The world's a dirty mess
we're ready for some much awaited intervention
~ settings more than gentle cycle
Wordku: 5-7-5 words
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
Whistle echoes in the tunnel
then smoke belches upwards
as the train halts at the platform
Disgorging its passengers
before porters offload baggage
Cases, trunks, sacks – all claimed
But no
There on the platform two suitcases
Side by side, travelling twins of no fixed abode
Ace of Spades on one, King of Hearts on the other
Unnoticed
Porters distracted as the cavalcade announces its arrival
Guard of honour, red carpet, bowed heads -
trappings of power and privilege
Gliding through the booking hall
onto the platform
Glancing left not right
Two suitcase stand forlorn
Something stirs within
in an instant, carnage
No train
No platform
No power
No privilege
The end of monarchy
The start of republic
Suitcase slaughter
Suitcase solution
I am completely detached from that situation. I did not play any role in creating the issue at hand. My focus today is solely on discovering a viable solution.
Why is there such a tendency to place all the blame on artificial intelligence?
In reality, AI empowers us, providing both confidence and clarity as we craft our creative works. When we relied solely on paper currency, we faced the risk of theft, and then credit cards emerged as a safer alternative. Many people continue to voice their concerns, but I fail to see anything inherently wrong with embracing AI in our processes.
I recognize that for some traditional poets, the rapid evolution of technology can feel daunting and overwhelming. Yet, adapting to these changes is essential. I remember when computers first entered the healthcare field to assist in tracking patients' medications. I felt a wave of apprehension at first; however, I can now confidently say that this technology has been a tremendous blessing, making it much easier for me to capture my thoughts and ideas on paper."
Borders are lines drawn in dust,
but the wails of war ride the wind—
no map can contain a scream.
War does not choose a side;
it is a fire that devours both hearth and forest.
One body may bleed,
but the other's soul turns to ash.
From far behind velvet curtains
and polished screens,
war looks like a chessboard—
moves, strategy, gain.
But at the front,
it is the breaking of mothers,
the hollowing of eyes,
the earth drinking youth
like a thirsty beast.
To desire war
is to kiss the mouth of a storm
and expect calm.
It is to strike a match
and pray for shade.
To crave war
is to summon violence,
and violence
has never cradled peace.
Violence is never the solution—
it is the echo of failure,
the shatter of reason,
the road that leads nowhere
but ruin.
(“Loyalty Merit Badge”, 2010, original oil)
A Simple Solution
The world is full of woe
Always has, and always will
So it’s incumbent on us
To find a way through.
A simple solution is to find a dog
Dogs generally give far more than they take
And as such are a source of solace
As well as a good example to follow.
Specifically find a pug
They were made for laps and pleasant walks
For endless hours of gentle napping
And years of bottomless giving.
The world is full of woe
It always has, and always will
But that doesn’t mean we can’t find a moat
To keep the woe at bay.
And that moat requires a team
Designed to not only survive, but thrive
Family and friends,
And at least a loyal canine or two.
(4/4/25)
I am a collector of worthless things
How they pile up I have no inkling
I clean out my junk drawer at two o’clock
It is crammed full of extra things by two fifteen.
Do others have this problem?
What solution have you found?
Would it work for me?
Bear in mind I refuse to throw away anything
And a husband who stuffs all his extra stuff into drawers.
In desperate hours, when darkness reigns
And worldly treasures seem forever lost in vain
When power and wealth, like fleeting dreams, dissolve
Leaving me forsaken, with no way to evolve
Show me the path, O guiding light
That pierces through life's plodding night
When metaphysical forces hold sway
And all my efforts end in disarray
My wealth, a worthless trinket, cannot save
My certificates, like autumn leaves, wither and wave
When situations, like unyielding mountains, tower high
And everywhere is blocked, with no escape to the sky
Oh, my creator, show me the path
Lead me through the right way, where love and hope forever last
Let me be a solution provider, a beacon in the night
Let me be great, not in pride or fame, but in the wisdom to guide others to the light
Show me the path, that I may lead the way
And in the darkness, be a shining ray
Oh, my maker, show me the path.
The key to happiness is to stop looking for such key
Cause no such key unlocks the happiness you seek
Your “key” is to shuteye for a key
Make your key to your lock
To expect is to dream
And to dream is to expect
Setting up standards you don't need nor deserve
Because to expect less is to want less
To want less you receive more
(“With Love”, 2017, original encaustic)
Gratitude
In a world of worries
There are always complex problems
And simple solutions.
So easily our habits spin us
Into dizzying heights and depths
Our minds left seeking ways down and out.
When instead all we need do
To find a way through
Is see it with a breath of gratitude.
(11/23/24)
when a solution
with bullets a transfusion
than an execution
Trump shooting Liz Cheney
when Trump will appease
there are others he will tease
other voters seize
In every room I had piles of books,
In all the crannies and all the nooks.
I really needed somewhere for them;
A set of shelves on which to store them.
But they cost too much, I was in the red.
So I went out and sold the books instead
Today’s blessing comes via Bob Marley
who, like me, believed sometimes the simplest solutions
to the problems of the world are before us…in plain sight:
The moment we realize we are
One love
One heart
and we can all get together
we will finally feel all right.
Dilemma- hard to solve;
and often a struggling mind cannot make it right-
no resolve.
Worried- distressed?
A workaround meets fine, forthright
new quest!
Hooray-
a new airtight
way!
Dilemma- hard to solve
A workaround meets fine, forthright
way!
NO MORE CLEAR SPARKLING WATERS
NO MORE LAND OF ANY WORTH
NO MORE HEALTHY SONS AND DAUGHTERS
NO MORE PEOPLE HERE ON EARTH
There were once some giraffes asked to tea
They politely accepted with glee.
The butler remarked, ”Aren’t YOU tall!”
For you, our chairs are too small.
So they drank tea from outside — quite hap’ly
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