Muslims,
Islam, the religion that overcame
The period of Jahiliyyah, of Ignorance
That overcame the saying
"We do so because we saw our forefathers doing so"

Islam expelled that ignorance of blindly believing
Islam ENCOURAGES thinking

So why?
Why have we become a community, that is Muslim,
’Only because our parents were?'

Muslims,
This is Jahiliyyah.
This is ignorance.

And that is completely against the rules of Islam.

We have become an Ummah, a Muslim community
That is endangering mankind
Because of the fact
That we are not being very Muslim

We are Muslim,
Because Islam is perfect
Because it only guides us to what is right
It shows us the healthy way
Physically
Mentally
Spiritually
It keeps society together

All of us should realize that
For ourselves
Like first nature

And relieve Munkar and Nakir
That we are true believers.

And if you think Muslims persecute others
You can put that out of your mind
Cuz in Islam's book of rights
You have religious freedom
You are only Muslim if you WANT TO BE

And you're not allowed to force anybody.

Pimple popping
Lathered deodorant
Awkward tampons
Hair in unwanted places
Drunken nights
Failed hangover cures
Flunked classes
Broken hearts
First kisses and first times
Rebounds
Hookups
Hickeys
Rushes of frustration
These are all
unglamorous occasions
Of a not so florescent
Adolescence

bored faced, roaming the neon panels
I've got my backpack & wallet
I've got my self

25% off faces looking bored at me
weird convo's about the government
and TV shows litter the bell jar mall

the mannequins look down at me

bored faced janitor
bored faced mom & kids
bored faced teenager working the CD store

the infinity mall echoes
a muffled boredom roar

the mall is everything to everyone
"whatever you want"
"how can I help you"

*I want to go home right now

Dark and dangerous damsels all!
Harken my heed to The Hall!
There you'll find your broken man
Once so steady, word in hand
Chivalrous intentions still persist,
Would-be lovers yet insist
Hear this claim throughout the land
Heartbreak has made its final stand.

First kiss lies you put upon
His love-struck desire openly drawn
Clever whispers, tokens of deceit
Offer false promise, a life complete
Should he ever since true love find
Stoic, honorable, warm and kind
Instead a woman forging frozen heat
Herself all others she doeth cheat.

Your truths belie deceptive folly
Words disgrace values melancholy
The plays and acts of your selfish charm
Cannot try dissuade his sharp alarm
You’ve duly sung your siren's song
He’s awakened thus! And leaped headlong
No halting now from hero’s harm
His pain, eternal efforts to disarm.

Heroes have reached long for your heart
Gentry ambitions caused noble start
Lady Deception has lain her claws
Directly tearing virtuous cause
She cannot help herself, it seems
Her temperamental manner schemes
The love inside must surely die
From both the suitor and her lie
Nothing left save bitter dreams
O’ hollow silent endless screams.


Heroes die many of macabre accord
Falling upon their daunted sword
Worthless promise she has vowed
Nothing more than Vesta's shroud
Young men’s promise to hold true
Has been destroyed, Alas! By the few
Tarts and trollops plague the crowd
Harsh lessons ‘ere romance once proud

True love’s cunning and deceitful face
Condemned Sampson rout the Temple place!
By serpent’s tongue she doth speak
Where only true love he doth seek
Ill-mannered maids feign mystery
While decent men test history
Release me from thy maiden's bane
And surrender myself, devoted, again
To summit true love's crowning  peak
No folly left,
Mine heart is weak.

Upon this dream I shall die
Amid a broken hero's cry
Heed all acting faithfulness
With all one's heart must profess
Love is not a sword to parry
T’is but a gift, a song to carry
Take from these words my heart and sing
Of not cruelty, strife, or suffered King
No blood upon his battle dress
Valiant pursuits across mine chest.

One becomes two,
two becomes three,
but but but wait
go on and on and on and...

1,2,3 go again,
1,2,3 go again,
1,2,3 go again,
you see I can't help being on repeat.
repeat. repeat.
Do it again. again. again.

1,2,3 go again,
1,2,3 go again,
1,2,3 go again,
you see I can't help being on repeat.
repeat. repeat.
Do it again. again. again.

Now lock your door,
nope unlock it again,
now lock your door,
nope unlock it again.

1,2,3 do it again. again. again.
1,2,3 do it again. again. again.
1,2,3 do it again. again. again.

...

OCD yep on no here I go again.
again. again.

**© 2017 By Amanda Shelton

the look of words - in any language - across a page
brings to mind the gestures of dances
slow, or wildly free
a waltz, perhaps, or
an arabesque
a twyla tharp choreography or
a martha graham ballet
an earthy folk dance
a Japanese kabuki,
a Chinese dragon or lion dance

some lines of words also look like music
some, like wind instruments
others are a slow walk to anywhere
(which is a dance, too)
the flow of words takes us with it
expresses through music and gesture
so much more than their definitions
are sacred sounds expressed through
movement across a page,
across an invisible divide between you and me,
over a mountain range on elephants,
to conquer a heart

and satisfy a soul


c. 2017 Roberta Compton Rainwater