The photo I'm posting is the basis for a poem that was published today!

mnhtnbb suggested I post the poem to demonstrate the power of photographs.

Here's a link to the blog: https://writinginawomansvoice.blogspot.com/?fbclid=IwAR3b2-QmzfSmJ12p49rFThcbP8swGec1XgBUASKHo5eBTfLU0FVSfi5LuSk




Seeing

from beyond this world I see
you seeing
me

you gaze from behind glossy shades
I see my reflection as I
stand before you
holding my camera
snapping your photo

but you have walked beyond
where I still exist

my heart holds the photo close
you walk in my dreams
the dividing line between this world
and the next
blurs
and you are here with me
once again

forever

I just found this post on Facebook; I am quoting it in its entirety.

The poster is talking about Trump and his lies, and about Pete, and what kind of man he is.

By Ed Schmitz
January 4 at 2:32 PM

It’s been a while, but I did have the chance to visit the Vietnam war memorial in DC. You know, the wall with all the names of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country. Seeing It made me feel humble. It made me feel sad. It also made me feel very damn lucky. You see, as a Vietnam vet myself, and unlike so many friends and family members, I was never wounded. No battle scars. No PTSD. No ongoing cancers from the scourge of Agent Orange.

And remembering that wall also makes me wonder: which one of those names took the place of that five-time bone spurs draft dodger who is currently in the White House tweeting insane and incoherent rants about windmills and LED lights and against anyone who does not buy into his fundamentalist white supremacy and narcissistic lies. Lies. Lies. And more lies. More than thirteen thousand by the latest numbers.

Now, this same narcissist is hell-bent on saving his presidency by starting another war in the Mideast. More troops to the region. All with targets on their backs because a draft-dodger wants to tear apart all the diplomatic victories of a black President.

So how many more walls of death do we need to build because of a man and his GOP party want more power, more money, and a world destroyed by, frankly, maniacs?

I could go on, but then I remember the words of hope and sacrifice and truth by another veteran, Mayor Pete Buttigieg. He does not yell about burning down or blowing up the economy or ripping apart our social fabric built on a belief in all humanity, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, language, or status. He is a man of faith who does not make outlandish promises that we cannot deliver. He does not shake in the face of adversity. He does not mince his words but speaks with authority and logic that only a true leader commands.

Yes, he is young. He is both progressive and moderate. He has a vision of what our country could be once it is freed from intolerance and hatred spewed by so many in what’s left of the GOP. He listens intently to all those who have taken issue with his successes and his failures as the chief executive of his city. He has worked hard to make it better for all citizens. And unlike some senators, both Republican and Democrat, he gets the job done, realizing that takes hard work and even time to heal those things that divide us. Rural or metropolitan, rich or poor, female or male, north or south, east coast or west coast (and all points in between), none of these things mean much to him except the common thread of life experiences that hold us all together, our democracy and our freedom. He’s in it for everyone.

Of course, sadly, some will attempt to marginalize him because he has a non-traditional marriage (just one, I might add, with no paid-off porn stars or infidelities). Yet he has a beautiful family with wonderful parents (may his father rest in peace) we should all envy. True family values are the cornerstone of his humble yet vibrant life.

And he knows when and when not to fight, and owes nothing to Russian mobsters or satanic dictators.

I thank him for his military service. He has my vote. And I hope that more veterans will see him as a leader who can help bring peace to all of us and to this tiny speck in the universe we call home.

11 minute interview with Pete Buttigieg! Covers a lot of ground and does it well.

Take a road trip to help Pete win the nomination and then the Presidency!

The link below allows you to type in whatever topic you want to ask Pete about:

And there she goes, into the west...into the New Year ...

Always beautiful........always ours...



Happy New Year!