May 30, 2018 by L.E. Hansen

Lilith Dreams

I dreamed of Lilith again last night. In the waking times I’m always surprised that this has happened. Why do I think and dream of her so often? It seems there must be a significance to her though I cannot dredge it up. It was such a lovely connection, and maybe that is it—about connecting. And I note that connecting is quite different than being anchored, for I am well anchored here, in this place where I live.

Lilith the Black Widow Spider with her egg sack

In the dream I was surprised to see her again, walking toward me in firm little steps (not at all the scrambling movements of spiders in the real.) She wanted to know why I was surprised and I couldn’t answer her because in that moment I no longer was. That’s such a fine thing about dreams—wherein you only begin to think a thing and it is. Additionally there is no becoming, only being.

When she came to live with me in Colorado it was such a special time. We waited daily for the birth of her children, waited together. After they were born she moved on. I was so honored to have her in my life, in the sojourn there, in that courtyard, in that place. Maybe her visits only mean to be a reminder, a reminder of the wonderful places we have been.

May 24, 2018 by L.E. Hansen

Beating Around

San Fransisco Chronicle

Some quick notes from the Chronicle and the time of the late 60s. This took place in San Francisco.

During the days of protests over the Vietnam war, the Hippies had a brief infatuation with Bikers. It lasted until the bikers returned to form and began breaking up meetings, music concerts, and generally causing mayhem. People got hurt. (This reminds of the story about the scorpion who got a ride from some other river creature by saying he would not harm him. The river pal let the scorpion ride on his back and took him to the other bank. Once there, the scorpion bit the creature, insuring his death. “Why, why? How could you! You broke your word,” shouted the dying pal. The scorpion replied, “What could I do? That’s how I am.”) Being true to self… So too with the hippies and the Hells Angles. Doomed. And true to self.

So this photo is of the last of days, all winding down and the war retreating. Allan Ginsberg is debating with the bikers. The bikers were and had been attacking protesters as they marched, breaking through police lines. The bikers chanting “America first,” Down with traitors,” and a personal favorite: “America for Americans.” Bedlam.

Another march was being planned and to get ahead of potential danger, Allan and Jerry Rubin invited the Hells Angles, The Avengers, et.al., to a debate. I’m pretty sure that the meeting did not change anyone’s beliefs, but the bikers did not harass the large protest when it took place the following month.

In the end, nothing changed and everything changed. The Vietnam war ended, the bikers continued with their beliefs, and the beats continued beating. And that’s the way things were then, and the way things are.

May 23, 2018 by L.E. Hansen

Another—So Long

“Everybody else is working to change, persuade, tempt and control them. The best readers come to fiction to be free of all that noise.” Philip Roth, 1933-2018

PBS Books

Philip Roth, Towering Novelist Who Explored Lust, Jewish Life and America, Dies at 85

Mr. Roth won almost all the major literary awards and published an exceptional sequence of historical novels in his 60s, an age when many writers are…NYTIMES.COM

And I have just included some of his many books to the pile for the Used Book Store. I know that it should not and does not matter, yet a bit of guilt nestles in. It’s a sad thing to bury our towering novelists, the ones in particular whose books we cut our literary eye teeth on.

May 22, 2018 by L.E. Hansen

Music Notes

realityExplorers Above and below posts by Classical Fm classicFmm This is a marked-up score of a conductor. It is for a piece by Mahler. This is interesting as most people think of a conductor as just waving his baton around to a score he knows. It’s a bit more complicated than that. While I am not personally a fan of Mahler, his skill and abilities can certainly be seen—or rather, heard. Below is the artist as a young man.