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Eric Harding's avatar

Bret

Awesome essay. Just discovered this side of you after all that jazz!

Arthur Rosch's avatar

This is an amazing essay, Bret. It's simply out of this world. Here is my version of very similar ideas:

I can imagine a better kind of human being.

More brave. More insightful. More compassionate.

I can imagine and wish

that I was that better human being but

this isn’t my time. Only a few are ready.

Our minds can be

more effective

more conscious

some time to come. I can imagine

being a better kind of human

and maybe some day I will live

that destiny but trouble always makes a place

and the human race goes off

on a tangent

goes nuts for nothing

kills without provocation.

We must do better or vanish.

The human race? The universe teems

with life, is filled

with species, races, creatures beyond

every horizon, every direction

intelligent, inventive, kind creatures, dexterous

and wise.

Today I will become a better kind of human being.

They are out there, but No one is coming to save us. Ten thousand races of vibrant creatures

avoid this planet, know to avoid humanity for a while yet to come.

PETER GERLER's avatar

Bret,

Love these three lines:

• “The truth about the cosmos is being processed with the same efficiency as a lost form at the DMV.”

• “John Coltrane blowing a hole through the known emotional spectrum” (although I would not neglect Dolphy or Ayler).

• “No rehearsal. No supervision. Just a young band on stage, still arguing about the key while the audience waits.” This recalls the birth of social media, where anybody can lay down words without weight--Trump now being the “Mediot-in-chief.”

All best,

Peter G

Ms. Mrod's avatar

and counting...