Same old nightmare

My internet service provider was down this morning and I had to revert to watching my morning news on television. It is probably a hang over from the days when I lived where I could pick up a morning paper but I like Internet site hoping for my morning news. The televised talking heads just seem to rude before my first cup of coffee.

And this morning they really were a nightmare. Or at least what the were proposing was a nightmare. I skipped last night's Republican debate because I just could not stand anymore name calling and back biting and I figured there would be more than enough of that in the Hilary/Obama debate tonight. So I definitely did not want to hear that it looks like it will be McCain vs Hilary in the 2008 race for the White House. The two worst dirty politicians running against each other !!!!???

I immediately began to consider my battle plan for the election year: cancel my land line telephone so nobody can call and poll me as to my choice, cancel my satellite television so I do not have to listen to the avalanche of negative political ads, change my part affiliation to Independent or Green party, put my house up for sale and look at out-migrating to New Zealand or Australia or Canada, or begin campaigning for legalization of preemptive assassination.

If the reign of G.W. Bush has left me with any lasting legacy it is a total fear of politics as usual and old school politicians. Make that total terror of politics as usual. And we seem to take entirely too long to impeach them when they have devastated our economy, ruined our world reputation, violated all parts of the constitution, and mired us in an illegal invasion of a country. Please deliver me from the evil of politicians.

Kitchen Table Economics

The new catch phrase when the rich industrialist talk of the economy is kitchen table economics. They have never sat at our kitchen tables. Some of those most hurt by the recent economic downturn do not have kitchen tables.

I have marveled at all the "economic stimulus" package suggestions and noticed they have missed the one thing that can be done and done instantly to immediately help the economy: Lower gas prices. But with major petroleum companies reporting once again record profits nobody has considered this simple but effective solution. In fact the reverse is being talked about in the form of extra taxes on gas to fund repairs to our aging infrastructure system.

As a kitchen table economist let me propose something here: 1) Delete all price supports and tax breaks now being given to the petroleum companies except for those that support the search for alternate fuels, 2) tax the profits of petroleum companies to repair our highways and bridges and build commuter train systems, 3) set a ceiling for gas prices to the consumer, and 4) for a set period lower the gas prices to the user. This makes wonderful sense. Our country would benefit by the extra taxes coming into our treasury and perhaps we could lower taxes on the middle class. Petroleum companies cannot sell us gas if we have no roads to drive on or if the gas is too high for us to want to drive anywhere but to and from work.

Lower gas prices will have an immediate effect on the budgets of all middle class and lower income Americans and their budgets. It will also allow the lowering of prices on commodities which have suffered price increases due to fuel costs and shipping such as groceries which would further help those most effected by higher prices throughout the economy.

And there would be no waiting to receive the cash rebate checks. This boost to our economy would be NOW. We have to ask ourselves if the people that run this company ever consider the people or just the major businesses. Well, if we are all too broke to buy anything those businesses are going to hurt too.

The Three Stooges

I don't often watch the State of the Union Address by G.W.Bush. In fact I rather avoid watching him speak ever. I find him embarrassing. And having taken speech classes a bit painful. I usually wait until the talking heads have reduced it to just the sound bites of importance.

But last night was an event: His last State of the Union Address. The last by the worst president in history if the pundits have it right. I tend to agree with them. But it was not his speech (with its usual disconnect to reality) which was interesting but the choreographed dance of the assembled members of the house and senate. The Republicans had to stand up and clap a lot, but it was rather half-hearted I felt. The Democrats got a lot of seat time and practice clasping their hands in their laps. The vice-president and Madam Speaker of the House, shown here behind the man with the stupid grin, were the applause signs or the directors of this dance. If they stood and clapped members of their parties better stand and clap. One can only assume that if they don't you better not.

What seemed key to me about last night's event was the lack of thunderous applause. And how even his most divisive issues were phrased in a way that to not politely applaud at the least was indication of your support of the terrorists or those that don't have the good of the United States at heart. And then there were the number of times he wanted the Democrats to cut spending as long as it was not the War in Iraq or any of his faith-based plans to save America. And yet he wants to boost spending to boost the economy which he says is still sound.

I have had a blizzard for the last 24 hours. I think I got to watch a snow job on television last night.

A Kinder, Gentler America

As a woman who fought hard for the defeated Equal Rights Amendment I have wanted to be there when the first woman was chosen as President of the United States.

I imagined her a lot like Indira Gandhi and not like Margaret Thatcher, or after the performance in the last Democratic CNN Debate like Hilary Clinton. I don't want a woman trying to be a man to be president of the United States. That is not enough different from a spoiled little boy trying to pretend to be a man like we have in the White House now.

My father explained to me upon my being beat up by bullies on the Air Force base in Roswell, New Mexico that bullies were trying to prove they were big enough and strong enough and good enough. Those people that knew they were enough didn't have to prove it by beating up on others. I want a kinder and gentler America, and world. I thought a woman in the office of President of the United States would be a major step in that direction. I still might be right on that issue but I am clearly not going to get to find out the answer to that question this election. I was happy Hilary was defeated in South Carolina yesterday.

I am not convinced Barack is the right choice either. He was only the other side of that vicious and petty exchange in the debate. I am so sick of negative and divisive politics I could just vomit. I watch a negative exchange like that one or see a negative ad on television and it just makes me want to vote NO. Just maybe a kinder and gentler world is possible only without leaders. Just look at where the current leader of this country has gotten us. The international boys club has only led to war after war, global warming, pollution, divisions, corrupt trade deals, genocide, dictators . . . the sad list goes on and on.

Yes, the people of South Carolina, over 50% voting women, chose to vote against Hilary. But the nice guy in this race still finished last. Politics as usual is not going to stop until we demand it stop. But what can be said for a country that watches people get hurt in extreme sports, and race cars crash and burn and calls it entertainment.

Where did my commitment go?

I had occasion to look at the calendar yesterday. As an artist I don't have to know every day of the week. I can go from day to day and not know if it is the tenth or the fifteenth. I certainly had not expected the 23rd.

Where did the first month of 2008 go? But a better question was where was I on that list of things to do in January 2008. First I had to find the list on my computer desk. Then round up all the information to do numero uno on that list: File my gross receipts tax. That meant delving through the mess on the other computer desk. Then I did what artists everywhere probably do; went back to work on the painting I was doing and thought about that abandoned list of things to do.

Commitment

What happened to my resolve
Did it take a holiday
Extended beyond December
Or fall like the petals of a dying flower
Can I pick it back up?

Where did my sense of purpose go
Did it blow away with the winter winds
Freeze up in the sub-zero weather
Of all those dismal January days
And what will it take to thaw it out?

I once had this grand plan
Complete with detailed schedule
Like leaves on a tree or pages in a book
The to do's seem to have dropped like leaves
From the pages of a calendar

Time has passed by too fast
No days left to get all that done
And yet I must recommit to those abandoned tasks
Discover again my purpose and resolve
Mark down the deadlines anew
Upon the remaining days of the year

The year awaits
Wanting me to achieve
All those great things
I thought I could get done in January

(c) Jacqui Binford-Bell

Oh, and when I paused from that painting to let it dry a bit I sat down and wrote the poem above. The list of things to do? Where exactly did I put that? Well, at least this blog is a break from politics. Though I am reminded by looking at that calendar that Super Tuesday for primaries falls on Mardi Gras. I wonder what sort of costume I should wear to vote: A court jester?

Much Ado About Nothing

Senator Edwards won my primary vote last night when in the midst of the mudslinging between Barrack and Hilary he called for it to stop because, "all this is not getting health care for children." Here, here. Or is it Hear! Hear!

The egotistical, egomania, my way or the highway was what got us into this mess our country is in. And we do not need another person at the helm of this country who is so driven by their own ego that they will fight over petty issues on national television. I would not vote for either of them unless they were the only person able to dethrone Bush.

Sorry! I really had to get that off my chest. I have seen two year olds in sand boxes behave better. I was really writing this blog about a question I received from a friend on the previous blog: What can we do? WRITE. About any issue that concerns you.

Write your state and federal representatives, write your newspaper, write a blog, write the national news media. The computer makes this so easy with the old control C/control V functions. My e-mail contacts include Lou Dobbs of CNN, my US Representative, my US Senator, the Governor of this fair state, letters to the editor for the two biggest newspapers in New Mexico, etc. Mind you they want their own letters. Cannot CC everyone. And a couple of my representatives what it done on their websites but with autofill and paste this is not difficult either because I have bookmarked their sites.

Our lawmakers will roll along and do their own thing until they are aware they are being watched by people that can vote them out of office. Letters and phone calls on legislation can reverse the progress of a vote. I am not sure it can change the direction of a political campaign but I am determined to try because as it stands in both parties I just want to scream: Stop the boat I want to get off. I will swim to some foreign shore.

A Modest Economic Proposal

The subject in United States politics has changed from the War in Iraq to the economy. This is a subject which never fails to amuse me when politicians expound upon it because they mostly come from privileges background where they have not even had to balance their check books. Just a clue that they have no idea what it is like to be among the working class poor: They believe this group of people can save $15,000 to cover medical expenses.

The big wigs in Washington also think free trade helps us. And maybe it would if trade on all levels was in fact free. But it is not. China is allowed to ship us poisoned wheat glutton and defective tires freely but there are still tariffs and duties and taxes on goods going from the United States to foreign countries. Most notably from my stand point: Duties and taxes on art. Some so high that they exceed the cost of the art itself.

The Internet has made it possible for me with my small art business to reach clients all over the world through the Internet and websites. And yet it is extremely costly and difficult for me to sell that art to anyone outside the borders of the United States.

Last year the gallery that represents my work here in New Mexico wanted to establish an art exchange with a gallery in Mexico. Hands across the border. This is the country mind you that we are allowing to export millions of illegal aliens to our country and which there is a virtual free trade of guns and drugs. But to allow an artist from the United States to take works to Mexico to sell in a gallery there, and an artist from Mexico to come here with their works turned out to be virtually impossible even for a short month. Economically it became so extraordinary because of taxes and duties the two gallery owners gave up.

And recently an Internet friend from Australia wanted to buy one of my paintings. The shipping fees, taxes, and duties amounted to more than the cost of the painting. If we allow any product produced by our country to cross our borders freely and without price supports or penalties it should be the arts and crafts produced my one of the largest group of small businessmen and women in our country: Our artists and artisans.

We are probably the first people hurt by an economic slowdown. Art is not necessary for survival. But it is necessary for enrichment of the soul. And when artists and artisans do well they are one of the first groups of people to "give back" to their communities in the form of donated works of art for auctions to support charities, time given to schools to make up for the lack of art education in the schedules, loaned works of art to beautiful public buildings, etc.

Give us an economic boost by allowing us to sell freely around the world.

Even a Broken Clock is Right Twice a Day

New Mexico, my state of residence in the United States, is a closed primary state. During the primary I can only vote for candidates in the party in which I am registered.

I have usually registered Democrat because this makes the primary process on a state level far more valuable: I actually get a choice. The Republicans and the Green party, also active in this area, only manage to put one candidate on the ballot if that. On the national level I often want to vote in the Republican primary. This year I am not sure I want to vote in either. The wide open race seems to have shut down really fast.

But that aside I do get the opportunity to vote on Super Tuesday for my choices among those running for state and national office among the Democratic party. Then I will go and change my party affiliation to Independent.

I thought about changing to Independent earlier in this broken political process but it essentially disenfranchises me because New Mexico is a closed primary state. I would definitely like to change that to one which allows me to declare the party for which I want to participate as I prepare to vote: An Open Primary System. Until that happens I think I will just keep careful note of all the deadlines for changing my voter registration and go back and forth. Keeping up with a number of people doing this would definitely tax the state offices.

Lou Dobbs of CNN talks frequently about sending a message by changing to Independent. And there definitely does seem to be a growing number of people doing this. The political pundits even gave discussion time to how the Independents in Iowa and New Hampshire changed the nature of the caucus and primary there. But here we sit with only a small fraction of the primaries held and their delegates awarded and the news media are already declaring the winners.

Let me mention that if the vote in the general election in November 2008 comes down to a choice between McCain and Clinton I am leaning toward sending a real message by not voting for President. Since there is no None of the Above choice. I am so tired of voting for the least offensive of the candidates! I can only hope that somehow, someway, the country gets another choice. Or that the message out there is so strong that someone will actually run for office as an Independent. At this point I frankly don't care who. I just might vote for them solely to send a message.

I do hope our country has gotten the message that this time it better be an honest election. No computerized tinkering with the outcome. No hanging chads. If once again there is no paper trail or the electoral college vote runs counter to the popular vote than whether we are registered Democrats, Republicans, or Independents may well be a mute point.

Give Me a Break

Another title for this blog could be: They lie to you all the time. And of course I am talking about politicians. Didn't they promise a kinder and gentler campaign process?

Sorry, but having a husband or political action committee do your down and dirty comments and ads is not a kinder and gentler campaign process. And just because we have gotten used to ignoring the whispered side effects at the end of a drug commercial does not mean we don't hear the, "this commercial has been approved by. . ." at the close of an obnoxious campaign ad.

The disturbing part is this is just the primary. And I get the feeling the candidates are shooting themselves in the foot. Usually we wait until the main campaign to dig up the dirt but we seem to be doing this for the opposing party. AND I do not believe any candidate when he says he is unaware of a commercial a PAC is running against his opposition. And just why would I want someone to be President of this country and leader of the free world when he cannot even keep his own supporters in line? Ignorance is not bliss in this case; it is ignorance and stupidity.

I am just so embarrassed by the whole process. All those mother phrases spring to mind like Play Nice, Potty Mouth, etc. Just go home, go straight home, do not pass the White House. And send your parents out so I can talk to them about how they raised you.

The only candidates I can exclude from this condemnation are those no longer running like Governor Bill Richardson. Nice guys finish last I guess. Even Evangelical Huckabee is not innocent of throwing the first stone. And Obama is no longer Mr. Nice Guy. I really do not want to vote for any of you. Grow up and act like someone we would want to put in our highest office.

Until then I am really tempted to just say no. None of the Above

Red State/Blue State Made Simple

On with the political manifesto as it were. Today I would like to deal with the state of polarization which exists in the United States due to the divisive political strategies of those running the George W. Bush campaigns in 2000 and 2004.

We have always had to make a choice come election day. And American's have historically been very quiet about that choice until shame was heaped upon them by the Bush campaigns and his religious right supporters. Suddenly whether you were Republican or Democrat became about whether you believed in Jesus or Darwin. Whether you were educated and snobbish, or Christian and for the people. Whether you were bad or good.

Political debate is a long standing tradition in the United States and we have been known to carry it on long after the election but almost always in a good natured way. Following the Supreme Court appointment of G.W.Bush as president in 2000 there was a deafening silence. And a real fear. Which was only magnified after his actions following 9/11. Those whispering in the corners were seriously afraid they would be sent to Gitmo for any criticism of the Bush policies.

So when the 2004 election rolled around those opposing him were virtually silenced in the media and in all conversation. To vote for Kerry and against GW was to vote for the terrorists and for the Muslims that want to "destroy our Christian Nation." I kept thinking of the Salem Witchcraft trials. Something inside of me was literally scared I would be burned at the stake. I cut off all contact with my Republican friends and with anyone that attended a Christian Church. Yes, there were and still are people that do not fit into these two categories. Bush really lost the 2004 election. The majority of the people of the United States voted for Gore. And there are those that believe because of electronic voting machines with no paper trail that Bush cheated himself into office in 2004.

The result was that most of us believed we were powerless over his machine and those backing him. We were suddenly not people with a different opinion but WRONG, BAD, WORKING FOR OUR ENEMIES. The list goes on. Bush has succeeded by the end of the 2004 election in complete polarization of the United States (assisted by our electoral college - winner take all system) and divided it into Red States and Blue States.

po·lar·i·za·tion (plr--zshn) KEY

NOUN:

1. The production or condition of polarity, as:
   1. A process or state in which rays of light exhibit different properties in different directions, especially the state in which all the vibration takes place in one plane.
   2. The partial or complete polar separation of positive and negative electric charge in a nuclear, atomic, molecular, or chemical system.
2. A concentration, as of groups, forces, or interests, about two conflicting or contrasting positions.

It is the effort to heal this great rift in the soul of the American people which keeps us from impeaching G.W.Bush for crimes against our constitution and humanity in general, opening a criminal investigation into the cheating tactics of the 2000 and 2004 elections, and rioting in the streets. Deep in our hearts we believe we can heal this rift in the upcoming election.

And some positive things are being done:

1. Electronic voting machines with no paper trail are being replaced.
2. Many organizations like CNN are holding many open debates with the candidates
3. 87% of the American people are really upset with the political process
4. More voters are getting involved in the primary voting process
5. Candidates are standing up and demanding a positive and not a negative campaign
6. The clamor for change is building
   

More needs to be done. I would not oppose (as GW Bush did in 2006) having United Nation Poll Watchers. Yes, that is something which only happens in third world nations seeking to get out from under a political dictator. Yes, we are trying to get out from under a political dictator and we are attempting this through a democratic process rather than revolt.

Friends

I thought I would take a bit of a poetic rest before continuing with my manifesto on politics. Went shopping with a friend yesterday and really appreciated the chats in the aisles, and over coffee and in the drive to and fro. I believe the thing I hate the most about the current administration is the divisiveness. The Red State/Blue State polarization. It divided friends and it divided families and it definitely divided this nation.

Friendship

I have thought a lot
About friends this week
Friends I have gone through the good times with
And now the bad
I have thought about what it means
To be a friend

Friendship
Is it so different
When we giggle
From those times
When we cry
Talk of our fears and joys
Over coffee and a muffin

Common emotions shared
While shopping for shoes
Or that dress for the funeral or the wedding
What of the chasms
We sometimes notice
Greater than a grocery aisle
When suddenly we cannot comprehend
Understand
Where they are coming from

Are we less friends
If we cannot understand what they are going through
Why they believe what they do
Must friendships always have a common ground
Or is that friendship
All we need in common

Sharing a teary moment
Letting our friend rant
Must we say
We understand
Do we have to be on the same wave length
To remain friends
Or can we celebrate
Our differences over coffee and a muffin

(c) Jacqui Binford-Bell

And the Winner is

The United States has the longest selection process for its president of any country in the world. And probably the most expensive. And yet picking our leader is not much different than picking our laundry detergents. Except if we don't like the brand of detergent we are not stuck with it for four years.

The most expensive part of any political campaign is the media buys. Giuliani just asked his head campaign workers to work for free for a month or to so he can buy more commercial time in Florida. Bit odds are that these expensive ads will not educate us about why he will be a better president but why his competition won't be.

The negativity of campaign advertising sets us up for voting for the last of two evils because we know only the most negative things about the candidates due to the competing commercials.

This presidential election we have had the opportunity to view all the primary candidates in a variety of debate formats and ergo get to know how well they have memorized the answers and the phrasing of those answers as determined by their speech writers. All we can truly say about them is they are well rehearsed and well made up. Since the debates between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy no campaign is unaware of the importance of image on the little screen. I frankly would love to see one of them wearing a green or purple tie. I am rather tired of red or blue. But just like some marketing company figured out the color for Tide's packaging they figured out the correct color for the tie.

In the final days we will be bombarded with television commercials and not all of them complied by the candidate and his campaign. Some of the most negative will be by PAC's or political action committees wanting to get their candidate elected so they can continue to have tax breaks, price supports or favorable legislation in the future. Because of the high price of media campaigns most candidates and their political positions are bought and paid for before they take office.

What if we made it illegal for them to run television ads. Or any political committee to run commercials for them or against their opposition? All exposure to the candidate would have to be through interviews, debates, personal appearances and positive (not negative) newspaper ads.

Campaigns would be cheaper. We would actually have an opportunity to really get to know the candidates. Abraham Lincoln won his support for president with a whistle stop campaign waged from the back of a train. With today's political situation he could not get by the primary: not enough money, sloppy dresser, and definitely not a good looker. Sad commentary. Instead we get a George W. Bush - nicely packaged up by an advertising company to look like what it wasn't.

The President of the United States brought to you by those wonderful men of Madison Avenue. The same one that brought you feminine deodorant and the New Coke. Real winners.

None of the Above

In college I had this marvelous Sociology professor. After taking Sociology 101 from him I decided to get a minor in the subject.

His freshman level 101 class was in the major lecture hall which held 600 plus students, so we did not have essay exams but multiple choice. He wrote some of the trickiest multiple choice tests I ever took. There were seldom less than five choices and the instructions said that sometimes two choices would be correct.

Choice E was frequently, but not always, None of the Above. It became somewhat of a rallying call among Varley's students. Any time you heard the phrase on campus you knew they had taken a course from the man. D was often all the above but it just did not have the ring of None of the Above.

Watching the current political contests here in the United States I find myself wanting to scream at the political pundits on television - None of the above! I like it. We should put it on the ballot.

For President

• John McCain - Republican
• Hilary R. Clinton - Democrat
• Mayor Bloomberg - Independent
• None of the above

If no one candidate captures 33% of the vote or more or if None of the above has the highest number of votes the election is re-run. And why stop at President with this proposal? Start on the state level. And lets start in the primaries. It would give fair warning to all parties that they just have not captured our hearts and minds; dig deeper.

And just think of the fun when the pollsters call. No longer do you have to meekly reply that you are undecided (and let's face it if they were running a great slate of candidates would you be undecided). Just yell: NONE OF THE ABOVE.

The talking heads on television would be dismayed. "Well, Lou, it appears that the winner of the Iowa caucus will be None of the Above. What do you think that means for the future of the political process here in America?"

That it is broken and we want it fixed. Candidates and their future votes and vetoes should not be open for purchase by the big money interests in this country. And with None of the Above us little insignificant voters, the backbone of the representative republic, can take back our country.

Let's not wait until they get the message. We have write in votes. Write in None of the Above. Tell the pollsters, None of the Above. E-mail the news media with your choice of None of the Above. Why should we have to settle on the least obnoxious candidate for the leader of the less-than-free world? Just say None of the Above.

Aftermath

Aftermath

The sun came out
Three days vanquished by the blizzard
But today it reigned
Bold and bright
Turning the sky turquoise
Making the snow too bright
More than white

I squinted against the glare
Out upon the strange landscape of my yard
Sorting mentally through the mysteries
Where did the woodpile vanish
What was that small bump
Where was the shovel last seen

The dogs in jubilation
Explored the drifts
No sense of trepidation
While turning each pile of snow
Into a game of king of the hill

The cats more timidly
Tried vainly
To left all four feet at once
Then rolled in the powdery stuff
As if all along it had been their goal
To clean their coats

The sun
Despite the temperature
Set out to melt the icicles
Which defied gravity
Precariously clinging to the eaves
In all manner of strange angles

The driveway shoveled
I sat in the studio
Basking in the sun through windows
The radiated warmth chasing the remaining chill
From my rooms and my bones
To long it has been
Since I lingered in a sunspot
Tea and pen
Cats and dogs arrayed
All grateful for today
When the winter sun won
How soon we forget the storm

(c) J. Binford-Bell, January 2008

See The Cerebral Jukebox for other Poetry Wednesday Posts here on Blogger.

Storm Coming

I live in the mountains above the demarcation set by weathermen where rain becomes snow. And at this time of year I become very interested in what the weathermen are saying about my future. And very aware of what is going on in California. I spent yesterday getting prepared for the storm moving my direction.

On this eve of Epiphany

My focus should be on lofty goals
The year ahead
Not just tomorrow
And this huge storm heading my way
Wood inside to stoke the fire
Water horded for later use
Should the power lines
Go down in the gale force winds

A couple states away
On hundred thousand without lights
Heat
And water to drink
Rain pouring down
Snow piling up
The threat moves as a green blob on the radar
Across the Arizona border and toward my house
Stew made
Dishes washed
Lamp oil located
Matches placed carefully to be found in the dark

On this eve of Epiphany
I lay me down to sleep
Flashlight at the ready
Fire banked for the night
Will they be right
These wizards of the winds
Will dawn reveal feet of snow
Or the remains of a starry night

Will it pass me by
Spend all its fury on the White Mountains
Between me and it
It is on its way
I am ready
I think

(c)J. Binford-Bell 1/05/2008

This morning the ground was merely wet. Not buried under more snow. But there are no stars and the wind still blows what appears in the pre-dawn gloom to be snow. It is just slower than they said. But the good news is the power is still on and there is a hot bath in my future.

I hate colds

Achoo

I hate colds
What is it about a stuffy nose
Which makes you feel so dumb
Become a klutz
A buffoon
Without grace

I hate to sniff
Or snuffle
And most to cough
I loath my need for a tissue
Watering eyes
Breathing open mouthed

Gulping air
Like a guppy in dirty water
Feeling so unclean
Because of all those germs
Fleeing even me when I sneeze

I really, really hate colds
Achoo

(c) Jacqui Binford-Bell

Wishing you and me a happy new year

All the wishes for the New Year got me thinking about wishes. So of course I wrote a poem. But I am not so sure that the wishes for a new year fall into the same category as wishes made on stars and on wishbones, or four leaf clovers. I think new year wishes are promises we are making to ourselves. May we keep those promises. And just maybe all wishes are promises that if we keep them may manifest themselves in our lives.

Wishes

If wishes were horses
Beggars would ride
Mother used to say
I wish I may
I wish I might
I would chant eyes fixed
On some distant star
At night

If wishes were watches
I'd wear one
Or two or three
Four or more
By my side

On my side
All my wishes were good
Never wished bad
Someone away
Far, far, far away
Just not here
Bothering me today

If if's and and's
Were pots and pans
And I just didn't have to do
My homework just now
Or shut the book
And turn out the light
Go to bed

Oh, I wish upon that star
Or that clover
Wrote my wishes down
On the dark of the moon
To burn them in its full light
Just a few wishes
For you and you
We and me

What child
Does not dream
Or wish upon a four leaf clover
Found in the deep summer grass
I found so many
I thought I wished them up
Just maybe I did
But mother assured me
There would be no work for tinkers
If that were true

(c) Jacqui Binford-Bell