TELEVISION, a poetic essay by Soren Mitchell

Martha note: It's Civic Soapbox Friday . . . .

TELEVISION, TRANSPORTS YOUR VISION, DON'T GIVE YOUR MIND AWAY.

COLLECT YOURSELF, PRESERVE YOURSELF, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.

LIVE YOUR DREAMS, DON'T FALL INTO THE SEAMS.

NATURAL, BELIEVE IN THE EARTH, YOUR MOTHER, YOUR VEHICLE; THE FLESH.

DON'T CURSE THE RAIN, DANCE, PUT YOURSELF OUTSIDE, EXPLORE YOUR INSIDES,

RIDE YOUR OWN WAVE, DON'T GO NUMB ON ME BROTHERS, SISTERS,

FEEL YOUR WAY.

REMEMBER THE OLD WAYS, REVERENCE OF LIFE, NOT FEAR OF DEATH,

IT IS JUST PART OF THE CYCLE OF LIVING AND DYING, LAUGHING AND CRYING.

WHO'S TO SAY YOU'VE GONE ASTRAY, KNOW YOURSELF AND YOU WILL KNOW GOD.

ETERNAL, DIURNAL, NIGHT AND DAY, DARK AND LIGHT, YOU ARE A DIVINE SPARK, THE ESSENCE OF CREATION, YOU ARE ALL THAT IS, NATURE IS YOUR REFLECTION.

NURTURE, UNDERSTAND, THERE IS NO NEED TO DESTROY YOURSELF.

THE STARS SHINE FOR YOU, THEY SHINE FOR ME, THEY SHINE FOR ALL,

THE PLANTS, FOR THE ANIMALS, FOR THE ROCKS, THE WATERS, FOR ALL PEOPLE, EVEN THE DECEIVERS, THE BLIND RECEIVERS. THE WINDS WHISPER YOUR NAME, THE FLOWERS SMELL SWEETLY FOR YOU, THE SUN RISES FOR YOU.

WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD ALMIGHTY, DON'T BE MEEK, TIMID, DON'T BE SMALL, WHAT IS THERE YET TO BE AFRAID OF? YOU ARE ETERNITY, INFINITY, INSANITY, HUMANITY. IT IS ALL THE SAME, LIFE EXPERIENCE,

YOUR CONSEQUENCE IS YOUR OWN. MAKE IT, BREAK IT, TIME IS THE ILLUSION, THE CONFUSION, THE CROOKED CORNERSTONE OF CIVILIZATION, MONETARY INFLATION,

DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE.

DEBT WILL EVAPORATE, LAUGH IN THE FACE OF THE PAPER EMPIRE OF ILLUSION, IT DEPENDS ON SELF DELUSION.

YOUR FLAME IS BIGGER THAN ALL THE PIECES OF MONEY IN BABYLON.

THERE IS NO INSURANCE POLICY YOU CAN BUY TO SAVE YOU FROM YOURSELF.

YOU

ARE

IT!

               -- Soren Mitchell lives in the Rockfish River Valley