Playing Fair and Being Kind

I spent this past weekend in Maine State Prison. I was allowed to leave nightly because I am a volunteer for Alternatives to Violence Project USA-Maine. You can see the work this organization does at this link: http://www.avpusa.org

During the weekend I lost two men from the group for reasons I’ll keep private and I also lost three baby song sparrows from a nest outside my front window of The Castle. I had been observing the mother song sparrow caring for the babies for several days. During the day Saturday something came and emptied the nest of its contents. When I got home from the prison work that day I went to the window to check up on the young ones. They were gone without a trace. The nest had been cleaned out. I suspected crows because the branches supporting the nest were intact. No cat, nor any other ground creature, could have done this job without destroying the branches. I was saddened by this event.

The next few days I noticed a female song sparrow flitting about The Castle Royal Garden chip-chip-chipping away. She was apparently searching for the babies. The weekend was an emotional one.

Today there is a vote in the Senate regarding Obamacare. Senators are flying Dead Man McCain in from Arizona to cast his vote, they hope, to end the Affordable Care Act or ACA. McCain has been diagnosed with a brain cancer, an aggressive sort. He is under great medical care by the best of doctors in Phoenix. Oddly, he is expected to deliver a vote which will generally be a death sentence for millions of American people. John McCain will vote to end their health care while enjoying the best health care plan in the USA. Go, John!

John McCain has been the focus of my attention in the past. I have been told by a few past shipmates of his lack of courage and patriotism under fire. I’ve read accounts of his lack of loyalty while a pow in Hanoi. The accounts were related by his fellow prisoners who felt that he gave information to the interrogators that was classified. He was nicknamed “songbird” by his captors allegedly for his ability to “sing” when asked questions.

Another former shipmate of mine was stationed on the USS Forrestal a few years after the terrible fire on board that killed 134 men and injured and maimed scores more. My friend, Bud, heard stories about McCain before, during, and after the fire that enraged the crew. John McCain was not liked at all on the Forrestal. Here is a link to Mary Hershberger’s story in “Truthdig” which captures a good description of the events surrounding the fire. McCain, known to be a general fuck-up as a pilot and sailor, was MIA during the fire and later was known to have gone AWOL off the ship. He was in Saigon drinking with friends later in the day as the casualty that was partly his doing was raging still. Go, John!

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20081007_investigating_john_mccains_tragedy_at_sea

I hope John McCain receives medical treatment for his brain cancer and I hope he also votes to leave Obamacare in place as is so others will receive medical treatment for their ailments.

Please have a nice day wherever you are. I’ll do the same. Peace out. G. M. Goodwin 7/25/2017

GRAVITY

Seated on cushions,

Shoe hanging from foot,

Wrists resting on keyboard,

Head perched upon neck.

Groove vibrates the disk,

Sound delivers my ear,

Tympanum to brain,

A sensorial chorus.

Light from our star,

Comes bent ’round itself,

Spectrum to iris,

Renders blue water.

Oh, the wide river,

How flatly it lies,

In space between hills,

Embracing the shore.

Feel, hear, and see,

My Castle in Air,

Beneath a blue dome,

Presented to me.

G. M. Goodwin

September 23, 2014