Now that Theo is settled in for an early nap, I'm supposed to be cleaning and finishing packing (more info on our trip: next week), but I read this at breakfast and quite enjoyed it, so I'm sharing it with you. Just having celebrated Independence Day, coming up on Pioneer Day, I have been trying to be a little more patriotic and a little less tired of endless debating and news coverage about elections and officials and corruption and constitutional amendments. Ye olde President Clinton said, "There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be fixed by what is right with America." Maybe a little optimistic but remember, I am being optimistic!
And patriotic!
Hooray for democracy, and freedom, and endless, sometimes almost mindless arguments so that everyone (at least, everyone loud enough) can, in theory, have a voice.
In Otto's Basement
by Louis Simpson
At the meeting of the village board
last night in Otto's basement
when they were discussing a building violation--
Why hasn't the building inspector reported?
The village lawyer is waiting to hear from him.
The inspector has to be told to "get off the pot"--
a picture drifted into my mind
from some Latin American country,
of men tied to posts, about to be shot.
Or perhaps it was Africa, or Afghanistan.
So we endure it. This is what Jefferson
and Lincoln had to endure,
sitting and listening to people
argue . . . the cost of conversion from oil to coal
and the statement by the tree-trimming committee.
If you want to know what freedom cost
look for us here, under the linoleum.
Dig between the end of the table
and the wall of some brown material
grained like wood, with imitation knotholes.
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