ALOHA PROMISES FOREVER

Ohio River Driven

Posted on July 11, 2020 by alohapromisesforever

Poem based on Part I of a scenic drive taken along the Indiana towns along the Ohio River. Part II will be today, probably. 🙂

Ohio River Driven
by Michael Doyle

Two hour drive to catch a bit of history
Taking in the Greek Revival mystery
Along side the Ohio River Scenery
Whiskey, gambling and a historic cemetery

Chasing circles from a guide book all around
Until things out of order are eventually found
Across the street, I spot a certain Model-T
Things that speak of small town and liberty

From the aged distillery of Seagram and Sons
To the river towns of Aurora and Rising Sun
There's a feeling of catching all the details
Of how each river town lives in its feel

So much of this is iconoclast
That despite being lost, I have a blast
Hearing the past call out to me
From the Beecher Church prayed in its possibility

I stop at a memorial to say a short prayer
Giving thanks to the war dead and those who still care
Enough to give part, all, and know some gave more
Betting they'd wonder at our present shaken to its core

Each age lives and lived its own unique history
Some times in prosperity; others in misery
The lessons learned are life is what we make it
We must live ours with integrity and not fake it

We'll leave our children's children our legacy
With moments taken; some even legendary
And some day, some fool will take a drive
Chasing circles and wondering how we managed to survive

(c) July 11, 2020  Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved

Posted in Poetry and Poems | Tagged Aurora, Beecher Church, Blast, Call Out, Care, Catch, Cemetery, Chasing Circles, Children's Children, Core, Details, Distillery, Drive, Each Age, Feel, Feeling, Fool, Found, Gamble, Give Thanks, Greek Revival, Guide Book, History, Iconoclast, Indiana, Integrity, Leave, Legacy, Legendary, Lessons Learned, Liberty, Life, Live, Live Ours, Lost, Manage To Survive, Memorial, Misery, Model-T, Moments Taken, Not Fake It, Ohio River, Out of Order, Photograph, Poem, Poetry, Possibility, Prayer, Present, Prosperity, Rising Sun, River Towns, Scenery, Seagram and Sons, Shaken, Small Town, Some Day, Some Gave All, Street, Take A Drive, The Past, Times, Unique, War Dead, What We Make It, Whiskey, Wonder | Leave a comment

Thought For the Day: Boys, I Only Did My Duty; the Old Flag Never Touched the Ground

Posted on July 10, 2020 by alohapromisesforever

“Boys, I only did my duty; the old flag never touched the ground!” – Sgt. William Carney, Born into slavery, rose to serve his country, America, to the point of becoming a Medal of Honor recipient commenting on his brave actions in which he was shot not once but twice and kept going. This is how it’s done, says the 100% service connected disabled veteran… not being a mouth but doing what it takes to do right and good.

Contrast Mr. Carney’s actions with that cowardly hack, Colin Rand Kaepernick. The man can’t play football, can’t be coherent, has no love of country and the 150 years between these two men doesn’t explain Kaepernick’s nonsense. He needs to stop playing the race card and man up to amounting to something.

Posted in Thought For the Day | Tagged Boys, Colin Rand Kaepernick, Coward, Duty, Ground, Hero, Men, Never Touched, Old Flag, Sgt William Carney, Thought For the Day | Leave a comment

First Principles: The Name…American…Must Always Exalt the Just Pride of Patriotism, More Than Any Appellation Derived From Local Discriminations

Posted on July 10, 2020 by alohapromisesforever

“The name of American, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of Patriotism, more than any appellation derived from local discriminations.” – George Washington (1796)

Posted in First Principles | Tagged American, Appellation, Belong, Discriminations, Exalt, First Principles, George Washington, Local, Name, National Capacity, Patriotism, Pride, You | Leave a comment

Engulfed In A Church of Transition

Posted on July 9, 2020 by alohapromisesforever

Claude De Bussy’s music started a tonal revolution that brought with it an entirely different way of looking at music. It’s simply amazing in its tonal fluidity and how it transformed art music.

Debussy’s Engulfed Cathedral:

Engulfed In A Church of Transition
by Michael Doyle

The blurred edges of the language of French
Offered it's subtlety that happens to entrench
Its mild way into nuances of cultural taste
And brings much in gentleness, not in haste

Impressionist art with it's open composition
Gives a sense of visual fluidity in its sensation
There in the shifting patterns of light
Is that subtlety of color that shines just right

Just as symbolic poetry evokes sensual imagery
There is something to be heard in the fluidity
That describes the look deep within a poet's soul
In just these ways, the sensuality of music controls

Sound for itself and there in the form of its own sake
Moves beyond melody and harmony with its subtle shake
Blurred and fluid edges shape the music's sound
Without the articulation that Germans and others found

The Faun brought modernism's surge of new breath
And with it, yesterday's music found cold death
A movement came in timbered balance and transparency
There to be heard at the dawn of the 20th Century

It was the French language transformed to musical action
Bringing delights of its own in graceful satisfaction
Long, lush and gently lulled as it is articulated
Music became the microcosm of whole tones mandated

Tone colors became suspended beauty in themselves
As if held aloft on some magical, musical shelf
Debussy's music is not just another pretty face
But a revolutionary construct to audibly embrace

(c) July 9, 2020  Michael Doyle 
All Rights Reserved

Posted in Poetry and Poems | Tagged 20th Century, Aloft, Articulated, Articulation, Audibly, Balance, Beauty, Blurred Edges, Church, Claude De Bussey, Cold Death, Color, Construct, Control, Cultural Taste, Dawn, Delight, Edges, Embrace, Engulf, Engulfed Cathedral, Fluidity, Form, French, French Language, Gentleness, German, Grace, Harmony, Haste, Heard, Imagery, Impressionist, Just Another Pretty Face, Language, Light, Long, Look Deep, Lush, Mandate, Melody, Microcosm, Modernism, Music, Musical Action, New Breath, Nuances, Open Composition, Photograph, Poem, Poet's Soul, Poetry, Revolution, Revolutionary, Satisfaction, Sensation, Sense, Sensual, Shape, Shelf, Shifting Patterns, Shine, Sound, Subtle, Subtlety, Suspended, Symbolic Poetry, The Faun, Timber, Tonal, Tone Colors, Transition, Transparency, Visual Fluidity, Whole Tone, Yesterday | Leave a comment

The Woke Wake Up

Posted on July 9, 2020 by alohapromisesforever

There are just ways to advocate against injustice. There are ways that make moving for justice anything but that. Now as these predators are being identified by their own online postings, they curl up into fetal position decrying how unfair that they should do jail time for burning down police stations and destroying the businesses of hundreds if not thousands of those who struggled to have their versions of the American Dream. I’m sorry, but, I have very little pity for these violent miscreants. If you want justice, act just. If you want mercy, be merciful. If you want a better world, make yourself better.

The Woke Wake Up
by Michael Doyle

Let no man say that another is the less
That sort of rubbish isn't worth the guess
Let us all move forward to protect the weak
But let all have the basic right to speak

The licentiousness of riot only brings ruin
As society capitulates into its very undoing
And now the older radicals are found decrying
The fruits of their labors horribly multiplying

The Woke are waking up to their actual fragility
Having taken a wrongly aimed stab at immortality
Curled into a fetal position at the unfairness of life
Brought on by its own quest to unmitigated strife

Oh now, there we are in all the horrid bungle
As the purveyors of the death culture's media jungle
Find that truth that they seek to avoid seeing
That all life is sacred and has its own meaning

Shock troops of the revolution branded by profanity
Are found now starting to eat their own inanity
Black hoodie, firebombs and a bit of spray paint
These losers aren't anyone's ideal of the worse saint

We don't get to a better world by burning the old one down
That sort of thinking would be beneath the worse clown
As these vile trash talkers turn out to be afraid of jail
The ghosts of civil rights know this isn't how to prevail

Seeking to have their 15 minutes of storied Tick Tock
They take to the streets setting them to burn and rock
Yet when taken in from their own evidence posted on line
Is it unfair that they bear the fruit of their own sign

Finding themselves self signified as somehow awoke
Looking in the mirror they find themselves godless and broke
Unabashedly arrogant in demonstrating their utmost ignorance
When found out they seek to beg indulgence and forbearance

It's an oddity of our times that this is their best contribution
Yet, they loudly say they are fighting for a just revolution
Poorly educated as they were given a free pass at being degreed
A moment's foresight was something they didn't think they'd need

When reason is brought to the discussion, they aren't inquisitive
Yet morally broken as they are they are actively acquisitive
Ambitiously stalled they march into their own divestment 
Wouldn't it have been better to make a more worthy investment?

(c) July 9, 2020  Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved

Posted in Poetry and Poems | Tagged Acquisitive, Act Just, Advocate, Afraid, All Life Is Sacred, Ambition, American Dream, Another, Arrogant, Avoid Seeing, Basic Right, Be Merciful, Beg Indulgence, Better Self, Better World, Black Hoodie, Broke, Bungle, Burn, Civil Rights, Contribution, Death Culture, Decry, Degreed, Discussion, Divestment, Eat Their Own, Evidence, Fetal, Fetal Position, Fight, Firebombs, Forbearance, Foresight, Fragility, Free Pass, Fruits of Labor, Ghosts, Godless, Ideal, Ignorance, Immortality, Injustice, Inquisitive, Jail, Just Revolution, Justice, Less, Life, Meaning, Media Jungle, Mirror, Morally Broken, Move Foward, No Man, Online, Online Posts, Our Times, Photograph, Poem, Poetry, Poorly Educated, Predators, Prevail, Profanity, Protect, Quest, Radicals, Reason, Revolution, Riot, Rock, Rubbish, Ruin, Self Signified, Shock Troops, Society, Speak, Spray Paint, Stab, Stall, Streets, Strife, Think, Tick Tock, Trash Talkers, Truth, Undoing, Unfair, Unfairness, Wake Up, Weak, Woke, Worse Saint, Worthy Investment, Wrong | Leave a comment

First Principles: The Known Propensity of A Democracy Is To Licentiousness Which the Ambitious Call and Ignorant Believe To Be Liberty

Posted on July 9, 2020 by alohapromisesforever

“The known propensity of a democracy is to licentiousness which the ambitious call and ignorant believe to be liberty.” – Fisher Ames (1788)

As we move further from the republican form of government our Constitution established, further slipping into ‘democracy’, we are reminded nearly daily that the licentiousness led to is the rule of the mob that our Founding Fathers railed against time after time. The warnings against this aren’t just found in The Federalist Papers but littered across the notes of the Constitutional Convention and in the words of multiple Founding Fathers.

In this, we are finding that it is wise to keep note of history and learn its lessons. Where we do not, as is often said, we are doomed to repeat the worse of our days. It cannot be long after we have disrupted lawful society and defunded the police and so on that a strong man (or woman) will appear promising the missing lawfulness and we will find ourselves under the yoke of tyranny. This then is the purpose of the Second Amendment. Not to go hunting. Certainly not for mere target shooting. But, rather that when tyranny comes to call, free persons have their ready answer to reclaim freedom and liberty.

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Ambitious, Believee, Call, Democracy, First Principles, Fisher Ames, Ignorant, Known, Liberty, Licentiousness, Propensity | Leave a comment

Thought For the Day: The Woke But Godless, the Arrogant But Ignorant, the Violent But Physically Unimpressive, the Degreed But Poorly Educated…Are History’s Ingredients of Riot and Revolution

Posted on July 9, 2020 by alohapromisesforever

“The woke but godless, the arrogant but ignorant, the violent but physically unimpressive, the degreed but poorly educated, the broke but acquisitive, the ambitious but stalled—these are history’s ingredients of riot and revolution.” – Victor Davis Hanson

Posted in Thought For the Day | Tagged Acquisitive, Ambitious, Arrogant, Broke, Degreed, Godless, Ignorant, Ingredients, Modern History, Physically Unimpressive, Poorly Educated, Revolution, Riot, Stalled, Thought For the Day, Victor Davis Hanson, Violent, Woke | Leave a comment

First Principles: Whatever May Be Our Wishes, Our Inclinations Or the Dictates of Our Passions, They Cannot Alter the State of Facts and Evidence

Posted on July 8, 2020 by alohapromisesforever

“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclination, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.” – John Adams (1770)

Posted in First Principles | Tagged Alter, Dictates, Evidence, Facts, First Principles, Inclinations, John Adams, Passions, State of Facts, Stubborn Things, Wishes | Leave a comment

Thought For the Day: No Nation Has Done More To Advance the Human Condition Than the United States of America

Posted on July 8, 2020 by alohapromisesforever

Key excerpts from President Trump’s Speech at Mt. Rushmore:

“No nation has done more to advance the human condition than the United States of America. And no people have done more to promote human progress than the citizens of our great nation.”

“We must demand that our children are taught once again to see America as did Reverend Martin Luther King, when he said that the Founders had signed ‘a promissory note’ to every future generation. Dr. King saw the mission of justice required us to fully embrace our founding ideals. He called on his fellow citizens not to rip down their heritage, but to live up to their heritage.”

…”As we meet here tonight, there is a growing danger that threatens every blessing our ancestors fought so hard for, struggled [for], [and] bled to secure. Our nation is witnessing a merciless campaign to wipe out our history, defame our heroes, erase our values, and indoctrinate our children.”

“Make no mistake. This left-wing cultural revolution is designed to overthrow the American Revolution. In so doing, they would destroy the very civilization that rescued billions from poverty, disease, violence, and hunger, and that lifted humanity to new heights of achievement, discovery, and progress. To make this possible, they are determined to tear down every statue, symbol, and memory of our national heritage.”

… “No movement that seeks to dismantle these treasured American legacies can possibly have a love of America at its heart. Can’t have it. No person who remains quiet at the destruction of this resplendent heritage can possibly lead us to a better future.”

…”We will proclaim the ideals of the Declaration of Independence, and we will never surrender the spirit and the courage and the cause of July 4, 1776. Upon this ground, we will stand firm and unwavering. In the face of lies meant to divide us, demoralize us, and diminish us, we will show that the story of America unites us, inspires us, includes us all, and makes everyone free.”

…”Centuries from now, our legacy will be the cities we built, the champions we forged, the good we did, and the monuments we created to inspire us all. My fellow citizens: America’s destiny is in our sights. America’s heroes are embedded in our hearts. America’s future is in our hands. And ladies and gentlemen: the best is yet to come.”

Posted in Thought For the Day | Tagged Advance, America, Citizens, Human Condition, Human Progress, Nation, People, President Donald Trump, Promote, Thought For the Day, United States | Leave a comment

Cancel Culture Must End

Posted on July 7, 2020 by alohapromisesforever

I was so heartened to see 100 voices from the Left have finally seen the light so much so that they themselves are now beginning to say what I have said for over 15 years now. This whole cancel culture is something akin to openly declared fascism. If allowed to prevail, it’s the death of open debate and with that our free society goes crashing down. I do not, of course, agree that President Trump is the greater evil. To that part of their letter, I hope they start thinking a little more before they endorse silliness like that in the future. He is an abrupt man with a great need to revisit the basics on civility, but, many if not most of his policies themselves are sound regardless of my agreement or disagreement on them. It’s the ability to tolerate disagreed on policies that marks a free society not simply being civil to the ideas we agree on.

See their letter here:

A Letter on Justice and Open Debate

Cancel Culture Must End
by Michael Doyle

One hundred names affixed to the letter
One hundred voices recognizing free speech is better
AS our cultural institutions are on trial
While cultural fascism has become their rival

Powerful protests filled with their demands
Some felt overdue as the once excluded take their stand
Only to find that some are going more than too far
And that open debate should be society's North Star

We cannot destroy openness and societal toleration
And from this destruction create a better nation
Leftist prattled hardens into its own dogmatic coercion
And is void of the voice of reason and its persuasion

Force against force will eventually come to meet
Making a defunct mess of out towns and cities main streets
The free exchange of ideas are the lifeblood of society
Not the raising of any over the others in a flood of anxiety

This force of intolerance brandishing a fetish for public shame
Brings nothing good the will leave the ugly scars of blame
It's nothing short of fascistic to on harshness of retribution
We should stand together encouraging each person's contribution

The cost of doing otherwise has its natural consequence
From which none can expect any sort of just recompense
It is heart warming that some who brought yesterday's harm
Have sent out a letter expressing the Far Left's lack of charm

(c) July 7, 2020  Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved

Posted in Poetry and Poems, Uncategorized | Tagged Anxiety, Any Over Others, Blame, Cancel Culture, Civility, Coercion, Contribution, Cultural Institutions, Demands, Dogma, Each, Encourage, End, Evil, Fascism, Fetish, Force, Force Against Force, Free Exchange of Ideas, Free Society, Free Speech, God, Going Too Far, Harshness, Humility, Intolerance, Justice, Kindness, Letter, Lifeblood of Society, Love, Main Street, Meet, Mess, North Star, Nothing Good, Once Excluded, Open Debate, Openness, Overdue, Persuasion, Photography, Poem, Poetry, President Trump, Protests, Public Shame, Raise, Retribution, Rival, Scars, Stand, Stand Together, The Left, Tolerate, Toleration, Trial, Voice, Voice of Reason, Void | Leave a comment

ALOHA PROMISES FOREVER

Ohio River Driven

Thought For the Day: Boys, I Only Did My Duty; the Old Flag Never Touched the Ground

First Principles: The Name…American…Must Always Exalt the Just Pride of Patriotism, More Than Any Appellation Derived From Local Discriminations

Engulfed In A Church of Transition

The Woke Wake Up

First Principles: The Known Propensity of A Democracy Is To Licentiousness Which the Ambitious Call and Ignorant Believe To Be Liberty

Thought For the Day: The Woke But Godless, the Arrogant But Ignorant, the Violent But Physically Unimpressive, the Degreed But Poorly Educated…Are History’s Ingredients of Riot and Revolution

First Principles: Whatever May Be Our Wishes, Our Inclinations Or the Dictates of Our Passions, They Cannot Alter the State of Facts and Evidence

Thought For the Day: No Nation Has Done More To Advance the Human Condition Than the United States of America

Cancel Culture Must End

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