PEACE... Moving Beyond War

The Beatitudes  

there are certain days-

and there are just certain days when you know
when you know there may be a better day a coming
the skies are brighter and the sun a little bit warmer
the palate of the flowers are warmer and the textures
of the petals and the grain of the wood
of hand hewn furniture rises to the surface...

it may be just be one of those days
the lovely little hints that a new wave
of the continuing of endings and beginnings
we all of us can better live with
and live between us in a gentler acceptance
indeed with each ourselves.

-have played a scholar in the past
and have a thought for curricula
for a class in the infamy of hate speak
for new generations to hear and see and read
the awful words that spewed from those
who have that great empty in their souls.-

there are cracks showing in the walls
of anger this brighter day
and now is a good day to open these cracks

see, all one has to do is remove those peoples named
in that terrible speak and insert the word you and you
identify with as 'your people'
with the peoples first mentioned
as that 'evil' people and then
imagine how that must feel...

and then you and you go back to looking for solutions
to problems I and they and you seem to feel
as insurmountable as impossible as beyond us all
this I believe was what John was saying in his song 'Imagine'

and when these opportunities arise
when the chances for new words
and new hopes of old dreams knock upon the door
and re-introduce themselves; now and as then
as the call of "Carpe Diem" -sieze the day-
arise and present themselves for any reason
-real events, random circumstance or dumb luck
the real success is to be open to solutions
solutions that may not be ideal to anyone
but acceptable to those willing to give
to get something desirable back...

to take words of someone who might be a foe
and build upon those words if such a compromise
can be achieved and enough is given
on both sides to get back enough
to claim a victory on both sides...

and I would say -can only say
I have dabbled in places most folks
could never be willing or able to go
but this is where and how and why I have
gone to those places inside
where some poets are taught about
what is called 'process'...
and process is about making decisions and choices
whether personal or economic or political
or even faith for oneself and is from that person's
own special daily human experience; take all that
and give yourself knowledge of that one another person's life and experience, walk in their experience
where and how they live and if one can see
all that from another point of view;
it becomes not so hard to see through
a small bit their eyes as one see through
the eyes your own

it is one seeing a single circumstance
from the view one would call victim
and victimizer and back again, for whether
right or wrong to even reverse the roles
and the watch and listen to who and why
we each decide as each we would do
and would one do in the position of another...

if this be complex it need not be so much
the old 60's song; 'before you abuse,
criticise, or accuse,
Walk a mile in my shoes...'

putting it all on the line
this I believe I have done
to make our place a better
and more peaceful place
for what I see as the right reasons.

take all my previous words in many places
some of each many have seen
though perhaps not all have seen
in all those places;
with these all gathered thoughts considered.

circumstances seem to say that someone indeed
may have listened to some of my words
spread about over a period of years
some understood the totality of such words
and some took only what they wanted to see;
and this again I know and know this is what
people would normally do; for I myself
have done this myself to hear what indeed
one would like to hear.

for those who in life are buried in thought
perhaps even in thought beyond life itself
who we in our own ego would call this our life
and our creativity; would reach out to; would
latch upon to words and thoughts others have
but cannot develop or share and build
upon those thoughts even beyond nation
and personal loyalties to make a
statement about what in be this heart
to be our own or even a higher truth
as we would indeed see...

for this is developing -voice- each our voice
within our own truth as we each would know

and this all rolls back to this day and this day
and I see openings and opportunity
to grasp such chances that do present themselves
if one can accept giving to get as much back
to speak out and listen back and make the right deal
at the right time in fairness enough to take back
to all the rest an idea of peace
and an idea of hope
a belief in dreams
in full knowledge that all have hopes
and all have dreams and if
we can find the right balance
of insuring my dreams and your dreams
we can build a better today and tomorrow
of oh my yes together
and yes together- 23 may 2006

Valentines Day be a day for fun, l'amour
Peace, love and joy

It is not my time to be laughing happy
It is as it is

Too deep sometimes
I look
For that be my nature

Then be right now
When shallow
And simple
Seems to be my course

And I be the silly dreamer today
And not wishing for more
Of the callow tit-for-tat
Violence and recrimination
Spilling out in the world
And broadcast live
Or on film
To your nearest TV, radio,
Or computer

It is a time to come together
A time for couples
To do what couples do
To give white or yellow
Or red roses
And sweets to our specials

And not merely a time to forgive
Our foes but to forget them
A time for moving past sins
To make a better tomorrow

As I say sometimes in write
It is a day to be a little naïve
To hope more than hate
Accept small differences
As smaller things to get past
And seek the common ground
And seek the better natures
Of those we might oppose

Blow a kiss to the wind, my dear
Blow a kiss to the wind
That another may be touched by it
Blow a kiss to the wind...