I stare into the mirror.
What do I see?
A sack of flesh and bone
Powered by fear of death.
I lean in to examine my face.
What do I see?
A glittering mask ******* on by
The expectations of spectators.
I peer into the depths of my eyes.
What do I see?
My soul fading after each tick of the
Clock -- a race to be somebody.

It lurks in the shadows waiting to pounce
Knocking, knocking on the door of self-doubt
Seizing the moment when your mind is most frail
To whisper the lie that you are destined to fail

How to muster the courage to use your voice?
To stand one’s ground amid the deafening noise?
Fear claims that you have no power to influence
A wicked world flooded with malice and avarice

“Who are you to spark change?” you hear Fear say
A nobody, an impotent soul who wouldn't last a day
In the midst of pressure where all eyes are fixed on you
A slip, a fall, will mark your inevitable doom

“Silence!” you command the ghastly parasite gnawing at your heart
I am in control of my own destiny; I will not fall apart
I forbid you to discourage me from pursuing my dreams
I will not back down; I will move forward, you scream

Fear flees for its life, as if caught in a storm of hail and lightning
It cringes at the sight of your courage, oh so frightening
It melts into the shadows once more
Watching you take to the skies and soar

Get off your lofty pedestal.
He who is without sin,
Cast the first stone!
Your self- righteous ego
Reeks like rotten eggs.
Hope you stumble on your
Own bear traps.
Looking for flaws?
Use a mirror,
Not a telescope.
You exist to point fingers.
One of these days they will
Snap like a twig.
I’ll make sure of that.

As I lay myself in a field of yellow daffodils,
I gaze at the boundless blue canvas before me.
Why is your beauty so enrapturing?
I ask Mother Nature.
Why do you insist on giving
Despite the affliction we bring on to you?
How much longer until you give way
To our reckless savagery?

I wait for a response, but none came.
Only the swaying of the daffodils to the
Beat of the breeze tickle my ears.
Suddenly, a resounding wail was heard
Rousing me from my trance.
The heavens opened up and a volley of tears
Pierced the ground as wild gales
Devoured the yellow surrounding me.
Critters scurried for cover from the
Wrath of Mother Nature.

Forgive us for our transgressions, I cried out!
Forgive us for ignoring your plea for mercy!
Forgive us for lashing at your gaping wounds!
Forgive us for stripping you naked time and time again!
Forgive us for failing to appreciate your tender care!
Forgive us! Forgive us!

Mother Nature looked down upon my contrite heart
She immediately hushed her violent rage.
She smiled and embraced me with sunlight.
The critters came out of their sanctuaries to
Greet their Mother.
The daffodils resumed their dance for her,
As I stood still, awestruck  by her splendor.

Time is a witness -- night and day don’t get along.
Immiscible like water and oil.
Either you are black, white, or don’t belong,
A dandelion drowning in a sea of soil.

There’s always an ultimatum, a dichotomy,  
A ****** war of who's wrong or right.
Discord reigns supreme with sole autonomy,
When, in fact, the answer lies in twilight.

There is no such thing as absolutes
In a world as rich and diverse as this one.
It takes wisdom to know what constitutes
A solution to the question of who won?

The answer is not black, nor white, but gray,
A compromise where both sides have a say.

Seek and you shall find
A poison as sweet as honey
Cloaked with benign intentions
To right all wrongs
To forge the perfect future

Not all will marvel at your pristine vision
Only inferior minds would dissent
How to clear the path to progress?
How to gift sight to the blind?
Why, resort to the art of deception
Cater to the hungry masses
Caress their ears with empty promises
Sate their primal appetites
For the time being
Only then will your agenda carry through

Crush all opposition in the name of peace
Your way or the highway
No mercy to those who undermine
The Savior of the people
Worthy of praise and worship
What an honor to kiss your feet

You need more, more of this Power
Cannot quench this thirst
The narcotic to rule them all
What has this poison done to you?
Look what you’ve become
A vile monster, bloated and disfigured
Cold and indifferent to the cries of those beneath you

The throne is no longer yours to keep
The people have rebelled against you
You’re left alone to wither
In agony, consumed by Power’s poison

Do you hear that?
That soothing hum?
Subtle but present
A continuous string of sound
Assuring you that all is static, immutable

How about now?
That crescendo, beating at your eardrums ever more intensely
The notes become more discrete
More jumbled
You find no pattern, no coherence
No order
Just as you think the nonsense will subside,
It persists, driving you a bit mad
Tears trickle down in frustration

But behold, there is a faint melody
Trying to dig itself out of its grave
The ghostly tune begins to materialize
Alas, you hear the most glorious symphony
An orchestra of heavenly proportions
Playing in unison as your spirit is lifted to the mountain tops
You feel empowered, like an emperor leading his legions to conquest
You grin emphatically as you absorb the warm glow of the moment

Suddenly, complete and utter silence envelopes you
A suffocating silence that isolates you from the world
Is this the end?
Was life worth living?
Am I truly happy?
The Song of Life must go on

Do you hear that?
That soothing hum?