Having done my patriotic duty and watched the Republican Convention I'm more hopeful than I have been in a while.  They did their job and hooked me in with their views and speeches.  I was impressed with the South Carolina Governor's speech - she came across as well as the other Governors and maybe better than some.  Very proud of her.  Next week I'll watch the Democratic Convention and see the other half of the political playing field.  60 days left for each side to show what they want us to know.  I'm the first to admit I expected Obama to perform miracles with our economy, the wars, job market, housing problems, and have been disappointed over and over during the last roughly three and a half years with both his actions and what he chooses not to act on.    Personally? I'm a reformed hippie who has grown more conservative as I've had children and aged.  I don't like sitting on fences.  Maybe it's time to try something new in the White House since the "Change" we were promised in 2008 has been for the worse.  But we'll see.

2012 Presidential Election: Electoral Map

2012 Presidential Election: Electoral Map: This map displays the projections of the sender and does not reflect the opinions of 270toWin.

I was thinking about an old friend of mine who used to seem more like a sister than a friend.  During the earliest 1970's someone gave her acid and after an awful reaction to it she has spent the rest of her life on heavy psychotropic medicines and in nursing homes.  Sometimes I really bleed for her because she had everything: beauty, brains, she was sweet and articulate...Anyway, I wrote this for her and her journey.

Tumble into Oblivion

A Poem by C. Harter Amos

For Gayle

In the thickness of fog she had no beginning or end,

only a humbled bubble, she twirled,

round and soft.

At the edges of her vision,

a ghost; dismal and dull.

Then came the jingling of a bell:

an angel, she thought, warning of hell.

Curiosity overcame her fear

as she stood up to peer into solid grayness toward the sound

where suddenly in front of her a hound bent on some cause,

self-sent or spirit-led,

stopped for one moment to raise his head

as if he understood the trip she travelled on.

With tags jingling, he left, heading toward silent oblivion,

everything, again full of emptiness,

she was gone, dear sister-friend, tumbling into nothingness.

© 2009 C. Harter Amos

Just an interesting factoid.  I was watching a replay of the Colts vrs the Redskins and happened to hear the statistic that 40% of their fans are women.  Who would have thought?  I enjoy watching sports and enjoyed playing when I was young, but 40%?  It brought me around to the realization that in a generation or two women maybe won't be looked on as second class citizens.  Amazing.

Eating Karma
 A Poem by C. Harter Amos

Just a thought.




I was standing in line in a restaurant today, ordering a salad to live my lifelong diet,

thinking of grandsons and bright futures, and teasing the young man behind the counter

who was having fun teasing me.

             “What will you have?” he smiled.

             “Um,” I thought and glanced up at him as he shook his head.

             “We don’t serve ‘um’ anymore,” his smile widened into a grin.

The pure happiness of his youth spread out like sunshine. Some mother’s pride and joy.

What a handsome young boy; the son I failed to give you.

              “I guess a salad will have to do.” I laughed as I took a step away, then had to turn back his way,

              “I didn’t bring my reading glasses. Would you tell me my order number?”

I handed him my receipt.

              “328.” He even had the kindness of your eyes, I thought, which warmed my heart on such a cold winter day.



Anyway,

I’d stayed up much too late writing, then up early, I had things to do. I turned and walked a few paces away to wait my turn.



I didn’t want to hear,

I wasn’t trying to stand too near,

when he told the man beside him,

             “I bet she was a beauty in her day.”

My hand went to the gray streak in my hair,

My thoughts to the tiredness in my bones from a long night of writing,

the ache in my back from picking up a box I knew was too heavy.

           “Did you see the dark circles under her eyes?” His friend wasn’t being unkind.

            “No makeup,” he shook his finger at his friend, “Girls these days wear too much makeup.”



Lately I’ve had to eat a lot of Karma for things I did and said

without thinking,

without meaning to be unkind,

without remembering there was a person,

there inside;

each an unopened book I should have read.



© 2009 C. Harter Amos

A New Home

     It's just a bit unnerving to change from Multiply, where I've been for years, to a new blogspot.  After being evicted though, I, like most of the bloggers on Multiply, have decided on a new home and will feel at home here once a few new posts have gone up.  First things first, I don't like my avatar and have to go hunting for my old one.  That much I can hang onto!  Don't mind me, I'm a creature of habit and will probably re-post some of my old videos just to hang onto them.  Good luck to everyone from Multiply who is making this surprisingly unsteadying change.