the normalizing of huge lies & injustices just to get on with life… The Social Contract of any society is based in trust and reliance on the sources of truth. In these times, trust is one of the chiefest of casualties: We have been lied to in large and little ways our entire lives, all …
Author Archives: Ciel
What Do You Believe?
Everyone at some time in their life, if they cannot travel widely around the world, should study anthropology. Or at least, read a book or two on the subject. I recommend Edward T Hall’s many wise and readable works. Since humankind traded instinct for intellect, every society in the world has wrangled with the same …
America Dreaming
Well, here we are in the United States: living in a time of the ascendance of a social order that glorifies greed and selfishness, that revels in ignorance and defies science in favor of clever but inane conspiracy theories. It is a time of Dunning-Kruger exemplars gleefully, self-righteously preparing to lay their agendas on all …
Over-Thinking About Thinking
It’s not anthropomorphism to believe that animals think & feel like us. It’s assuming they think & feel the same ways about the same things as we do. Misreading physical cues like facial expressions or body language leads to totally mistaken interpretations of what an animal has on its mind, what it intends or wants. …
Who Are We Really?
“…humans have fought each other throughout their existence. Such a waste of the gift of life on our planet.” I am so tired of those who make such cynical assertions about how useless, hopeless, selfish and finally self-defeatingly monstrous are human beings. People have also loved and created and protected and cherished each other and …
Not Quite Alone
I am glad of the cat who keeps company with me from time to time sitting beside me on the arm of the chair or on my arm despite my need to have it free and sometimes I pause from work or pull her close against me to rest slightly purring against my chest and …
Summer Day
Heat comesafter the cool of morningdown out of a clear blue skythat reaches upwardstowards forever. Land bakes underoven-air that parchesgrass and flower,sears the souland wearies hearts and limbs. Over the mountains building, towering, darkening clouds confoundthe sunbright heat,lift gales,fling lightning boltswith a crack and grumble and rain buckets down at lastto bludgeon flowersinto the sudden …
Summer Creek
Silt settles in the summer creekover hard-wedged woodand largish stubborn stoneslaid bright and baresince vernal torrentsripped raw the bed,tore out old banksand little bridges loosed rode wild on white-watershattered against rock after rock… The sun is warm now glimmeringover the water where leafy branchesgaze and tease the eyewhere the pebbles colorful and stripedand many shades …
Tennis for the Blind
I played the game,took my side of the netand playedthe best I couldthe best I knewlobbed ball after ballfair shots, all,shared good volleys,you could hear my laughter,I could hear your smile… Even when the balldid not return still I playedand played looked for, waited for returnsthat did not come… I served at lastthe last ball …
Duet
Voice of eagle,Voice of larklace-likerising through a skyagainst storm clouds darkand brilliant-edgedthe silver dashing rainabout to fall… Harmonics risingbuilding vastrelentless out of the mighty stones:deep thundernot of clouded skiesbut from earth’s very heartresounds… Bright song piercescrying angel-high;God-profundoout of abyssal silencesuddenlywas always there… Duet sublimeas Life and Deathare One. May 2011 CL Reddingrevisions 2024
LOOSELY SPEAKING... 