Better Than Church

A Week in July


Vacation week with me and The Coosh (Ms. Kate.) Jack has been at camp upstate and here at home we have been eating out, (and eating fast food as "vegetarian boy" as his sister calls him, has not been here to function as our Greek chorus) staying up late, sleeping late, tooling around in the car which is back on the road, and yesterday we went to Adventureland with Kate's best friend Kendall. Amusement park was really fun, tons of cool rides, good food, and kids had a BLAST. So great to see Katie so happy. Two trips to the pet store, and last night Kendall slept over. Kate is now collapsed on the couch and I am about to join her. Jack should be back soon and then the kids go with BFI for the rest of the weekend. Fighting the urge to go out to the North Fork instead of doing the freelance project that's due. I'm tired of doing the right thing. Blah!

A Boat

O beautiful
was the werewolf
in his evil forest.
We took him
to the carnival
and he started
crying
when he saw
the Ferris wheel.
Electric
green and red tears
flowed down
his furry cheeks.
He looked
like a boat
out on the dark
water.

Richard Brautigan

Rapture


I have just come upon a site called youvebeenleftbehind.com. For a 40 dollar subscription price you can leave up to six messages to loved ones who didn't get scooped up in the rapture...for the heathens you love I guess. The messages get delivered three days after the rapture...not sure how that works since you'd assume anybody working for this site is a born again christian nut job, a prime candidate for a ride on the rapture highway to heaven. Also confused as to how there is still internet service once armageddon commences. There I go, thinking too much. My lack of faith marks me as a future recipient of a post rapture email. I suspect anybody reading this will be left behind with me so no need for any of us to spend 40 bucks on the site. What do post rapture emails say do you think? "I TOLD you to convert!" "Weather here is fine, wish you were here...if you weren't a filthy sinner that is." "Repent! Oh wait, it's too late." Can people really be stupid enough to avail themselves of this service?

It is Sunday and I am going to see Hellboy II later with my friend Kathleen. Instead of church. Kids will not go to see it, and I am dying to see it, so Kath has graciously agreed to accompany me instead of going to the Cinema Arts Center for an indie film. Joni Mitchell is playing and I wish that was enough to make me want to wash the dishes.

Blueeeeeeeeeeeee, songs are like tattoos!

Heaven has different Signs

Heaven" has different Signs—to me—
Sometimes, I think that Noon
Is but a symbol of the Place—
And when again, at Dawn,

A mighty look runs round the World
And settles in the Hills—
An Awe if it should be like that
Upon the Ignorance steals—

The Orchard, when the Sun is on—
The Triumph of the Birds
When they together Victory make—
Some Carnivals of Clouds—

The Rapture of a finished Day—
Returning to the West—
All these—remind us of the place
That Men call "paradise"—

Itself be fairer—we suppose—
But how Ourself, shall be
Adorned, for a Superior Grace—
Not yet, our eyes can see—

Emily Dickinson

Look What Kate Rebecca Made!

My baby bunny, who is all of ten years old, made this EXCELLENT youtube video. I am SO proud. Sniff.

Weehawken Weezer



Sunday morning and kiddies asleep. Spent the 4th in Weekhawken at Jr.'s new place. The house needs much work but is full of possibilities and has an excellent feeling. Kids and I really liked being there, even Ms. Kate who HATED going to Brooklyn and would just wait miserably for us to go home again. The neighborhood is wonderful and the neighbors really welcoming. NYC skyline rises from the backyards. Saw a car with plates that said "Poet JB" on Jr's block, and an apt. for rent across from her house...I could work in NYC if we lived there...ten minute bus ride to Port Authority. Something to ponder........

Jr. has a new dog, a white highland terrier named Billy. He is very cute, sweet, and well behaved. Puts the badly behaved sausage beagle in a very bad light! Jr. can no longer say I never like her animals as Billy is a little white ball of light and I loved him right away.

Have freelance work to do on this rainy Sunday. Please god the children will entertain themselves silently while I work. I need an office.

Dutch Interiors

Christ has been done to death
in the cold reaches of northern Europe
a thousand thousand times.
Suddenly bread
and cheese appear on a plate
beside a gleaming pewter beaker of beer.

Now tell me that the Holy Ghost
does not reside in the play of light
on cutlery!

A Woman makes lace,
with a moist-eyed spaniel lying
at her small shapely feet.
Even the maid with the chamber pot
is here; the naughty, red-cheeked girl. . . .

And the merchant's wife, still
in her yellow dressing gown
at noon, dips her quill into India ink
with an air of cautious pleasure.

Jane Kenyon