EMOTION RECOLLECTED IN TRANQUILITY: POETRY WEEKEND, AGAIN, AND AN INVITATION
By DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI News & Commentary (Most of the Time but Sometimes Poetry and Such)
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, OCT. 17-19, 2014) — Sure, there’s lots of news swirling around THE PLANET. Some involves new wrinkles on familiar topics (100gate, the insurance switch) and some of it is new (developments at Berkshire Works and what-in-the-heck’s-going-on-at-the-Boys and-Girls-Club?). That can all wait. There are miles to go before we publish. Meanwhile, we exercise the both the dictates and the privileges of command to install a more important set of words, a communication of an order we began last Friday and shall continue each Friday until we stop. When you run your own operation, you get to engage in these indulgences.
The Pressure on and of Each Word
Poetry is, to paraphrase William Wordsworth, emotion recollected in tranquility. Most poems have their seed in an instant or an observation to stands out for some reason. The flash of insight, the slam of a moment that leaves its impact. The feelings rendered by the time or the occasion can only best be expressed (“recollected”) with time and reflection (“in tranquility”). Good poetry is the highest expression of the English language and the hardest to write. The very economy of words puts an inordinate amount of pressure on each word. In a poem, there is no room to hide. The slightest false note blares out with shrill redolence. That is the challenge and, ultimately, when you pull it off, the fulfillment and satisfaction.
With that, let us present to you another poem. You may comment with one of your own, a reaction to mine, or exercise the invitation to offer your views on any issues that are of concern to you. As part of our “Poetry Friday,” THE PLANET also shall consider it an “Off Topic” day for comments. We do this in the spirit of encouraging discussion, dialogue, debate, and opinion. How novel these days, eh?
——– 000 ——–
WHAT HE ASPIRED TO LOOK LIKE
BY DAN VALENTI
Triangle strands
border his face
of one-night stands
in checks and lace.
A bizarre gaze
and a spell of hands
set a stage ablaze.
Aqualung grandstands.
This pseudo-smack
in tune, under way,
blows his stack,
by God, a new day.
But it’s an old day now,
arrived too soon.
But futures would allow
the wakes of the ruin.
——– 000 ——–
Have a great weekend everybody.
—————————————————————————————-
“Once there were green fields kissed by the sun. / Once there were valleys where rivers used to run. / Once there were blue skies with clouds up above. / Once they were part of an everlasting love. / We were the lovers who strolled through green fields.” — The Brothers Four, “Greenfields,” (1960).
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
Mr Valenti you stated here that this is open commentary. OK. We take you at your word.
We saw your TV show tonight. Do you have a “messiah” complex? Are you “The Savior” who will “save” Pittsfield in 2015?
Judging by your comments on the air, especially near the end, we wonder. You know, this type of talk gets people “put away” and humored.
Our best to you. Good poem by the way.
To Pittsfield non-Believer you are obviously threatened by this website and the work DV does. Dan, thank you for the poem, and for all your incredible work in The Planet and ion TV. We love you.
I take exception to the tone of this nasty comment, but it is to DVs credit that he allows it. In a way, the “believer” has just paid the Planet the ultimate complement.
Here’s another clue for you all:
Allen aka PITTSFIELD BELIEVER aka Praxis33 and 100 other names, has an agenda. To discredit Dan Valenti. Make him appear tto be a nut. Salivating over the idea of him being “put away”.
As Dan’s popularity with the people grows and should he get close to overtakimg the corner office, Allen’s smear campaign will also take priority in his sociopathetic obsession.
Allen sits lurkimg, stalking, seeding online social media with his pathological obsession of supporting the GOB agenda. Yes, for all intensive purposes, he does indeed have an invested interest in shilling for those who have the money and control Pittsfield politics.
Just watch in the days ahead how he tries to manipulate and sabotage Dan’s web-site and other social media. He’s very easy to spot. He will no doubt step up his efforts, especially if Dan makes a run for mayor, posting under many different names to make it appear as if many people think Dan Valenti is crazy.
Red Flag has to be Heller, right? Not sure anyone has it out for someone quite like Heller has it out for this Praxis/Allen character. let this be a lesson PB…never insult the planet. Although, as a frequent reader, it is getting pretty tired that when anyone does criticize Dan it’s automatically assumed to be one poster posting as many. I mean with all the traffic here there is bound to be a few that don’t agree, right?
I have been an avid follower of the Planet since its beginning and I believe in order for change to take place the problems need to get out in the open. This has happened to a large degree due to the Planets persistence in pursuing the truth.
But really, what has changed at city hall? Bianchi has grown even more powerful and arrogant. The city council throws a couple of pillows and accepts him for what he is. Mazzeo is clueless as to why she was elected. She is morphing into the Bianchi of the future. Lothrup kicks up some dirt around home plate but is largely ineffective in the end. I think he should initiate the recall to prove his concern is real. Bianchi is out of control. This council knows it and seems helpless to do anything about it. Either that or they are pretending to be upset to mollify the voters. There is no future in Massachusetts politics for the councilman who sticks up for the people and disrespects the good old boys.
Outside of a march on city hall with TV cameras filming, nothing will change. Everything else is lip service.
I agree Dusty….Pittsfield is in trouble
Dan as a “messiah” or “Savior” who will “save” Pittsfield in 2015? I don’t know, if my faith is that weak yet. Sometimes its better to just let the fire destroy the entire superstructure and burn it to the ground and through the process of rejuvenation rebuild. Not saying we’re there yet, but all indicators are pointing in that direction.
I will save Pittsfield politics. Just joking!
Sounds bizzare Jon, but maybe that’s what it will need.
As a resident of Ward 1, I noticed this is the third important council meeting Lisa Tully missed in 10 months?!?? People tell me she has a home in Florida. There are 13 days between council meetings for her to spend time at her home in Florida. There is only one council meeting in July and one in August, that gives her a whole month to vacation in July and August. Is she truly serious about the importance of city business? Or, does she strategically miss controversial meetings because she was hand picked by Bianchi and doesn’t want to upset the mayor.
I am a Ward 1 resident also. No Tully there at that important meeting? Unacceptable.
No defense here, but who the hell wants to be in Florida in August?
Vote all these bums out next election.
Bums out bums in. What’s the point? Most of the candidates who run are bums encouraged to run by the bums that are already in there. The bums that are in there need rubber stamp bums to support their agenda. Right Mr Bianchi?
Tully, Morandi.Connell. Simonelli, Amuso, Cotton, and Mazzeo are the mayors puppets. They all reward Bianchi’s poor behavior with YES man votes. It is disheartening to watch these councilors drink Bianchi’s cool aid. Can someone help me understand how Bianchi can get 7 councilors to consistently participate in his lies and deception.
How does the mayor get 7 councilors to aid “in his lies and deception”? Thru combination of fear and suck-up. The mayor’s got the power.
Biancki has to be stopped. He has destroyed what little change Pittsfield has
CC you must understand lies and deception are the trade mark of people who are unqualified for elected positions but know how to run campaigns and get themselves elected. Examples are Lisa Tully, Kathy Amuso, Kevin Morandi, Chris Connell , and the biggest example of them all, Melissa Mazzeo.
If we truly look at the above named city councilors and their voting record, it is apparent the reason why they are unqualified is because they either don’t have the ability to distinguish between right or wrong, fact or fiction, truth or lies or they lack the courage to speak truth to power. Not having core values or the personal strength to vote their core values leaves them vulnerable to a vindictive, controlling, paranoid, person like Dan Bianchi. The results are bad government, and the tax payers suffer.
Dan,
There is two basic things wrong in Pittsfield
1). Any kind of manager from the Mayor down in city government Has no accountability.
2) Costumer #1 the tax payer is ignored
I have watched the surrounding towns with the exception of North Adams
3) Examine declining enrollment and what steps to take
because of it.
4)Turn down any school expense they knew the taypayer could not shoulder.
5) Live within their budget
I totally agree with Billy, on his take on Pittsfield management on all levels. The logic of the subcommittee of the city council looks at positions like the mayor’s salary though and wants to increase his salary to $110,000 a year. All economic indicators recently point to tough economic times ( Stock Market Plunges, Ebola, record high deficits, unfunded pension, liabilities) a mayor that works two jobs. A $28 K increase is higher than the per capital income?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Massachusetts_locations_by_per_capita_income
Rank 318 Pittsfield City Berkshire Per Capita Income $26,767 Median Household Income $44,513 Median Family Income $57,673 population – 44,691 Number of households 19,966
http://www.massbenchmarks.org/statedata/data/median99.pdf
http://www.census.gov/
I enjoy your poetry DV. I have your two published volumes. As a former teacher of h.s. English, I appreciate the work and talent.
Now onto the topic: I notice when citizens submit petitions Ms Mazzeo automatically invokes Rule 27 to refer. That means they die. Why is this? Suggestion for a future Planet column.
Keep up the good work.
This has been suggested several times previously. This topic as well as confronting John DeAngelo to complete his investigation into non residents on the city’s payroll appear to be taboo or defeatist for Dan V.
You need to read more carefully ed. Payroll item was also addressed by DV. He wrote about this, he requested addresses to prove city wouldn’t supply records. DV won. unless by “defeatist for Dan” you mean “dan bianchi”…
Usually the Council President will indicate at the beginning of the meeting which members are absent and why.
For some reason, Mazzeo did not.
Tully’s husband has been very vocal in the past. Maybe he can enlighten us as to why she misses so many meetings.
Happy Birthday Keith Jackson! F u m b l e!
Scapin in 15!!
Rick was a fine Ward Councilor. Then he was a disaster as Council president. I hope you are joking if you are implying he’d make a good mayor! But I haven’t finished my coffee so I may well be missing the joke.
I judge by action and not words. Voting records: all councilors voted for the mayor’s out of control budgets including the tax hike which I can nno longer afford.
CORRECTION –
Kevin Morandi and Lisa Tully voted against the Mayor’s bloated budget. See Below:
http://www.iberkshires.com/story/46821/Pittsfield-Council-Passes-2015-Budget-Minus-Capital-Plan.html
Lenny thank you for proving my point. Tully did not have the intelligence to make any suggestions to cut any city departments budget and voted yes for every single one of them. Then she did not have the core values to vote for what she voted for.
Can you guess what her campaign slogan will be?
Lenny,
Lisa Tully voted for every departmental budget during the marathon budget session and never made any suggestions to correct any of the departmental budgets. When the final budget vote came up at the council meeting, she then voted against everything she had just voted for. She voted against herself? Can you explain the rational behind that thought process??!?
Crystal,
I’m not in Ward 1 so I’m not defending anyone. If you want to know the answers to these questions, why don’t you email your councilor and ask? Instead of asking me…
It’s time to start looking at each of councilor’s voting record and see who is really for the people that voted them in because we the people will need to work very hard to vote them out.
8000 to 10,000 folks at the shivering at the 15 minute parade last night. Cash registers on Tyler St. must have been ringing merrily. Pittsfield should hold more parades. Given the 150,000 that show up for the 4th of July it could be a good money maker.