there is so much breathing
to share
live, create, feel, hold, release . . .
wanting so much to touch
this small soulful love
who already touched first
1973
there is so much breathing
to share
live, create, feel, hold, release . . .
wanting so much to touch
this small soulful love
who already touched first
1973
i became aware of
the poetry of existance
and of the artistry of
her voice
of her thin, gentle fingers and
the honesty of her eyes
1973
when a friendship
grows deeper
and the desire for sharing
each and every moment
lasts
behind the level of acquaintance
the need to touch
grows stronger
tastefully (if allowed) space
to hold (carefully) emotions
silently
when words are not enough
. . . because
. . . words are never enough . . .
12/73
Note: I once wrote a play called "The Great Brain Robbery." This poem is from that period of time, in 1973, when I thought some things were much funnier than I do now. And, the basic premise of the play, that we are unconsciously surrendering our brains, still holds up.
Give Me Your Brain
you're certainly a silly one
afraid to give a brain
the whole world's grabbing for it
release it while you're sane
we need a brain like yours to use
in service to our cause
it won't help you once you're crazy
filled with riddles and with flaws
you're no Einstein nor a Curie
just a normal filled with fury
you're no Jesus why not please us
give that brain away
such a silly greedy one
clutching to your head
all your brain cells added up
won't matter when you're dead
give me your brain
it's not so much
a sibling cerebral skunk crutch
let it go now in this exchange
give me oh give me hey give me your brain
if a circle is
really a series of
triangles
how can we ever
expect to
make any sense
out of any
thing at all?
3 January 2023
"Is that what I think it is?"
(she slams the oven door and grabs the bottle rocket out of the boys hand. She throws it toward the window but it bounces off the screen and lands amid the other fireworks.)
"Is that cherry pie?"
(she opens the oven and grabs the pie. It's hot and she nearly drops it but manages to set it on the floor.)
"Yes. That was a close one."
(a chain reaction of fire work sparklers light up the kitchen. Small popping sounds and Gilles. She grabs the boys hand and leads him in a gallop out of the kitchen. They both narrowly miss stepping in the pie on the way out. As soon as they are gone the whole kitchen explodes.)
"Shhhhh."
(She returns with a fire extinguisher and gets the exploding fireworks out. It's a mess. She picks up the miraculously in tact pie and carries it out. Wisps of smoke float gently around the kitchen. Pause.)
"Delicious."
-- douglas brent smith
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Context:
Written from a scene prompt, page 337 from "The Playwright's Handbook" by Stuart Spencer.
We just have to deal with it. It's not new. It's not going to change. The people who are younger than you feel the need to rebel against you. The people who are older than you care so much about their own generation that yours seems insignificant. It doesn't make any of it true, just present.
We might as well deal with it by staying calm, mindful, and attentive to our own approach to multiple-generations. Eventually, if you live long enough, you get to be every generation cliche available.
-- doug smith
As an occasional actor I've been known to buy my own props. Sometimes it's part of my process (of becoming the role) and sometimes it's because the theatre I'm working with has a small budget.
This picture (above) is no doubt the result of a stalking retail site (you know who) sorting thru my purchases (and views) and deciding that yes, Doug you need this: this marvelous pair of glasses.
I don't. Not at the moment. But I'll keep it in mind if a role requiring that lands in my lap.
It reminds me of other funny props that I've worked with: mouse ears, beaver ears, a bell, a wine bottle, real food (beef stew from a can, yum), and that's not even mentioning the many props I've used with children's theater when I toured with Child's Play.
What were your most unusual tools of the trade? Did you master them? Did they bring you fully into your role and make you seem more alive?
Funny props are more than funny. They facilitate fun.
-- doug smith
Do you like reading and committing to User Agreements?
Of course you don't. They are pure rubbish. .Designed to make you read them, but written so that you can't read them (because they are confusing and massively too long) we mostly end up pretending that we did read them just to get on with whatever we want to do.
Not fair.
Not designed to be fair. Designed to cover the butts of the people who wrote the User Agreement and to restrict the rest of us from being ourselves, from doing what we want and need to do, and from exercising our rights.
In a perfect world, all of those user agreements are unenforceable. Maybe, even in an imperfect world.
Is it really an agreement if we don't agree to it? If we don't have any influence on what goes INTO an agreement, how is THAT an agreement?
Enough!
We need some sanity.
I hereby propose a universal User Agreement Rider to invoke whenever you've had enough of an evil User Agreement. No lawyers have been involved in the drafting of this universal escape clause. I offer no legal advice. The fun, the humor, the blatant disregard is completely up to you.
There are no guarantees, but aren't you tired of being TOLD what you agree to? Try this on for size.
User Agreement Rider 1.0
This Rider amends any user agreement the user intends to amend. No signature is necessary, simply refer to User Agreement Rider 1.0 to invoke your rights to amend the agreement.
Regardless of the intentions of the conditions of any user agreement, we reject and refuse any agreement for any condition that:
That's it. That's the whole thing. If you'd like a pdf copy you can find one here.
Thanks for playing. Good luck.
P.S.
This is not legal advice. If you need legal advice you should consult an attorney.
Sketch from Journal #61
douglas brent smiyth
The cat in the middle wonders what Tom was thinking about.