George Mathon (March 18, 1945 - March 21, 2017)

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Reading in Brandon

George Mathon, fellow poet and dear friend, died March 21, 2017 in Naples, Florida at 72 after a long struggle with cancer. Born in Burlington, Vermont, George resided during the summer months in a cabin overlooking Joe's Pond in West Danville, Vermont. He wintered in Florida.

He was the author of many poems, and of the books Chickadees and Killers. His newest book, The Marsh, is forthcoming. It was a joy to collaborate with him on so many poems and to be with him here in his final days.

An obituary will appear in The Times Argus, based in Barre, Vermont. A memorial service will be held in Vermont later this year.

His poetry lives on.

Thanks to his friend George Longenecker who was with George at the time, and who first informed us of his passing.

SEE: Sixfold -- Poetry Winter 2014

PASS A POEM: "Fragrance of an Idea" by David Elkins

The Pass a Poem Project is an idea initiated by Miles A. Coon, President of Palm Beach Poetry Festival, Inc.

I received a request to participate from Ann Campbell of Catamount Arts and passed the request on (as requested) to 20 other people, including singer-songwriter Carsie Blanton in New Orleans.

Carsie in turn passed the request to artist and all-around-extraordinary Tilke Elkins. Tilke sent me this poem by her father (and graciously allowed me the opportunity to post it here):

Fragrance of an Idea
by David Elkins

The perfume of an idea hangs in the air all afternoon —
We go over the wall of the Alhambra at midnight
A thin sliver of a silver moon
coaxes luminous roses
to just hold their color in the pale night
Spicy air presses down on spilling pools,
filled with the same stars
the old kingdom wept under
and lost.

We brim with a catching beauty —
for all we imagine we are —
and may not become.


Thank you, Tilke. At this point you're the only person to send me a poem. If my arithmetic is correct I could receive as many as 400 (I sent out 20 requests to people who were also asked to send out 20 requests each). We'll see . .

"Nice Cuban Boy"

“When Fox News, National Review and the Washington establishment come to you and say, ‘Wouldn’t you prefer that nice Cuban boy? He wears nice high heels, and true, he has no experience and big ears, but we’ve had great luck with that.’ What will you say to the Washington establishment? 'No, I don’t think so.'"

Ann Coulter

"That's the Plan"

“$75 million to stop Trump and $25 million to Marco Rubio, but they gave Rubio a condition: he’s got to win the Florida primary or he’s out and Mitt Romney’s in. That’s the plan.”

Roger Stone on InfoWars

(the Alex Jones Radio Show)

"Vato"

CRUZ “Marco went on Univision in Spanish and said he would not rescind president Obama's illegal exclusive amnesty.”

RUBIO “First of all, I don't know how he knows what I said on Univision because he doesn't speak Spanish.”

CRUZ "Vato, si quieres dicelo ahora mismo, dicelo ahora en Español, si quieres.”

TRANSLATION “Dude/Man if you want to tell them now, tell them now in Spanish, if you want.”

Republican Presidential Debate

February 13, 2016

"Judgment Day"

“If one candidate wins Florida and Ohio, he will be very difficult to stop. That one day I think is judgment day for the Republicans. And if those two states split, it signals the race will continue from March to April and possibly June.”

Dave Wasserman, Cook Political Report

Marco Rubio's Definition of Conservatism

To sum it up, being a conservative is about three things:

1. Conservatism is about limited government, especially at the federal level. If it’s not in the Constitution, it doesn’t belong in the Federal government.
2. Conservatism is about free enterprise. It’s the only economic model that can make poor people richer without making rich people poorer.
3. Conservatism is about a strong national defense. 

The world is safest when America is the strongest nation in the world.

SEE: MarcoRubio.com

"Solve One Problem"

“See, Marco — Marco — the thing is this, when you’re president of the United States . . the memorized 30-second speech where you talk about how great America is at the end of it doesn’t solve one problem for one person.”

Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ)

"Whether It be Russia or Dutch"

“I don’t care where you are from whether it be Russia or Dutch take your ass to the other side of the bar.”

Mikie Sawyer