Inspiration

Invention is a tricky task, but
Nonetheless I
Seek out some new idea, new forms of
Poetry and new themes.
I want to transform myself into something beautiful,
Redefine what beauty can mean,
And question
The necessity of the category
In the first place.
Only when we are open do the Muses speak, yet
No one is wholly immune.

Need

In summer, sweat:

the hot wet wait

to bet work, time

against clime and

the crime of one's idleness.

Save; rainy days

come soon. Laze not.

All praise goes to

workers who trudge

and do what must now be done.

Life is not luck -

know to duck and

make buck; we need

to proceed on

to feed those who hunger here.

Horizon

The air is tense, a muscle

at the edge of a starting line, waiting

for the gunshot.

You cannot know it is 1914 until

it is 1914 and a man dies, murdered,

setting off a chemical reaction

of treaties and troops and armaments,

and then when you know the year again

you and the world stand naked

on a battlefield rich with blood,

drained of life and identity and meaning.

We are going to get war again

and again and again and again,

so often we wonder 

where did they come from,

these memories of peace?

For we have been at war 

for as long as I remember.

Over the horizon light emerges;

only time tells whether it brings 

a new bomb, a new death,

or a new dawn, a new day.

Monsters at Play

Whenever monsters come to play,

magic begins to rule the day.

We are not free:

if we are now fighting the fray,

our children are not safe to play

by park or sea,

no one can be happy or gay;

when soldier-cops do as they may,

we seek to flee.

Protection spells to stay away

the hunt, by predator, of prey;

"Please let us be,"

to the Goddess we must all pray

whenever monsters come to play.

Bend not the knee

to those who would be bloody, slay

all who can or do not obey;

learn how to see

thousands of shades of brown and gray.

All of us have feet of clay;

we are all wee.

To survive the tyrant's broad sway,

everyone must have their say;

kindness is key.

You will learn the price you must pay;

magic begins to rule the day.

Meet 'neath a tree

and seek always war to delay,

the loss of innocent lives, stay;

end killing's spree.

On our own paths let us all stray;

no one ought to serve as a stay

nor enslave thee.

Guard the gate and ward well the way:

amulet, talisman, and nay

to show cruelty.

Magic begins to rule the day

whenever monsters come to play.

Apologies: Internet has been shut off due to my financial struggle; I'll be posting from phone for the foreseeable future. 

Donations may be sent to PayPal by way of vonsalome (at) gmail, or you can just suffer the vagaries of my phone until I work out some solution.

Piecemeal

When white male

Americans

send us all back

where we came from

they will carry

most of me

to Europe

send a foot

right or left 

to Africa

and leave a toe

behind here.

Relationships

We usually begin in fire, the hot hours of hot days of hot months
in the hot, late summer of a long year. We
stayed up late, smoking and talking, singing in
too high a key, too low, too loud. You stayed
all night and slept on the floor, too
drunk or tired to make the drive at all.

I have always been poor; you all were always richer, drunk
with your own power, intoxicated by your own beauty, and I
fell for it, for I am a fool and greedy. I repeat the pattern with
everyone, every love, every friendship, every person turns fell
when I love them - because I turn suspicious, not because everyone
is truly sinister, malicious, cruel, fierce, malevolent, deadly. When
paranoia takes me over, the only solution is
to cut myself off; only isolation quiets the voices of paranoia.
There could be a need for tribes, for those of us who fear to
be alone and unwanted. Perhaps there
love is more tangible, accessible. Some can be
truly themselves only when they are full of love.
But I have not felt so, not really, truly
been loved or loving. You appear otherwise, I think, but
you all feel the same, needing love. And it has been been
months, years, since I have seen you.

Friendship

My wealth is in my dear friends:
all joy, love on them depends,
as spring flowers on warmth, light,
as morning fog on cool night.

Always fiercely me defends,
as banks of river that wends.
Ever more do you delight,
as do the stars shining bright.

Through your gifts my self transcends;
your forgiveness makes amends.
Join me as my fellow knight;
help me to keep up the fight.

Through the other, each ascends;
as chicks from mother who tends,
as the wind uplifts the kite,
through you I reach greatest height.

Affective Fluid Dynamics

A definition: emotion is water.
Fear is deep and dark, icy cold on your skin;.
Anger boils red with the blood and much hotter.
Grief is slow and stagnant, burns with poison, sin;
Disgust is a seiche wave standing much tauter.
Surprise erupts from below with a great din!
Joy, rushing river, tributary daughter -
Love is the wide ocean; return home again.

Hymn of Praise

Praise the Goddess for all good things!
From her the font of life e'er springs.
Never starving, seek to love her;
Dancing worship as we once were.
In low valleys creation sings.

Only through her may rise true kings,
Lifted aloft on divine wings,
Leading without the whip or spur -
Praise the Goddess!

Beat of heart and breath she brings;
She heals all wounds, and soothes all stings.
To her be faithful, never stir;
Worship her with incense and myrrh.
Upon high mountains music rings.
Praise the Goddess!

Enlightenment

Misty morning fog veils the Southern trees,
which peer at fingers of dawn's light
as it breaks through shadows to make
all our sins visible under the sun.

Things Abled People Say

Depression is laziness, or lack of things to do -
why haven't you snapped out of it yet?
Just try to be more positive, you:
a little exercise would help, I bet.

Why haven't you snapped out of it yet?
It must be because you aren't trying hard enough -
a little exercise would help. I bet
you just need to stop sweating the small stuff.

It must be because you aren't trying. Hard enough
to get over every thing that has happened, every morning, every day -
"you just need to stop sweating the small stuff,"
like coping with abuse, or rape, you say.

To get over every thing that has happened every morning, every day -
depression is 'laziness' or 'lack of things to do,'
like coping with abuse, or rape - you say:
"Just try to be more positive." You.

Apologies

I must apologize for the hiatus. I can barely keep my head on straight. Hunting for a job every day for two months is exhausting.

If you would like to contribute to this poetry blog, or want to help out otherwise, please consider purchasing my poetry book on Amazon. Still within the top 1000!

Alternatively, I am now selling my paintings - all original work in acrylic on various surfaces. One of these serves as the copy of the above book of poetry and another serves as my profile photo (slightly digitally altered). All offers are encouraged, but I have suggested prices for several of the pieces on canvas - stretched canvas or canvas boards.

And if you don't want the book or a painting but still wish to help, please let me know. I can easily take PayPal.

Hiatus

I have to take a hiatus for financial reasons. I do not know when I will be able to return.

Meditation on Liberty in the 21st Century

Freedom should be for all or none,
lest "Land of the Free" be a lie,
we by hypocrites overrun,
for nothing our fathers did die.
None are free in a land of slaves,
nor where mascots are made of 'braves';
nor yet if guilt depends on wealth,
nor on your skin color your health.
To show you all lives matter not:
see land, women, and children raped,
the psychopath's virtues are aped,
black men, women, dying, poor, shot.
Try, improve your lot if you can -
but beware of the "free"-est man.

Retribution

When one is first quite down and out,
When you are sick and full of doubt,
Then someone comes, ready to spout:
"Be sure your sins will find you out."

Even though you received the clout,
Despite the fact they hurt your snout,
They decide you have been the lout
And chant, "Your sins will find you out."

Though you may starve amidst the drought,
Though to your gods you are avout,
They will your every hope rout;
This is how "sins" will find you out.

But, lo, there is no need to pout:
You will survive this ugly bout.
And to them you will someday shout
that their own sins will find them out!

Decisions

Uncertainty rules
high kings, and low fools,
and me.
Fight life's many duels
with all of your tools:
study.
Gather your heart's jewels
before the flesh cools:
be free.

Kyria, Eleison

Those who say summer is easy
Know not poverty is queasy;
If only all would let me be!
Goddess, please have mercy on me.

Nothing left to pay up the rent.
No groceries, money all spent.
Just enough to feed the cats wee.
Goddess, please have mercy on me!

I cut myself off from all friends;
Bridges are burnt, be there no mends?
Where is there help? I cannot see -
Goddess, please have mercy on me?

I am my own worst enemy;
I need to learn how to be free.
Get it together, then maybe -
Goddess may have mercy on me.