esmense

esmense
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Seattle, Washington, USA
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"Often this poet, strolling through the noisy splintered glare of a Manhattan noon, has paused at a sample Olivetti to type up thirty or forty lines of ruminations, or pondering more deeply has withdrawn to a darkened ware- or fire-house to limn his computed misunderstandings of the eternal questions of life, co-existence and depth, while never forgetting to eat Lunch his favorite meal..." Frank O'Hara Lunch Poems, 1964. This site is dedicated to the spirit of the man who wrote "I am ashamed of my century for being so entertaining, but I have to smile." Different century than the one we are all now inhabiting of course, and he did have the ill-grace to check out early, before the 1960s ended and America's contribution to that century’s ill-conceived wars, brutal assassinations and betrayals had changed our graceful, fond and confident smiles to the currently fashionable smirks, sneers, snickers and grimaces seen nightly on the news and political talk shows. But still. I hope to "limn" my own "computed misunderstandings of the eternal questions of life, co-existence and depth" on these pages, while never forgetting to eat Lunch, and always, always searching for those rare moments of grace -- when whatever it is that this century is clicks more clearly into view.

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Salon.com
NOVEMBER 5, 2008 8:28PM

Dancing in the street

Rate: 6 Flag

It strikes me that last night we celebrated as if it was the end of a war, rather than the end of an election. Which, in historic terms, it was. But the celebration also said a lot about how hard the last eight years have been.

I don't remember Americans dancing in the street for any of the (many) elections I've lived through -- much less people around the world.

Yet, we can't afford to forget that an election isn't an end -- it's only a beginning.

In this case, an extremely hopeful and joyous one.

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Comments

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Very true. Today I've just tried to bask in the joy and have found it strangely difficult. My mind keeps jumping to what a mess this country has become. I guess turning off the anxious despairing part of my brain is not that easy.

I keep wondering what Bush or members of his family think (if they think) at seeing the world go crazy with joy that they're leaving? Do you think he'll ever experience any doubt that maybe he didn't do such a great job after all?
Did you see that crowd outside the White House last night? I said to my husband: "Hear them shouting? Know what they're asking?' Do you need help packing?"

I've been dancing all day..mostly because, I'm afraid if I stop dancing, I might let the scarier angels start talking. There is so much to hope for and so much to worry about...
My son took me to lunch yesterday at a Greek restaurant (in our University District) we've been frequenting since he was a toddler. It was packed with people -- like the busiest weekend crowd I've ever seen. When I commented to the owner about the crowd he said that the day before -- election day -- "...there was nothing! It was like people were afraid to breath! But, today -- suddenly, everyone wants to eat!"
I just read that at the last minute, Obama cancelled the fireworks planned for after his acceptance speech. He felt the occasion was too serious for fireworks. Indeed.

I seem to have missed the joy that so many around me are feeling. I've felt immense gratitude, and hope where there was none, but I've found myself tears over and over again. Deeply touched, in a way I've never been before by a political decision, but no grinning and no dancing.

I think if you believe in prayer, this would be a good time to be saying a few extra ones.