“[I]n times of crisis it’s interesting that people don’t turn to the novel or say, ‘We should all go out to a movie,’ or ‘Ballet would help us.’ It’s always poetry. What we want to hear is a human voice speaking directly in our ear.”
Billy Collins, U.S. Poet Laureate (2001-2003) speaking to the New York Times, as quoted in The Dead Beat by Marilyn Johnson
this diary is dedicated to all who suffer because of war and other disasters
we honor courage in all its forms
cross-posted at DailyKos, Booman Tribune, European Tribune, My Left Wing, and TexasKos.
image and poem below the fold
A hospital employee drags a body of a dead Iraqi into the morgue of a local hospital in the city of Baquba, northeast of Baghdad. At least two people have died in violence in Iraq, with authorities discovering five bodies, including two beheaded corpses, in and around the restive city of Baquba.
(AFP/Ali Yussef)
After a Death
by Tomas Tranströmer
translated by Robert Bly
Once there was a shock
that left behind a long, shimmering comet tail.
It keeps us inside. It makes the TV pictures snowy.
It settles in cold drops on the telephone wires.
One can still go slowly on skis in the winter sun
through brush where a few leaves hang on.
They resemble pages torn from old telephone directories.
Names swallowed by the cold.
It is still beautiful to hear the heart beat
but often the shadow seems more real than the body.
The samurai looks insignificant
beside his armor of black dragon scales.
– – –
Join CIVIC’s “I Care” photo campaign
put a meaningful magnet on your car or metal filing cabinet
read Ilona’s important new blog – PTSD Combat
view the pbs newshour silent honor roll (with thanks to jimstaro at booman.)
take a private moment to light one candle among many (with thanks to TXSharon)
support Veterans for Peace
support the Iraqi people
support the Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict (CIVIC)
support CARE
support the victims of torture
remember the fallen
support Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors – TAPS
support Gold Star Families for Peace
support the fallen
support the troops
support Iraq Veterans Against the War
support Military families Speak Out
support the troops and the Iraqi people
read This is what John Kerry did today, the diary by lawnorder that prompted this series
read Riverbend’s Bagdhad Burning
read Dahr Jamail’s Iraq Dispatches
read Today in Iraq
witness every day
Click on the candle to copy the image into your own comment (you can leave it on my server), and/or rate this one – not for mojo, but to leave a small mark after taking this moment.
” I know. But I do not approve. And I am not resigned.”
from Dirge Without Music
by Edna St. Vincent Millay
Impeach NOW.
Son of Top Iraqi Judge Killed in Baghdad
First George nominates a military man fro the top post at the CIA, who just happened to head up the illrgal NSA programs and now he wants to according to WaPo he wants to place the National Guard on border patrol! We are screwed if he starts to do this. This is called a Police State!
Peace
By the numbers, lest we forget and lose track add 7
Thursday-Friday: 3 GIs 4 Marines killed
Are we past the next milestone, 2,500 killed, 20,000 of our treasures wounded, maimed to a life of misery? And what about theirs in the tens of 1,000s, all in our name?
Who cares about the count?
So caught up with the hookers-Cunningham-Wilkes scandal, Abramoff scandal, Plame Scandal, NSA warrantless spying scandal, the bloodletting of this crazy war becomes buried.
To Mothers everywhere, a special candle this mother’s day.
I agree with you on this. Rarely do they mention deaths that occur in Iraq/Afg. The administration has given orders to the news outlets to not mention but only in brief of this. But you see not only has it effected the democrats it is effecting the rep homes. They are loosing more than they thought they would loose. It is hard for the reps now to say stay the course. For what are they staying the course..a new embassy or permanent bases…for what are we still there for now!!?? When the wounded some home they are republican too..they fall through the cracks in vets health care..they do not get what they signed up for. They are getting cheated as well as the dems. This is all making a difference to the general public…the ppl are not happy! This is only the war…what about the r est of the problems America is having!!!! All of this taken in to consideration, this administration can not see the damage they are doing to the general public. They have everyone stirred up about something, if not immigration it is something or the other…EVERYONE is not one bit happy.
And to top things off, we are not even talking about he death and destruction of Iraq. That in and of itself is a disaster. It is the whole world is a disaster after this administration gets done with it. If we do win the congress back, it will take forever and a day to straighten things out…especially with the category of leadership we have in there now. I do not think Reid or Polsi can do much of anything about anything..they are very weak. Anyhow. I so agree with you..
Do you have your papers?
Are you doing anything you shouldn’t be doing?
Are you saying anything you shouldn’t be saying?
Then, welcome to American. Home of the Cuffed and Stuffed.
It’s for your “own good”.
Drag the warpigs out of the White House.
Light A Candle For
Peace, Tolerance, Understanding
and For The Children – Innocence Lost!
VIDEO
A Somber Mother’s Day Weekend in DC
A Report by Geoffrey Millard and Scott Galindez
This Mother’s Day will not be a time of joy for the almost 2,500 mothers who have lost their son or daughter in Iraq. Many of those mothers will be in Washington, DC, participating in a weekend full of activities ranging from a silent march to a 24-hour vigil. TruthOut’s Geoffrey Millard and Scott Galindez are in Washington and will be sending in video reports throughout the weekend.
QuickTime
DSL
56K
Windows Media
DSL
56K
RealMedia
DSL
56K
Visit the Truthout Link above for Updates on the Weekend Actions in Video Form as they are posted!
A Card/Wish for All You Moms!
In These Times!!
Thanks Jim. That was such a wonderful thing for you to do for us moms. It is really lovely as well. Hugs…
To have elevated death counts like this for so long?
It must be simply devastating.