DAILY PHOTO: In Karakol National Park
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Tomb of the Diver [Lyric Poem]
Plunging into darkness, there is no other way. In the tomb-like silence, the mind begins to stray. To roam, to roam, to roam, or does it simply sink; with neither light nor eyes, one might just be hoodwinked.
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Slovak Limerick
There was a young man from Slovakia who wheedled his way into the mafia, but he couldn't run smack or conduct a "whack." So, he trafficked fake caviar from Sofia.
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DAILY PHOTO: Scenes from Ek’ Balam
BOOK REVIEW: The Sandman, Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman
The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes by Neil GaimanMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
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In this, the first, eight-issue volume of Sandman, we’re introduced to Morpheus / Dream – the king of dreams & nightmares and one of the seven Endless – when he’s captured by an amateur occultist who was trying to kidnap Death [the (not-so Grim) Reaper and also Dream’s sister.] The story told in “Preludes and Nocturnes” is one of Dream’s captivity, escape, and the subsequent missions to reacquire three magic artifacts that were stolen from him when he was captured (i.e. his bag of sand, helmet, and ruby-like jewel.) That last sentence makes it sound like a far-out fantasy, but it’s really a relatable and human set of stories.
This imaginative and compelling opening volume is at its best with “24 Hours” (as well as “Passengers,” the issue that precedes “24 Hours” and sets up its story.) In “24 Hours,” escaped villain, John Dee, torments the occupants of a smalltown diner by manipulating their reality (a capability he achieved when he came into possession of Dream’s “ruby.”) It’s a story that’s both horrifying and thought-provoking as Dee forces the diners to shed the masks of polite society and get to know the uncensored versions of each other.
Another favorite is the concluding issue, “The Sound of Her Wings,” which is really more of an epilogue, given the story has been brought to a successful and satisfying conclusion with the penultimate issue. “The Sound of Her Wings” introduces us to Death (the kinder, more charismatic, and more articulate Gaiman-version of the Grim Reaper) and shows us interaction between Dream and Death as Dream learns a crucial lesson from his sister.
“Sandman” is an excellent series, and the volume where it all began is no exception. I’d highly recommend it for readers in general.
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BOOK REVIEW: I Escaped a Chinese Internment Camp by Zumrat Dawut & Anthony Del Col
I Escaped a Chinese Internment Camp by Zumrat DawutMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
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Release Date: April 11, 2023
This short but evocative graphic novella tells the story of a Uyghur woman who is sent away to a reeducation camp and who is also sterilized against her will. It shows the brutality of China’s totalitarianism at its most oppressive. It’s easy to see China as a fairly benign – if autocratic – regime until one learns about the Orwellian nightmare that exists for some minorities deep within the country.
FYI – This book won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for “Illustrated Reporting and Commentary.”
I’d highly recommend reading this work as it shines a light deep down the rabbit hole of Chinese governance.
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A Place of Death [Rubāʿī]
I walk past row on row of granite stones. The grass is usually freshly mown, but lately vegetation doesn't seem to grow, and so, I kneel where seeds have been sown.
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What the Grass Loves [Haiku]
a cold, rainy day, but the green grass thrives -- well-watered / air fresh
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DAILY PHOTO: Sunset on Silvery Waters
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Helsinki Limerick
There was a cafe owner from Helsinki whose coffee shop was often called "dinky." "You must pack them in -- the fat and the thin -- to save on heating, not to be kinky."
