multiplying the enemy

even a chimp can find a way
to consolidate his enemies
give them a common cause
unify them around the globe
while peeling a ready and ripe banana

absent with out leave when his duty called
silver spoon inserted where his flying brethren fly from
leaning on the vice presidents hunting expertise
keeping those weapons of mass destruction
under watchful eye while chimplike noises wander

picks a flea from somewhere under arm
and ponders iraq and strings
that tug from silhouetted puppetmasters
yanking from above
while audience of sheep bleat on

President Bush League

george's silver spoon
brought him the texas rangers
which was perhaps his only real job
before the presidency

all those awol's
in the national guard
don't count because
he had connections

when he sold the rangers
he stripped the team (Corky Sosa)
and made a big profit on that stadium
the people of texas bought

george is now a legend
in his own mind
small legend since the acreage on the G.W.B. mindranch
is infinitesimal

george yesterday complained about leaks
that might skew the election
guess he forgot about
his own administrations use of leaks

george yesterday made some statements
about bin laden and his killing agenda
guess he forgot about
his own killing agenda

george has made us all ugly americans
to a point and width we've never been before
guess that's the best he could do
with a bigger expenditure than ever before

george, do us a favor
go hunting
with cheney
please

just heard an old favorite on the radio

and remembered those days of knowing and confusion...
___________________

BOTH SIDES NOW
____________________

Rows and flows of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere
I've looked at clouds that way

But now they only block the sun
They rain and snow on everyone
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way
I've looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It's clouds illusions I recall
I really don't know clouds at all

Moons and Junes and ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way you feel
As every fairy tale comes real
I've looked at love that way

But now it's just another show
You leave 'em laughing when you go
And if you care, don't let them know
Don't give yourself away

I've looked at love from both sides now
From give and take, and still somehow
It's loves illusions I recall
I really don't know love at all

Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say I love you right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
I've looked at life that way

But now old friends are acting strange
They shake their heads, they say I've changed
Well something's lost, but something's gained
In living every day

I've looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It's lifes illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all
I've looked at life from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It's lifes illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all


-Joni Mitchell

he forgot the crusades

fish hat man stood in regensburg and
spoke to the academy there
where he'd taught theology in the 1970's and
revisited centuries of Islamic, Greek and
Christian philosophy

bavarian pope decried holy wars, forced conversions
and held up Christianity as the
"profound encounter of faith and reason"
in a long dense lecture prone
to wide interpretation

he said, "violence is incompatible
with the nature of god and
the nature of the soul" and
"not to act in accordance with reason
Is contrary to god's nature"

benedict used the word "jihad" and
chose the emotionally and
politically charged arabic word
for holy war or struggle but
never mentioned once the word crusade

it must be nice to be infallible

remembering 9-11 for the right reasons

it's been five years
it's been five years

five short years
five long years

five years that some have been without
five years of never-the-same-again

five years of relentless ache
five years of empty places

the best of us will remember
for all the right reasons

the worst of us will remind
for all the worst reasons

they dare to make our sacred dead
a lever to advance their fetid objectives

they've made one half million innocent iraqis
pay the piper pay the piper pay the piper

support our troops forever and
forever damn those who sent them there

now more than ever we are uglier than ever
our american beauty lost

Steve Irwin passes on

Steve Irwin "The Crockodile Man" died of a random mishap on the great barrier reef off the coast of Australia this weekend. Steve's new age showmanship with dangerous animals was one-of-a-kind entertainment. Steve is shown here with his one month old son in an encounter with a full sized crock which stirred some varied and passionate opinions.

Steve had paid his dues to production companies and sponsors and was about to embark upon his own work to bring attention to many ecological and animal issues worldwide.

Our thoughts and condolences go out to Steve's wife, children and family.