“if true poetry is something ineffable, then poetry itself must be beyond expression.” My background, my childhood, my trauma, my life... they all feed into what i express, sure - but i don’t think any of that makes my poems any better or worse to the reader... So let’s skip that entirely, and talk about you - because that’s where this anthology is going to come alive. What’s your story? What do these words mean to you? Where’s the poetry in your own life? If you can use that as a foreword to this book, i think you’ll find that these expressions will tell you a lot about our relationship to each other, as well our relationship to “the bigger picture.” In this collection, I wanted to show you “poetry” in the way that I understand it. I want it to be unrestricted, undefined, undiscussed, undictated, undulating, understood. . I challenge you to find the poetry in your own life. It might not be written - it might not even be a language - but it’s definitely there. You just need to want to find it.
J. Eming
3 The dots on 10 my chest 19 Sailaway 28 YOU AND I I want a pocket
6 14 THE PLACE 27 The look of 30 love D oes she know...
To, With l ove
33 40 Vitamin 41 Ego 44 Soil f eeds s a m r a K 50 56 mountain 60 The unhol y station
My Body (I think)
PE OP LE W A T CH IN G
Simon says
I want a pocket I want a pocket on the
inside of
my
jacket
on my left side, with a (sh!) secret zip that
only I know
about
for all the moments that I’m too
afrAID to forget like
The ones I want at another 4
moment’s notice that I can flick through, and smile at, and remind myself that they do
exist.
for all the people I adore That I met on the way to the moon and that I miss when I get there. The ones I need f
a
close by
r
a
w
when I’m
a
y.
for the little reminders of how perfect the world can be, and how still the sea can stand, even when - inside - it’s 3
chaos...
SQ
A SQU
E R A U
S Q U A R
QUA
RE
R
CIR C E L C R I
L E
LE
RC
CI
C
I R C
E
??
?
?
that the shadow on her chest is the way
you
used to l e a n in and kiss her on the cheek?
the way her lips fell onto yours, as well as you can?
where they start, and where they finish, where they
, and
where they
?
that you can still trace her arms, when they were in yours, that you can trace
the arch of her back
as it rose from the sheets of your bed? 7
ti
her cup
FLE ING
is where she left it:
on the kitchen counter,
next to where yours once was
- when she once was.
TOO SHORT
iME is
EETTOO G SHORT TOO SHORT
time
M I T
9
E
One day, when the wind stops breathing so
deeply,
I’ll connect the .d..o...t..s. on my chest.
10
I’ll visit you in the evening mist, And we’ll trace the lines in the dusk of our days.
11
H g U O En
ABOUT
me ...
Me Me e Me MeM
e M e M
M e
M e
e M
e e e M M e MMeM e M
no th in g wiTH i am
OUT...
M e
There’s a place to which our
feet cannot carry us for which our arms cannot reach to which the
wind cannot
sweep us
It’s where we met, and where we’ll meet again, And where I’m sure we’ve met before, long ago... long before we knew we were. 14
Where time loosens its grip, and lets us
feel
the sand s l i p
between our t o e s with the
ebb
and
flow
of the stars, and the dust, and the fleeting hours of our fleeting days.
No; But none of that matters, in this place where we met, and where we’ll meet again.
15
Because there, there isn’t a struggle against anything else. We can just be - just exist,
more,
just us -
nothing
and silence can colour the air, rather than thicken it. It’s where my knees don’t feel the cold through the holes in my jeans.
Where bones and flowers weave and grow together, 16
,
And the trunks of trees themselves on their
crutch
flaws,
But we don’t see it any differently than it is -
because it simply is.
It’s where we met, remember? and where we’ll meet again, remember? And where I’m sure we’ve met before, And where I hope we’ll always meet,
- When I can no longer
knock at your door. 17
R E T A W s
se
n a
A WAsTe ER
e A W
ATER
e c O
Ocean
se
R
SAILAWAY The
splits in two as the sun slices through on its journey to the sea.
It parts that too and pushes, pushes aside ripples of colour, pushes them aside for me.
I’ll see my father soon, he’ll be waiting on the other side of the moon. 19
Now that the sun has set the scene, The moon can rise to meet me. But the light isn’t right yet,
NO not yet. My father’s boat rests idle in the night,
but I cannot come until the stars fall away, away from the way to the moon. 20
I pa th ce a eh or long izo n , ste by p, wa step for iting him ,
And
y . l e l m s a d r n i f ts towam,
i a h o l t he f I gree ifts by, r, r a , d t y s l e t h and cks on ahim quie o r d o f d an knelt ly s t n a e h g that
He leaves his boat, and it turns to dust... It was never that important, anyway. I reach out, but he only runs his fingers through my hair, And brushes my eyelids closed. I am back, now, watching the sun as she halves the sky. 22
And my father is gone, But I don’t wait to meet him. Because he’s already home.
It’s me who has left. I am on the other side of moon, in my boat, waiting. 23
the bon
are st than thos
D N IIINNDDD BBB N BI D N BI
tr on are stronger ththan ge those that at r t don't do ha
tronger se that don't
onds
that DD US us t r e g n o o r d st t e a r h a se t
TO
WITH LOVE
26
TO WITH LOVe
Eyes raised Hands shake Shoulders nudge with love Grins grow Arms open Hearts well with love
Sheets stained Cheeks creased Tummies hurt with love Glass empty Glass full Eyes clenched
TO WITH LOVe
with love Fingers warm Faces blushed Heads turned with love Time stolen – well spent Life goes on with love
Hugs will hurt Goodbyes as well Paths will cross with love
27
-
-
-
Shedding. Drifting. Waving. Drowning.
Floating.
Flying.
Trying. Failing. Winning.
Changing.
Moving.
Growing.
Loving.
Smiling. Smiling.
Smiling. 28
IN-
DECISion. 29
What does love look like?
Not this. What does love feel like?
That’s not for me to say. What does love hurt like?
Like you wished you hadn’t asked. What does love smell like?
Don’t be silly. What does love taste like?
It’s different for everyone. But what does it taste like? Like you wouldn’t have to eat again. What does love sound like?
It’s The silence between the notes.
30
What does love look like?
You’ve asked that already. - I’m asking again.
Love looks like a red swing in a park. Like dipping your hands in paint and not caring about what you touch. Like playing with your food. And singing in the shower. Love is like lighting a candle. And playing with the wax, making moulds of your fingerprints, and laughing at how weird they feel. And laughing.
- Laughing until you fall asleep, fall in love.
31
GOD.
This bus station stinks. Smells of congestion  -  is that possible? Like an over-filled stomach, food brimming at the oesophagus, epiglottis lapping at the swell of churning breakfast, lunch, and dinner. TOO FULL. TOO FULL. 33
The seat I sit on sticks to my sweaty skin,
I can only imagine the dirt that has been
there before me‌
I’d prefer not to,
but now I have.
My imagination implodes in the humid, I cannot stop it. It clots. AND clogs. AND clutters. I cannot control it. 34
rancid,
lucid air.
AND OH MY GOD - AS I AM DIGESTED AMIDST PERSONPERSONPERSONPERSON A MAN HE THROWS A GENUINE GOLD PLASTIC RING AND A USB STICK UNDER MY NOSE FOR
“GOOD DEAL PRICES” BUT NO (THANK YOUUUU) I WANT NOT I DON’T WANT THESE THINGS NOW NOT NOW WHY NOW?
My money is stuffed between stuff clothes stuff clothes stuff in a bag of stuff clothes and stuff and I have no need for them anyway (please stop badgering me, sir?)
36
...They say Patience is a virtue but my
does escape look appealing.
que-
stion
38
quEsTIOn
everyTHIng
LEAVE NO
stone 39
MY BODY At least my body is mine.
It is, is it?
I am scarred, no longer scared, you killed my fear when you stole what I had to lose.
I didn’t cry when you shed a tear gas shell by my feet, I fled to my house of rubber bullets, And hid.
At least my body is mine. It is, is it?
40
VITA MIN EGO T h e re ’s a n i t c h o n my s i d e t h a t I c a n’t s e e m t o s c ra t c h , o r eve n re a c h . I t ’s a ra s h of f o r w h i c h I wa ke - u p e a r l y t o wo r k f o r, b u t l o s e s l e e p ove r t o ke e p.
a p p ro v a l
B u t eve n t h e n I q u e s t i o n the I collect. I t va n i s h e s a s s o o n a s I t o u c h i t a n d o n l y ex i s t s i n t r i c k l e s
p ra i s e
I wa n t i t but I hide I b ra g BU T I d o i t m o d e s t l y. Su re l y -
s u re l y t h i s i s n’t h e a l t h y ? H o l d o n , my f a s t f o o d ’s ge t t i n g c o l d .
41
ME
WATCHING PEOPLE WATCHING ME watching them
A man walks by with his dog a Patterned collar he didn’t choose Polo shirt and sneakers Nothing corporate - education, maybe? And painted nails not “just a phase,” though.
44
An eldery lady crosses the road Refuses help, angrily - bad experience, perhaps, or maybe just a bad day But she’s strong, “don’t need nobaady” Not even her daughter, anymore.
and There’s a young girl over there So clueless, so happily clueless Her mother walks 3 steps ahead On the phone Priorities skewed, but in 3 years she’ll come to realise
vthe childhood she missed
45
A blind man He sees the world better than we do What we look past every day he feelS He senses what we can’t describe This ability. Disability. This is visceral.
One more.
46
A womxn at the traffic lights Purse in arm, waiting for green Her hands in fists, but her knuckles clenched white She’ll never move forward if all she sees is red Her music blares J Cash
good ol’ Folsom Blues.
47
Ob ob ma it lis g n aut is qu qui et Em a vo molu l hen que uptat e e s ciu po ip s cum d an sum ssim Ota ips imi, quati rup e. Na andam cust v itat tates e m, ven alit o Cip iorem xerov dis et , si del saped ullen id ut e et de cus ide i co daeru x et dis Ax et st, s n p m as e e e i x a e vol mo q ut u caepu rnat cea upt uia llup mi, s us d uid t qui dolu aspero a vel iorrun ist om asin pta tu t nim is v nam em q iae p o ad ess uia iu or m dole loru cor a com sti atu ndite inct e nt u eh co m m n qua enit im qu etur nest quam ex su au ti e ea ae ess t fug pre e mque ea d con um a. E t p p tio re v eum t pe or m erep m e olo rio ma olup rem q xim tass volo ui om quia re v o aud lor nis e o ra fug um S i ma Solor itium antis b usc a. Bo quia pidit, ci cu c D pt s iu es to po rr ic p d abo ciae. arum i tota it, om s sum ex ed ulp stiae ovid modi tatet a a ru t M ario volu unti alis vit, Ga nde s n q .N len mqui olor olesto elent is eic ue q s et ptat is et rest e a e r e u a r q Ax i p ver ur, n lab imu uias ceati s net emo sus etur a cons at m end is v o. M o d s d i s m e o d q l i d u l o q ost imus e ero s aut impo olore uia a c e lu u c i q vid lab s et st, n vide i sam am liam, uate e com tius a con ptas s or ur d qu c ae sap em u omni atib ustest audan laccul nimu ear usdam vol ia n estia t e e l e s i c a t r n d o u p p p h i t i o i a n u a ig or er er it m dol t lib s s um us, equam e, sim enita eius, us re dolo o ere odige eum dolor t e p t n b e n e u p e o r , d d spe e m u d e llum mnim odi sam u ctiost rep erchil ra vi t, sinc es de ucidu eriat d e i mp cim la v aque quis exc mus t ma quis lab ius i m ius epr and cim is s llut iniae ci un orest us gni ole pro re o ium m n a tis u u p au pl m m s e Dis t m r i aut vid q ra q quo t ea d qu mo f et a inci mi, o itia p iatur iliti ue r uis a es d int fu e pe mod Ips di com l ma fficil erest aut liqu olo gia rrov i and iq au em qu vol m xim r vol e rep osam odis uiatiu i si i lore n t ra aut e i nem e etu te deb ite n esto tur , te mo s in nc nih t v is qu ris es rum mo reica ctiatem que ist, e tur re t labo illit elic t iam q eum dit ep que b id do alit m de xc r ui q r ipie ui con audi it ver e rest, o m no ea do andi repro am h a eaq con lut r n cu s les ion ue nim ed un di ar e pt imu eos c tem a s ecto at vel mnos vo eque s mo rovid ciund velen m da lor ita num s c en ulp ce eu t ia lo ta o nos on ea arum aquate e nob dipsu restem m au rum u derr s nita ad it ip nt q qui tqu am tia qu m t q unt et t q qui autes us, om quam ae por adis v sa pre uam, c re re uae id ue p aut , si lat ro deb tia olo ev ctu on uc se ni nia isse v dolor hitis i dolup itis m riscim rios m sequ o r, asp iae n odis e a i u t e ell iet di m qu n ur os us m d te q i utem upt at dellab , qua io qu is sum et ve esedi stiate d elibe us es i m e r r t o a uae qui nim . Et m i eru ro o rem end ibus , se m ad core a dolor etur s qui as que ei de dem fugi mnis velen aepud da eos s u a seq olo exp tam, et ha is di i offic d ut q m e a et a u qui ut ven m, ilit ibusa olupta uaspe tum v liquis ute offi rumqu tiam e ro e ent s nos qua t m qui m re tur cte h v o s m oss a e ferr scium lor as alicii , cupt imusd eleni aribu et volu hil m enim s ap me ate sd pe um pt ae a q ulla ue es d eari olo il cto offi volla ndand icien atur, o gnih u e i a i ffi s l t e c con nec q d l m usa uis au axim ipsam ad mo labor ucipi ci o p ic t eo in eum stisi um h enim ium s d post vo n co il id olo rem que n luptat nsequ ellat por onse enda i siti u qui emolu quam conem , te am pti sen fugi cust m et r Sol ihit ut ti re c assum pe u u mo pta si volor m ve quo loru mu ehe n sam ntis s, cu ndel t offi il m lp i o- sin e arum nt la te e i te s ur?
as d qu t, s se i pele s volor s u i t m e b aut um no lo volu m e u vo ol equ ea d esti tem earum n nons ls o ve rp exc risimi sit inis di labo ias as dis epe a ven Less c idit resc nveres um isin velitia uistio. plabor m m q i ate ili ,s r ia um eru arupt aep ibus olorit i t quia liae co nate qu erh t d a u n v n a m s s ia r n iu qui quu am, r? s eo i co ratu t qu lupt ro e um vo millupt ut la qu mporem st volo umquia runtiam alitiatu ilie r o r e u r t a m x e d re o d lo t t e a mp n n s o e c i e t. v d s u s n s i t ta m rem m des lparib m ibu at i quis dundan m dita qua t lau quia blant osti liqu u u ien olu erei it rest, cerrum rovi de rorerita x eos e ionsed o um r p m u x o q t e p e e a p lit sc eb or m at. aut aut olle con atur t ui d qua as p acit ut in aut a. Axim lut a q blabor a velit tis rem em vol ed u uo d e inum ae ma q m vo it utem ro ta pt or xp ug i u a l , d p u f e s r e o o c a t r m em aio sen endus te cum est em uped usam h quam, t eaqua aut dit f os m uam, dia vol m stia am ita in e ui o t. omm mod q i rero rempo r? Es a aliquam nob plibus ue peru et est, s umq e milla l u u o d t q n n e a q m d in e tio tio dit ut ut p liquam icius re apit, qu t ut ndit fugi t aliqu m qua cusa a hi llan orit ibe a i g e s p e m s u U rc su iti ol ua te mqu atem a ab orei uod ? is q atem e enes ip as exer ore ape ro et v et mod r n u q u g c t s a l i q r c h t o d en pt as m re co ea t. odit olo bla quo odig ut aut ia volu ea dolo on pori occus d ccum ro b em un e v m a eum nduci lorpos raesequ endae ateste c hillaut eum f dolorio uodic t olupmos e d i o e q s v t s e a n a d e m a i o n ru m is p lor no nse ndi ant di t uia tarepe sae et q ptas a rum ven , cust vo nitis no tur aud , que de exceped udant . I r a i a po orpores fuga runt. volu suntor nim lore, om eraept cernatu conem s, e l a a a o m h , d d e d s e t o ven ipsu non udam us doa do dipi m ex sciu olor t lis rect p Obi ae. Em gnis m l et ex e mentot orpor a te volla t vollo mod as lupt tece e a one si s, pt ol tur is a oria vo dite c n ad u e volu e possim s, temp am alit, andis d t plitibu musam q h ue e e n b s r a a u l u s r E d d b b . i q s o l u quis q ut m a r bu u an en it o o i i g u s u d v r d t u u p Em t m f t i n n q a d t e t es is u le e e o i t r t m l n r o s p i e r i a i s u e , v e s i n o s c su di m m uia ue per orehe quo imillac , vendi t ex et d excea v labo u c upta d q ptas ui b alis oru itis vol elliqui r sumq entur, caep git, e. Nam erovid u rum as pernat q e p s d v s r di u se ae o t t , , i o t t e r u i s s Ota tates ex llendae n t m m u i e el ru id ipid ndi ti atum siminc cuptat quias co ta v uide rup orem u em el s quu und t ullup nt ut q et et m dole labore mnisci tassum , quo t quaesti u itati apedi q u o p i t se iu up it dit us. s qui et a quia m u ro omn olore ci mol gnis a ic te s , verib t. Cip a s t s i m o p u u u i m a t t q e a ip lacc ero tem volu estet p t por um volupta abo. M est ad enet es endern s ta s s m ae e p e a d l s g s r u nu t u ad ae ut eli rum e pre sa mq ti c uati resed untiis e dolor sinv stes lam doq l quia sinct e is molo u e e q t a o n e s c n i r i u s d i c m s m b m i i i t i a e o u s v p m x i n e m a A rro en ru am , il om o r secatur uias tusr re ndist, a n upid ma c m repe atet vit uga. Bo dolori q atiu cera . on ve lupt ea dol t f u is e , ex modio ptas fuga. N obit, r ad ccus c idit, to axim deb quidita facest x u o l e o b o s a n t o v u m m p ed m ap n a es ec s e e m u i r s i l a a i t r u o i i i t n i a o l a o u r n v , st in qu nd evol ilis do atur sdam digniae uis seq us co mpore iusci u vid m eosa t perio erem repr lupt cu nih de cim us inc ian riat q , ra .E re v conse stiae vo a con cidu endes et, s olo be nienim olorest e u p fuga a con i t d e e i e c u t r g r i h i d e e om eati d ven usc erendu earc a dolo s eum itio od ent. de c pero atiberia i m v e rum s nata olorib i v u t n t t n s s e s u ess quis ste uia u l la e le uda po ev rios olectiu omnim lacc iam, a sam su sti sam net q quiand ed quid rest da sita d ulpa o s u el e c uate un ra s ed sim emo m mquia estem rspersp nat. ea s iliqu nsed q tur ad aut antis e u a u m s r aper o r e t t o ud ersp iscimus is ex ri nt e olestor Molor nt abo dellup qua eici c e d e i l r is a e e o s u c qu m m iae. nis cips a vel is reiciam mqu otat qui s niios a a i Sitiu pos su it, om Dici t nulparu ti offic ue nis i t t a t m t d u n s le di ol d a q r . es ctio git e ve arciun viden deli u ptati eum d Solo il ma ut labo nt expe sapis fu h aqu o a ptae e ull te u ris pa e alitam prore r i dis ioss spiteca m, illu dit occ re etu nita tium idem t aut e e a t e t i r c m lo r si au ill er and eli haru debis t ad ditib s do edig lor quia ut et v t ra nih est labo r rem e n t i n e o o e m p t a n tu t, el si m sa gia sumqu aut e rem t iliti au ollore i si inc ius inis da quid te nem int fu is tv au qu qu iat etur cum Nam errovi aut ea epe lab vid andam iatur au perest l iqu i c m p r i t r s ffi s que ius illu s, tem simpo con t magn di imu xcepro re plitia imi, o u iu l ,o is pro dme qui rchi ut pere ias usam sequam , omni llum qu eaque rer epe m u i q s e m u ed m , on lo us a n p e N o b n i ne r s i v l r u o a m i e s t q p c e u nem restia ovid qu iae volu os dol anit ex nimus Ga. qu per labo me iae end ui aliq us aut none re quibus o beru endae ae iduc l maxu o er ,s m ci Axi untium dolorr uasper s enimi m aut q nt min q u la u le di nseq m sit p tibeatet e pro o seque e ut la vo o a e a a l u u l ut q cea do atios et dis m tatq nt aut u it imo derr r r u m o l mo ex-
qu -
Ob it obita i gni lis d ped s o qua lorpo quo et m res do m et llesc olu olum fugi pta qui iend vo tion te e a pos m e luptae plib d un . E usa olorp dant. sim t e m mu os qua agni t al m s ut cus tione s m ique venda am m t vo t est olore que e v harum aut alit lora , si , pe olu e in is e , sim t ate n et sunto rum ptas ste t et ent r eaq rum qua adi um o d u c t m, ex e end a d on am te v t a m a dis et f ndis d olore, porias autem enis odita raesee ug se p o o nat xcea v a. Et p lorpo mniti as ex quo ed e ma v e r s l e ac nd ri o a ro q itib m uib us, t dipit e nonse ti cus lendi ae e itat. ior i, ev ru iu us ni ra ti a a tiae ntur s ad amus ollam eptatu hilla aut bus, t dolo d a u e e r m r o x r m t ia i porup ehent modi et vo cerna audan occu lumq pel eu e unt psu llor tur, s tas ur t t e i i a d ec t s, em ut qu sus as o co que de e eum olore odit f x esa u q st e uam ideru estru nonem dant nem ndia faccu aper ugit, sd ex ch x m m m im v ue ea do olupta , sitis sequ fuga volup ceped olorio corro i llan illac t per lup ve m d m . a vo e is qui o quo ro bea t volo ite m mo eped ide no ut et luptam atece Itati ill ri di sc te l qui ore p quis q bis m et qu alit pudam cusd i se c tem t mod t ibe- at. a u q lab u ae o m u e u n n lo e ci c occu ore s eosa rum di ut o blab haru lac- un- t. nt. este vel o upt s cu imin nda ct o eca t pr liq- ria tate atur m bo o re t r is r vit, il sed qu perum entur, r est min ib unt la abo pos r . M nat esed u borum t lup agn a ve nt volu ta is cus s dolo adit, e con ptase d q r hit am vo io res uo tem nihili t lum iis ipi s dol d rep eria iandig fuga. olor a di aut or uci t qu niae Non d est und s ec m i atu adipi a sita esti us co s seq n r ac c t e u um o rati i b cae e sit mo fac a qu nus it, s qu in es de m i rro odio. t, exc dita v bis e quias velige aestiis net ati vi er en N est, ebi te nem am q atusda dist, ur re r e sd ver s i it o elen uid m simi apis d um e tes ibu m s. t h odi nt a olo llam dol ccu r r l u t a e l d i nde t re u p rum b e on a n u m u t a s ta ic rn rs ai c , vele um au iam id tia dia illupt piteca ossun ut au idem at. t e e s t la nti il tq ers ve ae x nita a qui uiasit pe rsp l is de deliqu apis e pe n bo. i t a tquam corer um f erspe llupt e nis sti offi ulug ci io ut d ae s o o latib it p nseq it ma quide stem psunt u i eat l s dis q o a u s u s imu eni et q dolo ntium is a imen iua pe m rr t. s erib es v i, sen spere o qu none rnat. ibu dae ro r usd olor eps be pud a q er e e i offi ue e ped ndani rum quieo it t o c itia m e imint s ex e atios excer s e e t oss s rec veli tum qu en ta q aut l m imin essec iam e ui at. to ag ic re r, o nihic mpor tet ve tur? ilit ffic l a cip i offi is di con r idus t, ie ep ci hil nimi, lla vo officiu roide te c lori re qui llat fu omni a epe icga. hita ren siti m, con unto Ut e es ri e em m rem in eum atum tis su et p ssu pern orum a culli m mq ate qu et ven uo ex ctiorr aut a e l e o t del offic ris at inus ic int ia v ate r ant er um la e eiu nitati ibus d m ad r u eri ?Q se s
q i l is el d sit atur bit, tat t qu accu c te onsec ae no eperia uate l ici to mint a is si .D ni nt .N lor dq uga andig a do onse t labo tusda sci u am it i nimus s eici c aut au excera , sinciu osti s isrch i t n com t, omn lor aut facest, ere e remo m lique bis o ro que de de r di e d m o a p l s u o tae ugiate , tem il m t, api resti stest .M s f llup o s u i s ciae rum, i ea int pereiu iment. end demp sam offi t t s a i u i s u s u h t s ta v a u e s e t q end us sim pis e elent . illu , nem quid s a t a s r s dig nat s d nem hil iu lore per tia spe stor s cae a sole erspite rrovite reprerc eati do e rsper iscimu is elen e p u s ec p s q ue v a ni u os n tib ider st odi d que ienim de le mai a eaq aut r ro epe e omn quian reiciam ctio fugit lic te p ut iliti excep nia d eos im t ve ate ma lut tem s o a vi enit sitium aut e sanda s, omn erum is qui upt ae um d a m u b d dell turis e apedig t qui que re odi im lut libu erero pro o e l is e u e , o s d u sp i a m v a ore tur ae v et qua ut qu oleseq o m nim equ dol qui e u g c a ons uibus tibeat lorrum xcea d odis m ut m ia n e . la on q o pos t c sam vid qu olorro nt aut dis m inist, maxim qui a s mu qui o i , l e, si reper it pla d derru m and uiatiu minci x etum quam e q por n e t s i e e r n t s d e o n r i l non cil am stia e v u u o t s ur? ium atqu rore ro si inc mi, offi ut la v a que dip eict unt s nit i i o p sd ta dita or re rest qu ue pro atios e beribu vel m iam ciun t lab pe eli iqu aq dit t l e e t a e t e p v i d nes p e litia t ore is re p cerspe olorer tur, asp est, o te obi r v c u ex in en s es t re re re fficim ectota nit mq e o nda imu m ns ae e ciae n stem ctiate i erio idu volore , te aepud idit v os m d s b uae a o s o n den r reica rios m mm non e o c e t eptu pre s stia t adi de r odi san ipsa e s e d i
Karma “What a bitch” – right? What an inconvenience – right? What a hassle, a hurdle, an itch – right? BUT What if What if karma couldn’t be personified? What is “she” didn’t have hands to pull the strings 50
a
or eyes to watch us do “good” and do “bad” or even a face and a name to call out to? What if “she” wasn’t a “she” or even “he” or anything else inbetween?
. a r a m K “What a bitch” – right? Pause. 51
Maybe karma resides in feeling good while doing good
like In the tip you leave but never see spent In the thanks you give that changes someone’s day In the coffee you spill and won’t clean up Or the please you don’t think necessary to say…
Maybe karma isn’t a “who” 52
but a “why” Not a U, or an I, but a Y A letter you send yourself every time you choose which door to take or Which river to cross or Which metaphor to use in deciding which meta-FOR
WHAT reason you seek to reason an action that elicits a reactionary action… Maybe karma isn’t anything other than an excuse An escape 53
A revocation of guilt A guiltless guilt-trip Maybe karma is a veil
You may now kiss your pride goodbye and accept that karma is nothing but a lie It’s a fallacy you need to see, a Y that U and I need to C, Good attracts good naturally.
You don’t need a “bitch” to watch your back. 54
The hands that wash feet in buckets of dirty water
are the same that worked the land they now have to pay for Those same hands that built the concrete jungles we inhabit
Are pushed aside to live in and amongst the rubble 56
While the soft skin reaps the harvest, it's the calloused hand that has to wait in line .
Why, where ripe wheat grows, it's the weed that thrives? Why, where healthy cows flourish, one finds ticks that suck them dry?
White weep, ripe wheat, right reaps? 57
And when rains eventually fall in thunders,
storms and floods
The rivers are redirected upstream - not down Not where the land is dry but where the mountains are already lush and rich 58
Poor soil gets no nourishment BUT continues to give more and more
so that the mountains can grow and grow and grow and climb and grow Will the soil ever rest? Or will it forever be forced to build Everest? 59
“Convention”
says it should be spelled
It even says how everything else should be spelled too, you know? 60
Every word, e every phras ,
every language. CONVENTION SAYS Left to right, Top to bottom, Red through yellow to green and then blue 61
A to Z, First “she” then “he,” Monkey say and monkey do.
Touch your toes AND Skip ahead Leave the weak to die in bed Cut the cord
Clean the home
Win the bread
dont die alone ... 63
e
ng
e
g th am e ga e m
He r o e ch 's a a
64
ac H o n Let ve ow a ’s c nt b i on on out v ag ene inte ain r v t o e st n i n t An r i t o o e rv n d h ut ab ine ene it w o H ( K O y l l a u t i b a H ) ? u o y are d o o G ( e n i f y l l a u t i ) ? Hab u o y d n a , s k n a I? h t m A ? u re yo
But a How are you ? I’m glad you asked becau se I’m not.
I’ve just been
told again
and again to cross my legs
and dot my I’s
or was it to say my T’’s and
cross my please? 66
Given
answers, never questions
Given
the memo to a test we were never told we had to write
67
Hear the shepherd’s call for his flock to come back home. Follow it blindly, because the WEDDING ring is what you’ve been told will keep you faithful........................ (God, who made this shit up?) 68
69