The news comes endlessly.

Bad news upon bad news upon bad,

the reason is that “Baby born in Brooklyn” doesn’t sell anything,

unless the baby has three heads,

or is born to the man who was just arrested and sent to jail,

but hey there was baby born in Brooklyn.

Her name is probably Jada or maybe Tashara.

I bet she has green eyes, and her mother cried tears of joy.

Oh yeah, by the way, you survived another day,

smile!

© by Dan DeMarle 2010

The shooter yesterday did not have an assault rifle. So just banning assault rifles is helpful, but not enough. There were two police officers in the school. So just having more police in schools isn’t enough. The school practiced for active shooters. So just drills aren’t enough. The school participated in the 17 minutes of silence to honor the Parkland students. So just protesting isn’t enough. The two police officers were armed. So just having highly trained police with guns isn’t enough. His guns were legal. So just going after illegal guns isn’t enough. All that and 10 people died. What’s left? Oh yeah getting rid of guns. And voting out every politician in the pockets of the NRA!

The Country of Israel, its leader, its cabinet, and the heads of its military should be investigated and held accountable in the World Court for its actions this past week. The Holocaust occurred and is rightfully condemned as an atrocity that should never ever happen again. However the Jewish occupation of Palestine is equivalent to what occurred in the Warsaw Ghetto.   The only difference is that they have not yet begun to drag the Palestinians out to the concentration camps yet, BECAUSE they do not need to.   The failure of both Democratic and Republican elected representatives to condemn this long standing situation and the recent murders is contemptible!  Do not be silent on this issue.   There are Palestinians who were born in this situation, who are now adults and have never, ever been allowed to leave the small area of land they are locked into. These are basic human rights that they have been denied their entire lives.  Our President directly caused these very predictable killings. He also should be held directly responsible.  Come November remember to vote, and vote these people out of office.

© words by Dan DeMarle

The snow falls,

and falls,

and falls.

The world is white outside my window.

The garden plants lie covered in snow.

Spring seems,

like a distant faded memory,

but hot chocolate and friends await.

Bundled up and out the door.

The winter day awaits.

© by Dan DeMarle 2016

The cold tries to sneak into our minds.

It creeps like soft, little mice feet,

insinuating itself into our psyches.

Whispering stay in, stay in, stay under your blankets.

But friends, wake, the whole gorgeous world awaits.

Only in this moment are you alive.

Yesterday is history and tomorrow never becomes today.

Oh what fun we will have today.

© by Dan DeMarle 2009

“There hadn’t really been any decision. As she dragged the round topped trunk up the steps and propped it’s lid against the table, she was thinking that you never really made up your mind to anything, you simply bent where the pressure was greatest. You didn’t surrender because surrender was annihilation you gave before the pressure.”

The Big Rock Candy Mountain by Wallace Stegner March 1, 1991 by Penguin Books – originally published 1943. 

The cold hits as soon as I step out the door.

It snakes around looking for any chink in my armor.

Like an ancient serpent of lore,

or like the whisperings of a heretical saint.

Stay inside, stay inside.

But long before the day begins.

I am off, embracing the flow of endorphins.

As I walk, I think I bet its not this cold in North Carolina.

Thinking of you Peter and Lynn.

© by Dan DeMarle 2009

Another year.

Floated by.

I wasn’t watching carefully.

It snuck around a corner.

Like a half inflated balloon.

Floating low to the ground.

It hit my on my head.

As I turned,

with rake in hand.

Bang I was a year older.

© by Dan DeMarle 2009

Walking

The streets quiet

Later

Early morning runners go by

Sunrise meets me on a hill

Turning back

Phone rings

Meet up with Fred

Down to the river

Meet up with Joanne and Deb

Solitary walk now a social event

Laughing as we

walk along the river

The group divides

Divides again

Children rise

Breakfast

© by Dan DeMarle 2007