Review of The Sisters Brothers

Book Review:

The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt

Is 325 pages of twisty turny characters
and action. 

The brothers are hired to snuff out the
life of Hermann Kermit Warm. 
They work at the pleasure of a wealthy
business man referred to only as “the Commodore.”

The Commodore is in the habit of erasing
his opposition for a price. 
The setting of the story begins in
Oregon City, Oregon in the year 1851.

The Sisters brothers, Eli and Charlie 
know no other way to make a living than 
snuffing out lives.
They have been the Commodore’s hired guns
 too long. The money is too good to start over.
However, as the story progresses Eli begins to 
doubt the veracity of what they do. Charlie does not.

When they cross paths with their quarry,
the delightful Mr. Warm, they are not quite 
prepared for his “warmth” or what he really has
to offer which is so much more valuable than his life.

Like Mulligan Stew on steroids, 
the story  leaves a satisfying, satiated afterglow.

This novel is a page turner. 
You will not be able to stay away from it.
Patrick DeWitt is a storyteller par excellence!
Pick it up. You will not have one moment of regret.

Raintreepoet, reporting.

Back to School!

Yeah, I thought I could retire last June. Ha! Ha!
The cost of living in this county has gotten so bad
I am paying down debt  until I can afford
to move to a more affordable environment.
 Somewhere in the southwest, perhaps?

The traffic here in Clark County gives me the blues.
So many rude, unconscious drivers!
Too many people milling about!
I fear I shall become a misanthrope
if I stay here much longer.

I was burnt out when I finished last June.
It took a heavy handed pep talk to make myself
come back in the Fall.
Students aren't getting any kinder and their work
ethic sucks big time!

To be honest, there seems to be a parenting vacuum.
I've seen families out in public all on their cell phones
not even looking at one another and I get heartsick.

If I could say one thing to parents, it would be this:
Why have babies if you don't want to be a parent?
Parenting is hard work, 24/7 until you get them trained
Well-trained kids/citizens are a dream after that, but
you have to put in the work.

It is a privilege to be a parent
It is foolish to  consider it a right
For the good of society, please
use birth control until you know for sure

Parents are a child's first teachers
If they do not teach their children to
respect education, it makes the teacher's
job so much harder!

So, Parents and would-be parents,
these are things this teacher wishes
that you would think on...

Happy Holidays

Poet Laureate

Poet Laureate

Don’t you just love those kind of people

Who say:

 I became a poet laureate,

Quite by accident: Is it my fault Homer

Decided to channel his continuation of the

“Iliad” through me?

Then Random House paid me a bazillion

Bucks to publish it?

Do you think this is some clambake?

You’d be mostly right-not much effort

On my part-I’m just a scribe for souls

Much greater than little ol’ me...

However, one of these days, I fully intend

To put some effort and study into poetry

For my own gratification, you see

Don’t hate me for being talented-

Sometimes it can be such a ----ing burden

Especially the applause and all those

Dreadful standing ovations.

Of course this is tongue-in-cheek. I like to think that William Carlos Williams, W. B. Yeats and Billy Collins, all poets who show humility in their work, would agree. Not every poet is humble. I love the ones who truly are.

raintreepoet, reporting

DECEMBER

The above image is a misnomer. My brother used a 75 pound chain saw that felled the tree, called a "widowmaker" that ended his life. This poem which was published previously in this blog a few years ago, is my homage to a brave brother, who died doing something he loved.
Today is the 19th anniversary of my favorite brother's death. His name was Doug and I miss him hard, especially on this day. He was a great friend.

             

Drinking rum and coke and

Remembering that Christmas Eve

Over twenty years ago

When we drank rum and cokes

While I baked the chocolate

Pecan pies for the next day

We were laughing so hard

When I smelled burning-

Forgetting I had pies

In the oven

I said something dumb

Like ‘Do you smell smoke?’ (Thinking

My cottage might be on fire)

You looked momentarily perplexed

‘Weren’t you baking something?’

Oh my God! The Pies!  The Pies!

I jerked open the oven and

Smoke roiled out nearly knocking me down

Shit! Shit! Shit!

You looked at me serenely

And said, ‘Potty mouth’

In your droll way

Then we laughed our asses off

I poured you another drink

And proceeded to recreate

The pies all over again

You stayed and visited

Because that’s the kinda

Guy you were- a friend

I miss you, brother

And that’s why I’m having this

Rum and coke and

Remembering the good old days when

We were neighbors and

You dropped by and

Watched me incinerate Christmas pies!

-on occasion of the 19^th anniversary of my brother, Doug’s death, December 2000.

'Tis the Season...

I am thinking Santa Claus is a good symbol for Christmas because
he is a friendly likable chap who loves children of all ages  and seems
to be an agent of generosity, who doesn't mention religious beliefs

The "major religions" seem to have lost their ability to help. For example;
in bygone days, there was little evidence of homelessness. The
churches made sure people who were down and out were taken care of.

It was back then people didn't mind paying taxes that helped churches have
deductions so they could help humanity.

What I've noticed is even though churches are probably still getting
their non-profit status, they don't seem to be out on the streets helping
any longer. Am I missing it? Are they incognito?

Wouldn't it be nice if churches would step up again and truly help out?
Should anybody be left out in the cold, when there are buildings to
protect them from the storm?

Just saying...What do you think?

raintreepoet, cogitating.

NEVERMORE!

                             

Before I awoke from my dream of

Haves and Have-mores

I was awakened by a knocking on

My chamber door: Could it be my

Landlord with paper to evict me?

Could it be the ghost of love

Here to convict me:

Of showing loving compassion

Toward my fellow humans?

We’ll never know because I

Could not fully awaken to

Reach the door

I just knew I had to take 

This message down:

No one progresses until they

Help others

No more! There shall be no more

Have-nots on Earth

Please, Providence,

Nevermore!

Amen.

Found on yellow tablet paper. No date. But no doubt, mine.

RMK 6-9-2019.

Encouraging Words: Keep moving forward, no matter what!

Found while moving out of my last condo. Apparently words to encourage myself long ago.

Before you complain, one more time, read the first two pieces to yourself, out loud.

And sing the “Home on the Range” song with gusto!

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than the ones that you did do. So throw off your bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

-Mark Twain

-failed in business at age 22.

-was defeated for the state legislature at age 23.

- failed in business at age 25.

- coped with the death of his sweetheart at age 26

- suffered a nervous breakdown at age 27.

-was defeated for speaker at age 29.

-was defeated for congressional nomination at age 34.

-was elected to congress at age 37.

- was defeated for the senate at age 46.

- was defeated for the vice-presidency of the U. S. at age 47.

-and was defeated for the senate at age 49.

-at age 51, Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States.

This tells me to ignore the speed bumps and keep right on driving forward. Yes!

“Home on the Range” (especially Montana and Wyoming, Yes!)

Oh, give me a home

Where the buffalo roam

Where the deer and the antelope play

Where seldom is heard

A discouraging word

And the skies are not cloudy

All day…

raintreepoet, reporting.