PROMPT: Holiday Invention

Invent a holiday! Explain how and why everyone should celebrate.

Mad Saints Day. In honor of all the crazy sages throughout history (e.g. Hanshan, Diogenes the Cynic, Ikkyu, St. Isadora, Drukpa Kunley, Nasreddin, Milarepa, William Blake, etc.)

It’s celebrated by violating some societal convention that doesn’t have direct adverse health and safety consequences (This is not “The Purge.”) Of course, violating even the most absurdly arbitrary societal convention will cause many people to freak out, so the other element of celebrating Mad Saints Day is just getting the f@$& over it.

PROMPT: Successful

Daily writing prompt
When you think of the word “successful,” who’s the first person that comes to mind and why?

Diogenes [of Sinope] and – also – Drukpa Kunley. Each of them spoke his mind, lived by his own rules, never wore a mask, and could not be controlled. They were truly free.

Solace [Lyric Poem]

My war days are long past.
I'm not quick to beat drums.
I've neither king nor caste.
I've seen the winter come.

Fearful norms have no hold.
The law has lost its sway.
I've broken from the mold,
and turned a roving stray.

Crazy sages / role models:
those freed from conventions,
who can't stand for twaddle,
and shun all pretensions.