27 Comments
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Malcolm J McKinney's avatar

"Until something transcendent turns up

I splash in my poetry puddle

and try to keep God amused."

Amen!

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Thomas Molitor's avatar

swap out "god" for "myself" /

don't we all write first to amuse

ourselves?

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KR (Kenneth Rosen)'s avatar

Malcolm and Broughton may allude to that old anti-majestic maxim, GOD SITS IN HEAVEN AND LAUGHS. Thanks for your YouTube tip, since like everything else of its ilk, it has morphed from being an archive and resource into an AI and algorithm feed for the internet's marketing quicksand and bog.

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Thomas Molitor's avatar

we are not human /

we are data.

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KR (Kenneth Rosen)'s avatar

True. But the maxim, if intended, welcomes us to a campfire on life's cold night.

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BB Borne's avatar

My book is an open life.

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Maha's avatar

James Broughton has delighted me for many years. This renegade, deeply engaged with life, has offered me many ideas for being true to myself as I make my way through it all.

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Maureen C. Berry's avatar

I'd rather be blithe than correct

Amen!

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Thomas Molitor's avatar

Big Joy: The Adventures of James Broughton | Full Documentary Movie /

available on YouTube FREE!

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Linda Louise “Tosca” Hueston's avatar

Thank you. I did not previously know about this fabulous poet. Very healing words.

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R.V. Hughes's avatar

Brightened my whole day. These lines will come back to me all day.

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Sandy Shaller's avatar

Fantastic poem about choices and the different roads we take in life. I love it, James. Bravo!

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dave carlson @davesideas's avatar

that’s one badass old dude

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Paolo Peralta's avatar

Wow! Shirt off, open arms, blissed out eyes, a return to Love

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Thomas Molitor's avatar

His last words were: "My creeping decrepitude has crept me

all the way to the crypt."

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Paul Chappin's avatar

Stellar!

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BarkingTreesBite's avatar

Great stuff, he will go on the reading list

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Susie Kaufman's avatar

Just the word "blithe" made my day. And now I know Broughton, a great gift.

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Linda Louise “Tosca” Hueston's avatar

Beautiful and brilliant!

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Constantine Markides's avatar

As an alternate title: "The Lotus Eater"

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Ken Paul Rosenthal's avatar

James Broughton became my very first artist-hero, shortly after arriving in San Francisco in 1986. A film teacher recommend his book, 'Making Light of It', which is packed with practical and playful musings and aphorisms on film, art, life and spirit. I've read it dozens of times over the years. I recommend his memoir, 'Coming Unbuttoned' and a gorgeous documentary about his life and legacy called, 'Big Joy: The Adventures of James Broughton', which you can watch for free on You Tube. Lastly, James honored me by including my photograph of him in the end of 'Packing Up For Paradise', the collection from which his poem, 'Having Come This Far' was selected.

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