Stanzas on Editing a Novel

Editing the same piece over and over again

is like trying to break through a brick wall using your head.*

“I spent the morning putting in a comma

and the afternoon removing it.” ― Gustave Flaubert

Misery is still finding typos

in a passage you’ve already edited fifteen times.

To “that” or not to “that,”

that is the question.

  *No wonder Bertrand Russell said that writing the Principia Mathematica “had actually damaged his brain.”

Clarence Rivers

Today is the birthday of Clarence Rivers, who passed away a few years back.  He was one of the angels of my youth, with his joyful religion, his belief that music was the soul of worship, and his wonderful voice.  Pastor, liturgist, a composer who combined traditional Western church music with the African-American Spiritual tradition, writer and teacher.  I first read his Reflections when I was very young.  He is perhaps best remembered for his hymn, "God is Love."

Here is a link to that song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXqfh5KxqYs

Krishna Janmashtami

Gopala Krishna, Mahabalipuram, India

Abandoning attachment to the fruit

of action, always satisfied,

at peace, he does nothing at all,

even when engaging in action.

He bears no guilt or vain expectations,

controls his thoughts and desires,

gladly surrenders all he possesses,

acting only with his body.

Accepting whatever comes his way,

beyond all dualities and free from envy,

indifferent to success or failure,

he is not bound even in action.

When a man has achieved this liberation,

through knowledge and understanding,

all his actions become a sacrifice,

and are purified and dissolved.

                --Bhagavad-Gita 4:20-23