At the end of this poem is an explanation… your choice to read it first or the poem and try to understand the poem without explanation…

  

Arthur Ichabod

 

My name’s Arthur,

       Arthur Ichabod my good sir

Polite because I am,

      Never creating the least little stir

Busy navigating

      A land that seems so foreign

Obstacles everywhere

      Fluidity of motion seems to reign

Let me be still

      And think, I can think I’m sure

I never understand

     Sports and exercises’ allure

I don’t need to be

     Entertained by humor or song

I won’t be distracted

     I’ll stay busy and never be wrong

What are the greatest

    Problems of our humankind

I perceive, and think

    Of solutions perfect in my mind

But how can I answer

    Why do people hurt and hate?

But answers must mean

    To feel, to love, find a higher state

Where is the intellect

    Where is the memory and soul?

I’m befuddled by all

    Maybe they are soulless and mean

Is it intelligence

    That can find an answer to this

Or is it compassion

    That tells us that we really exist

I am Arthur Ichabod

     I have much to ponder and learn

Being busy thinking

     I’m here to help all of us discern

What are the answers

     To soul queries to get humankind right

Can I help you my friends?

     Or shall I replace you with proper and polite

 

 

 

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Arthur Ichabod is a name chosen for its initials are the same as ‘artificial intelligence’… additionally Arthur from King Arthur, legendary glorious leader, and Ichabod a biblical name that more or less means not glorious, an image of clumsiness and failure.   So, AI could be glorious or could be a monumental failure.  I suggest that we should think of artificial intelligence as more of augmented intelligence.  In other words, as a tool that is used for us to perform tasks that are routine and yet requires awareness.  Self-driving cars are an example of this technology we can see and understand today.  We should use AI (Augmented Intelligence) to solve problems for mankind and to help us advance the intelligence of humankind, not replace our intelligence with automation.  AI is being used in medicine to arrive at new drugs and treatments that are geared to the specific genetic makeup of a person.  But machines will never feel, or be compassionate, never create and hopefully never procreate… so we must advance in intelligence, in understanding and in compassion for each other, while also using our creativity to bring solutions through technology.  Augmented Intelligence, not Arthur Ichabod.

 

Hug Me

 

The hug of my brother

Is better than no other

Stay with me awhile right here

Telling me there’s nothing to fear

Nothing in this world shall separate

Forever we will be there to elevate

And ensure the love of one another

Be there always, my loving brother!

Sunrise

Enjoy the colors of the day at the hour of dawn

Hear the birds singing their cheering morning song

Breathe in deep the satisfying cool of morning dew

Thinking of memories of past and this day so new

Enjoying life in perfect array of song and light

Making your heart light and soul just right!

 

Roundness

 

Someone asked if I was trying to get in shape

I said I’m in shape, it just happens to be round

Round is a shape you can rely on

It’s a shape that is infinitely symmetrical

And remarkably efficient

No matter what you try to do with round

It remains persistently round

I’ve started running after many years

Of letting these knees recover,

At least that’s what I told myself I was doing

Run, well, my slo-mo version is best called jogging

I’ve dieted, and lost 10% of my roundness

But roundness persists

Ten percent is hardly noticeable when you’re round

Round is also good for numbers

When you get to one of those round number years

Then you can round down

Well maybe it’s my shape to own, round!

 

 

My Barbers, Different yet the Same

 

Tony has been my barber for twenty years

Great guy, looks like Mr. Clean

Dome top, huge muscles

Yet delicate with scissors, I still have both ears

 

I considered warily the first I saw his shaved top

Would he know how

Could he do a business cut

Yet he’s quick, efficient, and runs a successful shop

 

Its only 10 or 15 minutes per visit, as it should

But over so many years

You get to know about

His business, his family and our neighborhood

 

Now in another town, needing a cut for good reason

A business meeting coming

Find a shop, it’s random

I walk in and met by a woman, named for a season

 

She has purple hair, ring in her nose, and youth

I think oh no

But I remember Mr. Clean

I suspend my disbelief and slide into her booth

 

She asks me what I want, I think… I want Tony

But I say, business cut

Above the ears, to collar in the back

She works, we discuss who has the best local Coney

 

Surprise, surprise, everyone says they really like my hair

So last week it was time again

I went back to her shop

Well where she works, and I was pleased she was there

 

She says it’s nice to have hair to work with, just as I sit

I ask meaning, confused

She says a guy was in earlier

He has three strands of hair but wants a cut like Brad Pitt

 

Autumn heard me talk on the phone about business while I await

She looks up notes

From last she cut my hair

Smart, she is able to repeat the cut, and my fears totally abate

 

Turns out she knows her business, and is really quite smart

I learn about the franchise

I learn about her

I no longer miss Tony, at least when thousands of miles apart

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gilded Evil

 

Evil cloaked and gilded in gold

Candles and chalice so very cold

Hidden behind vestments and holy word

Evil intent and industry untoward

The most innocent are the easiest of prey

They’re gullible and piously they pray

Made to feel as if it was their fault

While criminals outwardly exult

In joy and with protection certain

In the institution and its gilded curtain

Just confess and absolve all their sin

And unfortunately, they do it again

Until there is nothing left but decay and death

And the pure and good ones too lose their faith

While the victims still struggle with endless pain

Caused by an institution of the criminally insane

Eagle Flight

Majestic eagle flying North at sunrise

Glint of white tail and head as she flies

The sun warming her right wing

Every bright morning the same thing

To her hunting grounds she goes

Why there, how is it that she knows

Is it from mothers-to-daughters they learn

But then which intellect was first to discern

Was a discovery of accident or intent

And a message through generations sent

As with all things, beginnings must have a start

The eagle flies majestic bringing thrill to the heart

 

The Catholic Church continues to wallow in the horrendous crimes of pedophile priests under the protection of bishops and cardinals. The pope expressed his outrage, and pain and used the word crime, but no solutions were offered. Rarely are priests prosecuted for their crimes. An internal tribunal created by the pope in the past disbanded in part because of the resistance within the Vatican. A board engaged in the process, that included two victims of abuse, was ineffective, and the abuse victims both resigned. This is a global problem that is not something that can be fixed by the institution of the church itself.

If Pope Francis wants to change the church, he needs to turn it inside out. An international tribunal should be established with the right and the authority to investigate, indite and convict and sentence criminals and their protectors. Pope Francis should open up the Vatican records so that all crimes in the past 50 years and their records are available for investigators. Treat it like a war crimes tribunal. These crimes should have no expiration date. Victims have a life sentence of dealing the impact of the crimes committed by pedophile priests.
By taking such action, he could show the world a serious intent of exposing and eradicating a cancer within the church. Going further, it is also necessary to start fixing the church. It is stuck in the middle ages. Only men can lead the church, is a falsehood of great impact. Is not the piety, intellect and wisdom of women equal to that of men? Women in leadership may bring a greater emotional intelligence to policy and preaching, as well as policing of the institution. Furthermore, this belief that at ordination there is an ontological transformation of man into some higher more-god-like being is ridiculous and dangerous from a physiological and sociological standpoint.

There is much evil in this world, and the Catholic Church could be an institution that shows the world a better way, but this is not possible while it is wracked with an evil within, such that it preys on its youngest most innocent members. The church has been exposed with another round of criminally indicting reports, and I’m sure more is to follow. How much more of good Christian donations are going to go to silencing victims with payouts, and protecting criminal priests? How many good and pious people are going to shy away from an organization that is so flawed. How many great priests are having to face congregations and apologize for the crimes of so many others. How many victims’ lives are ruined forever?

I’m disgusted with the institution as it exists today. I’m sure many others are as well. I do pray for the victims and pray that Pope Francis takes some real action to fix the institution and put criminals in jail where they belong.

I’ve been asked lately given so many changes, if I’m happy.  Sounds like a simple question, and beyond the simple yes I am, I thought it interesting to think about what does happiness mean.

After some thought, it seem to me that happiness is a state of being in the moments of life feeling that you are understood, that you are appreciated, that you are somehow moving forward, in understanding, and in creativity.  For only through growth in wisdom can we ever have that feeling of moving toward a higher being of ourselves. In our moments, do we find joy of humor, of beauty, of physical exertion, of social interaction, and joy of watching the success of others, the fun of kids (there is where pure joy is), such that the annoyances of life, which could be many are washed away by the good and joyous in our lives?   An article I was reading on annoyances, said that sometimes it seems as if language was invented so that we could complain to each other about minor annoyances.  Besides being somewhat of a humorous thought, I do think there is a good point here, where we make minor annoyances something greater, and thereby more painful for ourselves then they should be.

I think that a blocker to happiness is being too absorbed with annoyances, or worry about future problems, or past failures to enjoy the moments we are living in, and appreciate our accomplishments. I also believe that being understood and being loved for who you are is vital to a sense of self-worth. We can only stand in front of mirror and say, hey I like that person so much. We all need some affirmation from others, and we need others to understand us.  We need to appreciate accomplishments of our own and others.  Certainly it seems that this sense of worth, as well as the ability to enjoy each moment is a good way to define happiness!

 

 

Mile Seven

We climb through ever thinning sky

Millions of us, each day we fly

Now approaching mile seven

Just that much closer to heaven

Imagining clouds as memories below

Horizon purple with sun’s dying glow

Chasing sunset into the West

Close my eyes and try to rest

And loving thoughts to be shared

Prayers certainly now to be heard

Like a million others closer to heaven

As we’re leveling off at mile seven