TOM CLARK: Catastrophe Day / Book of Rules

Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli security forces in Bethlehem on 'Nakba' ('Catastrophe') Day, May 15, 2017, as Palestinians mark 69 years since more than 760,000 Palestinians were forced to flee their homes in the war surrounding Israel's declaration of independence.: photo by Tom Coex/AFP, 15 May 2017

Palestinians throw stones at Israeli security forces during 'Nakba' Day clashes in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on May 15, 2017. (AFP Photo/Thomas Coex)

Palestinians throw stones at Israeli security forces during 'Nakba' Day clashes in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on May 15, 2017.: photo by Tom Coex/AFP, 15 May 2017

OTD in 1956, the United States exploded the first airborne hydrogen bomb, over Bikini Atoll in the Pacific.: image via AP Images @AP_Images, 2 May 2017

I give you... the chunky orange monkey with the strange pointy hat!!

President Donald #Trump poses for photos with Gulf leaders in Riyadh.: image via Evan Vucci @evanvucci, 21 May 2017

Hey! I told you guys... make sure to pack the bigly ketchup! two scoops!

Thailand’s chunky monkey on diet: image via AP Images @AP_Images, 21 May 2017

None

A wild obese macaque named “Uncle Fat,” who was rescued from a Bangkok suburb, sits with bananas in a rehabilitation center in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 19, 2017. The morbidly obese wild monkey, who gorged himself on junk food and soda from tourists, has been rescued and placed on a strict diet.: photo by Sakchai Lalit/AP 19 May 2017

None

A wild obese macaque, named “Uncle Fat” who was rescued from a Bangkok suburb, sits in a rehabilitation center in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, May 19, 2017. The morbidly obese wild monkey, who gorged himself on junk food and soda from tourists, has been rescued and placed on a strict diet.: photo by Sakchai Lalit/AP 19 May 2017

Realty v royalty

The Emir of Kuwait referred to @donaldtrump during bilat as "my brother Trump," who in turn, referred to the Emir as "a special person.": image via Stephen Crowley @Stcrow, 21 May 2017

@realDonaldTrump in meetings w the King of Bahrain, Amir of Qatar and Abdel Fattah el-Sis, President of Egypt. #RiyadhSummit: image via Stephen Crowley @Stcrow, 21 May 2017

Before dining with King Salman at Murabba Palace, @realDonaldTrump took sword in hand and joined a Najd region traditional victory dance.: image via Stephen Crowley @Stcrow, 21 May 2017

@realDonaldTrump and King Salman presided over ceremony where a series of defense, tech, energy, agreements were signed.: image via Stephen Crowley @Stcrow, 20 May 2017

@realDonaldTrump and King Salman presided over ceremony where a series of defense, tech, energy, agreements were signed.: image via Stephen Crowley @Stcrow, 20 May 2017

@realDonaldTrump receiving The Collar of Abdulaziz Al Saud Medal from King Salman. w Sec Rex Tillerson and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad.: image via Stephen Crowley @Stcrow, 20 May 2017

@realDonaldTrump receiving The Collar of Abdulaziz Al Saud Medal from King Salman. w Sec Rex Tillerson and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad.: image via Stephen Crowley @Stcrow, 20 May 2017

.@realDonaldTrump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive Riyadh where they were greeted by Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia.: image via Stephen Crowley @Stcrow, 20 May 2017

Mother JonesVerified account @MotherJones

The (possibly illegal) art of a $100 billion Saudi arms deal http://mojo.ly/2pU9bYE

Reading The Pictures Retweeted Mother Jones

Reading The Pictures added,

Partners in arms.

image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 21 May 2017

@realDonaldTrump during a visit w King Salman at the Royal Court Palace. #SaudiArabia: image via Stephen Crowley @Stcrow, 20 May 2017

@realDonaldTrump and Ivanka Trump during a visit w King Salman at the Royal Court Palace. #SaudiArabia: image via Stephen Crowley @Stcrow, 20 May 2017

AFP news agencyVerified account @AFP
Ivanka Trump tells Saudi women she is encouraged by progress Muslim kingdom has made in empowering women http://u.afp.com/4mQJ

Reading The Pictures Retweeted AFP news agency

Reading The Pictures added,

Man oh man.

image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 21 May 2017

#IvankaTrump and Jared Kushner arrive Royal Court Palace. #SaudiArabia: image via Stephen Crowley @Stcrow, 20 May 2017

#Ivanka arriving in #Riyadh in long sleeve dress with large floral print.: image via White House Wardrobe @whitehousedress, 20 May 2017

Their eyes: #بنت_ترامب [#Trump'sdaughter]: image via Hasan Sari @HasanSari7, 20 May 2017

Replying to @realDonaldTrump I mean come on... that's their royal guard checking her bum bum #Ivanka'sBum: image via Imran AL-Kelani @Imranalkelani, 20 May 2017

Book of Rules

Last resting place of the poet R. L. Sharpe, Carrollton City Cemetery, Carroll County, Georgia: photo via Find a Grave, 2011

Isn't it strange that princes and kings
And clowns that caper in sawdust rings
And common people like you and me
Are builders for all eternity?
Each is given a bag of tools
A shapeless mass A Book of rules
And each must make, ere life has flown
A stumbling block
Or a stepping stone.

R.L. Sharpe (1872-1951): Builders for Eternity (A Bag of Tools)

Dhaka | 2017: photo by Sohail Bin Mohammad, 18 May 2017

Buenos Aires, 2017: photo by Ova Hamer, 23 April 2017

[Kerala]: photo by sreeranj sreedhar, 14 April 2017

Haast, South Westland, NZ: photo by bobsan88, 5 March 2017

Collingwood, Golden Bay, NZ | by bobsan88

Collingwood, Golden Bay, NZ: photo by bobsan88, 19 May 2017

Westport, NZ: photo by bobsan88, 20 May 2017

[Untitled]: photo by bobsan88, 18 May 2017

Kaiteriteri, Tasman Region, NZ | by bobsan88

Kaiteriteri, Tasman Region, NZ: photo by bobsan88, 26 February 2017

[Untitled]: photo by Gustavo Gomes, 24 March 2017

[Untitled]: photo by Swapnil Jedhe, 18 May 2017

[Pune]: photo by Swapnil Jedhe, 1 January 2016

[Pune]: photo by Swapnil Jedhe, 30 December 2016

TLV. 2017.: photo by Ronen Berka, 18 May 2017

[Untitled]: photo by Gustavo Gomes, 13 March 2017

[Untitled]: photo by Gustavo Gomes, 30 March 2017

[Untitled]: photo by Gustavo Gomes, 31 March 2017

[NYC]: photo by Kanrapee Chokpaiboon, 8 May 2017

Bney Brak. 2017 | by Ronen Berka (OBSERVE)

Bney Brak, 2017: photo by Ronen Berka, 17 March 2017

Kolkata 2017: photo by Pau Buscató, 7 February 2017

Chiang Mai, Thailand 2016 | by kanrapee.chok

Chiang Mai, Thailand 2016: photo by Kanrapee Chokpaiboon, 6 October 2016

[Crete]: photo by dirtyharrry, 17 December 2011

Crete 2016 - IMG_8882: photo by dirtyharrry, 9 July 2016

Fear [Amsterdam]: photo by Michael May, 7 September 2016

[Stockholm]: photo by Dimitris Makrygiannakis, 16 July 2014

[Uttar Pradesh, India]: photo by Dimitris Makrygiannakis, 29 September 2012

[Aquarium, Songkhla, Thailand]: photo by Sakulchai Sikitikul, 30 April 2017

[Aquarium, Songkhla, Thailand]: photo by Sakulchai Sikitikul, 30 April 2017

Near I-17. Phoenix, Arizona.: photo by Dean Terasaki, 3 September 2016

[Untitled]: photo by Tyler Simpson, 14 May 2017

[NYC]: photo by Kanrapee Chokpaiboon, 21 April 2017

4 comments:

TC21 May 2017 at 12:47

The Heptones: Book of Rules, 1973
TC21 May 2017 at 13:33

The Melodians: Rivers of Babylon (1970)

Desmond Dekker: Israelites (1968)

Slim Harpo: Baby Scratch My Back (1966)
Hilton21 May 2017 at 21:39
I searched on the Internet for more poems by RL Sharpe but only this one comes up. I wonder if he wrote anything else. Interestingly, part of the poem was incorporated in a Grateful Dead song. And I found this one performance of it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhg2OtLO-qA
TC22 May 2017 at 02:08
Hilton, same tail-chasing search trail for me, came up w/o significant results, save learning that Sharpe was quite prolific, and evidently, homiletic in his approach, as a rule.

The poem is said to be "Christian" but that does seem perhaps a rather limited interpretation.

Book of Rules (the song) has been rumbling around in the cranial noodleroni since forever, chez moi.

Encouraged to learn that I am not alone in this.

Note just now from Ed Sanders:

"Yeah, I listen to the Heptones’ Book of Rules
often."

Sunday, 21 May 2017

Catastrophe Day / Book of Rules

4 comments: