Mark by John

 If Mark were a poet perhaps his gospel would have went thus. The title taken from the poet William Blake. Events in order of occurrence. Isaac Watts was grand at setting scripture to poetry.

Basketball John

 Basketball John

John Clare Stokes

It was probably instilled in the few months I lived in Vicco, Kentucky after being born in January of 1955 during basketball season before moving to Sopchoppy, Florida in June. It wasn’t a particularly great season by Kentucky standards for Adolph Rupp’s Wildcats, finishing 20-6 and second in the SEC behind Alabama. 

But that’s not the point. Point is, it rubbed into me unknowingly. It dwelt there when we moved to Sopchoppy and the Yellow Jackets in the old native rock gym that is now a landmark. Though I wanted to be Walt Dickson, the all-conference running back, there was also inside, Walt the basketball player.

When we moved to Monticello in my third grade year, I do not know if I asked my father, or if he too had the passion, having been invited by Adolph Rupp to say the prayer for the boys before a game, but he erected a basketball backboard and goal with swoosh net behind the new parsonage. Though I took second in punt, pass and kick and wanted to paint the Redskin helmet I won green, after Green Bay, I began to spend most of my time shooting and less time punt,pass and kicking. I finally got my first opportunity to get on a real court in a real game when the 4th grade A boys took on the 4th grade B team during halftime of a Tiger basketball game. My best friend Marc Bishop, the superintendent’s son and I led the B squad against the talented Butch and Bobby Plaines twins  of the A team. The game was frenetic, in the end we lost 7to5. I was high scorer with 3, making my first free throw. Marc had 2. 

That year we moved to Wilmore, Kentucky where my father and mother attended Asbury College. Daddy was to be the alumni director under ZT Johnson, the President and life long family friend.

It was here, as a Cub, with my two new best friends, Stuart and Steve Smith, whose dad was a science professor and coach, we had free reign of the Asbury gym. It was here, just a few miles from Mecca Lexington, that my Uncles William and Billy, living with us in the apartment out back, took me to my first and only Kentucky basketball game in Memorial Coliseum , where their friend Chuck Wade from their home in Forest, Mississippi beat Louie Dampier and Pat Riley. We got to go down to the State locker room and meet Chuck, still living in Forest. #My Uncle William hoped it would cement me a State fan. It only solidified my blue colors. 

In 1967 we moved back to Florida after two years, to Williston. Those first years in 7th to 9th grade, the passion was at a zenith. Orville Wheeler, my coach, being equally passionate, from Jerry West Virginia, was inspiring and encouraging. For a white boy, the future was bright. Then something happened. The Mighty White Red Devils played an exhibition game with East Williston, then all black, a year before segregation. I should have redirected  the passion playing on another field, but I was color blind. 

Like my days as a sprinter came to an end, taking up the hurdles, I should have seen my days as a basketball player ending. As all my white friends one by one quit, I ended up the only white player. Where I was once a shooting guard, I was now a point guard like the current Reed Sheppard who could get the ball up court past any press, only to pass it off. We never won many games. The team was too concerned with scoring stats. I was Mr Defense. 

Once a friend of my mother, trying to impress her, said, “I just love to watch your son play, now what number is he?”

My fondest years of basketball came from playing on our all white Masonic Demolay team where we were state runner ups. Likewise the many nights playing pickup games in the Williston gym with the great Kentucky meatcutter Bill Boyd, my former JV coach the great Dean Chesser, Truby English and other former players. In my senior year, I gave up track and football, which I loved, to concentrate on basketball. Even though I got the Mr Basketball award at graduation, on hindsight, the day I saw that East Williston team with Wilson James dunking and giving meaning to white boys can’t jump, I too should have taken a enjoy football and track too attitude, for it was the end of the line for a lifetime. That’s why tonight I’ll watch UK play Alabama, but I’m not going to worry near as much as once I would have if they lose. 

And to conclude, I still have that goal daddy set up for me in 1964. Times I go out to the shed where it hangs to see if it still glows a hot orange.

Deliverance

 Deliverance 

Suddenly there was this banjo plucking 

She had little knowledge of clawhammer 

She just thought it the sound of nature 

It’s quite wise to know a Scruggs from a Flatt.

To make a bouquet

 To make a bouquet 

Paul Gauguin

1880

I always enjoy a visit with Gauguin

Never know who he may be painting 

I like how he has lovely flowers always

To arrange into my own bouquet.

The silence

 It is in the silence

that my hope is, and my aim.

A song whose lines

I cannot make or sing

sounds men’s silence

like a root. Let me say

and not mourn: the world

lives in the death of speech

and sings there.

Wendell Berry

Trespassing shadow

Press Ruth Road

The 100th Revelation

 The 100th Revelation 

And as soon as

As if on a satur Day

I was in the sodra

Whether inside

Or outside

I could not tell.

Like a Degas

She was once a ballarina doll  

Seamless in her Port de bras  

We likened her to a painting by Degas  

Then the Soubresant and the ballon was gone

Then comes Jasmine

 Jasmine time

Just when I lament the Sandhill departing

the camellia from the freeze languishing 

then comes the climbing jasmine

and once more my spirit is lifting

Springs Stage

 Springs stage

Johnclarestokes  

Soon enter the dogwood bloom

Awaiting in the wings in awaiting their turn

As came the azaleas and camellia 

before them

each called to the grand stage

some to minor parts only passing

others in major roles of glory

each adding to the wonderful story

the least as vital in the aubade 

Unable to contain our applause.

The burning white bush

Live Oak

Ivermectin

Posted to have for my own reference 

Mix 3 milliliters in a glass of Orange juice and down it. About twice a month but do yall  REMEMBER WHEN the Media laughed and said ivermectin was ONLY for horses and cows? THEY KNEW it was made for people since 1987. 

Here’s what they didn’t tell you 👇

1 – It prevents the damage caused by drugs created using mRNA technology, blocks the entry of Spike Protein into cells and, if the person was vaccinated, they can treat themselves for damage already done through Ivermectin.

2 – It only has beneficial effects and no harmful effects in the treatment of the C virus. In fact, even before entering the cell, it has already destroyed the virus in the blood.

3 – It has a very powerful anti-inflammatory action against and has a powerful impact on traumatic and orthopedic injuries, it strengthens muscles and has no side effects like corticosteroids.

4 –It treats autoimmune ailments such as: rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, fibromyalgia, psoriasis, Crohn's disease, allergic rhinitis.

5 – It improves the immunity levels in cancer patients and treats Herpes Simplex and Herpes Zoster, plus reduces the frequency of sinusitis and diverticulitis.

6 – It protects the heart in cardiac overload. In an embolism for example, it prevents cardiac hypoxia because it stimulates the production of basic energy so that the tissue is not destroyed and thus improves cardiac function.

7 – It is anti-parasitic, anti-neoplastic (anti-cancer). Allegedly, it suppresses the proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells, preserving healthy cells and improving the effectiveness of chemotherapy treatment.

8 - It can kills cancer cells resistant to chemotherapy, defeating the resistance to multiple chemo-therapeutics that tumors develop, and combined with chemotherapy and/or anti-cancer agents, it provides an increase in the effectiveness of these treatments.

9 – It is antimicrobial (bacteria and viruses) and increases immunity.

10 – It reaches the Central Nervous System and regenerates the nerves.

11 – It helps to regulates glucose, insulin metabolism, cholesterol levels and reduces liver fat in steatose.

12 - It can be used as a prophylactic agent and has been associated with a significant reduction in infection, hospitalization and mortality rates due to C-19.

The vase

 The Vase

Paul Klee

I went to my friend Paul Klee

For certainly he had an arrangement 

All he did was give a vase to me

Now go, bouquet boy, you fill it!

Winters rose

 Winters rose

I think she knows 

this winter rose that goes

in her rhodora vase

this buds for her