you and i, in all likelihood, we're distant relations,
for we spring from the roots, pasts known and not
tens of thousands years of years ago, at least in human form,
some of my ancestors made their way out of africa
and much more recently, to what we call europe

4 to 8 generations ago,
depending on which of my 8 great-grandparents,
we migrated to what the europeans came to call the americas
though the original peoples have many names for these lands
my ancestors were mothers fathers cooks fishers farmers builders musicians thinkers feelers lovers teachers
gradually we moved to the cities,
but perhaps some of us were already in the cities, and moved back to the country,
and then to the cities again,
so that in the most recent two generations,
not speaking german or gaelic, or other ancestral languages { we quickly forgot them as we assimilated }
but mostly speaking in english, and also in español { spanish, the language of the first european empire to colonize the native-populated areas of california }
throughout the cactus hot melting pots of the cities, and suburbs, and sage scrub and chaparral hills and coasts of california
are where i grew and grew and grew
to relish the written word,
to tap pianos and strum guitars
and sing multi-harmonies
to cultivate gardens in the earth,
and all these things in the churches and halls and schools and streets
in the hills and valleys and oceans gilded each evening in golden sunset

and so
out of past time and in to a future,
i treasure truth, justice, and love,
and fail as i might
amidst the decay
wrought by unchecked privilege and power

i try
and try
and try
again
and again
and again

to find others to walk with,
to create worlds renewed,
regenerated
more verdant,
more livable,
more alive

that's a bit about me
how about you?

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

i'm looking for people who champion sharing,
receiving the stranger,
curiosity,
a sense of wonder,
and kindness.

Music, Movies, and Books

a few tastes of poetry:

I wish I knew how
It would feel to be free
I wish I could break
All the chains holdin' me
I wish I could say
All the things that I should say
Say 'em loud, say 'em clear
For the whole 'round world to hear

I wish I could share
All the love that's in my heart
Remove all the thoughts
That keep us apart
I wish you could know
What it means to be me
Then you'd see and agree
That every man should be free

"i wish i knew how it would feel to be free"
~ written by Billy Taylor and Dick Dallas
~ sung joyously by Nina Simone
{ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sEP0-8VAow }

***

cambia el sol en su carrera
{ the sun changes its course }
cuando la noche subsiste
{ to give way to the night }
cambia la planta y se viste
{ the plant changes and dresses }
de verde en la primavera
{ in green in spring }

cambia el pelaje la fiera
{ the beast changes its fur }
cambia el cabello el anciano
{ the hair of an old person changes }
y así como todo cambia
{ and just as everything changes }
que yo cambie no es extraño
{ the fact that i change it's not in the least strange }

pero no cambia mi amor
{ but my love doesn't change }
por más lejos que me encuentre
{ no matter how far away I find myself }
ni el recuerdo ni el dolor
{ neither the memory nor the pain }
de mi pueblo y de mi gente
{ of my country and my people }

lo que cambió ayer
{ that which changed yesterday }
tendrá que cambiar mañana
{ will have to change tomorrow }
así como cambio yo
{ just as i change }
en esta tierra lejana
{ in this foreign land }

cambia, todo cambia
{ changes, everything changes }

"todo cambia"
{ "everything changes" }
~ written by Julio Numhauser
~ powerfully sung by Mercedes Sosa
{ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98XkPHcmCv0 }

***

காக்கை குருவி எங்கள் ஜாதி
{ crows and sparrows are our caste }
நீள்கடலும் மலையும் எங்கள் கூட்டம்
{ the ocean and mountain our creed }
நோக்கும் திசையெலாம் நாமன்றி வேறில்லை
{ none but ourselves, wherever we look }
நோக்க நோக்க களியாட்டம்
{ nothing but ecstatic joy and dance }

excerpt from ஜயபேரிகை
{ "victory drum" }
~ written by பாரதியார் { Bharathiyar }, who also wrote the following:

மனதிலுறுதி வேண்டும்
{ may the mind be firm }
வாக்கினி லேயினிமை வேண்டும்
{ may the speech be sweet }
நினைவு நல்லது வேண்டும்
{ may the thoughts be noble }
நெருங்கின பொருள் கைப்பட வேண்டும்
{ may one attain what’s dear }
கனவு மெய்ப்பட வேண்டும்
{ may all dreams come true }
கைவசமாவது விரைவில் வேண்டும்
{ and quickly, too }
தனமும் இன்பமும் வேண்டும்
{ may there be wealth and happiness }
தரணியிலே பெருமை வேண்டும்
{ and fame in this world }
கண் திறந்திட வேண்டும்
{ may the eyes be open }
காரியத்தி லுறுதி வேண்டும்
{ may one be determined in achieving one’s goals }
பெண் விடுதலை வேண்டும்
{ may the women attain freedom }
பெரிய கடவுள் காக்க வேண்டும்
{ may God protect us all }
மண் பயனுற வேண்டும்
{ may the land be fertile }
வானகமிங்கு தென்பட வேண்டும்
{ may we feel heaven here }
உண்மை நின்றிட வேண்டும்
{ may the Truth prevail }
ஓம் ஓம் ஓம் ஓம்
{ om om om om }

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

with a dear friend,
in shining mornings light,
we read aloud a book,
entitled,
"the god of small things"

What I Can Share with Hosts

a cooked meal for the belly
a listening ear for the heart
a conversation for the mind
a song for the spirit
a story for our remembering

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Taiwan, Thailand

Countries I’ve Lived In

India, United States