A few words to get this blog started. The poem below expresses my motivation and program. This will be an occasional outpouring–mainly plain texts. Responses welcome; I’ll respond as I can. My blog’s title comes from the poem.
Sitting in the café on a bright day
Someone insisted the screen be lowered
The blue-gray lake is there
trees bared for winter
ceaseless shore drive flow
An unlit scene and blurred
as through a shroud
black tinge muting
Better a wall of darkness
that gives full range
to imagine
Than a screen that dulls and blurs
I raised the screen
Phil Hefner
17 January 2013
The Montgomery Place Cafe
liftthescreen 
Poetry is a practice of resistance. Looking forward to seeing you continue to raise the screen.