The origin of prejudice has nothing to do with the other. It is about the unconscious self-hate of the bigot. If ever we wish to eradicate racism, we must come to that realization;  moreover, we must have the fortitude, the courage, to put our contempt for the racist's pernicious attitudes aside and love that racist to the point when the racist begins, for the first time, to feel loved to be able to love, not hate--a virulent form of prejudice--anyone else. This arguably is one of the most difficult tasks of even an enlightened individual, but is essential if ever we wish to have Peace on Earth forever, rather than total self-destruction.

TOD HOWARD HAWKS

Been peep'n at the world
through my
Peephole
So peep this my people
And if I may happen to offend?
Then...
You can go ahead and bleep this
Noteworthy
Freedom of speech
That's about to breach barrier's
in-Be-tween
Or should I say
Be-twixt
Marketing to fix the visuals in the
Peepshow
Cause we're all intellectual
Intelligent individuals
About to take the next leap tho
Feeling froggy?
Well we can play leap frog for a
Leap Year
On the calendar like Spring
We leap wherever clarity brings
the most satisfaction of
Notoriety
Different factions and streams of
Variety
So do I have an Alibi on my side?
Who's in my Circle
Circle Yes or No
Partakers of the Do or Die
A Ride or Die?
The Millennial Language
A subject of the who what when
And the wonder whys of Life
But all subject to the Majesty
Ruling just beyond the heights
Of Higher Heights
And Deeper Depths
Now wether On or Off
Subject
The topic of Intelligent Design
Has been avoided
Which is
A human error in an era
Humanoided
But Yo
Let's just call it what it is
Human beings being
Assimilated
Pixelated
Cell-shaded with Self-hatred
Discriminated against
With no Basis
By other Races
May deem Racist
Stuck in this Matrix
We slowly
Digress

the electricity that you breathe,
sparks the air between me and your high-rise jeans.
i dreamt every night of july
about crushing your lips with mine,
but it's october now,
and i'm watching you recline.

People have come and gone
they hello and goodbye on
stayed a day, a month or years
there's just too much to miss.

Does everyone come to leave?

I met one day, a day,
that was dressed up
as yesterday
I asked, “Why not live in today,
than the previous day’s cotton?”
All it could simply and sadly say
“I hide in yesterday
for fear, tomorrow
I’ll be forgotten.”

I didn’t catch the days name
But I guess it’s the same
Monday wanted to be Sunday
Tuesday wanted to be Monday
And so on and so long
That I guess it was true
by the end of that week
I forgot which day
was who, anyway

I used to read your poems
but lately you don't write
you're silent and aloof
you know that isn't right.
You can't close a door once opened
you can't abolish all your dreams
you're a poet of the heart
mustn't fall apart at the seams.
Say what you can in words
they speak the message true
spoken from the heart
the poems will see you through.
A hermit's not your style
a recluse, you are not
never give up writing
of things that you've been taught.
I used to read your poems
I'd read them once again
if you would send them out
(this one's from a poet friend)

E ndless wisdom of no bounds
H ewed space, no light, no sound
Y ielded self yet self surrounds
H eart pulsating life abound

Y ou see the end in the beginning
H iding death in the living
V oid shapen through Your giving
H ome to Heaven through forgiving

A ir and fire, water, earth,
D eath 'n life, endless rebirth,
N ature nurturing name of worth
Y earns in You to find safe berth

i want to love you
like a lazy sunday morning
staying in bed
taking our time
sipping coffee
memorising every freckle
like the constellations in the sky
white sheets
and tangled limbs
with the scent of a memory
fresh on our lips.

I spend too many nights thinking
Wondering, writing, dreaming
Of someone who doesn't even think of me

someday
i will look at the stars
and be grateful
that you gave me
the space
to love them alone.

i still
do not know
the poem i've been trying to write
and maybe
that's because
i haven't been
writing one at all
or maybe it's because
the poem i've been trying to write
is not ready for paper
and maybe
i'm the paper
that's not ready for it

Where is it gone
The true world
Where truth is like the sun
Liberal, a formidable lord
I dare not call this world a lie
But as days goes by and by
The fountains of truth dry and dry
The spirits of trust die and die
And I can't help but wonder and ponder?
Where o where, is the true world gone?

Can you imagine all the conversations we could’ve had?
All the songs we could’ve sung?

I do not need to be saved
I am the knight in my fairy tale

If I fall
It will be off a cliff of mountains I scaled alone

If I crash
It will be in the waves of my own ocean

If I float
It will be on the boat I built with my hands

And when I fly
It will be with the wings I forged myself

This long life has been
informed by love.  We shared
each other Oh! for so
short a time.

Like fruit we hung onto
the sweet drops of new
nectar's night.
We peeled each other
to the pink skin of sighs.

It was a delicate scent
when blown into the
stars quiet Space.  We
sped into the walls of
destiny and crashed
in the pulp of sorrow.

But I miss you in this
orchard of dessicated
memories.

I am rawed by the thought
of you.

Caroline Shank

i spend my days
pouring myself into the cups of others

only to find that
when it’s time for myself
to take a sip

all that’s left
in my cup
is the remainder of a girl
who gave too much

She said "I'm falling in love."

I said "I'm falling apart."

Fiery, striking tips painted
along a destination uncharted.
Staggering twists and turns -
tracing a path in the hillside -
snake-like in it's stretch.
A softly rolling landscape
following the winding trail.

A path less traveled -
hidden kismet in the shadows.
A journey burdened with turns
and twists. Narrow in sight
beyond the varied curves.
The bends eventually will arrest,
and lead me to your door.

Wow, these burdens are heavy
And I'm hoping it doesn’t bury me
I used to be joyful and skip so merrily
But now I'm too cautious and tip toe carefully
My mind left and it's nowhere to be found
Am I a big old parody?
Because it's no fair to me
And now I'm at the point where I'm spending a grand a week on hypnotherapy...

I trusted my soul with you
but you cast it aside
denied it what the it deserves
my soul was lost the moment you
pried its grip from your fingers
and now it's nowhere to be found

from where monuments are
Nile Delta
was once under water
history is much longer
they had a metallic cover
it's a bother
I don't want the bleating
repeating

I traced the texture of your words
Like my heart was blind
And your voice was braille

My entire life,
I have been waiting.
For years,
Almost two decades now
I have been waiting.
Waiting,
For the better parts.
Waiting,
For the “soon”.
Waiting,
For my life to begin.
Because,
I don’t feel like I have lived.
In the nearly twenty years
I have been alive
And breathing
I do not feel
In any of those years
That I have been alive.
I don’t feel like a single breath
That I have taken
Has been real.
I feel as if
All these years
I’ve been stuck
Behind a window
Watching as my life unfolds
Before me.
I feel that
I have had
Zero control.
That I am in the backseat
Letting someone else drive.
That someone else,
Is writing on the pages
Of MY life.
But no more.
I will break that window,
I will take that wheel,
And I will write
My own pages.
My life has begun,
And now -
I’m in control.

She was a thrifted sweater and denim and jersey knit sheets
Pizza breath and red wine and toothpaste
Alabaster skin and knotted hair and freckled shoulders
A tangible dream and my favorite good morning
She agreed to let me kiss her and I agreed to let her slip my shirt over my head before she became
Blood and tears
"I trusted you" and "I’m sorry"
Midnight poems and a drunk "I need you"
I’m afraid I loved you like the way I wrote

Dandelion is such you are not alone.
whose delicacies is yours,
And the elegance is either.

Huff It
through the green field,
And it's spinning
around the world.
Surely everywhere it would have stepped in
At the time of the gloom or joy that you were running,
It happened in the fields.
For it's being a caressing to the blushed cheeks of the child's.

I'm sinking farther into the sea
Air cut off, unable to breathe

But it's not all too bad
The water's warm
and the fish look nice

It's a shame I can only see this
By myself
at the end.

Falling from a height
Crystal clear and sparkling bright
No swimming below

Trade your peace for some love
And your love for a pack
Burn it all down like dying's got a knack
Wishing you could turn back time
Wishing you could have me back
Wishing i still had your back
Wishing you could have me back

But now i've found somebody else
that has everything you lack
Maybe one day you’ll find peace and love,
Or maybe you’ll attack

Watch you burn and watch you snap
Wishing you could have me back
Now your worlds fading to black
Your new lover is the concrete
And the concrete’s
gonna
   crack

You.
Are.
A.
Walking.
Masterpiece.