Mind Your Head 

In April 2009 I posted an essay titled "Defective", along with a poem titled "naked in the sand". Both were my reactions to daily headlines describing various mass shootings and killings that were being regularly reported by the media.  I questioned then if the altruistic philosophy of Chinese philosopher Mencius was valid, or whether his contemporary, Confucian philosopher Xun Zi was correct in believing that man was inherently evil.  

I sided with Mencius. Barely. 

Again, this week, we're told of rampant criminality taking place in Haiti following a devastating series of earthquakes, and yet another mass shooting in a quiet Virginia community.  These, just two of many other incidents reported over the past several months. 

Below is another poem I wrote in 2007 that questions our supposed altruistic nature.  How many more years, centuries or lifetimes will man"kind" live before we completely loose our heads and destroy ourselves? 

   

holding 

holding tempers 

behind smiles: 

anger seeks 

burning revenge. 

(the desire to kill 

so human a trait) 

so, how do we 

keep it at bay, 

really?

                                                                      

Poem © 2007 by R. Burnett Baker 

Photo © 2005 by R. Burnett Baker.  

Photo taken by R. Baker in Hong Kong, 2005. 

stretched

lives apart - 

days into weeks -  

become 

distance stretched 

across hearts. 

faces fade 

to dusk, 

a time  

when

memories glow 

through 

darkness. 

Poem © 2007 by R. Burnett Baker 

Abstract photo © 2009 by R. Burnett Baker 

minds bleeding

we walked away

from every smile,

nightfall a tear 

on darkened faces.

distance killed us,

stalking, grabbing,

suffocating dreams

with hearts beating,

and minds bleeding;

over my shoulder

shadows on the

path. 

Poem © 2006 by R. Burnett Baker 

Photo © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker 

Self portrait by R. Baker, 2010.

...This Year and Last

The older I get the less I understand the New Year's holiday.

I understand it as a reason for people to party and get trashed.  It give us a framework for organizing our time.  It gives the IRS structure for digging into our pockets.  But it's the effort and emotion we attach to it that makes me wonder what it's all about.  

The Earth turns as always, and the sun rises and sets like it did the day (year) before.  The troubles we were working on yesterday (last year) are still there for our attention.  Bills still must be paid.  Wars will continue to be fought.  The media all talked about how a decade ended and a new one began.  It didn't occur to me that a decade had already been spent.  How old are we all, anyway?  Well, my back and knees are still hurting, so what really changed?

We awaken with a new numbered year and marvel at how far we came and how quickly it all went by.  But when I looked out my window this morning, snow was falling and painting the landscape white just like yesterday. It was quiet in the neighborhood.  And cold.  It's still winter, this year and last.  

So today, the first of the new year, everyone is offering Happy New Year greetings and nursing the hangovers of the previous year, and of last night.  

Perhaps that is the meaning.  Perhaps the New Year's holiday is its own reward.  We'll do it all again next year. 

Rick B. Baker 

Rochester, NY 

January 1, 2010

© 2010 by R. Burnett Baker 

turned the year

and so 

turned the 

year.

yet what,

really,

has changed

as snow falls 

quietly through

naked

branches?

Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker 

Photo © 2008 by R. Burnett Baker

Photo taken by R. Baker in Highland Park, Rochester, NY, 2008.