Category: Uncategorized

Floated in on foamy tide,
Or wafted here by ocean breezes
Life comes to our coastline
Keen to take root and abide.

No farmer can create new life,
He can but husband well the soil,
And nurture roots and emerging stems,
So that nascent life will wax and thrive.

The soil’s the arbiter of new life,
Its not man’s place to decide,
The valid judge, only Mother Earth,
As to which shall sprout and then abide.

Her dad’s print* T-shirt said “Peru”
And, feeding his three-year old, her
Jet black hair and shining eyes; they then
Rubbed noses, softly, when all through.

Leonard N. Shapiro N.Y. 3/11/18

-p.

Attend it close, excluding all
So *to sense and mindfully hear
The cardiac beat of planet Earth
Those pulses soft in depths profound
Life’s vital tattoo, its organic sound
In synchrony to man’s own heart
In star set, Universal time.

If you would hear, go out of mind
Attend the Earth, embrace its sound
Enfin,—do you mark the base tattoo?
That all may hear and apprehend—
It ticks the steady tones* of life
With its eternal* measured strikes
That beat, indeed, from babe to crone
And then, from crone to dust so soft.

My sight is only for your “self”
And not your lovely eyes and limbs
It is perforce your heart I seek
That beats along with that of mine
Both timed unto that earthly drum.

What I would see and do salute
My planetary heart and earthly “self”—
The pure, ethereal love of you.

*(edit)

(Leonard N. Shapiro, NYC, 7/2017)

-p,

The soil curates small slips of man
His life, his work, his resume
Some petit detritus of his life
A library of tales again retold.

No need to search with system code
Items are best secured by chance
With lucky use of spade and rake
Close searched where man did live and die

A rusty nail, a piece of tool
Both witnesses to man’s resolve
To raise a shelter for repose.
A fragment of a printed page,
Reveals a ken that there’s yet more.
Old cans and jars and rusty spoons,
Betoken victory over want,
And man’s resolve to live out life.

The grassy fields perforce* are doors,
Enclosing bits of lives past lived—
Far better than some* research “App,”
With cold results in digit code!

Leonard N. Shapiro, N.Y. 9/1/16

*(edits)

-p.

Can one describe a chocolate’s taste
Or find soft words for baby’s smile
Can words tell honey’s sweet bouquet
Or express relief to rest awhile

Can one recount a rainbow’s arch–
With words to bring to view its sight
Or portray the shadows of the Moon
And thus reveal its pale, cold light

Are there apt words to sob relief
When the lost toddler’s tearfully found
To describe the lilac’s inebriate scent
Or the Ocean wave’s full basso pound

Is there a word for the brush of lips
On newborn’s cool and silken brow
Or the splatting sound of dripping rain
That strikes the verdant leaves and boughs

Can one describe a rose’s red
The weathered hue of an old windmill
Tell me please, where those words go ?
With so many heartfelt thoughts to fill

One need not fret, nor search in vain
When it seems words do not ensue
The sentiment is so well conveyed—
Most times, a subtle tear will do.

-p. (Leonard N. Shapiro N.Y., 1/2018)

The press of lips reveals it all—
The touch o’er shadows merely words,
Prolonged, unsure, secure, polite?
A kiss can oft-time s speak in verse,
No form, no rhyme, soft tactual beats.
Non-painted lips do say it best—
They speak full bore and spill the beans.

To forehead kiss the newborn babe, says…
Be safe, I love, will I be there when–?
Kisses touched to elder kin, say…
I’m here! It’s me. And just how long?
Kisses to young children pray…,
Will we be close? Shall I now fret?

First date kisses do inquire…
Shall I try tears and joy, again?
Wedding kisses always say…
Let us both hope, the two of us.
Married folk, at times will ask…
Are you still you? Is that you, my love?

-p. (Leonard N. Shapiro N.Y., 2016)

The reader may by now be aware that we are long-time admirers of the rational method of reasoning best encapsulated in Euclidean Geometry. Pursuant to its (logically deductive) procedure, a problem is clearly stated, (the “given”); in our case, the current instability of the Nation, fueled by acute divisiveness. The problem (or, “theorem”) having been clearly and succinctly identified, next expressed in progressive, logical order, are the relevant, accepted principles (“axioms”).  The  “solution” is derived as the result of the logical progress of progressive deduction from the relevantly chosen axioms. Traditional practitioners of geometric mathematics might well add the letters, ”QE.D.,” (quo erat demonstratum), meaning, which has been proven, or shown) following each problem’s attained solution.

It is the express proposition of this writing, that the method of solution regarding the restoration of National Stability (the problem) can be obtained by the logical application of empirical principles (axioms), leading to a deductive solution to the subject problem,( viz., inspired populist divisiveness, threatening our Republican Democracy), by Euclidean reasoning as employed in Geometry.

THE GIVEN (Statement of the problem)

We begin the process with the known facts representing the causation of the presenting problem, viz., the contemporaneous National instability and divisiveness, exacerbated and weaponized by the incapable, neurotic and demagogic, President, Donald J. Trump. The flawed Chief Executive was first successfully elected, in large part, due to the unprecedentedly large vote of individuals, thereafter, termed his “base,” consisting of the insufficiently educated, uninformed, chronically discontented, citizens (“the “underbelly”) of our Nation, responsive to his tactical and insincere “snake oil,” demagoguery. In his memorable first term, President, Donald Trump, was directly responsible for, among other negative consequences, the exacerbation and worsening of the lethal viral pandemic, the decline in support and respect for education and scientific advancement, the despoilation of the planetary atmosphere and the natural environment, an autocratic assault upon the validity of the Press and on the existential institution of “truth,” the implicit support of bigotry, the straining of international ties with our historic allies and the befriending of our traditional enemies, and such other acts, of malpractice and immorality, a more inclusive list of which, would take us yet further, from the theme of this writing, viz., the logical (geometric) route to the future avoidance of National instability, such as was evidenced at the recent Capitol Building insurrection.

AXIOM 1: [Divisiveness and discontent is avoided by an educated citizenry with mature perception]

We have eternally stated that the aspiration for ultimate feelings of satisfaction and fulfillment in life, is obtained by the cerebral benefits of reading good literature and/or the cultivation of an outside interest in a chosen field or occupation. The empirical result is the advancement or growth of a mature perception, the capacity to deal in complex matters, and the ability not to feel threatened by diversity of opinion. The cultivation of the awareness of others and other modes of thought and belief tends to avoid divisive conflict and toleration of others.

AXIOM 2: [ Our challenge consists of the numerous existence of the insufficiently educated and uninformed voters]

The absence of desire to advance or to attain mature perception,  unfortunately, characterized by so many of our fellow citizens, has the predictable, result of empty and disappointed lives. The ultimate result is the absence of a personal sense of the shared universality of human problems, and the perception that life is insular, lonely, and insecure. We have stated, in the previous essay that, “ignorance is the quiet death of the human evolutionary potential and is fertile ground for the fear of differences; it is the promoter-in-chief of pernicious bigotry, divisiveness and hatred.” There eternally exists, the potential of a felt need for such disappointed and frustrated citizens to vent their pent-up, angry, feelings of frustration. Given some perceived common cause, and sufficient incitement, such as the not-so-subtle invitation to riot, delivered by the miscreant, defeated presidential incumbent.

AXIOM THREE: [ Insurrection requires a perceived “common” cause and an adequate incitement]

The successive generations of lives of millions of our poorly educated, inadequately informed population, are often potential fertile fields for snake-oil demagogues, in the style of Donald J. Trump, to tactically attract their votes, albeit harmful to the Nation and often also against the interest of the targeted, credulous voter. Yet, few Americans would favor limitations imposed upon universal American suffrage.

Such was the underlying basis for the famous, 18^th Century caution, expressed by Thomas Jefferson that, for a representative democracy to succeed, it is required to have an educated and informed citizenry. Recent events unfortunately indicate that we do not sufficiently satisfy even such elementary criteria.

AXIOM FOUR: [The assurance of acceptable Presidential candidates would avert divisive incitement]

We have strenuously urged that there be a mandatory prerequisite for potential nominees for the Presidency to be sufficiently vetted and carefully screened, as to character and capability, by a competent bi-partisan, Board of Examiners. Presenting to our entire, (and heterogeneous) voting population, an elective choice of two candidates, both of whom have been objectively adjudged to be suitable, albeit with diverse platforms, rather than fielding an imprudently, unknown aspirant for America’s highest office, would assure the prevention of another (Trump style) inciter of insurrection.

SOLUTION:

A mandatory prerequisite consisting of the positive demonstration of acceptability viz., sufficient educational,  and emotional qualification, by aspiring nominees for President, would, unquestionably, be of major benefit to the Nation and as an incident, would prevent future insurrection by the avoidance of a potential source of incitement in the person of an unprincipled and defeated Presidential Candidate.

QED.

-p.

We include ourselves in the vast number of law- abiding American citizens who were shocked and deeply disturbed by the recent obscene and egregious insurrection, which took place on the premises of Washington’s august and historic Capitol Building. The motivation of the riotous and threatening participants, it seems, has been popularly ascribed to a forced overturn of the democratic result of the recent Presidential election, at the  behest and invitation of its miscreant loser. It is our considered opinion, however, that the expressed anger and motivation of the unruly, flag waving, gun toting and highly destructive mob, was, to the contrary, brought about by a perceived singular opportunity for a mob, composed a virtual conglomerate of individually nuanced malcontents, to release their long term, pent-up emotional panic, based on a felt recognition of their malignant discontent with their life.

Presidential choices aside, our regular followers are cognizant of the foundational raison d’etre of this blog space, (“plinyblog”) and observably, the various themes, evinced in our more than one half thousand published essays. We have eternally believed that one’s aspiration for the ultimate feeling of satisfaction and self-fulfillment with his relatively short span of life, is attained by the cerebral benefits of reading good books and/or cultivating an enduring personal interest in an elective field or activity. The advancement in any educational or liberal field of education develops mature perception,  the capacity to deal in complex matters and, additionally, the ability to not be threatened by diversity of opinion. A cultivation of the awareness of other modes of thought tends to avoid conflict and encourages empathy and the toleration of others.

It has always been our perception, that contrariwise, the lack of desire to advance one’s understanding and maturity of perception, has the predictable reward of a repetitive, insular, and disappointing life. In such instances, there is a total absence of perception as to the shared universality of man’s issues, his commonality. Thus, life is shallow, lonely, overly insecure, and often threatening. Ignorance, we would bravely declare, is the quiet death of human evolutionary potential, and a fertile breeding ground for fearful insecurity and resultant fear of difference; it is the promoter-in-chief of pernicious bigotry.

It is our considered opinion that participation in the unprecedented and violent insurrection was based largely on the perception of unlawful license, irresponsibly given by President Trump, [for his own pathological reasons]; a license to vent their respective idiomatic frustrations and angry disappointment with their nuanced personal lives, under a faux but more rationally stated, common banner, viz., the improper computation of votes in the past election.

-p.

It was just another 6 A.M., on January 19, 2021, when Selwin routinely and stubbornly, made his usual vain attempt to sit up but was, as regularly experienced previously, restrained and resoundingly thrust back down to his big, sleep- warmed soft pillow, by the irresistible pull of Orphean gravity. However, at 6:20  he did succeed in being fully awake and standing erect.  After pushing aside, the heavy bedroom window drapes (which had, in recent years, mysteriously appeared to emit an eerie, Orange glow) and looked down from the height of the four brick stories of his apartment at the street scene below. He noted that all seemed unchanged and regular; including that ever-present and mysterious, Orange stain. He saw it everywhere and on everything, policeman’s batons, and weapons, on television aerials, mailboxes, newsstands, and telephone poles. Yet, having during an entire period of four years, adjusted, as a matter of practical necessity, to such ubiquitous, Orange-like shimmer, he was sufficiently reassured that all continued to be unchanged and unremarkable.

After a brief shower, Sherwin opted for his regular breakfast, vanilla yogurt, elderberry jam, two un-buttered multi-grain biscuits and a cup of unsweetened green tea. It was too early to go to his job, (where he was employed as a senior apprentice bagel baker) thus, as was his custom, Sherwin decided, to take his customary walk. He decided this time, however, to hike to the verdant and attractive suburban area as a needed respite from his customary, treeless, concretized, and citified route.

The walk took place in cloudy, unpleasant, and threatening weather conditions. As Selwin neared the suburban area, he was surprised and disappointed to observe lawns which were not green and healthy but sickly, desiccated, and evincing much of the ominous, Orange tinge. Residential decorative plantings appeared droopy and orange-fringed, rather than bursting with verdant health and many trees wore occasional Orange colored wilted leaves. Selwin was heartsick to observe the deterioration and the  all-pervasive, wistful vista of the ambient environment, which appeared to be in a decaying, and unhealthy state. Our protagonist dejectedly returned home and that evening, following a tasteless dinner and a few hours of depressed rumination, disconsolately, retired for the night.

After enduring a long and restless night of inadequate sleep, Selwin awoke, as customary, at 6A.M. on the 20^th day of January 2021, feeling surprisingly, and unexplainably, rested, and relaxed. On this occasion, he arose effortlessly to a sitting position, and then jumped up to a standing position with alacrity, with inexplainable sensation of joy and relief. As he routinely walked to the window, he noticed the absence of the mysterious Orange emanation from his drapes. Looking at the street scene, he confusedly, but happily, noted the absence of the ominously appearing, Orange hue from newsstands, telephone poles, police batons, television antennae, in short, from everywhere.

He showered quickly, ate his customary breakfast, (vanilla yogurt, elderberry jam, two unbuttered multi-grain biscuits and a cup of unsweetened green tea)  and then quickly descended the stairs to begin his morning walk; this time, a reprise of his previous disappointing hike to the sub-urban part of the City. He noted with pleasure, that the weather this day was sunny and comfortable and was absolutely nonplussed and joyfully relieved observing this day, the healthy, natural color and appearance of the fresh verdant trees and plants. This walk, by contrast, seemed to have rewarded him with secure feelings of confidence and normality; of positive feelings, barely remembered.

When back at work,  busily engaged in salting and sprinkling onion bits on yet unbaked bagels, he ruminated upon the sea change between the dismal reality of the 19^th of January, and the ostensibly “religious miracle,” merely one day later, the 20^th day of January, which had evinced such joy and relief.  The only thing he was ultimately able to conjure up, was the (no doubt, irrelevant, he thought) inauguration of a new President but, truthfully, nothing thing else.

-p.

.

House cleaning in the wake of the shocking Trump- incited Capitol riot, is proceeding apace, the latter inclusive of the prosecution of the criminal insurrectionists as well as their miscreant, Pied Piper, President Donald J. Trump. The latter has been the unique recipient of an historically unprecedented, second Impeachment, for the deranged incitement of last week’s insurrection, by his base, targeted to overturn the (certified) results of the past American election. The responsive, rampaging horde of his “base,” seems to have been populated with representatives of the eternally ignorant and discontented underbelly of our Nation. Trump, together with those of his elected and elective co-conspirators, participating in the fomentation of the lawless and despicable insurrection, can entertain the firm assurance of being deservedly, “enshrined,” in the future accounts of America’s history.

While America, presently, is in the process of a seasonally early, but no less than existential, White House Spring cleaning, it cannot responsibly or justly, overlook the nefarious and immoral participation by the (undeservedly) praised, past (1994-2001) Mayor of New York,  Rudolph Giuliani.

Giuliani, in a recent television appearance, affecting as ever, his tactically employed, “Cheshire Cat Smile,” and sporting sweaty, black hair -dye face streaks, had for years, been undeservedly awarded the title, “America’s Mayor” for his purportedly, admirable actions, as Mayor of New York, during the horrific events of 9/11/93.  The accurate facts regarding Giuliani’s performance on  9/11 reveal, by contrast, his gross malpractice and blatant stupidity. Such matters included the senseless and irresponsible location of (no less than) all of New York City’s facilities for emergency communication, at 7 World Trade Center. Most reprehensible and deadly, was Giuliani’s careless omission to update the outdated, Fire Department’s radio communication equipment, tragically preventing receipt by firefighters of lifesaving evacuation orders, frantically transmitted, just before the sudden collapse of the Trade Center buildings.

Later years evinced his retainer for legal services by the miscreant President, Donald Trump, who was found by a Special Government Inquiry, to have treasonous liaisons with the autocratic Russian ruler, Vladimir Putin. The Governmental Inquiry also revealed that Russia secretly interfered in the American election, to assist in the surprising election victory of Donald Trump. Media disseminated photos of Rudy, with a salacious smile and wide-open collar, happily socializing in Trump’s treasonous interest, with known corrupt, wealthy Russian Oligarchs, in Trump’s treasonous interest. It is not clear to us whether Giuliani’s bills for legal fees were $20,000 per week or per diem.

At this point, we would return to the referenced White House Spring Cleaning, necessitated by last week’s unprecedented, riot and insurrection, criminally incited by Donald Trump. The crime of incitement to riot was, as known, additionally perpetuated by our dethroned hero, Rudolph Giuliani. The highly compensated bearer of the Cheshire smile, reportedly encouraged the delusional Trump in his baseless and neurotic conspiracy theories, falsely challenging the results of the 2020 Presidential Elections. Trump’s good buddy and retained lawyer, also incited Trump’s loyal and nefarious base to engage in violent insurrection, exhorting them to engage in “a physical trial” of their grievances.

We adjudge Giuliani to be an irresponsible, opportunistic individual and see no rational reason for his not being subject ( in addition to his nefarious client, Donald J. Trump) to criminal prosecution for the Federal crime of seditious incitement to insurrection. It was interesting to learn that he has already been summarily expelled by his New York Bar Association, with further serious consideration being given to the revocation of his license (“disbarment”) for such wrongful behavior, as stated, “to publicly protect the honorable standing of the legal profession.”

[We always “knew” that there existed sinister proclivities, underlying his ingratiating smile and quick- darting eyes.]

-p.   

---

 [HJC1]

 [HJC2]

Last Wednesday witnessed a perverse, unprecedented, and riotous insurrection that occurred at the Washington D.C. Capitol Building. The blatant event involved forcible entry and  (Bastille like) scaling of the walls of the legislative landmark building, breaking windows, damaging valuable historic treasures, and menacing lawmakers and staff employees. The boisterous, Victor Hugo style melee, also featured an installed hangman’s noose, which rioters loudly proclaimed was for Vice-President Pence. There were five reported fatalities; one of which resulted when a D.C. policeman was psychopathically beaten on the head with a fire extinguisher, by one of the zealous insurrectionists.

The singularly nightmarish event had its undeniable etiology in the Pavlovian-type response, of many discontented inhabitants of the “powder keg” underbelly of our Nation, to the explicit invitation by our visibly, deranged President, calling for a reversal, by violence, of the (certified) result of the recent election, in which he was determined the loser. The entire nightmarish and surreal scenario seems to be more suitable to some conjured up, homicidal version, of a nightmare fantasy by Lewis Carroll, than it does to any version of clearheaded reality.

The event was a frightening omen, that a Democratic Republic has its vulnerabilities,  including the potential of perverse individuals in its free society, to use their liberty (for which they should be grateful) for miscreant and destructive purposes. We have recommended, to those who have not read it, the frightening, consciousness-raising (1937) Sinclair Lewis novel, “It Can’t Happen Here.” The real possibility that it “can” easily happen here, is the warning and the ominous theme of the novel. Such warning,  predictably, will be articulated, [together, perhaps, with some reference to the 1930s deterioration of the Wehrmacht Democracy to Hitler’s hellish regime]  by the responsible press and media.

We resolutely oppose all violent assertions of the need for change, allegedly meritorious, as well as those that lack merit.[see our earlier essay: “THE MEANS ARE THE ENDS”]. If society is to continue and advance, solutions to extant problems must be attained by peaceful, non-violent revolution in education, knowledge, and in mature human perception. We have always had the concern of possible existential danger to our Republic, brought about by the militant potential of the discontented -with-life, insufficiently educated or informed, and easily propagandized, portion of our population.   

The intent of this essay, nevertheless, as a less important subject, but hopefully of general reader interest, to reference our personal observation of this bizarre and odious event, as a matter of reflective and, perhaps, some historical interest.

Reference at will, any revolution or insurrection in history; conceivably, the American, Russian, French Revolution(s) the Cuban, Nicaraguan, Chinese, Iranian or any other like government upheaval, and you will realize, at once, the utterly bizarre nature of the recent insurrection. Without exception, it appears that all historical political uprisings and revolutions were undertaken by the subjects against the King or head of State, viz., The Czar, King Louis, King George, Battista, Chang Kai Shek, the Shah, et al.

While not in the least minimizing its existential threat to democracy and the tragic five fatalities, we have unashamedly titled, the insurrection “The Trump Tantrum” for arguably, good reason. This insurrection was the mad hatter version or polar opposite of every other political rebellion; perhaps conceivably, because  Donald J. Trump is the antithesis of every desirable quality in a human being, let alone, an American President. In this bizarre instance, the overthrow of a head of state was not, at all, the motivation for the event; in fact, it was an insurrection, insanely, summoned by the head of State, against his own Nation’s headquarters in the Washington Capitol; a Kafkaesque suicide by stupidity.

The revolting crowd pressed for no doctrinaire issue, no need of bread (instead of “cake”), no demands for the amelioration of poverty nor, indeed for any purported injustice or cause. We are of the resolute opinion that there existed no common or singular stimulus, which motivated the varied, colorfully costumed, flag-waving, conglomerate of repressed bigots and reprobates; each had his own individual nuanced, accusatory, and defensive rationalization for his discontent with life, and acted in violent sync with his personalized angst. Meanwhile, our Orange Nero looked on while Rome burned, and rejoiced in the neurotic, egocentric fantasy, that the insurrection was essentially about him.

-p.