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I am stranded
way out here in space
so cold and empty handed
longing for a smiling face

Everything seems so random
Yet everything seems in order
All that I can imagine
Never gets me any farther

Among the wreckage
I'm among the wreckage
of the earth
I live in a flesh machine
Who could break down in extremes
It's a miracle I still breathe

I am waiting
For one thing or the other
Death or rescue
not sure what comes first
For billions its been death
Rescue hasnt came yet

None of us know too much
we wear mortality like a crutch
We gamble with our souls
And we think we know
None of us know much of anything
One day it shall show

Among the wreckage
I'm among the wreckage
of the earth
I live in a flesh machine
Who could break down in extremes
It's a miracle I still breathe
War
Shooting, bombing, killing, fighting
Why are we fighting in this stupid war
It seems like we do it just for fun
Playing so hard with our gun

Like tanks are toys
With kids inside
Starting a battle against each other
Even if the weather is horrible

War destroyed families
Whether you’re in the same party or not
There is no right or wrong
Every thing is a dreadful knot

Soldiers are killing innocent people
Everyone is bleeding and on the floor
They are scared and in fear
No wonder where they disappear

Young soldiers combat
In such freezing and deadly weather
While people are mad and going insane
The rest of us are yelling “It's unfair”

By: Zoulaikha
 Jan 2017 Doug Potter
Ma Cherie
It's not the photographer,
alone,
who makes food look soooo good,
the Chef feeds him,
beautiful specimens,
each,
with a unique professional talent,
and taste is probably,
one of the most highly subjective things,
I know,
there are standards,
origins and roots,
personality traits and how you were raised,
excetera,
most of my siblings are amazing cooks too,
there's a certain way of looking,
at each flavor individually,
and then the combination,
knowing that it will work or not,
alone together with many,
just in your mind.
then your hands,
add some brain power,
a magic heart,
use your taste BUDS,
add an unexpected ingredient,
PRESTO - Magic Kitchen!!!

Putting the ingredients together,so that it will taste good for the masses,
not just for you,
even though it is for you too,
a lovely reward in sharing your skills,
you appreciate the depth of flavor,
more than anyone else could,
the love and thought in there,
not because they don't have the same level,
but because we are all so,
individual,

But the best chefs,
in my humble opinion,.
study preservatives,
and avoid 'em
study as much as they can,
sources,
herbs and cuts of meat,
oils and fats,
I know it matters to me,
where it comes from,
whether it's from VERMONT,
or around the world,
I want to know the story,
and how to cook it even,
super cheap stuff,
learn about cultural influence,
like familial influences,
America's Test Kitchen got it right,
know your BEST practices,

We know our tastes completely,
appreciate & know about others tastes as completely as possible,
they totally understand how it works,
it's how their mind ticks,
miraculously inventive,
with a few new things up their sleeves,
yeah takes on traditions,
TwIsTs they say,

Can be classy or catastrophic,
or somewhere in the middle,
and people aren't going to eat,
the catastrophic ones,
but if they know all the different recipes,
what can and cannot be substituted,
or added,
like the right herbs,
for example,
a dash of this,
after that,
or what could we leave out,
savory or sweet,
or both,
whether you can use this cheese or that one,
or many,
what are they like cold,
what are they like at room temperature, how should they be heated,
is it best to use it fresh,
what you can make on a dime,
how about a bottle of vinted wine?

I could go on but you get my point,

I put things together that no one else has,
true art,
and I think bingo!
Brilliant!
And I'm happy to report
that others believe this,
others that I trust,
feel that I can do this,
miraculously perfect,

No real failures,
because everything is learning,
and my mind is always yearning,
in the dollars I am earning,
a real blessing should be shared,
I am always eager,

To learn more unknown,
helpful,
ingredients to life.
Just thoughts ❤
 Jan 2017 Doug Potter
Ma Cherie
Out on the fringes of a difficult life,
she's hiding from darkness,
& sheathing a knife,
she plays us along,
with a lonely old fife,
through the years an years of unspeakable strife,
she walks on alone,
a long searching wife,

She's a bit different,
from the accepted,
of  the current "social norm"
a strong & bending tree,
in a devastating storm,
she will never ever break,
& no,
she'll not conform,

She waits for days of nice & long in sunny warm,
though she's not been the one that you,
can truly ever warn,
& it's been this way since long before that girl was born,

Her hands outstretched,
she's waiting for the gifts to come to her,
as locust's come again to swarm,
down she is digging,
she's digging up this very special corm,

An ancient vow to which she's secretly been sworn,
in secrecy she takes the pain,
a native crown she that she'll still adorn,
as they are pushing very deep,
& old and hateful piercing thorn,

She falls down on her knees again,
in every death to cry and mourn,
she raises empty hopeful hands,
till again she hears that gypsy horn,

She rides & yips,
though she's hard outside,
her sleeve of hearts is always worn,
in these days of pain
and endless rain,

She cries her yips,
she still always feels the scorn,
she's been apart,
because that heart's been ripped & torn,
she's just like a sheep who's wools been shorn,

That truth,
her truth,
it is her own,
bend don't break,
is what she's shown,
be so strong,
a true & sturdy bone,

Just like her Dad,
even when times are pretty bad,
it's the only way she's ever,
really known,

As she leans in with a hungry groan,
you never hear her whine & moan,
she knows she'll never walk alone,
her body here is on a loan,

Some skills for her she's yet to hone,
on heady winds again she's blown,
never broken,
again she's flown,
in an ancient plight again she's thrown,

Like every tiny seed she's ever sown,
when she's dead then she'll lie prone,
she will only bow,
before a worthy throne,
a marker for her death,
a lovely granite Bethel stone,

Just look above a starry dome,
shining bright a distant chrome,
nomadic feet will always roam,
she waits again in twilight gloam,
with praying hands she hears the ohm,

Peace out there somewhere,
a  love strong home,
setting roots in her earthy loam,

Where she can be so high and deep,
but the cost to her is very steep,
a hope again the lost can reap,
say you must just take a leap,
but even when she tries to sleep,
pray her soul that you will keep,
she'll never ever say a peep,
when enemies come so near and creep,
scaring her,
they think she weep,

"But I am wolf,
and not just sheep"

Can't lay the dead in empty heap,
inject a vein then let it seep,

Tell her no and give her fuel,
so stubborn like a foolish mule,
her heart is like a precious jewel,
and ready for a worthy duel,

Howling out at a brilliant waning moon,
& snarling with her sharpened ugly teeth,
bays what you sow, so you shall reap,
she still stands firm in her belief,

She'll go the way that she knows is right,
to direct you in a distant fight,
a leader bringing in a little light,
hearing all a poet's plight,
as her heart it just...takes off,
IGNIGHTS
off again
another fateful flight,
dreaming off again in night,
blinded by the stars her sight,
is
g o n e....
again,

I know that she will find a way,
her heart will never really stray,
late at night,
with her to lay,
to be with her when come what may,

It ain't a game she wants to  play,
when skies ahead are scary grey,
down any kind of which of way,
listen close her lonely bay,

She's got your ever loyal back,
from an angry hungry new attack,
you prepared for her a lovely snack,
keeps 'em off as the angry hack,
angry for what they seem to lack,
nightly reading,
still slipping through the daily cracks,
wonder who's picking up the extra slack,
but some think maybe she's a silly quack,
but don't you give her any flack,

Do you even hear me jack?

Nothing is just white or black,
to be a part a truly faithful pack,
a way to always keep on a steady track,

When things sometimes are in a confusing murky haze,
like living in a dreamy daze,
a wild wonderland of crazy craze,
just look into her careful looking gaze,
a busted potters shiny glaze,
your heart will gladly set ablaze,
on blood & bones again she'll graze,

It maybe just another phase,
I hope that we can change our ways,
so the ones ahead of us
are yet to be,
the BEST of all our earthly days,

So please live your life from a place of gratitude. *** - VERMONT

Cherie Nolan © 2016
I said in poetry earlier this year that I'm not sick and I didn't really think I was but I had a bad feeling that I might be more sick than I thought. Although I've had my battles with depression and anxiety this is a physical battle. I was right though not sure how to right exactly yet and might be a little while. I'm OK though...so far. My family has kind of rallied and we were kind of distant so that's a beautiful thing. But someone I loved very much deserted me because they didn't believe me. I wrote this around Thanksgiving I do think it's about death and dying but it's also about how I see the world? What do you think it's about? Because at the time I was feeling sick but wasn't admitting how sick maybe? Also sorry if I'm away but now you know the reason... some of it anyway. Even amidst death and dying everywhere we are stronger than we think we are. Thank you as always for your kindness.
Much love ❤❤❤ - Vermont
 Jan 2017 Doug Potter
Ana S
Self hate is so much more than based off personal looks.
The way your eyes slant downwards or are just a little too squinty, the way your nose takes up a fourth of your face.
The way the kids tease you that your lips are too big or small.
The way that girl called you fat,
ugly,
skinny,
sick.
The way they told you you can never be loved.
Self hate routes from something bigger...
A fire burning deep inside.
Self hate comes from emotion.
It comes from the people closest.
The ones your told to trust.
Mom, dad, sister, brother, aunts and uncles.
Mom and dad used to fight...
Your older sister said it was all your fault.
You blamed yourself for so long.
Then one day you took a blade.
First time you ran it down your arm.
Let out your demons.
They screamed inside.
And now they are free.
Sure the kids at school all play into this.
But it's so much more.
If only you could see.
Within you there is still beauty.
You survived.
Therefore insperation remains alive.
You got past every name you've ever been called.
Every word your parents cursed.
You got through it all.
Tyrkia
Bosporus 1955 the old tanker where I was
A galley boy had anchored waiting for orders
To proceed into the Black Sea rowing boat came alongside
Selling fez which was the “IN” by the ******
They also sold sweet liqueurs which I drank, got drunk
And sick for the first time in my life I was 15, in the old
Days one had to grow up fast and howl with the dogs
The winter weather sunny I was awed by its Byzantine
Mystic just like a fairy tale story; I bought a Fez

And last time I was in Istanbul 30 years later on a ship
Where I was a cook my fall from officer grade had been
Painful, but I did go ashore not very far drank beer but
What I remember the best was packs of dogs by the quay
begging for food they knew I was a generous cook.
This year I'm set free
able to exhale once again
As far too long
I've delayed the inevitable
to move forward
bearing witness
to my ability to prosper
I RECLAIM back myself
new fruits blossom
and life continually cycles
I can breathe with
the piano lifted away
I can see with
my focus readjusted
I can love
as I am able to live.
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