The Biden Dictum

I grew up in New York state during that time when people were proud of our great country, its flag, and possessed an abiding faith that God kept watch over us all.  My father passed away when I was three months old, and as a result, my family was of very modest means.  Higher education was not on my horizon.  Along with my two sisters, it followed that we shared the profound blessing to have grown up in a matriarchal household. My mother was one of those strong women you hear about from those times who worked in a munitions factory during the war and held a second job as the cashier in a movie theater.  Mother taught us core lessons in ethics, values and behavior.  I took an interest in changing politics at about fifteen or sixteen and railed against the growing trends toward disrespect for all that we cherished.  From that time, I took an interest in poetry and have attempted to use it to vent my frustration and dismay at the onslaught of disregard for America that has plagued us for decades.  As I approach my eightieth birthday, I can’t think of anything more rewarding than to keep on keeping on.