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Mariel Ramirez Dec 2016
all i know of debt
is that my sins have
been paid for

and guilt
is a heavy burden

when i look
at my empty hands,
i do not know
what to give back

when i look
at the world, i marvel
at the magnitude
of what i owe

so much so
that i kneel

before you
and forget
how to stand
Aaron LaLux Dec 2016
God Exists

The world has a funny way of reminding us,

God exists.

Sometimes I forget,
the freedoms I have as an American,
and I take these freedoms,
for granted,

but then,
the World reminds me,
and I remember,
that God exists.

God exists,

I see His Light’s reflection,
in almost everyone,
from the lowest slave,
to the highest pharaoh,

God exists.

For example,

I was on the train,
to Luxor from Cairo,
Aaron Lux headed to Luxor,
it only makes sense,

on the train I met an Egyptian man,
and I took this as divine intervention because I don’t believe in coincidences,
he worked/works for the United Nations,
as an assistant for economic development,

his English was perfect,
better than most Americans I know,
and we talked on that train ride,
to Luxor from Cairo,

once we arrived in Luxor,
we both parted ways,
but we made a plan,
to meet up the next day,

and we did and we went,
to dinner I brought a random Japanese girl,
we ate camel on a rooftop,
overlooking the Luxor Temple,

in the distance,

the lights of The Valley of The Kings,
reflected on caves of tombs such as King Tut’s you know what,
sometimes seeing death reminds me of being life,
and being life reminds me that God exists omnipresent in all things.

God exists.

We talked,
on that rooftop overlooking Luxor Temple,
we talked about philosophy and religion and politics,
and also about some new stuff,

such as the Arab Spring,
and each other’s family,
I told hime I was trying to reunite my parents in Thailand,
because of them together in this lifetime I have not a single memory,

and I’d like to see my parents together at least once,
before one of us three dies,
because you don’t get a second chance,
to live this single life,

I,

asked him about his parents,
he said his father had just been abducted,
by the Egyptian Secret Police,
see that’s what you call Boy Interrupted,

but this isn’t a cinema,
this a real life drama,
and I saw this young man of maybe 22 years old,
had had to grow up so quickly because of such adult sized problems,

he said he didn’t know where his father was,
he said the police had taken him just a week ago,
because his father was on the wrong side of democracy,
I guess that’s just how it goes,

see his father was part of The Muslim Brotherhood,
and had supported the Arab Spring,
which in turn had supported President Morsi,
who was elected democratically,

but old habits die hard,
and the Egyptians know that better than anybody,
not much has changed there’s still pharaohs and slaves,
this country is still ran by an aggressive military,

he doesn’t even know where his father is,
or if he’s even dead or alive,
but hopefully he doesn’t end up like Giulio Regeni,
found in a ditch with an X carved in his forehead and gouged eyes,

I,

realize,
then that I know nothing about “struggle”,
I realize then that the 1st world has nothing to complain about,
it is in that moment that reality popped my ignorant idealistical bubble,

I know nothing about trouble,
I come from a country where people complain about everything,
we get upset because a traffic light takes to long or a waiter screws up our order,
we feel depressed about nothing but we know nothing about real struggle or pain,

I will never again complain,
about being an American,
I mean my God this kid had his father abducted,
and he might never see him again,

God blessed it feels so good to be from a country with real freedoms God Bless America,

and I’m saddened and grateful at the same time,
I’m saddened because no kid should have his father taken,
I’m grateful because I was born in America so I’m entitled to amazing freedoms,
and I believe in the American Dream still wide awake in a country that feels Forsaken,

but there's no Sutherland,
in the original Empirical Motherland,
just brutal reminders resurrected like Jesus on Easter,
or King Tut's curse from Luxor's sands,

I am,
blessed to have freedoms and others don’t have,
simply because I was born as an American,
and I thank God for that fortuitous fact,

The world has a funny way of reminding us,

God exists.

sometimes I forget,
the freedoms I have as an American,
and I take these freedoms,
for granted,

but then,
the World reminds me,
and I remember,
that God exists.

God exists,

I see His Light’s reflection,
in almost everyone,
from the lowest slave,
to the highest pharaoh,

God exists.

∆ Aaron LA Lux ∆

www.amazon.com/Aaron-La-Lux/e/B00ODPJAOK
I have days where I swell with pride
About what I have and what is mine
My feet shuffle amongst my space
A subconscious smile lights my face
I never thought I’d have all of this
The fact that I’m even here is bliss
So thankful indeed, grateful I am
It would be a disservice to not expand
Rowena Pagao Dec 2016
Thanks for:
understanding,
staying,
loving me,
I'm eternally
grateful, love.
I’m thankful for the times
That I have what I need
And everyone brave enough
To fight against greed.

Thankful for the roof above my head,
And the socks on my feet
And all the great food I get to make and eat.

Grateful for the love I’m able to give
And even more, the love that I get
For all of the places and faces
I’ll never forget.

Memories of rejoice,
And those that we mourn.
I’m thankful for everything I’ve got
And so much more…
I hate the origins and history of Thanksgiving, not only being Native American but also being a thinking, feeling person. Not to mention the occurrences out in North Dakota happening right now. It’s hard to be light and happy and present but it’s all the more necessary, even. We need the love and unity.
I do love the feeling behind the gatherings and the act of getting together with the ones that you love and expressing your gratitude for them through the simple act of being present and sharing the joy of indulgence.
A time of reflection upon blessings, for lack of a better word, is a beautiful thing and I think that congregating with loved ones is great grounds for this act of gratitude. A setting of love for appreciating what you love. What’s not to love??
And if that’s not what your Thanksgiving was, maybe have another one or, next year, celebrate it with ones that will he conductive to the grandeur of gratitude. And remember, it has a lot to do with you, too.
Devin Ortiz Nov 2016
I'm thankful for an awful lot
But where do I draw the line

I'll be thankful for my family
I'll be thankful for their memories

I'll be thankful for the friends I got
I'll be thankful for the things I've been taught

But where do I draw this line
When people tell me what to be thankful for

To be thankful to live here
To be thankful for freedom
To be thankful we're better off than some
To be thankful for things without considering the cost.

In good conscious. I cannot be
Thankful at the cost of misery

I will not be thankful at the expense of innocent lives.

I will not be thankful that things could be worse

I will not be thankful for this complacency

And while I'm **** sure thankful for the miracles in life.

I do so ever aware and never neglecting the cost of such things, that I am demanded to be thankful for.
SøułSurvivør Nov 2016
~~♡~~

From a grateful Soul's heart
I feel the need
To thank you for loving
In thought and in deed

I left for a long time
Didn't say where I was
Didn't give a goodbye  
Didn't make a big fuss

And here I come back
With no word of my life
Didn't tell you the details
Of my burdens and strife

Let me just telling you
That there's been no lack.
But you asked no questions
And accepted me back!

I just cannot tell you
What that means to me.
But I want you to know
And I want you to see.

I've thought of you often
And prayed for you more
I did not know then
What was in store

I returned to HP
Didn't have to atone
You opened your arms...

And WELCOMED ME HOME!

Now I rest easy
I can make a new start
The timing is perfect
From a grateful Soul's heart!

♡ Catherine
'Nuf said.
Lunar Nov 2016
a lady of colorful blood
prepped in white uniform
she'll put your heart back together
whenever you feel down or torn

she deeply loves a boy
as if he's from her books
way past his words and actions,
way past his looks

ointments of her embrace
and her medicinal laughter
she dreams and doesn't know it
but she's already a doctor

sometimes her puns are die-worthy
yet sometimes they give life
she cures with her compassion
and bandages the strife

people give her their sadness
in return, is happiness, she gave
all will be unnumbered--
those lives which she saved

i liken her to the sun
i liken her to the stars
i liken her to the brightness
outshining the scars of dark hearts

she's no plain jane
she's no ordinary girl
i brought her into my life
and she brought healing to my world
this one is for jane, one of my closest, and literally the closest because we're in the same university. i love you so much jane richelle. especially on my birthday this year; without you i would've been a little down but you picked me right back up! i love you. thank you for being my friend and my healing!
Elaina Oct 2016
One with all

Blessings
To
All

Peace
Love
Life

Perfect knowledge
Recall
Right action

Kind
Helpful
No harm

Forever grateful
Always thankful

Namaste
Amen
Each morning
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