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Wednesday, July 24, 2013

"Loblolly Lane" [More: Poem]

[The start of this poem came to me today while I was calling potential students for pre-testing. One of the addresses happened to be at this particular lane that caught my Dr. Seuss fancy.]

There is a tale of Loblolly Lane
if I shared the details
you’d think me insane
it regards people who lived
and died there in vain
that believed as they would
with only half a brain
all haunted by ghosts
whose words fell like rain
into the minds of those
who could not complain.
I would tell this story
but I really must abstain
just realize this is true:
there is a tale of Loblolly Lane.

A Royal Baby [Musing]

If you are unwilling to open your mind to the truth, I suggest that you do not read any further. Then again, the truth is underrated in today's society, and often marred from one opinion to the next. Therefore, I shall say: the truth as I see it.

I cannot watch the news anymore without seeing a royal baby, whose presence on this planet has been hounded after by people from all walks of life. Or most walks, anyway. I feel that the birth of any baby should provide some kind of celebration. I held a baby only this week, and couldn't help myself from smiling. They are truly miracles from God.

Still, I don't understand why everyone, everywhere is celebrating this royal baby in such a sickening caliber. I understand that a monarchy is all about "divine right," and that they pretty much exist off of each other's ability to produce heirs. I get that. I really do. I just wish that the news would focus on something else - not the Zimmerman guy, or a royal baby who has undoubtedly already experienced more care in his short moment of life than any kid will ever have the chance of receiving. He's royalty.

I'm sorry if my viewpoint disappoints anyone, but I'm an American - and, as far as I'm concerned, we separated from the Mother Country on July 4, 1776. We are free from them, so why should it matter about a royal baby? He's not going to be our ruler! If our Founding Fathers saw us now, especially good ol' George, I would think they would all find a way for us to become a monarchy instead of a republic. We are "One nation under God" - only Him alone, not whosoever wears the British crown! Call me an extremist if you will, but I just don't see the point in so much coverage over a royal baby!

What about the starving children, whose mothers don't even have enough milk to give their little bundles of joy? Hell, they're not even bundles! They're skin and bone, with such a high mortality rate that it's unreal! In the world of plenty, it seems like we really don't have much regard for anything or anyone, but are ready to exhibit a whole lot of hoopla over a baby who really doesn't need any attention except by his parents, his people, and his country. We have more important things to do - babies to save, to bring them away from poverty by helping their parents divert away from circumstances they can't control, and mediocre situations that they find themselves in because they were dealt a poor hand by fate.

Pardon me if I don't "ooh" and "aah" over a royal baby.