Wednesday

May 14, 1997

Riding the Rock Island Through Kansas

by Dave Etter

WEDNESDAY 5/14

Today's Reading:"Riding the Rock Island Through Kansas" by Dave Etter from SELECTED POEMS, published by Spoon River Poetry Press.

At North Cape, Norway, today is the first day of the year with around-the-clock-sunshine; the sun won't dip below the horizon until July 30th.

It's the anniversary of the day in 1948 when Israel declared its independence when the British mandate ended.

It's the 53rd birthday of film-maker George Lucas, (AMERICAN GRAFFITI; STAR WARS [trilogy]; RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK) born in Modesto, California, 1944.

It's the birthday of novelist Richard P. Brickner, who after being paralyzed in a car accident, went on to write his first novel (THE BROKEN YEAR) based on his experience. He was born in New York City in 1933

Drummer Arthur James " Zutty" Singleton, one of the earliest drummers to use wire brushes along with sticks, was born on this day in Bunkie, Louisiana, 1988.

" The Stars and Stripes Forever," by John Philip Sousa, was first performed one hundred years ago today in Philadelphia.

It's the birthday of jazz clarinetist and soprano saxophone player Sidney Bechet, born in New Orleans, 1897.

English physician Edward Jenner gave the first successful smallpox vaccination on this day in 1796.

Painter Thomas Gainsborough ("Blue Boy") was born on this day in Sudbury, England, in 1727.

It's the birthday of Margaret of Valois, Queen Margot, born outside Paris in 1533. At 19 she married a Protestant, Henry, King of Navarre, in an attempt to make peace between Catholic and Protestant France, but less than a week later the massacre of Protestants began on St. Bartholomew's Day.

Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.®

 

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