 Yeah, thank you Dottie and Jack for organizing this not only organizing this but keeping our community of poets on target you know We're so isolated oftentimes that these readings are Really significant to keep our vision of what our word is supposed to do in the world Otherwise we feel our words have no effect But together they have a very powerful effect. So thank you for that both of you To you know this year is also the 70th anniversary anniversary of the dropping of the bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and I often wonder as We all wonder when are we ever going to learn? When is it all going to stop? Wasn't that enough? No, wasn't Chernobyl enough? No, wasn't Fukushima enough? No, Abe is activating the reactors all over again against the will of his people and so we need to join in solidarity with the people of Japan because You know, they're the ones sitting right on it and that water is coming to us and there's been a die-off of dolphins and Irritated plants and marine life everything So I want to dedicate this poem to all the survivors and all of those who raised their voices against injustice All kinds of injustices evictions you name it a Moment can never happen again That is life's greatest sorrow If you've ever been to a house and Had to leave it You will know how great your sorrow when you return to it That is life's great sorrow No matter how hard you cling to it no matter how vivid the memory No matter how powerful the feeling a moment can never happen again We mourn the good old days, but then we forget the names of our friends We mourn the people of the Hoku then we never think about them again We mourn the people of Fukushima the way we mourn the people of Nagasaki and Hiroshima They called us their voices called from over the waves and Their tears through fell through empty clouds that drowned their tears But they flew up like birds over the tangle of waves over hilltops valleys lakes schoolyards buses trains factories temples over births deaths dreams and regrets over joy laughter and tears Have you seen the flowers of Fukushima? two headed daisies on one stem One headed daisy with two stems Blooming over the graves over births deaths dreams and regrets over tears joys and sorrows Over time over tomorrow. Thank you