When times were tough, pickings real slim, I’d invent a charity and go door-to-door soliciting funds. “Jovian Junipers”, the future of a green Jupiter is just beyond our reach.
What’s that you say, impossible… with the violent hydrogen gas oblate spheroid atmosphere surrounding the unimaginably dense radioactive liquid metal core?
That is why we need help ever so badly, you can see just how much there is to do.
Someday god willing, those trees will be tall enough to reach right up trough a thousand kilometers of ammonium sulfide clouds and all we need is a little help from you, you and others like you, who are farsighted enough share our vision!
Won’t you help?

by Doug Mathewson

Attending poetry readings, book store events and various art functions over the past few months has given me the opportunity to share the thoughts and opinions of many creative intelligent people. It will take me at least another month to sort through the untidy treasure trove that issued daily from my pockets and now overflows an old fashioned wicker laundry basket with notes, programs, business cards, gallery literature, poetry books, and crazy drawings that were my pocket’s daily issue. During the same period of time what I have been reading has been very thoughtful in nature. More serious writing, more introspective works than what I might usually consume
One observation, one conclusion, that should have been long apparent has finally now emerged. Depression, withdrawal, isolation and endless self inflicted emotional trauma are of less than no value. This mindset, this pattern of behavior is one of immaturity and self indulgence. Often enough we hear that an individual is responsible for their own happiness. I conclude the same goes for unhappiness. We are each responsible for that as well. This is not the same as failing in ones search for happiness
and satisfaction in life. Imagine taking in an injured stray cat or dog. You may not have created the situation, but the responsibility for what happens next falls to you.
Grief, pain, heart-break, and suffering are very real but accept them at their face value only and nothing more. Joy and sorrow, the love and hurt we dispense and receive should be not be weighed on the inflexible scales of blind Lady Justice. Our familiar neighborhood butcher would be better suited for the job. We find comfort in his greeting and easy smile. We have an awareness of his ever present thumb, always at the ready to influence the scale so a proper balance for us all may be achieved.
The personal touch, a thumbs worth at a time. We each have our own internal scales, no two alike, by which we judge our lives.
Live, love, prosper, steady others when they seem about to fall, and keep one hand free, your going to need your thumb.

Peace – Doug Mathewson

Thought I’d write a simple list poem.
Seeking inspiration in the side-bar of my home page I saw:
Heart-Pounding, Fast-Breaking, Wild-Eyed News that’s
absolutely crucial to you right now, it falsely screamed!
Hawaiian Chicken Kebob recipe ranks number three.
U.S. troops killed holds down last spot at number twelve.
No mention of African AIDs epidemic, genocide, and
famine – they just didn’t make the cut.
But not to worry, American Idol gossip still rates number one!

by Doug Mathewson

Thinking back through the years I marvel at the worlds of then, and of now. Intrigued by by the seemingly different universe we now occupy I wonder could “nothing changes as much as it remains the same” actually be true? We all have our foundations, our roots, those core beliefs we hold to so tightly. I become fearful that my grip may loosen as time goes on and suddenly I find they slipped-away. Would it be possible to weather the loss? If I could keep but one, one brick, one rock to anchor myself upon it would unquestionably be love. Love as I learned from my Mother long ago. Love that is rooted in respect and so eloquently entwined in every aspect of our daily dealings. By her word and deed I gained a respect, a love for her and my Father. What they had overcome to be together and keep us safe in our little house. I learned to love those around me for who they were. People, just people and nothing more, making due as best they can given their disposition and state. Not a church proclaimed theoretical love, not a holiday celebratory love, but an everyday love of one another that often requires a softer focus, a more forgiving eye. Love of one another, love between man and woman, and the love of children are all grown from these seeds of respect. Seeds my Mother taught me so long ago to sow and tend.

by – Doug Mathewson

In his humorous auto biography, “Lady, The Only Thing Chinese About Me Is My Mandarin Collar” Korean film star and urban philosopher Hyun-Shik “Walter” Fong said it best. “When we speak of wisdom, the knowledge may not be wise. When we speak of learning, these are things we have always known. When we speak of mother or father we may refer not to a person but to a sense of kindness and security, a great unconditional love that we all wish to embrace in our lives and cherish in our memories. Build your life on these three, wisdom, learning, and love and you shall never want.”
Walter’s first name Hyun-Shik translates as “clever”. I feel his words go far beyond that.
To be the object of unconditional love is ones greatest treasure. To give unconditional love is ones greatest gift.

Yours, Doug Mathewson