As if it wasn’t bad enough—and it was, is—to be in throes of the most devastating fire season in our lifetime, with our neighbors losing their livelihoods, their homes, if not their actual lives, as if that wasn’t bad enough, a vicious worldwide pandemic affects even our ‘leadership’—such as it is. There appears to be no comfort in observing that ‘leadership’, unless you take comfort in the variety that whines, bullies, lies, and leads its followers straight off a virus infected cliff.
Where do we find comfort, then? And where do find a place to stand, from where it’s secure enough to act?
What do we do?
What can we do?
You know my methods, Watson: there is no cruelty, bullying, lying, and murdering that cannot be countered by a continuous shedding of light. As long as that light is composed of kindness, alertness, tenacity, and a moral compass that points to all human beings being equally worthy of love, if not of good grades on their SATs. And that position, I probably don’t need to tell you, takes far more stamina and courage than the one that just goes eye for an eye, throat for a throat. Being less reactive. Being less vain. Being less certain.
With that in mind, we present ‘Sort Of’. We sort of feel we have the strength to go on. But if we do it together, we sort of think we’ll come out all right in the end. At least in a middle where life is more equitable, safer, and joyful than at present.
So . . . let me bring to your attention a wonderful poet, EAP newcomer Yahia Lababidi, whose work sheds so much light I didn’t need to turn on my desk lamp to read it. And two other new contributors: Wendy BooydeGraaff, who understands being a princess is not all it’s cracked up to be, and Rogan Kelly, who opens doors.
I can never leave the Todblog without calling out Brian Griffith, who just keeps opening that damn door no matter how much ignorance and willful stupidity keeps trying to slam it shut.
And EAP’s own poetry goddess, Marissa Bell Toffoli, who, not content with sharing her lyrical vision with the rest of us, just gave birth to Andre—a contribution of the sort that makes the rest of our contributions worthwhile.
Thank you for all you do. All of you. May we all stay safe, strong, and steady. May our days be filled with meaningful action. May our nights be filled with peaceful sleep to prepare us for another meaningful day.
And welcome back.