Poem Redux-Escape

                                                                  Escape

Escape….

   The long, black, cracked tongue of static highway races out to the heart of a starless horizon.

   Summer ignites.

   Phantoms of heat writhe in ecstasy at the unattainable distance as the miles melt away.

Gone,

   as my American engine warps time out through the emptiness, raw in the cephalic heat.

   Speed, holding whole my wicked soul as I seek shelter from

   a Wild,

   blue-eyed,

   Girl.

Low,

   across the western twilight sky, storm clouds gather to swallow the vast magenta tide of dusk      

   in its wake.

   So, I stand on the gas and rush out, mad, to meet the rain.

  

Yet,

   I cannot shake her kinetic presence.

   Her eyes burn hollow in constant dreams.

   Her satin flesh there, warm in slumber beside me.

   Her misty voice, a song

   as soft as rain.

 Frantic,

   I race headlong into the heart of the storm, sliding reckless through the maelstrom,       

   constellations of traffic glow, bizarre in the immortal gloom, as I fall.

   Left betrayed by the memory of her,

   betrayed by my own, lone, manic heart.

   Her essence is mine, here forever now,

   her music,

   intrinsic.

   Or, perhaps I just need more road.

A Lament for Oligarchs

There are a hundred bloody good reasons why
I'd like to kill you, oligarch.
Watching as children starve
As good men labor poor into the grave
As mothers cry over murdered sons
I could kill you while you sit sated,
smiling on a pile of money
But, I still have a few loose morals left.
I'm not like you.

I should not even mention murder, here,
summer 2015.
I've seen enough of it.
There's been enough of it.
The blood spills in our streets too freely.

I think, perhaps, this is to your advantage?

Really, when I stop to contemplate your place in the world,
I feel sorry for you.
It must be hard work keeping everyone off guard
and at each other's throat,
divided.... conquered,
while they sleep with illusions of liberty.
It's not a task I envy.

What I can't abide though, oligarch,
is you taunting me with that freak show
you own called American politics....
I mean you've got to be fucking with me, right?
Am I really to believe that these goofballs
are actually capable of running a country.
You won't even let us have a true martyr anymore.
I think that's just a bit too cruel.

And in parting, my dear oligarch,
just one last thing before I let you
get back to screwing everyone.
I'd just like to know,
what it's like to have all of that blood on your hands
and not feel anything?
It might help me out while I try to endure what you've done to us.

Bruce Jenner and the Great American Backlash

     Or perhaps, I should call her Caitlyn. 
     
     Normally, this is a subject I wouldn't touch. As an American, Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner is absolutely free to do what ever dumb ass thing they want as long as it doesn't harm anyone else. If that's how they feel comfortable, so be it. 
     
     It's none of my business.
     What drew me into the story was the backlash. 
     There's been a lot of it.
     
      On one level, I think a lot of people have trouble understanding why someone would go to such extremes to transform in this manner. The concept of not being comfortable in their own gender is alien to most. Which is as it should be, I suppose. 
     
    I think that it's good, though, for people to be confronted in this manner once in a while. It causes them to have to fire up a few extra synapses to navigate they're own feelings and affirm they're own self-concept. But, as we've seen, when people are confronted in this manner, if they do not agree, they have no trouble raising their voices to protest. 
     
     Now, this is also in-line with their rights. They are also free to say whatever dumb ass thing that is on their mind as long as it doesn't harm anyone else. The thing that I always find amusing in such circumstances is that all of their bellowing and righteous indignation only serves to bring more attention to the thing they are railing against. So, as with any new cause, or concept, there is no such thing as bad publicity.

     That said, there are aspects of this story that I personally do not agree with. So, as is my right, here is my dumb ass two cents;

     As this story goes along I have heard the word hero bandied about. This does not leave a savory taste in my mouth. A true hero, to me, is someone willing to risk life and limb to keep others safe. A soldier is a hero. A firefighter is a hero. Most police officers are heroes. Someone willing to have themselves chemically and surgically altered to inhabit a new gender can certainly be called brave, and I would also go as far as to call them role models for others faced with the same issues of gender identification, BUT, I find hero quite beyond the pale.

     As far as the ESPY's go, I find the whole thing ridiculous. The only reason these awards carry any kind of weight is because we allow them to. I think the awards, especially with this year's decision to give the Arthur Ashe award to Jenner, are more about ESPN exploiting the opportunity to create controversy; 1) To increase their visibility (as indeed is Jenner by making his transformation into a media circus) and 2) As a way to create an influx of new revenue, (Jenner-in the same manner). 

     I know a lot of people feel as I do about this, but, as any hero worth their salt will tell you, it's not about laurels and awards. It's about doing what is right. So, if you feel strongly enough (and especially if you are one of the people raising three kinds of hell about it). I challenge you to make a donation in Lauren Hill's name to The Cure Starts Now Foundation or make a donation in Noah Galloway's name to The Wounded Warrior Project.  I think that is a far better tribute to both of these heroes than any award could ever be. 

   

    

     
     
     

Back to the Blog....

I'm Baaaacck.....

    I absolutely cannot believe that it's been almost 3 years since my last blog! 
    That's how busy I've been. The time has escaped me.
    There's way too much great stuff that's happened to possibly catch you up on everything I've been up to, but here are a few highlights....
     I've had a couple of grandchildren born since I last posted. Both girls. One is actually in her terrible twos, she's probably terrorizing her Mom and older sister as we speak. 
     The younger one was born late last year and I have yet to meet her...I only have pictures. Hopefully, this summer I will get the chance to spoil her a little.
     My children are doing well. My oldest just turned 25 and my youngest will be a senior in high school this fall. It  makes me feel really old at times, but it is a constant joy to see how they acquit themselves on life's journey. They are all smart, thoughtful, loving children and I am proud of each of them.

      As most of you probably know, my debut novel was released in the fall of 2013. It's been a slow climb and I'm still working hard to get it in front of a bigger audience...If you haven't read it, it's new to you, right? 
      If you have read it...I thank you! Please tell everyone you know....Hell, tell everyone you don't know, as well. I need all of the help I can get.
     Since then, I have been working feverishly on new material. I have short stories sent out all over hell and gone to magazines so hopefully one or two of them will get out to you soon.
     The first draft of my next novel is done and is resting peacefully in The Cloud for a bit to give me some time away before the rewrites begin. With a little luck and a lot of begging I hope to have it out and in your hot little hands by 2017. 
     In the meantime I am working at editing my first poetry book and hope to have it out some time next year. I have a few of the poems posted here and on my Facebook page...So, if you're interested you can check them out. 
                                     (I'll post links to all of it at the bottom of this page.)
     Please forgive my shameless self promotion, BUT, if I don't do it your Mom sure as hell won't.
     
      So, that's it for my first post...I just wanted to get back in the groove and catch up. My plan is to post new stuff every Thursday, or every other Thursday, so you'll have something new to complain about going into the weekend. So please, keep an eye on this space...It's about to get interesting......



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