23 February 2026

DNA

One approaches, simply, the reality
Of the other eye. One enters, entering home,
The place of meta-men and para-things,
 
And yet still men though meta-men, still things
Though para-things; the meta-men for whom
The world has turned to the several speeds of glass…
—Wallace Stevens
We ask: the future of origin?  The question rings eternal, the heritage, what fate brought a me, a you, to this place, this now. This chart, this search, a tale of connectivity.
 
Walking the Underpassage a few days ago, a bridge pillar, noticing text — this portion of the Underpassage with the basketball courts, just south of the skate park.
Intrigued in particular by the blue writing on the lower portion, stopped, settled in and studied. Photoed as possible. Followed along, the closeups. An intuitive intensity. A search. Mapping articulation. Say, a nature study, or simply, Art! 
Possible to follow an order to retain a linear story? Doubt such an intent. I do think the visual impact is part of the journey. A scattering, a mattering. For the artist, for me, for you.
Walking to the other end of the basketball court, a couple hundred feet from the pillar with the writing, a middle-aged man waved me over. With sleeping bag, pack, some food. We talked. He said you seem interested in the writing. I said yes. He said that's my writing, that's my story. We talked.  I complimented him, asked are you OK? He said I am fine. Asked to take his photo. He consented. A direct intensity. I sensed him present to who and how he is as the story unwinds in this moment. And on… Now you are part of the story.

11 February 2026

Mama Tried

 

Rock painting on an outcrop uphill from a reservoir lake along a bumpy road. Surprised and mystified. A friend recalled Mama Tried as the name of a song. Turns out, number one in the country charts by Merle Haggard in 1968. Semi-auto-biographical. Song with its own entry in Wikipedia. 


Why here a few miles miles east of Eugene and Pleasant Hill? Perhaps because it was sung over 300 times in concert by the Grateful Dead. And covered by uncountable others. Touches something deep in the psyche of family.  


Merle Haggard's parents were Oklahoma dust bowlers who came to the Bakersfield area in the south San Joaquin Valley. As did my parents — 1930s dust bowl refugees from Oklahoma and North Texas. Think Woody Guthrie.  Appreciation to all mamas who tried, most successfully, thank goodness. Look for lyrics or check youtube.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mama_Tried_(song)