Monday Music: Bob Dylan's Birthday Celebrated from Ireland

Dylan has long had a strong fan base in Ireland and this is a lovely celebration. It includes poetry readings and folk-style acoustic covers of Dylan's songs.

 

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Saturday Haiku: Cold Winter Days

on cold winter days

a soft light and a warm hearth

bring peace to the world

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Photo by Bill Munson: a view of downtown Franklin, TN taken from the Public Square (found on Facebook)


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Buster Keaton - The Art of the Gag

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From NPR's Fresh Air this week: The Genius of Buster Keaton

"We explore the subtle genius of a man often remembered for pratfalls and sight gags. Buster Keaton was a silent film star in the 1920s, but he was far more than an actor and stuntman. He conceived and directed his films, cited by some of America's leading filmmakers as inspirations."

What's the Difference between a Million and a Billion?

Most of us probably do not have a clear picture of how much more a billion is than a million. The following illustration is by way of Tim Lennox's blog 

Tim stated in his post, "The Million vs Billion quandary:"

I hear people treat a "Billion" as if it's the next logical number after one Million...similar to going from a dime to a dollar.
But a Billion is so much more than that. These graphics come from The MegaPenny Project, showing the relative size of a Million pennies and a Billion pennies....the website goes into much more detail than I will here. They say, for example, that only in the U.S. is the word "Billion" used...elsewhere they refer to it as a Thousand-Million.

And speaking of a billion, CBS Sunday Morning aired a segment in which an heir to the Disney fortune talks about the inequities between billionaire CEOs and the working class.

"The top 1%: Should wealth have its limits?"

 

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For Robert Burns

(Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

Many of us of Scottish heritage thrill at the sound of bagpipes and take moments to remember other Celtic tribes on holidays from St. Patrick's Day to St. David's Day. We regale in genetic memories of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. Tales of the homeland, with hearts in the highlands, tug at our souls as we plod the varied lands of our present condition. 

Today, in honor of Robert Burns' birthday, take some time to read one of the poet's many works known for down-to-earth vernacular wisdom.

To a Mouse

By Robert Burns

Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim'rous beastie,
O, what a panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi' bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee
Wi' murd'ring pattle!

I'm truly sorry man's dominion,
Has broken nature's social union,
An' justifies that ill opinion,
What makes thee startle
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,
An' fellow-mortal!

I doubt na, whiles, but thou may thieve;
What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!
A daimen icker in a thrave
'S a sma' request;
I'll get a blessin wi' the lave,
An' never miss't!

Thy wee bit housie, too, in ruin!
It's silly wa's the win's are strewin!
An' naething, now, to big a new ane,
O' foggage green!
An' bleak December's winds ensuin,
Baith snell an' keen!

Thou saw the fields laid bare an' waste,
An' weary winter comin fast,
An' cozie here, beneath the blast,
Thou thought to dwell -
Till crash! the cruel coulter past
Out thro' thy cell.

That wee bit heap o' leaves an' stibble,
Has cost thee mony a weary nibble!
Now thou's turn'd out, for a' thy trouble,
But house or hald,
To thole the winter's sleety dribble,
An' cranreuch cauld!

But Mousie, thou art no thy lane,
In proving foresight may be vain;
The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men
Gang aft agley,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!

Still thou art blest, compar'd wi' me;
The present only toucheth thee:
But och! I backward cast my e'e,
On prospects dreaer!
An' forward, tho' I canna see,
I guess an' fear!

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Have You Heard (Pat Metheny Group)

 

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Saturday Haiku: Snowdrift

 

digging out
in dead of winter
snow abounds

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Image: "Happy Holidays" (This image was used on the back of the album, "A Swingin' Christmas" featuring Tony Bennett and various vocal artists)

Artist; Tony Bennett (Antony Benedetto)*

*Last August, the legendary Tony Bennett announced his retirement from performing at the age of 95. His career has spanned eight decades. Famous for his singing career, he has also had a passion for painting. Today's post is part of a series of haiku inspired by Mr. Bennett's artwork (when he paints, he uses his given name, Antony Benedetto).

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How Shall We Respond to Dr. King's Dream?

If past is prologue, then a letter from some white Birmingham ministers in 1963 illustrates how nice established society continues to respond to racial inequities to this day.

If society can address social ills with little disruption to the status quo, that seems to be the preferred modus operandi. Such measures, however, are usually tentative and ineffective. Often the status quo is threatened by calls for justice, as is seen in some of our political commentators. One example is the way that prominent political commentator Andrew Sullivan has addressed our country’s racial issues. Sullivan has been a critic of The 1619 Project which seeks to educate the public about the crucial role slavery played in our country’s beginnings and the essential contributions black Americans have made throughout our history. It is little wonder that Mr. Sullivan has a similar problem with critical race theory. In an article published May 28, 2021, “Removing the Bedrock of Liberalism: What the ‘Critical Race Theory’ is really about,” Sullivan expresses concern that CRT is a threat to our Western liberal society. He claims that CRT rejects the principles of Enlightenment that western liberal societies are founded upon and thereby is “a very seductive and potent threat to liberal civilization.” (Read Sullivan’s article here)

White Southern Clergy 2.0

Mr. Sullivan’s approach is reminiscent of those white ministers Martin Luther King wrote a letter to from his jail cell in Birmingham. Eight white clergy signed a letter to Martin Luther King in 1963 asking him to stop his demonstrations in Birmingham. The letter states that those clergy realize that there are racial inequities that the community must address, but they are concerned that marching in the streets will only lead to violence.

To his credit, Sullivan acknowledges that the evils of slavery and genocide are factors in American history that we must realize and deal with. However, when he claims that critical race theory will threaten liberal civilization, it truly is the same song, second verse that the Southern white clergy of Birmingham gave in their criticism of Martin Luther King and the civil rights protests.  They, too, acknowledged that there were racial inequities, but feared that calling attention to it in the streets would only cause violence. They wanted Dr. King to be patient and let them deal with the problem through local leadership. (Read the Birmingham Clergy Letter here)

In other words, they wanted to keep their nice society and they wanted black activists to let whites deal with the problem on their own timetable. Never mind that it had already been ten years since Brown v. Board of Education, and 100 years since a war had been fought to end slavery. In his Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King, among many other things, reminded them of Chief Justice Warren's words, "justice too long delayed is justice denied.” (Read the entire Letter from Birmingham Jail here).

In a similar manner, Andrew Sullivan is afraid CRT will upset this nice society we enjoy. Sure, slavery was bad, he says, we get that. Sure genocide was bad, we agree. He wants us all to let the genius of liberal enlightened society do its work in improving life for everyone. The problem is, if you let those in power continue to say, "Yes, we understand the evils of racism" without actually doing something to correct it, those who live in comfort will continue to let things rock along unchanged while minorities continue to suffer injustice. (Read a brief overview of what critical race theory is here)

How Can We Move Toward that Beloved Community?

If we are to move closer to racial equity, it will require more listening. Sullivan and others approaching critical race theory as if it were a threat to liberal civilization is not likely to make those in power more willing to listen. On the contrary, if civic leaders can paint champions for justice as troublemakers, it is much easier to dismiss their cause out of hand. When arguments are dismissed, inequities can be more easily ignored. 

The Tulsa Race Massacre that occurred 100 years ago is an example of racial inequity being ignored by the white population at large. It was an incident not mentioned in textbooks in most public schools. A whole generation grew up with no knowledge that it even occurred until the story began to be told in television documentaries such as The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story (2000). Another example is amplified in the book An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States, by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz. There one can learn of the unspeakable atrocities committed by men like Andrew Jackson against Native Americans which are not even mentioned, or at best glossed over in our education.

It seems that Mr. Sullivan would rather preserve the status quo and say, "we'll deal with all of that later" than to give credit to those who are trying to make us aware of current injustice which has its basis in our original sins of slavery and genocide. When he says we need to acknowledge the evils of racism, but he does not want anyone to talk about the 1619 Project or CRT, he is placing himself in the same camp as those white ministers in Birmingham in 1963 who told Martin Luther King to please not raise such a ruckus about it.

Though we have been sorely tested in recent years, I still have hope for the liberal western civilization that Andrew Sullivan cherishes. The true test of that civilization lies in how we handle our disagreements and how we move toward a society that works for everyone. Dr. King had the dream, but we all hold the key.

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Monday Music: Queen Bee (Taj Mahal)

From the Playing for Change YouTube site:

“Queen Bee” is a soulful single from Taj Mahal’s 1997 studio album, Señor Blues, which won a GRAMMY for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Enjoy this Song Around The World version, featuring Ben Harper, Rosanne Cash, Paula Fuga and over 20 musicians from six countries.

 

 

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Saturday Haiku: Snowfall in Central Park

 some trees dance
where snow has fallen
winds whisper

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Image: "Snowfall in Central Park"

Artist; Tony Bennett (Antony Benedetto)*

*Last August, the legendary Tony Bennett announced his retirement from performing at the age of 95. His career has spanned eight decades. Famous for his singing career, he has also had a passion for painting. Today's post is part of a series of haiku inspired by Mr. Bennett's artwork (when he paints, he uses his given name, Antony Benedetto).

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Monday Music: Backslidin' Blues (Petra)

The early 1970s saw the emergence of "Jesus Music," so named in large part due to its connection with the "Jesus Movement" that came to prominence on the West Coast during those heady and reactionary times. 

Jubillation! was a  1975 Myrrh Records sampler with some of the best Jesus Music of that time. It included such artists as Barry McGuire, Love Song, Ken Medema, Evie, Honeytree, Larry Norman, and The Second Chapter of Acts.

One of the stand-out tracks on that album was "Backslidin' Blues" by Petra. Petra was more rock and less "mainline Church" compared to the others, and as it turned out, the group had more staying power. They continued to record until 2006.

 

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Saturday Haiku: Snowstorm

lone pilgrim walking
in a hindrance of snowfall
bare branches swaying

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Image: "Central Park Snowstorm"

Artist; Tony Bennett (Antony Benedetto)*

(This painting by Tony Bennett was for the American Cancer Society Christmas Card for 2013)

*Last August, the legendary Tony Bennett announced his retirement from performing at the age of 95. His career has spanned eight decades. Famous for his singing career, he has also had a passion for painting. Today's post is part of a series of haiku inspired by Mr. Bennett's artwork (when he paints, he uses his given name, Antony Benedetto).

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Friday Funnies: In the Captain's Chair

 

Epiphany Notes from J.S. Bach and T.S. Elliot

January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany, is a day to commemorate the realization of the divinity of Christ by the Gentiles as the Wise Men form the East came to pay homage to the Christ Child. It is a day full of light symbolized by the star that dominated the heavens to announce the divine light coming to the world. Today I would like to direct your attention to two masters who have addressed the subject of Epiphany: J. S. Bach and T.S. Elliot.

The tune for “O Little One Sweet” (O Jesulein Suss) is based on an old German melody, harmonized by J.S. Bach. Often sung as a Christmas carol, it serves quite well as an Epiphany hymn (the German text for the hymn was written by Valentin Thilo and translated into English by Percy Dearmer). 

Bach's sublime chords lend a palpable grace to the Epiphany story of the Christ Child come to earth's domain, casting divine energy upon the consciousness of humankind, awakening the world. 

 

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T.S. Elliot wrote “The Journey of the Magi” after his own conversion and confirmation into the Anglican Church. His poem, in contrast to Bach’s music, takes on a darker tone and a rough-hewn vision as he speaks from the point-of-view of one of the wise men who makes the difficult journey but realizes that the old days of kings and magi must come to an end in light of the new day seen in the Christ Child. The poem is quite rich in symbol and allusion to the wider aspects of incarnation. As fate would have it, Elliot died 50 years ago today on the Feast of the Epiphany.

You can read “The Journey of the Magi” (or listen to Elliot read the poem) at http://www.poetryarchive.org/poem/journey-magi.

     
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Photo: Latvian postage stamp depicting Three Wise Men
Public Domain, Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons


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Monday Music: J. S. Bach - Lute Suite

Evangelina Mascardi performs J. S. Bach's "Lute Suite in E Major BWV 1006a" on a Baroque Lute

 

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Saturday Haiku: Snow Day

 

a silence of snow
embraces the countryside
in nature’s respite

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Image: "Winter in Clio"
Artist; Tony Bennett (Antony Benedetto)*

*Last August, the legendary Tony Bennett announced his retirement from performing at the age of 95. His career has spanned eight decades. Famous for his singing career, he has also had a passion for painting. Today's post is part of a series of haiku inspired by Mr. Bennett's artwork (when he paints, he uses his given name, Antony Benedetto).

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