (tim@rattle.com) editor of Rattle for sending this timely piece.

All good wishes,

Kitty

Paul's response:

 Lotta words well executed ( except for a few grammatical errors) but like so much blarney, no solutions offered. Actors spend their lives speaking words written by much greater minds. They live for limelight, perhaps jealous of politicians taking their glory. ( PERHAPS..K. Jospe)  And, I suppose, half the readers of a poet's works agree with the content, if it is meant to exhibit a point of view.

     For moi, a wide eyed cow vs. a bull in a china shop: what could go wrong?

Begin forwarded message:

From: Daily Rattle <tim@rattle.com>

Subject: “A Poet’s Response to an Actor’s Assessment …” by Bob Hicok

Date: October 27, 2024 at 6:30:23 AM EDT

To: kjospe@gmail.com

Reply-To: tim@rattle.com

October 27, 2024 Bob Hicok A POET’S RESPONSE TO AN ACTOR’S ASSESSMENT OF A POLITICIAN’S INTELLIGENCE, UNDERTAKEN IN THE SPIRIT OF THE BELIEF THAT WE’RE ALL BOZOS ON THIS BUS I’m dumber than a Phillips head screwdriver or on-ramp or speculum or rain and every diacritical you can think of, critically or not, can do something I can’t, I believe in the wisdom of matter, that every form it takes is a species of intelligence, an embodiment of knowledge, so to call a candidate for president as dumb as a fencepost or as dumb as a combover or as dumb as a three-legged stool on the side of the road looking as if it wants to cry, is like chiding the ocean because it does a shitty Watusi or making fun of a puppy who barks at its own hiccups, there’s a video of this, probably more than one, and yes it’s kind of stupid but that puppy could sniff out cancer or cocaine better than you, and wag more fulsomely and literally than you, and a fence post does an honest day’s work every day of its life if given the chance, so if you must try to insult someone running for president, it’s better to call them as dumb as someone who thinks calling someone dumb is still in style after third grade, and what if that person is rubber and you are glue, what then, dumbass, are we to make of democracy in 2024, if insults are the currency of debate, if love isn’t at the core of the endeavor, love of our shared stupidity, cupidity, humidity, our common state of befuddlement over where this is all headed and how best to get where we don’t know we’re going, we need a president who isn’t afraid to shrug, who gets that ten people putting ten heads together still leaves us with what experts refer to as half a brain, please, god, enough of the solo swagger, the hero pose, I want a president who puts the everyone in team, who believes that people are our best chance to be human, to maybe, possibly, one day figure out what that even means.   —from Poets Respond Bob Hicok: “This is a poet’s response to an actor’s assessment of a politician’s intelligence.”