Thoughts from the field

Steve Boss (Prospero from our production of The Tempest in the raw and wild landscape of the Albany Bulb, 2006), and I found ourselves landing on this thought during a recent conversation about vengeance…the what, the wherefore, the for whom?

“Vengeance is for the Dead. Mercy, FORGIVENESS, is for yourself.”

Or, as Portia in Merchant of Venice would articulate it:

“We do pray for Mercy, and that same prayer,

doth teach us all to render the deeds of Mercy”

from our dear friend and supporter, Ranger Dave McDonald, of Alcatraz and Fort Point:

"thinkin of ya…,thinkin of the transforming power of the rock, of the men that were broken, even as they broke the rock, of the men that found themselves, their own strength, inner iron, sharpened against the rock, and the paradox and promise, broken and bled out, soldiers and indians finding a soul, violence and men who refused violence, strength to weakness to strength

Dave."