Category Archives: Essays

November 19, 2017

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 19 November 2017

By Kat Myrman

I’ve noticed a trend in my poetry of late. I am generally easy-going and have even been accused of being too optimistic. That girl is still in there behind my baby-blues somewhere, but extreme times call for extreme measures, and in my case, poetry and prose. I am grateful to have a voice in the midst of the madness. It’s gets the scary thoughts out of my head. Sometimes I can even manage a bit of wit to soften the angst. But if I didn’t have words…I am sure I’d be a mess. I do find moments to take in the scenery. The good stuff. To snuggle my fur kids. To settle my spirit with a warm cup of tea. Though I take the state of our world very seriously, I don’t extend that intensity when it comes to myself. It’s always good to laugh at that face in the mirror when her brow becomes too furrowed.

And so…I do want to thank you, the readers of my rants, for indulging me. I am encouraged by your occasional “yeah!” and “I feel the same way” comments. Some things just need saying and reading out loud to take the edge off. I am daily reminded that we are all in this together.

Peace to you.

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 19 November 2017

penetrating every crevice
we have only ourselves
hearts afraid of shadows, quaking
they say ‘twas old age that stopped his heart
flickering remnants of once starry nights
but she still loves with grace to spare
breezes smoky, spice-infused
willing to face demons, armed with truth
time is too too short
once they were trees
landed in a thud
a life alone, not death, to fear
the gullible gush
Those pigs! They are flying…fleeing in droves,
the day’s madness
promise of sweetness,
the deepest peace
blush of healing…
Survival’s a game that so few of them win.

~kat

A shi sai or ReVerse poem is a summary poem with a single line lifted from each entry of a collection of work over a particular timeframe and re-penned in chronological order as a new poem. Unlike a collaborative poem, the shi sai features the words of one writer, providing a glimpse into their thoughts over time. I use it as a review of the previous week.

10 Comments   |  tags: , , , | posted in Essays, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings, Shi Sai, Week in Review

November 17, 2017

Claque – Friday’s Word of the Day

By Kat Myrman

Our word of the day from Dictionary.com is claque. It’s a noun that means: a group of persons hired to applaud an act or performer; a group of sycophants.

Here’s how this word came to be:
Hired groups or squads to applaud actors and performers are nothing new. The Roman author Suetonius (75 – 150 a.d.) in his “Life of Nero” (chapter 20, in “Lives of the Twelve Caesars) reports that Nero hired 5,000 young men and taught them three different kinds if applause to use in his performances. In Paris by the mid 19th century, claques were organized into “platoons” whose various squads were rehearsed to laugh, cry, comment on, and encourage the actors. The great conductor Arturo Toscani (1867-1957) impised discipline and decorum on audiences and was instrumental in suppressing claques. Claque entered the English language in the 19th Century.

Claque is a perfect word for our current alternate reality. The powers that be think we need coaching when we’re told an apple is a banana. And not just any banana, but the most amazing banana in history of bananas. We need a cadre of claqueurs to rally and extol the amazing virtues of bananas from the sidelines. Their job is to convince us that what we’re hearing with our ears but failing to see with our own eyes is not what we think it is. They tell us when to laugh at unfunny jokes. They applaud wildly, standing in ovation to encourage us to do the same. These shills are paid for their loyalty and I learned that the professionals of this shady craft might even resort to extortion should the entertainer fail to pay for their feigned accolades by rousing choruses of boos. What is our world coming to?

As for me I like watching spectacles from the edge, trusting my intuition to come to my own conclusion. For example…It is not a banana. I know bananas. It is an apple of course. Your jokes are not funny and I refuse to reward you with applause for your outrageous claims. Thank you very much!

You can read more about this interesting word of the day at Wikipedia HERE.

Have a great weekend. And remember, if it walks like a duck and claques like a duck, it’s probably a turtle…..Ha! And I didn’t even need a laugh track to get a chuckle out of you…at least I imagine you smiling right now.

Here’s a little Haiku to reward you for reading this far.

the gullible gush
awed by the fake ovations
of shills and claqueurs

~kat

19 Comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Essays, Haiku, Humor, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings, Word of the Day Haiku

November 12, 2017

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 12 November 2017

By Kat Myrman

With every sensational soundbite, those who are paying too close attention (I am all to easily sucked in…guilty as charged) are reeling from the downward spiral of our uncivil civilization. I happen to have an American front row seat, but from your comments; you my friends across the pond, and from the north, south and east, this current state of unrest seems to be global. With nuclear options being flexed and monsters being exposed, I have even heard the “A” word mumbled under pundits baited breaths. “A” for apocalypse…oh my!

But I’m not buying it. And, well, if I’m wrong….that’s okay. I can deal with being wrong especially since there won’t be anyone around to say “I told you so…” Why am I not buying it? Not yet? There is still enough good in the world to hold this implosion at bay. Patriarchy is going down. Hate is being exposed for the ugly blight that it is. And we are starting to believe the women…and the innocents when they point at the emperor declaring that he is buck naked. He’s always been naked. I know it’s a shock, but that’s how truth rolls.

At any rate, the bad guys will still try to distract us from the truth, blame the victims, call monsters heroes. I don’t expect them to go down without a fight. But they are clearly desperate. That’s a good sign.

I know you’re weary. But we’re in the final stretch it seems to me. The apocalypse may be coming, but for a chosen few. I expect to be standing when the smoke settles.

Peace, truth, love…resist! ❤️

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 12 November 2017

she lights up a room / she’s a sorceress cackling, tock-tick-tick-tock-<
ainful<
..sorry to interrupt your eternal bliss<
ool nor-eastern zephyr whispers<
aging from coal soot nostrils<
rumbling to dust<
he burning stench of liquid iron, oozing<
hoose me, choose me<
..haven for hoards of crude middling beasties<
irtue is disdained<
oo beautiful to bear<
o not lose heart<
hey’re going down<
eartless fools who<
ish that you were here instead<
..brief glimmers of recognition

~kat

A shi sai or ReVerse poem is a summary poem with a single line lifted from each entry of a collection of work over a particular timeframe and re-penned in chronological order as a new poem. Unlike a collaborative poem, the shi sai features the words of one writer, providing a glimpse into their thoughts over time. I use it as a review of the previous week.

6 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Digital Art & Photos, Essays, Life Lessons, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings, Shi Sai, Social Issues, Spirituality, Week in Review

November 10, 2017

Arete – Friday’s Word of the Day

By Kat Myrman

Today’s word of the day at Dictionary.com is arete, a noun that means the aggregate of qualities, such as valor and virtue, making up good character.

It is Greek in Origin as Dictionary.com summarizes:

It is hard to imagine a more Greek word than aretḗ “excellence.” The excellence is of all kinds: military (bravery and prowess), sports (footracing), but also intelligence, public speaking, and good character. Aretḗ applies to the gods and women as well as to warriors and heroes: Penelope in the Odyssey (book 18, line 251) complains that “The immortals destroyed all excellence of mine, in beauty and stature, when the Argives sailed for Troy, and with them my husband Odysseus.” Aretḗ also applies to land (“productive”) and domestic animals (horses, dogs). Socrates pursues aretḗ “virtue, excellence” even if it costs him his life. In the Septuagint and New Testament, aretḗ also means “rewards of excellence, distinction,” as also in classical Greek. Arete entered English in the 16th century.

Here’s a nice bit of info to round out the application of this word. According to Greekmythology.wikia.com:

Arete was the goddess or daimona of virtue, excellence, goodness and valour. She was depicted as a fair woman of high bearing, dressed in white. Her opposite number was the daimon Kakia, lady of vice.  The best known story of Arete is when Arete and Kakia approached Heracles and offered him a life of valour or a life of luxury.  Based on his numerous adventures it is clear that he chose the life of valour.

Arete is the theme Aristotle’s philosophical virtue theory. You can read more about it HERE. Basically Aristotle believed: Arete roughly means “moral virtue”. It refers to an innate “Excellence” or “Essence” in all things, and the striving toward that potential or purpose.

Incidentally, for obvious reason, businesses love to use arete or symbols of arete in their titles and logos. If you google arete, you find a long list of companies who advertise their excellence in this way.

Well, before I get lost in my thoughts as I consider the arete of the various aspects of my life…this could take some time. I better give you a Haiku.

Go forth the, and prosper. Be the best you can be. Strive for arete!

when arete is scorned
by ignominious fools
virtue is disdained

~kat

6 Comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Essays, Haiku, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings, Word of the Day Haiku

November 7, 2017

Dear Mr. Rogers

By Kat Myrman

For Sunday Writing Prompt #227 “Letters to Characters”: The challenge: write a letter to a character from a book or movie as if they were a real person. The character can be one that you love, hate, or love to hate. Offer them advice, question their life decisions, criticize or berate them, profess your love to them the choice is yours!

mr rogers

Fred McFeeley Rogers – March 20, 1928 – February 27, 2003

Dear Mr. Rogers,

I’m sorry to interrupt your eternal bliss. I’m sure you are resting peacefully in your own beautiful corner of heaven enjoying the rewards of your stellar time on earth. Don’t get me wrong, you deserve it, but we need you!

Our neighborhoods are not beautiful right now. People are afraid to come out, locking their doors and shuttering their windows. They’re talking about building walls and they’re burning down bridges. I’ve witnessed that with my own eyes. And people are mean Mr. Rogers. So mean. It’s really scary.

Now, I know what you are probably thinking,”Look for the helpers.” I can even hear you saying it in your soft comforting voice. The thing is…the thing is…I have to tell you Mr. Rogers it’s getting harder and harder to find them. The helpers. But what’s even worse, horrible in fact, is that the monsters are now stalking us in the very places where the helpers hang out. Fun places, sacred spaces, the halls of our government! They are everywhere.

I’m not sure how it works, but I’m sure if anyone can figure it out, you can. I’m afraid if you come back the old fashioned way, as a baby, there might not be anything left by the time you are old enough to help. If it’s possible, maybe you can split yourself into several parts and possess a few of us. You won’t have to do anything except whisper in our ears and stir our souls. We’ll do the work.

And you can use me if you want. I don’t mind. But I don’t think I can do it alone. I have a few friends. I think they’d be willing to help too. Especially if I told them it is you.

Think about it Mr. Rogers. We need you more than ever. Some people say you were just a character on a kid’s show. But I have always believed you were the real deal. I would never impose upon your eternity if it were not really important. It is really important.

Sincerely,

Kat

15 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Essays, Flash Fiction, Random Thoughts and Musings, Social Issues, Spirituality