11/13/16

© words and pictures Daniel DeMarle 2016

© Words and Picture Dan DeMarle 2016

Part of my Americana series .  9/11/16

© Photo Dan DeMarle 2016

© Words and Picture Dan DeMarle 2016

Ran into a neighbor this morning when we walked to the Arnett Cafe for Breakfast.  I asked George how he and his family were doing this week with the election.  He said good, that he was too busy to worry about the election.  He said it was the election between the pant suit woman and the Street Thug.  He didn’t like either one of them.

 

© words by Dan DeMarle 2016

This monument was dedicated to the West High Boys who gave their lives in the World War. It was dedicated in 5/13/1919.  At that time there had only been one Great War.  Note that it was dedicated to the “Boys” because many of them were not yet Men.

Like so many men and women who died during the Great War. This like many other monuments to those who served in the Great war, although very visible is in large part, largely forgotten and invisible. Most residents in SW Rochester do not know it is even here. As the song says

“And did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind
In some faithful heart does your memory enshrine
And though you died back in 1916
In some faithful heart are you forever 19
Or are you a stranger without even a name
Enshrined forever behind the glass pane
Of an old photograph, torn and tattered and stained
And fading to yellow in a brown leather frame.”

Private William McBride is a song made popular by  Maken and Clancy  written by 1976 by Scottish Australian folk singer-songwriter Eric Bogle, that tells the story of a World War 1 deceased soldier.

11/13/16

© words and pictures Daniel DeMarle 2016

© Words and Picture Dan DeMarle 2016

It is very rare to ever see the river this calm.  Biking by her regularly, it was striking to see this image.  Of course you have to bike by after sunset.

© Photo Dan DeMarle 2016

What does an election mean…

to the deer pairing up in the woods on a cold night,

to the squirrel gathering its nuts for the coming winter,

to the chickadee waiting for me to start putting out seed again?

It would be easy to say it does not,

to end this here.

…

…

But if the election means the nearby woods gets turned to housing,

that the immigrant owners of my feed store close their business and move,

that the world gets a little bit warmer,

because of the way an election went,

then it means everything.

….

….

Because of a series of elections,

we have a Supreme Court that ruled that a man and a man,

a woman and a woman can marry across all 50 states.

Because of those elections we have love, and families.

….

…..

Because of an election,

we had the same president that started two wars,

do more to stop the spread of Aids in Africa,

then anyone appreciates,

except,

the Africans who are alive today,

who otherwise, never would have been born.

….

….

Because of an election,

Syrian refugees were able to come to the United States,

and children have been born, and have not died.

Safe,

here in America.

….

….

So whatever your politics,

right or left, independent, or moderate,

Always remember,

that elections matter.

Never forget how important,

your

single

solitary

vote

is.

…

….

Remember that one vote,

and one voice,

Can change the world.

© Words by Dan DeMarle 2016

© Words and Picture Dan DeMarle 2016