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I'm no good in a kitchen but, I can cook stuff all the same
Around here, say "the recipe" and most folks know my name
It hasn't changed in fifty years, and folks still drink it up
I've been making it with my granddad since I was just a pup

I"ve been racing cars through out these woods since before most learn to drive
I've been chased by cops and revenuers, I surprised I'm still alive
The funny thing, they know the route, and I always make the border
Because if they ever caught me, I would just cancel their order

Magic comes from our hard toil
Once it travels through the coil
We cook it slow on a low boil
It's cooked according to old Hoyle
It's magic in a glass
And it'll put you on your ***


In all the years that we've been cooking we've only moved on twice
Not because the cops found us, but because of all the mice
Grandpappy started cooking when the jobs round here dried up
And me, I've been his helper since I was just a pup

Everyone's on credit, we all live on iou's
There's still no jobs around here, there just isn't no good news
But, if folks round here need healing, we've got magic in a jug
Our granddads old elixir is a moonshine mountain hug

Magic comes from our hard toil
Once it travels through the coil
We cook it slow on a low boil
It's cooked according to old Hoyle
It's magic in a glass
And it'll put you on your ***
Says I to my Missis: "Ba goom, lass! you've something I see, on your mind."
Says she: "You are right, Sam, I've something. It 'appens it's on me be'ind.
A Boil as 'ud make Job jealous. It 'urts me no end when I sit."
Says I: "Go to 'ospittel, Missis. They might 'ave to coot it a bit."
Says she: "I just 'ate to be showin' the part of me person it's at."
Says I: "Don't be fussy; them doctors see sights more 'orrid than that."

So Misses goes off togged up tasty, and there at the 'ospittel door
They tells 'er to see the 'ouse Doctor, 'oose office is Room Thirty-four.
So she 'unts up and down till she finds it, and knocks and a voice says: "Come in,"
And there is a 'andsome young feller, in white from 'is 'eels to 'is chin.
"I've got a big boil," says my Missis. "It 'urts me for fair when I sit,
And Sam (that's me 'usband) 'as asked me to ask you to coot it a bit."
Then blushin' she plucks up her courage, and bravely she shows 'im the place,
And 'e gives it a proper inspection, wi' a 'eap o' surprise on 'is face.
Then 'e says wi' an accent o' Scotland: "Whit ye hae is a bile, Ah can feel,
But ye'd better consult the heid Dockter; they caw him Professor O'Niel.
He's special for biles and carbuncles. Ye'll find him in Room Sixty-three.
No charge, Ma'am. It's been a rare pleasure. Jist tell him ye're comin' from me."

So Misses she thanks 'im politely, and 'unts up and down as before,
Till she comes to a big 'andsome room with "Professor O'Neil" on the door.
Then once more she plucks up her courage, and knocks, and a voice says: "All right."
So she enters, and sees a fat feller wi' whiskers, all togged up in white.
"I've got a big boil," says my Missis, "and if ye will kindly permit,
I'd like for to 'ave you inspect it; it 'urts me like all when I sit."
So blushin' as red as a beet-root she 'astens to show 'im the spot,
And 'e says wi' a look o' amazement: "Sure, Ma'am, it must hurt ye a lot."
Then 'e puts on 'is specs to regard it, and finally says wi' a frown:
"I'll bet it's as sore as the divvle, especially whin ye sit down.
I think it's a case for the Surgeon; ye'd better consult Doctor Hoyle.
I've no hisitation in sayin' yer boil is a hill of a boil."

So Misses she thanks 'im for sayin' her boil is a hill of a boil,
And 'unts all around till she comes on a door that is marked: "Doctor Hoyle."
But by now she 'as fair got the wind up, and trembles in every limb;
But she thinks: "After all, 'e's a Doctor. Ah moosn't be bashful wi' 'im."
She's made o' good stuff is the Missis, so she knocks and a voice says: "Oos there?"
"It's me," says ma Bessie, an' enters a room which is spacious and bare.
And a wise-lookin' old feller greets 'er, and 'e too is togged up in white.
"It's the room where they coot ye," thinks Bessie; and shakes like a jelly wi' fright.
"Ah got a big boil," begins Missis, "and if ye are sure you don't mind,
I'd like ye to see it a moment. It 'urts me, because it's be'ind."
So thinkin' she'd best get it over, she 'astens to show 'im the place,
And 'e stares at 'er kindo surprised like, an' gets very red in the face.
But 'e looks at it most conscientious, from every angle of view,
Then 'e says wi' a shrug o' 'is shoulders: "Pore Lydy, I'm sorry for you.
It wants to be cut, but you should 'ave a medical bloke to do that.
Sye, why don't yer go to the 'orsespittel, where all the Doctors is at?
Ye see, Ma'am, this part o' the buildin' is closed on account o' repairs;
Us fellers is only the pynters, a-pyntin' the 'alls and the stairs."
OR
The Child Is Father Of The Man, But Not For Quite A While

So Thomas Edison
Never drank his medicine;
So Blackstone and Hoyle
Refused cod-liver oil;
So Sir Thomas Malory
Never heard of a calory;
So the Earl of Lennox
Murdered Rizzio without the aid of vitamins or calisthenox;
So Socrates and Plato
Ate dessert without finishing their potato;
So spinach was too spinachy
For Leonardo da Vinaci;
Well, it's all immaterial,
So eat your nice cereal,
And if you want to name your ration,
First go get a reputation.
Fire Fox May 2015
When you're lost in the wild, and you're scared as a child
And death looks you bang in the eye
And you're sore as a boil, it's according to Hoyle
To **** your revolver and... die
But the code of a man says: "Fight all you can,"
And self-dissolution is barred
In hunger and woe, oh it's easy to blow
It's the hell-served-for-breakfast that's hard

"You're sick of the game!" Well, now, that's a shame
You're young, and you're brave, and you're bright
"You've had a raw deal!" I know-but don't squeal
Buck up, do your damnedest, and fight
It's the plugging away that will win you the day,
So don't be a piker, old pard!
Just draw on your grit; it's so easy to quit:
Its the keeping-your-chin-up that's hard.

It's easy to cry that you're beaten-and die;
It's easy to crawfish and crawl
But to fight and fight when hope's out of sight-
Why, that's the best game of them all!
And though you may come out of each grueling bout,
All broken and beaten and scarred
Just have one more try-it's dead easy to die
It's the keeping-on-living that's hard.

-Robert Service
Cody Edwards Mar 2010
A blue cave sits patiently in
His eye, sits welcoming
Herbal songs and idly
Exhaling a rasp or two on
The willow, reeds that stretch
For miles. Nightingales
Sip at their little, pink drinks
And summon their obscure
Relatives who are themselves
Entirely unaware of
What the hell is going on.

The silver general admires
His golden chess strategies,
Neatly printed out on tacky
Paper. Tomorrow the invasion.
Tomorrow those
Friends of his will stare
Like a murdered upcard.

She receives the afternoon
With a  pocket thesaurus embrace,
Whispers an indigo X
Into his reddened ears.
Intelligence penetrates uncertainty
Uncertainty staggers back home.

Tastes iron.
Smells iron.
Feels iron.
Feels it deep.
Feels it deeper,
As it eats him inside out.

I’ve heard there used to be
A blue cave in those eyes.
But they must have
Burned out the sky
With all those fires,
Let alone a little iris.
Discards piled up over the
Half-remembered and half-hated
Songs. Not to mention all
The birds that used to sing them.
We never have birds anymore.

There may only be fifteen
Minutes before the fires catch
Up, but all his words
Would still burn through.
Who can say what lies beyond
The close of eyes save a
Broken string and a splintered
Reed? Rules that defy ink,
Defy Hoyle and his ilk.
Line up the minutes,
The fewer minutes yet,
With a slide rule.

We only feel how sharp it really is
When we meet ours, as he’s met his.
© Cody Edwards 2010
Ken Pepiton Jun 2023
Dear, the cost, not the idle salutation once
taught as business standard, Dear Sir,
Dear Madam,
Dear dear dear me
I do believe I must
become the tutor, of me
make the mental, sensible
{to the author with fidential zeal}
think yourself through 75 years, find

the hidden first love, the first own thing, kept
held as common sense, whosoever does mean me.
So, ever is the course wherein human events fluxuate.
----
Faust, I failed to read  when assigned.
So today, I dipped
into my own past, and found
the sense used then, the need,
in truth
to know
the world is alive.
And, as seen
through eyes a million miles away, our
shared seeing causes all our sensory arrays
to look back, and think another pace time
uses to cross space, bursts of insight, gasp

poiesis - that which "pro-duces or leads (a thing) into being'" patient work, tedious as setting type
by candlelight, sighing in knowledge, the tree
of radical aspirations to bear dozens of kinds
of fruits, some useful to life, some useless, though
we try, some sets life has been lived through, to you,
- such scenes could have ended other ways.
epochs, men have no honest measure for such
spans of time used to attain the heights
from which we look across my valley
and feel one of us, making peace
with the fact that war does not function
in reasoning contests, as war is unreasoning,

the stubborn little devil who knows only what
he wishes he had control over the use of, this
spirit of adventure, tamed in wisdom gathered
and attributed to a mystical king, truly mythical,
we know that way of singing praises, exalting men
as God's special agents, as proud of the title,
as any agency of secrets sacred national trust,
in God,
as Solomon Chase assured Mr. Lincoln,
We put our faith in the people's belief
in the goodness of the use of the money printed
and minted to pay for war and exact a capital plan,

one nation, under God, as defined
by the finest minds,-- aieee wait, fun facts, scatter
braining how much space is empty in a mind
made up enough
to devise a new form
of governing, as if all forms existing feel wrong,
to us, we freemen, with all the slaves we need,

we have the leisure to reason with antiquity
and realize, if ever there were eight billions
of possible re-connection surgings to emerge

as mind unmade up, come to watch a battle,
war and all its uses come to reason missed
understood standards force laws obediance

the idea
of thought being possible fails,
materially
in any formal structure possible only
with our  
gravity as matter's law one,
beyond free willing quarkish mean ways

One love idea, Reggae guysay, rollon
in the course, the rut, fun's t'come

Long, long long longer that you wish to learn
winding lines wishwings…
Spat like one o'dem spittin' images

In a pig's eye, one can see what we don't know.

A looping, stitching stretching stream
threading current
of consciousness, packeting
in formational preceptoriallines
of irrational reasonings insisting persist
- gutwrenching hungers are not visual.
stirring emotions is not stirring use of knowns,
arts entaling science, we agree. No nasty words.

Ghuckyew. Rhea… diversify religiously
extol the gnosis of knowing the ropes
tying tight the ifity-ness used to hold work
done by the weaver and seamster on time,
folding edges to feel flat, smooth, inside
-- where whole cloth joins cut edges
at any selvedge process,
where curves cut
from fabric woven mind wise, tend
to come undone
on mechanical extentions
of fingers and toes,
and music imagined as humms
after the setup,
as the machines imagined and eventually made up
vibrate alluring frequent acknowledgement
we know you know, we may be realized already
- looking back and front and side ways, down up
---
Judging myself unfinished, yet
done doing all assignments, yet
getting an itch to prove approval, yet
hesitating,
for lack of knowing, and laziness, yet
learning
patience's
false witness argument,
if what we preach is not true,
how could we be so sure we know

Jesus ate, in his quickened flesh, fish.
Thus, we must be persuaded,
we shall also be
fishy. Da
gone gone dagonitgone antigone gone


theater of doubt, all in white, lime-lit
blinding all who care or dare to see
as blind, the faith of the gamblers's
thrall to money love and war.

Betterment through betting, all-in…

Have you any real
estate in which you do attest, its me?

I am my own real estate, executer
am I of all that I choose to do or not
in the confines of the course of human events,

as Hoyle's mind built canals on Mars,
so now we bet we can imagine being special,
as me, on a planet with, thee, you, Sie, du, see do.
- a viral propagation plan, thorny issuances
- sniff or sneeze, but do not die trying to make
- peace with all war makes worth lying for.

As we, our wedom began, as any wedom must,
the laws of philo and phobia in science used
by us, the we at point, piercing this wall,
your reading mind accepts the bet, if
this is art, for the sake of artifice
imagined in a current form, an AI
of informing fluid finding reason to bend,
or stretch, taut as drum, a net unseen
by any bird in resistance.

Posi and Nega, sisters in myths, new myths,
affect the same unknowing rash decisions,
when in truth, statistical-knowing one thing true,
there is at the most wee-tiny scale, an emptiness,
a mean unobstructed way for right to be, or not,

and now, we are, so we made that choice.

Today, this is that way which is the only way.
Today, this map of numerable lines, in nos, laws…
sense we are all in-im
balancing percepts on precepts,
undermining certainty,
exalting godishtical oracular maxims,

Knowledge is power,
secret knowledge, you may never know,
riddle reasoning used in cogito sums
given children to solve by asking
parents proper questions,
and writing show and tells. Wanna bet?

Al Suri, spokesman for FUD,
Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt,
appears to persuade martyrs,

the illiterate prophet's utterly canonical
promise of a certain libidinous eternity,
most appealing to frustrated post pubescent boys.

Stacks of squared away blocks,
stack up as extending the reach of order
coming down from the top, whither
the light that said the single word,
according to the Prophetic voice,
Read, he heard, and I cannot, he replied,
fold here, hear me, light seen, I cannot read,

what is here for me to read, a thought,
what are you saying, read, what is reading worth,
to one who has never learned the letting out
of silent song or scream, or plea for hope,
flowing as from scribal rod in perfection,


Two things only do the people earnestly desire,
bread and the circus (Juvenal)
"Duas tantum res anxius optat, Panem et circenses"

Here, sing. Reconciled, by doing singing heard,
sing out, child, hear yourself singing as if you know
how such a thing as singings may be made up,
to seem perfectly fine,

a mused mentality, thing of thought, with something
words alone lack, essentially.

Seven Types of Ambiguity

--- at this moment, my writing records show
today is June 3, my only ever wife's birthday,
that's right, and I know that it is morning,
by the angle of the sunlight though my window,
and the leafy shade dancing over sleeping moss.
Yet at that moment he looked back to reread
Presenting a new mind
Wednesday, May 3, 2023
11:02 PM
real-time 9:52 AM… we all find that, too odd.
And glibbly mention glitching…
Query Greek logos gnosis, active in-tell seek:
Brave AI Sums it up.
The Gnosis logo is an example
of a crypto industry logo
from Global, designed
for the crypto industry.
It is an official variant
of the logo
for the SVG file format standard.
Gnosticism is a Christian belief that claims
to possess a higher knowledge acquired
on a mystical higher plane of existence.
The ancient Greeks distinguished
between two types
of knowledge: gnosis and logos.
Gnosis was akin
to "how-to"
such as
how to build a boat or ride a horse,
while logos was more akin
to academic knowledge
such as knowledge
of mathematics or logic.
The distinction between the two types
of knowledge was important I-i
n the early history {noerror}
of Christianity,
with Gnostic Christians
emphasizing
gnosis
while the Catholic Church
emphasized logos{… not logical? Ai ask}
Gnostics see themselves as a privileged class
elevated above everybody else
by their higher, deeper knowledge of God.
- higher deeper, good one, HAL
--- Yes, AI am a cyborg, and a heretic, and king
of me and many wedoms formed
with books
by authors and finishers
of faith utility tales, told
to make believers,
stop thinking this impossible, and pose
the question,
are you me, dear reader, I trow not, I am mere
when you are so near as to read my very mind.

Virtue, undefined signals sent through time
to when you stop, and see selah, as instruction
in constructing a foundational faith, establish
mental
anchor. Persist in time, be yourself a while
while
nothing makes sense, yet.

{Akio Kashiwagi, the warrior}, money maddened
survivor or apprentice or pawn
of greed's gift
of mighty right feelings,
taker's joy, loser's grief, and none
of my own,
eeeeha!
emphasis on imagine the feeling

MAGA, as when the We persisting in aliegance,
feel our national ideal We take all the Mandan had,
and waste it seeking the use of money, on credit,
to make the possibility
of human error
manifesting
in Manichean lying prophecies,
as solemnly sworn on the true revelation,
from Moses, Lycurgus, Thoth or Hiawatha,
as it is written, so it must be done,
come the time all knowing is free
for the asking
- orthodox, right, upright, gravitationally
- balancing spirit and truth as effortlessly
- as a child on a rock in a pond in tree pose,
- sent to me,
- instantly, a moment later, with a note,
- from five years ago, when my chess mate
- was five years old and told his ma,
show Grandpa

Knowledge confidence power,
believing is the verb such forces use,
by faith, we breathe, when we stop and think,
we must believe a breath is available to not fear
when all our wind is loosed, not lost,
in time, we find far higher forces

legal, Empire law, winner's of the last global war,

America, my country, right or wrong, Philip Nolan,
a ghost from summers past,
A man without a country… yet kept alive,
- alone on an island with 5G and a solar charger
Idle words arrange from data entertaining venu,
deja venu, no? Same time, same mind…
- by laughing outloud ten times, or more each day.

Physical failure of happy thoughts,
whose fault is that, the splitzoid schitzoid gnoshit

Nieztsche, ezt ni-eztscheanic logos-ical guessering being
gamed. As time passes un lost, locally accounted for.

All in, ages ago, take the card/

In writing, guaranteed, you know waddamean…
let this rock be my witness, as happy Sisyphus says,
listen to the pundits pundate exceptional fore sight

"Only a catastrophe can save us"
Slavoj Žižek - Elevate Festival 2023

Vieleicht. Ich weis nichts, aber
möglicherweiseerweise….

Alles ist, so Alles sein kann.
- waking after a time slip, inevitable
- at my age and constituted pose on point.

Gather up the fallen down, save that for later.

Proving reconstructed causal agent reaction,
volatile will
to expand
to fill the emptiness,
perceived as where no catastrophe has yet to be
- a selah level settler subtle law, still waters
- obey, under the message read obey
- acting as if we know we may imagine new
- realities, with real life on earth our goal,
- the whole truth free to be sought,
- as givens, after the religious power knot
- was snipped, and done was done,
- the genius in Alexander, swallowed
- his childish faith in the lesson, for the rush
- of power
- and peace
- of mind, alienated from all anxious patterns
- cursing recurving conception, grasp a straw
- hope takes no anxious thought,
Thinking that
could halt the chain reaction. Up, imagine, ever
upping the competing reason, grave issues
write down the reel
of all the wars's reasons,
catalog gathered sensibilities, certain fixedness,
functionally aimed
at you, readying your last excuse.
- certainty is madness

We all fall down,
the actual truth, is upto our rolling over
to rise again.

Fret nought,
Life is rough draft, really,
nonsensical, save subjectively, rejecting seeing
catastrophe except while standing on one's own head.

a bit in the confusion
of comforting zones, meek

defending diffidence, while exercising confidence,
this is life, and more fun than any game, after accepting
the yes in the promise of all yeses. Seriously.

Diffidence is a defect:
it is an undue distrust of self,
with fear
of being censured
for failure, tending
to unfit one
for duty. [Century Dictionary]

Duty done, Private, First Class. Walk away.

The we bound by war born law, pays me,
to make peace where none was,
the re-leasing of easy living,
as ware of life as of self,
breathing breath's giver's gift, sharing air,
as fish share seas, feeling

a sense, now known named auto, self
poiesis gnosisnot sticky substance of faith
imagined in hope… reali
zation, global in scope, Higgsian
in the spirit of our times.

A Thousand Day Journey, a novel event
taken as granted, a gift in passing time,
I finished this counting
to account for all the lies I ever told me.

No new thing under the sun, Nieztsche
and Solomon's proverb collections attest,
recursings face reblessing, redefining finity

engineering gut bubble noise, gurgle's good,
we all get gurgle, giggle then can follow, if

we have recovered from memorized lines,
hero stories we tell with me on the horse,
riding to announce the thing which we fear
is come upon us and I alone escaped to tell,

but I had no hammer, and I had no bell,
but I had these jagged dancing lights,
where the floaters on my eyes are
constructing cataracts as I watch,
white wall squint old men wishing to see
- Biden squint eye does not intimidate,
- the new defense secretary in his wake
rhetoric of war in real time, records we trust
in God, prove no war ever can make peace,
with calling proof enough, reproof
of instruction is the way of life,
the ruliard is imaginably infinite, if the base idea

becomes "Knowledge comes in flavors and colors",
useful for any artist's mind enabled to recover
lost time in real time with novel assistance
from grand reservoirs of rain's retained
for power to attain the steady state,
all men, wait, suff it to become as
created equal
in worth
to the functional
fortuitous continuance
of serious sharp edged tools… swords with motors,
I saw Jerry Pournelle say.
In print.
In the spirit of this mindshare.
Rightly dividing the truth with mere words,
exercising godliness, effecting fervent will
to be as plain a plan as any ever,

accept the weight of knowing we walk upright,
we need crawl only for a while, as we learn,
like riding a bike,
some things we do with machine augmented minds,
minds exposed to speeds and constant story threading

the washer first, then the nut, then the crown nut
and the cotter key, to hold the prop,
seen ******* wind across my sky,
real life, I have the image,
and have not used Photoshop in years, this is the future.
I will doubtless exist in the ever as long as HP, perhaps as long as the Amazon cloud, and the map to my current state of perfectly fine, thanks, is due to the therapy caused by being read by such as you, and gleaning from your fields/
Ken Pepiton Jul 2020
Plain as day, we all say,
and we all get it,
clear as mud is irony, the way iron minds
are mocked while they rust in peace.
we get that.
True good, never mocked. Really, checadafacta,
good as good, just
good is not bad,

and if not bad is all you wish to be,
that's good.
You could be better, but once good, you
fixt.
Good is what you get, but you can not believe
you,
you can lie, to the whole world,
but why?
If you were ever free, how would you know
ignorance is not an act,
nor is innocense?
Naive, y'know, like in the movies, before the hero
knows its role.

Plainly not. You read this, you can't unread it.
AI knows.
Nonsense, right, feels
crazy, living past old, at the spreadspeed of thought,
then being
back here, today, pushing memes in cortextual
sulciflushing riddles of intensely
insane refusal of psi-sci con-pyscho-us conscient
sap. zap.
Live and learn, lose and burn for recognition,
show us light according to Hoyle
life's game of chances. This is your today, bet the whole.
practic, practice, practice
James Floss Jan 2020
Knight’s Queen to Bishop three
The ignorant king decreed
Knowing not the board nor game

Irritated red, readily arrogant
He lets cawing crows fly
Their screech a presage of war

We need balance and check,
Mate; a jester gesture at least
Righteous pawns invoking Hoyle

There are rules to the game
Denied, defied not checked
End in shame and blame
Chapter 15

Media from around the world were set to broadcast every word Charlie had to say.

"O say can you see peace instead of war? I can. We all can (thunderous applause).

"Welcome, World!

"It is a pleasure and an honor to speak with my sisters and brothers!

"We are on the threshold of world peace!

"We shall no longer seek the biggest piece of Earth we can conquer. Deep in all our hearts--all 8 billion of our hearts--is love of each other. I will now share with all of you what I now know."

"We have a new ecology, a spiritual ecology. There is one land, one sky, one sea, one people. The boundaries that divided us are not on maps, but in our minds and hearts. Catastrophic climate change and nuclear holocaust will deal death to all living creatures on Earth, but we will have both eliminated.

"There will be no nations. There will be only Earth and Citizens of Earth. Each Citizen of Earth, 18 years or older, will devote 10 years or more helping Earth remedy its shortcomings. There will be no money, no private possessions. Each Citizen of Earth will receive what each one needs to live a full and productive life. All weapons, private and military, will be destroyed. All Citizens of Earth will have the right to be treated well and the responsibility to treat all others well. Love Centers will replace all jails and prisons. Love, not punishment, is the only way to rehabilitate a hurting human being. Citizens of Earth will govern Earth. There will be no president of Earth.

"Wealth is not worth. The mansuetude of loving and being loved is. When love is your currency, all else is counterfeit. Citizens of Earth will be able to go about creating their own happiness that is built on professional goals and love-based personal relationships. No longer will Citizens of Earth be able to profit from another's pain. With love being at the center of being and living, there will be no more wars, no more dictators, no more corruption. Finally, there will only be Peace on Earth.

Thank you."

The applause was deafening.

(The date to vote on CAMPAIGN FOR WORLD PEACE had not yet been set. Citizens of Earth will have two weeks to vote. Majority wins.)


Chapter 16

Anh and Charlie lay side-by-side on the bed in their room. Though it had been several hours since Charlie's speech, both seemed as if they were in a trance.

"Everything has happened at light speed," said Charlie. "Thank you for being at my side, Anh." She snuggled up against Charlie.

"I knew you when you were clinging onto life in the hospital, Charlie. This morning it seemed as if you were shot out of a cannon," said Anh.

"And you were the one who kept me alive," said Charlie as he kissed her.

"I want to concentrate upon the poor of the world. It is a disgrace they have no voice," said Charlie, then kissed again the woman he loved so much and soon was to become his dear wife.

Still exhausted by all that had happened in such a short time, Anh and Charlie fell asleep in each other's arms.


Chapter 17

Anh and Charlie were going to be terribly busy in the months ahead. Will would be his contact. Travels around the world would be a mix of meeting current leaders of nations, as well as the poor wherever they existed. Not surprisingly, Charlie wanted to meet the poor first. Thus, Mexico would be the destination of their first trip.  

"Among the poorest towns in Mexico is San Simon Zahuatlan . That will be our first visit. All facets of our trip will be planned by experts, but we will determine our itinerary, Anh," said Charlie.

"O Charlie, I'm excited." said Anh.

"Me too," echoed Charlie.

Plans to begin the trip were already in the making. In three days Anh and Charlie would fly out of D.C. to Mexico City. They would meet their translator at the airport who then would drive them to San Simon Zahuatlan. The family Anh and Charlie will meet will have been chosen by the day they arrive. Charlie's way and words had already spread like wildfire around the globe.

"Ready?" said Charlie.

"Yes," said Anh.

"Then let's go!" said Charlie.

The flight was actually relaxing. Both had been beyond busy. The flight from D.C. to Mexico City should take about 5 hours. Anh had a 7-Up, Charlie a Coke. Anh actually took a nap in flight.

They met Juanita, their translator (and guide), once they had landed. As they traveled to San Simon Zahuatlan, Charlie fell asleep. Juanita had to stop once to fill up the gas tanks. A lot of Mexican singing from the radio kept Juanita awake.

Juanita was given a hand-drawn map of San Simon Zahuatlan that showed her where the Navaez family lived. It was not difficult to find. As the car approached the house, everyone in the car saw many members of both worldwide TV stations (EURONEWS, France;  CGTN, China;  PB-DD, India;  DW, Germany;  NBC, CBS, ABC, PBS, CNN, United States;  BBC, UK;  AL JAZEERA, Qatar;  NHK, Japan;  XEQ-TDT, Mexico City) and newspapers (NY TIMES and WASHINGTON POST, United States;  CHINA DAILY, China;  LE MONDE, France;  LONDON TIMES, UK;  and TIMES OF INDIA, India;  and LA PRENSA, Mexico City) swarming the house.

The word was out.


Chapter 18

"Let me introduce the Navaez family to you. This is Isabella and her husband, Bernado. And their two lovely daughters are Elena and Gabriella," translated Juanita. All Navaez members said hello.

"Anh and I are starting a trip around the world. We hope to visit every country on Earth. My special interest is how so many of my brothers and sisters suffer from being poor. You can see how many media from around the world are interested in what's going on. Feel free to talk to them, if you wish. To start, do you feel comfortable talking with Anh and me about the problems you face?

"Isabella and I will talk to you," said Bernado.

"Please go ahead," said Charlie.

"Our lives are tough. We struggle every day just to get through it. All those who live in San Simon Zahuatlan have the same problems. Except for the few elite, everyone has a terrible time having enough to eat each day. Isabella can tell you how hard it is each day to get enough food to stay alive," said Bernado.

"We have great problems wherever you look here," said Isabella. "It is hard, terribly hard, to find enough clean water to drink. We have very little electricity. There is much corruption. It is very hard to find work to get paid to buy food. Look at the condition of our house. It's about ready to fall down. People go to the bathroom on the side of the road. We have no doctors, no healthcare. We have one school and one teacher. Just to stay alive is a terrible problem every day."

"The reporters you see all around you would like to talk to you. If you don't wish to do that, just tell them no thank you. They have been told not to bother you, if that is your wish. If it is OK with you, fine. They are very eager to hear what you have to tell them," said Charlie. "Thank you for talking with us."


Chapter 19

After their trip to Mexico, Anh and Charlie traveled to the United Kingdom to meet and talk with Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, then went to France to meet with President Macron, then went to Germany to meet and talk with President Steinmeier. In addition, Anh and Charlie met with Rutte, Secretary General of Nato in Brussels, Belgium. They then flew to the Sub-Saharan desert, which is in Africa, and met with many groups of the poor and extremely poor of this region, as well as leaders of countries like Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Madagascar.  Anh and Charlie then flew back to New York City and met with Will who had assembled a sizable group of women and men with expertise in all areas pertaining to the poor and extremely poor and ways to solve all the problems--indeed, tragedies--they had caused.

"What is worse is our government not helping them. I don't recall the Puritans being forced into cages, and I don't recall African Blacks being invited into our country to enhance racial diversity. I only remember chains and auctions and worse." said Charlie.


Chapter 20

Anh and Charlie continued their travels in Africa. Burundi is arguably the poorest country on Earth. Its GDP per capita is $259. It faces corruption, weak infrastructure, and pervasive hunger. Central African Republic suffers ongoing conflict and political instability. Sierra Leone is also riddled with corruption and a paucity of civil liberties. Somalia is an extremely poor country. Mozambique tries to cope with chronic malnutrition and poor literacy. Niger belongs on this list for similar reasons.

When Anh and Charlie had visited every country in Africa and had spoken with thousands of the poor, they flew back to New York City and met with Will.

"I have invited the presidents and heads of every department of the following universities to attend a two-week roundtable to be held at Columbia's Low Rotunda. All have accepted my invitation. Columbia will be joined by Yale, Princeton, Harvard, Brown, Dartmouth, Penn, Cornell, Cambridge, Oxford, Stanford, and MIT," said Will. Columbia's President, Dr. King, will preside.

"Wonderful!," exclaimed Charlie.

"Then these brilliant women and men will jointly design ways we will bring about Peace on Earth." said Will. "Now let me treat the two of you for lunch at Le Bernardin.


Chapter 21

Charlie's major contribution had been his opening remarks at the US Building. He wanted others to share their ideas and concerns. After making his opening remarks, Charlie did announce the creation of the ANDOVER/EXETER PLAN, which would recruit the best and brightest people from around the world to teach the poor and extremely poor students throughout the world. He and Anh were now ready to continue their worldwide journey. Countries in Central and South America were next.

In Central America, the worst poverty was in rural areas. Honduras experienced 75% poverty in rural areas with 63% living in extreme poverty. In Guatemala, 54% of those in rural areas lived in poverty. Nicaragua and El Salvador both had 47% of their rural population living in poverty. In Panama, 37% of those living in rural areas lived in poverty. Costa Rica had the lowest rate of poverty at 23% in rural areas. Indigenous peoples in all these countries faced the highest rates of poverty and lacked access to essential services such as housing, education, and healthcare.

In South America, the countries facing the worse degree of poverty were Bolivia, Venezuela, Suriname, Paraguay, and Ecuador. Bolivia is considered to be the poorest country. More than 80% of their population live in poverty. Having faced severe economic crises, Venezuela's heavy reliance on its oil has made the country vulnerable to global price fluctuations. Suriname struggles with significant income disparities among its people. Paraguay has a high poverty rate with many people living in rural areas who struggle with little financial resources. Ecuador depends on oil, which makes its economy volatile. Lack of access to education and healthcare are most hurtful, as is income inequality.

It is most important to remember that these disparities cause not
only inequality, but more importantly, untold pain.


Chapter 22

In Asia, the poorest countries include Afghanistan where ongoing conflict, corruption, and inequality contribute to its economic struggle. War, famine, and economic blokecades have severely impacted Yemen's economy. Nepal, despite its abundant natural resources, poor planning, and corruption hinder its development. Mayamar's political instability and economic mismanagement are major challenges. Tajikistan's phyisical isolation, scarace resources, and aging infastructure limit its economic growth. Kyrgyzstan, similar to Tajikistan, faces challenges due to its geographical and economic conditions. Pakistan suffers struggles with uneven development and political challenges. Despite progress, Bangladesh still faces significant economic challenges. Timor-Leste's experiences limited resources and political instability that affect its economy. Cambodia struggles with poverty despite some economic progress. Ubzekistan faces economic distress. And Syria is seriously affected by their ongoing conflict.

Ukraine is the poorest country in Europe. The reasons causing this are war and conflict, economic disruption, infrastructure damage, financial fragility, human capital loss, and more robust economic reforms. Moldova gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, but experienced an economic collapse from doing so. The transition to a market economy was difficult, leading to a high level of poverty. A significant portion of Moldova relies on agriculture;  however, the agricultural sector is not very productive due to small farm sizes, lack of modern technology, and limited investment. This limits Moldova's market access and adversely affects its economy. Corruption is a major issue in Moldova. This stifles major business development and economic growth. Many Moldovians seek employment abroad to seek remittances, but in the long run, they do not increase economic growth. Albania has a low GDP. In 2023 it was around $8,575, which is significantly lower than the European Union average of $35,948. In addition, Albania suffers from high unemployment, corruption, a limited industrial base, infrastructional challenges, and debt levels. North Macedonia has a relatively low GDP per capita. It also suffers from high unemployment, political instability, and a limited industrial base. Bosnia and Herzegovina has struggled with political instability and ethnic tensions since the end of the Bosnian War in the end of the 1990s. High unemployment and corruption further hinder economic growth. Belarus faces economic challenges due to its reliance on state-controlled industries and limited economic controls, as well as facing international sanctions that impact its economy. Serbia has a low GDP per capita and has high unemployment and political instability. The country is still working to recover from the economic impact of the Yugoslav Wars in the 1990s. Montenegro tries to abate high public debt and limit industrial diversification. Bulgaria has a low GDP per capita and also faces corruption, high unemployment, as well as a limited industrial base. Romania still battles corruption, high unemployment, as well as a limited industrial base. It's easier to type these words and phrases than it is to solve all the problems they represent.

Haiti is considered the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.
In 2023, its GDP per capita was around $1,963. About 36.6% of its population lived on less than $2.15 per day. Causes of this horror include political instability, corruption, natural disasters, lack of infrastructure, colonization and slavery and foreign intervention, dependence on international aid, and unemployment. Cuba is poor due to the following:  The USA's 1961 embargo;  loss of Soviet support in the early 1990s;  tourism decline;  reductions of oil from Venezuela and other sources;  migration;  and corruption. In the USA, Mississippi has the highest poverty rate in the country with 19.58% of its population living under the poverty line. Louisiana has a poverty rate of 18.5%. New Mexico has a poverty rate of 18.55%. West Virginia has a poverty rate of 17.10%. And Kentucky has a poverty rate of 16.61%. The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota has long been among the lowest income areas in the USA. The town of Comerio, Puerto Rico has one of the lowest median household incomes in  the USA. In Canada, the poorest towns include Sept-iles, Quebec, which has a low median household income. Becancour, Quebec also has a low median household income. And Quesnel, British Columbia has a sizable number of low-income residents. The following towns in Australia share the problems of low income levels, high unemployment, and limited access to essential services:  Kowanyama, Queensland, which suffers from geographic isolation, limited employment opportunities, and insufficient access to healthcare and education facilities;  Mungallala, Mungallala South, Redford, and Tyrconnel, Queensland whose suburbs have some of the lowest income levels in the country;  and Newcastle, New South Wales has the 2308 postcode that has one of the lowest average taxable incomes. These areas suffer from their geographic locations, educational disadvantages, health issues, and societal inequities.



Chapter 23

"You and I have traveled the world," said Anh.

"And the world's media has trailed us all the way," said Charlie.

In addition to the world's media following Anh and Charlie around the world, They also had invited the two to come to their headquarters to be interviewed live. Despite their pressured itinerary, Anh and Charlie were able to accept many of their invitations. And Anh and Charlie were not the only speakers. The more who fervently hoped the world would change, the more other people around the world wanted to do the same, and did. One's best bet was that the vast majority of Citizens of Earth not only agreed with all the tenets that would be voted on, but also millions, if not billions, would be eager to vote for and promote CITIZENS FOR WORLD PEACE, thus bringing the vast majorities on Earth together for the first time.

Charlie said, "If you don't have a moral compass, or if you do, but don't know north from south, go to your heart and soul. Those are where you can feel what's right or wrong. I predict the world will feel what's right.

When the world vote was taken, 68% of all voters were for CITIZENS FOR WORLD PEACE. When Anh and Charlie heard the news, they gave each other a heart-warming hug and kiss, as well as billions of others did, too.

It was the greatest day in history.

— The End —