The goat didn’t understand
the significance of the bell around

his neck,
smelled

the sunlight hitting
the dewy grass

as he opened his eyes each morning,
looked

at his handlers, the humans,
and thought of them

as his protectors,
took

a kinetic joy
in bounding through open fields

among sage and purple wildflowers,
kicking

up dirt,
and taking naps

in the shade of thick cypress trees
on hot, dry afternoons.

One day,
a rope was tied

around his neck,
and he was led

to a place he had never
been before, and

into a situation
he had never

considered
before.

The goat was tied
to a tree

in a sunken, gray,
muddy place.

He was surrounded by
a throng of faces.

He recognized
some of them—

humans he had known
and smelled,

sometimes kicked,
sometimes licked.

Some of the faces
smoked cigarettes

and sat in silence.
Others talked excitedly.

Others drank
and sang.

All of them were waiting
for something,

but the goat did not
understand what.

And then he
felt a hand

grab onto one of his
horns. Its grip was firmer

than the goat remembered
the grip of a human hand could be.

And then he felt an arm
around his back,

it was almost a hug,
but more resolute in its

intentionality—
wholly,

horrifyingly,
out of character

from what the goat had
understood about

his handlers.
The goat now

realized that
something was wrong.

He did not
want to be in this position

any longer. He
began struggling,

kicking more
and more violently,

but still he felt more arms
and hands

restraining him—
pinning him down

in spite of
his protestations.

The goat began to
cry out

for help, for God,
for one of his humans—

a final plea
to the universe

to come and rectify
the situation.

And then the goat felt
a cold, hard edge

pressed against his throat.
Wild-eyed,

he looked up,
and there he saw

his human,
the one who had

fed him
and cared for him

for as long as
he could remember.

The man ******
his arm

and yanked the goat’s head
back,

and the goat felt a shocking,
slicing pain.

He could sense that warm fluid was
draining

down his neck, could
tell something

irreparable had happened
to his body. His

eyes darted around,
looking at all of

the unflinching, cold faces
surrounding him.

Up until
this moment,

the goat hadn’t
considered

the possibility
that the ones whom he

loved
so dearly

and who loved
him

so dearly
could

betray him
like

this.

Umi : Is hating everybody really so good ?
I don't understand you, well I don't want to.
But after all, you are still a part of me
Is that not right, my dear Yami ?
You are made of so much hate and spite,
I am sure you already have lost the knowledge of what's right


Yami:  I will make ya regret playing with me
Are you too blinded by your dear kindness to see ?
The fear they have, it makes my body burn up, feel priceless
There is no one to get in my way, you can try all day though...
In the end it is me who protects you from any woe


Umi:  For every kind there is one kindness, one light
It makes no sense to win respect with mere fright
It would be so much better to make them smile
To guide them and make their day worthwhile
After all, we are but only human, bound to nature
And everyone deserves a chance, if not more
To rise up to their righteousness..and soar..


Yami:  Through the darkest of days I have been by your side
No matter how bad it has gotten I was one who was to abide
So who would you like to get rid of ? Yourself? Don't be dull
I am like the wings for your Seagull
You cannot deny that you need me


Umi:  I don't need you at all, you are the reason for my fall
I strive for happiness, so why won't you vanish ?
Being cold and distant is not suiting me, it is not Umi
It is true, we two come in a shade of black and white,
But in the end I believe, the successful one will be light


Yami: If you were simply to get rid of the love in your chest
If you knew what would be the very best
You could finally awaken as me again, tear them apart
I know it is tempting, judging by your broken heart
There is nobody and nothing, sympathize with anger


Umi: I would rather hurt myself till my body is decorated by scars
Than letting you get on top again, turning my dear stars
Into blackholes which only **** everything into a void
This is a fate which I will fight and shall avoid, no matter the cost
Even if it's my own body which is due to this lost


Yami: You would rather commit suicide than causing pathetic creatures grief ?
You are either an proud idiot or just brave
Though you shall know, if you continue this will end in your grave
Would you think it is worth it, to eat up all that pain and release it on yourself ?


Umi: Well, it is fine to cry, it is fine to die
We are all the same, bound to change, noone can be perfect here
Some make it look as such but they too hide their fear,
The tears I shed, the blood I have bled, lead me to this path
With all which I might have left, which is not much I give it to them
To those who need a motherly embrace, warmth and kindness...
Seeing them happy fills my heart with glee
This is why I cannot let you be free

In memoriyam

~ Umi

Before normal returns
I want to lay by your side
holding hands
and simply talk to you
forever
until
I die.

For ever and ever, just for one day.
The shadows will be heroes,
standing by all things. Someone
will finally recognize them for
their infinite and unconditional love,
for never loosing control while facing
the cruelty of those who cast them.

To make my shadow proud of me.
If I could only do that, if only I
could convince myself that she is.

THE HORROR IN YEMEN
WILL WRENCH AT YOUR HEART
THE CHILDREN WHO ARE SUFFERING
WILL RIP YOU APART



THE YOUNG CHILDREN ARE BEGGING
CAN OUR HEARTS JUST MEND
ITS AID AND ASSISTANCE
WE NEED THE WORLD TO SEND



HOW CAN THE WORLD JUST WATCH
AND LET THESE ATROCITIES GO ON
WHERE IS THE WISDOM OF MAN
AND HOW CAN THEY LET IT CARRY ON



HOW CAN MAN JUSTIFY THIS CRIME
WHEN IT COMES OUR JUDGEMENT DAY
WHAT WORDS CAN WE EXPRESS
THAT WILL EXPLAIN OUR CRUELTY AWAY

Death of another hero
In a whiteout landscape
On the edge of the world
Across the lake, the wind rips
Like a lash across the face
Pillars of black-smoke soot
January in this Seventh Wonder
Desolate

They are falling fast, too fast
So fast
In this so-far cruelest month
Seemingly from nowhere, and
Without reason

The man on the corner with a sign that reads
One Love
Wrinkled and craggily
With winter oozing from his nose
Lord you know it’s the freaks
Who make the world
Spin round
Even after
the eagle lands, and
The airplane crashes
and the spaceman
falls

We are on the same road
Headed in opposite directions
Wheels turning, going nowhere
Fast
How maddening it is that
We can’t
Get this
right

Pieces are missing
Others don’t fit
So much for the payoff you expected
We are all suckers on some level
We are dogs
Sheep
Fools misled
Lemmings being led
off a ledge
Somewhere there must be someone
Laughing

This is the day of your extraction
Do you remember when
we made
The paint melt off the walls
Like God moving Heaven and Earth
Until you decided
The wind no longer blew
And the sun no longer rose

This evening I woke up knowing
The years past went by
As quickly as the decade ahead
Time is a thief
and all of us are
Stark-raving mad.