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Poems and Thoughts by Frank Maurer

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Communication

Dialects opus 47

Are we really so different--creature and human?
We laugh at or admire the Scottish dialect.
We diminish or romanticize the Southern dialect.
We swoon or feel inferior to the English dialect.

How do we react to the dialects uttering the danger calls of Prairie Dogs?
How do we evaluate the evening chorus of the Red-winged Black birds--
Vocalizing with differing dialects among flocks habitating the East or the West?

Differing dialects; differing tones; different speed of utterance;
Our Reptilian Brain crys: "Us and them".
Even our vocalizations delimit us
Just like "those creatures"!

Communication Parameters of a New Generation opus 63

My new daughter-in-law made it immediately clear:
"I do not wish to talk--a text now and then is permissible."
"All my friends speak with their parents-in-law
Only once or twice a year", (you foolish man).
In spite of foolishly attempting to talk,
Our relationship evolved worse and worse.

Strange and sad that a modern young woman
Can overpower a simple wish
Of an accomplished old man from another generation
Rendering an awkward silence--
Occasionally obtaining an insincere verbal intercourse between us.

The Epitome of Life opus 99

Is to be so travelled (even in books!), so well read
And experienced in language, music,
Science and all things known to the mind,
That no matter who is encountered,
There is always a thread or a great current
Of recognition which yields a fellowship of bonding,
Rendering that bonding as though both minds
Had some common experience, custom,
Or ability that holds them together.

The Whistled 'S' opus 160

On the Canary Islands, people often communicate by whistling long distances in Silbo.
That kind of whistling, I was not thinking about, but rather a 'whistled S' with normal speech.
I have noticed, especially on NPR that a larger number of women announcers,
Than their male counterparts, have incessant, annoying 'whistling S's'.
Why is this annoying habit occurring mostly, as I perceive, on NPR?
Does NPR not vet its speakers more stringently than other media?
The radio's the medium of the voice and the voice should be one of its primary criteria.

Google says it is the shape of the mouth and placement of the tongue when creating the sound.
The actual whistle is from the air passing through the teeth in a certain way,
Causing a slight vibration which produces that sound.
One can get a shrill whistle when the teeth come too close together, or not close enough.
Dentures can add bulk to the palate, which produce this speech impediment.
The screeching 'S' can also occur with veneers, too thick or too long on the central incisors.
Those who become their own self-proclaimed cosmetic dentists,
Tend to concentrate on issues of aesthetics and ignore chewing, swallowing, and speaking.
It is the inner side of the teeth that is critical.
The prevalence of the whistling 'S', even occurring naturally, is unclear.
That which affects front teeth could be modified to make any change of significance,
Sometimes within a few hundredths of an inch.
There are many whistling 'Sers' who are dismayed with this condition--
And once one senses it, it is difficult to listen to.

Reconciliation or (just) Recognition? opus 228

Three generations sat together at Thanksgiving,
Discussing, in part, their problems with communication.
The oldest one, who spoke well,
And did not grow up with electronic communication,
Actually apologized for having been so stubborn
To resist the new electronic mode of talking.
The middle generation liked the apology,
But offered no compromise.
The youngest of the generations,
Admitted he just did not use email and will not talk
With the oldest generation's attempt
Of at least trying to pass on something to him!
From the elder's viewpoint, minimally,
He only made a truce of emotion,
And gained no true compromise from the other two;
Hardly reconciliation and perhaps just recognition.

Humans are the only animal who evolutionarily
Can speak and have a complex, written language.
Will this marvelous genetic ability languish--unused--
And mutate back to vocal grunts and silence,
Augmented by spurts of electricity?

Supper in My House! (An email.) opus 235

(I had friends who delivered a meal to me, when I was not feeling well,
instead of attending a restaurant together, as originally planned.)

It was almost as romantic and fun,
Having my imbibition and mastication
Accompanied by little notes and menus as I ate,
Compared to a noisy restaurant.

Of course you were there with your informative
Post-it Note epistles, informing and instructing along the way.
Perhaps the 'conversation' was a little one-sided, though.

Thanks,  F.

A Moment from the Past opus 243

Once again, I was in line in the pet store with more 'lizard-crickets'.
A pleasant young lady pulled back with a full cart of product.
She smiled as I said, "Thank you."
I paid and was walking out as she passed by me.
I said, "So you told me you have rabbits."
Then asking if she had chickens
To graze the droppings from the cages above.
"No," she said, stopping to talk.
"Did you have children in the Davis schools?"
I said yes and named my two boys, Pierre and Basil.
"Oh, I went to school with Basil!"
She gave me her name as Sevgi.
Rummaging through my mind for languages,
I said, not quite sure which language to grab onto,
"That means love!"  "Yes it is Turkish."
"Of course," I responded. She smiled that I had understood.
(I did live in Turkiye for some years.)
Her sparkling eyes prompted me to invite her
And her family to my farm.
We said goodbye, I, feeling a nice warmth of internationalism.
Travel in and learning about other cultures
Does add a further dimension to one's depth.

'Vertebra' opus 259

(My daughter-in-law rarely communicates in any form, so it was a surprise
that I received a text! 5 January 2024.)

I have had an occasional visit from my 3 year old grandson, Rowan,
Who traversed my farm, talking with me about encountered objects.
He pointed out a whale vertebra, from one of my earlier biology jobs.
I repeated the word, 'vertebra', many times,
Also pointing out his own vertebrae, comprising his backbone.
My grandson had a great time and went back home.

Eight days later, his mother sent this text to me:

    Hi, Frank, sorry (as usual) for the lack of contact.
    I wanted to let you know something you would enjoy.
    Tonight Rowan said, "I hope my vertebrae are doing ok."
    I asked him where he learned such a sophisticated word.

    And he said, "From Papa Frank."

  It was quite impressive and very sweet.
  Thank you for teaching him these important things
  That he will carry forward in his life.
  I appreciate it.

I answered, "Yes, he liked that word. We were looking at
My whale vertebra then to his back."

Such an unpredictable, unforecast pleasure!

Eva opus 271

A mistaken misdial, introduced me to Eva,
'The Russian Lady', as she declared herself to be;
A Senior Consultant of a Boston firm.
Texting back and forth together--
I, always anticipating a conclusion and an end.
She sent a photo, upon which I have thoughtfully contemplated.
Who might this young woman actually be?
Dark, strong eyes, looking straight at me.
Auburn hair flowing around her face.
Lips that might so gently be touched.
A sharp chin, which could depict tenacity.
Generally, overall, a determined attitude towards life.
In her texting photo she shows herself,
Holding a brief of some sort, surrounded by files behind her.
Russia, Canada, Texas, and Boston are her pedigree--
Travelled as much as I and still a mystery.
With some gentle talk and a few poems,
She might reveal her true person.

Patience, dear one.

Why has English Lost 'Thou'? opus 287

In a younger time during High School and Antioch College courses,
I always thoroughly enjoyed my studies of Shakespeare's works.
Also, then, I became very aware of older English.
'Why hast Thou not taken Thy shoes to the cobbler Thineself?
To Thee I do ask.' (I just constructed this example.)
In the 1600's, for instance, 'You' was used conventionally for the upper class.
Quakers resisted, using only 'Thou' for singular and 'You' for the plural,
Resulting in many arrests, because of their insulting disrespect.
The story goes that William Penn, being a Quaker, founded Pennsylvania,
As a refuge in the New World, where their practice could continue.
Being a Quaker, Penn also founded Pennsylvania with no bloodshed--
Just agreements with the native people.
(If only Israel and other new territorial establishments
Could have been founded on that same model!)

By the time of the Civil War, 'Thou', except for the Quakers, was rare,
Especially in the new America, where most were more egalitarian,
And 'You' was commonly used for everyone.
Indeed, 'Thou' became most unpopular, also in England.
The disappearance in England was widespread, occurring region by region.
However, even today in Yorkshire, 'Tha' ('Thou') is still heard.
So the use of 'Thou' suggested that the speaker was superior,
And the listener was of lower or inferior class.

Today, for one, the use of 'Thou'/''Thee'/'Thy' seems to be honorific,
The misunderstanding being that the use of archaic language,
Elevates 'regular' speech, making it more formal!
These examples are found in legal, scientific, and academic contexts;
Also one encounters archaic language in historical liturgy.
If a servant girl addresses a superior male as 'Thou',
It is not because she is disrespectful, but rather,
Because he is an older male, and is of a higher class.

Another point is that English is losing its grammatical case and morphology,
Resulting in less formal linguistic intercourse.
(Perhaps I should stop with 'intercourse',
But all know what that actually means!) Continuing!
Perhaps people became infatuated with royalty,
And 'Thou' was too informal and fell out of use.
'You' also conferred formality and might compliment an unknown listener?
Eventually this might have just become the more formal version.
The use of 'You' might have one also attempting
To avoid making a 'mistake' with the listener.
Perhaps, too, with verb economy in mind,
By using 'Thou', the verb conjugation had to end with 'ST':
'Why doeST Thou? Thou shouldST speak properly!
Other languages did not have this 'problem'.

Today, we hear 'You All' and 'Yous', when addressing a group,
So 'You' switches to the singular and 'You All' is unmistakably plural.
If Nora, my late wife, a linguist, could read this, written by a biologist,
She would either just plain cringe, or be amazed and offer a soft compliment!
In conclusion, I remain reminiscent for somehow using 'Thou',
Because it gives a softness and sense of intimacy to our speech,
And without 'Thou', English has lost one wonderful means of expression.

Our Elders. To the Young Ones Around Me opus 289

An aware elder has been around for a long while,
And, being aware, most likely has acquired a good deal of knowledge.
If an elder conveys some observation or thought to one, younger,
A good path for the young one to follow is listen, thank, then contemplate,
And act, if it seems appropriate to heed those words.
Politely, take it or not, after some thought,
But do maintain the elder in your circle of knowledge sources;
Never break the tie nor be angry, annoyed, or abusive in word or thought,
For there just might be the occasion when that elder's words,
Will be invaluable in your successful progress forward--
No cost. No obligation!

1066 AD opus 299

After extensive travail, I discovered my ancestry
Trailed back to William the Conqueror, 8th Duke of Normandy.
As we sort of learned from the smutty comic scene in Henry the Fifth,
The conquest introduced, over several centuries,
French into England's Anglo-Saxon verbiage.
There are a myriad of examples, but one I love is our 'in lieu of ',
Which in English means 'in place of '.
'Lieu' in French, of course, also means literally 'place'.
I find it fascinating that this word jumped literally
From one language to another.
The 'nuance!', however, shifted from 'someone acting in place of another'
To the evolved meaning of 'one thing done or provided instead of another'.
Also the introductory moment was in the 15th century and not 1066.
But my fantasy of 1066 was not shattered.

After 1066, English was open to accepting Anglo-French vocabulary,
With numerous examples welling up, especially in the 14th and 15th centuries:
Fatherly became paternal, brotherly became fraternal,
Of course motherly became maternal,
But somehow sisterly did not even exist until the late 1500's,
Not to mention a competing French form.
Eventually soral appeared, but sisterly maintained its prevalence.
As we know, sorority is used from the Latin root, soror, meaning 'sister'.
The transfer of a word from one language to another
Is often because of the fancy of the speakers.
In spite of it all, 'lieu' appears to have sounded sexier (?) than 'place'--
Sort of emphasizing words, originally shadowing from 1066.

Musical Similarities Over the Centuries opus 331

As I have written, music has been a huge part of my life.
I was listening this morning to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach,
Celebrating his 31 March 1685 birthday, soon to come.
His winding, polyphonic, continuous musical-cadence sounds
Suddenly connected the musical sounds in my head
To other similar styles--at least for me--
Which have the same continuous flow, if seemingly different sound.
The first which comes to mind are Amish hymns,
Which I heard during a Sunday service in a midwestern,
Congregants segregated by sex, temporarily cleaned out barn.
Their singing took me back to the Khoisan (Bushman) people
Who sang for me one evening in the Kalahari with their profound magic.

Another important musical type for me is the beautiful
Continuous sounds of Scottish classical bagpipe pibroch style.
My mind then jumped to the similar continuous sounds
Of electronic music of my teenage years.
There are so many composers of our time with their own such style--
The 12-tone System of Arnold Schoenberg, for one.

All of these continuous styles from many centuries
Require attention and concentration to fully appreciate.
This is perhaps why our today's listeners are not capable of a full acceptance--
Our society now needs more and more instant gratification,
Which allows such music to be purposely ignored in our minds.
We need to play such music in our homes to our children,
So that such musical history is not lost to the common sounds of the masses,
And studied only by the esoteric musical scholars!

(Dear Readers--explore the genres presented here in a few minutes--not too fast,
And partake in beautiful musical styles which took me decades to discover!)

The Tragic Separation by War opus 352

The two of us were not anywhere near the war,
Raging fiercely and cruelly,
The rightful cause being justified by both sides.
One of us is a devout and practicing believer,
While the other is a Humanist, historian,
Devoted to all life with no god.
They had schooled together, performed music together,
And then lost track for many activity-filled decades.
One chose the military as a doctor (for refuge?) during Vietnam.
The other fiercely opposed the war, declared a pacifistic stand,
Ready to be a 'noncombatant', go to prison, or flee to Canada.

At their fiftieth High School reunion, we met again and even later,
At the capitol of Rhode Island, when the second
Was presenting a hand-carved 'Tartan Stone' to that state.
Communication began once again in earnest,
Until it happened--the Gaza-Israeli War.
Because of our backgrounds, beliefs, philosophies, and life outlook,
Suddenly we were not able to comfortably communicate
And at 80 for both, we were drawn apart,
Much as had occurred in our Civil War,
Where, brother against brother, father against son,
And mother against daughter's husband
Divided once united and steadfast relationships.

Humans, unfortunately, go beyond their fellow creatures
Because they think--creating philosophy, politics, and religion--
All which can divide humans and of which
Other creatures know nothing thereof.

(Ok, you got me on the territory argument, if you wish to diverge.)
(That's another 'Thought' coming out soon!--
'A Mammalian (Human) Territorial Flaw'.)

We are having a Telephone Speech Crisis opus 359

I am almost 83 in August.
I have raised millions of dollars by telephone for wildlife and open space.
I also receive hundreds of calls asking for something
Or informing me of an appointment or something informational.

The new trend is to employ many less expensive--cost cutting operators,
Most recruited from Central or South America, or more, from the Philippines,
Who do not often speak clearly or succinctly.
The many North American operators are mostly young female citizens,
Who are, over time, speaking more and more rapidly.
What I am observing over my many years,
Is that the foreign operators are not well trained in English
And that the citizen women uncoached operators speak so rapidly,
One has a true difficulty in following and comprehending their message,
Let alone catch their mangled name at the introduction.
As for the doctor or company for which they are calling
These pivot people are well trained in their professions and how to speak.
So my basic question is why on earth are 'professional' telephoners
Not trained properly in speech, speed of delivery, and clarity?
Actors on stage must learn proper speech and delivery.
Why are telephone informers not groomed
To properly execute their message as well?

So Many Choices are Dividing Us opus 365

As our technology continually fragments,
It results in a kaleidoscope of competing means of communication.
How our news is transmitted from many rival sources
As well as what type of means we just 'talk' to each other,
Has divided our society, our politics, our religious groups,
As well as our basic family structure!
'I listen only to this or that--the others are fake.'
'I do not and will not talk with you on such and such a technology--
I use only such and such a means to communicate.'
The old fashioned telephone is now considered slow, intrusive,
And the voice is obsolete!
Faxing, Email, and texting plus others go quickly out of mode and fashion.
With our present many means of learning what is going on (news!),
Or how we just talk with each other,
Has no longer brought us together, but has divided us,
To the point that we just plain refuse to interact,
Merely because of the 'brand' of the means used.
With all this technology, we are being brainwashed
Into separated states of isolation.

Afternoon of my 83rd Birthday (Train of Thoughts) opus 423

Guests at 1700 Hours have departed and I sit alone
By my small pond in a gentle breeze.
Quiet, with a bucolic sense all around.
A Great Egret patiently fishes, then slowly rises up and disappears.
Recounting my birth certificate, recording the time I emerged into the world--
0115 EDT--if daylight time had been created then (it had--March 1918).
That would mean the exact time of 83 years,
Would have been 2215 Hours PDT on 24 August 2024.
Funny how things shift around our planet.

So, at 1100 Hours, Pierre's and Basil's mother, Christine, came to celebrate!
When your ex-wife comes to truly visit, you have done something right!
(I think she might be a little bored, lacking a challenging
conversation now and then.)

Then Pierre (son) and Julia (his wife) and belatedly Rebecca (a friend)
Tumbled in for a moment of greetings and tumbled out, just as fast, to
Burning Man.
Christine and I were left with cake and South African Gem squash and figs
To discuss for a full four hours--she was to stay only for one or two.
Reluctantly on both our parts--so different in life's orientation,
I had to send Christine on her way into the five-o'clock Sunday traffic.
A very nice interaction of two, who seldom interact.
How wonderful if Kamala and Trump and their followers
Could interact in such a peaceful and sane manner.
This was, indeed, a thoughtful and meaningful meeting of two differing minds.
Thank you, Christine, to take the time and be tolerant enough
To propose, to expound, to contemplate and allow the possibilities of compromise,
Which could exist in a world of needless, non-empirical debate.

Where has HAVE gone? opus 429

I am a biologist, having evolutionary theory as the basis of my science.
My late wife, Lenora, was a linguist with its own theory of evolution.
When I complained about some language variant,
Such as, "Where is the station AT?",
(I worked abroad nine years and had never heard such),
She gently reminded me that we both each 'have' our own form of evolution.
Yes, she was correct, but how might she react to the loss of 'have' now?
The tenses of 'to have', are 'have' (present), 'had' (past) and 'have had' (past participle):
FOR 'They have gone to the store' NOW resolves to 'They ' gone to the store'.
OR ' I have seen that many times' BECOMES 'I ' seen that many times'.
OR from a black announcer (on NPR!), 'What do you seen?' FOR 'What have you seen?'.

I find this a new, innovative variation with our English language--
Do listen for this, just for fun, and watch to hear you utter it yourself!

Time Revisited opus 453

Humans have created an illusion with the measurement of time.
Today, Daylight Savings Time (DST) ended at 0200 Hours, pushing the clock back.
Announcers and others cried out joyfully, "We have gained an hour!"
Likewise at autumn-time an opposite lamentation is heard.
Are we really so completely brainwashed?
Humans, as well as other Earthly life,
Are locked into a circadian rhythm coordinated with the sun.
Before the invention of clocks, no conflict occurred.
With clocks, humans could just coordinate more precisely,
But still not challenging their circadian rhythms.
Standard Time (ST) is basically coordinated with the sun and our bodies.
And it must be emphasized that light exposure is vital
For the health of our circadian rhythm and its proper functioning.
Most, including farmers, worked from sunup to sundown.
The clock often extended the work day from dawn to darkness,
But the circadian rhythm was not challenged or shifted.
Then, because of the rationales of war, farming,
And school children walking in the dark,
The subtle biological conflict of the sun vs clocks began.
With the artificial creation of Daylight Saving Time;
Nice for many now 'having' long summer evenings,
But, as warned by many psychologists, detrimental
To our cryptic, but very real circadian rhythm.

Now politics enters to raise its uninformed head;
Always considering votes, business, and a feeling of control.
Two years ago, I sent an email to all 50 senators,
Warning them of the pending chaos, if a free-for-all were allowed.
Only two states have thus far legislated for only Standard Time--AZ and HI.
If future states choose just what they desire, permanent DST or ST,
Our country will be a chaotic mosaic of time changes,
And, we do this not fully understanding the detriment to ourselves
Which manifests our normal circadian rhythms
Grinding against a seasonally changing time,
Part of the cycle being unhealthy for our very well being.

A Note to a Daughter-in-Law opus 481

The murder of my two lovely hens by a dog(?)
Does not at all equal my sadness
By not being able to just plain
Talk with you and with your son.
Strange, I could talk with my two hens,
Even verbally, urging them into their shelter at night.

So, finally, I could talk with two sweet birds,
But not with a 'bird' who is human.

Reaching Out to Those 'Others' opus 488

Many radio programs I have been listening to during this holiday season,
Ask that we try to reach out 'to the other side'.
Well, it took hold, so I texted my quick Holiday greetings
To both my closer friends, but also to those I have for several
reasons lost touch.
It is difficult to reach out to people who are adamant and unyielding.
I am truly in a quandary, but I shall send more 'innocuous' messages
And see if anything softens in our interactions.

A Positive Point Towards Talking opus 495

When we are actually talking with another,
Rather than via a modern electronic device,
Our heart rate might mutually increase, as well as,
Dilation of eyes, and increased similar brain activity.
Electronic devices do not often elicit these mutual reactions.
Thus, perhaps one might conclude that those who are truly aware,
Will never totally abandon good, and often necessary,
Audible conversations.
Electronic intercourse is not really a part of basic human behavior.

(The telephone still has the voice and its inflections,
So, as a 'needed' compromise, speakers have learned
To exaggerate the voice a bit to get their point across.
Emojis, concerning their attempted remedy,
Really fall short of this emotional communication )

Our National Mindset opus 496

It is not guns alone causing our chaos,
But rather a national state of mind, 'allowing' a source of violence.
As long as we elect leaders who use 'violent speak',
Our national mentality will increasingly shift from a loving, caring center,
To a state of accepting and even approving the violent approach.
(Greenland, to be taken over by our military?? etc.)

A Plural Transgresses into a Singular opus 497

ACTUAL QUOTES:
THEY will be able to do that THEMSELF. (themselves)
WE are already working on that project OURSELF. (ourselves)
THEY should be able to vote THEIRSELF!!! (themselves)
WE don't need to wait until the end of our LIFE. (lives)
If that occurs, THEY will all lose their LIFE. (lives)
No ONE has lost THEIR (for the proper 'he or she') HOUSES (house)
(trying to agree with the 'false' THEIR, when it is a singular subject).

I have heard them all--
Why is it we now use a plural subject
And end with a singular personal pronoun or object?
Is it too cumbersome and laborious
To use THEMSELVES or LIVES in our sentences today?
Have we come to the point where we just must streamline
So much so that we destroy grammatical agreement?
The plural is now transgressing into the singular and vice versa!

Human's Success on Planet Earth opus 500

Have humans been so successful because of greater strength or intelligence?
Probably not. However, humans seem to be able to imagine a myriad of possibilities
And inventively combine them in ever-increasing ways.
We continually push boundaries; the driving of cultural evolution.
Other species use tools, modify communication, and innovatively harvest food.
But these changes are fairly static, with no radical transformations.
Humans accumulate knowledge, but also reinvent and expand its delimitations.
Our openness allows quick adaptation with complex sequences,
To solve pending problems as well as future challenges.
Many creatures have an evolutionary ceiling; humans seem to have no limits.
Humans have transformed their environment--other animals merely adapt.
This transformation is bolstered by the cycle of cultural accumulation.
The enigma of human's world domination is understood,
By comprehending our ability to imagine, thus creating a boundless future.

(Was this one of the reasons the Neanderthal didn't make it?)

The LA Fires opus 502

They watched in grieved silence as their church,
Then a synagogue, then a mosque burned to nothing.
Four major fires have ravaged, so far, more than 1200 structures.
Where is their god, to which many have sent earnest prayers?
In our wasteful life of comfort and ease,
Has the voice of god been all around, but has not been heeded?
Surely our collective inner voice has attempted to guide us,
But we are blinded by our votes and present way of life.
Was Carter's then plea, to reduce our use of energy overall,
And our public disdain and impatience with this visionary man,
The very voice which we should have,
Almost five decades ago, wisely heeded?

Our Future? opus 504

Oh, those of you who switched your votes,
Do you really know what you have unleashed?
Will we now be once again flooded continually with misinformation?
Check out the purchase of Greenland with all its new duties?
The declaration that Canada is the 51st State and all those duties?
Future steps to make women a non-reproductive entity?
Destroying the FBI which, with all its faults, does maintain the law?
Abolishing the Department of Education, which was an attempt
At more equal access to learning opportunities?
Reduction of food and fuel prices--both now reneged upon?
And god knows what else will obtain in this murky future.
Well, you voted for whatever, and we must now
All live with the consequences.

Those Illegals! opus 505

Are most illegal immigrants crooks and drug dealers?
Los Angeles is now an inferno--already 10,000 structures lost.
Sadly, six with more to come, have lost their homes and lives.
One homeowner, it is reported, remained to attempt to save his home.
He also battled for hours to stop a neighbor's burning home
From spreading to destroy his own.
Exhausted after several hours, he lay down in his house to rest.
Upon returning, he discovered a band of Guatemalan illegals,
Bucketing, in a line, water from a neighbor's pool to stop the fire!
He was overwhelmed and asked them why were they doing this?
This was not their neighborhood, nor did they know anyone.
They simply replied, 'our parents taught us to always do good
And this catastrophe is beyond and above us all for personal safety.'

Why Do We Talk to Ourselves? opus 521

How many times have you caught yourself talking to 'no one'!
Why do we humans continue such one-sided conversations?
Do children better learn their language and thus it is adaptively ingrown?
Do we repeat something out loud so that we might not forget?
Do we, in a critical and stressful moment, talk aloud to release tension?
Do we, anticipating a date or interview, give ourselves an audible pep talk?
Do we repeat out loud, so this 'self-talk' reinforces our memories?
Do we repeat incessantly to ready for a rebutting response or argument?
Do we chat aloud to just plain calm ourselves down?
Are we scripting to assure ourselves of a necessary procedure?
Are we just having a conversation with a companion animal?
Are we a puppeteer voicing a thought
Through our normally inanimate dummies?
Are we alone and talking to a recently deceased loved one?
Or are we just plain journaling, or externally thinking,
Or simply compensating memory?

A Fortunate Old Man opus 546

I have many memories of 'good' and 'bad':
It is all relative.
I have reasonable health.
I have warm or cool shelter--
Depends on the season.
I have nourishment--
Recycled, roadkill, entomophagous, or deluxe.
I have activities to keep my mind astute--
Conservation efforts, writing, fundraising,
Discourse with those who wish to engage;
Tending and feeding my animals--
From fish (Bettas), to bird (emu),
To reptile (Bearded Lizards), to mammal (Angus calf):
I have them all--my constant companions.
I have occasional friendly visitors
Who gift me bits of wonderful food
And to some, in return, I donate some remuneration
For various student and conservation causes;
But, most profoundly, my two boys (men),
Who check in on me, converse with me, help me,
And keep my faculties honed to sharpness.
It could be far worse.

A Pseudo Peace (For Patrick) opus 547

I have a former acquaintance
Who boycotts me because of my verbal outburst,
Against the government of a certain nation,
The leaders of which are seeking revenge
Based on a ratio of 1200 to 51,000.
My math says that sort of ratio
Is not a 'balanced equation'.
Does one finally scream out
Or hold one's peace for a pseudo peace?

An Interview Using the 'Wobbly Chair Test' opus 611

Interviewers seeking good employees may well use the 'Wobbly Chair Test'.
It entails two chairs; one set a little aside which is totally normal.
The interviewee's primary chair by the interviewer has one leg cut a bit short.
This enables the latter chair to not sit straight and to wobble.
The test is, will the interviewee notice and remark on the unsteady chair,
Momentarily stop the interview, and ask to exchange chairs;
Or will 'they' (notice the 'singular they' employed here)
Continue to wobble and uncomfortably continue with the procedure?
Of course the interviewer is interested in whether or not
The one interviewed takes initiative in a situation
And notices something that needs improvement.
Of course, if the person interviewed is shy and does not speak up,
The establishment may possibly lose an otherwise potentially good employee.
Presumably, all that depends on the good insight the interviewer may have at that moment.

The Momentum of Speech opus 612

I have been struggling doing business on the phone,
Especially with young women.
Because they talk so fast, it is difficult to follow at times.
The scuttlebutt is that Gen-Zers talk faster than Millenials,
Because of the former being exclusively exposed
To the ever-expanding, all-consuming, social media.
Also, scientists record that greater numbers of women
Are using a growly, creaky, 'annoying' speech pattern now named 'vocal fry'.
But why, in general, are people speaking faster now?
One study implies that listeners find fast-talkers more persuasive.
Slow speakers can be assumed to be less intelligent or competent,
While very fast talkers might be seen as less truthful or less kindhearted.
In a competitive society, people might hurry their words for fear of being interrupted.
A bustling, competitive or clamorous school environment might reinforce rapid speech;
A child or older student learns to speak hastily to be heard.
If we interrupt each other in society, rapid speech becomes a survival skill.

Social dynamics in our high pressured society
May have a great influence on women's speech:
Women are taking a greater role in the workplace,
Competing with men, who some surveys show, talk faster,
So it is natural that young women compete back by also speaking faster.
The other factor, along with this, is that sexes mimic each other
And just like cultural mimicry with an accent,
Speed might also be imitated so that one better fits in with peers.
High pressure workplaces require quick information delivery.
Fear of interruption in that workplace causes a rush to finish thoughts.
And if there is emotional intensity involved,
This might lead to uncontrolled rapid speech.

At any rate in my nearly 84 years listening to others speak,
I definitely notice an increase in speaking velocity,
Especially in young women, who are definitely
Dominating the telephone answering services.
This is not prejudice, but merely an old guy observing his fellows.

Are We Witnessing the Downfall of a Great Democracy? opus 616

So many 'props' for so many are being kicked out from under.
Our democracy, our parks, our research, our meds, our schools,
Our information sources, our relationships with each other.
Such phenomena have rarely been witnessed before.
As an old elder, there are feelings streaming through my bones.

Myself Or Me? opus 627

When they see MYSELF (ME!) cooking, they are impressed.
I can cook anything MYSELF (ME - No, No, No!), in spite of them.
People are, more often, using 'myself' totally incorrecty.
'ME' is a plain old object in a sentence,
While 'myself' reflects back to an ability or an accomplishment;
It is used reflexively (no object), for emphasis, or in absolute constructions.
Eg: I hurt myself; I myself did it; Myself busy, I sent him instead.
So, let's try to get this correct--
I am sure YOU (object) can learn this YOURSELF (reflexive)!
I know language changes, but, please, this misuse is too much.

To a Fellow Human opus 629

Isn't it interesting that
Two of the most intelligent on the planet,
Decided not to communicate,
Leaving a void of thought
And an emptiness of potential human interaction.

Time may show from pure reasoning,
That that is never a good way to go;
Juxtaposed reasoning and thought may yet prevail!

An Elder's Views on Aging, Learned While Living as a Youth, With Men Mentally Crippled from War opus 633

One of my Antioch Co-op Jobs was in the Ozarks of Missouri,
Girdling old oaks to improve the forest with a subclimax of pine.
Every day I went out and 'doubled-axed' my way down each long ridge.
Winter's snows came and went, then Spring and I saw my first wild lizards!

I lodged in a boarding house which catered to several men,
Mentally crippled from WWII and Korea-- all unable to cope in society.
On weekends, I would spend some time with each,
Conversing and interacting as each was able.
I built up friendships and learned something about war's effects on them.
It made a deep impression on me as a twenty-year-old.
So much so, that in graduate school at Cornell,
While the brutal Vietnam War was raging, (1966),
I declared myself a pacifist, registering with the US government.
I was then voted in as President of the Quaker 'Young Friends' organization
And led a protest walk across the US/Canadian Peace Bridge.

Those men in Missouri, expounding their stories and plights,
Have affected me to this day, in the ways I conduct my life's activities.
I shall never forget them--I can still picture the face of each one.

A Possible Fate opus 650

S***, I M** N** B* A*** T* S**** A* I A***** H*** B*****...
Is this the fate of our future?
Remember the bravery of our forefathers and mothers.
I wish, still, to live in the land of the Free.
May 17 September 2025 not be a date in infamy!

I rest my case. Frank.

Quiet Counter Revolution opus 669

The evening is quiet; wishing for a call.
Left several voicemails for a few--
That they might call to break my solitude.
Chores are done--all is still.
Suddenly a ring--it is Richard, my webmaster.
Another Trump AI concoction has come out.
"I need another poem for this idiocy he has concocted."
We chat and plan and it breaks the evening monotony.
Who knows how I may 'poemize' his madness?
Those of us who know better,
Are dismayed at what we have all come to!
Will our democracy survive this usurpation?
These are truly dark times for our Republic.
We are pressed to understand 
What might be the possibilities.

David Attenborough opus 673

The middle of the night, as I age, becomes more familiar.
I fell asleep, then woke at 2 AM to a PBS Nature program.
It featured the long life and career of David Attenborough.
He began as a child, collecting English fossils in his neighborhood.
Then with the usual and finally, successful career attempts, got onto TV.
He created, in his own style, several notable nature series.
After 'translating' the many lives of frogs and birds,
He wished to explain the very early living life of the planet.
What would he choose, but that from his childhood--fossils.
From my own present passion with fossil Trilobites,
What did he explain, but his similar passion for Trilobites!
I was very familiar with David, but this brought me ever closer to him.
Our lives were parallel in many ways as we grew,
He being more world renowned, and I, in a smaller, but similar sphere.
Our worldly passions and concerns were parallel,
But through circumstance and drive, some of us reach wider horizons.
Both are vital, the smaller sphere augmented and supported by the greater.   
Truth and awareness are vocalized and needed by wide and local voices.
One should not boast if large, nor be discouraged if small.
All voices of encouragement are severely needed--especially now.

Relationships 12 October 2025. 1150 Hours opus 676

Dear Marye,

Your email this evening flooded my screen,
As if dark cave waters flowed out into liberating sunlight!
How nice to hear from you and your wise, aging thoughts.
I do thank you for your compliment.
I am truly humbled.
I can no longer walk much distance, so the farm is my realm.
I have detailed pictures in my head about Quail Ridge,
And the Nevada lands, which I will pass on to my boys,
And New Mexico Conservancy (Deer Canyon) which is passed on to a new family,
And the Pennsylvania 10 acres, owned by my great,great uncle now passed on to another family,
And the two great 3000 acre ranches in Wyoming,
Which will be passed on as conservation areas for ranching and wildlife.
I do drive a plug-in hybrid and shop and go to doctors appointments.
I always have in my pocket a meteorite or Libyan Desert Glass or a Neanderthal tool to show them.
My writing--Poetry or whatever it is--takes hours in the day.
I have met a programmer who is as hungry to program as I am to write.
He is organizing my writing which may manifest into several books!
As far as the young lady you are putting forth--
Check to see where she is coming from
And I would be delighted to at least start with phone calls.
As you know, I love talking with my fellow humans.
Please be in touch with another flood of words.
I would love to talk any time you desire and have waited for such.

Yours, Frank.

Relationships 27 October 2025. 1716 Hours opus 677

From my perspective, you are the most interesting person I have ever met. I had admired you from the first moment I met you, oh so many years ago.

I have found that I'm just not able to communicate to many of my former friends. Life has changed and most of us have either died or moved on. I am working on being healthy, walking for about 1/2 hour + every day, in addition to working 2 hour every day for my daughter. Following politics is exhausting, mostly because there is nothing any of us can do....Except vote, and support those people who most match our values.

For you, Frank, get yourself out the door and into that magnificent piece of nature you own. Communicate with the bats and bees. Are you a bee-keeper? That is not strenuous, but takes training and commitment. I suspect you've done it in the past, but not sure.

I just purchased Michael McFaul's (another Scot) latest book "Autocrats and Democrats." Just started it, but he's so interesting, being a former Ambassador to Russia. But now he has become quite the expert on Ukraine.

Tis' the end of the summer wine in Iowa. We've had reasonably good weather the past few weeks, but it's all coming to an end. Not sure when the snow will fly, but fly it will, and we'll be frozen out here for 5 more months (although one years, maybe 2010 or 2011 we hardly had any winter at all, and very nice weather, all winter long. I'm ready for another such winter. Most of them are brutal, but then you remember them.

I live 10 minutes from the Amana Colonies (where I ran a Bed and Breakfast "The Prairie Rose" for 10 years). It's such a quaint, humble village, but I still like to go there to get in a constitutional. I can walk all over town and feel safe, and occasionally run into someone I used to know.

Do you drive? I have a Scottish/German/Irish friend in Sacramento, Sharon Young. She was in the Callie Club, but she doesn't drive, and is starting to have serious health issues, mostly falling. She has travelled around the world, studied German for years, and I believe has a degree in Art. I can't get out there much anymore, but I'm wondering if you would like to visit her. She is about your age, and is very interesting. She lives alone, 3 blocks from the Capitol. If this is something you might be interested in, let me know and I'll arrange a meeting.

Anyway, I hope you continue writing. You have so much to offer the world.

Slante, Marye

To Julia opus 682

You joined my family six years ago,
Pledging enigmatically that you wished only very limited interaction.
Now these years later, I basically do not know who you are--
Your desires, your goals, your concerns, even your philosophy of child rearing!
It has pained me greatly to be so involuntarily distant from you,
Even after many years of gently and, admittedly, not so gently
Ways of breaking through your enigmatic facade,
I remain a stranger to you in my own family.
I fear this will never end, after much trial,
And you and I shall eventually pass on to the next phase of life,
Never having mingled our thoughts in what might have been
Mutual augmentation of our potential joyous selves.

History Reveals Itself! opus 683

Nice talking with you after the ProBus meeting. After speaking with Richard, I now know I have an historical connection with you!

On my nascent attempts to start Quail Ridge Wilderness Conservancy many years ago, I spoke with your mother, who was a firm supporter of my efforts, which have now flourished with success. This is a greater reason that we might work together to name our Field Station after your parents!

Please contact me and let us have a meeting together. Your mother was so wonderful with me, giving me the courage to face the original daunting challenge I faced.

Many thanks. Please email me or just plain call me!

Frank Maurer. 530-219-4477.

Uncle Bill, a Young NY Farmer During WWII. opus 707

My mother and her family grew up on a farm in Watkins Glen, NY.
She had a younger sister, Georgia, and a little brother, Bill.
While I was struggling as to what to do during the Vietnam Conflict,
My mother, Elizabeth, told me a story about Bill, 
During his young years on the farm during WW II.
Because so many men were taken for the war effort,
Women took over this effort at home.
These women built weapons, took over manufacturing,
Transported planes within the US to their final domestic destinations,
And, of course, had to also manage their families and children!
In spite of the fact that many women took over the farming,
Many male farmers were required to remain on their farms
And also continue farming, along with their women counterparts.
My mother related to me how humiliating this was for Bill,
Who was one of those farmers who had to remain at home.
Whenever he needed to go to town for supplies,
He went on his business, ashamed to be seen.
I believe he never got over this, and when he dealt with me,
During my struggles as to what to do about my stance
To not fight and declare myself  a Conscientious Objector,
He disowned me completely and would never interact.
He was my favorite uncle, and the blow came heavy.
Our relationship never recovered, and the two of us
Will pass on completely unreconciled--
One aspect of my life, from which I will never completely heal.

Danish Postal System Gone After 400 plus Years opus 712

After more than 400 years, the Danish Government Postal System has ended.
The utilization of this system has dropped 90% in the last few years.
Now one must mail things from a private store--no longer a post box.
Electronic communications have starved the old-fashioned system.
Now holiday and birthday greetings will mostly be compulsively electronic.
(By the way, any unused stamps can be returned for face value.)

Our postal system, about 200 plus years old, created by Benjamin Franklin,
Is teetering towards the same fate as that of Denmark.
Will I witness this occurring in the short remainder of my life?
Will I no longer be able to march into my Post Office, announcing,
"I am here to buy stamps to support this institution"?
Will I no longer be able to add a turkey feather to my epistle,
Augmenting the mystique of my correspondence?
Historically, the pending passing of an era, which I will always hold dear.

Christmas, 2025 opus 716

The Eve gently shifts to that Day.
I am awake changing my pads.
My body diurnally leaks--
It shall continue until I die.

My mind floats to the events and thoughts
Of just today--now yesterday:

A photo of us three children,
So long ago, tucked by the tree.

Elaine's text of her partner's cancer.

Waiting for even a quick call from grandson, Jayden.

Pleased to have conversed today with son, Pierre;
Pondering the section of my living room ceiling,
Which tumbled down during the last rain.

Wondering how my calf is doing in this storm.

Observing my Bettas, gulping air each three minutes.

Enjoying the Mozart Piano Concerto, K 502, now on.

Wondering when I will be tired, so to sleep.

So tormented about politics these days.

So sad about some relationships, not gone well.
Joyful in those that have, indeed, succeeded.

Listening to my furnace monitoring its temperature level.
I try to use as little propane as possible.

Sipping my water drink, touched with Anise.

Thinking of this 'Thought' I am composing.

Viewing the Libyan Desert Glass on my table,
Alongside the jar of New England Sea Glass.

Still wondering when I will be tired enough to sleep.

Oh, perhaps now--My thoughts transformed to Dreams.

The Metric Conversion Act opus 720

I arrived to live near Davis, California, in 1979.
I shall always remember the State sign on I-80.
The sign indicated the distance to Sacramento and the East Coast,
But not in a usual manner--there were two systems used!
One was the normal 'mileage', the other, the metric.
What was going on?  Metric in the US?  Yes indeed.
The US was the last country to attempt to go metric. 
In the 1970's, President Ford put forward the Metric Conversion Act.
This was an attempt to at last convert this country to the metric system.
Of the many entities needing conversion, road 'mileage' signs were one.
This, as we know, did not succeed.
However, to match the rest of the metric world,
Much of our food and drink, automobile and aircraft dimensions,
And our medications are also measured  metrically.
But our children are stuck with the British System.
How many feet in a mile?  (5280).  How many meters in a kilometer?  (1000).
How many inches in a yard?  (36).  How many centimeters in a meter?  (100).
I won't even ask how many feet in a rod?  (16.5 feet or 5.5 yards)!
Ok, a Chain is 66 feet or 22 yards.  Ten Chains in a Furlong!
Oh, and there are 100 Links in a Chain.  (0.66 feet or 7.877892 inches equals one Link).
Do you see my point?  The metric system is built on base 10.
For a child to thoroughly (which they don't) learn the British System,
It takes about three years of school time to perhaps learn this system.
Can you imagine how many other important things could be learned instead?
The metric system uses basic names (centi, milli, deci, kilo)--no Furlongs!
And conversions are accomplished by merely moving a decimal point!
Need I say more, considering the precious learning time available?
We, as a people, are absolutely stuck in our ways.
(Just as our British cousins were for so long!) 

Rationalizations opus 737

I was to have seen my grandson, Rowan, today,
But, his father, having a cold, thought it best to delay.
Disappointed, I began a series of rationalizations:
I was really too tired to cope with a five-year-old;
The predicted sunny day became cloudy and cold;
I needed to have time now to finish my writing;
I had no adequate snacks for the sharing;
He really wasn't ready for that scooter I had ready for him;
The house was disorganized and not ready for his explorations;
I was relieved not to catch his father's cold;
So many thoughts to make me feel better.
It was all for naught.  
I just plain missed him this planned-for day.

The Additional Value of Postage Stamps opus 741

I have delved into the Numismatics of our coins,
And have discovered wonderful history as told by them.
The minting of coins throughout our history,
Portrays US history that might today otherwise be overlooked.
Tha loss of the Danish postal system
Manifests adumbrations of another loss of history.
More obviously than coins, stamps (philately)
Reflect pictorially what a nation holds valuable,  
In that this mini-art form speaks out for a nation's values.
This important minimal art portrays 
Human heroes and important landscapes.
If and when our postal system is modified or eliminated,
Yet another quiet depiction-recording of our civilization
Will be sadly halted, just as the Egyptian petroglyphs
Were finally and abruptly cut short 
With the loss of the utilization of the art of stone carving.
(Originally, before stamps, recipients paid for a letter,
But with so many ships sinking, the sender started paying.) 

The Depression of an Elder opus 744

After a longer interval than usual, as we spoke together,
Marianne, my Swiss German speaker somehow came up with 'Trost'.
Her children were off to ski in Switzerland
And she was depressed not to be there with them.
At 83, she was basically unable to travel so far.
I attempted to comfort her as best I might.
"Your children--you have raised and nurtured them,
And now they are on their own, for better or worse."
"You were the bow and they, the arrows, 
And they are discovering their new goals and targets."
"The bow, by definition, remains at the starting place,"
So the word 'Trost' came up to her, 
But she could not remember its definition.
Together, we derived the meaning and found it most appropriate,
In that she longed for solace, comfort, or 'Trost'.
As we age, we are not able to follow so well.
We are slow and delay things.
Our limbs are weaker and less steady for holding upright.
We do not ask, but wish for 'Trost' from somewhere.
The young are full of themselves and do not understand.
The baby cries and wordlessly attempts to reach out.
The elder cries out, but the young ones continue,
Not hearing nor understanding the human directly beside them.

The Softness of the German 'Trost' opus 745

I was chatting one evening on the phone with Marianne,
A Swiss-German speaker; her mother tongue.
Somehow the word 'Trost' came up and 
She could not remember its English meaning.
After some discussion, we sussed out its meaning.

COMFORT -- general relief from distress.
CONSOLATION -- for something that alleviates.
SOLACE -- a formal poetic term, 
                   finding peace in religion, nature, or art.

When spoken, this word is soft in its feeling and sound.
There are those who claim German to be harsh--
Not true and if spoken from the heart as if to a lover,
Elicits passion, and depth, and solace to the listener.
This is a word to be spoken by any and many
And if correctly understood, would bring peace 
As well as compassion for the world.

Dangers of Following an Undesirable Leader opus 752

The leader of a nation who is gentle but strong,
Is a leader with the most citizens who are gentle and considerate.
The leader of a nation who is angry and vindictive,
Is a leader with many angry citizens who care little for each other.
Voters of a nation, must always consider and judge
A potential leader's personality and character, among key categories,
So they are not poisoned by negative leadership.

Five-Year-Old MN Child Used to Lure Parent opus 757

So the story goes and reports expound,
Federal immigration agents used a five-year-old boy 
Liam Conejo Ramos, as 'bait', to lure a family member
Out of their home during an arrest in Columbia Heights, Minnesota.
The ICE agents approached Liam and his father
In their driveway, upon returning from preschool.
By one account, the child was used to lure out his mother.
The father told the mother not to open the door.
The scared mother thus did not take custody and is blamed.
Both the child and the father were transported for detention in Texas.
This sad story contains several conflicting claims.

However, as a biologist, I am reminded of other such historical incidents.
During the whaling period of our country and the world,
Whalers would use a similar tactic on another mammal.
They would harpoon the calf and wait for the mother
To get within range to easily kill her as well.
Female and often male mammals defend their young,
And predators in the know will use this behavior,
Starting with a tidbit and ending up with a complete meal.
It appears that both humans and cetaceans react similarly,
Much to the potential detriment of both generations.
Such, as judged by humans, is one of the cruelties
In the struggle for survival and political advantage.

Valentine's Day, 2026 opus 760

Is Valentine's Day about a box of chocolates or a bouquet of flowers?
Do we really know the horror behind this 'holiday', 
As we send adoration to our loved ones?
This day is a mix of Roman rituals,
Christian martyrdom, and medieval poetry.
The roots of this holiday trace back to Lupercalia,
A pagan fertility festival held in February in ancient Rome.
Roman priests would sacrifice a goat and a dog for purification.
The goat hide was stripped into thongs, then dipped in blood,
And women would be slapped with them, making them 'more fertile'.
Young women would also place their names in an urn,
Pairing them with bachelors during the festival, perhaps leading to marriage.

As the Romans often did, Pope Gelasius 
Replaced Lupercalia with St. Valentine's Day.
One of the first stories recounts a 3rd-century Roman priest,
Who secretly performed marriages for celibate soldiers, until his execution.
Another claims Valentine fell in love with his jailer's daughter,
And allegedly wrote her a letter signed, "From your Valentine."
Chaucer romantically wrote in 1382 about birds choosing mates on that day.
In 1415 Charles, Duke of Orleans, imprisoned in the Tower of London,
Wrote his wife the earliest known valentine poem on that day.

Now, thanks to Esther A. Howland in the 1840s in America,
Mass-produced cards, adorned with lace and ribbons, were for sale.
In 1913 Hallmark Cards began mass-producing cards,
Declaring a 'Hallmark holiday'.
Followed only by the number of shared Christmas cards,
Billions of cards, chocolates and flowers are sent out
To our history-ignorant lovers on this misunderstood 'holiday'.