Your country has laws
freedom and rights
that lead to the courts
who settle up fights
You think it’s a given
yet see it unfair
determined and driven
but going nowhere
A victim of racism
keeps you beneath
prevented by sexism
seeking relief
being gay is illegal
in the land of Qatar
women ain’t equal
put behind bars
Issue ultimatum
as if it’s our place
try and persuade them
it’s all in poor taste
We used to invade them
back in the day
a land they’ve retaken
to get their own way
But now we are forcing
the way of the west
without our armed forces
because we know best
We had no right
to rule over them
this time we’re polite
as we do it again
It isn’t our place
it never will be
so as for poor taste
how stupid are we
It springs like rain on mown grass
Winds murmur over quiet pines
No hoofbeats of horseman lost
No limpid water from deep springs
oasis lift from arid sand.
Barbarian rides past towers without watchman
Deep thunder in mountain thrown up
Footprints of the darkness
stone like starkness
Harrowing & unhalting.
Grand inquisitor, earth's jailhouser
coverned deep and iron ringed
submerged in auto-cage of steal
Far from end and near to nowhere
lifting our heads to the light of God:
Spare my family and friends, thou great
keeper of souls
In its direness and darkness
footprints of light, our bodies taken,
our self retaken,
wastelands of ruins heaped with ash
mea culpa, mea culpa
Sometimes life circumstances force us,
To observe a loved one who has drifted away.
I oft reason why the occasion was thus,
And motivation for his impulse to stray.
Was it unforseen things on life's plate,
Or his inability to endure daily stress.
Whatever his rational I'll never berate,
Placing merit on choices or second guess.
For I journeyed not one step in Joe's shoes,
Or had to experience firsthand his troubles.
Was it the incubus of Viet Nam I oft muse,
Or did losing children leave life as stubble.
I'll acknowledge he's endured a lot in life,
Albeit much by his own hand's fashion.
The sin of alcohol, war, or matrimonial strife,
Has left family with only love and compassion.
Knowing that lost years can ere be retaken,
Leave just memories framing most days sad.
But love and forgiveness will not be shaken,
For he's still our missing brother and dad.
served four tours in Viet Nam and missing since 1984
See, the stars are heading towards mars
The faithfuls are hungry over mass
And the nation's treasury needs a political pass.
Broken pieces of human dignity
Lies scattered on the earth of greed.
Able bodied men strangling themselves to feed,
Still corpse leave messages of futility.
To hell to this life of mischief
Life is sweet but so brief.
Hopes must awaken,
Lost glories must be retaken.
Fallen trees must rise
To this call, so be wise.
Weightless feeling, remembrance of something new
Total disregard for pain receptors, a tangled wire
A recaptured moment in time, a retaken picture
A rescind into misery, but it is okay. It’s normal
Applause for the inner vacuum, devouring entirely
A recap on events that have yet to take place
Some call it seeing into the future. “Prophecies”
But the truth of the matter is, history repeats itself
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