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May 14 2009

Muse in the Morning

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Muse in the Morning

An Opened Mind XXXVII

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Doorway

Mort

At some instant

one day

the words will cease to flow

their creator (or vessel)

having passed through

the Door

between herenow

and therethen

The words left behind

the ideas they expressed

the actions they instigated

will be all

that remains

to weigh the meaning

of this particular existence

Regret is extinguished

if the words

have expressed

peacefulness

concern and care

and a life lived well

–Robyn Serven

–September 21, 2007

May 13 2009

Muse in the Morning

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Muse in the Morning

An Opened Mind XXXVI

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Butterfly

Just Wondering

Just because

I’m gendered differently

than other people,

why must I

surrender my feelings,

check my sensitivity

at the door

like an oversized overcoat,

just so a few

can repeat their

unfunny jokes

and pokes

at people like me,

because after all

there is nothing

funnier in their minds

than someone like me?

Not a real woman…

Not a real man…

What does that

even mean?

And why does

it even matter?

And why do people

just stand around

and silently

watch it happen?

Are they chuckling

to themselves

because they agree?

I wonder.

Beyond toleration

and acceptance

lie support

and defense.

Which will die first,

bigotry

or me?

–Robyn Elaine Serven

–November 29, 2005

May 12 2009

Muse in the Morning

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Muse in the Morning

An Opened Mind XXXV

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Layers

Transference

You keep telling me

what I think

— like you would know?

How is that appropriate?

I am told by you

that I must be motivated

by self-interest alone

like you and

(you aver)

everyone

But it is not so

It angers you that

I deny your claim

maybe because you assume

I must believe that

I am better than you

No such thing

do I believe

But the truth of it all

seems to be

that you apparently do

believe your philosophy

is lacking

if your attitude

is any measure

And isn’t that

a kick in the butt?

–Robyn Elaine Serven

–January 5, 2007

May 11 2009

Muse in the Morning

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Muse in the Morning

An Opened Mind XXXIV

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Breaking Dreams

Vendetta

When did revenge

become part of

a liberal or progressive

agenda?

How can we scream

call names

spead rumors

seek to crush

our enemies

and remain true

to our moral

convictions?

Is payback

all there is?

Is this all

a game of

dominance?

Or do we

still have ethics?

Who are we?

–Robyn Serven

–January 9, 2007

May 09 2009

Friday Philosophy: testimony

As some of you have probably heard, I’ve been fairly ill for the past week.  I’ll include an update about that at the end of this piece.

But being ill…and it being the end of finals week, I had a difficult time generating a brand new topic.  Where are Bob and Doug when you need them?

So…like Felix…I reached into my bag of tricks and searched around for something to put together for tonight, even if it had to be somewhat hastily.

I remembered that I took some photographs at the end of the April, of the Bloomfield College 2009 observation of the Clothesline Project.

May 08 2009

Muse in the Morning

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Muse in the Morning

An Opened Mind XXXIII

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Separation Point

Poor Weather Friend

You tell me

it is not the right time

for fairness and justice

that generations must pass

until there is peace

for such as me

until we become

an honored part

of the whole

The truth is

that it could

happen now

if it weren’t

for people

just like you

You call yourself

a progressive

and tell me you are

on my side?

Who are you?

Where do you stand?

–Robyn Serven

–January 8, 2007

May 07 2009

Muse in the Morning

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Muse in the Morning

An Opened Mind XXXII

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The Road

To some of us

To some of us

it doesn’t matter

what you think

started us

on this journey

To some of us

it doesn’t matter

what you believe

even if

what you

believe

is that

what someone else

believes

is wrong

To some of us

it may be

an interesting way

to share our stories

…or not

But the fact is

that we are all

on this journey

together

And to some of us

the question is

“What do we do now?”

To some of us

the question is

“Where do we go from here?”

And we wonder if

you intend

to stand there and argue

or if you want

to come along

–Robyn Elaine Serven

–February 3, 2007

May 06 2009

Muse in the Morning

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Muse in the Morning

An Opened Mind XXXI

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Contention

Dominance Games

Why is there demand

for our spacetime

our attention

agreement

with only one side

your side

in answering

a question

that essentially

has no

correct answer

or maybe

has many?

Demanding an answer

does not make one exist

Vehemence

does not generate

truth

Is there no room

for diversity

of thought

in your world?

Who are you?

–Robyn Elaine Serven

–January 19, 2007

May 05 2009

Muse in the Morning

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Muse in the Morning

An Opened Mind XXX

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Partisan

Presence

Some of us are here

to save the world

to advance the society

to repair the errors

in the structure

of human culture

to guide the course

of human interaction

with and in

this universe

But some are here

to be entertained

they think

by arguing

for pointless

personal gain

that quite frankly

advances nothing

Which are you?

Who are you?

–Robyn Elaine Serven

–January 4, 2007

May 04 2009

Muse in the Morning

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Muse in the Morning

An Opened Mind XXIX

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Trapping the Demon

Emerson or Thoreau?

I am not

devoid of feelings.

I can be

hurt by words.

I can feel

anger at slights.

A stick swung

at someone else

will still hurt

if I am

the one stricken.

A stone thrown

at someone else

will do me damage

if me it strikes.

I can and do

feel outrage

when any group

is disparaged

anytime

anywhere.

This place

is not immune.

Where is the honor

in attacking

a Phelps of Topeka

for bigotry

if we practice

the moral equivalent

in this virtual realm?

Where is

the high ground?

Where is

our center?

Is the tent

in this place

too small

to contain

people like me?

Where is

your outrage?

Where is

your anger?

What is

your response?

–Robyn Elaine Serven

–December 8, 2005

 

May 02 2009

Friday Philosophy: steps backward

I wandered into a diary the other day, written by someone from New Hampshire who disapproved of gay marriage.  He calls himself a “Libertarian-leaning conservative,” which in his case apparently means that he is in favor of personal liberties, except for GLBT people.

I’ve experienced the very definition of mixed feelings about the news out of New Hampshire the past week.  I think it was fabulous that the state senate voted 13-11 in favor of marriage equality.  After reconciliation between the two houses, New Hampshire-style, it will be up to their governor to either veto it or not.

So that was a huge positive.  Most people missed the negative.  Totally missed it.

The same day it passed the marriage equality bill, this august body rejected equal protection under the law for transgender people by a vote of 24-0.

Yes, you see that correctly:  24-0.  Not even the bills sponsor’s voted for it.

May 01 2009

Muse in the Morning

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Muse in the Morning

An Opened Mind XXVIII

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Circuit

Perspective Be Damned

Escher had it right

when he showed us that

it was all about perspective

Up and down are relative notions

as are darkness and light

Is this reality simply

the reflection of another?

But even Maurits

would be hard-pressed

to find validity

in the fabric

of truth and untruth

woven to justify

this war

–Robyn Elaine Serven

–December 7, 2005

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