Point of View...

I understand
that you don't.
from this side
it's clear
you're looking
through mud.
stop stirring the sediment.
it settles for a reason.
now, look again.

art therapy on the psych ward...

Van Gogh, Da Vinci and me.
We got it goin' on.

Haiku Monday - Circle...

hoop skirts. Southern belles.
grand BBQ at Twelve Oaks.
the first hula hoops.

This week's Haiku Monday is hosted by the
thoughtful and creative Curmudgeon's Complaint.
The topic he chose is: CIRCLE.

March 11, 1945...

I know I've mentioned
before that my dad served
in the Navy on the
USS Randolph during WW2.

As is so common with veterans,
he didn't share many details
of his service with his family.
He talked about learning to box
and getting his nose broken.
He talked about making an
attempt in track and breaking
his ankle in the long jump...
or, was it pole vaulting?

The most serious thing he talked
about for a long time was one of
his mates who died from alcohol
poisoning after a day of drinking
in the hot sun.
If he was asked where he served, he would only say
"in the Pacific". He mentioned being in Hawaii and
having no desire to go back. He enlisted after Pearl Harbor.

One day he showed us a scrapbook he made. The cover is a
piece of scratched plexiglass with some brown stains
near the edge. When I asked him what the stains were,
he said, "Oh, that's blood from the Kamikaze pilot
who hit our ship." He wouldn't say anymore.

Not long ago, I read the book "Flyboys" by
James Bradley. It talks about US forces bombing a
tiny (three miles by five miles) island called
Chichi Jima and eight pilots who crashed there, were
captured, tortured and killed by the Japanese.
This book mentions the USS Randolph as part of the
support forces in the bombing raids on Chichi Jima.
This is where dad's ship was when it was hit.













(click photo for book info.)

My dad's job on that ship was working on the
flight deck. He helped handle the "rubber bands".
Some sort of straps stretched across the deck that
the pilots had to hook on with the plane's tail to
keep the plane from flying off the deck when landing.
Twenty-five men were killed when that Kamikaze
hit the flight deck on March 11,1945.
My dad was one of the lucky uninjured.

















Putting out the fire after the Kamikaze attack.

















Aerial view of the USS Randolph showing the hole
in the flight deck from the Kamikaze hit.
That's where my dad was sixty-seven years ago today.
I wish he'd told us more.

More photos and chronology of the ship can be found here.

beach mulch...

every so often
the ocean regurgitates.
seaweed holds the shore.

Haiku Monday - Silence

when words die. when hearts
stop beating. when souls depart.
Silence takes life's place.

you won't see me or
hear me again. Be careful
asking for silence.

**************************

This week's Haiku Monday contest
is hosted by the ever sweet Foam.
Her topic of choice: SILENCE.

Submission deadline is tonight at midnight.

Can't hold my breath forever...

spending too much time
trying to make sense
when there doesn't seem to be
much sense to make.
spending too much time
holding my breath
waiting for the answers
turns me blue.
too old to waste time
turning blue
being dizzy
staying confused.
hurting.
pretending my name is
Vincent or Emily or Ansel or Georgia or Marjorie K
is time better spent.
I know none of those
names are mine. And
I figured that out
all by myself.

*******************************

My friends, you touch my heart, again.
I don't know what will happen here or how often.
If it bores you at times, let me know, make a request
or wait for the next post. Maybe you'll like that one better.
If anyone thinks that on-line friendships are meaningless,
well, they don't know shit.
Tell them to talk to me, 'cause if there is something that I
do know... it's shit.

Thank you for being here, and there.

done...

Nothing but bullshit here for too long.

puppy in da house...

This is Max. New addition to my brother's house.
















Max with one of their other dogs, Deena.
Good luck taking that ball away!

Haiku Monday - Venture...

quilts and teddy bears,
pondering cards, mugs and shirts.
so far, all gone bust.

********************************

This week's Haiku Monday contest
is being hosted by Karl.
The topic he chose is - VENTURE.

Be brave. It's open to all.