New Shoes . . .

 

 

 

 

 

Dear United States of America,

 

Dear United States of America, 

Be like Canada and Denmark. Be nice . . .

 

Dear MAGA

 Dear MAGA Community,

See enough and write it down . . .

“See enough and write it down, I tell myself, and then some morning when the world seems drained of wonder, some day when I am only going through the motions of doing what I am supposed to do on that bankrupt morning I will simply open my notebook and there it will all be, a forgotten account with accumulated interest, paid passage back to the world out there.”

 

 

Joan Didion, Slouching Towards Bethlehem

(Photograph of Didion by Henry Clarke)

 

 

 

 

 

 

In English, we say: “I miss you.”

But in poetry, we say:

“I trace the shape of your absence in the spaces where your laughter used to linger,

and let the echoes of you fill the hollow hours.”

 

In English, we say: “I don’t know how to let go.”

But in poetry, we say:

“I carry you in my chest like a stone—

heavy, unyielding, and carved with the sharp edges of what once was.”

 

In English, we say: “I feel lost.”

But in poetry, we say:

“The compass of my heart spins wildly now,

its needle drawn to places it can no longer call home.”

 

In English, we say: “I wish it were different.”

But in poetry, we say:

“I water the garden of could-have-beens with tears,

waiting for flowers that refuse to bloom.”

 

In English, we say: “I hope you’re happy.”

But in poetry, we say:

“May the sun that warms your days

be as kind to you as the first kiss of dew on the dawning light upon the leaves of the laurel that we once made love under”

 

In English, we say: “You hurt me.”

But in poetry, we say:

“You planted thorns in my chest with hands I once trusted,

and now every breath feels like an apology I shouldn’t owe.”

 

In English, we say: “I wanted to stay.”

But in poetry, we say:

“I lingered at the edge of your world,

a star burning quietly, unnoticed in your vast, indifferent sky.”

 

In English, we say: “I’m trying to move on.”

But in poetry, we say:

“I untangle your name from my veins each morning,

only to find it woven into my dreams again at night.”

 

In English, we say: “I’ll be okay.”

But in poetry, we say:

“I gather the shattered pieces of myself like broken glass,

knowing someday, even scars can catch the light.”

With poetry I write paths through gardens of grace with words in ways my body dare not go as a whole.

 

Written by : Larson Langston.

Dear Usha,

 

Dear 2nd Lady Vance,

 

Usha, Usha, Usha. What were you thinkin' girl? Greenland? Really?

 

You are a beautiful, well educated young woman. (Yay!) You can go anywhere and do ANYTHING you want. 

 

I can see that you didn't learn from the humiliation that you faced at the Kennedy Center so lucky for you that I have an eye on you and can offer you sound advice.

 

Protect yourself. Don't get involved in all the chaos that the Republican party is engaged in. Pull a Melania. She was and is a part-time 1st Lady. Upgrade your pre-nup. If you didn't have one get yourself a post-nup. Learn from Melania. 

 

If you want to go to the Kennedy Center attend a matinee session with a friend. Leave your dick of a husband at home. If the President wants you to go to Greenland or anywhere else say sweetly, "Oh, I'd love to but the children ____________". Then fill in the blank. Melania did that and still does that and her child is attending university. If there is a function that you would like to attend then buy yourself a new frock, get your hair done, call a sitter and show up. But, otherwise "just say no".

Greenland is just another humiliation for you. You don't need that shit . . .

 

I'm watching you . . .

 

Singing to the lemurs . . .

ahhhhhh . . .

gentle as she goes

 

 

Dear Mr. Vice President,

 

Dear Vice President Vance,

 

Yikes!!! Why didn't you just get up and leave? Your wife must have been humiliated.

 

Just a quick heads-up to help in the future. I realize that being likable is not part of your job description but it would help you. Maybe you should change your vibe/strategy/persona as Vice President or it will be a very long four years for all.

 

I can give you some tips to guide you in the right direction. Work on your attitude. Drop all the negative qualities that you exhibit. You are arrogant, pompous, conceited, supercilious, condescending, patronizing, haughty, and dare I say, hoity-toity just to name a few.

 

Get yourself some kind of a guru who can help you learn about humility and empathy. Baby steps.

 

I'm watching you . . .

 

 

Dear Secretary Rubio

 

Dear Secretary Rubio,

 

FYI - If you sleep with dogs, you'll get fleas.

 

Be careful of the company you keep, the lies that you tell, and the decisions that you make. Don't expect the world to treat you with respect if you don't treat the world with respect. 

 

Don't worry though, I'm watching you and am here to offer advice. 

 

 

Dear Mr. President,

 

Dear President Trump,

 

I know that you are not now, nor have you ever been, a student of the economy. Please see below a quote about our Social Security system (conceived by President Roosevelt) from former Republican President Ronald Reagan. You might want to get in front of this and school Elon Musk and his Doge bros.

 

Thank you former President Reagan for the clarity.

 

Dear Mr. President,

Dear Mr. President, 

Please see below. 

And, yes. She is fabulous! Well worth the money . . .😍

askin' for a friend . . .

 

Dear Secretary Rubio,

 

Dear Secretary Rubio,

 

I have a tip for you. Please read the meme below and take heed. It will make your job easier and more palatable.

 

PS: Don't worry, more tips will follow.

 

Dear Elon Musk,

 

Dear Elon Musk,

 

Awwwww! Poor you! 

 

Empathy: the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another (Merriam-Webster online dictionary)

It's a shame that you don't feel "empathy" and see it as a weakness. I have noticed that you aren't like most human beings, especially in this way . . .

 

Please see your primary care doctor who is equipped to recommend a psychologist that can help you with your limitations (and, maybe even a psychiatrist who can prescribe some medication). After all, you have 14 children and it is your responsibility to embrace emotional availability to help support their personal growth.

 

Also, if you want to continue to sell your cars, it might be a good idea to try to blend in a bit. (I see you got the memo to show up last night as a guest at President Trump's big American reality Government Adventure show wearing a suit!!! -Evidently the White House crew are very big on suits.- Well done, wealthiest man on planet Earth!!)

 

Try, I know it's hard for you, but try to stay a bit behind the scenes and be calmer and quieter.

 

Don't worry as we have our eye on you . . .

 

 

What's up? Long time no write . . .

       Where the hell have you been? What the hell have you been doin'?  I know, right???!!! I've been sittin' here shaking my head with all that has been happening in the US and all that has been happening in the world. And so, to maintain my sanity I've been off to other places trying not to think much at all. I've been takin' a Portuguese A1-A2 class for the second time even tho I have the A2 certificate needed to apply for citizenship. But am still wonky (or wonkedy as we say in Pittsburgh) and felt a refresher would be a good option before moving on to a higher language level. Gym classes with a trainer to try to ward off the inevitable, book club to try to keep my mind active and loads of eating out have been keeping me company in these times of wonder and worry.

But, today I've been hankering back to last September. Late September an old friend from Pittsburgh and I headed north from Portugal to Santiago de Compostela. We walked from Tui. How we got here/there is a miracle in and of itself.  Both of us have been christened in the Catholic Church more than 70 years ago, but neither of us is a practicing Catholic. I guess by now we have been ex-communicated. Nonetheless, we embarked on this spiritual quest. Perhaps we were looking for a salve to soothe our bruised souls to help us move gently into the next phase of life or maybe just another adventure or sparkle in a full life. But, for sure, this was a next step in each of our stories.

As I sit here all these months later pondering the escapade, I  have heart-warming feelings of that time and of that adventure. You see I was just a couple months shy of my 73rd birthday and my friend, Linda, had already reached 77. I know, right???!!! (What in the hell are these old chicks thinking - hahahaha.) We took a moment in 2024 to renew/deepen our friendship after living on different continents since forever and to follow the path of the many pilgrims before us, who were full of hope, positivity and moral energy, to join in a like-minded community celebrating love and kinship. 

We walked together and apart at the same time if that makes any sense. Always carrying our past with us as an unspoken, unseen entity. We met a myriad of people from other lives, moments, and places. We connected with them in a flash and, then, just as quickly they were gone. But, ironically they touched a part of us, of me, and will live within me for the rest of my days. Often we called them by city or country (Hey, Brooklyn!, Belgium!, Holland!, Jesse from Germany!, 2 women from Norway!), and others by name (Dan from Ireland, Paul an older guy, Sue and her brother Mark - and Mark's wife (we never really met Mark's wife as she was a fast walker and was always way ahead), Richard from England who lives in Canada, and Teresa the older woman who was walking alone). We and they came and went, but we touched each other however lightly and by the same stroke profoundly. 

We shared an experience, Linda and I, and - a short, intimate, emotional connection - with complete strangers that we will never see again. 

What a joy it is to hold what happened in that brief time as precious memories to be recalled when needed and act as an elixir when the world seems dim . . .

Dear Mr. President,

 

Dear Mr. President, 

 

I don't know if you still talk to your former VP, Mike Pense, but he wants you to know;

“Mr. President, Ukraine did not ‘start’ this war,” Pence wrote in a post on X." (He's referring to the Russian invasion of the Ukraine a few years ago.) “Russia launched an unprovoked and brutal invasion claiming hundreds of thousands of lives.” ... “The Road to Peace must be built on the Truth,” Pence wrote.

 

As a refresher I have included a link of a Fox News clip from February 24, 2022 in which they state that "Russia invades Ukraine in largest European attack since WWII". 

 

Maybe you were golfing or whining about losing the election or plotting against the Consitution and missed it. Anyway, it's here for your review.

 

Dear Mr. VP,

Dear Mr. Vice President, 

 tsk-tsk . . .

Dear Mr. President,

Dear Mr. President, 

This should be your Project 2025.

 

Dear Mr. President,

 Dear Mr. President,

this . . .