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Tuesday, December 14, 2010

DESTINATION MOON

Author note: WATER FOUND ON MOON (recent headline)
Previously, ice (probably massive amounts of it) was detected at the moon's poles.


One Shot Wednesday


When I was seven I sent in a coupon from the back page of a magazine.
It said SIGN UP NOW TO BE ABOARD THE FIRST ROCKET TO THE MOON.
They left without me in "69--an oversight for which I've forgiven them.
Now, they tell me there's ICE on the moon...
do you know what that means?
We'll establish colonies, shop in underground malls,
figure skate in the sea of tranquility.
Oh, can we go ma, huh mama, can we go?

When I was sixteen I was convinced I would solve the mystery
of the universe, as I cussed and manhandled the pinball machine
in the pool hall that was more home to me than home.
A brilliant lad was I,
the apple of my very own eye,
as I watched it winking back at me from the mirror.
Now, I behold that celestial sphere
and perceive the image of...what?

There's ice on the moon--
we must determine what this means for children of the ghetto
and poets who expire too soon.
We are the only species on a quest for meaning...
and when we find none we proclaim this lack of meaning
must be indicative of something!

I'm searching for my identity--
did you see it pass by?
I had it once upon a time--
butcher, baker, candlestick maker...
and I wonder why we're all so quick to identify
with something other than our common humanity.
And it must be a trick of the eye that from a vantage point on the moon
we can discern no countries...
yet here, even in Death Valley, we can see them all quite clearly.

And as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death
we will be like Evil Kneivel--
rocket jockeys shooting the gorge to glory!
And as the earth rises--an imposing blue pelota swimming in space--
will you sip from your can of Mountain Dew
and say, "Been there...done that?"

When I was twenty-three I saw my soul stripped naked
as the world of matter disintegrated around me
and I knew I was onto something...
but something still eludes me.

There's ice on the moon...
can we go ma, huh mama, can we go?
When the wild animals are gone can we go?
When the cities are ablaze can we go?
When the television watches YOU can we go?
And I wonder how life will be--
Sea of Tranquility or Ocean of Storms...
Lake of Dreams or Marsh of Decay?

There's ice on the moon
blood in the streets
tears in my eyes
salt in my tears...
a remnant of our life in the sea.
And where have our instincts gone?
We, the dinosaurs of devolution
sinking slowly back into the slime
and all the time asking "why?"
And what do you suppose predisposes us
to give or not give a damn?

There is a memory hidden deep in my mind...
an image of that first amphibian that washed onto dry land
and took its first halting stride--one small step for creature--
a giant leap for creature kind.
I was there when it gazed up at that incandescent orb
and wept at the wonder of the thing.

There's blood on the moon
ice in our veins
pain in our hearts--
and somewhere in the night the voice of Marvin Gaye still echoes:
What's Goin' On? What's Goin' On?

And the earth is asking one question:
Do we love her enough...to leave her?
And I think of how we demonized the Russians for decades, for their ideology.
The "Evil Empire."
Now we may cheer for them at skating competitions--
their ideology has spun closer to ours.
When we define evil as that with which we are in conflict
then how shall we speak of the conflict within ourselves?
A cat knows how to be a cat.
We must LEARN how to be human.
And it COULD be a trick of the eye
that we see a man in the moon...
or is it just that we recognize our own reflection...in everything?


32 comments:

  1. Wow. A brilliant piece of writing and very thought provoking. I love it when you get all philosphical. I really enjoyed this post.

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  2. 'When the television watches YOU.'
    _An overall... very important and well written civil thought here... brings to mind, a book once read, and that some have lost in that 'memory-hole.' _m

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  3. KAYDEE,
    Happy that you like this kind of thing. There'll be more!

    MAGYAR,
    Thanks for the comment. Most of what Orwell predicted has already come to pass--or is headed in that direction.

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  4. I have almost no word in face of such literacy and philosophy, except to recognize you as I recognize all as I recognize me, fallen angels

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  5. LORRAINE,
    Your eloquence is word enough.

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  6. T,

    Have we crossed paths? Crossed minds?

    On a different note... this is a brilliant post. A short story that could be made into something much larger if you wanted. You have it inside you it is only too obvious.

    I am sorry I have missed a few posts. I have been doing a lot thinking... not sure where it may lead me.

    Soft love,
    T

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  7. T,
    Hmmm. There IS something familiar about you...(and thanks for your comment).

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  8. Brilliant and provoking writing!!

    Bravo!

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  9. Lengthy piece, but it didn't feel it - this is one that draws you in and keeps you thinking, keeps you reflecting, dwelling on the world and on the images, relating them into your own life. Love how you keep going back to the moon...so much embodied there.

    A very deep and philosophical piece. I think "dinosaurs of devolution" catches the theme nicely...in so many ways, how can we really say we're moving forward? Love it, man.

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  10. A lot of interesting things in here.

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  11. Interesting read. Made me think. Kept me wondering where the next bend in the poem was going to be. Enjoyed reading!

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  12. Long poem, but fast moving with subject matter insists on being read--very unpretentious to be so profound;that's a combination many desire but few achieve. I enjoyed every line, but liked this one in particular : "...when we find none we proclaim this lack of meaning
    must be indicative of something!"
    And I couldn't agree with you more about learning to be human, something I'm afraid that's a bit of a lost art.

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  13. Chatty, smart, whimsical.

    The flow was obfuscated by some of its chattiness, but overall, it's a truly interesting/good concept and (what would be for me) an "raw write" (aka early version).

    Enjoyed this, for the most part. :)

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  14. Left out a which, there, after subject matter, sb "which" insists on being read. A which-less witch post, as it were.

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  15. "There's blood on the moon
    ice in our veins
    pain in our hearts--
    and somewhere in the night the voice of Marvin Gaye still echoes:
    What's Goin' On? What's Goin' On?"

    Brilliant...do we love her enough? Do we love ourselves, each other enough to truly live our human potential...COMPASSION...LOVE...ice melting into tears, softening.

    So many thoughts circling round for me, so many feelings.

    again...Brilliant!!

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  16. Dreamy and almost whimsical, and yet so poignant...
    Those last 5 lines were like a slap on the face -- yet somehow, reading it felt real good! Like some sort of a reminder to get "human" again...
    A very thought provoking poem, T.. Bravo!!!!

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  17. nice...i got the deck of the starship enterprise for my UPC symbols...it was rather small...like that last line..i think we do.

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  18. This is amazing! I love the whimsical child memories mixed in with the serious message. Truly, I think we've simply forgotten to be human because of all of our technology and removal from our animal nature.

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  19. This is so thought-provoking. Something about it reminds me of 2001: a Space Odyssey. Perhaps it is the endless quest for understanding.

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  20. There is a lot going on here Timoteo. I may have to come back tomorrow with a fresh mind to dig in to all your metaphors. Good flow.

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  21. This is fabulous-- I love these lines:

    I was there when it gazed up at that incandescent orb
    and wept at the wonder of the thing.

    wonder of the thing... great job! xj

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  22. An interesting take on modern man you took us from infancy or childhood to adulthood and all the media bits bombarding our consciousness as we grow older, but never wiser and too many of us not humane enough, even those who claim to be humane are mistaken -- our egos are far to large and our hearts far too small,...ditto to Patti with the 2001 space odyssey movie,,, but I also found your poetic piece to much more profound then that movie.
    joanny

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  23. evocative...i often thought of how much more our planet can take, being disrespected and taken for granted by humanity

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  24. thought provoking...and as usual,you got my mind stirred! well put lines,you are spoiling me buddy,great stuff you are about..:)
    LOVE READING YOU TIM..:)

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  25. Another stellar One Shot, Timoteo! I especially liked that you were "the apple of my very own eye" - you're certainly a One Shot apple!

    (Apples are my favorite fruit too!)

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  26. I love this poem. It made me laugh in places and it made me think too :O)

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  27. great thoughts about our humanity...our questioning our need for meaning...never satisfied or justified....thank you...bkm

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  28. Remarkable writing and so much truth!

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  29. I've sang it in pain, in horror, in disgust and in joy he only forgot the hell of it...
    What the hell is going on...love this Tim

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  30. I'll be getting back to you individually after this weekend...holiday stuff making me scurry to and fro and go crazy...but THANKS SO MUCH for the love...EVERYONE!

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  31. Long, but onew doesn't feel it as it gets into the story you tell, creative, beautiful!

    I’d like to wish you a Merry Christmas and to say thank you for the support to Jingle Poetry, with you standing beside us, we are able to continue our efforts by providing the platform for poets who share and encourage…BEST wishes for the year 2011…your poetry has enlightened our community and made us smile.

    Blessings fly your way, Happy Holidays!

    http://jinglepoetry.blogspot.com/

    Hope to see you on Sunday Poetry Potluck again, let me know if you have questions..old poems or poems unrelated to our theme are welcome..

    week 15 theme: reflections, interpretations, and musings.

    Take care!

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