Sentinel

A guard whose job is to stand and keep watch. That's the job of a military person on occasion but it is also the job of those whose life's endeavor is to observe and report on human activity. Some people do this without any idea that is what they are doing. Some poets and visual artists, as well as, I'm sure, some performance artists are/were engaged in this necessary activity. I think Mr. Shakespeare is a supreme example of such an person, a societal sentinel of the first degree. But it can be a tiring and depressing job. It's easier to look away to something trivial and basically meaningless and let our attention stay there. Has anyone noticed that the classic 'boob tube' has been shrunk to pocket size for just such a diversion? This is a 7 by 4 inches gel pen with color pencil drawing on medium weight acid-free paper. It's what Original Jones Art calls 'keeping up the good fight' here in northwest Austin, Texas---even when he can hardly see or think straight.