I made this for the alumni of the David G. Burnet Elementary School I attended. I discovered there’s much more I could have added. (He was quite a colorful man!) This study was good for me as I learned some things I did not know! I hope you like it. Feel free to share!
An Imperfect Beauty: A Prose Poem by Liza Thomason
I do try to help new poets. I usually begin by encouraging them to read the biographies of many poets, read much poetry, and by experimenting by writing every type of poetry. (See https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/list-of-50-poetic-forms-for-poets for a list of types of poems). Here is a former student of mine who wrote a sweet prose poem, I hope you like it. A prose poem is lyrical poetry written without line breaks (almost like flash fiction).
She found a needle in the hay stack, without looking for it. A plain leaf among a sea of verdance. At first glance, a victim of garden nemesis, but not this little one. Upon needless fixation that so often leads her on hours long tangents, she found a tiny adventure. An epiphany. This spectacular little leaf dared to just wave on the breeze with audacious freedom. There, brazenly presenting its little veins quite asymmetrical and sprawling like a cool summer creek bed she played in as a child. An imperfect beauty.
The Devil and the President by Damon Légion
The Devil is Biden his time,
He’s found the man he needs,
To destroy and create disaster,
By abuse of power and greed.
His new boy-toy has hubris,
Seen from the very first day,
When like an angry spoiled child,
Reversing progress previously made.
Listen to Lucifer’s plan,
He has so much to say,
Horrific threats and promises,
The price that we all will pay.
“I’ll crush you by invasion,
With drugs like fentanyl,
I’ll enslave young kids and women,
And joyfully traffic them all.
“I will open up the border,
And stop your border wall,
Blinding clueless leaders,
To the threat of a nation’s fall.
“You must welcome the invaders,
And the diseases that they bring,
The drugs and increased crime,
That make demons and cartels sing.
“I know how to spin a story,
To make a lie sound correct,
Many may try to stop me,
But they haven’t done so yet!
“Don’t worry, I can change your laws,
And even your Constitution,
Ignore your Supreme Court Judges,
And corrupt College institutions.
Don’t worry about China,
Or India’s pollution,
I’ll handle climate change,
With crippling, harsh solutions!
Lincoln: Non-Christian President–Exposing the Myth by Walter D. Kennedy
Walter D. Kennedy author of best seller The South Was Right has written another fascinating book relating to the Civil War. Lincoln, though he is held up as a national hero, like most political icons, he did have some flaws. In this book, Kennedy reveals some surprising things about him that may bring some discomfort, even shock to those who worship him. Here is a quick Amazon summary of the book:
ALTHOUGH MANY CONSERVATIVE RELIGIOUS LEADERS enthusiastically pronounce Lincoln to be a devout Christian, the evidence to the contrary is immense. The transformation of Lincoln from a secular humanist Freethinker into a faithful Christian is one of the most successful con-games in American history.
From George Washington to the current President (2023), every United States President has a confirmed church affiliation, except Lincoln. The only United States Supreme Court Justice that does not have a confirmed church affiliation is Justice David Davis, appointed by Lincoln.
Lincoln’s lack of orthodox Christian views is fully exposed by his wife, law partner, personal secretary, bodyguard, and other close associates.
Lincoln waged war as a pagan leader. A Christian leader would not have waged war upon innocent men, women, and children of the South. Lincoln was the first U. S. President with a communist in his cabinet and the only U. S. President to be praised by Karl Marx, Adolph Hitler, and Chinese Communist military leaders.
Perhaps this short introduction to Kennedy’s book will spark an interest in you to read more about America’s most famous President. It can be ordered from Amazon HERE:
Rickey Pittman
Bard of the South
That violent crime has risen to an impossible to ignore or live with is obvious. It is impossible to notice the great amount of interest in movies like Walking Tall (both versions), Steven Segall movies, and others making the point that we, normal citizens of America admire those who take a stand against criminals and the cartels.
One man who needs to be listened to is Captain Clay Higgins, now U.S. Representative, who won the hearts and admiration of many in Louisiana. because he demonstrates the toughness and determination to end crime we want to see in law enforcement. Here are two of his videos that caught my attention:
A Review of Voodoo Fire in Haiti: Another Heart of Darkness
Loederer, Richard A. Voodoo Fire in Haiti, Country Life Press, 1935.
Richard A. Loederer was an Austrian-born, talented painter, etcher, designer, illustrator, cartoonist, commercial artist, and writer, a busy man who as this book reveals, also had the heart of a determined explorer. My first edition was a hardback in excellent shape. Haiti was then, as now, inhospitable to white visitors. He reveals that his desire to write this book was to “visit and explore this strange county [Haiti] and discover how much if any was true of the rumors of secret cults, black magic, and human sacrifices which were reported to exist in present-day Haiti. Written during the American Occupation of Haiti, 1915-34, this memoir traces his journey from New York to Haiti, recording his detailed observations on the people, the history of Haiti, the foods, plants, wildlife, customs, the markets, monuments, corrosion of business, the few foreigners that were left, the corrupt and incompetent government, and geography.
His wanderings through the island take him historically from the landings of Columbus to the Massacre River, to a cross-country journey by boat and on foot through the jungle, along a jungle as dense as anyone could find anywhere in the world. His account of wrestling with the weather, the insects, the thick growth and his efforts to reach the next settlement through a wild and desolate region are an indication of how determined this artist was. He made works of art (all included in my book) of what he saw in Haiti. Read his jungle journeys and his thoughts on the white men who came to Haiti who stayed and became a part of the jungle. It reminded me of Conrad’s Heart of Darkness in many ways.
Interesting also are his accounts of the Palace Demesne, the President’s palace, and Christophe’s La Ferrière. There are short biographies of the people who made Haiti: from the French Army, the plantation and business tyrants, to the black tyrants who took over Haiti.
As the title suggests, much of this memoir deals with and describes the origin, ceremonies, and pervasiveness of voodoo in Haiti. I think the work demands a detailed study guide and glossary to fully grasp the power of this memoir.
Rickey Pittman
