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About B Gourley

Bernie Gourley is a writer living in Bangalore, India. His poetry collection, Poems of the Introverted Yogi is now available on Amazon. He teaches yoga, with a specialization in pranayama, and holds a RYT500 certification. For most of his adult life, he practiced martial arts, including: Kobudo, Muay Thai, Kalaripayattu, and Taiji. He is a world traveler, having visited more than 40 countries around the globe.

CANADA LIMERICK

There was a hockey player from Canada
who was entirely lacking in stamina.
He shot like a sniper,
but breathing was hyper,
He got outskated by dear old grand-ma-ma.

DAILY PHOTO: Mountain & Farmland in North Vietnam

Image

A view of mountain and farmland taken along QL3 in Cao Bang District of Northern Vietnam.

KENYA LIMERICK

There was a chill burglar from Kenya
who, as he worked, listened to Enya.
It lulled him to sleep,
a sleep far too deep.
He woke up where burglars, they send ya.

PROMPT: Do More

Daily writing prompt
What could you do more of?
Pie eating. I don't mean to be gluttonous about it, but I seldom eat a proper piece of pie. I'd say I get enough dessert, overall, but perhaps need to shift more of the balance of dessert in the direction of pie. Or maybe I just have a momentary hankering for pie, and this is all just meaningless rambles. I do not intend to build a pie-eating action plan, so things will probably remain as they are on the pie-eating front.

BOOK REVIEW: “War is a Racket” by Smedley D. Butler

War is a Racket: The Antiwar Classic by America's Most Decorated SoldierWar is a Racket: The Antiwar Classic by America’s Most Decorated Soldier by Smedley D. Butler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

PDF available online

This impassioned essay is a call for a more restrained — some would call it isolationist — application of military force. Regardless of how one might feel about the isolationist stance, you’ll likely be moved by the essay’s central premise that we have too much war because it’s profitable — not profitable for those who fight and die in wars but for businessmen and politicians.

Butler, a US Marine Corps General, was a fascinating character — a two-time Congressional Medal of Honor recipient who served in the Philippines, Tianjin (during the Boxer Rebellion,) at various places across Central America and the Caribbean, and in the First World War in Europe. He was also a whistleblower about a plot to unseat FDR. Butler writes in a conversational style that exudes a commanding presence.

I’d highly recommend this essay for its critical insights by one of the most impressive Marine Corp officers of all time.

View all my reviews

SLOVENIA LIMERICK

There was a brown bear from Slovenia
who had a bad case of anemia.
While his kin were vegetarian,
he ate campers and carrion —
Hope you don’t meet the iron-shy bear of Slovenia.

AZERBAIJAN LIMERICK

There was a young man from Azerbaijan
who needed something to prop his feet on.
Thoughts of Ottoman rule,
He'd learned of in school,
made resting his feet on an Ottoman right on!

DAILY PHOTO: Sa Pa Park & Plaza

Sa Pa Plaza, near the Sun Plaza building
The fountain at Sa Pa Plaza.
Across Sa Pa Park toward Sun Plaza. The statue is Ho Chi Minh Friendship Monument.

BELIZE LIMERICK

When greeting an old lady of Belize
a tourist praised, "You speak English with ease."
"I know it, you fool;
They teach it in school!"

English is the State Language of Belize.

PROMPT: Advice

Daily writing prompt
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

“Never argue with a stupid person. In the end, they’ll still be stupid, and you’ll just be frustrated.”