"Ode to Sa'wein"

Come and Read My
Simple Thoughts on Hallowe'en ....

By a whimper, with a whisper,

and a rumor - you will know,

something odd has caught your soul,

and no control, abroad you go !

Cautious walking through the streets,

here you note a sight or two,

ghostie goblins, bats and bobbins

little ones proclaiming "BOO!"

Demanding that you offer tribute

in the way of sug'ry sweets,

they will tell you at the doorstep

"Tricks ahead if you've no treats !"

Memories come flooding back

of times when life was free and young,

nights that you yourself went treating,

n'er a trick would pass your tongue.

Now I see the guardians

hold the hands of daughter, son -

fearful that a real-life evil

grabs a child and tries to run.

Never should such innocents

be schooled in man's deceit,

time enough when we grow old

these monsters to defeat.

Now truly, here's a special time

for silliness to fully live -

so when a ghostie rings your bell,

be quite prepared to give give give !

by Cathy S. Rapicano 10-2007

"Race For Summer's End"

I'm off for summer's last embrace

where all the contours of my face

will now be seen in every place -

for the clock itself has wings!

Printed into memory

the greens and blues I still can see

and all the folk who look at me -

the earth itself now sings!

Not a farewell tune at all

just a preface for the Fall

soon descending as a call

for red and golden rings.

People in a hurry now

to catch the summer's final bow

with every gift it does allow -

I love these wondrous things!

csr ( Catherine S. Rapicano ) 8/26/07

"Cradle Me, Baby"

As I rush into your open arms,

collapsing in relief,

hold me to your happy heart

let not this time be brief.

We'll move in perfect motion

rocking gently to the sway,

as I trust you as you trust me

I will not give us away.

Cradle me within your heart

as if a newborn soul -

softy, with a quiet kiss

complete me - I am whole.

Stay with me to watch the night,

don't give in to sleep -

out in rolling seas of sky,

we're stars within the deep.

Come the dawn and brighter beams

we'll rest, as shadows harden -

I commit this crime of love

and you will always pardon.

By Catherine S. Rapicano 

January 6, 2008

The Holy Prostitute

I thought of you again last night, it was not unlike other times of stress when for some reason I feel your presence. So how are you, Carol? It's been 5 years since you died. Feels like 500.
Thanks for the messages, I think I understand but some are confusing. Of course, I expect that, still being ruled by this corporeal brain, and you having shed yours - I know you're happy in a sense I'll never know till I see you again. If I have eyes. But surely I'll know it's you.
Remember my Mother? I guess you know she died shortly after you did. Do you commune at all, can you? Have you finally met my Father? Are they still fighting? Is the life-after-death as predictable as this one? Guess I'll know soon enough.

Carol I'm playing tug-of-war with my heart, I don't understand why I'm losing my hair and my bones, I don't like the way everything hurts so much, I stumble when I walk, I miss the way life used to feel and most of all, I think I've lost something very integral to my soul. Tell me it's a phase and I'll gladly believe. Tell me in a dream. I like dreams, I depend on them. Why haven't I been dreaming lately? Something's wrong...everyone dreams.

I'm breathing in and out of a world I don't recognize, and I miss you. We're still friends, yes? Is your higher form uninterested in my humanity? Or was your death just another step toward something finer, better, more than human...? Carol, I'm impatient for life!
Tell me in a dream...

REGISTERED?

Ah yes, what better way to start a political post than a shot of Norma Jean? Not to put too fine a point on it but, most Americans are completey apathetic about who sits on the throne in Washington. Does it matter? Does our President really run the country? Do we care? Aren't we content to shut up as long as we're getting "ours"? And God bless me here comes the big one:

ARE YOU REGISTERED?

Maybe it's folly, voting. Pretending this all means something, like it hasn't already been fixed somehow. Lobbyists in Washington own most of the politicians we thought were watching out for our interests, they make the policies. We're just putting a figure-head in place, keeping our ritual safe and looking "democratic" but excuse me, it's just not ... acceptable?

But we accept it. I accept it. How did that happen?

Some Americans will simply withhold their vote this year in protest over having such a "non-choice" and I almost think they have a point. Almost. Perhaps it's Ralph Nader time again. What's the difference anyway? Our President just has to look presidential, isn't that half of why we vote a certain way? Just think "Ross Perot" and you'll get it. That man could've bought the damn election but he was just too short. No one believes you when you have to keep looking up to talk to folks. You know, like children. No one believes them, either.

Like you, I'm getting ready for the purgatory we're about to enter with the rest of the globe. Somehow, history must be gentle to this time, because once upon another time we seemed to have it almost right - we really did.

Until Dallas......

How Do YOU Do It?

Just sitting here reading your blogs (somehow not as nice a word as "journal") and thought I'd ask a rude question. Then I decided I'd best not. So I'm asking a polite one:

HOW DO YOU choose to POST? Anything like the way I do?

Do you open your browser and just type? OR

Do you open AOL and click into your blog from wherever you keep it?

I'm extremely curious how folks post their entries, wondering if I'm odd (don't answer lol) I see we can change this template anytime, but is that really important? Hm - maybe our templates are like the "mood" option AOL gave us. Guess I must be in a "parchment" mood lol.

You'll notice I disabled the word verification option as I want to keep things easy for anyone to comment. So I give this cautionary warning to anyone trying to spam me: go ahead.

Chen? I welcome your comments which you'll notice you're free to make here in America. This is not the platform you seek. Spamming blogs will not bring China solutions, as a revolutionary you should know better.

Ch-Ch-Ch-CHANGES

Ah yes, notice that look of suspicion and leariness? Indeed. And exhaustion lol. But change, it always makes me take a second peek. There are things here I hope to enjoy, others I know I never will. Miss the option of telling you how I feel and what I'm listening to. In fact it was seeing Brain I think it was, listening to "Chill.com" Radio that caused me to f ind it, now I've always got it on. Another thing I'll miss is knowing my post will look almost exactly as I see it tapped out - pictures and all. Blogger seems to work "around" us instead of "with" us, you know? And I'll have to keep posts shorter I see, which will hurt lol I tend to ramble, especially about the universe. This is be-deviling me but I'll live.

FINALLY MADE IT - OLD JOURNAL AND ALL!!

Is this PEACE in our time?? LOL WELL DEAR ONES, IT SEEMS I TRANSFERRED MY COMPLETE AOL JOURNAL RIGHT INTO THIS SPOT, USING MY SAME NAME "DARE TO THINK" AND AS YOU SEE, I'M PICKING UP RIGHT WHERE I LEFT OFF WITH (what was that company's name? AY-O(no)-Ell, as in "the 'ell with loyal customers." But please continue reading....

In a panic, I DID start a blog here, before getting their "magic tranporter link" (beam me over, AOL) which I called "Dare To REthink" and really don't need now ... except ...

SOME OF YOU ARE OVER THERE AND I'D LIKE YOU TO COME OVER H E R E !!! THIS IS HOME NOW.

ANYONE OF YOU DEAR FOLK AND FRIENDS WHO

HAVE "FOLLOWED" MY "Dare to REthink" WOULD

YOU PLEASE FOLLOW THIS ONE INSTEAD? I MADE THAT "RETHINK" TOO HASTILY, NOT KNOWING WHAT WOULD HAPPEN NEXT.

Don't want to lose a single one of you!

I'll be posting here, and after you're all securely in

this place, I'll delete the "rethink" one.
Just going to wait till anyone following "Dare To Rethink" is nice and safe here in my same old "Dare To Think" before deleting that made-in hasty panic blog. COME ON OVER HERE!! And please keep sending me your new blog addies so I can FIND you again!!

Hasn't this all been fun ?
WARNING: IF YOU READ FURTHER, YOU'LL BE READING MY OLD JOURNAL, WATCH OUT FOR YAWNS AND GROANS AS I DISCUSS YOUR BRAIN AND WHAT'S GOING ON ABOVE IT AT NIGHT (yea stars!)