Yesterday was the presentation of 15,000 poems submitted on the Poets Against The War web site. The poems were given to members of Congress. My own poem finally appears there, and it’s a small thing in a big wave of small things.
Tonight I went after work to see Ron and his fellow crew members commended by the Town of Colonie Town Board for their actions in Monday’s rescue. Since people sometimes grumble about their tax dollars going for something that doesn’t seem to immediately benefit people in the town, this was a chance for Colonie to say – we as a town did something to save those three lives, and we’re proud of the people who had the training and experience to do it. Nicely done.
Went into the cold night with Ron and admired the slim crescent bowl of a moon in the sky. After that I got in the car to meet up with Ron for dinner. The president was wrapping up his question/answer period. I didn’t hear his statement but I guess I was at least momentarily relieved that he wasn’t announcing a commencement of bombing. That’s what I was prepared for in my head. Instead, just another “they have to or else. the deadline is coming.” Had a nice dinner and started home.
Stopped at Stewarts. Ron had already stopped for what we needed so I helped out by answering the payphone and then went to my car. The other woman in the shop had locked her keys in the car so I lent her a coin to get to her emergency key. Her car was covered with peace bumperstickers and she was also covered with buttons. I asked if she’d been to the Mall where I worked, where the peace activists had been out in force protesting the arrest of a man who was wearing a shirt saying “Give Peace A Chance.” She had and we chatted about that while she got the key and unlocked her car. She gave me my coin back and a button (choose peace) from her coat. She lives in a nearby small small town.
A nice meeting, by chance, and a better end to my journey home in the cold late winter night.
