Passing by Barra

Starry nights, smiling moon
Crawling creatures
Waves dancing
Rock, folk and Piper Blues

Occupation of Tenacatita: One Year Later

On August 4, 2010, businessman Andres Villalobos' security force swept through the tiny Pacific coast beach town of Tenacatita, Jalisco, Mexico. Businesses were bulldozed, people evicted, property confiscated and a perimeter fence erected.

Third-world actions occur in third-world countries but the unique circumstances of Tenacatita go beyond what you will find in most Banana Republics.

Fading Faces of Morocco

The road to nowhere.

Bogart and Bergman in Casablanca
never left the backlot

Kerouac and Ginsberg in Tangiers
Where Allen discovered America
and Jack his desolate angels

Shake the Dust

This is for the fat girls.

This is for the little brothers.

This is for the school-yard wimps, this is for the childhood bullies who tormented them.

This is for the former prom queen, this is for the milk-crate ball players.

This is for the nighttime cereal eaters and for the retired, elderly Wal-Mart store front door greeters.

Shake the dust.

On the Shores of Walden Pond

The baptismal font known as Walden Pond.

You were born
to be dipped
in the waters of
Walden Pond

First Lines Second Thoughts — Don Quixote

Somewhere in la Mancha,
in a place whose name
I do not care to remember,
a gentleman lived
not long ago,
one of those who has a lance
and ancient shield on a shelf
and keeps a skinny nag
and a greyhound for racing.

— Miguel de Cervantes

First Lines Second Thoughts is a look at the first lines of well known literary works. On second thought, do these opening words stand alone as poetry? As we travel through Spain, we are reminded of Cervantes' Don Quixote. Published in two volumes. Ten years apart, in 1605 and 1615. The full title of this classic book is, The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha. En español, El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha.