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Politics is like talking to yourself only stupider. Politics never seems to get out of its own way and never poses solutions for problems and is just a problem unto itself.
I am not sure how I started walking down this road, but jeez I must be either a space cadet, a martyr, a visionary or just a plain old poet. But here I am seeking solace from a bunch of miscellaneous words that I try to make sense of. I look out upon this world with acres of objectivity and a noisy heart and not so silent opinions about life and living and yes surviving as best as I can. I am not so blind to think I have all the answers but I do wish to awaken those (including myself) that have fallen asunder or “aslumber” if you will. Yes, I seek solace in times of pain and misadventure. But I tell you this I will not give up until every human trafficked slave is freed. I will not give up until every mouth that sheds tears has joy. I will not give up until sanity rules the asylum instead of the inmates. At the same time, I will have fun doing it! Yes, I seek solace from my friends and enemies.
But solace and politics don’t mix. I love the word solace, politics not so much. We must learn to transcend politics in order to get out of this quagmire we have fallen into, inadvertently or not.
But ahh the word solace just brings us to the brink of serenity. Solace is a beautiful word with much implication. It goes back to the Latin—solacium which denotes soothing, assuaging, comfort, or consolation. Taking a step further back and its Indo-European word roots — selh₂ implying mercy and comfort. In today’s usage, solace has not strayed away from its origins and is used to imply comfort especially in times of grief or pain. I just love taking a word apart. It gives me solace in troubled and crazed times.
There are times when I want to talk to you about politics but I abhor politics and constantly striving to rise above and transcend the entire political spectrum. To me politics is like talking to yourself only stupider. Politics never seems to get out of its own way and never poses solutions for problems and is just a problem unto itself. Politics does not offer hope and like I said provides problems instead of solutions.
Would it surprise you to know that Wikipedia says that “politics is the way that people living in groups make decisions. Politics is about making agreements between people so that they can live together in groups such as tribes, cities, or countries. Politics has its roots in Aristotle’s work, Politiká, which introduced the Greek term politiká affairs of the cities. Would only that be true. Lately politics creates dividing lines and divisiveness rather than agreement. Unfortunately, politics has not lived up to its definition and we must in order to survive transcend the current political arrangement.
Glad I got that mini rant out of the way.
We have to supersede the current arrangement by creating our own futures. Futures that are honest and true and not subject to lobbying and other paid political announcements. Futures that are creative and grant life and beingness to every individual, every living thing and even to those not living such as beautiful buildings and bridges and other of humanity’s creations that create bountiful pleasure and enjoyment.
I don’t want to be la de da, sweetness and light about all this. It is going to take some hard work and nose to grindstone type guts to get through this. Right now, the social veneer of society is stripping itself away. We are left with the brutal constructs that are defining mankind. But and it is a big but (no pun intended) further underneath are good-hearted people who care and respect one another. It is just tough to see that right now. Mighty tough! Folks are basically good and compassionate; we just have to create enough time for the ugly to wear off.
To all my writer and poet friends, I say this: We must make a revolution with our words, not let them sit in eternal slumber, don’t kill your words with doubts and verbal pyrotechnics. Bring them to life! And on that note, I would like to impart this week’s poem.
AND GUNS WERE TURNED INTO REVOLUTION
And guns were turned into revolution and revolution into hate and so goes history without lessons learned— And from the revolution— pain was distilled into hate. When minds needed to be changed and hearts sought sanctuary guns fired mindlessly. Blood leaked into the streets a flood of triumph a moral victory life lost without conscience. As guns were turned into revolution villages were lost and tears were shed— But the guns could not silence the crying as guns were turned into revolution.
I don’t want to dwell on past philosophies that subjugate humanity instead of freeing all humanity. I want to push forth a manifesto that decries suffering and decries slavery. In the United States we have a constitution that has held us together for over 200 years. In the UK, the Magna Carter has served them well since 1215. France’s revolution with or without the guillotine was magnanimous in creating equality, liberty and freedom. There are many many other examples of courage and humanity. These documents were ideas carved into stone. We have a great foundation, let’s just live up to it.
And now for your pleasure video of the weekI don’t know if you have ever seen Wednesday on Netflix but it is a hoot especially this dance scene. Enjoy!
Lawrence George Jaffe
Lawrence George Jaffe is an internationally known and an award-winning writer, author, and poet. For his entire professional career, Jaffe has been using his art to promote human rights. He was the poet-in-residence at the Autry Museum of Western Heritage, a featured poet in Chrysler’s Spirit in the Words poetry program, co-founder of Poets for Peace (now Poets without Borders) and helped spearhead the United Nations Dialogue among Civilizations through Poetry project which incorporated hundreds of readings in hundreds of cities globally using the aesthetic power of poetry to bring understanding to the world.
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