Friday, August 31, 2012

Isaac's Inspiration


Compassionate responsibility is what morality means to me.
Those who seek to scare us are not what I believe Christians to be.
And those who refuse to admit that we are all equally vulnerable
Continue hurting others with their contrived “pull”.

Here I sit in “Santa’s Sleigh” waiting out Hurricane Isaac.
The van has the most important thing, to me, that we lack.
Electricity’s gone out; there’s no hot water for dishes or showers.
I’m reading an  Indian sacred scripture, but can stand it only a few hours.

I’ve watched seagulls sail over the storm-tossed harbor,
And brave (or stupid) sparrows actually flying backwards
I’ve watched lots of people dressed for Nor’easters,
Though we’re actually tropical storm and hurricane receivers.

Some have left the property, probably in search of power;
I don’t know where they think they’ll find it at this late hour.
The worst will be the humid heat in the calm after the storm,
But I know in our vehicles, we can always be cool or warm.

Our niece having trouble facing adult responsibility,
Seems ready to begin thinking about what her life should be.
The storm slowed down her release into her new world;
It remains to be seen if she’s ready to bring woman forth from girl.

A beloved nephew, that we hear from too little, texted me;
How sweet for him to be concerned, though he has a wife and baby.
A very dear friend, who’s relationship shy, has now reported
That she has actually, to a neighbor’s company, resorted.

Yesterday morning, upon awaking, I walked across our bedroom,
Thanked engineers and architects that there was no spot of gloom.
There are windows on both sides to let in light and fresh air
Allowing us to read and write from our bed and favorite chairs.

The building seems quite sound, though walls creak occasionally.
Though the van shakes from side to side, sometimes rather violently,
There are no great trees to fall on us, in the condo’s landscape.
All of this seems to be planned simply for our safety’s sake.

I am so grateful for those who use their skills and talents
To organize all the blessings that we Americans are sent.
We would not be able to trust even the roofs above our heads
If not for the oversight of “the government” that we dread.

Our taxes are a way to make sure that we are all safe
From the half-baked schemes and plans that our neighbors make.
I do not want to depend on corporate honesty during a crisis;
I prefer an informed, involved citizenry to, on justice, insist.

I felt that everyone should have national disaster insurance
When, with Hurricane Katrina, all of our belongings went.
So many chose not to share the burden of the unknown;
From this selfish culture, so much irresponsibility has grown.

None of us know who is next in receipt of natural disaster;
There are to those who think they will continue in their laughter.
No person or population will ever be truly immune
From fires, floods, tornadoes, mudslides and typhoons.

Our taxpayer dollars provide shelter and meals to eat
When the hurricanes flood our low-lying streets.
Our community system is based on Judeo-Christian justice;
All Abrahamic religions, on helping our neighbors insist.

The old notion is that rulers and clergy were next to God,
And deserved special favors, while on the vulnerable they trod.
In a democracy we understand that what I do affects you;
During crises we see who, to these values, holds true.


Sharing burdens with “the government” acting as arbiter
Is what, I believe, our rules of citizenship are for.
We must start holding responsible our friends and neighbors,
Rather than allowing the “connected” and “pitiful” special favors.


Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Get a Grip

This week is full of drama, none of it for a good cause;
The media likes any reason to, into our fears, sink their claws.
Because we all remember Hurricane Katrina's destruction,
The reporters are building frenzy, with no moral compunction.

It took me all of two minutes to prepare for the storm;
I moved my lawn chair and birdhouse from potential harm.
We purposely downsized our property obligation
When we moved back here, to a tropical location.

We lost all but our lives and loves when Hurricane Katrina hit;
We've again accumulated more than we need, bit by bit.

We will not spend our senior years hanging onto strife,
Hysterically buying the unfounded fears of the old wife.

We now have the great pleasure of watching nature's fury;
When storms threaten, there is no reason to hurry.
The whole area takes a holiday from everyday endeavors
Every so often, it's true, we are a bit too slow and clever.

We seem to have become a country energized by fear,
No longer working to protect what we say we hold dear.
We sit around like old women of past ages complaining,
Building fear and hatred; that is so energy draining.

Fear mongers create a sense that there isn't enough;
We need more people who have minds that are tough.
To soothe the masses by organizing community;
Only then will our country, from hysterics, be free.

What happened to the citizens who didn't seek to blame
"Acts of God" on someone on whom to make legal claims? 
Are we soon going to sue our own country's taxpayer base
For all of the problems of being part of the human race?

All of these fear-mongers want to be prophets of doom;
Causing citizens to act in fear gives them a power bloom.

Fear brings us back to being purely instinctive animal;
Then, they move in and set themselves up as the rule.

I will not be reduced to a quivering mass of fear;
My posesseions were never what I've held most dear.
My  family has only ever been lent to me;
Even property has been, from true ownership, free.

Because I have lived so in the here and now,
I will not, to the fears of others take a bow.
Never will I stop questioning the opinions
Of those who seem to be fear and hatred's minions.

Where is our compassion without drama; where is our faith?
We find too many to blame ; we're all part of the human race.
We convince ourselves that if we, ourselves, behave well
We will enjoy heaven while those we blame will go to hell.

I don't have the arrogance to believe I can pray away
The forces of the universe that are already in play.
I do not believe or accept that my Spirit of Divinity
Is busy planning all these disasters to punish me.

I believe it is my duty, as every day comes to pass
To live it in love, as if it may be my very last.
This way of living keeps me free of the guilt
On which I believe all fear of loss is built.
















Monday, August 27, 2012

Secrets of Success

Understanding inspiration is more important than
Adhering to the rules of another generation's plan.
Assimilating the past is an important part of progress;
Without knowing history, we continue to regress.

But, when I question our ways, I continue being pointed
To historians, rather than to the new prophets anointed.
Do we really believe that Divinity hasn't "spoken"
To anyone since Jesus, Muhammed, or John Smith were god/men's tokens?

Has "God" been a misogynist since that beginning of time?
If so, to what plateaus should women attempt to climb?
I cannot see reasons for continuing to try following Christianity,
If from, the voices of wisdom, my presence will be free.

The religions have fought mothers' power to their own detriment;
They've destroyed all honor of authority, their disrespect was constant.
Aren't we tired of the swing of the pendulum from gods to goddesses?
Are we ready for the conversation that each faction may dread?

We all lose when we deny the strength or value of another,
We all have a place, be we father, mother, sister, or brother.
But each place is dependent on individual talents and grace
That makes us each a unique part of the whole human race. 

Let those who have only past ways and scriptures to adhere
Stop destroying the values that we now hold most dear.
The problem is that most don't reveal their failed experiments;
They only publish the successes that they are sent. 







Suffering in Solitude


We all must eventually accept the rights of others to suffer;
My objection is when they want me available as a buffer.
People often say they love another, and still do wrong,
While throwing tantrums or whining in a baby's sing-song.
Do they know what they do to the other's compassion,
When they style their behaviors in a false victim's fashion?

Consequences for one's own actions is the way to learn,
But our lack of consistent values is reason for concern.
We have created a society in which we're expected
To support others in following behaviors we've rejected.
I am not angry; I don't hate; but I'm finally done
With those who don't respect what I have become

Jesus was very clear that he wanted his disciples to stay
Away from his final suffering, as he began to pray.
This is compassionate bravery of the highest kind;
Claiming one's chosen suffering as simply mine.
Why do others become angry with our solitude?
Is it because we don't please them with our mood?

I am happy for those who see "God an an old man,
And for those to whom Jesus is their best friend.
I simply seek the light in the eyes of all of those
In whom justice and compassion together repose.
No more will I allow false words to fill my ears;
Positive action is the only "voice" I will hear.

I have gone into the emotional desert to pray,
To find the answer to where my new mission lay.
The path seems to point to where my faith began,
Before it was perverted by words and actions of man.
I am free from their guilt and have thrown off the shame;
To my manifestations of The Spirit, I now lay claim.














Saturday, August 25, 2012

That Good Example Garbage

I stopped believing in the authority of religion when I was six years old, but had to pretend to believe until I was twenty-four. This was simply survival, a hypocrisy for which I felt guilty. I pretended in order to protect myself, but I felt until today that this left my little brothers and sisters to seek anarchy.

Today, I set myself free from all the pressure to "be a good example" to my little brothers and sisters, and to the rest of the world. The fake "Christian" thing just isn't working for me in my life. This is because too many "Christians" love to lay their sins on the alter of the cross of Jesus without understanding that his very human sacrifice of himself was to absolve us from the sins we didn't commit. It was to absolve us of the sins our ancestors committed.

We who are under the new covenant, are told that there is no peace with The Almighty without peace with creation, especially other humans. Those that hurt me, and refuse to talk it through, obviously would prefer to have no relationship with me. According to Jesus in the gospel of Matthew, I may now treat them like heathens and tax collectors.

I don't want to kill heathens and tax collectors; I simply want them to leave me alone. 

If

If you love someone, set them free.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Discussions and Divinity

We need look no further than the American slaves
For proof that wealth is not an indication of being saved.
How gratefully they sang for every blessing of every day;
How heartfelt the love in the words they had to say.

What about the Jews who were enslaved, too?
Perhaps their faith is how they became the chosen few.
India followed a man of compassion to lead to the grace
Of escaping masters who were enslaving their race.

Those who followed the Christianity of Martin Luther King
Have given our country new freedom of which we now sing.
And women who are joining forces in loving one another
Are creating opportunities to serve, other than being a mother.

It is the faith in the Divinity in each of us that gives us strength,
To stand together for the justice for which humanity is meant.
It is time for all those suffering under monetary power's boot
To stop believing that this power has Divinity at its root.

We have been given individual voices, and freedom of speech;
This is so that we can communicate to learn and to teach.
Stop parroting words that you heard from fathers and mothers;
Think of how your actions and words are affecting others.

How do the words you hear apply to your experience?
Don't repeat them unless, in your world, they make sense.
When we hear the truth about what happened to each of us,
Maybe we'll find new solutions for our problem to discuss.








Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Path to Peace


There are many who helped to form my soul;
I've lost all contact with most of them.
It takes a great deal of spiritual energy
To nurture someone as a friend.

I have a sense of being quite blessed
By the many people who have let me in.
Hearts open to emotional give and take
Are how friends and soul mates begin.

I have a tendency to question most activity;
Before I join in, I want it explained to me.
There are those who follow and those who lead;
To understand my leaders is my need.

"A life unexamined is not worth living," may be true;
We must pay close attention to what we say and do,
And also closely watch others go about their day.
You learn a great deal when you have little to say.

And most people must need a person who will listen
It comes to where you'll hear people's confessions.
You don't have to seek this; you won't want to know
What people were ashamed to others show.

I have found quite recently that most don't know
The reasons for their beliefs or how they want to grow.
I was always aware of life's contradictions;
Revealing these alienated many of my family and friends.

I have no more illusions about the sanctity
Of words and actions meshing in our society.
The religious creeds aren't about what we do;
They're about how to recognize our own few.

The Ten Commandments were for the unity
Within the new people that had come to be.
We spout them, break them, and forgive ourselves,
But the harm we do, still in other souls dwells.

The Biblical history from the beginning of mankind
Was a cautionary tale of the results of being unkind.
Until we are ready to make ourselves vulnerable, 
We'll continue in the fear with which our hearts are full.

Fear begets hatred of what we don't understand;
Common language and values are needed in a clan.
Our scriptures have become a Tower of Babel,
Creating excuses and fear, instead of living the rules.

Abraham's people still believed in blood sacrifice.
Moses wrote many of laws for how to be like The Christ.
The people condensed the laws down to the basic twelve,
In which they felt their people could peacefully dwell.

There continued to be much dissension in the ranks;
A Jewish leader came, for which I give thanks. 
He proclaimed that the fighting was to cease;
Only two basic laws were needed to make peace.

If we follow the laws of Divinity with our full souls,
Compassion for other people will make us whole.
Not to all had the grace of pursuing peace been sent,
So he did not break the laws of earthly government.

He allowed himself and the two thieves to die,
In keeping with the laws of earth that did apply.
He also allowed Judas to take his own life.
Was this to keep his disciples from vengeful strife?

He left a message with all of us, Gentile and Jew;
He had shown us the only way to a peace that is true.
By living lives that support earthly harmony,
Missionaries and martyrs for justice show this to me.

This is living "Sacred Scripture" happening in our lives;
We must put all need for different creeds aside.
In each others' actions, there are many bits of The Christ
Following the path to peace, we, our own blood, sacrifice.












Monday, August 20, 2012

Spiritual Sparks

The sun, the rain, even hurricanes are imbued with Spiritual sparks.
Though we may not understand the language, this is how The Spirit "talks."
If every day is a Spiritual gift, no matter what we have to face,
Will we not accept that death and destruction are a way to build new life?

Pain is not punishment or judgement on our actions;
It is simply a stress that can lead to universal growth.
Facing stress with fear locks up the positive power
That can help us feel one with earth's re-birth contractions.

If every day we live our lives as if it is our last day on earth,
Will we not focus on loving instead of on our animal fears?
When we allow The Spirit to guide all our thoughts and actions,
We know that this strength will take us even through our deaths.

The energy we receive in this life does not disappear at death;
In its transformation, it goes on to feed the universe .
The tiniest spark of goodness that you shared with another
Will live on in that person's Spirit, lighting a path to peace.

I am not prone to praying for the storms and pain to pass me by;
I am more prone to praying for strength to accept their affects.
My most useful prayer is in looking for the growth that will come,
Rising from the rubble of my own, my people's, and our planet's pain.

We must let go of earthly attachments in order to grow;
This is most difficult with our children, mates, and families.
It is not easy to say, "I'm ready to let you go or to die."
Given as a gift, not as a sign, of our own apathy.


Sacred Sundays

All week we do for the world at large;
On Sundays we do for each other
The challenges that we've faced alone,
We discuss and look for symmetry.

Often our conversation turns to morals;
We understand each others positions.
We have a shared biblical vocabulary,
But very different action plans.

We were both brought up submersed
In the same version of the same religion.
Our shared values seem to be a product
Of the religion in which we were raised.

He was Jesuit and Franciscan trained;
I, by Dominican Sisters to seek the truth.
And we both had St. Joseph Sisters
In our most formative early years.

It is true that our earliest indoctrination
Bears fruit throughout our full lives.
Could we ever have found peace together
Without the same early training for our souls?

We were children of The Church,
Born to mothers who only bore us
To help the popes continue to build
Their armies of "Soldiers of Christ."

We have both turned away from our religion
Because of the abuses of their power,
But we know that we would not be the same
Without the grounding in our shared faith.

The gratitude we feel for those
Who taught us our religion
Will never be forgotten,
Though our sorrow remains.

Often there have been others
Offering us their own religions,
But we will never be completely
Free from our past spiritual home.





Saturday, August 18, 2012

Blessings and Being

Open your soul.
Feel The Spirit.
Breathe deeply.
Be.

Ask for forgiveness.
Grieve together.
Hug one another.
Be.

Sit together in silence.
Share making a meal.
Feed yourselves and each other.
Be.

Say, "I love you."
Hug one another.
Return to your world.
Do.

Lie down in your bed.
Relive the memories.
Thank The Spirit.
Sleep.


Friday, August 17, 2012

How Can "Christians" Continue to Hate?



How can "Christians" continue to hate in the name of God?
Is it because so much "conversion" is a fraud?
We proclaim our belief in a faith we don't understand
In order to follow, not Jesus, but another earthly plan.

We have bonding rituals that have nothing to do with caring;
Communion tables should be real meals with spiritual sharing.
Not the voice of one priest or prophet and mindless rituals
That leave neither our minds, souls, hearts or bellies full.


Hard hearts in the old law allowed for divorces,
And, presumably, for use of many deadly forces
But the new law seems to point to kinder men,
So the peace of Genesis will, one day, reign again.

Why are "Christian" men still posturing for earthly power
When the consequences seem to get worse by the hour?
What can be worse than possible nuclear annihilation?
Isn't it time to spread The Holy Spirit celebration?


It seems that by only men was the life and the word of the risen lord
Expected to be experienced, interpreted, followed, or even heard.
How do we expect that women and their children will find the way
When it has been so long since women of wisdom had a say?

There are rules to peaceful relationships that seem to be ignored
By the very men that the words of Jesus were apparently meant for.
Is the problem that it's easier to continue to look back
And find, in the old law, reasons, to others, attack?


Where are the compassionate cultural conversations
With the families who have cherished children in other nations?
If all the fighting we do happened in our own country,
Would we be more serious about keeping the peace?


How many more millenia will we repeat the same old stories,
Pretending the the reward from "God" is earthly glory?
The coming together of family around a shared meal
Is a place where we can, The Holy Spirit, share and feel.

But we must have the courage to set a loving tone
Look for answers, not hatred, in our sacred homes.
Listen to each other's challenges in continuing on a holy path;
This may be the only way a world of peace will reign at last.











Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Promoting a Slower Pace

There are times I think life was easier without good medical care;
I wonder if people then cherished each other and each day  more?
When we didn't think all ailments and pain could be corrected,
Did we make the most of each moment of our shared good times?

Children have to be super stars in order to compete;
It matters not how they break and bruise their bodies.
Patch them up and send them out; make others proud
When do we relax and bask in life's pure ecstasy?

It does seem that, as we age, life is lived in the "repair shop."
Too tired to make more memories,  it's good we have so many.
Even the anticipation of another medical miracle
Is too stressful to contemplate, much less to anticipate.


All the wisdom of the ages is now available on the internet,
And people don't need voices; they prefer to text.
There is no more need for eye-to-eye communication,
And the music of shared laughter is now derisive sneers.

Physical contact is now reduced to that of sex partners,
Or the too-soon tainted pure affection shared with a child.
I so miss the touch, sight,, sound and smell of family;
The pace of life leaves no need for kissing and making up.


I cannot even form memories at such a frantic pace
When do we take enough time to fully process a day?
We snap pictures, promising ourselves delayed joy,
But the action has usually gone by too fast for me.

I will now settle for seeing the lives of others
Play out in thier pictures for the world to see.
When I close my eyes I smell, hear, and feel them,
And can again imagine the way our family used to be.

I often think I cry because I can't hold any more emotion;
Life has been much too memorable for one person's poor soul.
All I really care to do anymore is to leisurely reminisce
About the days of innocence of myself and those I love. 

I am not particularly attached to another day of  production;
Lay me down and let me dream about how life used to be.
I still believed in the possibility of universal peace and love,
And, by some magic, I thought I'd die before my energy.











Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Love and Leadership

All humans are made as Chosen Ones,
But because we don't want to be fully human,
From the god spark in each other we turn away;
The innocent and the righteous then become easy prey.
It is so much easier to drag others down
Than it is to rise to the level of Holy Ground.
And it takes little to get a crowd to bond
By waving fear over them, like a magic wand.
Then the fear mongers set themselves up as our saviors
After taking us past the point where we can endure.

I suspect that most of us still believe in a god
Who, when pleased, gives us an earthly reward.
We believe that this god will vanquish our enemies,
Thus showing others how they, too, should be.
This has led to such abuse and misunderstanding;
Treating others with compassion is what my god is demanding.
But we blame the victims born to lesser circumstance,
And try to fix them instead of giving them a chance,
To find their inner strengths and build discipline,
By working beside them as their equals and friends.

Every person of every color is related to me,
But the differences are what we prefer to see.
It makes it easy to categorize people we don't know.
Learning from one another is the only way to grow.
But we're hypocrites who sanction immorality
By not looking at ourselves for what others see.
We claim privilege as the chosen ones,
And of the beliefs of others make great fun.
Where is the basic respect for the image of god
That is in each human who ever, on the earth, trod?

We can't love one another in a disciplined way
Until we learn to keep our own demons at bay.
If the enlightened ones continue to walk the right way,
Their light will keep others from wanting to stray
From the path of self-discipline and righteousness,
And will guide lost souls back when they regress.
Shouting from the rooftops all sacred scripture
Will not spread the word as well as those who endure
The passions of others and lend a hand,
To anyone suffering in the family human.

Monday, August 13, 2012

Anticipation and Afterglow




Anticipation and afterglow are the things that I miss most,
With the ever-busy agendas, running from coast to coast.
There are a few friends that I trust to have consideration
For my life's pace and my sense of moral obligation.
Most want me to catch them for moments on the run;
This has never been my idea of relationships or fun.
How can I know if I really want to be involved then

When I haven't been informed of, or part of, the plan?
Some say this is a need to control the agenda,
But it's really that I am my own primary defender.
One I enter another persons territory or plan
I give up some control of part of who I am.
I've never enjoyed seeing movies when I was by myself;

I don't enjoy parties for me, planned by someone else.
I enjoy the sharing of the build up to excitement,
And the talking about what we saw and where we went
That makes my life feel most settled and secure
When people want me to hurry, I'm rather demure.

I object to being bossed like a dog or a slave;
When I left my marriage I had to act brave.
It was all an act, I didn't want my children to see
The fear, or they would be as scared as me.
How was I to know that modern motherhood
Was a series of surprises, at which I'm not good?

How happy I was when they had children of their own,
And I could relax and enjoy them in my home.
But as their success became their driving force,
I couldn't continue on their ever-faster course.
It is now enough to hear their tales of victory;
Knowing they're responsible citizens is afterglow to me.










Sunday, August 12, 2012

Unexamined Emotions

Is remorse actually a form of self-centeredness?
Is examining one's own actions a form of arrogance?
Are we to put so little value on ourselves
That we understand our actions matter not to others?

The unexamined life is said to be" not worth living"
Jews, including Jesus, taught repentance and remorse.
Can we make amends if we don't think about our parts
In the conflicts with others in which we find ourselves?

And is remorse useful without a plan for change,
In order to keep often repeated conflict at bay?
Repentance can only lead to relationships
When both parties have an equal stake in peace.

We are given permission to walk away from others
If there is not common value in seeking unity.
We still carry on with the unresolved emotions.
Is there no prescription for how to heal ourselves?

It seems it's not only the sins of suffering parents
That are passed on to generations of their progeny,
But also the unresolved emotional turmoil
That, at death, still infects the parents' souls.


Where are the committed church tribunals,
And those who are ready to act as mediators,
To whom do we take our most precious
Problems in our community relationships?


Many finally pull back from contact with society,
Afraid of the burden of causing more pain.
Forgiveness shouldn't mean foolishly
Knocking on a locked door again and again.

The psychologists say it's depression;
The lawyers say it's the end of love;
The penitents say pray for forgiveness.
Who is willing to help heal the breach?

I have no use for magical churches
That use spells and incantations.
Give me communities committed
To resurrecting dying relationships.









Saturday, August 11, 2012

The Divine in Our Time


What people call "atheists" may simply be rejecting
The limiting definitions of the manifestations of Good.
Perhaps what many mean when they say they're atheistic
Is that they don't believe that Divinity can be defined.

Why do we insist on limiting the manifestations of Divinity
To only those that were written about long before our time?
Divinity can't be codified or limited to our own experience.
Is it not time to stop the naming and hating of "heretics"?

It seems that having faith is very much like making soup;
Calling it the same thing doesn't make it taste just the same.
Each person of faith we encounter tells the stories differently;
My religious friends' "Gods" sound mighty different to me.

One speaks of the God of revenge and restitution;
Another speaks of the God of sacrifice and pain.
Even the ones who seem to celebrate The Spirit
Still tend to limit their scope to their own scriptural homes.

How many times are we willing to repeat the "Holy" wars
Before we finally stop allowing human families to be slain?
Are we destined to forever repeat our painful history,
Or are we ready for the world to become the promised land?

Why are we afraid to hear what other people believe?
Why do we get angry when our own beliefs are questioned?
How many of us even understand where our beliefs originate?
How many of us know the sins of our own faith's history?

It seems that all faiths have a journey from fear of the unknown
To a place where the faith must go forward or it will die.
Growth is never comfortable; it takes much introspection
In order to plan the way that will lead us in a forward path.

Why do we insist on appointing others to study and think for us?
Don't we know that faith is shared in ways that agree with words?
Awe of The Almighty Universal Energy that sparks all life
Is an act of life-affirming adoration, unlike the culture of fear.

Faith is shared person-to-person, looking at the soul in one's eyes;
Teaching is best done in wondering and working side-by-side.
What we daily experience is what we most learn to live;
Words are subject to interpretation based on our own beliefs.

I'll heed the words of the people who daily celebrate,
And share their own blessings with a sense of gratitude.
I'll follow the leader who is singing while laboring,
Sharing in the burdens of those that their societies shun.











Friday, August 10, 2012

Democracy and Depravity

One doesn't have to be a Communist to distrust unfettered competition;
Jealousy and a desire to possess put our world in its current position.
Adam and Eve were jealous of  unneeded universal knowledge,
And Cain killed his brother Abel to satisfy a jealous grudge.

It seems to be that mindless competition is the root of our downfall;
Climbing up on vanquished others doesn't actually make one tall.
The secret of true strength is to maximize each other on a team.
This will not only build community; it builds our self-esteem.

The rules of successful community are written in the commandments,
But there are many greedy souls who don't give others a chance.
They seem to want to always be the top of the community heap;
Once they achieve power, their evil they begin to reap.

They then make themselves into monarchs pretending to protect
The shoulders on which they stand, but otherwise reject.
They hide behind the system which worships earthly gain.
If we continue not to call them out, will only they remain?

We must be willing to all become community builders,
Not using religion, race, gender or creed as our filters.
We are not England or a European nation of kings;
We are strong because we assimilate many disparate things.

Let us begin to actively support diversity of strengths,
And join together to tear down the monarchical pretense.
There is no such thing as a "government" program in democracy;
No person or corporation should exempt themselves from paying fees.

The people receiving their social security checks today
Did not contribute what, from our budget, we now must pay.
The babies born before they are ready to live on their own
Will take much from the medical system, statistics have shown.

The people who don't want babies, they only want unfettered sex,
We refuse to pay for society, from their fertility, to protect.
But we continue to pay much to try to rescue the child
That will probably never be more productive than animals in the wild.

The weapons that kill many who are supporting their young
Are taking resources from which humanitarian efforts could be wrung.
If we want true equality and justice in our world and nation,
We must have companies bonded on teamwork instead of corporations.

For every service and every program we want for ourselves
There is accompanying cost on which we'd rather not dwell.
Taxpayers should be able to count on everyone paying his or her way,
Not exempting those who have the most political sway.

The answer is not in mindless protests to say what we won't do;
The answer is in asking on what effort each of us is willing to crew.
Every decision should be based on acceptance of responsibility;
There aren't any solutions that come to us completely free.

"God" may provide, but does so with our human hands;
The sharing of our strengths is what true humanity demands.
The belief that some are born to lead and some to be enslaved
Has, for too many generations, kept humanity depraved.










Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Demand Democracy




Our republic has long-since stopped representing me.
Is our still-young country now ready for democracy?
Are we ready to grow up, and stop looking for human saviors?
As free adults, we are all responsible for our own behaviors.

Our country was not created to be led by corporations,
And the constitution left out those from lower stations.
We have the ability and right to fix it in these times
By refusing to backslide in our equality climb.

The conversation in our country is full of abject fear,
Instead of the values that we each hold most dear.
Perhaps it's time to take our history books off the shelf.
It is still true that the only "thing to fear is fear itself."

The Bible tells of centuries of "eye for eye" and "tooth for tooth",
But this only leads to more bloodshed, is the eternal truth.
We are told to love our enemies. In the Divine earthly plan,
Love begins with the attempt to, their grievances, understand.

We ridicule those who want to have fruitful conversations,
Instead of riding out to destroy or conquer other nations.
How many of us have read the histories of other faiths?
Without knowledge, how can we justify hating other races?

There is so much similarity in the stories of all families;
Things go wrong when we confuse our wants with needs.
Perhaps the real reason for so much natural disaster
Is to bring out the best in people that we see shortly after.

Let us learn from our service people what they have to say
About the families they met while they were far away.
If we would ask them about their lives in other places
We may see our family values in these non-white faces,


We don't need pundits and politicians who create fear;
More individuals need personal missions that are clear.
Perhaps we should stop participating in religious wars.
Isn't this what Christianity is supposed to be for?

Perhaps Israel should not be a country, but a state of mind;
To the possibility of heaven on earth we continue to be blind.
I believe my country of birth has the greatest potential
To solve the ongoing problems that are so elemental.

We went through killing each other over slavery and greed;
Corporations have created an underclass of unjust need.
The only way to break the cycle of an unjust nation
Is to bond together in our democracy's celebration.

We must speak out in informed, intelligent conversation
About our vision for our world and our own nation.
True change in all nations comes from peaceful protest;
Rallies for true democracy are what I humbly suggest.

We must take back our country from career politicians,
Becoming educated enough to make wise decisions.
We must make our voices heard above the corporations;
Lack of personal responsibility is what's killing our nation.

I am willing to wager my life that there are still those
Who, like our founding fathers, to national service, are disposed.
What about our billionaires serving in other countries?
Don't we think they may serve their own country for free?

The old folks must stop resenting being asked to step away,
And the young must be open to what the elders have to say.
But as long as every conversation begins with fear and anger,
Our country and world will continue to be in grave danger.

Let's begin with respectful listening to others' ideas,
Stop turning into anger all our unwarranted fears.
And if we are angry at anyone, let it be our obligation
To use that energy to break the cycle of fear ruling our nation.

We must put down our drugs, our alcohol, and our guns;
If we bond together, peacefully, we can't all be made to run.
We are killing ourselves to hide our righteous passion;
I've heard a purpose-driven life is now all the fashion.

No revolution goes forward without the bright flame
Of those who will no longer accept more of the same.
This is not now the time to pray for personal peace;
This is the time to unite to help make injustice cease.







Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Creeds and Greed

That all creation is a sacred trust; when will we understand
It is only lent for safekeeping to the homo sapiens?
We must realize that all of ownership is but an illusion, 
Ancient humans had already reached that conclusion.

Those who insist on absolute ownership deny
The richness of creation to all outside their tribes.
Despots make rules to keep others at bay,
Not even obeying what they, themselves, say.

Creeds are often used as a means to exclude,
More than they're about who we include.
I would rather have a great big tent
To whom all those needing boundaries are sent.

I don't set the rules, but I accept
There may be reasons to, others, reject.
Some want nothing but anarchy,
So that they're free from community.


There is no anarchy in animal tribes
There's always a leader behind whom others hide.
But even the animals won't follow those
Who don't follow rules that, on others, they impose


We can't accept any who easily dispose
Of the rules our community will propose.
They may get expelled if they refuse to adhere
To the values that our community holds most dear.

There will always be a place at the table
For those who want to hear the fables
That are simply communication tools
For sharing of the boundaries and rules.

We are like sheep following wolves
Who consume, rather than protect, our young
It is time that we create new heroes
About whom our hymns will being sung.

Let's sing of the dedicated fathers and mothers
Who are faithful to community and to each other.
There is no greater bravery than making a stand
In bringing up children to be responsible humans.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Chivalry and Civilization


As a woman who has paid dearly for the progress women have made since the early sixties, I am passionately involved in the quest to pass on the lessons learned without swinging the pendulum back to the days before women had any legal rights. As long as young women continue to want to invent everything on their own, with no protection or guidance from those who have gone before, our society is in grave danger of backsliding. I'm not interested in continuing conversations that don't attempt to include our male partners who have held to the lessons of the ages for nurturing of the human animal. 

Every girl who has reached her menarche is vulnerable to being forced into motherhood. Every woman gestating a child, every mother still caring for children is vulnerable, and needs some source of outside protection. Women are refusing to take our men to task, using them as toys as the men pretend to be vulnerable. DNA testing has given us way to assign legal responsibility for paternity. It is time that we also demand moral (responsible) behavior from our men. When young women stop shunning the strengths of the matriarchs, we will bring men in line.

I strongly believe that chivalry has a place in our society, even today. I believe it is the responsibility of women to demand nothing less from our men, and to teach our partners and sons to act in such a manner. I'd like the matriarchs who have fought for our families and our freedoms to come together to form a new direction for our society, one that includes the voices and strengths of males and females, young and old, rich and poor. 

The soul of civilized society is at stake. I believe that chivalry is the way to form a protective barrier around the vulnerable while the individual members of society grow strong enough to contribute. We must mobilize or shun our men. I would prefer to mobilize mine, even though he is an old lion who, by rights, should be able to now rest. We have granddaughters, so we won't rest until we know that we have done all in our power to secure a moral vision based on responsibility for ourselves and our universal community.

We may have peace wrapped in the warm arms of our sisters and mothers, but there are still important battles to be fought by the women warriors who are finished using our awesome energy to protect our own young in a world full of soulless animals. 

"The Knight's Code of Chivalry was a moral system that stated all knights should protect others who can not protect themselves, such as widows, children, and elders. All knights needed to have the strength and skills to fight wars in the Middle Ages. Knights not only had to be strong but they were also extremely disciplined and were expected to use their power to protect the weak and defenceless. Knights vowed to be loyal, generous, and "noble bearing". Knights were required to tell the truth at all times and always respect the honour of women. Knights not only vowed to protect the weak but also vowed to guard the honour of all fellow knights. They always had to obey those who were placed in authority and were never allowed to refuse a challenge from an equal. Knights lived by honor and for glory. Knights were to fear God and maintain His Church. Knights always kept their faith and never turned their back on a foe. Knights despised pecuniary reward. They persevered to the end in any enterprise begun. The main vow from the knights was that they shall fight for the welfare of all.[1]"

^ Davis, Alex (2004). Chilvary, and Romance in the English Renaissance. Woodcock, Matthew... from Wikipedia

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Surrendering Sanity


Why is it that women have to act stark-staring crazy to convince those we love the most that they need to take definitive action? Have we made a terrible mistake with all of our love coming from the same well as our mothering? Whoever came up with the concept that men protect women, but that men need no protection certainly was never in a real marriage.

I thought I was through with mothering when my children made it clear that they wanted no further help with mothering their children. I have long known about myself that the only people on earth that I was willing to give my life for were my children and (if necessary) their children. I reasoned that this was because I had responsibility for bringing innocent souls into this not-so-innocent world. I have found out that I was sorely mistaken.

My long-suffering husband waited in the wings for over twenty years for me to mother him with the full intensity of my passion. He had saved me from financial ruin, supported me while I mothered countless relatives and neighbors, held me when I was nothing but a husk, and drained of all energy in my soul.

The cost to him seemed to matter little. Never did he complain. Even my efforts, and those of my family and our friends, to save his life were really more about my need for him than about his hanging on to his own life. He seems to take all of life, including death, in stride. He has said that he refuses to live a life of fear. He allowed me to handle all the fear while he continued to provide. He even had every insurance one could imagine to protect me when he's gone.

When I began to feel like the burden was too great, I simply lay down and handed it all to him. He has been handling it, but I still felt scared. I tried laughing, crying, screaming. writing, and singing  out my anxiety. None of it did any good until I did all of these things at the same time, and threatened to abandon him. Now, he's paying attention and accepting help in finding answers. It only took five years of lunatic behavior. How was I to know that I had to surrender my sanity for him to understand how much I love him? Maybe as much as I love my children, because I've certainly gone insane more than once for them.


Saturday, August 4, 2012

Flashbacks and Family

It is so sad that every memory stored has a good side and a bad;
The events that have given me the most joy also make me sad.
Sometimes it is for opportunities lost or grief over change
There is even grief that no two of us remember events the same.

So much of my life I can't remember because we had little peace;
When crisis is a constant companion, memories tend to decrease.
But all the memories must be there, hidden under the veneer
Of the memories I've been avoiding because of things I fear.

I came back on a pilgrimage back through my childhood,
Attempting to face, with adult strength, the evil and the good.
The pain seems to have hold of my feet, dragging me down again.
When I am finished this journey, will any of me remain?

Can any therapy take away the pain caused by my divorces?
They not only affected me, but set my childrens' courses.
Will I ever again  find comfort in family and community,
Or will I continue to be crippled by the dangers that I see?

Am I a prophet without honor in my own family's homes?
Or am I an adulteress that deserves to be stoned?
I can find nobody who looks like me in sacred scripture;
This is why I turn for answers to other literature.

Paul was very happy to talk about his own life;
Where are the stories of overcoming family strife?
We hold our family stories as secrets not to be revealed;
How can we expect our communities to ever become healed? 

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Pax Vobiscum

Ahhh! Sunset on the water...

I pray that we save
The flag of the brave
Over the waves.

Of the sun that shines,
Yours and mine,
Over The Spirit's line.


We're all the same,
Whatever god we claim;
Divinity has no name.

Day is done;
Gone the sun;
Peace has begun.

Amen.

 

Life and Strife

Recently, a friend said to me that he is at the point in his life
That he wants his conversations with the like-minded and his wife.
I presume that this is to avoid too much emotional strife.

He used to be a warrior, afraid to approach and fight nothing;
He's now an old, tired lion, with the limits that this brings.
But his passion for justice in our nation still seems to sing.

He shared with me his concerns about the path of society;
His problem is the pace of the changes, it seems to me.
I was honored to hear his stories of his part in our history.

His wife continues to work as a visiting medical hero;
Their military daughter, our country's compassion shows.
I felt, in their peaceful presence, my soul begin again to grow.

I then visited a couple who continue in the old ways;
On the land of their ancestors, they continue to stay.
For more of this salt of the earth, I will always pray.

They tilled the fields and milked the cows for many years;
They also had to bring in cash for the bills that would appear.
She tended home; he worked away. He's now, at home, content to stay.

This is domestic partnering in the best and greatest sense;
There are no gender roles or posturing and pretense.
This seems, to me, to be that for which marriage was meant.

I have had much exposure to those who lead by example
The joy of their lives is great; with pain, their hearts  have also been full.
The blessings to me, in their sharing, has been more than ample.

I've thought many times that my love and I had arrived
At a place where we and our loved ones would always thrive,
But change seems to be the point of some of our being alive.

I am so sorry to my friends and various relations
That we seem to constantly abandoning our life's stations.
Perhaps adaptation to crisis is our assigned obligation.

Have they ever considered that we, too, would like to relax
And have a time when our values weren't attacked?
But societal changes continue to challenge the facts.

Societies look for differences instead of areas of agreement.
Is this, for what, our considerable brains were meant?
And, if so, why were the prophets and Jesus sent?

I am continually tired of hearing so much dissonance
That it's hard for me, of our supposed values, to make sense.
But I cannot go back to our agreement in values pretense.


I don't know how to be myself without causing strife.
My greatest fear at this age and station in my life
Is that my beloved will finally reject me as his wife.