Toward a Planetary Memorial Day

 

‘The Family Is All There Is’

 

Think of those old, enduring connections

found in all flesh–the channeling

wires and threads, vacuoles, granules,

plasma and pods, purple veins, ascending

boles and coral sapwood (sugar-

and light-filled), those common ligaments,

filaments, fibers and canals.

Seminal to all kin also is the open

mouth–in heart urchin and octopus belly,

in catfish, moonfish, forest lily,

and rugosa rose, in thirsty magpie,

wailing cat cub, barker, yodeler,

yawning coati.

And there is a pervasive clasping

common to the clan–the hard nails

of lichen and ivy sucker

on the church wall, the bean tendril

and the taproot, the bolted coupling

of crane flies, the hold of the shearwater

on its morning squid, guanine

to cytosine, adenine to thymine,

fingers around fingers, the grip

of the voice on presence, the grasp

of the self on place.

Remember the same hair on pygmy

dormouse and yellow-necked caterpillar,

covering red baboon, thistle seed

and willow herb? Remember the similar

snorts of warthog, walrus, male moose

and sumo wrestler? Remember the familiar

whinny and shimmer found in river birches,

bay mares and bullfrog tadpoles,

in children playing at shoulder tag

on a summer lawn?

The family–weavers, reachers, winders

and connivers, pumpers, runners, air

and bubble riders, rock-sitters, wave-gliders,

wire-wobblers, soothers, flagellators–all

brothers, sisters, all there is.

Name something else.    

                  

           – Pattiann Rogers

 

 

 

Two days ago (5/28/18) the people of the United States celebrated Memorial Day – an annual celebration intended to remember and honor those who put themselves in harm’s way to preserve our Freedom and ‘the American Way of Life’ … and especially to pay tribute to those men and women who gave their lives for this – (who died in battle or in war).  I myself participated in a small ceremony Monday morning here in Central Oregon (on the Village Green, in Sisters, Oregon)

Memorial Day (here in the U.S.) is also used as a time to gather the family around the back-yard BBQ, enjoy the good weather, and (probably) drink a lot of beer.  In any case – the patriotic component is regarded as “American”.

However, I think it would be better if we were also to bear in mind that the people in ALL countries have a similar experience … and grieve (just as WE do) with the loss of a loved one to the ravages of war (ANY war).

I think we are Self Absorbed … not just as individuals – but also collectively.  And I suspect (having lived for 17 years in a spiritual community, which had in it people from other countries [as well as from this country] – that Americans are about the LEAST informed about the rest of the world.  And this is partly because we think we own the world (which is, of course, basically true) … so – why should we bother? Everyone else can inform themselves ABOUT US.          Mmm ?

Let’s have a look at ‘who died’ in WW II  –                                                                                                   

                                                                   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_casualties   

Here, we see that the United States lost 419,000 lives … Great Britain : 450,000 … France : 600,000 … Poland : 6 million … China: 15 -20 million … and Russia – 20 million.  So, Russia lost about 40 times as many of their people in that war as did the U.S., or England, or France.

And (according to Oliver Stone’s documentary) – it was mainly Russia that defeated the Nazis.

I would commend to you Stone’s videos –                                                             

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=oliver+stone+untold+history+of+the+united+states    (Oliver Stone’s ‘Untold History of the United States’  [134 episodes])

This body of work would seem to be a sincere effort – to document the truth – and to inform the populace.  Please consider making some use of it.

The American People have no monopoly on Patriotic Death & Loss.