Dear stranger: it's no secret
that times have been hard for everyone.
But you're not everyone, are you?
Maybe you lost someone.
Maybe you lost yourself.
Maybe you've been asked to do more
than you signed up for. Whatever's going on,
I know it may seem like you're losing control. Like you don't have a choice.
However this poem finds you,
I hope you come to find that you DO
have a chance to have a choice.
A chance to raise your voice.
I hope that someday, you accept
that you are worthy of love.
That you stop feeling guilty you survived.
But most of all, I hope that someday,
you wake up and find yourself grateful and happy to be alive

i see the nevermore
   again and again
never happened never will
   yet it drives my mind
to distraction of cognition
   what else is there
but a choice moment by moment
   a difficult task

A musician, the handsome dream
of a year ago, still in my head
lying beside me after an easy lay

in the smell of his breath
and the noose of his hand
around my neck

My love snores with tears
in his eyes, and *****
in his heart

I get up and go
leave this hell of mine
wishing he would be a tiger

knowing I am a panther
and if I had any stripes
I would wear them with pride

It doesn't matter
What he, she, or they say!

It does not matter
If they care or do not care.

For not anywhere
Will it matter !

Even in the eternal
Scheme of things!

Only that we get to forgive -n- forget
That is what really matters!

Ask yourself a question? What is at the root of every conflict?

Anger?
Go deeper.
Personal rights?
Deeper.
Ignorance?
Still deeper.
Correcting error?
Keep Going.
Ego?
Nope.

At the most fundamental level
every conflict comes
from the inability
to understand
the other person's perspective or position
and to respect their right
to think, feel and believe
as they choose
(instead we attempt
to negate
and eliminate
these things).

Everything else,
including that listed above,
all arise
from this root cause.

Now ask yourself this.
What would the world
be like
if this root cause
of conflict did not exist?

They say, "Choose."
But let me ask, "Do I have a choice?"

One foot in my future path
The other one in my past
Two lives before me
At the crossroad

One pushes me
Into the land of prospects
The other holds me
like I have unfinished business

One is a path I’ve known
The other, I’m yet to explore;
Clean the slate and start afresh

Memories hold me back
But new ambitions push me away
Forever is not my place here

But for now, I’ll be still
For a short space of time
Deciding what's best for me
And me, and me!

Look, we’re the victims here!
You said multiply.
Well – that’s what we did.

You said fill the earth.
Well, it looks pretty full now, doesn’t it.

You said subdue.
Well, that’s what we’ve done.

You said never again.
Well, looks like we’ve taken that out of your hands.

We’ve increased and multiplied to bursting point.
We’ve subdued this earth with a world-beating chokehold.
We’ve out-numbered the wilds into a final submission.

And no amount of talk about stewardship,
or responsibility, or choices and free-will
will change the facts:
We are not responsible for flawed design.
This earth is not fit for our purpose.

-

What?
What manual?
What users guide?

-

No-one reads that.  Have you seen the size of it?
It’s full of technical details -
I don’t know anyone who could understand all that!

-

What Quick Guide?

-

You mean Jesus!?!  
Okay – fair point.

But can we have our New Earth now?
Please?

Wealth is not just money
Tis only a small slice
The prosperity pie
I won’t deny
Is flavored by being nice

Of all the traits you show
I can be quite concise
The quality
That matters to me
Is simply that you’re nice

We can build prosperity
At quite a tiny price
If we all chip in
And from within
React by being nice

Share your life with others
And never think twice
About your choice
Of a loving voice
And choosing to be nice