Poem On Your Blog Day, 2013

With the recent bombing in Boston, I decided at the last minute to post this Yusef Komunyakaa poem for Poem On Your Blog Day:

Rock Me, Mercy

The river stones are listening because we have something to say.
The trees lean closer today.
The singing in the electrical woods has gone down.
It looks like rain, because it is too warm to snow.
Guardian angels,
Wherever you?re hiding, we know you can?t be everywhere at once.
Have you corralled all the pretty wild horses?
The memory of ants asleep and day lilies, roses, holly and larkspur?
The magpies gaze at us, still waiting.
River stones are listening.
But all we can say now is mercy, please rock me.

- Written in Mourning by Yusef Komunyakaa

I stumbled unto this poem while reading poet Ocean Vuong's website. The poem was written in response to the Newtown massacre this past December.

The Short Goodbye

I don't need to tell y'all that this blog is over. Unlike my past here, I'll keep it short and sweet: On Sunday, August 1st (the day after my birthday), I'll take down the blog and all content and refocus ronntaylor.com as my personal site for my writing. It won't have a blog and will be very static.

Peace!

Spike & Linda: Taschen "Design For Obama" Signing

Spike & Linda: Taschen "Design For Obama" Signing, originally uploaded by ronntaylor

At a book signing at the SoHo Taschen

With essays by Spike Lee, Perry-Zucker, and design historian Steven Heller, Design For Obama serves as a matchless historical document of the widespread visual creativity that helped spur Obama to victory.

The Nines (P-Town, June 2004)

P-Town, June 2004, originally uploaded by ronntaylor

The Nines = 09/09/09 marks our 9th Anniversary. Can't believe it's been nine years since we first met in-person at the Union Square Barnes & Noble. There's been plenty of ups and downs and tons of fun and some sadness. Here's to plenty more years with my Shorty...

I'm sooooo playing 999 and 9999. Hey, you never know.

Bloggers & Friends, 2009?

Convo from my Facebook Inbox:

It's probably too late to organize a get-together soon with the end of summer and Labor Day plans in place. But I was thinking about something for early Fall. When it's not too hot, nor too cool. The last one I recall was about three years ago!! Hmmm, the middle weekend of October is looking good.

This would be an update to the original Brunch get-together [A(annual?) Bloggers of Color Dining Extravaganza] organized by photographer, designer and cultural icon Donald Andrew Agarrat.

Love is Patient...

From A Thesis for the Gay and Lesbian Citizens of the State of California News (but really for Queer Folk everywhere):

Love is patient and kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. Love is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but delights in truth. Love always protects, love always trusts. Love always hopes, love always perseveres, and love never ends. Three gifts have been given to us ? they are faith, hope and love ? and the greatest of these is love. Therefore, make love your aim. ? 1st Corinthians, Chapter 13

The often-cited quote above is from today's essay by Los Angeles-based freelance musician, singer, and composer Ken Potter. He was inspired by German theologian and Augustinian monk, Dr. Martin Luther's posting of the ?95 Thesis? and argues that now is the time for a well-coordinated response, not just protest. I agree.

Celebrate Loving Day

[ VIA Mombian ] :

Surrounded as I am now by wonderful children and grandchildren, not a day goes by that I don't think of Richard and our love, our right to marry, and how much it meant to me to have that freedom to marry the person precious to me, even if others thought he was the "wrong kind of person" for me to marry. I believe all Americans, no matter their race, no matter their sex, no matter their sexual orientation, should have that same freedom to marry. Government has no business imposing some people's religious beliefs over others. Especially if it denies people's civil rights.

I am still not a political person, but I am proud that Richard's and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That's what Loving, and loving, are all about. (emphasis mine)

From Mildred Loving?s statement of June 12, 2007, the 40th anniversary of the decision in Loving vs. Virgnia (striking down laws against inter-racial marriage).