That I'm old enough to have a midlife crisis, has given me a midlife crisis.

​Jesus In The Sun
 
Spied a wayward woman with a crooked, quirky smile.
Singing to herself and spinning dancing all the while.
Knew right away as she swayed through the fair,
Drenched from a passing rain,
She might be held in my heart, but never be claimed.

Stepped up alongside her and offered my name.
Had time to share, did she want to do the same?
With a ballerina’s turn, she looked into my eyes,
And reached out a hand.
You can follow if you like, she said, follow if you can.

She gave me a look that left my legs unsteady,
Asking me, gently, Are you sure you’re ready,
To release your mind, leave your fears far behind,
And all your worries?
Then join me now on my beautiful journey.
​
Without waiting for an answer, she ran off with a start.
The downpour eased, dark clouds drifted apart.
Calling to me, she said, I’m searching for something,
Looking for someone.
And when they appear, we’ll find Jesus In The Sun.

Butterflies flutter on an open flower.
Rainbow mist after an August shower.
Newborn sleeps at her mother’s cheek.
Midnight moon alights a mountain peak.
A kiss before dying, goodbye whispered.
Raptured lovers, desires untethered.
Silver sparkles on an infinite ocean.
Written words of lost emotions.

I stood all alone in the middle of the still crowded fair.
And watched the dazed faces of everyone everywhere.
As they marched through the haze of revelation.
Feeling Jesus In The Sun.
Seeing Jesus In the Sun; Beauty is Jesus In The Sun.

​
2018  Alfred C. Martino

​I have to wonder if US soccer player Megan Rapinoe's anger regarding the nomination of 18 year-old Venezuelan Deyna Castellanos as one of the three finalists as Women's Player of the Year isn't misguided. After all, the initial list of ten nominees (which obviously included Castellanos) was decided upon by six all-time great female players (including perhaps the greatest US women's player, Mia Hamm). Therefore, shouldn't distaste for Castellanos inclusion have been voiced when the list of ten was announced?

And if not at that time, then is it really that unreasonable to imagine--given FIFA's process for deciding the final three is through open voting by national team coaches, national team captains, journalists and fans--the voting might result in an unlikely candidate like Castellanos, particularly when Venezuelan fans could have chosen her in far greater numbers than other candidates' fans, just as South American coaches, captains and journalists might have voted overwhelmingly for the single South American player among the ten nominees?

Finally, Rapinoe's suggestion that FIFA -- "Old, male, and stale" -- should have stepped in to take away Castellanos' nomination is ridiculous and would have been grossly unfair. Imagine the criticism the organization would have, rightly, come under if the "old, stale males" at FIFA had decided they knew better than coaches, captains, journalists and fans who should, and shouldn't, make it as a Women's Player of the Year finalist.

#meganrapinoe #deynacastellanos #fifa #womensplayeroftheyear

This past weekend, I was sitting on the Jersey City Pier taking in some sun. I stared out onto the water and wrote down these words:

Shimmering suncaps, flecks of gold.
Ceaseless currents, constant motion.
Swelling, sinking, undulating, rising.
Dusting, bursting, then disappearing.

2017 Alfred C. Martino

​#shortpoems #water #songlyrics #alfredcmartino

Yesterday afternoon, my Daisy crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

I remember fondly, fifteen years ago, when I was considering adopting my very first dog, visiting the home of a foster family taking care of a trio of adorable German Shepherd three-month-olds. As I kneeled down to get an eye-level view of the pups, the female--a spindly and delicate, tan brindle girl--crawled under me for a reprieve from her larger, more rambunctious brothers. And like the guy who suddenly has the prettiest girl in the bar saying hello to him, I melted. I named her Daisy, after the character Daisy Buchanan of my favorite novel, The Great Gatsby.
​
She (along with her canine sister Sara) went to work with me every day thereafter and lied down at my feet at night when I was writing or watching TV. She was athletic and intelligent, and as friendly a dog to humans and canines as I've ever come across.

Over the past year or so, it pained me greatly to see age break down her body. Now, she has joined my beloved Sara in a place where the two of them can play and bark and run free. Love ya my little ‘Mookie’… I miss you dearly…

Headlights dim until dawn.
Skin glistening, transient love.
In the glow of dashboard blue.
Forever memories, however true.

Kiss my ear, you offer a smile.
Close my eyes, for just a while.
I'm yours tonight, with a hush.
Tomorrow may come, now is us.

Feel of your warmth makes me shiver.
Sweet taste of your lips, a hint of quiver.
Linger inside your soft embrace.
Steal night moments, forgive by day.

2017 Alfred C. Martino

​I wish I could sing, but I can't. I wish I had musical ability, but I don't. Maybe some artist out there would love to make these the lyrics to their next fabulous single. I can only hope. 

Among the women who have protested against Trump’s supposed misogyny, I’d like to ask the ones who are older than, say, forty, if they did the same during Bill Clinton’s presidency? Did they rail against Clinton’s well-documented sex scandals by marching on college campuses, or on the streets of major cities, or rally in Washington, DC? Did they cheer when an entertainer-turned-agitator expressed thoughts of 'blowing up’ Clinton’s White House? Did they compel NOW, and other leading women’s groups, to make statements in support of Clinton's female victims? Did they feel a sense of unity when high profile feminists castigated Clinton for his boorish behavior?

The answers are, of course, no.

See, there weren’t any protests against Clinton. Not on any campus. Or in any city. Or in DC. Further, there weren’t any well-known feminists taking Clinton to task for his actions, nor were there any women’s organizations defending Clinton's victims.

In fact, Clinton’s sexual misconduct while Arkansas Governor and Attorney General were overlooked by female Democrat voters in the 1992 primaries and, later, in the presidential election. When a sexual harassment suit was filed against Clinton by Paula Jones--for which he would eventually pay an $850,000 settlement and be stripped of his law license--was there any backlash from women? Nope, only against the victim. Clinton enjoyed increased support from female voters--from a 7 point margin in 1992 to a 15 point margin in the 1996 presidential election.

In Clinton's second term, when it became public that he had received fellatio in the Oval Office from an intern fresh out of college (a similar age of many of Saturday's protesters)--the investigation of which led in part to Clinton’s impeachment--were there any recriminations from leading feminists or women's groups at all? Moreover, did women make their voices heard regarding the fact that Clinton had humiliated his wife in the most public of ways numerous times over the decades they were married?

Again, the answers are no.

On Saturday, as I watched protesters in their Pink Pussy hats--many clearly old enough to remember Clinton’s presidency--and read Facebook posts from female friends and graduate school classmates who were Clinton supporters and voters in the 1990s, I was taken aback by their hypocrisy, but not surprised. Back then, Clinton was seen as young, handsome and charismatic, and the prevailing opinion was that Clinton’s infidelities and misogyny made him more manly, exactly the virility we would expect--and want--from our president. Sadly, it was the ultimate “boys will be boys” excuse.

And, just in case you were wondering: No, this was not gross ignorance by women because our society hadn’t yet progressed enough to recognize the implications of sexual assault or harassment. These issues are, rightly, much less tolerated now because of our collective enlightenment in the 1990s when it was an often-discussed public issue (due, in part, to the Clarence Thomas-Anita Hill controversy of 1991).

So why did Clinton get a free pass for things he did, while Trump gets vilified for things he said?

It's not any more complicated than, back then, Clinton was 'their man.' Today, Trump is clearly the opposite.

It's hypocritical and offensive.

And they have the gall to wonder why the country is divided?

#donaldtrump #billclinton #pinkpussy #protests #monicalewinsky #paulajones

On Nov. 4, 2008, when Obama won the first term of his presidency, he rode a second consecutive wave of voter support for Democrats (after the Dems’ successful 2006 midterms). As a result, the Senate stood at D 59 - R 41; the House at D 257 - R 179; governorships at D 29 - R 21; and state legislature control at D 27 - R 14 (with 8 states splitting).

TODAY, Repubs hold the presidency; hold the Senate at R 52 - D 47; the House at R 240 - D 193; governorships at R 34 - D 15; and state legislatures at R 32 - D 13 (with 3 states splitting control).

In other words, after voting in Obama and his agenda in a landslide, American voters have completely repudiated him and his policies eight years later. His presidency has been a disaster for the Democrat Party, and undoubtedly dragged down Clinton, but you will never hear anyone in the media point out what is so numerically obvious.

#2016elections #PresidentTrump #HillaryClinton #RepublicansWin