*****

Recorded Reading (6:06): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/enr4q0jv5n190qh9nto05/Loved-and-Loved-Poem.mp3?rlkey=0ymohlhvhca9657fxkwf47pnb&st=xioh1cdt&dl=0

*****

When this poet is lifted up by a reader contribution, from the twenty-four hour deprivation and torment of her current working conditions, briefly, to a condition of encouragement allowing for creative engagement at the rarefied levels of classical poetry ~ as has been mentioned before ~ she likes to focus, in her celebratory poetic selection, on the spirit of the giver of that encouragement.

Edward Ortiz, of WP’s ‘Thoughts About Leadership, History and More,’ comes to his online work with a solid background in the leadership about which he writes, having filled positions of authority in our military chain of command throughout a long and successful career.

He has borne plentiful witness to the results of both good and bad decisions on the parts of leadership above him. And ~ at a time of life in which wisdoms we have learned so painfully over the decades begin to coalesce, for thinkers and visionaries, into a coherent message of societal contribution ~ he is not afraid to say so.

He also brings to his work a heart both broad and deep, as well as full, evidenced by the resilience of his deeply respectful marriage (he and his wife translate love poetry together ~ just imagine, if you will, the energy between them together in that room) and by the poetry he selects for publication ~ penned in the native language by his grandfather-in-law, and expressive of a purity and reverence in lifelong love which is all but forgotten now among us.

Having 5,000 of her own poetic works to choose from ~ all channeled so swiftly and effortlessly that, like clear running streams, they’d left little impression of their contents in this scribe’s frontal consciousness ~ the poet usually has resort to her filing storage search functions.

Sometimes, she will be guided to seek for a title containing this word, or that one, consonant with her benefactor’s spirit.

Sometimes she holds that person’s vibration ~ their personal flavor, as it were ~ in her consciousness, sets her little handheld screen to a fast scroll, holds her breath and puts her thumb down at “random.” (So far, this technique has worked astonishingly well!)

And sometimes she just knows, immediately, which poetic offering should be dedicated to the precious soul which has reached out to her with the energy so badly needed by her, right now, to carry on.

This time, she knew, for sure, instantly.

It is a poem inspired by embracing a redwood, after a decade’s absence, on the property of what is as close to an alma mater as this poet ~ after having turned down full scholarships from the Ivy Leagues at the age of sixteen ~ possesses, and where she received her musical and metaphorical education: Sacramento City College.

This one’s for you, Edward.

… Hug that wife of yours once for me.

*****

Loved and Loved

When I scan the remembrance of this life,
Find many blessings and, again, much strife —
A goodly effort mine own part upon
To be contributive or to be gone

Balanced by such inconvenience
As no one but a poet ever was
To those sufficiently misfortunate
To allow such a creature close to be
Or, even less fortunately, are born
Relationship with it ever to mourn

My good intentions bringing bad result
As oft as do good — some by mine own fault
Or otherwise, shortcoming blamelessly
Brought such about, to the despair of me

And what if my behaviors ever were
Intended but to happiness confer
Upon any action’s recipient?
What if always to good this heart’s been bent?

It were no virtue of mine own would be
Went into making of instinctive me
And if all things ‘neath heaven must exist
Included must be also on that list
Those miserable, intentionally
Go around making yet more misery

Then, since these postulations all be true,
I but take opportunity from you,
Being too often good, to be that too —
Such selfishness no virtue me accrue!

If, after life, there aught reviewer be
Examining for value in mere me
With but one currency have I to pay
One sure conclusion left to me to say
Defending any worth this lifetime of:
I loved. I loved, I loved, I loved — I loved.

*****

This poet reminds all within reach of her words that an offering of any amount will put an actual poem back on this poetry site.

She presently lives at a fraction of her nation’s poverty level, and in perpetual terror of a repair on her old vehicle which, unfinanced, will result in the towing of her home and all possessions, and her own ticketing into imprisonment.

Arts patrons may visit http://www.UgiftABLE.com , using code 72D-31S. It will take about two weeks for the poet to be notified of your patronage.

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