We were young, expectant,
Renting a cottage from
Doctor Spock, on Kent Street
who'd walk
His old dog through our yard:
"C'mon Sannee (Sandy),
Poor lil shit", but had a surprisingly
Useful understanding of children--
For a Vulcan. We read his book
On Kent Street (named after Clark), at
The corner of Lois Lane.
Sometimes, as aliens say from
Their sudden saucers: don't let your
Moral compass slide off its binnacle.
A country, a ship of State, in
That distress, doesn't know where
It's going anymore.
Thanks for remembering that advice. A big country has a big binnacle and a mighty big moral compass to keep mounted. It may even be as large as the Washington monument. I read that is 555 feet.
ReplyDeleteDear Joanne, Thank you. I've visited Washington Monument twice and conclude your estimate of its height is correct but never had a ruler with me. I suspect he didn't care for rulers and rejected offers of a crown. A democratic republic won out. Good thing too.
DeleteI love it, especially your allusions and the way you connect them. Do we know where our ship is going?
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Dear Janie Junebug, this poem loves you right back. As for our Ship Of State, it has endured navigational problems,like the insult delivered to Denmark when a past U.S. president tried to buy Greenland. They insisted North Sea shipping rights rely on international trust instead of new ownership. There's turbulence, but our ship is headed in a good direction.
DeleteWe're headed in a much better direction than we were four years ago.
DeleteAgreed, dear Janie. Happy 4th -Yikes! It's already the 5th!
DeleteIt is a big and strong ship, this ship of state. A trusted captain is now at the helm, but there are shoals, and rising tides. Let's listen to the aliens or anyone who offers good guidance.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, dear Tom. We've seen what government by tantrum does. We've taken our shoulders from under and let it come down. Good guidance resumes the helm.
DeleteThat is excellent advice for any person, group, organization, business, or country.
ReplyDeleteWas it the real Dr. Spock of childrearing-advice fame? Sometimes I can't tell your allegories from your truths! if allegories is the right word :)
O_Jenny, the doc-mr-spock amalgam is a tribute to our 1st landlord, in whose backyard Norma and I rented a cottage. He was a gruff, logical and kind old man who walked his old cocker spaniel, Sandy, daily in the yard. We'd talk about child-rearing because Norma and I were expecting our 1st child. We were trekkies, who also read "The Commmon Sense Book Of Baby And Child Care" by Benjamin Spock, while renting on Kent St. Our yard and household jokes just joined it all together --and Pepper, his wife's cat, was 23 years old. In 1970, we all made our own fun.
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