11 Comments

Just the thing, just the poems for today. Thanks for this. A recommendation for all bruised spirits: the Film "Universal Language", by Matt Rankin, comes with hilarious, beautiful juxtapositions of joy and as the filmmaker said at an event last night: "Radical gentleness". Just the thing.

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Where can one see that movie? Thanks for the recommendation!

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Hi John, I did a quick search for you-- it's nominated for an Oscar, so that may increase distribution and events, fingers crossed.

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Thank you Heather! I’ll keep an eye out for it!

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My daughter related a story to me recently about how in her theater class this week she and her friend were giggling about something, which was disruptive. At the end of the class they were made to stand looking each other in the eye without laughing for five minutes in front of the class before the class could leave. This story is fairly common to her education experience and of course she has awesome teachers as well, but nonetheless I found this to be soul crushing. Obviously it is hard to conduct class with disruptions, but there are other solutions which affirm rather than tear down. I shared “The Dunce” by Jacques Prevert with her, a poem I recently found in translation in a fantastic collection called “The Poetry of Impermanence, Mindfulness, and Joy” edited by John Brehm. The poem fits really nicely with todays offering, which I will share with my Daughter. McKinney is so great! Just found out about her myself! Thanks for sharing her work. Love these weekly meditations!!

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There's a scene in Universal Language that depicts classroom dynamics of that exact kind, but luckily the kids are absolutely resolute in their total individuality and humanity. They will prevail!!

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Heather, I just realized I can share links in a thread, so here is the poem I mentioned: https://allpoetry.com/The-Dunce

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Thanks for this... I love it, and did not know it. I found it in French (I'm a French teacher, lol) "il dessine le visage du bonheur"... gorgeous.

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Cool! My spouse has French club today! Can you send the link if there is one? I’ll pass it on!!

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