Nitwit

           The Star of Bethlehem

Ahem

and how many times in his life did he ahem anything  how many

too rare to know

he couldnt be such a lummox not to know  geographically  the high plains of California werent Palestine or the Levant

--   Are you shitting me  The Star of Bethlehem        

Bethlehem

--   Wha  Its brilliant

Ive never seen a star so stark and brilliant in my life

I mean  have you

--   I see it

nearly every evening

Its not a star

--   Bullshit

If its not a star what is it

What could possibly be manmade  and as celestial    as that

--   Well  You tryin to turn the can of worms upside down slap its bottom and empty its content on the table

Really

Hmm

Lets grab the two fattest worms first

Manmade

God

and the second  celestial

Either could well be redundant of the other

I know for a fact

that light is a lamp

We got dark skies here  darker than you experience in Chicago or LA

Dont know how either of those became the poles of your life

nor do I care

but the skies out here at night scarcely discriminate a horizon

That light is emanating from an unseen ridge

 

I havent got close enough to determine its source or structure  though to be sure  I cant say Ive ever laid eyes on anything to rival it

but thats a steadfast companion  night after night

when Im out here having a whisky a cigar

having a muse

--   For a fact  you know

--   For a fact  utterly founded

You could have built the Tower of Babel on it and it would never have come down

Even God couldnt have torn it down

 

--   Look at you citing celestial

--   Whaddafuck  celestial

Who or what is your religious influence

Ask me about celestial and the best youll get from me is tea

--   Tea

--   Apologeez  An inhouse joke really

 

I suppose if Id muttered Tevana I could have raised your hi-brow eyebrows

Christ  You seem so out of touch

--   You cant say that

Im here

--   I can say that

Youre here because I bought your ticket

--   Ah  I suppose you can

--   Thank you  And youre welcome

When did you start forgetting your thank yous

Chicago
LA

Seems to me you were always real quick with them when you were younger
Younger

Before you came into whatever it is that youre into now
Certainly brighter than that
--   You can stop being a big brother anytime you want
Hear me

--   Oh  I stopped being a big brother when I left home  went out on my own

 

Family 

Ive learned theyre just people

Unfortunately far too many people allow Family influence in their lives
Id say Familys got enough of its own concerns to look after  than to be peeking around after mine

Im not playing big brother

Im stating fact

Youre rude

You werent always rude

Being absent  Id like you to fill in the blanks  the time slots  the progressions  that enabled your entitlement  the  what I see  blatantly rude ungratefulness

When did you become so   expectant

--   I didnt come here for this 

                                  

--   I didnt have you come here for this  Though when I recognise an elephant in the room I dont waste time calling it out or affect imagining a reason why its there

I dont make excuses for anyone

I let them either explain
or make an excuse for themselves

It is a fair transaction

--   That youre sanctimonious
 

--   And were back to religion

Celestial

                Whenever youre ready Ill be interested in listening

But  the light 
I have my own take on it

Never did see it as a star

As I said  a lamp    but I prefer imagining it
a lantern

Held obliquely  in the rigid hand of the Hermit


And our fascination with it is the same that attracts bugs to a fire and their destruction
Their  unenviable  demise

--   I think

Youre not kidding

--   No

--   The Hermit  Isnt he a demigod or something within a religious Nature  or Order

--   Tarot  A figure of the Major Arcana

--   Tarot

--   Yes

--   Gypsy tarot
Like soothsayers and fortune tellers

--   Wouldnt say its relegated to only freak shows and carnivals
State Fairs beachside communities or hippie enclaves

--   Where else who else

--   Youre a bright boy

You may also recall  from some forgotten portion of your liberal education  the Hermit regards solitude
fashioned after Diogenes  the Greek ascetic who is said to have ventured forth  bearing a lantern in hand  in search for an honest man

Searching for the truth

Stripping away those diversions hiding it




Ah  you may suppose I do have religion

My religion is Imagination 

       

1300,  Sunday,  15  3. 15
1328,  St. Paddy’s Day,  Twosday,  17  3. 15