In the morning, before the sunrise
When my eyes are still at rest
I see visions of the changes and
confusion masked as winning or success.
It’s as if I have been scouting
for the danger on the road that lies ahead
To foreworn those I have mentored
to prevent unwanted dread.
But my voice goes mute, I’m silenced
by some wicked, heartless sprite
So that all that I have garnered
has no substance, weight or light.
In the struggle they encounter
I have eyes and memories wise
That I scream from silenced heartbreak
but my voice is compromised.
It’s not wisdom that can aid them
When the sword is coming down
It’s the life that I have lived out
that’s the one they’ve copied down.
So the wisdom in my satchel
which I carry and would share
has no value to my warriors
who’ve become the life I’ve bared.
But by grace and fortunes blessing
many changes have been made
And the children I have tutored
Learned the value of a trade.
So the things they valued were protected
and the scary stuff they left alone
What is here is what they live for
sweet their minds and sweet their tone.
Herb Ratliff, January 3, 2013, All Rights Reserved
The silent revolution. Asked a programmer from Berkley what new stuff is coming from computer tech. He said all the kids are constantly in contact texting each other from morning till night. My observation is this create jillions of groupings in a way that has never been possible before, except maybe in small hunter/gatherer bands. What happens when one gets into trouble? Miniaturization will lead to having some thing like a cell phone embedded in the body. What does this do to education? Crime? Politics? Medicine? Diagnostics? - Bo S.
ReplyDeleteJust today a co-worker was lamenting the choices made by her daughter about to graduate from college. It was probably cruel of me to inform her that she will never stop wishing to prevent the pain of missteps and will never stop worrying. No matter how old our children become, we want so much to have them learn from our mistakes and avoid their own. Sometimes they do. But usually they don't. Just like our own parents and us. And all generations from the beginning of time.
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