In the middle of a storm, rain crumbling the air,
My father died
I did not cry, nor care,
I sighed.  
Walking the ground I hummed a jaunty popular song
Knowing now, at last, he I could tread upon.

as a student I often imagine how it would be great if time could stop at certain point,
or at least if second lasted longer,
you know, when you have a lot of things to study but you’re short on time?
i bet you imagined that,
you had to.
of course, that is just our imagination playing with us, nothing else.

but what if it can be done?

sitting at class, listening teacher’s lecture can sure prolong the time,
we all know that,
but there is something more.

maybe some guy who sits in front of you
who runs his hands through his hair may prolong your seconds, even if you didn’t thought he could.
you see yourself stare for seconds, and stare for minutes at him and his hair.

your eyes put focus at him and blur everything else,
just like when we are taking a photo with our camera.
it focuses on things we want to be focused like it knows what we want
and it takes a photo and save it on memory forever.

and you ears cannot hear anything.
well, you hear everything but it all feels like you’re on concert and everyone else is yelling
but you are quiet because they are playing your favorite song
and you know it’s more beautiful if you feel it rather than jumping and yelling around.
it’s almost you could cry, but you’re too shy.
and all your other senses like smelling or pain except feeling starts to float in the room.
you start to feel his hands going through his softly, fluffy hair like it’s your own.
and he does it all over again.
and again,
and again.
and every time it’s like he does it
and you’re floating in the air of emotions and
it’s heaven.

--------------

he stops.

your eyes can see normally again and you hear professor lecturing again.
then you start to feel pain in your leg because it became numb.
you’re back, but you will always be able to feel that again, whenever you want
because you, just like camera, saved it in your little brain.
there will be days before you feel something like that again,
and there will be so many nights that you will dream about that again
and again.

do you believe me now?
do you believe that seconds can be prolonged?
I think you should.

Would that I,
a lowly grunt
could make more than
the average runt
just out of school,
degree in hand;
While I survive
on meager plans.
Equality is a grand concept
full of flaws
and many steps
that most among us
will never see-
for man is not known
for his humanity.
We strive to be better,
but what do we gain?
A fistful of debt,
and a mountain of pain?
And what do we learn,
except that life isn't fair?
Playing cards with a bad hand
and a dare?
That bleeding hearts and open minds
will make us quite impaired
and are considered bad qualities
that make us unprepared
for the lambast that life is,
for the spears of betrayal-
for the knowledge that everyone
as some point is a failure?
We enter these halls
as creatures of learning,
yet exit these doors
suspicious, discerning-
our youthful optimism
shattered and dashed
by ancient old teachers
with an impressive moustache.
So, what is the point
of institutional leeching?
Is this how we want
our teachers teaching?
Do we condone the lack of equippable smarts,
instead replaced with limited starts?
Or perhaps yet, there is another solution-
Quit hampering learning with political pollution?
Maybe thats an option-
maybe it's not;
but I'm a student;
that's all I've got.

When you went to sleep today,
I counted all the steps
That sat between you and me,
Like miles and miles of roads,
So many twists and turns;
The path was lost without a trace.

Is it strange to think
That we judge our love
By distance to our hearts?
Or do we choose to use
The ground between us
To fill that empty space?

So explain these tears
That fall together,
Sliding down my cheek
To join my other fears,
Of romance and careers,
As we drive this finite race.

the collar on my jacket is frayed
but I have clothes on my back

(just)

the packaging is white with green print
but I have food in my belly

(of sorts)

the soles talk and leak when I walk
but I have boots on my feet

(for now)

so I’m OK

(I suppose)

***** deep into the Smart Price ™ life
this man, his daughters, his son and his wife
where all their food comes at discounted price
expired meat and rationed heat
sweepings and fat wrapped in plastic

the walk was wholly unexpected, but it was easy
leaving the town where the forward leaning walkers
were the slowest thinking talkers steeped in sugary urgency,
and all the way we **** giltterballs and Skittles

His silhouette, as he stood by the stone,
Resembled a thoughtful Alfred Hitchcock
With fine cane in hand, slightly stooped
Fingers from his free hand, touching lightly
The carefully carved grey marbled stone
Lost in thought and dying sunshine
A single tear falls, as he smiles
Then cane in hand, turns, walks away
Carrying the name on the stone with him.

Without Nothing there cannot be Something.
Non-Existence precedes Existence.
No Dark means no Light.
No cold no hot, no soft no hard, no death no life.
Up and down, left and right, East and West.
Calm then storm, stillness then action,
Heavy and light.
Chaos and Order.
The finite and the infinite.
All compare.
All are Relative.
Without Something there is no Nothing.
Without Light no Dark.
No Good no Bad.
No Knowledge no Mystery.
No Mystery no Knowledge.
All Relative.

Paul Butters

Simplicity is bliss, but can’t live with it
I hate knowledge, it makes me wanna die
Can’t live by myself, please touch the surface
Of my consciousness, so that I know
We’re both here, together alone
We see stare at each other, standing on top the earth
We would die even if, we could dwell inside
The rocks never come out the same, no stable therapy
And as u go on with your life, you trouble yourself
Living and not finding, your purpose and being