Living in coronavirusworld 33: Keep This Far Apart

4/25

New sign in Morningside

There’s a new sign as I enter Morningside Park: KEEP THIS FAR APART with a demonstrative arrow <——————>.  She remembers High School Phys Ed and the “two armlength” rule for safe calisthenics. I say that my friend in Canada tells me that there they are advised to keep a hockey stick apart. We all seek our own cultural references. 

It’s one of those stunningly beautiful spring days.

There’s a young woman sitting near us, painting. She asks us to watch her stuff as she accompanies  her boyfriend to the restroom. I that  see she’s painting the walk way through the southern third of the park. 

painting in the park

She returns. Walks with us awhile.  We check out the feral cats on the rock face across the pond.

feral cat

Do they find sufficient rodents scampering between Morningside Heights and Harlem to survive? Or are they part of a feral cats feeding program?  I notice how many turtles are visible in the pond today. There are new fresh flowers blooming, including on the little island in the pond. Someone must have planted them, cared for them. How do they access the island?

new flowers

We say goodbye to our artist friend, leave the park, through the waning hour of the green market.  Head into Central Park to circle the Meer. See two followers of that strange Chinese Falun Gong cult in their classic poses. 

Falun Gong

As we walk, we talk about the recent revelations about the Prince-DeVos-Koch brothers cabal. Their role in the protests, reminiscent of the Tea Party manifestations.  In Democracy in Chains, Nancy Mears has well documented the decades long strategic plan of the radical right to subvert democracy and establish authoritarian control over the country, its politics and economy.  At this point, the victory is close to complete.  Carried out by a coalition of old line economic libertarians joined by conservative evangelical Christians, their model was tested by Pinochet’s Chile with a constitution that has bound them long after his ouster, leading to the social upheaval of last fall. McConnell and his cohorts don’t even attempt to hide it any more as they seek to use the pandemic as a means of further solidifying their hegemony.  Every act of congress only continues to direct the flow of money and power away from the vast majority of Americans and to the extremely small cohort of elite at the top. (Hear Jamie Cahill’s Intercept podcast https://theintercept.com/2020/04/22/coronavirus-and-the-radical-religious-rights-bumbling-messiah/) 

The virus gives us the opportunity to turn around and go another direction. But it increasingly seems that the struggle to accomplish that will be long, hard and mean.

She laughs and says “Remember how you thought you could never hate anyone as much as Nixon? Then came Reagan, Bush....and now this guy…”

 A goose glides down and slides to a stop on the Meer, its feet skimming across the water as it lands. A red winged black bird alights on a branch very close, its song clear and bright in the air.

Redwinged blackbird

In these days of quarantine,  I am taking more and more pleasure in small and simple things. A host of turtles are sunning themselves on a rock and as I contemplate turtles…and geese ..and blackbirds…I marvel once again at creation and it’s intricacy.  There is no why needed for a turtle and its shell or the song of the blackbird, they just are. 

turtles in the sun

                                                                                                  ****

chili

The aroma of my day’s cooking project, chili, is filling my apartment. Chimayo rojo chili, cinnamon, allspice….meat and tomato….this will be good.

cooking chili

                                                                                                                 ****

Tonights’s cultural highlights:

My friend Kristen Leigh Mitchell is streaming live from the Four Saints Brewery in Asheboro, North Carolina. Things must be looser there as at least she, her husband Joe on sound, and the owner serving up craft beers are there. She is a singer-songwriter and theologian and writer who helped me develop my understanding of the connection between creativity and resistance, liberation in the fullest and roundest sense of that word. How artists cannot be demanded to essentiallly be handmaids to religious or social movements simply creating didactic sermons with morals tied up in neat bows. Art doesn’t illustrate the WORD, it is a WORD of its own, to be in dialogue with THE WORD and other words. Inductive and sensed as well as explicit. She finishes with John Prine’s Angel from Montgomery and her own Gratitude, understanding as Walter Breuggeman made clear, resistance begins with doxology.   (https://kristenleighmusic.wixsite.com/kristenleigh)

My friend Marie Mazziotti is one of New York City’s iconic singers.. She can do the blue color work of four hour nights at an Irish pub or win over an audience of tourists at a Times Square bar  to realize she’s not just background music. With over 1500 covers and 35 originals ready in her repertoire, she can not only read a room but play a room. I was honored to record with her once for her last  ep, Hearing Double. 

 (https://open.spotify.com/album/2he0zLgsNYXL5NKXSB14gR?highlight=spotify:track:06kw8dmh58lMl3opCktoyB.).  Tonight she’s the featured artist in a benefit for Leukemia and Lymphoma, Band Together. She makes certain the evening’s goal is met long before her set ends.

Heide Hatry is one of the world’s cutting edge artists. Visual art, neoDada ethos, performance art, she is both transgressive and fiercely humanist in her work. Known most widely for her portraits created from crematory remains, exhibited as Icons in Ash, she explores those boundaries of human experience. (https://www.heidehatry.com/) Tonight she is one of more than 80 global artists live streamed from Pakistan in a video/performance  event entitled The Trojan Donkey. Her own piece, The Time to Defend, is her own response to the current moment. (https://www.facebook.com/search/top/? q=The%20Trojan%20Donkey%20%20Heide%20Hatry&epa=SEARCH_BOX )

The text of her confrontational performance:

THE TIME TO DEFEND OURSELVES IS OVER

THE ENEMY IS WITHIN INSIDE THE WALLS

BENEATH THE MASKS WE WORE TO APPEAR 

MORE LIKE IT

WE’VE BREATHED IT'S AIR FOREVER

ABSORBED IT

WITH OUR FOOD AND NURSED IT 

AT OUR BREAST

SPREAD IT WITH OUR WORDS

NOW IT’S TIME TO  TEAR DOWN 

THE CASTLE

FORSWEAR THE FRIEND WHO COUNSELS PEACE. 

(https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1102880916734258&external_log_id=56b05e2a480026f2953f0a30862b2bd5&q=The%20Trojan%20Donkey%20%20Heide%20Hatry)

As I watch her, I am thankful for  the strange beauty of the experience of collaborating with her in performance pieces connected to her Icons…exhibits.

Another day in coronavirusworld has ended. 

KEEP THIS FAR APART

                                                                                                                                                                                             

People take care of you

 1/23

RL welcomes Kristen-Leigh

Our new bookkeeper, Pat O and Marsha and I start the day with a conference call with Nan to answer questions about the year end 1024 financials so that we can set an appropriate budget for 2015.

Boxer Mike with his Dalmatian, Blueberry,  has finally written up a proposal requesting just a space to hang up a bag to do something for the kids. He’s been asking to do this for years. He does have an out door informal program for the kids. I wish it were that easy. But an official program for kids and boxing, even without actual punches being thrown at each other, gets into issues of liability and security clearance and…especially with kids.. There’s also the issue of the demand for space use. Hey I know about how you need money, he says, but believe me, I know. But word gets out, you doin something good for the kids, people take care of you…you’ll be ok… I wish it were that easy…Mike’s a two time golden glove winner, taken a lot of punches but generally respected in the neighborhood. Another of our Capital Hall contingent.

Ann F of the Landmark Conservancy and Dan A our architect are meeting with us to determine what part of our project and how the conservancy can help us. Looks like we’re talking about a study to see what it would cost to get an alt1 status, that is beyond the grandfather clause we live under and  move to a higher level of the DOB. Ann and  the Conservancy have been supportive since  the start.

TK has brought an artist, Marco, to discuss a performance in conjunction with the 70^th anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  Beginning in May.   I’m glad that we’ve become a center for this. A good follow-up to last August.  

Good conversation with Sam G…the Shakespeare Jam guy… about helping  us produce a Shakespeare’s sonnet marathon at the end of his 450^th birthday year. We’d get every group who has performed here   to join in in whatever way that made sense to them.

Great conversation with Kristen Leigh—(separate post coming.)

Dion stands up

Another good Open Mic night. Newcomers Tom Di Mena

Tom DiMena

and  Joe’s friend Adam Silver

Adam SIlver

deliver solid sets. Peter Pan still working on his neoborscht belt shtick.

Pater Pan

Mandola Joe with an acapella night with a shout out for Robert Burns, two nights before his birthday,

Mandola

Pat O is sharpening his act for the next stop on his Great Open Mic Tour of 2015,

Pat O'Connell

and of course Joel Gold,as always opens the eyes wide for anyone who’s never heard him before. And Dion opened with his own warm hearted standup. 

Joel Gold

Regular Davids Lyons

David Lyons

and Smythe back and the brilliant young Jeremy Parker is back again as well. 

Polished Kosi is back to work on some new material for her upcoming shows. (http://kosi-sings.com/) She’s got some serious touring ahead.

Kosi sings

My greatest pleasure  I shaving Kristen Leigh with us.

Kristen Leigh 

She was part of Amanda’s Bridge concert series back inn2011 (http://west-parkpress.blogspot.com/search?q=kristen+leigh+southworth) and then the Balcony Music Festival then her own Songs in the Key of Redemption concert on a snowy winter’s night. (http://kristenleighmusic.wix.com/webpage). She does a solid set on guitar and piano.

..and the piano

Then joins me and Pat on my Queen... song and Ripple.... It’s a joy to share music with her.

Bob and Kristen Leigh

A fan has something to do with it. And Jesus.

8/29/14

RL opens. And closes.

The fire extinguisher inspection guys came today.

Beppe stopped y last night, just back from Sardinia. We talked about his recent experience at a 3 day meditation retreat. About that shared sense of what is beyond us.  I talked about my feeling when my cat Troy climbs up on my chest, looks into my eyes and I can feel him breathing. This sense of sharing something at a deeper level of creation. The gentle steady lapping of the ocean. And the sea gull who walked over and stared at me on the Jersey shore. I’m thinking this is going to make it into a sermon somehow.

Ryan is in. Tonight is opening night for Cymbeline.

Jeremy M in to talk about our Sunday morning project. And rehearse for Sunday. We try Ripple, one of the most intriguing of Grateful Dead songs, lyrics by Robert Hunter. I’m hoping to do it tonight with Esther, Joe and Pat. I love Jeremy’s voice adding harmonies. Then he brings out an original, You’re going home, written for a dying woman. It’s painful. Poignant. And the harmony he has for me is sharp. And clean. Close. And plaintive. After a few tries, it’s there. And I feel something quiver inside.

Joe and I spend an hour or so working on the plan for revitalization of the congregation. I can actually see it working. If we can get people to see it, the step by step, maybe we can get past the history of missed opportunities, move to hope and possibility again.

A crew from BRC (the Bowery Residence, where Chris now lives…) arrives to move Sean. There’s some van problems, can we keep some of his stuff just a little longer? I’m happy just to see he’s got another shot. And that all my bridges have not been completely burned on his behalf. Sometime I feel Sean must have some angels watching over him, despite his losing battle with his body and lingering demons.

Kristen Leigh walks in and I’m happy to see her. I’ve been looking forward to this conversation for some time. I admire her work as an artist. Her bringing the Collection here.  I enjoyed her part of the concert Songs to fill the air a few weeks ago at St. Bart’s featuring the songs of Jerry Garcia. (That’s what pushed me to tackle Ripple…) She shares with me a beautiful note she wrote the creator/producer/director of that event about the power of performing live music. It’s inherent imperfection as part of its beauty. The difference between the pursuit of perfection on a captured moment in time live recording and the you never know what might happen reality of live performance. (Her Songs in the key of redemption concert at West-Park a couple of years ago had to contend with a sudden snow storm.) She concluded with the audience is always right. And that, as my boys say, is word.

I appreciate her as an artist and as a theologian. I’m interested in the community around the Wild Goose festival. (http://wildgoosefestival.org/)(In all honesty, she says,  a little too heavy on middle aged yearning white males…careful there…).How to be more diverse? And how much of the emergent movement is sill captive to the institutional church.

We agree how open mics can be like church. There is welcome. Acceptance. The chance to share. And grow. And become. And that the same could be said of followers of a football team or any other activity we do regularly. So what makes the difference?

It’s what’s there when then shit this the fan, she says. The need to go deeper. And find something, someone there.  I can’t even necessarily define it. But it’s either there or not. And too many mainline churches are like, well, clubs. But I don’t need that. I enjoy open mics more. Unless you’re going deeper, ah, you know?

She shares her own journey. And here’s the main take aways:

1.     You have to make demands. If it means something, it costs something. Not just tithing. Your whole self. Progressive churches can’t be afraid to ask.

2.     Allow for mystery and awe. Don’t need to explain the Bible or apologize. Burning bushes are burning bushes and virgins give birth. The question is not how, but why? What are they trying to tell us?

3.     It’s Jesus makes it radical. Move beyond that spiritual but not religious. It’s not even about belief. But it is about following.

We talk about the conversation we had with Mario and company about performance and the sacred. I wish she could have taken part. I wish she could stick around and play some music tonight. But she’s headed for her new cabin in the woods. His conversation will continue.

                                                            
                                                                * * * *

I’m in a heightened feeling of inspiration when I return from my conversation to be confronted  by RL to deal with the front steps. And there I find Edward Green, like I do every August like clockwork.  The only person permanently banned from the steps.

He’s curled up in a fetal position. Head on a clear garbage bag filled with cans and maybe a clean shirt or two. Looking gaunt. With an unruly beard and Afro wild. Edward, I say..

My God, you know my name…

We have history. You know you can’t be here.

Please just let me get some rest…please…

Edward…

He begins to gasp. Writhe. You want me to die? You want me to die?

Do I need to call 911?

Please.  PLEAASE….

So I do. And have to explain over and over why this is an emergency. They’re trying to talk me out of it. Look, I know him, OK? This is serious.

Soon enough they arrive. The EMT guy looks tired. Exasperated. Hey, I just took you to the hospital two nights ago. What’s up? He says to Edward.

Edward is crying. Tears streaming down his face. Gasping. Finally they pull out the stretcher. Get him up on it. Push him into the ambulance. My bag…he cries…my bag…the EMT guy picks up Edward’s Afro pick. Sticks it in his hair. We’ll take care of the bag, he says.

While the EMT guys are wrapping up, I go to the guy on the north steps. He’s lifted up his eye shade. A police squad car has arrived as well. He’s checking everything out. This might  a good time to leave, I say. He nods. Puts his shoes on, gathers up his bed things and takes off up the street.

I’m shaking as I go to dispose of Edward’s things. I’d wear gloves if I were you, says RL. Of course. There’s an empty St. Ides 40 in the corner. RL starts to talk to me about why brighter lights and a no loitering sign will take care of this. And I don’t really want to hear it right now. He’s in a self-admitted Jack Frost role right now. Of course he’s right, but…

Pat and Joe are arriving, ready to rehearse…

Edward challenges my whole theological system.  Somehow I can exegete Eric Garner. Ferguson. Gaza. Foley. But Edward? He’s been to rehab a dozen times. Given his life to Jesus Christ twice that. And he’s always back here dying a slow death without even the charm of Sean to draw angels near to him.  What do we say here, Kristen? What do we do?  What kind of music is this? It is. That’s all. Just is.

    

Joe, Pat, Bob

Time to go practice with Joe and Pat O. Ripple. Joe’s mandolin….If I knew the way, I would take you home…

                                                           ****

A quiet night at Open Mic. Like family, says Rabbi Steve.

Steve Blane

Dion

+ Dion, fresh back from vacation. Ready to get back in the flow.

+ Warms my heart to see rabbi Steve back again an don the Beckstein instead of the honky tonk piano in the chapel..

+ Kieran’s here with some fans

Kieran

Gigi

+ An old peace activist from the outer boros, Gigi brings her poems of protest

+ RL tells her some of our history. Love to hear him tell it. And then in an atypical RL moment, questions why conservatives tell us that gun laws won’t stop gun violence but somehow abortion laws will. (Stop abortions that is, not gun  violence.)

+Joel is especially on tonight, inviting Steve to improvise with him. We could be in  the village 40-50 years ago. I could see the two of them together on the Steve Allen Show.

Joel, with Steve

Pat O

+ Pat O and Mandola each do solid sets. Scottish independence upcoming vote a theme.

Mandola Joe

+ And then after my ..Queen…song, they join me for Rider and Ripple, which I say is right there with So Lonesome…as a near perfect song…Playing with people is healing. Though I do miss the singing harmoinies…

+ Miryam has arrived late. Does a set, she says,  of one traditional, one original, one cover…Pat O singing along quietly to the McGarrigle’s Heart Like a Wheel…

+ And then it’s time for RL one more time and Stay Awhile…

….a very long day….