I think you might be might be making this more complicated than it is. Scholars, theologies, philosophers, poets, et. al., have debated and discussed fate and free will (and fate versus free will) from time immemorial. That's what I mean by "letters." There's no specific text for me to reference because pretty much every book is about fate and free will (among other thoughts). Off the top of the head, I think of Hamlet: "To be or not to be. That is the question." I think of Buckaroo Bonzai: "No matter where you go, there you are ." Dickinson: "Because I could not stop for death/death kindly stopped for me." Calvin & Hobbes: "Isn’t it strange that evolution would give us a sense of humour? When you think about it, it’s weird that we have a physiological response to absurdity. We laugh at nonsense. We like it. We think it’s funny. Don’t you think it’s odd that we appreciate absurdity? Why would we develop that way? How does it benefit us?"
I don't understand how reading "the letters" conncects to fate and free will. To say an event is "fate" tis to say humans have scant control over the lives, to say humans have "free will" is to say history is created by (all/some?) of our free will. I cannot grasp he meaning of this contridiction and read the scholarly writing and work (the letters) as a way to to interpret is again a contridiction of human weather as"fate and free will. Unless it is saying it is all unknown and nothing written will teach us. That position contridicts my experience. For one, Alexie's work does not dissapoint if one does the work of deceiohering. I will work on this. "The sky is still grey" though. :)
I don't recall much scholarly and literary work--Letters--outside of dominant culture literary perspectives until the 80's. I am missing something here , and want to comprehend what this author is providing readers to grapple with-- in this piece--in terms of "fate and free will". I think it might be an improtant point/conversation. Can "other" readers besides the author chime in?
Very sorry to learn about Eastern Washington’s outrageous wildfires and subsequent smoke/breathing issues all the way to the Emerald City. Hope that your family and friends ‘back east’ are safe.
“We’re tied together and untethered” -universal and perfectly said. Will remind myself of this when I rage at something insignificant. Thank you. Currently waiting for Hurricane Hilary to pummel us here in Southern California.
Many hours later: I keep thinking of this line: "We're tied together and untethered." Thinking about what we all need to be teathered to in terms of survival.
Also thinking about: "Read the letters. This is fate
and free will." As I don't truck with "free will" and I am not a proponent of "fate", what are the letters I should read?
Thank you Heather. I don't know the language. I just know he's an advanced first language speaker. Professor Emeritus of Ojibwe Culture. Soooo. I'm making progress. I was listening to my paper guru, filmed back in the early seventies, last night. He said real magic is doing the ordinary and making something tangible. Defeating your own self and making an accomplishment. So tonight I celebrate because holey of holeys I am making progress this afternoon. Good luck with the money sorting out. It can be done. I'll place you in my thoughts as well.
🥹creating is hard, sometimes dirty work but we persevere. I’ll be okay. First world problems as my sons say. I’m just a lady in an RV, all I can do is my own little corner. I pray that my fellow humans will come around. I think it’s going to be a tough transition to do the right thing. Gotta have hope.
I dont know if I myself will, I’m having my first grandbaby in December so hopefully he will. Been waiting for a long time for him. I never thought of me going on but it is kind of cool. I was very ill all last winter and spring and it hit home. I won’t get to see what happens, if democracy or even humanity makes it and in what form. I’ll be leaving the movie half way through. Somehow I didn’t figure on that!
I am so honored that you answer my musings. I am afraid I have been a bit of a snob about social media. O, you do that for “likes”? How pathetic. I see the attraction now. I’m still not sold and think about ditching the phone every day. Ironic that more of us are living alone but spending time together in our phones. Maybe it’s a good thing-another thing that I won’t get to see pan out... maybe I will. Gratitude for you.
Creativity is a portal. Last week Earl told me the name for it in Ojibwe. It's important to preserve that knowledge. All our people that came before us made that word.
I think you might be might be making this more complicated than it is. Scholars, theologies, philosophers, poets, et. al., have debated and discussed fate and free will (and fate versus free will) from time immemorial. That's what I mean by "letters." There's no specific text for me to reference because pretty much every book is about fate and free will (among other thoughts). Off the top of the head, I think of Hamlet: "To be or not to be. That is the question." I think of Buckaroo Bonzai: "No matter where you go, there you are ." Dickinson: "Because I could not stop for death/death kindly stopped for me." Calvin & Hobbes: "Isn’t it strange that evolution would give us a sense of humour? When you think about it, it’s weird that we have a physiological response to absurdity. We laugh at nonsense. We like it. We think it’s funny. Don’t you think it’s odd that we appreciate absurdity? Why would we develop that way? How does it benefit us?"
They will and they won't.
We're tied together and untethered.
This is what history teaches us.
Read the letters. This is fate
and free will. This is human weather.
This is fate and free will.
I don't understand how reading "the letters" conncects to fate and free will. To say an event is "fate" tis to say humans have scant control over the lives, to say humans have "free will" is to say history is created by (all/some?) of our free will. I cannot grasp he meaning of this contridiction and read the scholarly writing and work (the letters) as a way to to interpret is again a contridiction of human weather as"fate and free will. Unless it is saying it is all unknown and nothing written will teach us. That position contridicts my experience. For one, Alexie's work does not dissapoint if one does the work of deceiohering. I will work on this. "The sky is still grey" though. :)
I don't recall much scholarly and literary work--Letters--outside of dominant culture literary perspectives until the 80's. I am missing something here , and want to comprehend what this author is providing readers to grapple with-- in this piece--in terms of "fate and free will". I think it might be an improtant point/conversation. Can "other" readers besides the author chime in?
What parts are you grokking, so to speak? Poems frequently have dense, overlapping meanings that shift with time for the reader.
Perhaps, if you share what parts are resonating for you, that may be a starting point for a dialogue.
Human weather--this grabbed me. We caused it.
Thank you, Yvonne.
Human weather. Thank you for those words side by side, evoking something unexplored in me that hadn't been conscious before.
Thank you, Amanda.
Just what I needed on my Monday morning - some nutritious brain food. Thank you.
Thank you, Carol.
A fine poem, for these times too.
I liked the ambiguity - they will and they won't get better. It's even handed.
Thank you.
Beautiful and a great reminder of the cyclic nature of life.
Thank you, Arjan.
Oh that’s good...
Thank you, Amy.
Very sorry to learn about Eastern Washington’s outrageous wildfires and subsequent smoke/breathing issues all the way to the Emerald City. Hope that your family and friends ‘back east’ are safe.
The fires aren't near my reservation but everybody is on watch.
“We’re tied together and untethered” -universal and perfectly said. Will remind myself of this when I rage at something insignificant. Thank you. Currently waiting for Hurricane Hilary to pummel us here in Southern California.
I hope the storm wasn't too bad for you, Leigh.
'tethered together' liking that!
Thanks
I would so love to believe that!!! But at the moment, things often feel pretty grim.
Wow. this one is really good.
Thank you, Blake.
Many hours later: I keep thinking of this line: "We're tied together and untethered." Thinking about what we all need to be teathered to in terms of survival.
Also thinking about: "Read the letters. This is fate
and free will." As I don't truck with "free will" and I am not a proponent of "fate", what are the letters I should read?
By "letters," I mean scholarly and literary work, as in "arts and letters."
Thank you Heather. I don't know the language. I just know he's an advanced first language speaker. Professor Emeritus of Ojibwe Culture. Soooo. I'm making progress. I was listening to my paper guru, filmed back in the early seventies, last night. He said real magic is doing the ordinary and making something tangible. Defeating your own self and making an accomplishment. So tonight I celebrate because holey of holeys I am making progress this afternoon. Good luck with the money sorting out. It can be done. I'll place you in my thoughts as well.
🥹creating is hard, sometimes dirty work but we persevere. I’ll be okay. First world problems as my sons say. I’m just a lady in an RV, all I can do is my own little corner. I pray that my fellow humans will come around. I think it’s going to be a tough transition to do the right thing. Gotta have hope.
We'll survive. But there will be much loss.
I dont know if I myself will, I’m having my first grandbaby in December so hopefully he will. Been waiting for a long time for him. I never thought of me going on but it is kind of cool. I was very ill all last winter and spring and it hit home. I won’t get to see what happens, if democracy or even humanity makes it and in what form. I’ll be leaving the movie half way through. Somehow I didn’t figure on that!
I am so honored that you answer my musings. I am afraid I have been a bit of a snob about social media. O, you do that for “likes”? How pathetic. I see the attraction now. I’m still not sold and think about ditching the phone every day. Ironic that more of us are living alone but spending time together in our phones. Maybe it’s a good thing-another thing that I won’t get to see pan out... maybe I will. Gratitude for you.
Creativity is a portal. Last week Earl told me the name for it in Ojibwe. It's important to preserve that knowledge. All our people that came before us made that word.
More than just preserve it. It needs to be put in action.