- Letting Bluebird Out – Krista Schwimmer
- Impressions of Cuba – Jim Smith
- Temescal Canyon Road and the PCH – RF Wagner
- Imposing Democracy – Mark Lipman
- Santa Monica’s homeless population dropped from 999 to 915 – an 8 percent decrease! – Peggy Lee Kennedy
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Letting Bluebird Out
(In memory of Charles Bukowski)
When you let bluebird out
it is true, there is always
danger. Underneath the hawthorn
where he makes his nest
snake could be considering
his breakfast. High in the sky
eagle could gaze down and decide
it is time for another snack.
At night, raccoon could rub his hands
and say, “yum, yum,” just before
he climbs the tree to invade
bluebird’s nest.
Yes, bluebird with his cloak
of opal fire, has many a nuisance to face
each day when he greets the sun.
“Sun,” he sings, hopping from
limb to limb, “thank you
for waking me another morning.
Thank you for the luminous arms
you stretch through my uncertain world.”
And what if you chose not to let bluebird out?
How then would you taste
the red chokeberries blooming
in the five petaled flowers?
How then would you learn the secret
of the Nightway Ceremony
or that like bluebird
you are a descendent from an ancient goddess?
Go, then, let bluebird out.
Though he cannot dive like eagle
or shed his skin like snake
or mask himself like raccoon
when he flies, he paints the sky
with all his blues and disappears
into the work he creates.
–krista schwimmer