Publication News: Tim Kavi Celebrates National Poetry Month with eBook about Walt Whitman

Poet Tim Kavi celebrates National Poetry Month 2013, with the publication of his essay on Walt Whitman: The Embodied Poet of Existence. Basically, the essay is a brief discussion of Whitman juxtaposed with one of his most famous poems, I Sing the Body Electric. This ebook essay should be of interest to Walt Whitman fans, students, (using it as a resource and Study Guide for Whitman's "I Sing the Body Electric"), as well as Tim Kavi readers. In this essay, Tim Kavi offers a unique perspective as a poet with a background in existential philosophies and psychology.--TiLu Press (Exclusive Publisher of Tim Kavi's Works).

Dear Readers:  Walt Whitman, has long been one of my favorite poets.  The classic 'Leaves of Grass' is priceless.  I hope you will enjoy his poems, and especially his poem: 'I Sing the Body Electric' which his been reproduced in its entirety in this humble eBook essay, where I offer a commentary on that poem. Enjoy! ~~TK   Click Here to Purchase the Kindle Edition.  EPub and other Editions Coming Soon.

More About Goddesses: The Greek Goddess Artemis (New Essay)

More About Goddesses: Artemis, Greek Goddess of the Hunt

By Tim Kavi

Artemis is the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister of Apollo. Her bow and arrows that she would carry were made by Cyclopes and Hephaestus. She is depicted as goddess of the hunt, wild animals and many cities also worshiped her as the goddess of fertility. Artemis is often depicted with the moon above her head and was frequently depicted as being close with Selene, the goddess of the moon. More often she would be depicted as roaming the mountain forests with her nymphs by her side in search of panthers, stags, hinds and lions. In later myths she would assist these animals by protecting their overall well-being while fighting to ensure their safety.

Artemis is also seen as the goddess of chastity. Legend has it that when she was three years old, Artemis asked Zeus to provide her with eternal virginity. All of her close companions were virgins, and she would punish any man who attempted to harm the purity of herself or her companions. In one legend, Actaeon came upon Artemis and her nymphs bathing naked in a pool, and when she saw him watching Artemis transformed him into a stag and sent her hounds after him. She was also known to use her bow to kill those who were known to rape women, including Orion.

Because Artemis was born before her brother Apollo, her mother gifted her the island of Ortygia as thanks for helping her mother to cross the strait of Delos to give birth to Apollo. This legend made Artemis an idol to women going through childbirth. Some cities depicted her as a goddess and protector to those in the midst of  the hunt, a mass of contradictions as she brought sudden death alongside the birth of a new life. Because her twin brother was seen as a healing god, many would pray to Artemis for assistance in the healing of gout, rabies or leprosy in hopes that she would appeal to Apollo on their behalf.

These and other legends of Artemis would be honored with lively festivals. Festivals were held throughout Orthia, Brauron, Brauronia and most notably Sparta. As women became of age and reached puberty they would be initiated into the cult of Artemis, although they would be required to leave this cult once they became married. Artemis was not against the realm of marriage, but she chose to be surrounded by those who were pure, so those who chose to engage in marital acts would be required to return her paraphernalia as they took on this new role.

Updated Photo, Poet's Afterword--About the Photo: Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt, stands confidently in a moonlit forest clearing, her silver bow held loosely in her hand. Her attire is simple and practical, befitting a huntress. Nearby stands Persephone, the goddess of springtime and queen of the Underworld, holding a bouquet of vibrant wildflowers, a gentle smile gracing her lips. The scene subtly contrasts Artemis's wild, untamed nature with Persephone's softer, more nurturing presence.~~TK

More About Goddesses: My Encounter with the Benevolent Mother--Ma Durga (Essay)

More About Goddesses: My Encounter with the Benevolent Mother--Ma Durga (Essay) by Tim Kavi

Although there are different manifestations of  the Hindu goddess Ma Durga, such as Lakshami, Parvati, and Durga herself , it is my encounter with Ma Durga as a mother figure that has made a lasting impression upon me.

For as she gathers those that need help in her arms of compassion, and leads them gently from times of trouble, her caring is so apparent. For it is as a gentle mother and caring one that She leads me to safety and protection that resonates so deeply within me again and again. For as we humans well know, we needn't go looking for troubles, sometimes they will find us!  Never do we need the touch and care of a friend more, a companion, a brother or sister in dialogue--the caring of family and loved ones--as it is then that the gentle leading of the archetypal Mother Goddess is ever needed!

And thank goodness, when called upon She arises, and gathers us in Her arms.  And yet, She does not wait to be called upon--for like any good Mother she responds to our distress.

Her eyes are certainly seeking, searching, and settling upon those in times of trouble, they are gentle, reassuring, and if need be, drawing us to attention.

Her smile is as the dripping honey on the lotus.  She warms the hearts of all India, and the world.

This tiger riding Goddess is the ultimate mother!

Several years ago, I had a deeply meaningful and especially vivid dream about Ma Durga.  I  knew right away in my dream who she was and what the dream was about.  I could tell the woman in the dream was Ma Durga because of her attire, her Goddess face, and those eyes that only Ma Durga has!

Anyway, in this dream that I readily recalled upon sudden awakening at its conclusion, the events went like this.  I entered a supermarket, and I felt like I was lost from someone, or had gone ahead of someone.  But I also felt ashamed, like I was 'in trouble', or had done something that I felt 'stupid' about. Sort of like a kid who had done something wrong, but didn't want his parents to know. I was a grown man in the dream however.

So I went down the shopping aisles filled with all sorts of foods and plenty of them. I came upon the glass enclosed cold storage units, the units where they keep frozen packaged products like pizzas, ice cream, frozen dinners, etc.  Well, I climbed up on top of one of these units, and laid down flat on my back. I laid down as flat as I could, so as not to be readily or easily seen by anyone who might enter the store or was walking nearby. From where I was, I could turn my head and see the main entry of the store however.

So for some reason, I turned my head towards the entry doors. It was if I was waiting for someone, anticipating someone coming, but I didn't know for sure who it would be.

Suddenly, I saw Ma Durga come through the doors.  She was walking towards my location! I tried to melt into the metal of the casing so as not to be seen. But there was to be no hiding, as she lovingly approached.  She was a fully radiant being, and was smiling as she approached, her eyes taking in everything around her. As she came closer, she grew and magically became taller.  As she got to where I was, she was now taller than the enclosures, and easily saw me.

She looked at me with so much love and acceptance, my heart melted. It was if her eyes could see everything about me, accepted me, forgave all my troubles, or made them all vanish in the manifestation of Her power. In that one look, was all this and much more instantaneously. Love, acceptance, forgiveness, reassurance.

She calmly put her hands on her hips, looked into my eyes with her Ma Durga Eyes, and She said: "Well, are you coming? Get down from there and follow me!"  

I hopped down and immediately left with her out of the store with all of its materialism and wealth, and happily followed Her.  The joy and relief was enormous! I then awoke with a start.

This dream deeply resonated with me, although I knew I was a mature man in the dream, her loving approach to me elicited both a son like sense, and also a childlike sense.  I knew I had done something, and felt like I might be in trouble.  So I was trying hard to hide from 'Mom'.

Still, when Ma Durga 'found' me, I was overcome by several feelings at once, love, acceptance, and reassurance. I expected wrath, but got deep love. I also knew I was totally safe with her, protected, and that all my troubles were solved and no longer as important as I had thought they were. So I was eager and readily able to hop down and follow her out of the store.  Happily returning to everyday life and then, transcending the world, protected by the Goddess, I suddenly awoke with this realization deeply embedded in my consciousness.

It was a wonderful experience, and although some people think dreaming is just the firing of neurons, that dream was one of the most meaningful dreams I've ever had.~~TK

Poet's afterword:  Later, I wrote a poem called Ma Durga's Eyes.  Although it could never capture the true magnificence of Her eyes, it is a step in that direction. It is one of the most popular poems on my blog and can be read here: Ma Durga's Eyes (the poem)

Also, as I write this, the significance of the calendar in regards to Ma Durga cannot be overlooked.  We are just now in the beginning of the Hindu holiday, Navratri, also known as Durga Puja, where all over India and the world,  Ma Durga is celebrated in her various manifestations across Nine Nights of  bliss. ~~TK

And now it is April 2013, and we are on the eve of Vasant Navratri again and as India, Indians, and Hindus all over the world prepare to celebrate Nine Nights of Celebrations of Goddesses; I am again reminded of my blog entries about the Goddess, Ma Durga.  Including (not linked last time) my newer "More About Goddesses column that features Mahadevi Durga .~~TK

More About Goddesses: Athena, Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War (Essay)

Athena – Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War 

by Tim Kavi

The Greek goddess Athena, often portrayed as full of mercy, strong, and fair, skill and endeavor,  is also considered the goddess of heroes and the heroic journey.  Also viewed as a representative of Divine Intelligence, and as a goddess of warfare, she was considered the patron goddess of Athens.  According to legend, she had quite an unusual birth. Her father, Zeus, ate his first wife, Metis, because he feared when she became pregnant that she had in her womb the son that was prophesied to usurp him of his own throne. This caused him a great headache, worse than any other, and to be rid of it he let another god open up his head. At this moment, it is said that Athena sprang forth from the forehead of Zeus and she was fully clothed in the attire of war.

So, it was not the son he feared that came out – rather his beautiful, full grown daughter Athena, already dressed in full golden body armor that was “born”. Athena became Zeus’ favorite child, motherless as she was. She was the only one that he told his secret of where to find his lightning bolts, plus she was trusted to guard his magic shield.

Generally, Athena is seen with a spear in her hand, and her helmet of gold tipped to show her beauty. Although she was dressed for battle, she was much more known for her job as diplomat, judge and mediator. People knew her for her fair and compassionate decisions. Stories also tell of how she helped many other gods, goddesses and heroes out when they were faced with a great problem that seemed impossible.

She was probably the start to the first independent woman. Referred to as a virgin, she was not swayed by Aphrodite, and she stayed independent of all of the responsibilities of marriage and being a mother. You did not hear of romance or marriage in Athena’s story.

In Roman mythology, she is known as Minerva, and according to Plato she is also prefigured by the Egyptian goddess, Neith.

Poet's Note:  Later, this post was reprinted as a Foreword in a 2013 edition of 'Athena Queen of the Air' by John Ruskin.  The book has much more additional material about the Goddess Athena. I hope that readers of both resources--don't mind that this entry remains here on my blog. You can get the Kindle eBook: 'Athena: Queen of the Air' by clicking here.

More About Goddesses: Kwan Yin--The Compassionate Goddess (Essay)

The Goddess Kwan Yin, the Goddess of Compassion

by Tim Kavi

 

With her origins still being debated over, we can at least attest that Kwan means to inquire deeply and that Yin means to cry. This goddess is shown in many forms, but they all show her unique compassion and mercy. Many times you can see Kwan Yin as a slender woman in flowing white robes carrying a white lotus in her left hand which is a representation of purity and the ideal of womanhood. She might also be seen wearing ornaments to show her stature, or without them to show how modest she is.

Kwan Yin is also known as a “bringer of children”. Because of this, many images of her can be seen in homes and temples. In these instances, a large white veil will be covering her whole body and she could be seated on a lotus, rather than carrying one. Instead, a child will be in her arms, or the child will be seated near her. Sometimes you can see her with several children at once, which she is then known to be the “white-robed honored one”.

 Many times you will see Kwan Yin with several hands, heads and eyes, plus a thousand arms. In the palms of each of her hands there will sometimes be an eye. This symbolizes her as the omnipresent “Divine Mother” being able to see in all directions at once and therefore all the problems of humanity. In this image she reaches out to everyone with her extreme compassion and mercy to help console all. Her name is also spelled Quan Yin, or Kuan Yin, and some scholars say that she is foreshadowed by, or is identical to an earlier deity named Avalokitasvara.

More About Goddesses: Saraswati--The Artistic Goddess (Essay)

More About Goddesses: 

Saraswati – The Artistic Goddess

by Tim Kavi

For every Indian artist, the goddess Saraswati is a major influence. To them, all art – old and new – starts with Saraswati. She is the Hindu goddess of music, knowledge and creative arts and is also known as Vak Devi, or the goddess of speech.

Originally from the creation of the goddess that Brahma fashioned after himself of whom half was woman and half was man. The woman part of this goddess was called Gayatri, but later she became known by several other names, one of them being Saraswati.

She appears always in all white and usually is seen riding atop a swan, but sometimes can be seen on a peacock instead. She plays music on a veena, and holds in her hands a mala, or prayer beads, and palm leaf scroll to show knowledge.

Indian students take the power of Saraswati very seriously, and a daily mantra can be recited to supposedly improve their concentration, memory and power in their studies. They regularly worship Saraswati in hopes to do well on their tests, as well. There is a temple, Vilma Vashi, which is solely dedicated to Saraswati.

In yoga, Saraswati is represented as the neutral channel in a trio that also includes the lunar energy channel which symbolizes the river Ganga and the solar energy channel which represents the river and the Yamuna goddess. Then the upward flow of the Kundalini goes straight through the central channel, Saraswati, to pierce the chakras and bring liberation. This convergence is called Triveni Sangam and takes place near Allahabad.

In summary, general aspects of the Goddess Saraswati includes her status as the wife (consort) of Lord Brahma and the fact that it is she that possesses the powers of speech, wisdom and learning. She has four hands representing four aspects of human personality in learning; mind, intellect, alertness and ego. 

Often, she has sacred scriptures in one hand and a lotus (a symbol of true knowledge) in the second. With her other two hands she plays the music of love and life on the violin (veena).  She is also often dressed in white ( a sign of purity) and rides on a white goose (swan). Regardless of how you view her, and in what manifestation, surely the Goddess Saraswati is one of the most interesting Goddesses in the Hindu pantheon.

My Grandma the Poet (A Memoir) (repost with New Foreword)

new foreword:

Today would have been my maternal grandmother's 112th birthday.  I am reposting the following blog entry about her as a tribute (originally posted here in 2008).  I cannot tell you how much she means to me.  She was my earliest poetic influence and taught me much... Happy Birthday Grandma. Love, that's the biggest reason I write poetry. ~~TK  BTW, the style is open prose, so forgive [sic] the lack of punctuation and informal qualities. 

My Grandma the Poet (A Memoir)

A true story from my hometown life:

I grew up in a small town and loved grandma and visited her house
I stayed there lots of weekends
even until my late teens

she made homemade candy
and treats, good homecooked meals
and the holidays everyone in the family came there

aunts and uncles and lots of cousins
there weren't any boy cousins
although I had two brothers
(they were much older than I)
I made mudpies with my girl cousins
who giggled incessantly
and told me how to cook
fine pies in the mud

grandma tended to her kids
but when she got older she worked a little...

grandma was the town "cookie" cooking burgers that all the teens loved at the soda five and ten

you know the malt shops with soda jerks? in the 1950s...

post war bums with some slicked back hair and cars with big fins

susie was over in the corner
eatin' grandma's burgers

grandma was behind the counter and she grins

watchin the drama unfold
susie ignored the man's advances
and all the other cooks
cackled

susie was a real good looker

I had a burger there in the Soda Fountain place in the late 70S before they tore down the place
the same owner was there but he was Cookie now, and grandma was living in the twilight of her life. the place was empty, but the food was still good and you could get a lot for your money all the noise was down the street at some fast food place. There wasnt even a battle of the bands no more. The owner worked there with his son who never had another job and stayed with his daddy till the end even though he was all grown

I went to grandma's house for a visit soon
after seeing her old working place

grandma was rockin
in her rocking chair
writing poems and crocheting and watching Bonanza, Highway to Heaven (she loved Michael Landon) and, Portland wrestling

when she gave advice you listened

I never forgot her
her love was the most patient teacher

any grandson could have
and I often told her I loved her so

from as far back as I remember..
I have memories like this:

grandma would say Timmie
and was happy to see some of my first poems
scrawled in crayon
or pencil
so grandma and me would write at the same time when I was little and she was so big in my little eyes


her gentle ways taught me more about the
goddess than just about anbody
I know

I think grandma was a goddess

she would write poems by the hours
on sheets of typing and notebook paper college ruled
and writing tablets

all handwritten in very large letters

I was high enough to peek over the arm of the chair to watch what she was doing

if I was good and asked real nice
grandma would read me some
out loud

she had a way with words

these were lyrics and fine ballads

born in 1900 on a homestead she was a country girl
grandpa was a sharecropper
they seemed poor
but rich in so many ways

but we were so happy

grandma liked reading romance magazines
in that rocking chair
songs of home, heart, romance

and her and grandpa were married for more than 50 years

you know grandma taught me
a lot

and every once in awhile
when I write a poem now
I think grandma sees it

I hold it up to her just like I used to and you know what?

she grins

and that still makes me pretty damned happy.

here's an excerpt from one of
grandma's poems:

Tomorrow's End

My wonderful kids
How I love you so
I must know if there is a place
For me, or a home to go.

I won't need many extras
Just a bed at nite
A place to love my grandchildren
And my poetry to write.

Could I have a chair by a window
With the sun shining in
That would make me so happy
As my eyes grow dim.

I'd be all settled in comfort
Shielded from the cold
What a glorious feeling to know
Then I am growing old...


author's note: grandmothers can be terribly important. as you can tell, mine was extremely important to me. the poet "gene" certainly runs in my family...my grandma, my mother, and both my daughters write prose that inspires and moves me across all time.~~TK

Lu Xun Park (blog entry)

Lu Xun Park

Yesterday was the Chinese Holiday, Founder's Day. I spent the day at Lu Xun park in Shanghai. It was raining slightly part of the day, but it did not dampen spirits. Everywhere there was young and old strolling, singing, dancing, playing badminton, playing Chinese ancient musical instruments, or just chatting at the park.

The park is a memorial that commemorates the work of the great Chinese writer, Lu Xun. Lu Xun's important work moved Chinese literature from the time of imperialism to the birth of a new society.

The park includes the actual house where he lived, and has been preserved pretty much exactly as he left it when he passed away. Being at the park and reflecting upon this famous writer's life and work was very inspirational.

Last year, Penguin Classics published a special edition of Lu Xun's writing. Time magazine called it the most important Penguin Classic ever published. You can get it from Amazon in paper form or for your Kindle. Here's the link at Amazon.

TK

livingthepoem(newessay)

livingthepoembytimkavilivingthepoemmeansalwaysbeingabletosayjustwhatyouwantedtogowhereyouwantedtositneartheoneyouwantedtonotjustdowhatyouwantedbutwhatthepoemwantedforitwastherethatyouwerefree...andreallylivedthepoem