Nothing is impossible

I have been calling this a Haiku, but it's technically a Senryu.

Nothing is too hard
if you are not the person
who has to do[/bear] it.

- Patricia Shannon Aug. 2005

http://www.hsa-haiku.org/archives/HSA_Definitions_2004.html

A haiku is a short poem that uses imagistic language to convey the essence of an experience of nature or the season intuitively linked to the human condition.

A senryu is a poem, structurally similar to haiku, that highlights the foibles of human nature, usually in a humorous or satiric way.

Vampire Clan

I fell in love with this poem at a poetry reading some years ago, and set it to music.
The author has given me written permission to use it as I see fit.


Vampire Clan
copyright Louise Bennett Hardin 1995

We are a vampire clan,
sucking blood from the earth,
as if the earth could plan
for infinite vampire births.

Sucking blood from the earth,
some say the land will die,
for infinite vampire births
cannot sustain themselves. Why?

Some say the land will die,
the children have nothing,
and cannot sustain them selves. Why?
Should we take a stand?

The children have nothing,
we take more than we replace.
Should we take a stand,
are we not a human race?

We take more than we replace
as if the earth could plan.
Are we not a human race?
We are a vampire clan

Pseudo-Patriots

Pseudo-Patriots

copyright Patricia M. Shannon 1996

They say that they are patriots because they love to wave the flag,
but they throw their trash along the road, and pour used oil down the drain.
They say that they are patriots because the pledge they love to say,
but they never bother to turn out the lights when they go home for the day.

How can we be patriots and not do all we can
to protect the earth upon which all our lives depend?
How can we be patriots and not help our fellow men?
What else is a country, but its people and its land?

They say that they are patriots because, they will always choose
to vote to build more prisons, while cutting funding for our schools.
They say that they are patriots, Star Spangled Banner they do sing,
but to their big gas-guzzlers they selfishly do cling.

How can we be patriots and not do all we can
to prevent the earth from turning into barren sands?
How can we be patriots and not lend a helping hand?
What else is a country, but its people and its land?

They say that they are patriots, because it fills them with such glee
to send our young folks overseas to be killed by enemies.
They say that they are patriots, but they would never think
to tutor some poor kids to help them stay out of the clink.

How can we be patriots and not do all we can
to protect the earth upon which all our lives depend?
How can we be patriots and not help our fellow men?
What else is a country, but its people and its land?

A country's not a piece of cloth, or words we say by rote;
a country's not a song we sing before we watch a sport.
And love's not just a feeling, it's something that we do,
every day, in every way, in everything we choose.

7 RULES on Approaching Authoritarian Supporters

 From The Authoritarian Regime Survival Guide:

7 RULES on Approaching Authoritarian Supporters
What if your neighbour, friend or family member supports the authoritarian regime?

Rule 1

Don’t look down on them, don’t patronize them, even if you know what they’re saying has no factual basis or you find it offensive. Don’t preach, ask questions. Try to understand them, where they are coming from, what their problems are and why they see solutions to them in the regime. Treat them as people, as equals. They believe what they’re saying is true and they might have valid reasons for their support.

Rule 2

Don’t get emotional, don’t get provoked into heated arguments. Fight the other side’s emotions with your calm, logical approach. The angrier they get, the calmer you should be. They’ll calm down eventually.

Rule 3

Focus on what you have in common. Do you live in the same neighborhood? Do you work in the same company or sector? The smaller the community, the easier it is. Give examples, like “we all need to get this done for all of us, if we don’t cooperate neither of us will have it”.

Rule 4

Use their language, don’t treat it as inferior or below you – don’t seem patronizing (see rule 1). If they curse, curse with them. If they approach you with humor, don’t get angry or uptight about it, reply with humor. Show them you’re actually not that different (see rule 3). As long as you communicate on two different planes, you will never meet.

Rule 5

Don’t block their news sources, don’t turn away from their leaders and authority figures. Treat them as an insight to their worldview and tactics. Use them to your advantage, to better prepare for their arguments. Whenever you don’t agree with something or detect a lie, voice it calmly, expose it with factual arguments.

Rule 6

Pinpoint the practical, negative effects of their side’s actions, ones that affect them directly. Find examples of how they, their families, children or friends will be personally impacted by their policies, or how it will affect your shared community.

Rule 7

If all else fails, don’t turn away, don’t abandon your friends and family, don’t shun your neighbors. Remember, an authoritarian wants to divide you to control you. So invite them over to your BBQ, crack open a beer, and who knows, maybe they’ll realize you’re not so different after all.

LINK TO WHOLE GUIDE - written in Poland in 2017 
https://verfassungsblog.de/the-authoritarian-regime-survival-guide/

Trump supporters report higher levels of psychopathy, manipulativeness, callousness, and narcissism

Not surprising

https://www.psypost.org/trump-supporters-report-higher-levels-of-psychopathy-manipulativeness-callousness-and-narcissism/

 by Eric W. Dolan  July 23, 2025 

  A new psychological study has found that people who report favorable views of Donald Trump also tend to score higher on measures of callousness, manipulation, and other malevolent traits—and lower on empathy and compassion.

 

How Mike Johnson became Speaker

 Nov. 11, 2025

 A reminder that the reason we got Mike Johnson (R) as Speaker of the House was that all Democrats plus 8 Republicans voted to oust his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy (R). Johnson is much worse than McCarthy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Removal_of_Kevin_McCarthy_as_Speaker_of_the_House
 

Feed and Freeze

 

I wrote this song after reading a few years ago that there are children in our country who routinely lose weight in the winter because their families cannot afford both enough food and heat. And of course people need more food when they are cold.

Feed and Freeze
copyright 2001 Patricia M. Shannon

(chorus)
If I feed my my children, they will freeze
'cause the power bill is so high.
When they say "Mama, mama, can I have some food",
sometimes I just break down and cry,
sometimes I just break down and cry.

(verse)
They don't understand that I don't have enough food
for them to have their fill.
I have to pay the heating bill
'cause it's cold enough to kill;
it's cold enough to kill;

We turn the thermostat way down
and wear a lot of clothes.
We hang out at the Waffle House,
but the heating bill just grows and grows,
the heating bill just grows.

(chorus)

They say you'll be a big success
if you work really hard.
But I slave all day at the fast food place
and the minimum wage is my reward,
the minimum's my reward

They say they can't pay anymore,
the economy's too slow;
Profits are down, but they gave a raise
and a bonus to the CEO;
a big bonus to the CEO.

(chorus)