Wednesday, September 18, 2013

LEFT OF CENTER, Oh Yeah, Baby!

Vancouver Sun photo

In our family, we are all decidedly
left of center.
Faaaaaaaaaaar left.
Left-brain concepts?  unwieldy and difficult.
Feel, baby, feel, stuff all that analysis 
in the cobwebby rafters,
it's peace and love, baby, all the way.

My son is most confidently 
left of center.
He attended an Occupy Vancouver rally,
last year,
where there was Too Much Talking
and decided it was time for action.

"Anyone who wants to march, 
meet me over There 
in five minutes" he yelled.
In five minutes he had a throng of avid followers,
marching his revolution through 
downtown Vancouver,
the police respectfully stopping traffic 
at every intersection for him,
assuming this was part of the organized action.
Event organizers were left in his dust
scratching their heads and wondering
where all the people went.

Hilarious. And it is just that easy 
to start a Movement. 

When our family gets together, 
non-biological members
try to maintain neutral expressions,
but they have no control over their eyebrows,
which find new purchase 
somewhere around their hairlines.

Left of center?
Perhaps Left of Left is more accurate,
with, at times,  a nod towards 
Left the Planet Entirely.

Hee hee, this is an irreverent response to Kim's prompt at Verse First: Just Past Center. But it was fun writing it:) My son really did hijack an Occupy Vancouver gathering:) His finest hour!

22 comments:

  1. Ha! You go, girl, so full of wonder and joy. I particularly like the eyebrows.

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  2. all it takes is one person to step out and step up...i think in many ways people are looking for someone to follow that is about more than just words....

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  3. ...too much words don't matter anymore these days... 'walk your talk' is much more valid for me... i am not a political animal so i had ne'er been involved in a rally but oh, my brother... he appeared once on tv holding a banner & shoutin' while me & dad were takin' dinner... ha, that moment...smiles...

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    1. Kelvin, I lived in Tofino in 1993, the year of the blockades to stop the clearcutting of old growth. One morning I was at the Women’s Blockade and that night my very conservative (other) son phoned me and said “Mom, I saw you on the news, dancing around the road with a bunch of hippies. Hee hee. THAT was a proud moment for his old mother!

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  4. This made me chuckle. That's so cute about your son's revolutionary stance. Left of left, that's very left. i'm left too and perhaps because of that, I find that radical thinking is usually more humane, kind, etc...

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  5. So cool that your entire family agrees, Sherry. Makes life easier at gatherings. LOL. I laughed at ""Left the Planet Entirely."

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  6. "When our family gets together,
    non-biological members
    try to maintain neutral expressions,
    but they have no control over their eyebrows,
    which find new purchase
    somewhere around their hairlines."...Hilarious! Wow. That was really cool!!Good job, Sherry!Enjoyed reading this...
    And kudos to your son..

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  7. love the many faceted 'left'.....and also the last line...

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  8. Just a voice crying in the wilderness. I love how you connect the soul, with the spirit and the body. Making it work in union. This is very challenging.

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  9. LOL... you've taught him well, I guess.

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  10. Haha! Nothing like someone who is fired up to get others going as well. Your pride shines through. Your final line is priceless.

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  11. Its good to be a little left stand out of the crowd! :)

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  12. "Left the Planet Entirely". haha!

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  13. You paint a clear and vivid picture of your liberal family, Sherry. I smiled throughout the read, and laughed out loud a time or two. Terrific piece.

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  14. HA! I envy you for your family's political orientation... mine is somewhat torn between near-socialists and tea-party. Our gatherings are decidedly non-political...to keep peace.

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  15. This makes me think of several friends over the years, and quite a few debates that were had!

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  16. I love your style - mine echoes yours - the stream of consciousness flow without regard to structure. And it is 'just that easy'! Thanks for sharing.

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  17. Love it!! I am definitely off centered...it is a wonderful way to live. :)

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  18. Love how you describe the non-biological members. Your poem made me chuckle all the way through. Loved it.

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