Ode.

As people, we are so inconsistent,
For free things we are ever so resistant,
Resilient, but in fragments
Passionate
But painfully,
painfully shy.

As bodies, we like to keep moving,
But sit tight so our minds can keep looming,
Thoughtful, in dumb ways
The same
But desperately,
desperately unique.

As lovers, we are often mistreated
But lash back so we remain undefeated,
Together, a warzone
and more-so
When glaringly,
glaringly alone.

Working

I work,
In my heart,
My job is not my work.

My job
I do not carry
Like my dreams, my focus.

My dreams
I keep safe
You know them better than most.

My focus
You keep straight
I need you in that way.

My job
It will help
My dreams, this focus.

My focus,
It will help.
My work, My dreams.

My dream,
It will help.
This longing subside,
This pain that I hide,
My drawn-out life,
Until I am...

Until I am there.

My Friend Masquerade

My friend,
Subtleties layer up
A knit
A weaving
Of non-truths
Of masquerades
Of grieving for you,
for us;
Your game.

My friend,
I no longer see
Your heart
The laugh
meant for us,
not them,
the men,
the boys,
the fools,
I see.

My friend
It's gone;
The hurt,
The need,
For peace,
For us,
Your destruction,
Is ok,
i don't bleed.


My friend,
So long,
Thank-you,
Goodbye,
You laugh,
You pull,
You grab,
You wrestle,
You laugh,
You look,
You stare,
You wrestle;

Keep wrestling,
You'll grow weak
You're scared,
You're small,
Laugh and pull -
They follow,
momentarily,
They're not yours, though.
So wrestle,
they're not yours, though.
Wrestle, Laugh,
Still they're not owned.


My friend,
What can you do?
You've laughed,
Ok,
You've pulled,
You've grabbed,
You've wrestled,
But they're gone,
They have their own minds,
They're not yours to own,
You look.
I can see,
You know,
I can see,
You can't stand it,
Me,
Her,
I'm untouchable.


No pulling me,
No grabbing
No wrestling,
I don't battle
I'm ok
I can see
Once everyone's gone,
You're left with just me,
You can't face it,
Laugh.
I see.

My friend,
how long has it been?
This laughing?
This game?
The grabbing?
The pulling?
The tearing?
The battle?
The wrestling?
Knowing I see?
Not facing me?

The mask,
Masquerade,
The game?
Masquerade.
My friend,
Masquerade.

Textiles etc.

Forgiveness

"Forgiveness is the fragrance the flower leaves on the heel of the one who crushed it."
-David Jeremiah

The Contrarian

"Words I wish were my own,
such a great scathing attack"
The line of the contrarian,
The line, the line,
So often "the line"
They tangle:
Await the collapse.

The Contrarian, he laughs,
Throws his head back,
Guffaws,
The people allow,
Let it slide,
Slide 'neath their pride,
Slide 'neath their backbone,
Retreat
Into serpent form.

He adores it this way,
In his pit of snakes,
Like a grecian myth,
The more outlandish; the more snakes,
More tail, less tongue,
More hiss, less bite,
They let the lines slide,
They slide and become,
Lines themselves,
Tangled,
Caught,
Surrendered.

Oh, Contrarian,
Who are you?
All controversy,
Anecdote,
Pseudo-intellect
From a mind so patient to be refined.

No,
Not one stance, not two,
It waits, but still,
The mind is degraded
A watch-merchant's coat
All pockets of scandal,
All pockets of dirt,
Dust for his snakes,
He shall go back to dust,
And heat from the sun
And heat from the earth
And the bellies of his snakes
Shall show him his worth.

Contrarian,
Who are you now?
The dust 'neath the bellies
Of your own serpents.
Your lines defeated you
Your borrow'd attack fell;
Fell
To the ground
Fell
To the dirt
Fell
To the serpents' playground
It's their turn, Contrarian,
And you know,
They shall bite.

20 Ways to build World Peace (courtesy of "peace builders")

Take your share of responsibility for the world,  

Send letters and emails,  

Welcome strangers, 

Be a good friend,

Don't make others wrong,

Smile at people when you walk,

Live simply so all can simply live. 

Don't fight - Forgive,

Learn new ways,

Stand up against bullying,

Help those in need,

Be peaceful inside yourself,

Be tolerant,

Join in,

Talk about Peace,

Share what you have,

Care for your environment,

Aim so that everyone wins,

Be open minded,

Listen well.