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.