Not Bad - 21 August 2021 - Plague Journal Day 527

Micah 6:8
Psalm 8
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?


The other day we celebrated Bad Poetry Day. Today is Poet's Day, a day to celebrate the poet in each of us, as well as our favourite poets and poems. Perhaps you can find a way to do a public reading of your favourite - I'm going to grab my Oxford poetry book and belt out a rousing rendition of "I Am a Cowboy in the Boat of Ra" by Ishmael Reed at some point today, even if my cats are the only audience. After all, cats should love anything with Egyptian imagery since those folks worshipped cats back when.

Now go celebrate a poet - and be one!

Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

28 April 2020 - Plague Journal Day 47

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?


Here's a wonderful celebration: it's Great Poetry Reading Day!
Now, for most of us there's just not enough time to read or recite the Iliad, the Odyssey, or the Aeneid today.
Sure, we might be able to fit Gilgamesh in, but in the adventurous spirit of Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton, who believed that "all civilisation derives from Egypt," I will be reading Ishmael Reed's classic, I Am a Cowboy in the Boat of Ra.
As you might imagine, this was one of my most popular poetry readings at parties in my University days. I'm not so sure how this would go over now, but, until there are parties again, I've no way to find out.

What we can find out is how many of you are willing to post a video or audio clip of yourself reading your favorite poem. Please post with the hashtags #PlagueJournal47 and/or #GrandTeutonPoetryChallenge - your posts and tags will be most appreciated.


Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.