an old writer and his words

  • I DIDN’T DIE

    I can tell you why Idid not die in Vietnam, sincethat was my war, yours aremuch newer and still remembered.I didn’t die becauseI enlisted and was not draftedso I got to choose and pickedthe Air Force, which reducedthe odds of dying significantly.They would have been higherif I were an officer, but thatwould have required a…

    Lou Faber

  • SUBJECTION

    We have now fully masteredsubjection, some say we havedone it so often it is nowinherent in our nature.It is hard to argue that pointand we are now practicing iton more than other groups,we have turned our practiceon nature and her species.Birds are a perfect example.Applying our tried and truemethods we have slowly takentheir territory, forcing…

    Lou Faber

  • THE PARK

    He was taking a shortcut across the park. He saw the clouds building, about to bring the long-promised rain. He wasn’t sure why he decided to walk home rather than take the bus as he usually did. He didn’t like to walk, but the doctor had told him he needed to exercise more, and he…

    Lou Faber

  • FIVE BIRDS

    The cold winter breezepalm fronds shivering at dawnegrets remain still a thousand birds landengage in conversationa foreign language arriving at duskwhite ibis strive to decidewho is the alpha the cat sits watchingthe sandhill crane approachesthey speak to each other a single ibisstruts across newly mown lawnsdinner now awaits

    Lou Faber

  • OUT OF REACH

    The Middle East continues to melt downlike an out of control nuclear pileleaving destruction and crushed dreamsscattered about the vast sandscape.I imagine God watching from highup in the heavenly grandstandknowing that so many others are nothere to see the race, only to wait forwhat they hope is the inevitable crash.Once He liked looking on Jerusalemwatching…

    Lou Faber

  • YUNMEN’S EVERYONE’S LIGHT

    If you say that youare seeking the lightof the dharmaa wise teacher willoffer you darkness.If you say you wishthe dark warmth of dharmathe wise teacher willoffer you light.When you see thatlight and darknessare the same, thenyou will havefully grasped dharma. A reflection on Case 81 of Dogen’s Shobogenzo Koans (True Dharma Eye) 正法眼蔵

    Lou Faber

  • CHANGING TIMES

    The real problem with prophecy,at least of the Biblical sort, is thatit has failed to keep up with ourever changing, mutating times. We no longer tend to use spearsin much of the world, and the callfor pruning hooks has diminishedto the point few know what they are. And thanks to John Deere and allof the…

    Lou Faber

  • INTO THE INFERNO

    The teacher no doubt thought it was funny hanging a banner on the door to his classroom reading “Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch’intrate.” He would snicker as the new students would look at it with puzzled expressions while he remained silent. Some might even ask but he would always gnore or dismiss the question. That…

    Lou Faber

  • CONTACT

    When did it become surprisingfor a stranger passing on the sidewalkto offer a nod or even a hello?Perhaps it is a matter of geography,in some states, the warmer ones,it does seem much more common,or perhaps it is a matter more local,common in this neighborhoodnot nearly so much in that one,and downtown it is a complete…

    Lou Faber

  • MEMO TO MEMOIR

    I will recitemy absurdist life,and do so without coercionsave my need to tell it.Imagine a new wave filmin French, perhaps,directed by Dali and youmay approach my truth.If this is beyond you, Idon’t care, do you?In the end it is youthe listener who writesmy story, my life,and I am merelythe pen and paper,the prompt, so pleasehelp…

    Lou Faber