golanv ale usdi tsisquadi / Raven and Small Birds

iyuno tali ale tsoi usdige tsisquadi
digatilvsdase golanvne,
golanv ulatisdose.
usdi tsisquadi gowatase
uwasa ganosgisgine;
golanv gowatase
uwasa ganiyegine.

ᎢᏳᏃ ᏔᎵ ᎠᎴ ᏦᎢ ᎤᏍᏗᎨ ᏥᏍᏆᏗ
ᏗᎦᏘᎸᏍᏓᏎ ᎪᎳᏅᏁ,
ᎪᎳᏅ ᎤᎳᏘᏍᏙᏎ.
ᎤᏍᏗ ᏥᏍᏆᏗ ᎪᏩᏔᏎ
ᎤᏩᏌ ᎦᏃᏍᎩᏍᎩᏁ;
ᎪᎳᏅ ᎪᏩᏔᏎ
ᎤᏩᏌ ᎦᏂᏰᎩᏁ.

If two or three smaller birds
attack a raven,
the raven will flee.
The small birds see
only a thief;
the raven sees
only danger.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler, ꮨᏺꭽꮅ.

atsvyai alenidohase gvwao hawina / He Lives in Nature

atsvyai alenidohase gvwao hawina,
ale atsvyai gesvase gvwao.

ᎠᏨᏯᎢ ᎠᎴᏂᏙᎭᏎ ᎬᏩᎣ ᎭᏫᎾ,
ᎠᎴ ᎠᏨᏯᎢ ᎨᏒᎠᏎ ᎬᏩᎣ.

He lives in nature,
and he is nature.

Il vit dans la nature,
et il est la nature.

El vive en la naturaleza,
Y él es la naturaleza.

Ele vive na natureza,
e ele é natureza.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler, ꮨᏺꭽꮅ.

equa adanvdo alisdelvdase / ᎡᏆ ᎠᏓᏅᏙ ᎠᎵᏍᏕᎸᏓᏎ

equa adanvdo alisdelvdase
nasgi na alisdelvdase nasgidvsane.

ᎡᏆ ᎠᏓᏅᏙ ᎠᎵᏍᏕᎸᏓᏎ
ᎾᏍᎩ Ꮎ ᎠᎵᏍᏕᎸᏓᏎ ᎾᏍᎩᏛᏌᏁ.

Text and image © by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler, ꮨᏺꭽꮅ.

Outline of Udugi Grammar

OUTLINE OF UDUGI GRAMMAR:



As in Cherokee, Udugi has no definite or indefinite article, but if it is felt necessary, “hia” (this) can be used for the direct article, and “saquu” (one) can be used for the indirect article.

Generally the Cherokee/Udugi word order is SVO (subject-verb-object), and as in English adjectives go before the noun. 



Cherokee often does not have plural forms of nouns and usually prefixes them when it does, but in Udugi, “-di” can always be added at the end to indicate the plural..

In both Cherokee and Udugi, prepositions (in, on, with, etc.) go after instead of before the noun.

Unlike Cherokee, Udugi has suffixed tense and mood forms: -ase = present tense, -ise = past, -ose = future, -use =conditional, -u = imperative.



Udugi indicates the direct object with the suffix “-ne.” Accompanying adjectives need not agree.



VOCABULARY:



Except for a few neologisms, all Udugi vocabulary comes from Cherokee. An on-line Cherokee dictionary can be consulted.



PITCH: Udugi ignores pitch.


ACCENTUATION: Generally speaking, each word has a single, stress accent. The accent usually falls on the penultimate (next-to-last) syllable, but many common words, such as wado (thank you), and osdv (good) are accented on the last syllable, as they would be in Cherokee. Also, the neutral vowel "v" (which sounds like the "u" in "but," frequently pulls the accent away from the next-to-last syllable.


WRITING: Udugi can be written either in the Cherokee syllabary or in the Roman alphabet.



DIALECTS:

Udugi has no dialects so far, but prefers the Eastern (NC) forms.



THE LANGUAGE:



Udugi (pronounced udúgi) is a Cherokee-based constructed language. The name “Udugi” means “hope.” The language was created by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler, ꮨᏺꭽꮅ.



Please do not try to use the language for secret purposes, because it is no secret, and 80% of it can be understood by a Cherokee speaker with no prior study.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler, ꮨᏺꭽꮅ.

Gentle Jesus, Meek and Mild? Maybe Not.

Things are often not what they seem.

Before I could even read, my (very Catholic) mother taught me to say a bedtime prayer that included the words "Gentle Jesus, meek and mild / look on me, a little child." She might have been shocked to learn that it was based on a Protestant hymn/prayer by the eighteenth-century churchman Charles Wesley, brother of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. But who could object to a prayer about the gentle, meek, and mild Jesus? Except, well, Jesus?

I had a hard time reconciling this image with that of the Jesus who drove the money-changers out of the Temple. Where did Charles Wesley get this "meek and mild" imagery? The best place to start, as usual, is the Bible. Paul of Tarsus, in his Second Epistle to the Corinthians, Chapter 10, Verse 1, said (KJV): "Now I Paul myself beseech you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:"

Paul's word for "meekness" comes from the Greek word πραος, which can mean meek, mild, gentle, placid, quiet, biddable, benign, or bland. Which is correct? A clue is furnished by the contrast "base/bold" in the last part of the verse. In King James English, "base" could easily mean "humble." But how much weight should we give to this characterization of Jesus by a man who never met him or heard him? I would say that we should give it very little weight, since Paul consistently calls Jesus "Christ," an equivalency that Jesus himself never made, and clearly misunderstood Rabbi Yeshua's mission.

But doesn't Jesus characterize himself in this way in Mt. 11;29? Here is the cited verse (KJV):

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest rest unto your souls.

In Hebrew Matthew, it goes like this (George Howard's translation):

(Take) my yoke as your yoke and learn of me that I am humble and good and pure of heart and you shall find rest for your souls . . ."

Because meanings have shifted in English since the time of the KJV ("meek" now has connotations such as "submissive" and "lacking in spirit," modern translations usually have something like "gentle and lowly in heart" (RSV). But the KJV did say "meek." The translators of the KJV claimed to be translating from the original languages, and I've given the constellation of meanings of the Greek πραος above. It is known that they were also heavily influenced by the Vulgate, which says "quia mitis sum et humilis corde." "Mitis" can mean gentle, meek, mild, mellow, ripe, mature, peaceful, peaceable, kindly, charitable, tender, or unanxious. So we still don't know which meaning was intended.

But would a "humble" person describe him- or herself  as "humble and good and pure of heart?"

And there is a still greater problem.

Matthew 11:29 has no parallel in either Luke or Mark. Verses 11:2 through 11:27 (John the Baptist's Question to Jesus; Jesus' Words About John; Woes on the Cities of Galilee; and Jesus' Thanksgiving to the Father) are reported by Matthew and by Luke. But Mt. 11:28, 29 appear only in Matthew. We already know (from analysis of the Beatitudes, for example) that Luke used a version of Matthew that was even older than the version reflected in Shem Tob's Hebrew Matthew. [See my Layered Matthew Hypothesis.] Why would Luke not have included the beautiful Mt. 11:29? The most likely answer is that Mt. 11:29 is a latecomer, and Jesus never described himself in that way-

So, the concept of "meekness" is suspect. But what about us? Aren't we supposed to be meek? What about the Beatitudes? Well, "Blessed are the meek" comes from Psalm 37.11:  "But the meek shall possess the land, and delight themselves in abundant prosperity." The evidence of Hebrew Matthew, and of Luke, is that "Blessed are the meek" was not originally present in the Beatitudes.

Why is any of this important? It is significant, first of all, because Jesus (Rabbi Yeshua) was one of the most influential humans who ever lived. He was, at the very least, a reformer, and may have been a true revolutionary. I don't think "meek" is a word that fits him, or ever did.

It seems to me possible that the concept of "meekness" as something to be emulated may have been foisted on us by authorities of the institutional Church, and of the State. It is clear, at least, that persons in power (mostly old, powerful, white males) did a lot of "steering" of the people (the rest of us). Being "meek" is probably not the right response.


Text © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

At Home (en, fr, es, pt, Udugi)

At home in nature,
he is nourished
by the morning sun.

Chez soi dans la nature,
il est nourri
par le soleil du matin.

En casa en la naturaleza,
el esta alimentado
por el sol de la mañana.

Em casa na natureza,
ele é nutrido
pelo sol da manhã.

owenvsvi nahnai gvwao hawina,
atsvyai gesvase adadelasdita
sunalei nvda gvdodi.

ᎣᏪᏅᏒᎢ ᎾᎿᎢ ᎬᏩᎣ ᎭᏫᎾ,
ᎠᏨᏯᎢ ᎨᏒᎠᏎ ᎠᏓᏕᎳᏍᏗᏔ
ᏑᎾᎴᎢ ᏅᏓ ᎬᏙᏗ.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C.Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler, ꮨᏺꭽꮅ.

Unadotlumo / Culture (Udugi + en, fr, es, pt)

nasgina analasdalv tla ulisgedase hia iga hawina, aseno unadotlumo ulisgedase. aquatseli anitsusa-tsunanelvda unadotlumo gesvase unulvhvsgi, igvnisisgi nasgi tla yeliquu-igai adasdelvdase aquatseli etsine, equa-elohi. nasquv, nasgi tla yeliquu-igai adasdelvdase yvwihi duyugodvdine, atloyasdisgi duyugodvdine anisgeyv vhnai. igvyi ayeli-udotlvsvdi unadotlumo yeliquase hnadvgi utli-iyosdv.

ᎾᏍᎩᎾ ᎠᎾᎳᏍᏓᎸ Ꮭ ᎤᎵᏍᎨᏓᏎ ᎯᎠ ᎢᎦ ᎭᏫᎾ, ᎠᏎᏃ ᎤᎾᏙᏡᎼ ᎤᎵᏍᎨᏓᏎ. ᎠᏆᏤᎵ ᎠᏂᏧᏌ-ᏧᎾᏁᎸᏓ ᎤᎾᏙᏡᎼ ᎨᏒᎠᏎ ᎤᏄᎸᎲᏍᎩ, ᎢᎬᏂᏏᏍᎩ ᎾᏍᎩ Ꮭ ᏰᎵᏊ-ᎢᎦᎢ ᎠᏓᏍᏕᎸᏓᏎ ᎠᏆᏤᎵ ᎡᏥᏁ, ᎡᏆ-ᎡᎶᎯ. ᎾᏍᏋ, ᎾᏍᎩ Ꮭ ᏰᎵᏊ-ᎢᎦᎢ ᎠᏓᏍᏕᎸᏓᏎ ᏴᏫᎯ ᏚᏳᎪᏛᏗᏁ, ᎠᏠᏯᏍᏗᏍᎩ ᏚᏳᎪᏛᏗᏁ ᎠᏂᏍᎨᏴ ᎥᎿᎢ. ᎢᎬᏱ ᎠᏰᎵ-ᎤᏙᏢᏒᏗ ᎤᎾᏙᏡᎼ ᏰᎵᏆᏎ ᎿᏛᎩ ᎤᏟ-ᎢᏲᏍᏛ.

Particular tribe doesn't matter anymore, but culture matters. Our Judeo-Christian culture is a failure, because it does not sufficiently protect our mother, the Earth. Also, it does not sufficiently protect human rights, including the rights of women. First Nations culture can do better.

La tribu particulière n'a plus d'importance, mais la culture compte. Notre culture judéo-chrétienne est un échec, car elle ne protège pas suffisamment notre mère, la Terre. En outre, elle ne protège pas suffisamment les droits humains, y compris les droits des femmes. La culture des Premières Nations peut faire mieux

La tribu en particular ya no importa, pero la cultura cuenta. Nuestra cultura judeocristiana es un fracaso porque no protege lo suficiente a nuestra madre, la Tierra. Además, no protege suficientemente los derechos humanos, incluidos los derechos de la mujer. La cultura de las Primeras Naciones puede hacerlo mejor..

A tribo em particular não importa mais, mas a cultura conta. Nossa cultura judaico-cristã é um fracasso porque não protege o suficiente nossa mãe, a Terra. Além disso, não protege suficientemente os direitos humanos, incluindo os direitos das mulheres. A cultura das Primeiras Nações pode fazer melhor.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler, ꮨᏺꭽꮅ.

Illusion

In some languages, illusion
also means "happiness."
Many, in fact, seek it
for its own sake.
I think my mother
believed in it.
I, though, had to look
behind the curtain
to the other side.
I am still looking,
still looking
beyond maya,
for something
more.

Text © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

The Body Is a World (+fr, es, pt, Udugi)

The body is a world
that we inhabit,
but only one
of many.

Le corps est un monde
que nous habitons,
mais un seul
de nombreux.

El cuerpo es un mundo
que habitamos,
pero solo uno
de muchos.

O corpo é um mundo
que habitamos,
mas apenas um
de muitos.

ayelv gesvase equa-elohi
na itsula alenidohase hawina,
aseno uwasa saquu
ugodidi vhnai.

ᎠᏰᎸ ᎨᏒᎠᏎ ᎡᏆ-ᎡᎶᎯ
Ꮎ ᎢᏧᎳ ᎠᎴᏂᏙᎭᏎ ᎭᏫᎾ,
ᎠᏎᏃ ᎤᏩᏌ ᏌᏊ
ᎤᎪᏗᏗ ᎥᎿᎢ.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler ꮨᏺꭽꮅ.

All the Figures of History (+fr, es, pt, eo)

All the figures of history
and all the gods
are parts of ourselves.
If we do not own them,
they will own us.

Toutes les figures de l'histoire
et tous les dieux
sont des parties de nous-mêmes.
Si nous ne les possédons pas,
ils nous posséderont.

Todas las figuras de la historia
y todos los dioses
son partes de nosotros mismos.
Si no los poseemos,
Nos poseerán.

Todas as figuras da história
e todos os deuses
são partes de nós mesmos.
Se não os possuímos,
eles nos possuirão.

Ĉiuj figuroj de la historio
kaj ĉiuj dioj
estas partoj de ni mem.
Se ni ne posedas ilin,
ili posedos nin.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

He Is the Past

He is the past
brought into the present.
His name is All,
his age is always.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

The Forest, Now

The forest, now, is more impenetrable,
at least to sight.
Bird calls pass through,
from morning into night.
Then tree frogs on the ground
provide a wall
of sound.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

Sacrificed

We are just two old people,
following our star
through the labyrinth
of the day,
with no enviable thread
and no certain way
to avoid the Minotaur.

We have been sacrificed
on the hornèd altar
of a child-man's
ignorant ego.

Text © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

ayegu / Wake Up! (+fr, es, pt)

ayegu, ahvdu galvdone nihidi gadolidi nidvlenvda!
etsi gvwao kanegase itsulv didla
asdaya kanegv-unoyvgv gvdodi.

ᎠᏰᎫ, ᎠᎲᏚ ᎦᎸᏙᏁ ᏂᎯᏗ ᎦᏙᎵᏗ ᏂᏛᎴᏅᏓ!
ᎡᏥ ᎬᏩᎣ ᎧᏁᎦᏎ ᎢᏧᎸ ᏗᏜ
ᎠᏍᏓᏯ ᎧᏁᎬ-ᎤᏃᏴᎬ ᎬᏙᏗ.

Wake up, remove the sleep from your eyes!
Mother Nature is speaking to us
with a loud voice.

Réveillez-vous, retirez le sommeil de vos yeux!
Mère Nature nous parle
d'une voix forte.

¡Despierta, quita el sueño de tus ojos!
La madre naturaleza nos habla
en una voz fuerte.

Acorde, retire o sono dos seus olhos!
Mãe Natureza está falando conosco
com uma voz alta.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler ꮨᏺꭽꮅ.

This Morning

This morning,
taking the dog outside,
I was greeted by a raven,
songbirds in our trees,
and new magnolia blossoms.
I turned my naked body
to the rising sun
and gave thanks
for the day,
and for all these things.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

The Stars Move Slowly

The stars move slowly, but stand not still
As no life ever will,
An infinite canvas to fill,
A slowly grinding mill
With infinite time
To kill.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

82,000 Visits and Future Surprises

We have now, my loyal readers, passed the milestone of 82,000 visits to this writing and photography blog. I say "writing and photography," rather than just "poetry," because the poetry and the photography have become inseparable, and they are now accompanied by more and more prose pieces. At the same time, the milestones are coming faster and faster, partly because of wholesale collecting of the blog entries in several countries, for what purpose I don't know.

One thing about this blog is that you never know what is coming next. Actually, neither do I, but I try to keep up as best I can.

As always, thank you for your continued interest and enthusiasm. Merci, gracias, obrigado, wadó, ꮹꮩ.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

Our Dignity (+fr, es, pt)

Our dignity, should we have any,
consists in other
than apparel,
which is irrelevant.

Notre dignité, si nous en avons,
consiste en d'autres
que l'habillement,
ce qui n'est pas pertinent.

Nuestra dignidad, si es que tenemos,
consiste en otro
que la ropa,
que es irrelevante.

Nossa dignidade, se tivermos,
consiste em outro
do que vestuário,
o que é irrelevante.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

Commentary on the Teachings of Rabbi Yeshua XIII - Mt. 28:19-20

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

These words, known as the Great Commission (hereinafter GC), constitute verses 19 and 20 of chapter 28 in canonical, Greek Matthew. But did Rabbi Yeshua ever say them? I think not. Let's look at some pros and cons.

Pro: 1) The GC is present in all the Greek manuscripts that have survived..


Con: 1) If the baptismal formula in verse 19 is trinitarian, rather than simply triadic, it is anachronistic. Trinitarianism did not get the stamp of approval from the institutional Church until 381 CE (First Council of Constantinople).


 2) Church historian Eusebius, in the fourth century, knew of a shorter, presumably older, ending to the Gospel of Matthew. Its approximate translation:

"Going out, make disciples of all the nations in my name, teaching them to keep all the things that I have commanded you."

This earlier ending , as pointed out by George Howard, also appears to be reflected in some writings of Justin Martyr and Hermas.


3) Also as pointed out by George Howard (in his 1995 book, HEBREW GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, p. 194), Shem-Tob's Hebrew Matthew has an even shorter ending:

לכו אתם

ושמרו אותם לקיים כל הדברים אשר ציויתי אתכם עד עולם׃

George Howard's translation:

19  Go

20  and (teach) them to carry out all the things 

      which I have commanded you forever.

The ending in Hebrew Matthew seems to me to be more likely than the others.

It should be mentioned that the trinitarian baptismal formula occurs in the Didache, a sort of catechism dating from the late first or early second century, in its seventh chapter:

βαπτίσατε εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος ἐν ὕδατι ζῶντι.

"Baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit in living water."

The Didache, or "Teaching of the Lord through the Twelve Apostles," is a very interesting document that had been lost, but was rediscovered in 1873 and first published in 1883. It appears to come from a Jewish Christian milieu, just as does the Gospel of Matthew. Unfortunately, the complete text is in only one manuscript, written in 1056 CE. Since the Didache appears to have closely followed Greek Matthew, and because we have it only in a late manuscript, the presence in it of the triadic/trinitarian baptismal formula doesn't really prove anything.

Text © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

He Lives in Light (+Udugi)

He lives in light,
and he is light.

atsvyai alenidohase ulvsada hawina,
ale atsvyai gesvase ulvsada.

ᎠᏨᏯᎢ ᎠᎴᏂᏙᎭᏎ ᎤᎸᏌᏓ ᎭᏫᎾ,
ᎠᎴ ᎠᏨᏯᎢ ᎨᏒᎠᏎ ᎤᎸᏌᏓ.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler ꮨᏺꭽꮅ.

To the Followers

To the followers
of the youth culture
I'm an anachronism,
but I do speak their language,
and they can go fuck themselves.

Aux adeptes
de la culture jeunesse
je suis un anachronisme,
mais je parle leur langue,
et ils peuvent aller se faire foutre.

Para os seguidores
da cultura jovem
eu sou um anacronismo,
mas eu falo a língua deles,
e eles podem se foder.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

More Thoughts on the "Ave Maria"

I have written about this before, most recently on September 13 2019. At that time, this was my ending paragraph:

In 1960, when I was reciting those Latin words and feeling twinges of discomfort about the "second part," I was not yet consciously a feminist. But I have consciously been one for almost forty-five years, and I will not accept the subtly nefarious actions of the Patriarchy just because the title "Saint" is affixed to the names of the perpetrators. If this makes me a heretic, then so be it.

The "second part," mentioned above, consists of these words:

sancta maria mater dei ora pro nobis peccatoribus nunc et in hora mortis nostrae.

In that earlier blog post I told how this second part of the prayer had been added in the sixteenth century, and said that it had always seemed separate to me, and that I had always been vaguely uncomfortable with it.

The reasons for my discomfort included:

1) "Mother of God" reflects a claim that Rabbi Yeshua never made, one which to a Jew is blasphemous.

2) The idea of Miriam praying to her male child sounds quite patriarchal.

3) The medieval characterization of humans as primarily sinners is poor psychology; a more positive description might lead to a more positive result.

4) That same characterization sounds like a control mechanism put forward by the patriarchal, institutional Church.


Yes, I'm a heretic (literally one who "chooses" what to believe and what not to believe), and not only because I'm a feminist.

Choosing what to believe and what not to believe is called critical thinking. It's very important, especially in these times when countless lies are told in order to obscure the truth, and the same lies are embraced by cultish followers.

I've said many times that it is important to understand the relationships among the Synoptic Gospels, and their intended audiences. It is important if we are to understand them correctly. I accept that the Gospel of Matthew has priority (see my earlier writings on the "Layered Matthew Hypothesis," and the "Synoptica" series). I also accept that the Gospel of  Luke was mostly translated from Matthew (including Hebrew Matthew), for Greek-speaking Christians, and that the Gospel of Mark was written originally for the Latin-speaking Christians of Rome.

So it isn't really surprising that the only scriptural basis for the Ave Maria prayer (first part) is to be found in the Gospel of Luke, or that it reflects a non-Jewish theology and claims that Rabbi Yeshua never made.

Nor is it surprising that the institutional Church, itself extremely patriarchal in its outlook, would tack on a patriarchal "second part" of the prayer.

From the point of view of Christianity, I am definitely a "heretic," in its literal sense, and not only because of my feminism.

 It is worth noting that, while the Pater Noster is reflected in Hebrew Matthew, the Ave Maria is only (and partially) supported in Luke (and the second part, not at all). The third prayer that Catholics say when reciting the Rosary, the Gloria Patri or Glory Be, reflects an all-male Trinity, which seems a biological impossibility. The trinitarian baptismal formula of canonical, Greek Matthew (Mt. 28:19) is not in Hebrew Matthew at all; it is a late addition. But at least in Hebrew the word for "spirit," רוּחַ, can be either male or female. So it should be, in saecula saeculorum. Amen.


Text © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

Life Is Persistent

Life is persistent,
it is its own reason,
and it will continue
long after
we are gone.

La vie est persistante,
c'est sa propre raison,
et ça va continuer
longtemps apres
nous sommes parties.

La vida es persistente,
es su propia razón,
y continuará
mucho tiempo despues que
nos hemos ido.

A vida é persistente,
é a sua própria razão,
e vai continuar
Muito depois
nós somos idos.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

What World Is This? (+fr, es, pt)

What world is this
in which we live?
It has lost the pattern
of the sacred elements,
has no sense of direction.
Up is down,
and wisdom is a clown.

De quel monde s'agit-il
dans lequel nous vivons?
Il a perdu le modèle
des éléments sacrés,
n'a aucun sens de l'orientation.
Up is down,
et la sagesse est un clown.

¿Que mundo es este
en que vivimos?
Ha perdido el patrón
de los elementos sagrados,
no tiene sentido de dirección.
Arriba es abajo,
Y la sabiduría es un payaso.

Que mundo é esse
em que vivemos?
Perdeu o padrão
dos elementos sagrados,
não tem senso de direção.
Up está baixo,
e a sabedoria é um palhaço.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

81,000 Blog Visits and Many Face Masks

Today we are crossing the threshold of 81,000 visits to this poetry and photography blog. It is unfortunate that we are doing it under very sad conditions. Worldwide there have been more than 70,000 deaths from the new coronavirus, including 10,000 in the United States.

Here, on the Gulf coast of middle Florida, things are better than in many other places. Sandy and I are doing our hand-washing and social distancing. Lately we also try not to leave the borders of our zip code, which has fewer cases than most. Basically, we don't go anywhere unless we really have to.

As to the direction of the blog and its content, I feel that the ground is shifting under my feet. This situation is truly unprecedented. All I can say is that I try to be a clear channel for whatever inspiration comes in, and will pass it along to you.

As usual, thanks to all of you for your continued interest and enthusiasm Stay safe and healthy.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

What We Are Witnessing

What we are witnessing is not merely a pandemic not seen in a hundred years: it is the end of one world, and the beginning of another.

Mother Nature's processes can be messy, and they are often imprecise, but she will defend herself against those who would rape her.

It is sometimes said that homo sapiens does not have a predator. This, it seems , is wrong. We have them in nature, though they be ever so small. We are also our own predator.

Those who, by their actions, have helped to bring this plague upon us will be swept away.

Those who, by their ignorance, greed, divisiveness, hatred, self-dealing, fraud, and bigotry have injured us and who now wish to give us a lawless world where organized crime is king will be utterly swept away.

So may it be. So it will be. 

Sahasrar (+fr, es, pt)

He lives in the glow of Sahasrar,
he inhabits a home afar.
His language is unknown:
a lizard on a sunny stone.

Il vit dans la lueur de Sahasrar,
il habite une maison au loin.
Sa langue est inconnue:
un lézard sur une pierre ensoleillée.

Él vive en el resplandor de Sahasrar,
él habita una casa lejos.
Su idioma es desconocido:
Un lagarto en una piedra soleada.

Ele vive no brilho de Sahasrar,
ele habita uma casa longe.
Sua língua é desconhecida:
um lagarto em uma pedra ensolarada.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler ꮨᏺꭽꮅ.

Face Masks for the People (+fr, es, pt)

I learned how to do this from a video by a French doctor.

You need a paper napkin, rubber bands, and staples. Unfold the napkin and accordeon-pleat it. Fold the ends over the rubber bands and staple them, et voilà! Wash your hands before you start. Not for medical use.


J'ai appris à le faire grâce à une vidéo d'un médecin français.

Vous avez besoin d'une serviette en papier, de bandes élastiques et d'agrafes. Dépliez la serviette et pliez-la en accordéon. Repliez les extrémités sur les élastiques et agrafez-les, et voilà! Lavez-vous les mains avant de commencer. Pas à usage médical.


Aprendí a hacer esto en un video de un médico francés.

Necesita una servilleta de papel, gomas y grapas. Desdobla la servilleta y póntelo acordeón. Dobla los extremos sobre las gomas y engrapa, ¡y listo! Lávese las manos antes de comenzar. No es para uso médico.


Aprendi como fazer isso em um vídeo de um médico francês.

Você precisa de um guardanapo de papel, elásticos e grampos. Desdobre o guardanapo e dobre-o com pregas. Dobre as pontas sobre os elásticos e grampeie-os, e pronto! Lave as mãos antes de começar. Não para uso médico.

Changes (+fr, es, pt, Udugi)

We make changes;
changes do not make us.

Nous faisons des changements;
les changements ne nous font pas.

Hacemos cambios;
Los cambios no nos hacen.

Nós fazemos mudanças;
mudanças não nos fazem.

itsula gotlvdase tsunasdidine;
tsunasdidi tla gotlvdase itsulv.

ᎢᏧᎳ ᎪᏢᏓᏎ ᏧᎾᏍᏗᏗᏁ;
ᏧᎾᏍᏗᏗ Ꮭ ᎪᏢᏓᏎ ᎢᏧᎸ.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler ꮨᏺꭽꮅ.

This Body Wants to Live (+fr, es, pt)

This body wants to live,
it has an appetite for tomorrow
and for years,
perhaps decades.
The spirit, of course,
will be fine.

Ce corps veut vivre,
il a un appétit pour demain
et pour des années,
peut-être des décennies.
L'esprit, bien sûr,
sera bien.

Este cuerpo quiere vivir,
tiene apetito para mañana
y para años,
quizás décadas.
El espíritu, por supuesto,
estará bien.

Esse corpo quer viver,
tem apetite para amanhã
e para anos,
talvez décadas.
O espírito, é claro,
vai ficar bem.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

House Arrest (+fr, es, pt)

He is a prisoner in his own house:
he, and a woman, and a dog.
The Crown holds the key.
The Crown holds the key.

Il est prisonnier dans sa propre maison:
lui, et une femme, et un chien.
La Couronne détient la clé.
La Couronne détient la clé.

Es prisionero en su propia casa:
él y una mujer y un perro.
La corona tiene la llave.
La corona tiene la llave.

Ele é um prisioneiro em sua própria casa:
ele e uma mulher e um cachorro.
A coroa detém a chave.
A coroa detém a chave.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

A Naked Poet in Time of Plague

By now you are all used to seeing me in my everyday uniform, the one in which I was born, so I don't need to apologize or make excuses for it. The simple truth is that I want to get every ray of sunlight that I can get. I consider it medicinal and purifying. Somehow, I also think of it as protection.

For a few days now, I've been putting a chair out there for Sandy, too. With her Irish skin, she can't take as much sun as I can, thanks to my Cherokee genes. Supposedly she has some Blackfoot in her, but you'd never know it.

Here in Pasco County (the Naturist Capital of the USA), things are not as bad as in many other places: We have 51 confirmed cases, eight hospitalizations, and two deaths. I like to think that, at least for some of us, our nudity and exposure to the sun are helping, It's a notion I cling to, but nobody really knows.

Today, when I walked Betty, our sweet dog, three neighbors spoke to me, and I had extensive conversations with two of them (while we kept our distance). This tells me that people are feeling lonely and want social interaction. They will have that feeling for a long time. Thank heavens for the Internet!

We are thankful that we are living where we are, and that there is excellent medical care just a mile away. But we also know that we are both in a high-risk category due to our ages, especially Sandy, who has underlying health problems.

We do the best we can with hand-washing and social distancing, but we are not kidding ourselves: this monster could come and get us. In the meantime, we live life as best we can. Every morning I turn my naked body to the rising sun, and say a little prayer of thanksgiving.

Be well. Be healthy. Stay home. Take care of each other. We are sending you love and strength.

Text and image © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.

Did Jesus Pray to a Sun-god? Hardly. - Mt. 27:46

A friend recently posted a link to an article from thedailybeast.com on my Facebook timeline. The title of the article was: The Ancient Text Where Jesus Prayed to a Greek God. You can look the article up in the archives of the Daily Beast.

The ancient text to which they are referring is Codex Bobiensis, referred to in textual criticism as "k." Bobiensis is a fragmentary fifth-century manuscript now in the National Library at Turin. Unlike the famous Shroud, also housed at Turin, "k" is not a forgery.

Bobiensis, which contains about half of the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, is the oldest of the Old Latin texts, but it belongs to a special sub-type called Afra (African). North Africa, the home of St. Augustine, was its original provenance.

Although the manuscript dates from the fifth century, it represents a textual type that is much older than that. The readings of "k" match those in quotations from Bishop Cyprian of Carthage, who died in 258 CE. Some scholars believe that this text type goes back to a papyrus of the second century, which would be earlier than any NT papyrus that we have.

Bobiensis is not a text that you just pick up and read. It is full of bizarre orthography, and textual critics have made long lists of equivalencies to help one to read it. It happens to be one of my favorites of the ancient texts. It happens that another ancient text that I've been writing about, Shem-Tob's Hebrew Matthew, agrees more often with "k" than with any other ancient text.

I used to have a book containing readings from "k," but I no longer have it. Nor do I have a copy of "k," for the simple reason that I can't afford one.

My task in this little article is to explain my reasons for rejecting the hypothesis, referred to in the above-mentioned article in the Daily Beast, that in Matthew 27:46 Jesus was praying to the Greek sun-god Helios.

Those words of Jesus on the cross, which can be translated as "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" did not come out of nowhere. Jesus was quoting Psalm 22.2. The words have been reported to us in Aramaic, but they were originally written in Hebrew, and Hebrew Matthew tells us that they were spoken by Jesus (Rabbi Yeshua) in "the holy language." So let's go back to the source.

Psalm 22.2, Masoretic Text:

אֵלִי אֵלִי לָמָה עֲזַבְתָּנִי

Phonetic transcription: eli eli lamah azavtani

This agrees with the words as reported in Hebrew Matthew.

But in canonical, Greek Matthew the words are reported to us in some form of Aramaic, as "eloi eloi lema sabacthani" (Received Text) or "eli eli lema sabacthani" (D et al.). But this is not the Syriac (Eastern Aramaic) of the Peshitta, which has "il il lemana sh'baqthani," or the Old Syriac "eli eli lmn shbqthni." It is a dialect that is intermediate between Hebrew and Eastern Aramaic, and that fits the description of Palestinian Aramaic.

I don't have a copy of "k," but I do have a copy of the Vulgate, which was written ca. 400 CE and continued many Old Latin readings. It says: "Heli Heli lema sabacthani," and translates it as "Deus meus Deus meus ut quid dereliquisti me." This is, as I've said, a direct quote from the second verse of Psalm 22. It has nothing to do with Helios.

[UPDATE: Since writing this, I have discovered that on my hard disk I have the full text of OLD LATIN BIBLICAL TEXTS, by John Wordsworth (the book that I once had in a hard copy), which contains a transcript of CODEX BOBIENSIS, "k." It turns out that "k" only includes Matthew 1:1 through 15:36. The Daily Beast article is therefore bogus, and nothing but empty sensationalism and an April Fool's prank.]

I don't know much about the Daily Beast, but I think it should stick to political reporting.

Text © 2020 by Donald C. Traxler aka Donald Jacobson Traxler.