In April of 1965 I enjoyed the first of a remarkable and continuing series of (non-drug-induced) mystical experiences that I consider, thus far, to be the high points of my life. I no longer feel compelled, as I once did, to speak of these experiences directly. I have learned quite painfully that most people are not especially eager to hear of such things, and many, in fact, feel threatened or frightened by them. ...

For me the writing of poetry is a spiritual activity. Poetry should be the music of love: song, a dance, the joyously heartbreaking flight of the human spirit through inner and outer space in search of itself.

--Al Young

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The many expressions of grief at the death of poet Al Young are a testimony to the considerable extent that he was an important and much-loved West Coast figure. His friend Ishmael Reed has called him "one of the most underrated writers in the country." "He lived on the West Coast," Reed went on. "The people who receive a lot of publicity live in the New York-Washington, D.C. shuttle area. It's difficult for a writer like Al to achieve prominence with critics who see Northern California as a stepchild of Manhattan."

The musical quality of Al's poetry has been noted--"He wedded poetry and music together,” said Sharon Coleman, a poet and instructor at Berkeley City College: “He brought music to poetry in a very integral way”--but, even in the midst of the many encomia he has received, the complex quality of his music or of Al's poetry in general has not been discussed.

Al Young and I were longtime friends--telephone-talking friends--and the man I knew was brilliant, open, ironic, endlessly curious, scholarly, funny, satirical, complicated: multiple. These qualities are all on display in his poetry, but as far as I know they have not been discussed; nor--despite the fact that Al was Poet Laureate of California from 2005 to 2008--has his poetry been recognized as the extraordinary achievement that it is.

What follows is a restructuring of a review I wrote approximately twenty years ago. In it I tried to touch on something of the richness of Al's work. I realized at the time I wrote it that more could have and should have been said, but I felt that this was at least a start.

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AL YOUNG, THE SOUND OF DREAMS REMEMBERED: POEMS 1990-2000 (CREATIVE ARTS BOOK COMPANY, 2001) -more-

Failed government policies, sheer neglect and cruelty continue to haunt native American Indians. Driven off their land by early European invaders, corralled into barren, unfertile reservation lands, native Indians are now facing the devastating impact of climate change. In parts of Alaska the coastal waters and high tide are getting dangerously close to many schools. Storms are increasing in intensity posing danger to many Indian tribes.

Reservations from Alaska to Florida are threatened by climate change. These unlivable reservation communities must be relocated to higher ground. This should be front and center of federal infrastructure plans. This would also be a perfect time to pay reparations for past sins for the welfare and survival of native Indians. Massive cutback in military spending could easily pay for the relocation costs.

It is time to halt failed military adventures (Iraq, Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan) squandering $trillion ending up in monumental failures bringing untold misery to millions of people around the world. The Israeli occupation of Palestinian land follows a close parallel to the historical genocide of Native Indians. An additional cost saving of $3B annually would accrue by halting military aid to apartheid Israel (designated by Human Rights Watch) and which many governments in the world regard as excessively cruel. -more-

Last Monday night June 28, I tuned into the interview by Chris Hayes with Governor Jay Insleefrom the State of Washington and heard Inslee say, in regard to the heat wave in the Northwest and the drought: “This is the beginning of a permanent emergency.”

I know the permafrost is thawing, releasing methane, the melting of glaciers is accelerating, Siberia has heat waves, the warnings of a heating planet come with increasing intensity… and yet, despite all this the fact that a little town in Canada, far to our north, could be hotter than Palm Springs in the California desert is still a shock. That is exactly what happened when Lytton, Canada hit 121.3°F on Tuesday before it burned to the ground on Wednesday. The cause of that fire is still unknown.

The big event of City Council for the week was passing the budget on Tuesday evening for FY2022 (July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022). It was weeks of budget meetings that felt like they went nowhere with endless piles of documents and presentations to weed through, including the 484 page budget booklet. In the end, thanks to the unrelenting work of Councilmember Harrison, climate finally got a seat at the table. Without Harrison’s persistence at the budget meetings in the morning and at council Tuesday evening, the funding requested by Public Works to begin EV (electric vehicle) charging station infrastructure work would not have been allocated. The final was $300,000 now with the remaining $850,000 to be allocated in November. -more-

The mental health treatment system, composed of the people being treated for a psychiatric condition and those treating us, could be seen as a sub-society; it would be a small segment of society that can be distinguished from the mainstream of those who work at professional and/or union jobs, as well as the affluent, as well as undocumented workers. -more-

On March 31st, President Joe Biden introduced his infrastructure plan, "The American Jobs Plan" (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/31/fact-sheet-the-american-jobs-plan/ ) This is an omnibus $2 trillion plan to repair the major holes in America's infrastructure, and to create jobs. After three months of negotiation, it appears that Congress will pass at least a $1 trillion bipartisan plan. (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/06/24/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-support-for-the-bipartisan-infrastructure-framework/ ) -more-

In a Senate procedural vote on whether to start debate on Senator Joe Manchin’s compromise For the People Act, which would add a nationwide voter ID requirement or other alternative like providing a utility bill receipt to prove identity; make Election Day a public holiday; along with an outline of about 24 other proposals that incorporate some of the original bill, including tighter campaign finance and ethics rules. The For the People Act ended as expected in a 50-50 vote along party lines. Sixty votes had been required to overcome Republicans’ use of the filibuster. -more-

High-Caliber Christians

I just saw a fellow on the news proclaiming his undying fealty to Donald Trump. He was wearing a blood-red cap that read: "God Guns Trump."

Apparently the Fifth Commandment ("Thou Shalt Not Kill") is trumped by the Second Amendment ("Thou Shalt Bear Arms").

Meanwhile, Trump's First Commandment continues to be: "I am the Lord, thy God! Thou shalt have no other Gods but me!"

Nicknames for T****

In November 2020, Late Show host and recent Peabody Award-winner Stephen Colbert took an oath to no longer allow Donald Trump's name to be heard or seen on his late-night broadcast. But that presented a challenge: How do you refer to DJT without uttering his name? Answer: create some utterly ridiculous nicknames.

Here are a few that Colbert, his writers, and his audience have come up with: The Former Guy. Eric's Dad. Douche Nozzle. Orange Shrek. Mango Unchained. Traffic Cone of Treason. Girth Vader. Previous Occupant of the Oval Office (POOO). And Penis Pumpkinhead. -more-

Worth Noting:

No City meetings until Wednesday. The Police Accountability Board is noticed as meeting on Wednesday at 7 pm, but no agenda is posted. Thursday Bayer Healthcare will present a Community Benefits Proposal at the 7 pm ZAB meeting. Friday is the return of movies in the park at 8:45 pm. Saturday is the first Independent Redistricting Commission public hearing at 10 am. And, the July 13 City Council regular meeting agenda is available for comment.



Sunday, July 4, 2021 - Holiday

Grizzly Peak is closed all day on July 4 and until 6 am July 5, Proof of residency will be required between Centennial Drive and Skyline Blvd. Lawrence Hall of Science and Botanical Gardens will be closed. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/CABERKE/bulletins/2e5eb94 -more-