Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2007, No.23 - MUENCH ON VONNEGUT

Beta Pi:

This blog is usually short and concise - but not today. If that’s a turn-off, you’d best change channels . . .

MUENCH ON VONNEGUT:

So I got an e-mail from Venerable Jack "Muenchie" Muench. It was "charged" so I simply had to call him. My luck was on - we connected (the last 6 times I tried, Muenchie and I have only exchanged "voice messages" which is the emotional / relational equivalent of Muzak). Jack and picked up talking (for the first time since 1975) as if we hadn’t skipped a beat. In his e-mail, Jack refers to a Washington Post article by Bob Thompson - about Kurt Vonnegut, who died yesterday (see Link on right). Here is his e-mail:

"Somehow, reading this article (among the many others I've read over the past 24 hours), I am reminded of three songs: Had to Cry Today and Can't Find My Way Home by Blind Faith, and Dreams by the Allman Brothers. I don't know if Kurt ever listened to the last song (indeed, I will go to almost any lengths not to, now, myself), but this article shows that he fully understood its import.

"I never thought of environmental degradation much until I read one of his books in the spring of '74, wherein he noted that our beautiful green and blue planet was being turned into a festering cheese. Then, I sat up and took notice, but never did a whole lot about it really, just self-medicated my concerns about the problem.

"For awhile.

"Make no mistake, we have just lost a wonderfully sensitive canary in an increasingly fetid coal mine. God help us, every one, because I'm afraid that we won't. And Kurt no longer can, and, mercifully, doesn't need to.

Larry, if you would, please send this around."

You got it, Muenchman! You inspired as new blog feature . . .

POETRY SHACK:

RAINBOWS CONVERGING

My dear Doctor Phibes:

I am having one of those "inspired" days - when, if there were a rainbow in the sky (there’s not, its threatening rain) and warm (there’s a brittle March chill - in April) - and a friend complimented me, I might think of God. Then I might assemble my moments into a rationale proving God’s existence. Trite as it may seem, my dear Doctor, this is one way my creativity spark catches fire, and being a poet, that is a day-maker. I am not (although I am want to) proselytizing (as you have rightly noted before). Well, here are my "rainbows" converging in these moments this morning:

I get an e-mail from Jack Muench, then had a really delightful talk with him by cell!

and, Muenchie has contributed a really thoughtful piece (above);

and which pointed me to a great Washington Post article (see link on the right) about the late, great Kurt Vonnegut -

then, I am in an elevator, and I’m thinking of the North Carolina Attorney General’s most sincere apology to the Duke Lacrosse Players (which prosecutors rarely, if ever, do) - which makes me feel really proud to be a lawyer, because (breath of fresh air) he had the guts to actually "do right" - actually say those words "I am sorry" - and then to also have the courage to pronounce those boys "innocent" (another taboo word for prosecutors) many WOW’s!

I’m remembering how eloquently Pierce Hodnette apologized to Jim Cordner (See Archives, Vol.2006, No.54), and how good it felt when Bill Price called me up out-of-the-blue to apologize to me for something 30 years ago, and the guts that took, and how much I admire Pierce and Bill for it;

Then, it hits me (but it was not like a Brando "diamond bullet in the center of my forehead" moment) - but it did light up my bonfire! So here is how I describe the feeling: its akin to feeling of invincibility at age 18, it’s the feeling a poet feels when writing a poem, or an artist feels while painting, a songwriter about his song - that feeling is a very powerful feeling. Much coveted by writers.

I’m thinking, Muenchie stirred this up, and there are several brothers, like Frank Collins, and Doug Campbell - there is truly a strong contingent of Tick-a-lors who are literature devotees and poetry lovers. I have tales yet to tell involving Fotch and Mansfield.

So, Phibes, I have these rainbows converging, and I think, sure, why not share one of my poems with my trusted Brothers?

And, I happen to have a poem on point - a poem about spirituality of apology. Many weird rainbows, eh? Doctor Phibes, you know me well enough to know a new prescription is the very thing I do not need. . . I’m so naturally goofy, people think I’m high on something - when its actually just a character flaw. I still treasure the advice you gave me . . . "get off the crack!" It was well deserved, I love you, Phibes.

Thus endeth the convergence of rainbows.

And so is born a new Blog feature - "Poetry Shack" - in which various poems, by various poets will be shared (rarely authored by yours truly).

Today, I know for a fact my dear friend Jack Muench watered my garden (careful - don’t you go where your prurient mind leads) - with a gift of inspiration. Thanks, Jack, I love you my Brother!

A little background. A few years ago, my life was again unmanageable, and to make matters worse, I had behaved quite hurtfully toward my beautiful wife, and said some very wicked things to her. This is no joke friends, I was ill (you know, the "m" word). Phibes, had you been there, you would have used one word on me - probably "moron." It is a miracle that she ever accepted my apology. Anyway, the poem is called Peace, and I wrote this poem about apology, from those feelings of having really screwed up, having hurt someone I love. I know the flavor of crow, my dear Doctor. There is a favorite Bible scripture that inspired the poem. So, I printed it up, and gave it to Ann as an anniversary present that year. Again, the disclaimer, not proselytizing here.

"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to

Yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."

James 3:17, 18

For Ann, on our third Anniversary

PEACE

To the wildflower, the mountain said I apologize

For the shadow I cast upon you.

If I did not stand over you,

The sun would shine upon you unceasingly.

To the mountain, the raincloud said I apologize

For all of my leaning upon your shoulder.

If I did not cling to you so, the beauty of your great peak

Would be visible for the sun to shine upon always.

To the mountain, the sun said I apologize

For setting down on you every day, and leaving you to the darkness.

If I did not leave you, you would cast no shadow

And my warmth and light would forever bathe your wildflowers.

To the raincloud, the wildflower said I apologize

For my selfishness.

For I have never ceased

In my cravings for your rain water.

To the sun, the wildflower said I apologize

For my greed.

For I have never felt satisfied enough,

I always need more of your warmth and light.

To the mountain, the wildflower said I apologize

For my hatred.

For I have bitterly cursed you

With every shadow you have cast upon me.

Said the wildflower to the raincloud, the mountain, and the sun,

Of all of us, I have the heaviest heart.

How could I hope to be forgiven

After the wrongs I have done you?

To the wildflower,

The raincloud said my rain water is your water.

The sun said my light is your light.

The mountain said my love is your love.

Larry Simons

March 30, 1999 copyright

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VTL,

Larry Simons

Beta Pi, ‘72