“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.” – Albert Einstein
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Thought For the Day: The Mysterious Is the Source of All True Art and Science
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Tagged Albert Einstein, Art, Beautiful, Experience, Mysterious, Science, Source, Thought For the Day, True
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First Principles: The Liberties of Our Nation Are Secured By the Conviction These Are the Gift of God
“And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with his wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that his justice cannot sleep for ever.” – Thomas Jefferson (1781)
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Tagged Basis, Conviction, Country, First Principles, Gift, God, Just, Justice, Liberties, Nation, Secure, Sleep, Thomas Jefferson, Tremble, Violate, Wrath
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Dream Child Revealed
Another from the short form poetry workshop on the anaphora form. I found this form amenable to writing a quick rock song after the first anaphora that I wrote and previously posted.
Dream Child
by Michael Romani
Dream child
I love how you dance
Dream child
Hope for romance
Dream wild
Its how I feel
Dream child
Let’s make it real
Dreams shared
For all that we’ve dared
Dreams dared
For all that we’ve cared
Dreams bared
Naked in our innocence
Dreams snared
Trapped in our incidence
Dream child
How do I make you real
Dream child
Your love i must steal
Dreamed child
Give your love to me
Dream child
You’ve become my fantasy
(c) September 3, 2019 Michael Romani
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Thought For the Day: Get Wisdom and With All Thy Getting Get Understanding
“Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.” Proverbs 4:7 (KJV)
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Tagged Get, Principal, Proverbs, Thought For the Day, Understanding, Wisdom
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First Principles: Religion, Morality and Knowledge Are Necessary To Good Government and the Happiness of Mankind
“Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.” – Mananasseh Cutler, in Article III of the Northwest Ordinance
Short Form Poetry: In Your Name
From the short form poetry workshop last night. It is a form called anaphora. These are the notes from the first notecard explaining the concept:
“Anaphora is a poetic technique.
From the Free Dictionary
The first definition for anaphora is “The deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of several successive verses, clauses, or paragraphs; for example, “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills” (Winston S. Churchill).”
The first definition for anaphora is “The deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of several successive verses, clauses, or paragraphs; for example, “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills” (Winston S. Churchill).”
From http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5770 :
The term “anaphora” comes from the Greek for “a carrying up or back,” and refers to a type of parallelism created when successive phrases or lines begin with the same words, often resembling a litany. The repetition can be as simple as a single word or as long as an entire phrase. As one of the world’s oldest poetic techniques, anaphora is used in much of the world’s religious and devotional poetry, including numerous Biblical Psalms…. Not only can anaphora create a driving rhythm by the recurrence of the same sound, it can also intensify the emotion of the poem. Grief is deepened in Lord Alfred Tennyson’s “Tears, Idle Tears” by the repetition of “the days that are no more” at the close of each stanza, in a variation of anaphora called epistrophe, where the echo comes at the end of the phrase instead of the start.”
The term “anaphora” comes from the Greek for “a carrying up or back,” and refers to a type of parallelism created when successive phrases or lines begin with the same words, often resembling a litany. The repetition can be as simple as a single word or as long as an entire phrase. As one of the world’s oldest poetic techniques, anaphora is used in much of the world’s religious and devotional poetry, including numerous Biblical Psalms…. Not only can anaphora create a driving rhythm by the recurrence of the same sound, it can also intensify the emotion of the poem. Grief is deepened in Lord Alfred Tennyson’s “Tears, Idle Tears” by the repetition of “the days that are no more” at the close of each stanza, in a variation of anaphora called epistrophe, where the echo comes at the end of the phrase instead of the start.”
The repeated word or phrase is often at the beginning of a line, but may occur in the middle of lines, or at the end of lines (although that is technically called epistrophe)”
In Your Name
by Michael Romani
In your name
I will walk a new walk
In your name
I will talk a new talk
In your name
I will become better
In your name
We will come together
In your name
We will join in our love
In your name
We will live as above
In your name
We will live this prayer
In your name
Knowing that you’re always there(c) September 3, 2019 Michael Romani
All Rights Reserved
I will walk a new walk
In your name
I will talk a new talk
In your name
I will become better
In your name
We will come together
In your name
We will join in our love
In your name
We will live as above
In your name
We will live this prayer
In your name
Knowing that you’re always there(c) September 3, 2019 Michael Romani
All Rights Reserved
First Principles: Before A Standing Army Can Rule, The People Must Be Disarmed
“Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom of Europe.” – Noah Webster (1787)
Clearly, the intention of the Founders was that the People’s arms capacity should at a minimum be equal to the regular army’s firepower if not greater….
Posted in First Principles
Tagged America, Armed, Disarmed, Europe, First Principles, Force, Kingdom, Noah Webster, Regular Troops, Rule, Standing Army, Superior, Supreme Power, Sword, The People, United States, Unjust Law
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Thought For the Day: The Best and Most Beautiful Things Cannot Be Seen or Touched, These Must Be Felt With the Heart
“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.” – Helen Keller
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Tagged Best, Felt, Heart, Helen Keller, Most Beautiful, Seen, Things, Thought For the Day, Touched, World
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Taking Stock
The Summer of 1969 was a defining moment in the life of America. The currents that led to it swept away many of the traditions of the past in that season of our discontent.
Taking Stock by Michael Romani Bethel, New York The summer of 1969 It was America's fork Done a generation defined In a disastrous refrain Screaming for no more rain In the face of a storm pouring There would be no such ignoring There was, admittedly, no plan But getting together as best we can In our pilgrimage to each other A revolution of sister and brother And that revolution did ignite Grooving in the music and light Frayed at the edges of society Finding love in that notoriety Dreamed a bit too proudly Played maybe a bit too loudly There in a field of possibility Transformed into an artistic reality Art and music joined together A shining place of mystical better Everything up for grabs to be rethought Hoping to move beyond what was once sought Vietnam loomed over all of life They wanted peace but were delivered strife Deferring those moments so very terrifying Tuning into something far more satisfying Parents were maybe living too reverently But, 1968 demanded things done differently Bobby led as the people's golden choice Until his assassination curdled their voice Too much pain and too much devastation Brought bittersweet tears of wrath to our nation There was something happening not all that clear Warriors against disillusionment would persevere Until the flood waters grew to overflowing The banks gave way as we believed in our knowing That the times were changing into the new We had arrived as a brotherhood, me and you (c) September 3, 2019 Michael Romani All Rights Reserved
Posted in Poetry and Poems
Tagged 1969, America, Art, Assassination, Bethel, Better, Beyond, Bobby Kennedy, Brotherhood, Change, Choice, Clear, Defer, Different, Disaster, Discontent, Disillusion, Dream, Edge, Flood, Generation, Groove, Happening, Ignore, Illusion, Know, Lght, Loud, Music, Nation, Notoriety, Pain, Parents, Peace, Photograph, Pilgrim, Plan, Play, Poem, Poetry, Possible, Proud, Rain, Reverent, Revolution, Satisfy, Scream, Society, Storm, Strife, Summer, Tears, Thought, Transform, Vietnam, Voice, Wrath
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Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy
Based in part on the Book of Lamentations and partly on life at times.
Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Michael Romani Dark clouds lead to deep mercy Pulling at our faith like heresy Lamentations open doors of grace Tear filled questions we embrace Tragedy brings life in a minor key It is the sadness of a life's journey We remain grateful for our Savior's affection Even after shifting patterns of misdirection These have had their way with me Learning to lament on bended knee Afflicted at the foot of Calvary Rediscovering joy in place of indignity Rocked and shaken to my very core Raising my hands to our Father, I implore If you won't take my life show me how to live Moving past what was taken and learning to forgive My soul is pierced with grief and sorrow Uncertain of how I'll ever face tomorrow Falling again to my knees for God's love known Certain that I'll find my way to mercy yet to be shown (c) September 3, 2019 Michael Romani All Rights Reserved
Posted in Poetry and Poems
Tagged Affection, Calvary, Cloud, Core, Dark, Deep, Door, Faith, Father, Forgive, God, Grace, Grateful, Grief, Heresy, Implore, Indignity, Journey, Joy, Knee, Lamentations, Live, Love, Mercy, Minor Key, Pattern, Photograph, Pierce, Poem, Poetry, Question, Sad, Savior, Shown, Sorrow, Soul, Tear, Tomorrow, Tragedy, Way
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