before night falls

Passing through the exploding streets,
since the pipes are ready to give out
passing around the buildings, we need to dodge,
since they are falling onto us,
between the hostile faces scrutinizing and sentencing us,
between the closed establishments,
closed markets,
closed movie theaters,
closed parks,
closed cafés.
Exhibiting already dusty signs (justifications) occasionally,
CLOSED FOR REFORMS,
CLOSED FOR REPARATION.
What kind of reparation?
When will this alleged reparation, alleged reform end?
When at least
will it begin?
Closed... closed... closed...
everything closed...
I arrive and open the innumerable locks, run up the improvised stairwell.
There she is waiting for me.
I discover her, remove the canvas and contemplate her dusty and cold
dimensions.
I get rid of the dust and caress her.
With the slightest brushes from my palms, I clean her back, her base, her
sides.
I feel desperate, happy, at her side, before her,
I run my hands over her keys, and rapidly, everything is set in motion.
The ta ta, the jingling, the music starts, little by little, already much
faster,
now, at the greatest velocity.
Walls, trees, streets,
cathedrals, faces and beaches,
cells, mini-cells,
giant cells,
starry night, naked
feet, pine groves, clouds
hundreds, thousands,
a million parrots
piano stools and a vine.
Everything shows up, everything arrives, everyone comes.
The walls expand, the ceiling disappears and, naturally, you float,
you float, float ripped apart, swept along,
elevated,
taken, transported, eternalized,
saved, for the sake of, and
for this miniscule and constant cadence,
for this music,
for this incessant jingling.

"The Parade Ends" Reinaldo Arenas
His life shakes me to the core. In his poem (about the Cuban revolution) I especially like, "Cerrado... Cerrado... Cerrado..., Todo Cerrado..." Javier Bardem does a pretty good interp, from the movie Before Night Falls.

jai ho

Last Friday I made it to Congregation Beth-Torah in Overland Park for their Simchat Shabbat service.  'Drew had spoken about his reformed congregation a little, but I had no idea how amazing one could be.  This was my first progressive religious experience.  Rabbi Levin talked to us for a few minutes after the service, and some of the douche-bags I was with asked some pretty inappropriate questions ("so... what purpose does a Jew have if they have no savior?"  Really?).  After distancing myself from him as much as possible, I talked to Hamburg's dad who I had spotted earlier.  

This is going to be another tough week, but I did pay for the rest of Australia.  That was really worrying me.

Peace and No Worries

I HAVE 9 FUCKING LIVES. SERIOUSLY.

addendum

I am sitting here, attempting to write my paper, and I am distracted. I can't help but think how great it would be if I were standing at the bottom of my driveway, playing with my Yak Bak and wearing my Starter jacket, waiting for the bus to arrive. I would hop on and me and Kyler would start chatting away, probably planning a trip to Worlds of Fun that would never happen (or some shit).

How great would it be? Being there again when the only worry in my world was if we were having chili with cinnamon roll or hamburgers for lunch. Ah, man fuck papers.

Youth and Young Manhood

Kamero 2.5-30mm/f2.8 lens mounted on a Minolta SRT 202

On a lark I grabbed some b/w film and shot a roll over the weekend. I can't say that I am entirely happy with my work (above), but I can tell it's improving. I stopped by Love Garden and bought a Kings of Leon CD. I think I like the newer Kings compared to older.

I was a bit of a shit head with the fam. Dad wanted me to go out for coffee with him this morning (5:45), but instead I laid on the couch. I also left my grandmas early.

Now I am writing two resarch critiques, eating body of Christ leftovers, and listening to hardcore country coming from the radio of one of the housing consumers. Skipping to Travis Tritt, ugh.

focus

Fireworks. Tokyo, Japan. 2008

things are in the air right now.

india.
rda.
e.l.c.
money.
l.a.

Tomorrow is the last day of group, but also all of my paperwork is due. I ordered my sister, Jesse, and the baby a book. I can't wait for it to arrive. If you want to see a real crock of shit, take a look at this little gem (sad face).

I was bored with the old banner, so I threw up another. It's of a young lady in Jiyugaoka waiting for the train to pass. I remember it being hot as fuck and I was excited to mess around with the exposure on my (then) new camera.

Too busy, so here is what I'm reading.

Unfriendly Fire: How the gay ban undermines the military and weakens America - Dr. Nathaniel Frank

Dr. Frank paints a pretty great picture of the reality of the gay ban in the US military, including a comprehensive history of heterosexist attitudes in the armed services.

Denying Aids - Seth Kalichman

The people Kalichman writes about are a threat to public health.