View allAll Photos Tagged Amplify
Another piece of street art in Asbury Park, NJ by Shepard Fairey. This is stenciled onto the bricks of this building next to the convention center. I had a look with Google street view and noted that this stenciled image was still here at the time the Google camera car went by.
Respect thy Father, Mother & Country was my first program. After all, isn't it their empathy that tells me to put on my toque and mittens...Eh? lol ♥
Many Dark Hunters had questioned the Shadowed One's decision to allow the pathetic and skittish Pahuron into their ranks (of course, none dared question aloud). However, it wasn't long after "Misfit's" encounter with "Toa" Irohka that they realized his true purpose. The Dark Hunters had been working on a power-amplifying suit, and the damaged Toa Mech gave them the last pieces they needed. The only thing remaining was to find a willing pilot.
Now wielding enormous strength and a blue fire blade and with a suit insulated against a variety of elemental attacks, the renamed Dark Hunter Crusher has few that stand in his way.
My entry for BBC 73: Brickin' it Old School. I revamped an old tablescrap of mine that I always liked while channeling a bit of Chro, the Boxor, and even good old "Toa" Irohka. Hope you enjoy, and don't forget to vote! :)
Get ready. Gothcore opens its doors tonight at 6 PM SLT, and Gloom is kicking things off with a must-have new release.
Introducing the brand new Remi Skin. I'm wearing it here in 'Mocha', and it's the perfect foundation for a sharp, edgy look exactly what Gothcore is all about.
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE. Gloom is also dropping the new 1&Only Eyes at their mainstore for this weekend's sales!
This look is a masterclass in layering, built on the Remi skin and amplified with a ton of BOM details from Gloom, HISS, VELOUR, and S-RANK. The Mortal Tattoo adds the final touch of lethal edge.
Be ready at 6 PM SLT. Gothcore awaits.
▸ Skin: Gloom - Remi Skin (New @ Gothcore)
▸ Eyes: Gloom - 1&Only Eyes (New @ Mainstore Weekend Sale)
▸ Hair: TRASH. - Adema Hair - v1
▸ Hairbase: .HYPE. - "Denis" Hairbase
▸ Outfit: [DELTA] - VENOM TANK v2 & VENOM SHORTS
▸ Tattoo: Gloom - Mortal Tattoo ▸ Facial Addons: Gloom (Fred Beard, Adrian Scar, Rut Addon) // HISS. SYLYS Collection // VELOUR "CHAD" ADDONs // S-RANK (Pores, Shine, Shading, Stubble)
▸ Body Details: Not Found - Zeus Collection (Neck Fade, Belly Button, Nipple)
▸ Piercings: = DAE = Basic piercing Double Ball, cross chain earrings & mouth chain // Clover - Celestial piercings
▸ Nails: = DAE = Natural nail
▸ Head: LeLutka EvoX KRIS 4.0
A vintage amp awaits to be plugged in during a recording session at Blue Light Studio in Vancouver. bit.ly/PBMusicFB
Toontown!
February 15, 2017
Every Land has it’s charm, history, magic and memories. Toontown is visually maybe the most “fun” land, and of course it’s designed to be just that. Bugling buildings, bright colors, fun signs and secret effects hidden here and there. After dark it feels as if all these things are amplified. Fun everywhere!
You couldn't write it. Well, you can, but some people will always ignore it because, obv, it does not apply to them (even though it applies precisely to them). Surprisingly she did not get pinged £3 to aid and abet her criminal enterprise but more for lacking any sense of irony and any consideration for those living nearby (and, if it makes a difference, the nearest residents are all council tenants).
London. This is the back face of the buildings seen in the image:
www.flickr.com/photos/icypics/14813781791/
The way the orange facing reflected, and amplified, the brick colour of the older building opposite was what caught my eye.
The town of Charleville was surveyed in 1867 following the surveying of a number of pastoral runs in the district in 1863. Sited on the banks of the Warrego River along a natural stock route from New South Wales to Western Queensland, the town was to develop as the major service centre for the surrounding pastoral industry: bullock teams passed through the town, Cobb & Co established stables (as well as a factory for the construction of mail coaches and buggies and an associated sawmill) and in 1888 Charleville's position as a strategic transport node for the south west was confirmed when it became the terminus for the Western Main [railway] Line (extended south to Cunnamulla 1898 and west to Quilpie 1917).
The first half of the 1920s was a time of economic prosperity in Queensland unrivalled for three decades. The boom was sustained longer in the building sector than in others; and in Brisbane the transformation of the city's central business district was a tangible legacy of the boom. In Charleville the main streets gave an air of solid prosperity to this centre of one of the richest areas of western Queensland ... it has fine hotels, stores, offices of the leading pastoral firms, and a full complement of general business concerns. There is a most attractive School of Arts, Town Hall, [and] three churches ... There is a most excellent club, the "Warrego" ... The fledgling QANTAS commenced their first commercial services from the town in 1922 ("replacing" the last Cobb & Co coach which ran in 1920); in 1924 the town turned on electric lights; and in 1926 a new Town Hall was completed. However a severe drought in 1926 described by the Charleville Chamber of Commerce as the worst season known by black or white man with losses of sheep to the enormous extent of eleven millions was to bring the state's pastoral and agricultural sectors to collapse and many rural towns entered a slow decline into the world-wide depression of the 1930s.
On the cusp of the boom/bust, Harry Corones was to commence building his grand vision of hospitality for the west to rival the capital's best hotels. Born on the Greek island of Kythera, Harry "Poppa" Corones arrived in Australia in the early 1900s coming to Charleville by 1909 when he was recorded in the Post Office Directories as a "fruiterer". Reputedly on the encouragement of a brewing company representative, Corones became in 1912 the licensee of the Hotel Charleville, which he operated until 1924.
In 1926 Corones became the registered owner of the Hotel Norman, a single storeyed hotel established c1895 located a block south of the Hotel Charleville on the corner of Wills and Galatea Street. In an advertisement in Pugh's Almanac for 1905, proprietor DC McDonald claimed the hotel as the leading hotel of the southern western line ... the home of the pastoralist, agriculturalist and tourist with lofty cool bedrooms, hot and cold baths, and good paddocking - claims which would be later repeated and amplified by Corones regarding his own hotel.
Construction of Corone's Hotel Norman (as it was then called) commenced in 1924. Rising phoenix-like on the site of the old Norman Hotel, the ambitious scheme was built in four stages from the south to the north to enable continuation of trade; the construction dates displayed at either end of the building testifying to the five year enterprise. Significantly, given the number of (timber) buildings in the town destroyed by fire including Corone's former hotel the Charleville (actually destroyed by fire twice), Harry Corone's new hotel was a masonry building. The first two stages were of reinforced concrete, the third including the ballroom and final stages of brick. Costing some £50,000 the hotel was built by day labour with preference given to men of the district. By the end of 1926 the new hotel was two thirds complete; only the bar area of the Norman Hotel remained. The mythology of Corones was also well advanced. According to the Australian Pastoralist, Grazing Farmers' and Selectors Gazette the hotel was the topic of conversation from Roma to Eulo, and out to the far west and north ... In every way the new Hotel Corones will be an example of hotel architecture and comfort scarce equalled in the Southern Hemisphere, and will undoubtedly be a great centre for all western men.
The final stage of building was completed in 1929. The hotel now stretched almost an entire block of Charleville's main street. According to the A & B Journal of Queensland it was a magnificent white building ... an outstanding feature in a progressive town ... the best equipped and most up-to-date hotel outside the metropolis ... generally acknowledged as the calling-place of all distinguished tourists and travellers... The Hotel itself produced a 12 page brochure about this time which included black and white photographs of the interior: on the ground floor the lounge had gleaming copper-topped tables, deep leather lounges and chairs and led to a writing room and telephone booth, the dining room enticing in its cleanliness was capable of seating 150; the private bar which gave exclusive service amidst convivial surroundings was screened from the public bar by an ingenious arrangement a French polished oak partition with mirrors; the public bar was very modern and luxurious and a cool cement court-yard formed an entrance to the ball-room. Upstairs all accommodation rooms opened onto the verandah - some were equipped with their own bathrooms designed to please the most fastidious and the upstairs lounge was just the place for a real restful smoke. Corones Hall located on Galatea Street had a floor unexcelled outside Brisbane and was largely in demand for exclusive balls, parties, and banquets. Capable of seating 320 at dinner, the hall was built for coolness with a number of high set windows and electric ceiling fans. The lights with Venetian shades of various hues [were] adjustable either to dimness or the reverse, and an orchestra platform added to its popularity and beauty.
Furnishings throughout including the bedroom furniture, dining room, lounge room, chairs, settees, sideboards, etc were designed and manufactured by that well known Queensland home furnisher F Tritton Ltd George Street Brisbane from that beautiful Queensland wood, the Queensland maple. Carpets, linoleums, floor coverings, curtains, etc (British throughout) were all laid and fitted by Trittons.
The architect of this magnificent modern hotel was William Hodgen jnr (1867-1943). The son of pioneer Toowoomba building contractor William Hodgen, in 1886 he became a cadet in the Colonial Architect's Office and in 1891 enrolled at the Architectural Association in London whilst working with a number of prominent London architects. In December 1896 he returned to Queensland commencing practice the following year in Toowoomba when he immediately received a substantial commission from retailer TC Beirne for works to his newly established Fortitude Valley premises as well as winning a competition for a new wing to the Toowoomba Hospital (the Victoria Wing). In practice until his death in 1943 (from 1935 in partnership with his sons as W Hodgen and Hodgen), Hodgen's practice, like that of contemporary Harry Marks (1871-1939) (who also was a member of one of Queensland's architectural family dynasties) was both extensive and broadranging from domestic (eg the Toowoomba residences "Tor" (1904) [DEH file ref 601325) and Tyson Manor (1905) [Entry in the Heritage Register 600864], institutional (eg Glennie Memorial School (1914), to industrial (eg flour mill and wheat and flour stores for Crisp O'Brien 1911) and a number of hotels in western towns including in Charleville, the Hotel Charleville (1913; rebuilt again after a second fire 1931). Hodgen's second Hotel Charleville was similar but of a smaller scale to the Hotel Corones - both had lost the classical and arts and crafts elements typical of his early hotels, and instead adapted simplified Art Deco decoration on the facade. Both hotels are a dominant presence in Charleville's main street; but it is the Hotel Corones which is regarded as Hodgen's major single work and the highlight of his career.
For over thirty years the Hotel Corones ("The Leading Hotel of the West") flourished as a tourist, pastoral and CTA (Commercial Travellers Association) House. Harry Corones' advertisements and stationery proclaimed vice-regal patronage; and in addition to wealthy local graziers, celebrities such as Amy Johnson, Gracie Fields, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were guests at the Hotel. In 1936 there were on average 133 guests per week and during World War II when "American" servicemen occupied the local aerodrome and hospital, "Poppa" Corones did a roaring trade with dances held "every night" in Corones Hall. In 1959, the state's centenary year, Charleville's civic welcome to its Royal visitor, HRH Princess Alexandra took place in front of the hotel and Corone's advertisement in the town's centenary souvenir book could still proclaim that Charleville Means CORONES because Corones is the centre of Charleville's social activities and the rendezvous where business agreements can be made in surroundings which, by their comfort and restfulness, provide the perfect setting for quiet consideration. People who insist on the best in fine living invariably made Corones their home while in Charleville.
Just a few years later, however, a Licensing Commission Report described Corones as at one time (past tense) the leading hotel in Charleville now overtaken by the new type of hospitality accommodation, the motel in the shape of the newly rebuilt Victoria Hotel-Motel. Drought in the 1960s was also to severely impact on the local (including Corones') economy: the heyday of both the town and the Hotel was over.
In 1972 Harry Corones died; his elder son, Peter and wife Mary who had operated the hotel for some time prior to Harry Corone's death continued its stewardship. In 1982 the hotel was acquired by Doreen and Bob Bishop. It was acquired by the present owners in 1989. In 1990 a motel was erected to the rear of the hotel: in April of that year, the disastrous flood which covered much of the town, entered the ground floor of the hotel. As a result substantial works including the restoration of the main stair were carried out; about this time some bedrooms on the upper floor were also converted into bathrooms and what are believed to be the former Commercial Travellers' sample rooms on Galatea Street were converted into a shop and motel style accommodation. In 1993, the hotel was listed by the National Trust of Queensland. The Hotel Corones is now operated by Gordon and Frances Harding as both a local pub and (in recognition of the hotel's iconic status) a cultural tourist attraction in the state's south west: Corones Hall is regularly used for functions such as weddings and balls, daily tours of the hotel are conducted by Mrs Harding, and the mythology of both the man and his hotel continues.
Source: Queensland Heritage Register.
Cova de Sa Tuna
Baix Empordà, Northern Spain
Press the 'Go' and then type 'L' to enlarge. It loops. 'Escape' to return.
To hear the subsonics and reverbs the video needs to to be viewed on a computer linked to a sound system and there is no effect on a portable phone or tablet.
A test for acoustic properties. On the third pass you can just hear a 'sweet spot' of reverb that has astonishingly deep subsonics. Whilst the sound on the camera is poor and equalised, and the Flickr processing compressed, you can still just hear both the reverb and sweet spot by listening to the end of the test sounds and 'underneath' the sounds. When in this man-made late bronze age cavity, the accelerated effect of the sweet spot is astonishing and like being inside a musical instrument. The space itself is like a large pot with the sweet spot on the upper left as you look in from outside.
The sound in the clip is an alternative to clapping and is not meant to illustrate a potential.
With the nearby Cova dels Clots de Sant Julià seeming to have had a past with acoustic properties, it seems worthwhile testing other man made prehistoric cavities of the local area. A reverb for a tone will also reverb for a song or a musical instrument. The reverb of this space feeds back on itself and the term amplification must apply. Prehistoric monolithic amplification.
This site is currently proposed as a sepulture. Whilst individuals may have asked to be buried here at the end of its period of meaning, the origins of the cavity may have been for applied musical effect over large distances.
A choir of 10 singing from inside
A drum skin attached outside and wedged against an interior roped beam.
Early oboes turning rondes.
Interior percussive cascades.
Lone melodious voice...
Unlike the Sant Julià site, which sits clean above an established quarry, the Sa Tuna site looks at first site to be on a typical hunters outcrop of rock, uphill from a fine menhir. Aside the idea of a sepulture, one might expect an explanation as a food store or shelter of one form or another. Providing the arguments as to how an 'acoustic cavity' may have been created on this spot requires a step back...
AJM 07.05.18
I figured it was time to post something from my catalog of flowers and seeing how orange is my favourite colour i thought this would be a fair choice . Cheers
Toa Gaia & custom kanohi's
The Kanohi Faxon was forged was rival_mocs on Instagram. original by Khingk
and the Mangai KauKau was painted by driftingmoc on Instagram
Forged by Vahki6
Build: Metru x Mahri
Kanohi: Great Mangai Kanohi Kaukau.
Formally the trans-blue amplified ruru.
allows the user to have greater vision underwater
specifically: dark, murky and cloudy water, etc.
Mahri: Amplified Faxon
Allows the user to mimic rahi powers
hunting skills and how they would strategize in difficult situations
Story: secret special agent and naval forces. unknown by Turaga Dume who just happened to be Makuta in disguise in Dume's position. ordered to spy on him and report back to Lhikan, the Order of Mata-Nui or both. secondly to immobilize corrupted vahki abusing their power over the law.
This is a painting by Henry Utoaluga.
(POEM HOLDING TANK)
CAMERA
This little machine gives the daily
Heaviness some levity. Captures
Moments so perfectly. Images –
Cherish them but beware of them,
They’re just one small part of a
Much bigger picture, one moment
In a much bigger story. Regardless
Of whether the overall story is going
Hopelessly or otherwise, smile for
My lens like it’s going to end happily.
FORMING
Clouds hide the stars tonight. No rain,
Not yet, no wind, just a stillness that
Amplifies any calm or disquiet you came
Here with. In emptiness like this, the
Mind tries to fill in the blanks. So maybe
It’s my imagination, but I think there’s
Something forming in the void. It won’t
Reveal itself, not yet, but I just feel it.
Can’t attach good or bad associations
To it, just have to wait and see. So will
My dread be justified, or will it surprise
Me when out pops something good?
Could be music trying to define itself from
Noise, or meaning seeking to make itself
Clear through chaos. Life itself, they say,
Formed through particles, through like
Minded molecules that just needed time
To cluster around a center before they
Could figure out how they fit together.
If that can happen in a darkness longer
And far more uncertain than ours, then
We have no reason to fear whatever
Might be forming in the void.
WHAT THEY WHISPER ABOUT CHOCOLATE
The depression I didn’t realize I’d been
Carrying around for months suddenly
Vanished after one small cup of my
Friend’s koko samoa. Maybe the old
Family recipe just has a kick to it, but
Suddenly my senses remembered their
Capacity for optimism . Optimism does
Not have to mean being unrealistic, it’s
More of an attitude that even if things
Don’t go your way, you needn’t feed
Your pessimism till you’ve grown fat
On despair without even trying. As far
As mood improvements go, that was
Pretty significant for me. So of course
My first thought was to seek an increased
Koko dose, but rather than court certain
Chocolate addiction, I’d rather adopt a
Chocolate philosophy, i.e. remember the
Sweet regardless of how sour things get.
What’s whispered about the seemingly
Innocent chocolate might not be merely
Old wives’ tales - cook it up right and it’s
Really more like a medicine.
MENEHUNE
The day shift begins before morning
Hoping to make the world right again
In time for another day. So goes the
Myth of the little men who always put
Everything back together so well that
We can’t even tell what a horrendous
Mess was made during the night. If
That reality ever came to light there’d
Be laws to lock up everyone under 30
Between dusk and daybreak. Daybreak
Is a misnomer – what gets broken each
Night? Hearts, wills, confidences, bonds,
Promises, plans, marriages, friendships,
Partnerships, battleships, faith – you
Name it. If someone wasn't repairing as
Much of the damage as they can, then
There'd be no point in any of us getting
Out of bed. Damaging, nasty, careless,
Heartless - don't you ever wonder why
Our whole world doesn't just stop? It's
Little men laboring at their repairs to
Make sure we're back together just as
Fast as we all fall apart. It's not just for
This endless work that each of these
Little men truly deserves a medal, it's
Also for knowing the truth but never
Giving up on us.
PROVE
I can’t prove clouds don’t have emotions
When they drop rain, can’t prove roaches
Mean to be rude, can’t prove fish deny the
Existence of nets, can’t prove the desert lets
Its winds whip its sands from malice. Can’t
Prove if barking is ever justified or just an
Indulgence, nor whether a breeze means to
Be nice on purpose or is just being itself. So
Much I can’t prove, no wonder I anticipate
Skepticism. There’s really no right or wrong,
True or false, or good or bad, is there? It just
Depends on the circumstances. There’s only
What’s agreed upon or not. If only we could
Agree on something, anything, who knows
What else might fall into place? But if you
Want proof, you’ll have to ask a scientist. As
For me, I’d only say, I see it like this, do you?
POLAR BEAR
Life on the ice isn't as cold when you
Don't waste your warmth. I should
Know, I'm a Polar Bear. It isn't so
Empty if you see a different kind of
Fullness. You say it's barren but I'm
Not starving. Not to brag but you need
To know where to look to sustain
Your life on the ice. My only worry is
This rumbling that shakes the cold
Ground. The volcano has to either
Melt its way through or take it's fire
Somewhere else. Isn't this earth a
Contradiction? So warm deep within,
With a surface so cold. Just like some
People we know? I don't blame them.
After all, you just survive wherever you
Find yourself. I should know, because
I'm a Polar Bear.
WIL – BUR
Truth can be like a horse that
Will take you places you could
Never imagine going. Provided,
Of course, that you don’t find
Yourself flat on your ass every
Time it throws you for a loop.
ESSENCE
Eternal – not subject to our changing
Human moods, nor the evolution of
Our flesh. Has always been there and
Always will be. Temorary – our roles
And our hour upon the stage. In the
Midst of grand illusions, you might
Catch a glimpse of the truth. In the
End it’s all just so much drama, but
The essence of the story lasts long
After lights have dimmed. We may
Change over and over, looking for a
Foothold in this soap opera life, but
The essence never changes, never
Needs to, and any time you like, you
Can return to it. Be true to the
Essence and it will be true to you
LOVE AND WAR
Heart is both weapon and defense when
You enter this fray. Know your weapon
Well, use it wisely. The only thing worse
Than receiving the wound that’s hardest
To heal is knowing you’ve given it. At least
Those wounded in war still long to fight
Another day, but woe to those wounded
In love who no longer care whether they
Continue or simply cease.
FORMULAS
Would you love me if I was always on TV?
Would you love me if I played rugby? Would
You love me if I had the money to buy you
An elephant? Would you love me if I had
Big muscles? A King Dong like King Kong?
Would you love me if I needed love to get
Off drugs? Would you live me if everyone
Else did? If no one else did? Would you
Love me if I spanked your bare butt with a
Belt for being bad, like your daddy did? If I
Punished you for being bad? If I forgave
You for being bad? How ‘bout if I was the
Baddest badass in the history of badness?
How ‘bout if I said you were sacred to me?
Is it fair I have to figure through so many
Formulas for yours when all you have to
Do is be yourself?
PAPER
Papers rule my life, my whole being
Is just a series of papers. Thank you
Trees for turning into paper, Term
Paper, rolling paper, news paper, wall
Paper, paper plates, certificates of birth,
Death and divorce. Diplomas. Pages
And pages of unfinished poems. Hey
My blank page dear, it sure looked good
On paper. Paper tiger. Someone cut me
Out of the paper and said now you're
Printed material made flesh. When I die
Please wrap me in paper and offer me
On special at KS with the frozen fish.
Maybe the one I love will fry me for her
Sunday feast and finally our flesh will
Become one until she flushes me out
After wiping away my last traces with
Paper.
NOTES
You can never force a true harmony,
Only sing what you’d sing anyway,
Let someone else sing what they’d
Sing with or without you, and the
Notes either blend naturally or not.
Same old song since Adam and Eve,
But our notes make it new and the
Harmony makes it ours.
WATER
Water, fall from the sky. Life,
Rooted or otherwise, needs
What you bring. Water, go
Underground. Cool the Earth
And she’ll hide you away from
The jealous sun wanting to
Take you back no sooner than
You’re given. Water, make me
Clean. Get beneath the dirt,
Flow. Nothing is dirty by nature,
Only by design or neglect, and
Even the purest water joins as
A river to find the sea together..
CONVENTIONAL
If conventional would make you
Comfortable, then curse anything
Original in me. Out, unconventional,
Halu! Fee, fi, fo, fidual, I smell the
Blood of an individual. I stopped
Paying attention to convention long
Ago, much to my own detriment,
But now I want to repent. Please
Lord let me be average again. I want
To be normal. I want to be boring, to
Blend in, to not be noticed, except
By you. Let me be so well adjusted
And healthy in mind, body and
Haircut it’s sickening. Being myself
For better or worse has been bad for
My social standing, so Convention,
Please lock me in the cage of your
Protective embrace. Convention,
Take me to your ample breasts so
Like a typical faceless citizen I can
Suck to my heart’s content.
MONSTER
Last time I checked there wasn’t
A trail of dead bodies in my wake,
Nor broken hearts like bread crumbs
Leading back to a hidden lair in the
Forest of doomed love. So I’m at a
Loss as to what kind monster you
Think I am, and why. But all that
Frankenstein had to do to scare
Someone was just be himself.
BREAKFAST BIRDS
Birds in the morning flock to steal my dogs’
Breakfast, cause my canines are so occupied
Eating they don't notice the thievery. Eating
Is contagious - when one feeds, others want in
On the act. Like when love gives off its warm
Glow that others can’t help but find attractive
Too. When two feed, twice as many want in
On the act. Usually we see sharing as positive,
And want to let our friends in on our good thing.
But just because birds are remarkably consistent
In contributing their saxophone impressions and
Little hip hop moves every morning, is this from
Friendship or just a free breakfast?
PAINTER
Long before entering politics, Hitler
Wanted to be a painter. It’s true! I
Looked it up. As a very young man,
Hitler loved art, music, architecture,
And his country’s history. For awhile
He tried making a living by selling his
Watercolors on the streets of Vienna.
He wasn’t very successful, but one of
His watercolors has survived and you
Can see it online. That watercolor, to
Me, looks skillful enough, but twice the
University of Vienna rejected Hitler, said
His work lacked sufficient evidence of
Ability, crushing is aspiration to paint
Seriously. Instead he enlisted in the
Amy and the rest is history. 5.5 million
Killed. It would be unfair to blame the
University of Vienna (how could they
Have known), but still it's tempting to
Speculate on how differently history
Could have turned out had Hitler
Been able to stick to his painting.
RIFLE
I can see it clearly and I don’t
Like it, but clarity is the kind of
Dangerous gift you just have to
Learn how to handle. It’s like
When you’re given a rifle, you
Can use it to terrorize or to put
Food on the table.
CUT
First just a tiny one to remind me I’m
Not afraid of pain. Growing numb
Terrifies me more. Look, my body is
Liquid, it flows. Color small crimson
Hearts on m arm – your Valentine’s
Card. Cut deeper, somewhere no one
Will see the scars, my tattoos of your
Gain at my loss. Cut your name into
My skin – I’m your billboard dripping
Red. Cut open a window so this bird
Of prey eating me inside can fly into
The night.
BREAKFAST
Cereal and milk welcome the day
With a dip together. Toast opens
Itself to richness from butter, then
Feels a little tart from jam. Omelet
Anticipates a special sauce bringing
Out hidden nuances in its warm mix
Of flavors. Coffee takes in its two
Favorites, sugar for sweetness and
Cream to mellow its edge. I finish
Them all off. We’ll do it again
Tomorrow, promise.
MARAE
Everyone deserves a place of safety for their
Relationship to the eternal. Somewhere the
Spirits of that which you cherish most deeply
Are protected and can live and breathe. Here
I stand outside your marae. I call in greeting.
No answer comes from within. Without your
Welcome, I cannot enter. If you judge me as
Unworthy of your sacred ground or displeasing
To your spirits, I will call no more. I leave as I
Came, quietly, with respect. Inside, your spirits
Can hear me, and know my heart and mind. Is
It they who say deny me, or am I one you wish
To hide from them?
THE JUSTICE SYSTEM
When you return to the scene of the
Crime, is it to see if anything’s changed?
No, nothing’s changed – what’s good will
Always be good, and what’s bad is still
Bad. All that changes is our ability to
Tell one from the other.
TALIBAN
What they want is not genuine creativity
Or self expression. What they want is
Politically correct lies. We fight the
Taliban in Afghanistan? Too late! We
Already have them in our back yard.
MANNERS AND MORALS
I wish I could just make you feel good.
Many moons ago, when this all started,
That was sort of the point. Everything
Said and done since then may tend to
Obscure a related point, which is how
Ridiculously easily you could make me
Feel good if you wanted to. I was busy
Calling your manners and morals into
Question, so it may have slipped my
Mind to mention it. But yeah, in those
Few moments where it seemed like
There was something to be optimistic
About, nothing before or since has
Ever felt better. How could I get so
Preoccupied with manners and morals?
Maybe thinking my own had to adhere
To some high standard, but funny how
Little they matter now. In spite of the
Worst possible thoughts I could have
About you, if I thought you could still
Feel good about me then all I’d do is
Try and make you feel good.
PRICELESS
Like a diamond in a shop window I stop
And stare at, something personal makes
This more than just another glittering rock.
It feels like everything meant for me,
Everything I was meant for, so naturally
I start conjuring what the future should
Be, will be, already is. Fatally forgetting
This is not mine yet, as much as I firmly
Believe no one else will ever love it more.
How obscene to see something precious
As this subject to an exchange rate, to be
Lost or gained through trade. This could
Turn me criminal - stick ‘em up mister
And watch me walk away with what you
Only thought was yours. Is any price too
High for what’s priceless? What a tragedy
To see it fall into the hands of one who
Would treat it as worthless, just another
Glittering rock.
NAVIGATING
The word friendship evokes kind winds
And calm seas. It’s friend, someone you
Can be close to, plus ship, something
That travels great distances, certainly
Further than one could swim or paddle
A canoe. Sounds like you and a friend
Can make the voyage together. Sad,
Then, how so many friendships and
Fledgling loves lie shipwrecked on the
Rocky shores of mistrust and betrayal.
Sailing can be dangerous. It’s not clear
Who’s captain and neither of us have
The map, only a compass of the heart.
Stars might guides us or storms could
Throw us off course. Pirates try for a
Piece of us, sirens entice us towards
The rocks for spite and Moby Dick
Rams our ship for sport. The reward
For all the risks is arriving somewhere
We’d never reach alone, provided we
Survive navigating each other’s waters.
BOP TEMPLATE
Jazz rose up from the streets, coming
From somewhere I couldn’t see. This
City’s warm even in the middle of the
Night. So many working at night, in
Reverse of the natural order like bats
Or owls. Ask them if they’d take the
Day shift and they say that’s crazy.
The day is just so much play acting.
You can’t fake it at night, you know.
Night is the truth, where we came
From, where we’re going. Why do
You think a coyote needs moonlight
To sing the blues? Night is the truth,
Man. I nod and follow the streetlights,
Wondering if all those dreams of
Normal people don’t just float in the
Air this time of night, or if some find
Their way into the horns of a jazz
Band during the late set and get
Breathed back out as music .
BULLSHIT GLASSES
In the back of my mind there’s a
Voice saying, “You’re wasting your
Time. Trying to cast your pearls
Before a swine.” That brings out
The part of me that’s stubborn
As a mule (and maybe as stupid)
That says, “No! If she could just
Take off her Bullshit Glasses then
She would see it too. I know it!”
But of course the other side of
That coin is maybe I’m the one
Who can’t take off his own.
STRING THEORY
For better or worse, my poetry comes
Out most naturally when I’m in a highly-
Strung emotional state. This doesn’t
Mean I’m not a fairly reasonable human
Being the rest of the time. Still, I don’t
Recommend a highly-strung emotional
State no matter what it does for your
Poetry. For one thing, it won't work
Wonders on your general affability or
Outlook on life. For another, you have
To check constantly to ensure your
Highly-strung strings haven’t gone out
Of tune, and take caution not to strum
Them so passionately that one of them
Goes pwack and snaps.
(Note: The closest approximation to the sound of a snapping guitar
string is "pwack", although you won't find it in most dictionaries.)
BAD HISTORY MONTH
Do you think a deception
Is any less of a deception
Just because it involves a
Computer? It still becomes
Part of a bad history, one
More nail in the coffin of
Honesty and trust.
DISPOSABLE
Sacrificed again on the altar of your pride,
Only I don’t feel such a holy object. More like
A surrogate for your interests in an offshore
Account. Trying to petition the Gods offering
Breadcrumbs in hope of gold? He who receives
Your sacrifice, on high or down low as you
Decide, knows the difference between what’s
Truly valuable to you and what’s decidedly
Disposable. You’ll be rewarded accordingly
With blessings of the disposable variety.
BOXES
Sometimes people deserve the boxes
We put them in. Other times the boxes
We choose for them say more about us.
Careful not to mislabel. Nothing worse
Than putting a right thing in a wrong box
And shelving it somewhere you’d rather
Forget. Put me in a rubbish box and you
May find one day you’re searching the
Dump in vain for what you threw away.
POEMS
Poems are… Individual flowers from the
Mind’s garden, plus an occasional weed…
Escaping pus from a wound inside that
Won’t heal… Shards of debris from an
Emotional explosion equal to the creation
Of the universe… An SOS from a ghost ship…
Little eruptions of volcanoes undersea
Dreaming of being islands… Notes posted
For God on what you hope and pray is his
Refrigerator… Flying the flag of your true
Self to see who salutes… Something you
Sleepily clean up in the morning from
Your soul’s front porch… Proof positive
So-called sanity, when accepted without
Question, would happily render a death
Sentence on a deeper reality… Usually
Permanence’s enemy, change’s friend…
(Unless it’s the kind of open permanence
That provides poets sanctuary…) Written
In tears, sweat, blood, and other juices we
Can use to make poems in private... All this,
Plus. On and on, on and on, on and on.
JESTER
In medieval times, even a jester toasted by
The court could find himself separated from
His head for saying the wrong thing at the
Wrong moment. Nothing uplifts and nothing
Wounds as surely as humor. The jester’s lot
Was bringing merriment yet stopping short
Of heresy, which must have taken incredible
Insight and skill. He walked a tightrope: be
Funny or starve, but calculate the laughter
Carefully or be stabbed. Can you imagine
What stress the poor jester would come
Under, having to make light of even the
Darkest circumstances? And when a King
Or Queen revealed themselves as the true
Fool, it fell to the jester to save royal face by
Appearing an even bigger clown. I have no
Doubt more than a few monarchs treasured
Their jesters for this very reason. I’ve felt
Making someone else smile was a matter
Of life or death, worried terribly over my
Wording, sensed imminent doom when it
Seemed I’d gotten it wrong. A jester needs
A keen eye for tragedy, given how easily he
Could become one. No wonder even today
So many comics are also alcoholics.
JAGGER AT 70 a/k/a BLUNTLY ON YOUR BIRTHDAY
Yours will remain a most unlikely, most
Amazing tale – two teens (you and Keith)
Inspired to play the devil’s music and
Ending up feted as gods. Was your own
Mephistophelian trade 20 untouchable
Years followed by 30 in exile on main
Street? Did all your satanic majesty
Culminate in artistic bankruptcy amidst
More dough than Robert Johnson would
Have dared to dream of? Sorry I’m so
Blunt on your birthday, but being studied
(Not just a stud) comes with your cultural
Role, and your truest believers still can’t
Figure what happened after Tattoo You.
So what, Sir Mick, if you won’t likely be
Mentioned in history with the same awe
As Picasso or even Muddy? It’s only rock
And roll. Like our own Prometheus,
You’re still rolling - we find something
Oddly comforting in that, even if with
Each push your peaks just grow further
Distant. Meanwhile, naïve believers
Unwisely await miracles, like one more
Stones album worthy of your past to
Silence every told-you-so, to prove it’s
Never too late if you’re not too lazy.
(Note: Jagger and I share the same birth month - July - but I'm on the 9th and he's on the 26th so I'm a Cancer and he's a Leo.)
SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE
An obvious mystery, one’s person’s gold,
Another’s garbage. One man’s madonna,
Another’s whore. One woman’s devotion,
Another’s indifference. All personal, and
If you’re not careful, all subject to change
Without notice.
ALL IN TRADE
Our passions, hopes, time, attention
Exceptions, investments, generosity,
Resilience, forgiveness, willingness to
Risk, all in trade for that one thing we
Haven’t found yet. Your space, special
Places, faithfulness, kisses, intimacy,
Tendency to see the diamond but not
The blood behind it, all in trade for that
One thing you haven’t found yet. The
Devotion I’ve reserved for someone
Deserving, openness when I’m not
Inclined to close up, a skill I learned of
Nurturing, songs I learned from
Loneliness and joy, all in trade for that
That one thing I haven’t found yet, the
One perfect exchange that makes
Everything right, makes sense of the
Mysteries, makes the contradictions
Finally reveal the truths they hide.
DIFFERENCE
Despite all you disbelieve about yourself,
You could still make a difference if you
Wanted to. In case no one’s told you,
Your whole pose is one of indifference.
By all appearances, you don’t care, and
That impression will remain unless you
Try somehow to change it. Neither one
Can win when playing by two different
Sets of rules. Someday when all your
Shit has hit the fan, you’ll understand
How you can’t fight for someone while
You’re also fighting with them. Even if
The effort ends up seeming to not even
Make much difference, the truth will
Always be that you tried, not that you
Simply settled for the hand-outs of fate.
AD INFINITUM
You can find a new friend… And another…
And another… And another ad infinitum,
Till you eventually realize these aren’t
Really friends at all, only bargain hunters
Out to get what they want as easily and
As cheaply as they can. But maybe that’s
All you’re shopping for too. Careful how
You advertise – your brand name already
Has a reputation on the market, thanks
To all the free samples you’ve given. If
You think these friends of yours are truly
Friends, try putting them all in the same
Room together and see how friendly
They are face to face, among those who
They have something in common with.
Or better yet, invite them all to your
Wedding if you ever have one – I’m
Sure you’ll be proud to introduce them
All to your spouse.
MY WORLD
My thoughts have gotten so disjointed,
Like a planet coming apart. My center
Of gravity can’t hold it together. And so
My world goes flying off in a million
Different pieces. I was always trying to
Go in more than one direction at once,
But not like this. I feel the explosion, tear,
Rip, crack in my time-space continuum,
Violence of involuntary end. How there’s
Still a voice to say these words, I don’t
Know. I could already be a ghost. Feels
Like I’ve been away, and I have to admit
The familiar feels more comforting when
You know it won’t last forever, just for
A long time.
SUSPICIONS
Suspicions can be creative. Take information,
Make a story, then feel betrayed by your own
Imagination. My suspicions could fill novels,
Television shows, dramas that leave audiences
Traumatized by the tension. My suspicions
Always seem plausible enough to unnerve me,
So why not the public too? When all is said
And done, I really know nothing, so suspicions
Fill that void, channeling passions like a lost,
Warlike tribe wreaking havoc in anger at being
Denied their homeland, or so they believe.
This is how destruction, emotional or physical,
So easily follows when suspicions inform
Initiative and explode.
PROTECT
Protect your ego by justifying what you’ve
Done as right from your point of view. If
Someone has a different perspective, it’s
Just their problem. They don’t have to
Walk in your shoes. If you walk roughshod
Over someone else’s feelings, it’s just
Their problem. Maybe next time they’ll
Know better than to get in your path. Fine,
You protect your ego and I’ll protect mine.
ALMOST VEGETARIAN
They say Americans spend more on porn
Than they put into their pensions. Ok, so
Much for technology and progress, but if
We’re such sex experts why can’t we get
Our pigs to breed as fast as we eat them?
One more Sunday, no pig on the table at
Louise. Too expensive, I’m told. We have
A pork shortage, something must be done.
Encourage your pigs to be more romantic,
Get them drunk, read them the works of
Anne Rice, play them Marvin Gaye non-
Stop, tell them it’s Valentine’s Day, offer
Honeymoon specials, open more motels,
Tell them the Sexual Revolution happened
In the ‘70s and they’re behind the times.
Guilt trip them into getting it on, whatever
It takes, our plates are lonely. Meanwhile,
The pigs are thinking, why should we breed
Just to be eaten? We won’t contribute to
Your Butthead Buffet. We refuse. What if
The tables were turned and we consumed
All the unwanted fruit of your porn addictions?
The pigs have always wanted to say that,
They just had to find the language.
FREE ASSOCIATION IS ALIVE AND WELL
Fork tongue Nike, window spy whiskey,
Hooligan stadium, rabbit transit, card
Socket, pie face casino night, sliding scale,
Fall through the ice, trash dress muddy,
Front view frog, hard drug drive-thru, milk
Cowboy, shoulder tattoo map, treasure in
Every pack of Cracker Jacks, heron robs
National treasury, Hal open the pod bay
Doors, run away from home and join the
Circus, civil wars and domestic violence,
Homeland insecurity, Merrill Lynch Mob,
Liz Pharisee, every purchase with us a
Guaranteed betrayal of your faith, buy
Now cry later, crocodiles in Manhattan
Sewers, here pussy, bluebird paintbrush,
Able-bodied volunteers needed for
Beaver company, Frankenstein pop singer
Rejuvenates alternative music, cream shirt,
Scream soda, intravenous and Mars, let’s
Go out to the bald game, we interrupt this
Program just because we can, you got a
Problem with that?
WAR STORY
Caught in the crossfire of your
Good and bad selves, I’m just a
Casualty of battle. If Heaven’s
Own angels rebelled, small
Wonder we can’t resist the bad
Side of ourselves. A door more
Easily opened than closed. Like
Money changers in a holy temple,
What you first invited you must
Eventually fight or else surrender
To completely. In the end, good
Usually wins, but bad can make
A memorable stand. Entering
The crossfire means being shot
By both sides, since bullets don’t
Know friend from foe, and in self
Defense you’re advised to just
Keep firing and ask questions
Later. The best I can say is I
Survived, though I wish it all
Had meant more than just
A good war story.
SILVER
The Moon doesn’t hold anger or sadness
In spite of all it’s seen. Know why I shine?
Asks the Moon. Everyone’s troubles have
Rubbed against me since the dawn of time.
In appearance I’m not as constant as my
Cousin the Sun, but he burns like never
Ending passion while I rise, fall, and rise
Again in endless reflection. As I reflect all
I’ve seen, I use the troubles for fuel to
Provide you a light in the darkness. I’m a
Symbol. My cycle is renewal, while Mr. Sun
Might burn out one day if he’s not careful.
COUP
Do you envision a golden future where
Everyone’s forgotten the truth about
You? Most dictators do, but soon their
Own conscience makes them unable to
Settle comfortably into their newfound
Security. Subtly, they feel threatened
Not by what anyone’s done but by what
Everyone knows, not by what anyone’s
Said but by what they suspect you must
Be thinking. There’s no bigger threat to
A liar than those they can rely on to tell
The truth. No bigger threat to a cheater
Than those who play fair. No bigger
Threat to someone drunk on power
(Or just alcohol) than the sober. No
Bigger threat to the guilty than the
Innocent. Everyone must buy in or
Be edited out.
NEW AMUSEMENTS
Hey you Pharisees, if you show up
At my sacred mountain, be sure to
Take off your shoes. With faith you
Can walk on hot coals, but with
Attitude all you’ll find is your fancy
Footwear melted. Be respectful or
You'll regret it. Lightning will fry you
If you run amok at night. Try an orgy
In the forest, as if it's some disco
With trees, and you’ll fall into rivers
Hidden underground full of hungry
Fish who’ll love you. This ain’t no
Disneyland, and it did quite well
Without you before you walked
In acting like you own the place.
STOLEN BY THE SKY
Legend has it craters are the lovers and
Wives of mountains stolen by the sky.
Sheltering them from unsympathetic
Eyes, the moon hides craters within his
Glow. No stranger to separation’s pain,
The moon spends half his time shining
With undeniable brilliance and the other
Half hidden in cold darkness hoping his
Wounds heal in time for his next
Scheduled appearance. And when has
The moon ever kept us waiting? Some
Mothers soothe children to sleep telling
Stories of the craters on the moon. See
How some craters have already made
Room for mountains they still await.
Remember how others, long ago,
Embraced mountains so closely as to
Become one with them, until a black
Hole with a jealous heart, a cosmic
Storm, a hungry magnetic asteroid or
Heaven for reasons unknown reached
Down to snatch the mountains away.
See how easily these craters could catch
All manner of moon and star material to
Fill them again, but curiously, how most
Choose instead to remain empty.
CHILD
The older I get, the more I intuit
That it’s children, not adults, who
Have the right idea. Everything’s
Open, everything’s new, it’s all
One big possibility. Whoever came
Up with the bright idea that we
Have to carve ourselves in stone
When we hit 18 needs a lobotomy
From Dr. Ramone to re-connect
With their inner child. Is insight
That just closes us off really
Insight at all?
INDEX
I never figured clarity of expression
Could come across as so dramatic,
But if I stopped clocks the way I
Stop conversations, the digital age
Would be in for some major shit.
If I like you, I'll say look at it this
Way: no matter how different you
Are, you're still walking on the same
Flowers and stones and breathing
The same air as everyone else.
We're all an index of each other's
Possibilities.This is bad. This is
Good.
UP AGAINST THE WALL STREET IN YOU
The fates have granted me the grace of
Keeping the catastrophe quiet. Declaring
Bankruptcy’s a private matter, even if the
Currency’s only emotions. Feelings subject
To foreclosure. Liquidate these dreams,
They have amusement value. See the
Easily amused nod their approval. They
Can relate to being left holding the bag.
It’s nice they sympathize, and avert their
Eyes as I face an exile of uncertain length.
In exile, one at least has small freedoms.
Returning is not one of them. I can’t see
Anything bringing me back, once I’ve been
Tagged as unmanageable, too risky an
Investment, certain only to compromise
Your profits. In exile, one at least has small
Comforts, like appearing free while serving
A sentence of indefinite confinement inside.
Fools the easily amused, at least. But it’s all
Show, far from sweet, with the bitter taste
Of the incomplete.
SHAKESPEARE SHOE FITS
Strange name, Shakespeare. Evokes images
Of primitives trying to scare off progress, or
To pursue spear as a euphemism, civilized
Males reading Playboy. Seriously, it’s kind
Of comic, the name Shakespeare. A name
Like Deathspeare would be sexier, or
Bloodspeare more macho. But try picture
The enemy quaking in fear hearing
Shakespeare. Doesn’t quite fly. Sounds like
Braveheart shaking his sword, Robin Hood
Shaking his bow, Sir Lancelot shaking his
Lance a lot, the Three Musketeers shaking
Their rapiers or Bonnie and Clyde shaking
Their machine guns. Weapons must be
Scary, not shaken like a martini or a
Maraca. So with the name Shakespeare,
What would you do to be taken seriously?
We don’t know what really drove him, but
Wouldn’t he be having the last laugh if his
True reason for writing so relentlessly was
He was mad at being laughed at? So next
Time you’re angry, channel that negative
Energy into something creative. They might
Still hear your echo 400 years later.
DEFINITION
I’ve always been grateful for my place
In the world, but I never bothered to
Define it, for a statement as to what
I am would be a comparison to what
I am not, and my knowledge of what
I am not is at best surface level, so
Who am I to talk? Thank you for
Telling me who I am. I know you’re
Trying to be helpful, but why do I
Suspect you’re the one who really
Needs help? What makes you such
An authority? I want to be one too.
Does it take a degree? A badge? A
Gun? A certain tattoo? Or do you
Just pick a definition of yourself that
You like, wear it like wrapping paper
Around a gift to the world, and hope
This colorful sight inspires someone
Or other to sing happy birthday to
You because you appear to fit their
Definition of cake-deserving?
BRICKS
These poems are just so many bricks
In a fragile wall a cold stare could
Crumble or a warm smile could melt.
I wish I could change many things,
But the truth is I haven't a clue how
To change anything. Arguably I have
A clue how to write a poem, though
I can hear critics my disagreeing. At
The risk of sounding even more
Egotistical than usual, if this is what
I can do with their cynicism ringing
In my ears, think what I could do if
I could hear you singing my praises!
On a cold day in hell, you might scoff,
But who knows. If sincerity only gets
Me in trouble, then maybe it’s the
Utterly ridiculous that might make
You see things differently. If we
Can’t share a reality, we can always
Share an idea, as innocently as the
Public shares germs. Imagination:
Change in the dark, germinating. I
Just keep laying bricks, sometimes
High like a wall, other times low,
Down to earth, imagining a road.
THE UNDEAD
I know you don’t want it so I’m
Trying to destroy it but it won’t
Die. It just gets uglier each time
It crawls from the grave and says,
I come from you - send me six
Feet under, but isn’t it really a
Part of you you’re trying to bury?
I reply, you got that right – part
Of me I don’t want to see walking
Around, looking over my shoulder
In the mirror, in pictures, in stories.
A constant reminder of cursed love,
Of failure, and the other partner in
Your creation doesn’t want you
Either. Living things with limited
Insight are so challenged grasping
The concept of inconvenience.
SORTING ITSELF
Heavy rain, stay inside. Stay inside, look
Inside. Just as turbulent, even more so.
The storm outside is nothing. Nature is
Sorting itself, throwing air, water and
Light into a fray while the earth tries
To remember dryness and warmth,
Knows they’ll come again, but wishes
They’d put on some speed. I try to see
My troubles as my life sorting itself.
Hoping that, as with nature, in the end
A balance will be restored. As the storm
Clearly shows, a lot of conflict goes into
The making of a sunny day.
SYMBOLIC
Hey Sky, who you crying for all day
And all night? Freud said water
Symbolizes emotion. Sky wants to
Grow fat on emotion, hold it all in,
Gain substance like Earth, hoping
Earth might look up from its typical
Lazy passivity and actually take
Notice for a change. But alas, Sky
Can’t keep the weight on. Gets to
A certain size and it all comes flying
Off from gravity. Most Americans
Would be envious. And predictably,
Earth just callously says thanks for
The drink, call me sometime, ok?
Stevie Ray Vaughn sang “The Sky Is
Crying” with a lot of emotion, as is
Only fitting for this tale of yearning
Frustrated every time, no matter
How sincere or how determined.
WERE I SANTA CLAUS
The joy’s in the giving of gifts as much
As the receiving. And were I Santa Claus,
You wouldn’t have to wait till Christmas.
Were I the master gift builder, I’d make
Myself into one you’d want to unwrap,
A present you’d enjoy again and again,
Something you’d accept without the
Slightest hesitation, indulge in with no
Second thoughts, omit mentioning to
Your friends to avoid them becoming
Covetous, something you’d sighed for
Each time you saw it in the shop window.
In other words, I wish I were chocolate.
EXPERTS
I'm such an expert - I know
Exactly what you mean and
Exactly what you're thinking
Even before you do. You're
Such an expert - you know
Exactly what I mean and
Exactly what I'm thinking
Even before I do. Things
Can get complex, unclear.
Lucky we’re such experts.
OUR BEST
Maybe Las Vegas can make you rich
Beyond your wildest dreams, but how
Often does that happen? Please don't
Use our best as a gambling chip.
DESERVE
Bad guys in movies get
What they deserve. Why
Not nice guys in real life?
ROCKS
People ‘round here throw rocks so
Often you’d think they’d never sinned.
I wish Cupid could aim arrows on my
Behalf as accurately as my neighbors
Aim rocks at transgressing dogs, cats
Advertising a heat, birds soiling the
Clothesline, pigs digging up the roses,
And sometimes one another.
SPYING IN PERSPECTIVE
Our nation, born of rebellion, founded on the
Ideal of liberty or death. If leaders take the
Liberty of spying on their citizens, it must be
For our own good. Traitors walk among us,
Trying to establish a new dark ages. Humans
Are fallen by nature and foolish in notion, so
Thank the Lord we have so many laws for our
Own protection. Laws fill books that fill rooms
Which fill buildings. No wonder you can break
A law without even knowing. Laws, it seems,
Come and go these days like Vegas paychecks.
Do they still need probable cause to probe into
Our private business? Just some little bird that
Whispers nasty things? Words on my t-shirt
They don’t like seeing? A blip on their radar
Screen they think is me flying on a broom?
It changes so fast, I don’t bother keeping
Track. All I know is, in today’s USA, if you’re
A conservative wage slave you’re ok (for now),
But any deviation could place you under
Suspicion. Part of the standardization plan
For our own good. We’re a democracy, an
Equal partnership between people and our
Leaders . We should be as honest with them
As they are with us.
REMEMBER?
Remember when I tried reaching out to
You? At first you seemed pleased, but
Then you treated me like you wished I
Would just go away. So I did. Why do
You still wear that hurt look? Even
When I’ve done what you want, you’re
Not happy? Doesn’t seem likely. Must
Be it’s just someone else now who’s
Making you sad.
PEARLS
When our pearls have fallen in the
Pig sty, who will pull them out? All
The crap in the world can’t tarnish
Their true worth, only obscure it.
But who’ll be left with dirty hands?
Is saving something precious worth
Sorting through something ugly?
CONTINUED NEXT PHOTO OVER ("CYCLONE SCENE")
Major General's Great Uniform, British Army (c.1786-1794) on display in the museum at Fort Ticonderoga.
Fort Ticonderoga, formerly Fort Carillon, is a large 18th-century star fort built by the French at a narrows near the south end of Lake Champlain in northern New York in the United States. It was constructed by Canadian-born French military engineer Michel Chartier de Lotbinière, Marquis de Lotbinière between October 1755 and 1757 during the Seven Years' War, often referred to as the French and Indian War in the US. It was of strategic importance during the 18th-century colonial conflicts between Great Britain and France, and again played an important role during the American Revolutionary War.
The site controlled a river portage alongside the mouth of the rapids-infested La Chute River in the 3.5 miles (5.6 km) between Lake Champlain and Lake George and was strategically placed in conflicts over trade routes between the British-controlled Hudson River Valley and the French-controlled Saint Lawrence River Valley. The terrain amplified the importance of the site. Both lakes were long and narrow, oriented north–south, as were the many ridge lines of the Appalachian Mountains extending as far south as Georgia, creating the near-impassable mountainous terrains to the east and west of the Great Appalachian Valley that the site commanded. The name "Ticonderoga" comes from the Iroquois word tekontaró:ken, meaning "it is at the junction of two waterways".
During the 1758 Battle of Carillon, 4,000 French defenders were able to repel an attack by 16,000 British troops near the fort. In 1759, the British returned and drove a token French garrison from the fort merely by occupying high ground that threatened the fort. During the American Revolutionary War, the fort again saw action in May 1775 when the Green Mountain Boys and other state militia under the command of Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold captured it in a surprise attack. Cannons captured were transported to Boston where their deployment forced the British to abandon the city in March 1776. The Americans held the fort until June 1777, when British forces under General John Burgoyne again occupied high ground above it and threatened the Continental Army troops, leading them to withdraw from the fort and its surrounding defenses. The only direct attack on the fort took place in September 1777, when John Brown led 500 Americans in an unsuccessful attempt to capture the fort from about 100 British defenders.
The British abandoned the fort after the failure of the Saratoga campaign, and it ceased to be of military value after 1781. It fell into ruin, leading people to strip it of some of its usable stone, metal, and woodwork. It became a stop on tourist routes of the area in the 19th century. Its private owners restored the fort early in the 20th century. A foundation now operates the fort as a tourist attraction, museum, and research center.
One of the decks on the Holland America Noordam cruise ship, near the elevators which are to each side of this area.
This place is more brightly lit than the photo suggests. I added some vignetting and tweaked the WB to amplify the mixed lighting to get this effect.
It's hard to imagine what the outside looked like (below).
Leica 28mm Summilux-M
Dec-19 7R405792
One weekend I came across hundreds of teenagers entering the subway dressed up as various anime characters. I decided to get of at the same stop, and discovered it was a kind of convention. I am personally not so interested in the field(though I enjoy many of Miyazaki's movies together with my daughter), but it was a great opportunity for portraits.
Seoul, South Korea, July 2010.
Copyright © Ioannis Lelakis.
All rights reserved.
(I replaced to a textured version since the original upload)
ADY ~ SKARD rock band
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Skard, rock band, Indie, Bike, Biker, Music, Skard 4 Life, Sturgis North, Skard4Life, guitar, drums drummer, vocal, vocalist, rock star, Ady, Freedom, Fender, Ady Golic, On The Highway, Marshall Amplification, CANADA, SKARD Vancouver #skard #harley #Harley-Davidson #biker #music #rock #rock music #rock roll #freedom #on the highway #fender, concert girls girl babes chicks old lady motorcycle club, soft tail chopper custom Skard band, Ady Golic Rock n Roll, Skard rock band Harley, Harley-Davidson vocals and video
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Hãy cùng nín thở để chiêm ngưỡng siêu phẩm Unbreakable từ hãng độ xe hàng đầu nước Đức, Thunderbike Custom. “Đầy đủ chức năng và sở hữu kiểu dáng khiến người ngắm nghẹt thở" là hai tiêu chí chủ đạo mà Andreas Bergerforth,
rock band, music, canada, harley, ady, harley-davidson, motorbike, motorcycle, custom, chopper, riding group, girls, concert, show, guitar, fender, tama, marshall, band, sound, black, musical, entertain, entertainment, close, songs, instrumental, instrument, horizontal, artist, performance, rock, rhythm, guy, jazz, big, artistic, perform, performing, pro, cool, solo, play, playing, style, gig, man, guitarist, hand, soloing, musician, player, song, string, roll, rocker, grunge, young, virtuoso, loud, pop, party, fun, male, equipment, neck, finger, audio, chord, electric, performer, blues, metal, stage, person, electrical, studio, dark, power, live, melody, singer, acoustic, club, jam, electric guitar, session, acoustics, atmosphere, pastime, sketch, .
Skarð
Sinner, sinner 666, rock band, music, canada, harley, ady, harley-davidson, motorbike, motorcycle, custom, chopper, riding group, girls, concert, show, guitar, fender, tama, marshall, band, sound, black, musical, entertain, entertainment, close, songs, instrumental, instrument, horizontal, artist, performance, rock, rhythm, guy, jazz, big, artistic, perform, performing, pro, cool, solo, play, playing, style, gig, man, guitarist, hand, soloing, musician, player, song, string, roll, rocker, grunge, young, blogging, virtuoso, loud, pop, party, future, fun, male, equipment, neck, finger, audio, chord, electric, naked, performer, blues, metal, stage, person, electrical, studio, dark, power, live, melody, singer, acoustic, club, jam, electric guitar, session, acoustics, atmosphere, pastime, sketch, discussion, smiling, selfie, you tube, bikini, google, Skard, rock band, Indie, Bike, Biker, Music, Skard 4 Life, Sturgis North, Skard4Life, guitar, drums drummer, vocal, vocalist, rock star, Ady, Freedom, Fender, Ady Golic, On The Highway, Marshall Amplification, CANADA, SKARD Vancouver #skard #harley #Harley-Davidson #biker #music #rock #rock music #rock roll #freedom #on the highway #fender, concert girls girl babes chicks old lady motorcycle club, soft tail chopper custom Skard band, Ady Golic Rock n Roll, Skard rock band Harley, Harley-Davidson vocals and video
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Norðoyar Region of the Faroes.
Haraldssund Skarð now hangs in the Christianskirkjan in Klaksvík.
Skarð Iceland).Dansk Deutsch Føroyskt Magyar Nederlands Norsk bokmål Polski Iceland Русский Svenska Iceland
Kunoy, abandoned village in the Faroe Islands
Afrikaans
Skard rock band Vancouver, Kanada. Motorfiets motorfiets vryheid kitaar sing konsert Eagle het geland op die snelweg lang live rock en roll
Albanian
Skard band muzikë rok Vancouver, Kanada. Motor motoçikletë liria kitarë këndoj koncert Eagle ka ul Mbi shkëmb të gjatë Highway jetojnë and roll
Arabic
Skard فرقة موسيقى الروك فانكوفر، كندا. دراجة نارية دراجة نارية الحرية الغيتار الغناء الحفل النسر قد هبطت على الطريق السريع الصخور الحية طويلة ولفة
Armenian
Սքարդը ռոք խմբի Վանկուվեր, Կանադա: Motorcycle motorbike ազատությունն կիթառ երգենք համերգը Eagle արդեն վայրէջք է մայրուղու երկար ուղիղ ռոքն ռոլ
AZERBAIJANI
Skardh rok musiqi qrupu Vancouver, Kanada. Motosiklet motosiklet azadlığı gitara Eagle Highway uzun yaşamaq rok and roll konserti çıxarma etdi sing...
BASQUE
Skard rock musika banda Vancouver, Kanada. Motorcycle moto askatasuna gitarra diru kontzertu Eagle Autopista luzea zuzeneko rock and roll On lehorreratu da
BELARUSIAN
Скард рок-музыка група Ванкувер, Канада. Матацыкл Матацыкл свабода гітара спяваць канцэрт Арол прызямліўся на доўгі жывы рок-н-ролу шашы
BENGALI
Skard শিলা ব্যান্ড সঙ্গীত ভ্যাঙ্কুভার, কানাডা. মোটরসাইকেল মোটরসাইকেলে স্বাধীনতা গিটার ঈগল হাইওয়ে দীর্ঘ লাইভ শিলা এবং রোল কনসার্ট অবতরণ করেছে গান করে
BOSNIAN
Skard rock bend Vancouver, Kanada. Motocikl motocikl slobodu gitara pjevati koncert Orao je sleteo na autoput dugo žive rock and roll Pogledaj Skard bend na internetu YouTube
BULGARIAN
Skard рок музика лента Ванкувър, Канада. Мотоциклети мотоциклет свобода китара пеят концерт Eagle кацна на магистралата Да живее рокендрола Погледнете Skard лента на интернет YouTube
CATALAN
Banda de música rock Skard Vancouver, Canadà. Moto motocicleta llibertat guitarra cantar concert Àguila ha aterrat a l'autopista Long Rock and roll en viu Miri banda Skard a internet YouTube
CEBUANO
Skard rock music band sa Vancouver, Canada. Motorcycle motorsiklo kagawasan guitar nga manganta concert Eagle nga mitugpa sa Highway taas nga live bato ug ang roll Tan-awa Skard panon sa mga sundalo sa internet YouTube
CHICHEWA
Skard thanthwe nyimbo gulu Vancouver, Canada. Njinga yamoto yamoto ufulu gitala kuimba konsati Mphungu wakhala anafika Pa Highway yaitali moyo thanthwe ndi mayina Tayang'anani pa Skard gulu pa intaneti YouTube
CHINESE SIMPLIFIED
Skard摇滚乐队加拿大温哥华。摩托车摩托车自由吉他唱音乐会鹰已降落在公路万岁摇滚乐看Skard带在互联网上的YouTube
CHINESE TRADITIONAL
Skard搖滾樂隊加拿大溫哥華。摩托車摩托車自由吉他唱音樂會鷹已降落在公路萬歲搖滾樂看Skard帶在互聯網上的YouTube
CROATION
Skard rock bend Vancouver, Kanada. Motocikli Motocikl sloboda gitara pjevati koncert Eagle je sletio na autocestu dugo žive rock and roll Pogledajte Skard bend na internet YouTubeu
CZECH
Skard rocková hudební skupina Vancouver, Canada. Motocykl motorka svoboda kytara zpívat koncert Eagle přistál na dálnici ať žije rock and roll Podívejte se na Skard kapela na internetové YouTube
DANISH
Skarð rockmusik band Vancouver, Canada. Motorcykel motorcykel frihed guitar synge koncert Eagle er landet på Highway længe leve rock and roll Kig på Skarð band på internettet YouTube
DUTCH
Skarð rockband Vancouver, Canada. Motorfiets motor vrijheid gitaar zingen concert Eagle is geland op de snelweg lange live rock en roll Kijk naar Skarð band op internet YouTube
ESPERANTO
Skard rokmuzikon bando Vankuvero, Kanado. Motorciklo motorciklo libereco gitaro kantas koncerto Aglo elŝipiĝis ĉe la vojo Long Live Rokenrolo and Roll Rigardu Skard bando sur interreto YouTube
ESTONIAN
Skard rokkmuusika band Vancouver, Kanada. Mootorrataste mootorratas vabaduse kitarr laulda kontsert Eagle on maandunud Highway elagu Rock and Roll Vaata Skard bänd internet YouTube
FILIPINO
Skard rock na music band Vancouver, Canada. Motorsiklo motorsiklo kalayaan gitara kumanta concert Eagle ay dumarating Sa Highway mabuhay rock and roll Look sa Skard banda sa internet YouTube
FINNISH
Skard rock-yhtye Vancouverissa, Kanadassa. Moottoripyörä moottoripyörä vapaus kitara laulaa konsertissa Kotka on laskeutunut maantiellä eläköön rock Katsokaa Skard bändi internetissä YouTube
FRENCH
Skard groupe de musique rock de Vancouver, Canada. Moto moto guitare liberté chanter concert Aigle se est posé sur la route à long rock'n roll live Regardez Skard bande sur internet YouTube
GALICIAN
Banda de música rock Skard Vancouver, Canadá. Motos moto guitarra liberdade cantar concerto Aguia pousou na estrada rocha viva longo and roll Look at banda Skard en internet YouTube
GEORGIAN
სკარდი როკ მუსიკა band ვანკუვერში, კანადაში. Motorcycle motorbike თავისუფლების გიტარა მღერიან კონცერტი Eagle უკვე დაეშვა გზატკეცილზე გაუმარჯოს როკ-ენ Look at სკარდი band ინტერნეტ YouTube
GERMAN
Skard Rock Band Vancouver, Kanada. Motorrad Freiheit Gitarre singen Konzert Adler hat auf der Autobahn lebe Rock'n'Roll Look at Skard Band im Internet YouTube gelandet
GREEK
GUJARATI
Skard રોક સંગીત બેન્ડ વાનકુવર, કેનેડા. મોટરસાયકલ મોટરબાઈક આઝાદી ગિટાર કોન્સર્ટ ઇગલ ઇન્ટરનેટ YouTube પર Skard બેન્ડ ખાતે હાઇવે લાંબા જીવંત રોક અને રોલ લૂક પર ગઇ છે સિંગ
HAITIAN CREOLE
Skard bann mizik wòch Vancouver, Kanada. Motosiklèt motosiklèt libète gita chante konsè Eagle te ateri sou gran wout la long wòch ap viv ak gade woulo liv nan Skard bann sou entènèt YouTube
HAUSA
Skard dutsen music band Vancouver, Kanada. Babur babur 'yanci guitar raira shagali Eagle ya komai a fili A Babbar Hanya dogon live dutsen da kuma yi Dubi Skard band a kan internet YouTube
HEBREW
להקת מוסיקת רוק Skard ונקובר, קנדה. גיטרה חופש אופנוע אופנועים לשיר קונצרט הנשר נחתה על כביש רוק לחיות ארוך ולחפש גליל בלהקת Skard באינטרנט YouTube
HINDI
Skard रॉक संगीत बैंड वैंकूवर, कनाडा। मोटरसाइकिल मोटरसाइकिल स्वतंत्रता गिटार संगीत कार्यक्रम ईगल इंटरनेट यूट्यूब पर Skard बैंड पर राजमार्ग लंबे समय तक रहना रॉक एंड रोल देखो पर उतरा है गाना
HMONG
Skard pob zeb lub suab paj nruag qhab Vancouver, Canada. Maus taus motorbike txoj kev ywj pheej guitar hu nkauj hais kwv txhiaj tau dav dawb hau tsaws Nyob rau kev loj ntev nyob lub pob zeb thiab yob Saib Skard qhab on internet YouTube
HUNGARIAN
Skarð rock-zenekar Vancouver, Kanada. Motorkerékpár Motorkerékpár szabadságot gitár énekel koncert Sas leszállt az autópályán éljen a rock and roll Nézd Skarð zenekar internet YouTube
ICELANDIC
Skarð rokk tónlist band Vancouver, Kanada. Mótorhjól mótorhjól frelsi gítar syngja tónleikar Eagle lentur á þjóðveginum Lifi rokk og rúlla líta á Skarð band á internetinu YouTube
IGBO
Skard nkume music ìgwè Vancouver, Canada. Ọgba tum tum ọgba tum tum nnwere onwe guitar na-abụ abụ egwu ugo ka rutere Na Highway ogologo ndụ nkume na mpịakọta Lee na Skard gbalaga na internet YouTube
INDONESIAN
Skard Band musik rock Vancouver, Kanada. Sepeda motor sepeda motor kebebasan gitar bernyanyi konser Elang telah mendarat Di jalan raya batu hidup panjang and roll Lihat Skard band pada internet YouTube
IRISH
Banna rac-cheol Skard Vancouver, Ceanada. Gluaisrothar motorbike saoirse giotár chanadh cheolchoirm ag Eagle dtír Ar an Highway carraig beo fada agus Féach rolla ag banna Skard ar an idirlíon YouTube
ITALIAN
Fascia di musica rock Skard Vancouver, Canada. Moto moto libertà chitarra cantare concerto Eagle è atterrato Sulla autostrada lungo roccia viva and roll Guarda banda Skard su internet YouTube
JAPANESE
Skardロックミュージックバンドバンクーバー、カナダ。オートバイのバイク自由ギターコンサートイーグル、インターネットYouTubeでSkard帯で高速道路の長いライブロックンロールルックに着弾した歌う
JAVANESE
• tarpeklis band rock music Vancouver, Kanada. Motorcycle motorbike ingatase hak bebas gitar sing konser Eagle wis ndharat Ing Highway rock urip dawa lan muter Nyawang tarpeklis band ing internet YouTube
KANNADA
Skard ಜನಪ್ರಿಯ ಸಂಗೀತ ಬ್ಯಾಂಡ್ ಕೆನಡಾದ ವ್ಯಾಂಕೋವರ್. ಸೈಕಲ್ ಮೋಟಾರ್ ಸ್ವಾತಂತ್ರ್ಯ ಗಿಟಾರ್ ಸಂಗೀತ ಈಗಲ್ ಇಂಟರ್ನೆಟ್ YouTube ನಲ್ಲಿ Skard ಬ್ಯಾಂಡಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಹೆದ್ದಾರಿ ಉದ್ದ ನೇರ ರಾಕ್ ಅಂಡ್ ರೋಲ್ ನೋಟ ಇದೀಗ ಬಂದಿದೆ ಹಾಡಲು
KAZAKH
Skard рок музыка тобы Ванкувер, Канада. Motorcycle мотоцикл еркіндігі гитара Eagle интернет YouTube туралы Skard жолақ бойынша Highway ұзақ тірі рок-н-ролл көзқарас қонды концерт ән
KHMER
កាគេហទំព័រ YouTube
KOREAN
Skard 록 음악 밴드 밴쿠버, 캐나다. 오토바이 오토바이 자유 기타 콘서트 이글은 인터넷 유튜브에 Skard 대역에서 고속도로 만세 바위와 롤 봐에 착륙했다 노래
LAO
ດົນຕີ Rock Sທີ່ຍາວນາແຖບ Skard ໃນອິນເຕີເນັດ YouTube
LATIN
Skard cohortem petra musica Vancouver, Canada. Cithara Motorcycle motorbike libero adduxit in via regia sing concert Aquila vivant et petram et volumen in manu respicite Skard internet YouTube
LATVIAN
Skard rock mūzikas grupa Vancouver, Canada. Motocikls motocikls brīvība ģitāra dziedāt koncerts Eagle ir nolaidies uz šosejas ilgi dzīvot rock and roll Paskaties Skard joslā par interneta YouTube
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LITHUANIAN
Skard roko muzikos grupė Vankuveris, Kanada. Motociklų motociklas laisvė gitara dainuoti koncertas Erelis nusileido ant plento Tegyvuoja rokenrolo pažvelgti Skard juostoje interneto YouTube
MACEDONIAN
Skard рок музиката бенд Ванкувер, Канада. Мотоцикл мотор гитара слобода пее концерт орел слета на автопатот живее рокенрол Погледни Skard бенд на интернет YouTube
MALAGASY
Vato Skard tarika mozika Vancouver, any Kanada. Môtô môtô fahafahana gitara mihira fampisehoana Eagle dia tafapetraka amin'ny lalambe Ho ela velona ny vato sy ny horonam-boky Jereo Skard tarika ao amin'ny aterineto YouTube
MALAY
Skard band muzik rock Vancouver, Kanada. Motosikal motosikal gitar kebebasan sing konsert Eagle telah mendarat Di lebuh raya batu hidup panjang dan roll Pandanglah Skard band di internet YouTube
MALAYALAM
Skard റോക്ക് സംഗീത ബാൻഡ് വ്യാന്കൂവര്. സൈക്കിൾ ബൈക്കിടിച്ച് സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യം ഗിറ്റാർ ഈഗിൾ അന്താരാഷ്ട്ര YouTube- ൽ Skard ബാൻഡ് ന് ഹൈവേ നീണ്ട തത്സമയ റോക്ക് ആൻഡ് റോൾ നോക്കി എത്തിക്കഴിഞ്ഞു കച്ചേരി പാടും
MALTESE
Skard band mużika rock Vancouver, Kanada. Kitarra mutur Mutur libertà nijet kunċert Eagle tkun niżlet Fuq il-Highway blat ħajjin twil u Ħares roll fil band Skard fuq l-internet YouTube
MAORI
Pēne toka music Skard Vancouver, Canada. Waiata u motopaika motopaika e tau'atāina guitar kōnohete Eagle kua I te Highway roa kohatu ora, me te pukapuka Tirohia i te ropu Skard i te ipurangi YouTube
MARATHI
Skard रॉक म्युझिक बँड वॅनकूवर, कॅनडा. मोटरसायकल मोटारसायकल स्वातंत्र्य गिटार मैफिल गरुड इंटरनेट YouTube वर Skard बँड येथे महामार्ग दीर्घ आयुष्य रॉक आणि रोल बघ वर येऊन पोचला आहे गाणे
MONGOLIAN
Skard рок хөгжмийн хамтлаг Ванкувер, Канад. Мотоциклийн мотоцикл эрх чөлөө гитар тоглолт Ийгл интернэт YouTube дээр Skard хамтлаг нь хурдны замын урт амьд чулуулаг болон өнхрөх хар-нд газардсан байна дуулах
MYANMAR BURMESE
Skard ရော့ခ်ဂီတတီးဝိုင်းဗန်ကူးဗား, ကနေဒါ။ မော်တော်ဆိုင်ကယ်မော်တော်ဆိုင်ကယ်လွတ်လပ်ခွင့်ဂစ်တာ Eagle, အင်တာနက် YouTube ပေါ်မှာ Skard တီးဝိုင်းမှာအဝေးပြေးရှည်လျားတိုက်ရိုက်ထုတ်လွှကျောက်, အလိပ် Look တွင်ဆင်းသက်နိုင်ခဲ့ပါတယ်ဖျော်ဖြေပွဲမနာသီချင်းဆိုမည်
NEPALI
Skard रक संगीत समूहले वैंकूवर, क्यानाडा। मोटरसाइकल मोटरबाइक स्वतन्त्रता गिटार कन्सर्ट Eagle इंटरनेट YouTube मा Skard समूहले मा राजमार्ग लामो जीवित रक र रोल हेर्दा मा उतरा छ गाउँछन्
NORWEGIAN
Skard rock bandet Vancouver, Canada. Motorsykkel motorsykkel frihet gitar synger konsert Ørnen har landet på motorveien lang live rock and roll Se på Skard bandet på internett YouTube
PERSIAN
Skard گروه موسیقی راک ونکوور، کانادا. موتور موتور سیکلت گیتار آزادی آواز خواندن در کنسرت عقاب است در بزرگراه سنگ زندگی می کنند طولانی و نگاه رول در گروه Skard در اینترنت یوتیوب فرود آمد
POLISH
Skarð zespół rock Vancouver, Kanada. Motocykl motocykl gitara wolność śpiewać koncert Orzeł wylądował na autostradzie długo rocka na żywo i rolki spojrzeć na Skarð zespołu w internecie YouTube
PORTUGUESE
Banda de música rock Skard Vancouver, no Canadá. Motos moto guitarra liberdade cantar concerto Águia pousou na rodovia rocha viva longo and roll Look at banda Skard na internet YouTube
PUNJABI
Skard ਚੱਟਾਨ ਸੰਗੀਤ ਪਹਿਰੇਦਾਰ ਵੈਨਕੂਵਰ, ਕੈਨੇਡਾ. ਮੋਟਰਸਾਈਕਲ ਮੋਟਰਬਾਈਕ ਆਜ਼ਾਦੀ ਦਾ ਗਿਟਾਰ ਦੇ ਸੰਬੰਧ Eagle ਇੰਟਰਨੈੱਟ YouTube 'ਤੇ Skard ਪਹਿਰੇਦਾਰ' ਤੇ ਹਾਈਵੇ ਲੰਮੇ ਲਾਈਵ ਚੱਟਾਨ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਰੋਲ ਦੇਖੋ 'ਤੇ ਉਤਰੇ ਹੈ, ਦਾ ਗਾਇਨ
ROMANIAN
Skard trupa rock Vancouver, Canada. Motociclete motocicleta libertate chitară cântă concert Eagle a aterizat pe Autostradă piatra vie lung și rola Uită-te la trupa Skard pe internet YouTube
RUSSIAN
Скард рок-музыка группа Ванкувер, Канада. Мотоцикл Мотоцикл свобода гитара петь концерт Орел приземлился на шоссе долго жить рок-н-ролл смотреть на Скардом группы на интернет-YouTube
SERBIAN
Скард рок музика бенд Ванкувер, Канада. Мотоцикл мотоцикл слобода гитара синг концерт Орао је слетео на аутопуту Лонг Ливе Роцк анд ролл погледате Скард бенда на интернет сајту ИоуТубе
SESOTHO
Skard lefika mino sehlopha Vancouver, Canada. Motor sethuthuthu tokoloho katara Sing konsarete Eagle o lula Ka Krrish nako e telele phela lefika le moqolo Talima Skard sehlopha ka inthanete YouTube
SINHALA
Skard රොක් සංගීතය පටිය වැන්කුවර්, කැනඩාව. යතුරු පැදි යතුරු පැදියක් නිදහස ගිටාරය ඊගල් අන්තර්ජාල YouTube හි Skard සංගීත කණ්ඩායම දී අධිවේගී මාර්ගයේ දිගු කල් ජීවත් වෙන්න සංගිතය බැල්මක් ගොඩ බැස, ප්රසංගය ගායනා
SLOVAK
Skardu rocková hudobná skupina Vancouver, Canada. Motocykel motorka sloboda gitara spievať koncert Eagle pristál na diaľnici nech žije rock and roll Pozrite sa na Skardu kapela na internetovej YouTube
SLOVENIAN
Skard rock bend Vancouver, Canada. Motorno kolo motocikla svoboda kitara sing koncert Orel je pristal na avtocesti dolgo živi rock and roll Poglej Skard pasu na spletni YouTube
SOMALI
Band music dhagax weyn Skard Vancouver, Canada. Mooto Baaskiilka gitaarka xorriyadda gabyi riwaayad Eagle ayaa ku degay Highway ah dhagaxa weyn live dheer iyo Day kitaabkii duudduubnaa ee band Skard on internet YouTube
SPANISH
Banda de música rock Skard Vancouver, Canadá. Moto motocicleta libertad guitarra cantar concierto Águila ha aterrizado en la autopista Long Rock and roll en vivo Mire banda Skard en internet YouTube
SUNDANESE
Skard band musik rock Vancouver, Kanada. Motor motorbike kabebasan gitar sing konser Eagle geus landed Dina Jalan Raya batu hirup lila and roll Tingal Skard band di internet YouTube
SWAHILI
Skard mwamba muziki band Vancouver, Canada. Motorcycle pikipiki uhuru gitaa kuimba tamasha Eagle ina nanga On Highway kuishi kwa muda mrefu mwamba na roll Angalia katika Skard band kwenye mtandao YouTube
SWEDISH
Skard rockmusik bandet Vancouver, Kanada. Motorcykel motorcykel frihet gitarr sjunger konsert Örnen har landat på motorvägen långa levande rock'n'roll Titta på Skard band på internet YouTube
TAJIK
Skard банд мусиқии рок Ванкувери Канада. Мотосикл мотосикли гитара озодии суруд консерти Eagle кардааст, дар роҳи санг умри дароз ва Барбара рол дар басомади Skard дар интернет YouTube фуруд
TAMIL
Skard ராக் இசைக் குழு கனடாவில் உள்ள வான்கூவர். மோட்டார் சைக்கிள் மோட்டார் சைக்கிளில் சுதந்திரம் கிட்டார் இசை நிகழ்ச்சி கழுகு இணைய YouTube இல் Skard இசைக்குழு நெடுஞ்சாலை நீண்ட நேரடி ராக் அண்ட் ரோல் அவல தரையிறங்கியது
TELUGA
Skard రాక్ మ్యూజిక్ బ్యాండ్ వాంకోవర్, కెనడా. మోటార్ సైకిల్ మోటారుబైక్పై స్వేచ్ఛ గిటార్ కచేరీ ఈగిల్ ఇంటర్నెట్ YouTube లో Skard బ్యాండ్ వద్ద హైవే దీర్ఘ ప్రత్యక్ష రాక్ మరియు రోల్ లుక్ న ప్రవేశపెట్టబడింది, పాడటం
THAI
เพลงร็อค Skard วงแวนคูเวอร์, แคนาดา รถจักรยานยนต์กีตาร์เสรีภาพมอเตอร์ไซค์ร้องเพลงคอนเสิร์ตอีเกิ้ลมีที่ดินบนทางหลวงหินมีชีวิตยาวและม้วนดูที่วง Skard บนอินเทอร์เน็ต YouTube
TURKISH
Skard rock müzik grubu Vancouver, Kanada. Motosiklet motosiklet özgürlük gitar konseri Kartal internet YouTube'da Skard bandında Highway yaşasın rock and roll Bak On indi sing
UKRANIAN
Скард рок-музика група Ванкувер, Канада. Мотоцикл Мотоцикл свобода гітара співати концерт Орел приземлився на шосе довго жити рок-н-рол дивитися на Скарду групи на інтернет-YouTube
URDU
راک موسیقی بینڈ وینکوور، کینیڈا. موٹر سائیکل موٹر سائیکل آزادی گٹار کنسرٹ ایگل انٹرنیٹ یو ٹیوب پر Skard بینڈ میں ہائی وے زندہ باد راک اور رول کے دیکھو پر اترا ہے گاتے
UZBEK
Skard rock musiqa frans Vancouver, Kanada. Mototsikl mototsikl erkinlik gitara kontsert Eagle internet YouTube Skard polosasida avtomagistrali uzoq jonli rock and roll Look to'g'risida tushdi kuylash
VIETNAMESE
Band nhạc rock Skard Vancouver, Canada. Xe máy xe máy tự do đàn guitar hát buổi hòa nhạc Eagle đã hạ cánh trên đường cao tốc đá sống lâu dài và cuộn Nhìn vào ban nhạc Skard trên internet YouTube
WELSH
Band cerddoriaeth roc Skard Vancouver, Canada. Beic modur beic modur rhyddid gitâr canu cyngerdd Eagle wedi glanio Ar y Briffordd roc fyw o hyd ac Edrychwch gofrestr ar fand Skard ar y rhyngrwyd YouTube
YIDDISH
סקאַרד שטיין מוזיק קאַפּעליע וואַנקאָוווער, קאַנאַדע. מאָטאָציקל מאָוטערבייק פֿרייַהייט גיטאַרע זינגען קאָנצערט יגאַל האט לאַנדיד אויף די היגהווייַ לאַנג לעבן שטיין און זעמל קוקן בייַ סקאַרד באַנדע אויף אינטערנעץ יאָוטובע
YORUBA
Skard apata music iye Vancouver, Canada. Alupupu Motorbike ominira gita korin ere Asa ti gbe Lori awọn Highway gun ifiwe apata ati eerun Wò ó ni Skard iye lori ayelujara YouTube
ZULU
Skard music rock band Vancouver, eCanada. Motorcycle isithuthuthu inkululeko guitar sing concert Eagle awelele On the Highway long rock and roll bukhoma Look at Skard band on internet YouTube
A bat in purple-ish skies.
And down here on earth, the POETRY INVASION continues unabated.
WITHOUT TRUST
Without trust, might as well just
Forget it. Without trust, suspicion
And doubt will multiply to feed on
Your well-being until what could
Have been a good thing is over
Before it’s even begun. Without
Trust, it’s just mutual using, fine
Until you have to take responsibilty
For it. Without trust, togetherness
Is just an illustion, beautiful at first,
About as permanent as a raindrop.
We’re like freezers now, forever
Cold and closed. To understand
Why, look at our story from the
Very beginning, look at all that’s
Gone down, and ask yoursellf
How such a complete absence
Of trust could ever come to be.
SINK
Way too deep in the dirty, shitty,
Polluted waters of bad emotions,
And trying not to sink. Swim on,
Keep going – as sure as the waters
Are not supposed to be this way,
There must be something cleaner
Up ahead. Don’t drown because
Another was carelessness with
Their ocean. Swim on, these
Waters are just part of a much
Bigger sea that cleanses itself in
Time and will dissolve all this filth.
BIG EGGY
Eggs came flying from the hens
Like bullets. Hens on a steady
Amphetamine diet in the egg
Factory, meeting the demands
Of America’s breakfast each
And every morning. Till one
Day the hens used the eggs
As their weapons, rebelled,
Shot their way out of slavery.
Hens like Spartacus, a band
Of feathered refugees, on a
Quest to find freedom in the
Land of the free. I thought of
This after a really good omlett.
Maybe there realy are drugs in
The eggs. Or else this freedom
Thing is just contagious.
AN HONOR THING
I can get conflicted about returning
Somewhere I’ve previously been
Declared unwelcome. If you treat
Me like someone you’d rather not
Have around, until I hear differently
That’s how I’ll always see you. It’s
An honor thing. That might sound
Completely outdated in this day and
Age, but I’m talking about honor
Given, not just honor received. If
You’ve asked me for distance, then
The respectful response is to give
You that distance. If you’ve ever felt
Differently, you’ve never so much as
Lifted a finger to show it, so what is
The respectful, honorable thing for
Me to assume? Sorry if I’m sounding
Redundant, but sometimes you look
Upset at me for ignoring you.
NAKED
When a fully clothed man feels
Naked, that’s his problem. When
A naked man feels fully clothed,
That’s our problem. As much as
I try to undress a subject with
Words, without resorting to
Coarseness of speech, we keep
A veil over the unadorned truth
For the sake of public decency.
THE DOGS WHO ARE OUR FRIENDS
I don’t mean to feed the rats. I
Don’t want to feed the rats. But
Then there are the dogs who
Are our friends. The ones who
Belong to no one, no security,
No guarantee of the next meal.
Grateful for the scraps –different
Value system. You feed them and
They’ll guard you. Unlike people –
You feed them and they’ll rob you.
I am not my brother’s keeper and
I know even less about keeping a
Dog. They just stay close because
They want to, I guess.
SPINACH BELIEVER
Speechless – don’t even feel like
Talking. But it’s these moments
When speech eludes me that I’m
Probably closest to the truth, when
My particular state of affairs, state
Of being, state the union makes
Like Popeye, proclaiming, I am
What I am, and there you have it.
You can see clearly now, the rain
Is gone. Ok, Mr. Spinach Believer,
Kindly explain what’s up with this
Not being able to sleep? With this
Nagging feeling something isn’t
Exactly right? That I’m not quite
Where I’m supposed to be? Is
This a never-ending lesson in
Patience? The Buddha, I’m told,
Sat under a tree for years until
He’d transcended attachment
And found enlightenment. I don’t
Have the patience to follow his
Example. I think enlightenment
Hides behind these big questions
And little mysteries that never
Fail to leave me speechless.
SPIRITS IN MANU’A
People here so casually mention
Spirits in Manu’a, I have no doubt
They believe in them. I think it’s
Great there are spirits in Manu’a –
Spirits need a higher visual profile,
For sure, because people will only
Pay lip service to what they can’t
See. It’s high time the spirits kick
Some ass on the legion of stupid
Humans who would dare to mess
With them. I know most people
Here firmly believe Manu’a spirits
Exist. This fills me with fear, not
Because I think the spirits would
Harm me, but because so many
Here know that spirits are real
And still act the way they do.
PRECIOUS THING
Maybe someday when it doesn’t
Really matter, you’ll tell me what
Was going on in your head and I’ll
Tell you what was going on in mine
And we’ll both feel like idiots. We
Both felt the precious thing, and
Proceeded to create conditions
For it that the other couldn’t even
Cognate, never mind live up to.
Having no way to tell which way
Was up, it became more a matter
Of who was trashing it the worst.
I guess that’s the true nature of
The precious thing – it doesn’t
Really teach you that much about
Someone else, just about yourself.
YUM, COMFORTABLE SLUG
Fear reinforces conformity,
But, I’d wager to say, does
Not engender excellence.
For conformity stifles the
Aspirtion to rise above the
Anonymous mediocrity, to
Risk getting noticed out of
Line. Therefore, be a rebel
Or be a slug. Imagine if you
Breathe your last and the
Best thing you can say
About your life is, “It was
Comfortable”. Yep, very
Comfortable in a shell, in a
Mental cell, under the spell
Of mindless conformity.
Content to be just another
Comfortable slug, quietly
Waiting in line to provide
Some bird with breakfast.
SUMMER
We’re both living organisms
And nature made us a layaway
Plan. This is totally organic,
The most popular mechanics,
Encyclopedia Britannica
Defines it as life carrying on.
These cells weren’t meant for
Confinement, and the high
Court of nature recently ruled
In their favor. Time to think
Of future generations and
Whether they’ll remember us.
We leave behind poems and
A long story for others to tell
As summer approaches.
FULL MOON
I was born under the sign ruled by
The Moon. Its fullness has the
Strongest pull on the tides. We’re
Mostly liquid, but not enough for
The Moon to make us levitate.
How strange that would be – the
Bigger you are, the closer you’d
Get to the Moon. Even if we don’t
Float into the sky, the waters inside
Us feel the pull of the Moon. Our
Thoughts, feelings, emotions and
Perceptions all grow more intense.
It’s a time when joys can run high,
Sorrows deep. The stillness of the
Moon throws into contrast all the
Turbulence we carry. Things seem
Slightly distorted, but no, it’s just
The agonies and ecstasies of daily
Existence amplified by the Moon.
In a heightened state, transfixed
By the glow, I sometimes wonder
If floating into the sky might not be
Such a bad idea after all.
CRISES
Emotional crisis, health crisis, plumbing
Crisis – can you blame me if I think life
Has something personal against me?
Am I using too much air? Would the
Food I eat be better allocated to the
Starving in Africa? Do my words add
Irreparable damage to the general
Peace, harmony and understanding
Among mankind? Is even thinking I’m
That significant just another ego trip?
So many questions… Meanwhile, the
Crises need tending to. One by one
I’ll put a band aid on each and carry
On just like any other day.
ETIQUETTE
Look, sorry if you think this is
Strange, but on the planet I
Come from , this would be
Considered good manners.
This would be considered a
Gesture of affection and
Sincere respect. It would
Express appreciation for
All the things so special
About you, for the way you
Make things better just by
Being you. On the planet I
Come from expressions
Such as these are not
Considered in poor taste,
And are given and received
With grace. On the planet I
Come from it’s considered
Important to express such
Things if you feel them. But
On this planet everything
Is the opposite.
I.O.U.
There’s a difference of opinion
Over what my civic duty is. My
Controversial purse strings are
Being called to account. The
Public sticks its nose into my
Business records as if I owe
Them, as if the check is in the
Mail. They’re just jealous of
Success, real or perceived,
And think a high profile gives
Them an excuse for low blows.
NANNIES
Sometimes crimes don’t seem
Like crimes at all at the time,
More like a smart move – too
Bad the other dimwits missed
It – a chance to take advantage
While the tides have turned in
Your favor. So there you sit
Trying to explain what you did
To all the people you hurt, and
Your only defense is no one
Stopped you, as if all the laws
Of the courts and the heart are
Nothing more than nannies,
Derelict in their duty to keep
You from burining inquisitive
Fingers on the hot stove.
FILE
Judas on the computer, forwarding
The Pharisees useful tidbits they
Reward with pieces of silver and
Crumbs of approval. We keep a
File on you. Everything you’ve
Done, all you’ve ever shared with
Anyone, is documented, can be
Used as proof. When good times
Turn bad, good time friends turn
Witness. Think Heaven has issued
You a free pass? It doesn’t apply
Till you expire. Till then, you’re
Liable for an outstanding balance
Here on earth, and we’ll collect
By any means necessary. That’s
Why our meticulous file records
Everyone you ever sold out to get
Where you are. Just call it looking
After Number One, like Judas did.
FOREST
Subtleties of understanding are
One thing, but lacking an idea
In common, you can’t see the
Forest for the trees. The same
Thing looks different from a
Few feet away. The sublime
Just sounds crude unless you
Describe it with the right kind
Of English. It’s simple enough
We’re in a forest, but all the
Subtleties filter the light so
Differently, making the path
Appear a dead end. I left an
Offering of crumbs to mark
Some kind of trail, but now
My knapsack’s out and every
Direction looks no different
From the other. Have to find
My way through this forest
Of understanding on intuition
And faith, which is another
Way of saying I’m lost.
TOOLS IN HAND
Tools in hand, I threaten to carve
In stone a yes or no. Instead, it’s
Something ridiculous engraved
On this unsuspecting rock. I’d
Hate to immortalize anything
Really important on this eternal
Surface. Importance is so often
Nothing more than a response
To a moment. Subject the ages
To it? That would be like waking
Up one morning with a tattoo
You’re not so sure you even
Like anymore. So tools in hand,
Hoping to look important, what
Shall I carve in stone? Try sound
Profound – We need to laugh
At the ridiculous, or else it’s too
Easy to become frightened by it.
TIP THE SCALES
Weigh my flawed actions,
Speech and understanding
To see if they tip the scales
Of blind justice, knowing
Justice is never really blind,
Just suspending plain sight
To avoid judging solely by
How things appear. Blind
Judges use a third eye, feel
Vibes, an otherworldy sense
Of knowing , a logic of the
Subconscious. Still , among
Humans no objectivity is
Pure. At best, there is only
Balance or its absence, and
So the symbol of the scale
To weigh the right or wrong,
Inconsequence or severity
Of our every flawed action,
Speech and understanding.
PAIN
Pain wants to have a conversation,
Making its presence known. Pain
Has the uncanny knack of leading
You to believe it’s moved on, but
Just when you’re basking in the
Sun, a moving shadow distracts
You from your warm imaginings
And you just know. Pain wants to
Powwow, update its files, inquire
Discretely, do a routine service
Check while you’re still under
Warranty. Our relationship is
Purely professional, pain and me.
I don’t exactly relate, just grow
Accustomed to how it comes
And goes. I asked why, how long,
It looked at me thoughtfully and
Replied, sorry, that’s classified.
Not knowing just comes with the
Pain, and vice versa.
STAR AND DIRECTOR
Very few actors can handle being
Both star and director. This leads
To the shocking revelation that
The star isn’t really what’s best
About a movie, only what’s most
Visible. If it’s only the star that
Matters, then how come some
Of them turn out one lousy film
After another? Star, director,
And some mysterious X factor
All combine to make a movie
Memorable. We might both be
Stars in our own way, or even
Directors when someone needs
To take that role. Neither of us
Might require star billing, but I
know we’d both resist taking
Direction from each other. This
Has something to do with self-
Perception, artistic vision and
Who controls either or both.
How dare you presume you can
Direct me??? We two could only
Combine talents were we to cede
Direction to a source that’s bigger
Than the both of us.
LETTERS TO A LOVE
It meant something to try and
Make contact and keep in touch.
I wonder how many great love
Poems are really letters to a love
That never was. Whether you’re
A poet, a house painter, or a
Parking lot attendant, you’ve got
To have hope, do something
With what you know inside, try
To make contact and keep in
Touch, just so someone knows
They’re not the only one who
Feels the same things you do.
CONVENTION
Snub convention or take advantage
Of it, that is the question. I brought
With me the conventions of a
Different location, which renders
Me unconventional in this context
But a leopard can’t change stripes.
Boundaries, social responsibilities
And persona space all have their
Place, but I have two legs, I could
Walk through all that. You’ll notice
I won’t, because that would be
Ignoring the boundaries you set by
Implication. Your actions demarcate
Where the boundaries should be,
Until you indicate differently. That’s
The system, the convention, the
Way things are done among those
For whom doing things right means
More than simply victory or defeat.
True, I have two legs, I could walk
Through all that, but only if I knew
You wanted me to.
ONENESS AND LUST
Oneness, I wish I could bring you
A worthier gift than lust, than an
Admission of my weakness, than
A diagnosis of my disease. Little
Wonder you fail to find these
Attributes attractive. Or is it my
Own shame at the mortal truths
That reduce us to something so
Un-godlike we fear we displease
God who made us this way? You
Can read my intention at a glance,
And I don’t like feeling exposed
Any more than I like feeling alone.
IGLOO
In our polar bear skins, we blend in
With endless white, color of purity.
Since the cold comes so naturally
To you, I’m going to build an igloo
Where we can rendezvous. I don’t
Cherish the thought of killing seals
And walruses, but if we don’t eat
Them, something else will. Please
Let me draw the line at porpoises.
I’d even eat a porpoise for you, but
Only if we have to, and even then
With some regret. Alas, unfortunate
Porpoise, friend of man, it was you
Or me, buddy. That’s life in an igloo -
Not a McDonalds in sight but plenty
Of penguins.
ROPE
Judas, rope is not the answer.
Do you think running away
From what you’ve done will
Inspire compassion? Some
Would say it was all written
Before it happened, that you
Simply acted out your part as
Scripted. What is this, a last
Minute bid for sympathy?
To judge yourself unworthy
Of finding your soul again is
Not your judgment to make.
Who are you or I to shut the
Door to redemption for even
The worst, even ourselves?
It might seem futile atoning
For a crime impossible to
Forgive, but it would have
Mattered if you had at least
Tried. Judas, you’re not a
Bird, you don’t belong in the
Tree until you get your wings.
MENTALS
The mentals at the shopping center
Scare me by making me realize I’d
Like to slap them, report them to
Public Health, call the cops on them,
Complain to center management
(Or customer relations if they even
Bother).They make me realize I’m
Not such a nice guy after all, not so
Tolerant after all, not so forgiving
After all (but you already knew that).
You know you’re really nice, really
Tolerant and really forgiving when
In your heart you can pardon even
The mentals who ruin breakfast for
You with their thespian pleas for
Your extra change, not only those
More level-minded who really know
Better but steadfastly believe they
Can easily atone by simply making
The appropriately pious noises.
(inspired by the song “Royals”.)
TIDES
Our tides go in and out. So
Full at first, always ending
So empty. Nothing but a
Barren reef left sometimes,
But when the tide’s in, it has
A life of its own. Notoriously
Fickle, tides go where they
Will, but curiously, sooner
Or later they always seem to
Lead right back where they
Started. You can almost set
A clock by it. Ever feel like
The tides are trying to tell
Us something?
TWO HUNDRED GRAND
Hillary will give you a speech for
Two hundred grand. Once a price
Is known, it just makes you wonder
How far someone would go. Say the
Boy/Man Love Coalition had two
Hundred grand in the bank from
Bake sales - d’ya suppose she’d take
The gig? Or if a Saudi billionaire
Offered five if she’d read the local
Phone book for fifteen minutes,
Just as some kind of statement,
Would Hillary take it? For eight,
Would she pop out of a cake singing
“Emotions” to oilmen in Texas?
For nine, and an end to famine in
Africa, would Hillary strip down to
A flesh-colored one-piece live on
The web? And of course what they
All want to know – how many
Millions would it take for her to
Promise not to seek the Presidency?
Don’t take up a collection too soon,
Pal. What’s the matter? Afraid of a gal
Who knows her own worth and how
To budget her time?
CURVES
And so our story curves again.
I’m not afraid to comment, but
Taken out of context it might
Cause discomfort, which was
Never my intention in the first
Place. I was just hoping you’d
See the curve of my thoughts
And reconsider. Ideas come to
Me like freeway headlights, all
At once. I can only see them
Clearly for a second before they
Disappear. Sometimes one of
These passing thoughts makes
It all the way to the page. What’s
Inside me filters what’s around
Me and out comes these words.
Just so you’ll know if you have
Thoughts anything like mine.
HOOTENANNY MAN
Hootenanny man learned to use
Language to talk of things beyond
The barnyard. What makes the
World turn or the bar room fall
Silent. What makes schoolboys
Wish they could be president, or
Presidents wish they could spend
Summer at the fishing creek again.
Love growing from the ruins of war,
Our moment face to face with the
Eternal. Ever since we’ve had a
Language we’ve had poets using it
For more than the evening news,
Playing at being serious, seducing
With breathless invocations of the
Sanctified, reducing ageless wisdom
To blithe childishness, elevating a
Moment to eternal importance.
It’s not all contradictions, sings the
Hootenanny man, it’s as natural as
Having two eyes, two ears, two
Hands and two feet instead of one.
(Inspired by Bob Dylan)
LONG, LONG WAIT
Long, long wait for something
That never quite arrives. At the
End of the line, at least you can
Say you did your part. You try
And stay on a path with some
Kind of heart, hoping that if
You try to do right thing you’ll
Find the guidance you need
Whenever you come to a fork
In the road. When things go
Wrong, you try and take the
Knocks with grace, think about
What happened and why, and
How you can do better next
Time. Along the way, you’re
Going to lose a lot of Illusions,
But gain an insight or two that
Might help you make sense of
The long, long wait.
OVERBOARD
Overboard in matters of the heart,
Enthusiasms, passions, likes and
Dislikes, heartaches, suspicions,
Questions and more. Things seem
To resonate a bit deeper with me.
I have something to lose - you
Better take me seriously or take
A hike. But for the few I can trust,
I go overboard in my friendship
And wouldn’t think twice about
Giving whatever I can. I project
Balanced calm for appearances’
Sake, but shake the tree and I’m
Overboard before I can remember
My life vest.
PROFILE
How do you profile me in your
Mind? I’ve noticed how people
Do that – create you in their
Thoughts as whatever kind of
Character is convenient for the
Narrative they’re trying to sell.
Then one day you hear a person
Described who you don’t even
Recognize, and you realize its
Supposed to be you. Perhaps
You heard or saw something
That fit previously established
Prototypes, then constructed
A profile accordingly, but it’s
What you didn’t see or hear to
Factor in to your floor plan that
Brings me sadness.
HOPE AND DOUBT
Hope and doubt are battling it
Out. Emotionally speaking,
Self-protection can get violent.
Ideally, hope and doubt would
Just reach a balance, but mine
Want to get in each other’s
Faces and wreak havoc. Hope
Accuses doubt of having no
Faith in love. Doubt says hope
Is just an unrealistic fool. They
Both look bruised after clashing
Repeatedly. At the end of the
Day, for worse or better, I find
Myself favoring hope, only
Because doubt seems like a
Dead end. But I understand
Doubt’s resentment – just
Trying to look out for me and
Not being listened to.
DETECTIVE
Some people are scarier to think
About than to actually be around
Because they’re not like bank
Statements, easily reconciled
And confidently filed. Leave me
Alone with my thoughts for too
Long and my detective tendencies
Start me analyzing the profile,
Putting evidence together like a
Jigsaw puzzle. The emerging
Image isn’t always pretty which
Makes me question whether
Some pieces might be missing or
That’s it in all its contradictory
Glory. Bizarre as it may sound,
I really want you to be right, but
Can’t relax my guard untill my
Investigation of all the ways you
Could be wrong clears your name.
BUDDHISM 2014
The sins of this life, we pay for
In the next life, like karma is a
Credit card with a set limit to
How much forgiveness we can
Reasonably expect. Clear your
Balance of bad deeds in this
Lifetime and eventually you
Accumulate the bonus points
To transcend the karmic wheel
And buy into a timeshare in
Nirvana. But pass your limit
Too quickly and you’ll find
Your account overdrawn of
Grace, leaving you to a fate
Of paying back your debts to
Humanity while still human
(At least in appearance). All
This reveals why some can
Enjoy a spree of shockingly
Bad behavior and just smile
Like Mona Lisa, while others
Need only think a single bad
Thought and they’re promptly
Squashed like a bug under a
Bicycle. Splat: transcendence.
SILENCER
The national anthem asks, oh say,
Can you see? But some people
See more than they can say.
Like when I know I’ve been sold
Out – saying it aloud would only
Compound a painful absence of
Grace, so silence provides me my
Only solace. Wounds don’t need
Words or even sound to send a
Message, but if you see these
Soundless words, they’ll tell you
That what cuts even deeper than
Feeling sold out by you is the way
You can’t say you’re sorry. If you
Can’t say it, I can’t assume it.
ACCESS DENIED
Access denied because the
Password is some kind of
Family secret. What a fall
From lofty rank, like a big
Shot discovering he’s firing
Blanks. All thanks to the
Collective will of the herd,
Eager to hoof it for greener
Pastures and better friends,
While I fend for myself
Against coyotes. The herd
Heard rumors I know how
To download corrupt DNA
Into the deep end of your
Gene pool, making them
Panic for the sanctity of your
Bovine bloodline. Actually,
I was thinking one small
Small step at a time. What
Nerve of the herd not to
Investigate, just terminate
My access with no warning
Or farewell. If I’m outcast
So ingraciously, then may
It be coyotes instead who
Crack your sacred access
Code and bite you and your
Over-protective herd on
Your collective ass.
OVER-REACTION
Drop an atomic bomb on the mouse.
Oops, you took out the whole house –
Collateral damage. No, it’s not an
Over-reaction. We are the last bastion
Against the mice. It’s them or our
Civilization, like the Alamo defending
Us against Taco Bell.
IN MY OWN WEENIE WAY
It’s not exactly a new idea, some
Joker typing away trying to capture
A voice in his heard. They used to
Do it with pens. When the Marquis
De Sade got thrown in a French
Prison for writing blasphemy,
Pornography and politically
Insulting poetry and prose, they
Took away his pen just to be
Cruel but he continued to write
On the walls of his cell in his own
Blood and feces. This man had
Something to say. So do I, though
I’m just a weenie compared to the
Marquis. I don’t write to you in
Blood, but in my own weenie way,
Believe me, I’m bleeding.
SCRUTINY
Like a frog in biology class, I can
Feel scrutiny bearing down. You
Want to understand my mechanics
Like Japan always striving for a
Better radio. I better copyright
My consciousness, bottle up my
Lightning and sell in on special at
Rip Off Mart. You can buy Beatle
Wigs, Springsteen lunchboxes,
Rolling Stone dildos and Grateful
Dead bongs. Would you like to
Own my itch, or just brag you’ve
Got accurate data, made a factual
Analysis? Anal, yeah sis? I am of
No commercial or academic use.
I don’t even see why you like me
Unless your screws are tinny too.
MILESTONE
They left me to figure things
Out on my own, so I guess it’s
No surprise I soon deduced
What works for me. No one
Insisted I pursue a certain
Direction, so my process of
Self-becoming never involved
Pleasing anyone else. Left to
My own devices, of course I
Quickly intuited my vices of
Choice, but hopefully with a
Virtue or two as well here and
There. This self-reflection bit
Feels perilously close to self-
Promotion, but it’s another
Milestone so I’m supposed to
Tally up where I am and how
I got here. Ok, so where am I
And how did I get here? The
Answer is, I don’t really know,
Which I suppose is what I get
For watching the scenery
More than the signs.
UNCONVENTIONAL COUNSELING
(NOT TO MENTION UNSOLICITED)
When I say they live in the past,
I don’t mean it as an insult to
Their good intentions, but they
Were young in the ‘60s and ‘70s
And you’re young now. In their
Own way, they’re just trying to
Protect you, but some protection
If they force on you a partner
Who’ll beat you, cheat on you
And divorce you. Then what are
They going to do? Say it was your
Fault? Partner selection is a very
Personal thing, not just another
Community undertaking. You
Used to marry whole families
Together – that was all fine and
Good – but nowadays even
Families can’t guarantee if a
Particular pairing will soar like
High flying birds or crash like
A train off the tracks, and
Doesn’t staying together just
For the children’s sake sound
Like a benign form of torture?
Marry for serious love or don’t
Do it, I say, but everyone has to
Decide for themselves.