Commentary on Gymniad - III

Another thing that I did not understand is that humans, alone among all creatures, are ashamed of our sexuality. Such an attitude is not natural: it had to be taught. History does not take us back very far, but it is safe to say that we have labored under this burden of shame for thousands of years.

Why was such shame spread, and even enforced? Why did we have to be squeezed into a mold of the unnatural? Who stood to gain by such a perversion of our nature? I submit that it was, again, the patriarchal forces that came into prominence after the agricultural revolution. Those patriarchal, machista men had already perverted love and sex in their own lives, and they were ashamed. They were, in other words, ashamed of themselves.

Coming more into times that we are familiar with, we are met with the biblical prohibitions against allowing ones "nakedness" to be seen (even by family), and Paul's sad, anti-sexual attitudes. These trends unfortunately increased, and were enforced with ever-greater ferocity during the "Middle Ages" in Europe.

But we do not have to be like that. For the sake of our mental, physical, and emotional health, let us reject all that is not natural, and begin again to truly love.

Up with the Parrots

Up with the parrots, turn on computer, make ma-te, check the weather (forecast high 21/71, make no appointments today), check the pulse of the old country. It still has one. Make breakfast, eat breakfast. Check pulse again, coming out of coma. Wash dishes. Stack firewood. Trim backyard vines, rake leaves from pool cover. Check pulse again. Condition guarded. Put clothes on. Take yard and trash waste to dumpster. Go shopping and pay bills. Walk the dog.. Take clothes off. Outside, the leaf-cutter ants have blazed a trail and are carrying leaves. Rain coming. Bring in another wheelbarrow-load of firewood. Feed the dog. Fix second meal. Thank Heavens (God/Goddess) for good Uruguayan wine and frozen Schneckburgers (grass-fed, no hormones). Find time to write. Thank Heavens for my nakedness. Thank Heavens for Irish whiskey. Thank Heavens that I'm retired.

He Comes In With the Sun

He comes in with the sun, the schizophrenic beggar-artist, at eight a.m. There are no warning sirens. Through the peep-hole, only the glare of the sun, possibly intentional, but I know it's him. The doorbell isn't working, he will not stop clapping. I throw on a robe and open the door. I see him out by the fence. "Not today," I say. "Okay, man, okay." He goes away.

It's too late to go back to bed. It's too early for everything else, especially this.

The Stars and Stripes

The stars and stripes
are being dragged
through filth
by a rogue and racist
President who was
handed the office
by another country
so that he
could be
their useful
fool.
His racist father
would be proud,
but we
are not.

Heather

Heather, I didn't know you
in your short life
in this troubled world.
I only know your bravery
and your sense of justice.
But I and many others
have now become you,
and you
have become us.
Your fight,
the fight for social justice,
is our fight.
We will win,
because we number
in the millions,
and we will not
forget.

Inclusion

Inclusion is the opening
of hearts and minds
to diversity.

Inclusion makes
tolerance, respect,
and love
possible.

Inclusion creates
the human family.

Inclusion brings
peace
and equality.

Inclusion is
a measure
of our humanity.

Gymniad - V

Nudity is joy,
nudity is comfort,
nudity is freedom,
nudity puts a smile
on every face.
Nudity is lack of
social division,
nudity is equality,
nudity is tolerance.
Nudity is
our natural state,
nudity is beauty,
nudity is precious,
nudity is sacred.
We must
reclaim it!