Poetry For Now

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In the last year over half 1 million Americans have died from Covid   This is more than American service people died  in all the wars since 1900.  We can celebrate the power of science, but we have nothing to celebrate regarding the power of humanity to protect our fellow human beings, our precious earth and it's biodiversity.

LET’S WAKE UP to this Global reality and take action!

This episode features Kassandra's gongs & Martin's poetry and Haikus.
To see some of Martin's B&W photos taken from 1968 through 1984 go to www.thewalkingpoet.net

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This episode started being about finding the truth, the reason for being in this human body, but as life evolved and our water heater leaked, a new story sprang up - so this episode recognizes that physical bodies and the things we collect will all be unimportant in the end.
You will also find out a little about "stamp collecting" and more!

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Episode 33 - LET IT BE
In the last 11 days we have celebrated Valentines day and "NEW Presidents Day" and completed the second impeachment trial of the 45th President and in February 1964 the Beatles first landed in America!

In this episode we experience nature's beauty, we celebrate the country moving forward in new directions, and ponder how we can understand each other better and move on without hanging on to negativity while still learning and not being dragged behind a "farting camel" - as in Hafiz's poem - Cast all your votes for dancing. .      Happy Valentine's day.

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Inspired by the poet Billy Collins, Martin's poems share experiences from walking in Iceland, exploring exciting European Cities, Bhutan and Nepal in 1978, when it was relatively free of tourism.

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These poems are about cleaning up our lives, our email, our "ToDo" lists and perhaps even National Politics.
President Biden has been in the White House 7 days and he is cleaning up. 
Let's take it one small step at a time!

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This podcast has become a journal of a tumultuous time in human history.  So I choose my words very carefully to reflect my reality, my vision and my hopes in ways that uplift and enlighten.   The poems here tell stories and I request that  you start to create your own story for 2021.
I also discovered a way to invite you into different views of the world and places I treasure in the poem:  THE INVITATION.   Also I am reminded of the power of Ichigo Ichie, from an earlier episode.  And finally I realize that we live in a  Subscription world and Life itself is a subscription.

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Welcome to belated episode 29.  Since Christmas 2020 I have felt in a negative creative hole, a black hole, as if in the calm before an unknown storm - now I know why.  2021 is a turning point in many ways.   This episode takes us from 2020 through the events of January 6th, 2021 to an optimistic view of 2021.  Expect more episodes soon!

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On December the 21st, the winter solstice arrives here in the Northern Hemisphere, lengthening days and shortening nights.  In December Hanukkah and Christmas are religious celebrations full of light. Then we can get ready to celebrate the coming of 2021, a new year.  Let’s consider every hour and every day a celebration too.  
The music in this episode was recorded informally in May 2019 in Tuscany and Umbria, Italy.  The final music celebrates Hanukkah.

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Courage has been on my mind as during the last week or so,  this country has seen integrity and moral courage on the part of those state officials responsible for certifying the election results, under political pressure; and with the surging wave of Covid infections across much of the country, health professionals have served selflessly and with courage.  Over 20,000 have died from Covid, worldwide.
COURAGE is derived from the french "coeur" or heart.  These poems look at overcoming fear, where fear comes from;  Moments of personal courage, decisions that each of us might make;  following our heart.
Also TAKE A STEP honors Stan Edelson, a playwright, director, teacher and social activist from Cambridge Mass, whom I knew and worked with briefly in the mid 1970's.  He died in October 2020, 94 years old.

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We seem to be living in a world of politically driven illusions.  A democratically defeated president and his devoted followers continue the hypocritical illusion that he really won, because this time the election was crooked, (of course, it was not so in 2016).  Also one quarter of a million  deaths by Covid -19 seem to be  ignored, or even denied by many.

I am grateful for the reality and beauty of our natural world where I can have a respite, feeling content and peaceful, and away from the “meshugaas”or craziness  of this situation.  

I have to speak my truth about the political situation in the USA, if you are offended - tough luck and still keep listening.  Soon the news will be almost politics free!!

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