Life Without Television

No TV

For twenty years, people

would say, "You know

that show--where so

and so. ." and I

would say "I

don't have

a TV."

Looks of horror

came on to me.

It didn't comfort

people that I had

a fantastic stereo,

loads of albums, scads

of books. Or that I took

yoga classes, and I loved

to walk/bike/write/cook.

"You don't watch Friends

on Thursday nights?" my

pal Nikki once asked me.

"No, I said "I have friends

on Thursday nights."

As if I was out of food or

water, friends showed up

at my door, unannounced:

"Here," they'd say," a small

old TV filling up their arms:

"Take it." No one got that I

had no such need; it was

the seventies and 80's.

Did I miss anything?

(c) elaine heveron

War Protest - 4 Years in Iraq

War Protest - 4 Years in Iraq

Yesterday we stood among hundreds along

East Avenue in the cold, holding signs,

No More War - Thou Shalt Not Kill,

imploring our government to bring

the troops back home from Iraq.

One sign carried the remarkable death

tolls. One read simply: "Wage peace."

We sang "Gonna lay down my sword

and shield . . down by the riverside..."

and other songs of hope and determination.

At one point, the groups on the opposite side

of East Avenue started calling across,

"Tell me what Democracy is!" and we called

back: "This is what Democracy is!"

over and over, over and over.

When we began to sing John Lennon's

"All we are saying . . is give peace a chance,"

my throat started to close up,

forcing ancient tears to spill out

again in this too-familiar place.

All the churches in the area were letting out

and it appeared to me that the vast majority

of passengers and drivers were waving with

their fingers formed into the sign of peace

or giving us a "thumbs up" sign at least.

Who is this man who wants this war to continue

so badly and what will be the price in lives lost,

in limbs lost, in cost, in nightmares, in world

mistrust, in our future, in our karmic debt?