About
I am a middle-aged (egads, can that be true?) poet and literary editor, wife and mother (of two). My work revolves around issues both intellectual and passionate: human-earth relations, the value and danger of myth, magic and love. Because I am an honest poet, and I dare to say anything, I try to keep a low profile. I have only recently gotten serious about seeking publication, and I have had some success (this makes me a little nervous). The world, let’s face it, while full of beauty and providence, is a dangerous place, never more so than when dealing with men and the ideas they hold (too) dear. I fear the mentally-ill Christian or Muslim who might take major offense at seeing their sacred cow turned into kabobs. But I do it anyway; in poetry (which will be published with my name on it) I do it as gently as I can. Poetry is good that way. Poetry is also a good genre for this in that almost no one reads it, or at least very few are likely to read it until after I’m long gone. If my work is good enough, it will outlast me and do its work with the future, while I’m safely decomposing.
With this blog, however, I may not be so gentle. I’m happy to have somewhere I can say exactly what I mean, with no softshoeing to it, and perhaps have a more immediate effect on where we’re going as a species. Because let’s face it: as things stand, we’re headed for trouble.
December 18, 2006 at 11:52 pm
Good blog, I don’t know why I haven’t found you before. Keep up the good work!
December 19, 2006 at 2:37 am
Thanks! I really only got active with it about a week ago.
December 28, 2006 at 8:24 pm
Well then welcome to the blogosphere!
February 20, 2007 at 9:21 pm
I’m so glad to find you! Ditto to the first comment and here is a request. I enjoyed your intro. under “About,” but didn’t like the part about decomposing. Although you are an “honest poet”, white lies are okay now and then, I think. I don’t watch any of the “CSI (crime scene investigation,) type TV shows. They’re too gory for me. I challenge you to come up with something poetic and beautiful that’s not gruesome but relays the same message as, “.., while I’m safely decomposing.” I can get over that, but I think as a poet you can do much much better. I hope you don’t find this offensive. It’s just a suggestion
Ps. I don’t have a web site, so I just left my blog address.
February 20, 2007 at 10:03 pm
Hi Bijan. I sympathize with your squeamishness, but it’s part of my belief system that it’s important to face facts, and our mortality is at the top of the list of things we all need to accept. I also want to stress that I’m not afraid of death…I just want to do it in my own time. I have children to raise, a husband to love, and poems to write. And a garden to tend. But in the end, I find no sadness in the fact that I’ll become soil to feed the future. It’s as it should be.
Thanks for your kind words. I look forward to more exchanges.
February 21, 2007 at 11:02 am
Hello HP: I much enjoyed your comment on Homeyra’s piece about love/hate relationships with one’s country. I feel so much the same way (I’m from the US, also) - I want to hang my head when talking to friends from the Middle East or Central America, and yet at least there are ways of pushing back by leaning on our founding documents.
You might enjoy a piece I quoted from radical historian Howard Zinn. He writes about optimism in the midst of it all, and how if you know the whole dark story of American history, you also come across truly heroic stories of resistance. I found it pretty inspiring: http://masbury.wordpress.com/2006/08/21/to-live-now-as-we-think-humans-should-live-in-defiance-of-all-that-is-bad-around-us/
Oh, and by the way, so you’ll know - I’m a pastor (whew, boy, there’s another love/hate relationship) who probably has considerable agreement with many of your views on religion.
Thanks!
Monte
February 21, 2007 at 1:07 pm
Welcome, Monte. Good to meet you.
I heard a lovely poem last night by Lawrence Ferlenghetti (sp?) on Rhapsody about the importance in our history of resistance. That’s one of the things that bother me most about our hoodwinked conservative compatriots. They actually believe that it’s the American thing to do to follow our leaders without question. In fact, it’s the opposite.
I’ve got John Adams, John Q. Adams, and Henry Adams on a collateral branch of my family tree. Somebody tells me to “love it or leave it,” and they’ve got another thing coming.
February 21, 2007 at 1:37 pm
Thanks! There’s another one there you might use sometime, if you like. It’s a couple of paragraphs from T. Roosevelt, who insists that failing to dissent when the President is wrong is treasonous! How ironic that GWB, who, I think, admires TR, has little stomach for this side of him! Includes these words: “To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.” Haha! I like it so much, I might post it every month.
A President on Criticizing the President
March 20, 2007 at 11:38 pm
Hey, HP: Been reading The Evolution of Cooperation and I think you might like it. It’s the story of game theorists researching how mutual cooperation develops and postulating, as a result, when cooperation is likely to be constructive and when it isn’t. They come up with some remarkable conclusions. Strikes me as a non-theological, scientific basis for at least part of a view of morality. The technical research reports are a little too dry for me - but the deductions they suggest as a result give me goosebumps. Let me know what you think if you read it. Monte
March 21, 2007 at 9:13 pm
Thanks for the rec. I’ll keep my eye out for it. It’s certainly of interest.
May 2, 2007 at 6:49 pm
Hi, I read your post about earplugs and brain neurons with great interest. I find it really hard to use earplugs (which I need to use for work) because the whining/ringing noise usually ends up annoying me more than the sound I’m trying to block. I’ve been trying to Google this problem, but all I get is stuff about tinnitus, which I don’t think I have?! I actually live in Boston, so I would really appreciate it if you would give me more information about the soundproof room and these scientists…and try to figure out whether this is something I just need to live with! Thanks so much!
August 30, 2007 at 3:11 am
Wow! Just Wow! I want you to know how much I appreciate your openness and honesty on your blog. God knows, I do the same thing on mine. Way to go!! My blog address is stateofhealing.blogspot.com and you are welcome to look at it and check it out. I look forward to reading more from you.
As a writer myself, I can definitely relate to the “if I don’t write soon, I’m going to pop” feeling. I call it my “constipated muse.” I hope you know what I kinda mean by that … if not, well I took a shot!!!
Have a great day and take care.
Grace and peace,
Joe
November 11, 2007 at 5:38 pm
Hi Honestpoet,
My sincerest apologises but I’ve been tagged, so must tag someone. I made a random selection of my Blogroll with my eyes closed. Sadly, my random finger landed on you.
Rules, instructions, etc, on my blog.
I feel for you. I really do
November 11, 2007 at 6:31 pm
(chuckle) Hi, Anthony. I hope while you’re here you might have a look around.
January 5, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Wow!!
I’m glad I’ve clicked the link on the wordpress homepage…
Happy New Year and Keep it up!
January 6, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Thanks, Shelley. Happy 2008 to you, too.
Feel free to look around, and comment on posts old or new.
February 29, 2008 at 1:56 am