Voices: Wood spirits and cross harp blues

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September 8, 2010

By Morris Gerken The Joplin Globe The Joplin Globe Wed Sep 08, 2010, 07:36 AM CDT

JOPLIN, Mo. — Poised as a miffed child standing with pursed lips and crossed arms, the old Arizona senator defiantly asserted, “there will be no more cooperation the rest of this year.” Well, so much for “crossing the aisle.” Wanna take your toys and go home?

On national TV a political pundit declares, “We’re for whatever gets us elected.”

Somewhere in the far away, in ether cosmic consciousness an echoing refrain spins ever onward through time, through space: “. . . and the truth shall make you free.”

Really? We make our way through existence, burning Arabian oil, scurrying in our tiny, nowhere circles, going nowhere and getting there very quickly.

What happened to our “land of the free and home of the brave”? What happened, oh Lady Liberty, to “give us your . . . blab, blab, blab . . . ”? When did pre-emptive strike, torture and acceptable collateral damage become customary practice? At what point did being way behind in health care, education and even longevity become standard fare? Twenty-five percent of our children on food stamps? Why?

But sadly that is now us, the United States! What happened? It’s like the end of a sweet dream featuring a dark temptress in a fuchsia nightgown. Suddenly a skin bag of bones and excrement transform that once beautiful image into this! What happened?

Somewhere in my heartstrings a lonesome core cries out, a mournful riff of cross harp blues, ending in a pitiful low, low draw. Hey harmonica man, what happened? It’s like seeing the fire extinguish with a final puff of smoke going up the chimney and asking, “Where have all the wood spirits gone?”

Morris Gerken

Joplin

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Voices: Wood spirits and cross harp blues

Eliminating the state income tax and increasing sales tax was debated during a press day on Thursday at the Missouri Capitol. Do you favor that proposal?

Eliminating the state income tax and increasing sales tax was debated during a press day on Thursday at the Missouri Capitol. Do you favor that proposal?

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