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The primary defining feature
of modern American diplomacy
is that we can somehow afford
to ensure the total concealment
of any unflattering information,
and, moreover, we can afford
the concealment of said concealment.
For the most part.

That aside,
whether through misaction or inaction,
we're still ruthless and unhumanitarian;
it's almost as if
we just want to eliminate
any and all
healthy competition.

Es *******es gibt nichts neu unter der Sonne.
It seems there's nothing new under the Sun.
The US Gov't is talking **** on Turkey for imprisoning 73 Journalists. Maybe they're upset because it isn't we who are breaking our rules.
The US Gov't is talking **** on China for "suppressing the voice of the people," not so dissimilar from Occupy Wall Street's paramilitary welcoming committee.

Strange how that works...
To the Truest of Artists,
there is no such thing
as creating Art,
for the act
itself
of creation
is the same
as the notion
of One's Life;

it is not a choice;
to imply Art
is
to imply the lack thereof,
which is not an option
to the truest
of Artists.
Just an idea and/or wordplay.
It is your responsibility
to take it with the necessary grains of salt.
Sitting packed in the back
of a semi-decrepit white Subaru
belonging to the Swedish Harpist
driven by the Romanian Drummer
with a literal car-full
of perfectly tetrised musical instruments,
including:

Four cymbals, two toms, a hi-hat, and a stool,
a Celtic double-Harp,
an electric Piano,
and two guitars
(an acoustic-electric twelve-string and an electric six-string)
with a few days' clothing
and, not knowing where we're sleeping, a sleeping bag,
all the while
devouring Matza and pumpkin seeds
(that we bought at Trader Joe's)
as we barrel moderately safely
down various back roads and Highways
in this car weighted as a truck and driven as a motorcycle
towards enigmatic San Francisco
to play a couple shows,
two days in a row:

one, at a literally underground Theatre
(in which improv comedy is, apparently, king of kings)
smack-dab 'pon the border of Union Square,
and another, for a private birthday party
typified by oh so many avid Burners.

Surely, our Psychedelic Jazz Funk-Rock
will find some empathic ears!

Y'know, last summer,
when I said I wanted
to be in a Gypsy Band,
I sure didn't see this coming:
this is pretty ******* Gypsy,
in my observational opinion.

Well,
here I am,
and I even asked for it.

For us three,
this will certainly be
an interesting few days,
down in the Bay,
on our way to play
wherever it is we may,
and all I can say
is: "Okay,
this is the stuff
books are made of,"
and, "Well,
time to live
one hell of a story!"
And it was so;
life is best lived
and so often is wasted
on the living.
I'm so glad I set aside the time to type this up.
I uploaded this when I got home,
but the notion was conceived of in said circumstance.
Revisions may yet occur, but I feel most of them are over.

Both shows were great.
We were very well received.
We made $50 in tips in the first hour we played the Theatre:
three cheers for drunk old ladies!
Wow, that sounds incriminating.
Oh well.
I even made a few friends along the way!  

Discussed on the trip were such topics as:
Philosophy, Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Carl Jung, paganism, shamanism, botany, intoxication, Terrance McKenna, sobriety, authority, subversion, art, technology, music,  musicology, anthropology, ethnomusicology, acoustics, physics, calculus, geometry, numerology, symbology, language, etymology, linguistics, magic, the Occult, Tarot, I Ching, psychology, mythology, geology, astrology, astronomy, ethics, economics, death, life, love, lust, enlightenment, transcendence, bliss, hope, fear, pain, illusion, religion, politics, acting,  and how glorious Western culture is.

Interesting people,
to say the least.
Zen
We seldom wish
to let go
of what we have,
but,
it is only once it's lost
that we begin to realize,
once more,
how easily we can begin anew,
once more.

For this reason,
seek simplicity
and elegance,
not only in what you have,
but also in what you do,
and unto what and whom
you chose to share and impart
your divine Energy;
your mortal Time.
Hey man, what's good?

Good;
Is good.
It is good.
I am good.
Gin is good.
Air is good.
Art is good.
Tea is good.
*** is good.
Tao is good.
Zin is good.
Yin is good.
Life is good.
Zen is good.
Beer is good.
LSD is good.
We are good.
*** is good.
Love is good.
Cake is good.
Time is good.
Yang is good.
Wine is good.
Black is good.
Sleep is good.
You are good.
To be is good.
Syrah is good.
Logic is good.
Metal is good.
Piano is good.
Feet are good.
Water is good.
White is good.
Steam is good.
***** is good.
Legs are good.
Music is good.
Coffee is good.
Guitar is good.
Honor is good.
Poetry is good.
Colour is good.
Cheese is good.
Arms are good.
Cellos are good.
Portal 2 is good.
Respect is good.
T'ai Chi is good.
Writing is good.
Context is good.
Literacy is good.
Hands are good.
The Sun is good.
The Past is good.
Wisdom is good.
Humour is good.
Fingers are good.
Whiskey is good.
Friends are good.
Teaching is good.
Learning is good.
Thinking is good.
Empathy is good.
Dreams are good.
Cannabis is good.
The Earth is good.
Digestion is good.
My pets are good.
Harmony is good.
Discretion is good.
Shrooms are good.
The Moon is good.
The Stars are good.
The Future is good.
Meditation is good.
Experience is good.
Philosophy is good.
Spirituality is good.
Dissonance is good.
Knowledge is good.
Perspective is good.
Respiration is good.
My Guitars are good.
Being myself is good.
My lovers were good.
Civilization V is good.
My Computer is good.
Self-discipline is good.
Video Games are good.
Having a Body is good.
Having a Mind is good.
Team Fortress 2 is good.
Having a House is good.
Having a Mother is good.
Being a Philosopher is good.
Being an Autodidact is good.
Kerbal Space Program is good.
Being here and now as me is good.
Being alive as a Human Being is good:
Having this opportunity to experience this holy reality is more than I was ever guaranteed.
Thus I give thanks
to all of these things
and Thus I give thanks
for all of these things.
Thus I give thanks.
I intend "holy" to be a sign of reverence and respect as opposed to the assumption that the Universe and our Reality is an artifact of a deity, other than itself and each of us and all of the things within it.

This is not meant in any particular relevant order other than simply increasing physical size of the lines.

Addendum: Certain things pre-require discretion and/or moderation.

"What's good?" is a colloquialism for something between "How are things" and "what's up" here in Northern California, to which I'm never really sure what to answer. I am, however, usually tempted to offer a facetious retort, so I suppose this exercises that urge in a more serious manner.

Addendum redundum: This whole thing sort of looks like an obelisk or sword or something.. cool!
Who so ever said:
"Aim for the Moon, even if you miss, you'll land amongst the stars"
had clearly not pondered the logistics
of such miscalculation.
Seek that you do not fear your Mortality;
for it seems rather foolish to fear anything
but especially so such an inevitability;

fear not Mortality;
Mortality is a question
and the answer is Life;

many fail to respond;
they may indeed live
but they have no lives;

they sacrifice their time
to Pantheons external
rather than devoting their fleeting time
to the one internal;

fear not ephemerality;
it is an opportunity
but like any other,
it can be, and often is,
overlooked- ignored- misused-
squandered.

Fear not your Mortality
for it is an opportunity
to transcend this reality;
life is a sacred and holy opportunity;
(and these words, from an atheist!)
it's up to you to make the most of it.
Worry and Fear are misuses of Imagination.
When a Compliment is genuine,
it can do more harm than good;
it can be fuel to the Fire of Ego
or it can be a humbling affirmation
of one's practice and discipline.

So, please, if you get a Compliment,
do not take it as an Ego trip
and likewise do not ignore it;
for someone has gone out of their way
to share their impression of you with you,
which, for some of us,
can be rather difficult sometimes.

The same applies to Critique;
someone has cared enough
to bring a thing to your attention
that you may improve it,
sometimes people criticize
lashing out from their Shadow,
but heed them not,
for they are lost.
Shadow of the past,
echo of the future;
dedicated Musician,
a Phonomancer;
and inspired Philosopher,
a Philosomancer.

A Mystic and a Metalhead,
a lifetime Scholar and a self-Teacher;
a determined and self-guided mythic Artist,
a psychologist and an Observer;
I am a Lover, a Father, and a Son,
a homeowner and a Dishwasher,
a Friend and a bit of a stoner,
a social drinker and a fan of quality Spirits;
I am a self-contained Universe
contained within another Universe;
so fractal-esque.

There is much to this being I call "me"
and so little of it is visible
from the surface of my awareness;
so much of it falls within-
within the limitless void;
to be revealed only in Time,
and, to be unraveled by Time.

Discerning, yet reckless,
a wise man and a fool;
I find myself within,
and within myself,
a beautifully chaotic dance
of chaotically diverse energies.

Within:
the Spirit of a Renaissance Man;
Music, Geometry, Cosmology,
Mathematics, Statistics, Physics,
Mythology, Musicology, Psychology,
Masculine, Feminine, Canine, Feline,
Light, Dark, Day, Night, Sun, Moon,
Anthropology, Cooking, Dreams,
***, Love, Lust, and Suffering,
Spirituality, Science, Language,
Contrast, Respect, Individualist,
Intuition, Feeling, Understanding,
Action, Non-Action, Elation,
a bit of a Goth and a Hippie,
a Rocker and a Composer,
Haphazard Attention to Detail,
Conscious, Shadow, Subconscious,
Id, Ego, Super-Ego,
Animal, Human Being.
Alive.
Mortal.
Mortal,
and grateful for it.

An aspiring,
amateur Shaman
who "shows promise";
dabbling in Feng Shui,
the Occult,
T'ai Chi,
the Tao, Zen,
Music,
Art,
and Life;
a dilettante Poet;
I am an ephemeral expression,
a temporary microcosm,
of both the Human Spirit
and the very Universe
in which we occur,
if for but a brief,
beautiful,
fleeting,
moment.
Thanks to all of you who have, or will, accept my challenge:
http://hellopoetry.com/poem/a-challenge-ye-friendly-fellows/
It has been an honor and a privilege to see the replies.
Here are some submissions I received:

The Noose:
http://hellopoetry.com/poem/riot-grrrl/

Kelly Rose:
http://hellopoetry.com/poem/portrait-of-self/

Tdudleyesquire:
http://hellopoetry.com/poem/the-chameleon-4/
sort-of falls in line with
a certain sense of humour;
a certain need for extravagantly epic Music;

Truest of Metal
is an extension, an expression,
of the disciplines of:
Practice, Patience, and Study
in the realm of Music
as well as whatever Instrument;
some of it is, indeed, simply noise
but, then again,
Music is but ordered noise,
is it not?

I see little separation
from Classical and Metal;
though Classical came first
Metal learned what works and why
from what came before;
a sort-of Musical evolution
a sort-of Cognitive evolution
a sort-of inspiration;

Metal music has great potential,
Metal is akin to Blues and Jazz
Metal is akin to Spanish Classical Guitar
Metal is akin to Baroque styles
Metal is akin to Gregorian chants
as well as rhythmic elements
derived from the Music
of various Cultures and Tribes
worldwide.

Metal
is a moderately tongue in cheek
melting ***
for lots of styles,
and, honestly,
lots of Drugs,
such as :alcohol and nicotine
and high-energy Music;

Truest of Metal
is an Art and a Science,
and, to some,
even a Religion.
Writ while listening to the following with my roomates:

Death, Live in Eindhoven:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UtsduQ9aBY

Extracurricular:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4GZFbCqx18 <-- Hot for Teacher - Van Halen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM__lPTWThU <-- Painkiller - Judas Priest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9AbeALNVkk <-- We're Not Gonna Take it - Twisted Sister
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI3KMGHWjvo <-- Jambi - Tool
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-txTXQKVA8 <-- The *** - Tool
A World in which free Thought is demonized
is a World seized by Demons

A World in which free Worship is demonized
is a World bereft of Sanctity

A World in which division of the One is glorified
is a World hopelessly mislead

A World which glorifies demonetization
is a World within the dominion of Hell

A World with such abidance towards Evil
may as well, itself, be Evil
but, ultimately, what is Evil
but knowing misuse of potential?

Energy is all that is.
Matter is but crystalline Energy
(and people say Science isn't mystical)

God, Tao, Zen, Allah, YHWH,
Brahman, Zeus, Jupiter, Ammon,
Mars, Ares, Týr, Horus, Kali, Mixcoatl,
Aphrodite, Athena, Venus, Minerva,
Isis, Ceres, Demeter, Freyr;

whatever you want to call
the ineffable Energies
is just fine by me,
but I maintain
the only Evil
is the intent
to misuse
that Cosmic Energy,
whence all was given rise,
and thereto all shall return,
for, truly, it never left
that Divine state;
that supple,
ephemeral,
dreamlike
Being-ness.

Hello.
Welcome back to Now:

Carpe diem.
Seize the day.
Music is much like Life:
it begins and it ends
it goes through stages
it has an ebb and flow
it is arbitrary yet structured
it is abstract; relative only unto itself
and once it stops, it's over.

The first thing that happens
defines a point of relativity
and around that rhythmic, melodic and harmonic axiom
everything else is free to move;
but, once it has ended,
silence;
perhaps applause.

Otherwise, peace.

An encore wasn't in the contract.

The only dissonance
is internal;
cognitive.

But,
once it has happened,
if if it significant enough,
it creates waves that ne'er cease to ripple and refract
and in such a way they are immortal
and in such a way they are free
to have a causal effect on the rest of Humanity;
on the rest of Reality.

Music, much like Life,
comes from Void
into Existence,
then it suffers the physical world
and then it returns again
to motionlessness,
perhaps even Void again,
and from there,
who's to say?

So, I suppose, the moral is
to not be afraid of who you are;
learn it and come to terms with it
and learn what drives it forth
and then utilize that
and do it to the utmost
that others may see thy, as well as their own, Light
that they, themselves, may be inspired
to shine bright
that Light of their own.

In that way and that way alone
shall we bring forth an Enlightened World.
Treading water in the Ocean of my mind.
Thinking of what lies below
in the crushing black abyss
that is my subconscious.
Hoping that when I drift off
into my nightly slumber
the dreams which come to visit
are reflections of my nirvana,
and not that of my hell.
The convections which bring
my subconscious to the surface
are vehicles for my hopes
as well as my fears.
The current of my thoughts
carries with it the beautiful fish
as well as the hungry sharks.
Each is fleeting, as are we.
The first poem I shared via Hello Poetry. Revisited.
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