A Balance of Spirit and Life By Tynan Drake
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Acknowledgements I would like to thank Aries Drake for standing by me when times were hard and for helping me through the aftermath that followed.
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Intro
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When I was first thinking of putting my poems together in a chapbook I was dismayed at the idea of trying to find a theme. The reasons I write, whether it be poetry or novels, are often greatly varied and the content ends up scattered at worst and abstract at best. Often the contents of each piece of work had little similarity in relation to another. I write for entertainment and I write to express emotion. There are times I write to help my mind process something either myself or someone I’m close to has been through. I write poems to express ideas of spirituality and I write to overcome grief. Sometime I write just to be silly. Needless to say, this results in a lot of poems that don’t seem immediately like they fit together. So when trying to come up with an over arching theme I was rather worried. I thought that maybe I’d have to change my poems into something that wasn’t right for them to try and force them to fit in a theme they weren’t meant for. This was when an idea came to me. I remembered a friend of mine who graduated not long before I took this class. She was an art major and for her senior show she presented charcoal paints that represented different stages or aspects of life through different trees. Her inspiration for this was the idea of spirituality and balance in life. The drawings represented ideas of community, love, disharmony and other such aspects we see taking important roles in many peoples lives, for better or for worse. This struck a strong chord with me and I felt that this was what my work needed. Not to try and fit these poems into an idea. Not to warp them from their intended state to shove them into a theme that wasn’t right, but to show the aspects of life that 3
influence us and that have important roles in our lives. In order to make these aspects more clear, I decided to break my poems up into three major categories: Life, Spirit, and Humor. The first section Life deals with all the things people experience. It is about the pain as well as the joy we go through in life. It is the peace as well as the strife. Some aspects of life here are memories of hurt, things most people would rather forget. A few of these poems are about things most people never experience such as abuse, dysphoria, and other psychological or situational issues. Many are based in psychology whether hurtful experiences or expressions of thoughtful contemplation. Often times when I write things meant to have a psychological backing I’m intending it symbolize or have an underlying meaning that says something about human behavior. Sometimes I use psychology base poems to talk about incredibly painful memories that either myself or someone close to me has experienced. All of these things are experiences that have had a profound effect on my life. Some are just everyday things, the little things that make life more joyous. Some are places I hope to be someday, and some are a past I'm glad I have left behind, but in general these poem are about life. Maybe not everyone's life, but the possibilities of life, for the good, the bad, and all that in-between. The second section is titled Spirit. Many professionals consider spirituality of some sort or another to be important aspect of an individual’s over all health. Therefore the poems in this part are about spirituality. For someone like me who follows a path of mixed shamanic practice this often means relations to nature as seen in Elements, Howl, and Coyote. Many of these poems also express ideas of energy, mystery, and the unknown. Some present aspect of psychology, the deeper parts of our minds, the subconscious. There are also poems that are purely fictional but have a nature based or mythological sounding theme. Given art and creativity are also important centers to my spirituality I have decided to include these pieces of writing that are fantasy or mythology based. Pieces like Jaguar Night and The Dawn of Youkai are completely fictional in their origin, being ideas that come from my own short story and novel writing. In general Spirit covers anything that can be considered a part of one's spirituality, whether that be nature, energy, spiritual practice, creativity, or the spirits themselves. Finally my last section is titled Humor, because everyone needs a little laughter in their life. I've always considered laughter an important part of life. It helps to reduce stress and fills our lives with joy and meaning past the everyday grind. Without humor one is left empty, angry, and devoid of purpose. I feel it is through humor that we truly begin to understand ourselves and our desires. After all, how can one decide what they want in life and what would bring satisfaction and peace to their lives if they don't even know what makes them happy?
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It is with laughter and joy that we feel comfortable enough to be true to ourselves and really see what it is we want out of life. Laughter helps us to relax and let go of the stress, anger, and hurt we may be holding onto whether due to work, family, friends, or just life in general. So for my final section I present poems that were made just to be silly. Most of these poems are just commenting on everyday life and experiences. From the observations of a bearded dragon, to the drama of an artic fox, all the way up to the irrational fears and doomsday delusions of those under stress, these poems are made to make people laugh. After a stressful day, an emotional break down, or even just after reading a book of poetry that covers heavy topics, it’s nice to be able to sit down, relax and look at something funny. It is with these three highly unique but deeply connected aspects that I present my chapbook “A Balance of Spirit and Life”.
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Table of Contents Life (pg 8) Marigolds and Orchards- pg 9 But To Never Change a Thing- pg 11 The Millennium Force at Cedar Point- pg 13 Forgotten- pg 16 Dysphoria- pg 19 Iluq on a Summer Day- pg 22 In Remembrance of, to Never Forget and to Not Look Back- pg 23 Nermal- pg 25 To Step Outside- pg 27 Further Down the Road- pg 30 The Turning of the Year-pg 31 Spirit (pg 34) The Spirit of the Shaman- pg 35 Coyote- pg 36 Elements- pg 37 Howl- pg 38 The Dawn of Youkai- pg 39 Jaguar Night- pg 41 Humor (pg 42) Bearded Dragons Are Glamour Models- pg 43 Sims Are Consuming My Life- pg 44 My Awesome Weirdo Friends- pg 46 Spiders, House Centipedes and Other Creepy Things- pg 47 The Day My Life Ended National Adopt a Cat Month- pg 48 The World According to My Drama Fox- pg 50
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LIFE
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Marigolds and Orchards Every summer would come to seed Every winter of pine and creed A family of ritual Of bane and disbelief Every year the same Anger and Grief Dry needle of pine Marks new of the year The dogs tracking in mud As the snows begin to thaw Soon the farm store would open Marking the beginning of summer At Tuttle’s Orchards we would amble Apple cider and fresh picked apples Marigolds in the green house Ready to be taken home Every year we’d get them A sort of mother daughter ritual Tomatoes that grew big and ripe In later years there would be others Lavender, pumpkins, and strawberries Herbs and fruits and vegetables The best produce Around Soon the leaves would turn The fields filled with orange The air turns cold once more Chill winds bite the fingers The morning dew Now frosts
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And so the cycle would Soon be complete With the cutting Of a fresh new pine
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But To Never Change a Thing I know these things to you Always seemed silly But I hope by receiving this You will believe that it Actually is
me
Or should I say
you?
Not you as you are now But you as you may be Much has happened in these years And much has yet to come A word of warning, I hope to bring you In the midst of your worst time of life I know now things are hard for you there is so much worry and loss All hope seems out of reach But you will prevail Through these times A greater understanding To Come You will someday see this Is true Things are so much
Better Now In this future you Have yet to see But see it, I’m sure you will I am wary to tell you to change For the past may affect the future But if there was just one thing That I could tell 10
“Do not leave for a second time.” You know what it is you want most And I can tell you now it is yours But it took so much struggle and hardship Hardship that could have been… should have been… avoided
If I hadn’t left that second time. . .
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The Millennium Force at Cedar Point Up, up slowly the track rolls Click clack, click clack Moving up so fast I feel excitement welling Inside me, like the First time you drive a car Excitement bubbles at the thought Of freedom, a release from The confines of everyday The chance to go out on your own But nervousness underlying Driving the excitement on Building it to a point you Feel you might break Anticipation The cars approach the peak I gaze out over the park The coaster begins to tip over Down that 310 ft drop Holding my breath Heart fluttering in my chest Hands gripping the seat Knuckles white, straining I remember watching Silent Hill for the first time Hands turning white, Gripping the couch So tight my knuckles hurt Each new creature driving My anxiety higher Each appearance of Pyramid Head Causing me to shake with anticipation Never sure what to expect But sitting on the edge of my seat Eager for the next turn. The coaster begins to drop I expect there to be butterflies That fluttery feeling in my stomach For a second it is there,
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then no more Just the drop, the screams The air ripped from my lungs I feel panic for a moment I can’t breath We’re still dropping, falling straight down I can’t breath, there’s too much pressure on my chest the wind whipping by too quick to draw into my lungs I feel almost faint My vision a little black I’m back in a memory Of South Carolina Of crushing waves over my head I can’t find the surface My long hair too heavy Under for too long I struggle to discern up from down We reach the bottom as I draw in a ragged breath only to scream it out in delight at the next drop Just like breaching the Surface of the water My hair threatening to Drag me back down Covering my face Choking me, still unable to breath Pulling it back from my face Great, soaking heavy sheets I almost died Then the exhalation comes Though I almost died I got free I figured it out I survived I made it on my own The excitement fills me The pride at being alive Of being able to survive
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Jerked back to reality By the rattling of the coaster the curves exciting my inner adrenaline junkie I’d sit on the edge of my seat for this if I weren’t being thrown back so hard I whoop and holler with excitement each curve, each drop, each tunnel bringing a new thrill The speed makes my heart race 93 miles per hour The wind invigorates my skin Whipping my hair in my face All too soon, coming to a stop 3 hours of waiting over in less than 3 minutes
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Forgotten I cry for you, you never hear. It falls down, a single tear. The tears fall, The ice won't thaw And in the end The heart won't Mend Time goes on And love springs upon You But the Memory I can't forget Your eyes so
beautiful on that Night They pleaded Pleaded for me to stay. To Love, To hold,
To never let go end
But in the ‌You let me go‌ Now there is another In the place you 15
Claimed so DEAR Now it’s his arms Around me, his ears that hear His hands the ones that Wipe away my tears Now your memory Fades… Your “love” distant, …forgotten…
These memories Once so dear, now Putrid and rotten All your lies I’d hear Wisked Away by Sweet Whispered Winds All The hate I caged Calmed by
Gentle, cool Nights All the Pain Of Wounds To raw To touch
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Healed By Daytime’s light He washed away My sorrow Together we healed The wounds from you And as You always Take two steps back So we Will keep moving Forward
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Dysphoria The body I live in is wrong. Its shape not what it should be. Its contours not what I expect. The parts different from what my mind tells me should be there. I look in the mirror and don’t recognize this face. This female no matter how androgynous is not me. Those lips too thick, face to soft, jaw not defined. This chest is not mine, a stranger wears my ink, tattoos that are mine decorate a body that is not. These lumps of fat betray, growing where they don’t belong, marring the smooth planes that should be my chest. Shirts worn loose, baggy, bras a foreign entity. If I just don’t allow things to touch them, I can pretend they aren’t there. I dare not look lower, At what I know I am missing, My eyes dart anywhere else, For if I don’t look at it, I can try to image it’s there, imagine the weight of it, a phantom limb I never had. I cringe every time I’m called “ma’am”, “miss”, “she”. Well meaning individuals, just trying to be polite, bringing tears to my eyes. I try not to slump my shoulders,
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To not huddle in hurt and self-pity, For drawing my shoulders closer, Only crowds the offending lumps, Drawing my Attention to their presence, Their weight, their feel, I can feel where skin rubs skin, The crease underneath where sweat collects, And my senses are reminded that Two mounds mount my chest, a testament for all to see, for all classify to decide from first sight that I’m female Never knowing who I am, Never suspecting it could be contrary Unknowingly categorizing, deciding, shoving me into a box Deciding without speaking, the person I should be. I try to keep my shoulder up, to avoid feeling their weight, feeling their presence, feeling my arms, my ribs press into them Anything to avoid feeling them there Nor can I hold my shoulders back, For this would emphasis their presence sticking them out, proudly on display No, I couldn’t do that So I stand with spine straight, and shoulder down, Not hunched, just relaxed, Trying to minimize their presence Every day, every hour, always living, trying to ignore, trying not to feel. I’m not worried about fat On my belly, Or the weight of my body. I do not diet or obsess over my image. It is not an insecurity or A matter of self-esteem.
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I do not think I am ugly. I do not think I’m fat. I am not afraid and I am not ashamed. I do not think ill of women, I do not think it is bad to be a woman It just isn’t who I am. It is Dysphoria, The mind and soul of a male, born into the body of a female. Born with a mind that tells me I should be male, Tells me I’m missing parts, Tells me there are extra parts, Tells me something isn’t right, Tells me what I already know. Though my body doesn’t show it yet I am Male.
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Iluq on a Summer Day A sleeping fox curled Waiting through the heat of day Silently he dreams
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In Remembrance of, to Never Forget and to Not Look Back I remember summers spent training dogs heat of the sun on my neck the scent of flowers in the air I remember the pets I knew growing up I remember them passing from this world I remember the trials of middle school the stress of high school the relief of college The stress of new responsibilities I remember my fiancÊ so scared his mother so violent the freedom of leaving the sorrow of trauma I remember strawberries and cherries Petting cats and summer swimming small comforts each year grocery shopping at 3am I remember depression and anxiety I remember therapy alleviation from pain him growing happy his confidence returning his care and affection I remember him nursing sick fish Back to health Such care and love For such small creatures Creatures often over looked Often treated as disposable But not by him, not ever I remember the passing of our pet snake The sickness of our rabbits I remember his comfort‌ I remember good and bad sweet and bitter 22
I remember the times to Never let go of And the times I want to forget I remember I must not forget But instead move forward Let go of To heal from Never forget, but no need to look back To keep moving forward So that one day what I remember Will be the future, I move towards
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Nermal A loud purr rumbling underhand Fur soft to the touch Paws kneading at the blanket Tongue licking, grooming, caring You nudge my hand, seeking My lips twitch into a smile Trembling, barely holding that Expression of joy Joy nearly drowning In the rain drops falling From my face I take a shaky breath, Shuddering, gasping My body trembles and aches Arms curled around legs How do you always know? Without hesitation you come Purring, nudging, comforting Never do you fail to come A rock in a sea of uncertainty A flower sprouting among weeds A mother like none I ever had I watch as times you knead at the blankets Tongue washing for the Kittens you never had You purr and nudge And turn that tongue towards me Bathing and soothing The only kitten you have I remember how it was then Surrounded by relatives With no real family Looking back I know now What was really most Important It didn’t matter that My mother was distant It didn’t matter that
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My father was rarely around I remember you You who got me through All those years You who comforted me And bathed away My tears You were my rock My flower, my mother You were what taught me Compassion. The One who taught me to love I still remember the Softness of your fur I remember the sound Of your purrs. and though remembering brings tears once more Your comfort is with me still
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To Step Outside Cold The early morning of frost bitten sunlight pines laden with snow the bows dipping groaning under load The sunlight hurts my eyes the chill wind crisp in my lungs ice burning my nose with each breath The air is still the road silent the world yet to awaken Some days I walk with leash in hand the eager tugging of a fox from the tundra Other days I hike with pack laden of books traveling to the places of learning Each day I listen to the still eagerly await the quiet When bustling bodies still slumber and cranky attitudes stay shut away in their warmth There’s so much beauty To behold in this long Forgotten world And why don’t people Step outside? Why not step into This world of possibility So many fear to Step outside the comfort The known, the understood
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So misunderstood the winter is without it, environments would suffer so accommodated they are to live through the bitter cold and biting winds necessary even for survival Accommodated in the way people are, tucked away in their heated homes wrapped into their everyday lives, programmed to work to keep up the status quo But to some, there must be more, has to be more to some who seek out new, to understand, to observe, to move outside their comfort To acknowledge their faults and failures, to realize their weaknesses as well as strengths to step into discomfort acclimate to the cold not to just tolerate or learn to ignore but a wolf at home in its environment warm in its fur secure in its pack Like the pine bows bending under the weight bending, yielding, but not breaking flexible, yet strong at home in the summer heat and weathering the winter storm standing outside on a bitter cold day strong, warm, comfortable So many people don’t appreciate winter ignore the times of cold, it’s terrible beauty,
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forgotten to time, forgotten among the modern hustle Forgotten to all but those who stop, to step out their doors ... and feel ...
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Further Down the Road Fingertips clack at the keys before me, tapping out the history that I make. Untold stories are birthed and grown, like the seeds of this years harvest. The room is lit by sunset. The window over looking the pastures. Horses pace among cows and goats, ears pricked, waiting for the evening grain. Their eager knickers drifting through an open window.
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The Turning of the Year Every summer would come to seed Every winter of pine and greed A family of ritual Of bane and disbelief Every year the same Anger and Grief A cult like existence A pathetic excuse of blood The year drags on and on Time passing by, a terrible drug Anger and stress Marks the New Year Locking the door to the bedroom Hiding from the drunken mess Another stressful party That your mother didn’t enjoy Another day of being blamed For the failings in her Soon the school would start again The reprieve from the yelling and pain At night you can not sleep In class you can not focus Grades once top of the class Now suffer in shadows and fury Your health begins to fail Your mind trapped in an abyss Anger your mother’s only response Not concern, not compassion And never understanding No doctor would you see
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The snow would begin to thaw The spring you began to dread For this time of year was sorrow Memories of pain and loss So many waited for summer Eager and anticipating fun But to you it was not So joyous No swimming pools or games Not anymore that is Summers were spent alone No contact with those who cared No friends, no support Alone Fallout consumed your summers Playing through the wasteland of your life The only solace of summer An empty, quite house No screaming, no anger, No pain, not during the day You had the house to yourself Free reign in your temporary private domain Soon the leaves would turn A marker of the beginning of fall The air turns cold once more Chill winds bites through your skin Freezing you to the bone Your body so thin, Always cold But the cold months Came welcome
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For soon you could return To learning, to school, to the one who cared. The cycle begins anew Fresh snow falling to the ground Your feet in flip flops still Nerves dead, as the rest of you had become
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SPIRIT
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The Spirit of the Shaman Tynan “Laughing Fox� Daciax Drake To the world of spirit we wander Laughing, seeking, praying Forever we Desire to see the wonders, the secrets, the Dangers To the other world we call Learning, yearning, asking Following the lessons of those before Darkness found in light, a light to be found in the Dark, mysteries to unfold To the way of the shaman we walk Lighting the way before us Feeling in the Dark to thick to see Discovering the knowledge of the Unknown
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Coyote This modern world is strange People bustling about Rushing from one place To another Such easy prey for mischief The opportunities delight me How easy it is to trick How silly humans have become How ignorant they are of us spirits But I can not help but worry For this world has become quite different How will these humans survive? The water is no longer clean The prey is not healthy My Wolf cousins and Wild Cat cousins are not here Why have they driven them all away? Why have they taken them from nature? Why don’t they see how much harm this has caused? I worry For though I am a trickster And delight in the mayhem I cause I do not wish harm on people Nor do I wish to see The first people hurt as They have been I have been a trickster And I have been a creator Making things to survive To help, to thrive For all living creatures Including human kind
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Elements Fire
Earth
Burning, licking tongues Lash at my hands The heat searing the skin The hairs on my arms are singed The skin blackens, charred and brittle A fury burns inside Eating away at the hurt, pain, confusion More fuel to burn, To destroy all in its path Breaking down the trees For more tinder Consuming all that it can
A heavy weight rests upon me Crushing its weight on my shoulders Barely able to hold up the world This task that has been laid upon me I toil each day to keep balance Struggle each second to stand But all the while I keep going This cycle will stay to the end
Water
Air
A soothing stream through my heart The trickles music to me ears I feel my body ease into its cool, gentle waves The soft flow caressing each hurt away Carrying them further and further Washing everything away Sometimes the current is soft Gently easing the cares away Others it is harsh A flood, raging torrent Bashing at the banks Threatening to break loose Gathering all around it And sweeping it away Leaving behind rubble, Twigs, and dirt in its wake The remnants of what it could Not clean away
Whisping in Care free Thoughts The Playful chittering of beaks I move through Sky and Dance under Wings And sway Through the Water of all things
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Howl Howl to the moon for the world that we see Howl to the blue jays in the juniper tree Howl in the day joyous as we sing Howl through the night for the sorrows it can bring Howl with abandon no regrets to be heard Howl to the relinquished that giving up is absurd Howl for the pack who run beside you tonight Howl back at your allies to know all is alright
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The Dawn of Youkai At that beginning of this world There was but one creature A woman, Uma, who walked alone They were great creators, Masterful energy workers But now their species name has been forgotten She had not always been alone Once she had two mates A male of a species called Incarnae And another male half what she was Half of the Incarnae species But that was on a different world In a different time And both were lost to her now She missed the companionship Of her two lost lovers So she sought out the aid of spirits Two spirits headed her call The spirits of lion and wolf These animal spirits were ancient The archetypes of all in their image Like the great trickster Coyote And the wise Raven of lore So these two were symbols of their species Spirits of the species that resemble them Now these ancient spirits were powerful And they owned the woman a favor So they agreed to help her To reunite her with those She had lost Through vigorous searching They found them Broken, damaged souls In time they would be no more
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Forgotten to time Forgotten to the world Their energy would break down And they would be gone for good Lion and Wolf looked at one another And made their final decision To make a sacrifice for her To the woman they owed Their lives too To bond with the dying souls And become someone that neither was before And so Uma raised The spirits of Wolf and Lion With creation energy she Birthed them into mortal existence Youkai The first of their kind
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Jaguar Night The night is hot, a heavy moisture on the air. Night birds sing their chorus as the moon rises overhead. The hunter prowls on legs of four. The man takes jaguar form. His sleek fur black as a night of no stars. His claws like an assassin’s blade. Muscles bunch, crouching form creeping through the undergrowth. Stalking the intruder who dared cross into his territory. The intruder moves with quiet precision, a knowledge of the forest in his step. The jaguar follows with jaws parted, tasting the scent of his enemy. The cat’s breathing is quick and shallow, a telling sign of his nervousness. Glancing back the jaguar worries. Back towards his camp where his injured mate lies, alone, unprotected, vulnerable. He is resolved to keep her safe, determined to expel the intruder at all costs, for he is a threat in his territory. The jaguar crouches to strike. The man before him unawares, unknowing, unguarded. The night colored cat springs, a scream echoes in the night. The man grapples with the big cat, holding him off by an inch. All seems lost for the man, when a snug grin splits his face. Knife in hand he cuts at the jaguar, driving him back to his doom. A net from above crashes down, pinning the big cat, trapping him. Blade like claws made useless, the jaguar struggles desperate. He can’t fall like this, must get back, must protect his mate. Exhausted the night cat goes limp. All fight in him almost drained. The intruders approach, cruel weapons to carve skin from muscle in hand. The night grows late. The mate in camp weak, and all around intruders close in for the kill. The jaguar screams a warning cry. His last desperate attempt to protect. The forest grows silent. Nature holds its breath, one last silent vigil for the death throes of the jaguar. A knife raises above him, blade gleaming with his blood in the moonlight. Reflecting, flashing as it comes down, cruel faces grinning in triumph. The jaguar man wakes with a start, his body cold with sweat. The night birds are singing, the moon high overhead. An arm he wraps around his mate, draws her close for comfort. The worry plain on his face. Her breathing is soft and even, her body healthy and whole. The wounds, only in her mind.
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HUMOR
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Bearded Dragons Are Glamour Models Look at you basking in that light Your body completely at home Under the heat All eyes on you You’re confidence radiating from every scale You are the Queen of your domain The Beauty that all men crave (At least all lizard men) You lounge in luxury Beneath your homemade heat Your castle always provided With fresh veggies and fruits The human slaves toil To serve your every need But dare not a hand Enter your domain That terrible prodding hand You turn flat and curved like a potato chip Your body has become a Pringle The beard beneath your lady’s chin Turns black and angry as you puff The terrible hand draws closer waiting. Why is it waiting? Your body slowly deflates The Pringle retreats for now The hand dips in and caresses your head Soothing your fussiness You lounge once more Your face and body saying it all I am ready for my swim suit model shoot
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Sims Are Consuming My Life Many games I have played Through these years Many genres I’ve battled From RPGs like Golden Sun To both the first and third PS I’ve played the MMOs And I’ve mastered the adventures But the most addicting and Frustrating off all that I’ve played Is the Sims from EA It is a gem among rubble Consuming my time Like a dog gnawing at a bone From which all the meat has been stripped I’ve played since the beginning From the original to Sims 3 And never before have I hated it more Than I do today Oh sure I love this game Since I just can’t stop playing Hours I’ve spent wasting Waiting and waiting, then crashing Blood boils under my skin I can hear it rushing in my ears Eyes wide in shock, Staring at the most dreaded sight The error screen of destroyed dreams “The Sims 3 has stopped working” My hands tremble above the mouse Hovering above the keys My breathing is shaky and sharp My mind barely registering the loss Sometimes I just lose data The last time I saved too long ago But sometimes I lose much more An entire save file corrupt
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Days, weeks, months of playing Gone It doesn’t matter to the Monster that is EA For these crashes have only gotten worse With each successive game Who cares if devoted players Lose years worth of effort? Why should it matter So long as they buy Every new Expansion Pack Each individual Stuff pack Every Special Item Unique Separate World All for a pretty penny That EA could have used To make the game less buggy Should I just quit or Should I keep playing? The answer is not so plain The release of Sims 4 Has come before I‘ve decided whether to stay
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My Awesome Weirdo Friends There are many things One can take pride in Many reasons One has the friends they do Maybe they help you In times of need Or maybe they inspire you When your ambitions are low Some may help you up When your mood is In the dumps And some may help you forget When your mind thinks too much But sometimes they’re there To simply make you laugh These are the friends I have The ones who make a b-day cake And shape it like a penis The ones who play like Tough guys and make jokes About watermelon cracking Thighs These are the friends that Buy you the weird skittles Flavored soda and joke About yelling at your Tombstone after death For the stupid way you died Then say “It’s what he would have wanted.” You know who those friends are Or at least I hope you do For everyone should have Some goofy ridiculous friends The kind who take “weird” As a compliment The ones who can always Make you smile To those honored friends out there Let your freak flag fly high
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Spiders, House Centipedes and Other Creepy Things It stares at the creature with its great beady eyes The glossy black beads of a thousand pitiful trapped souls It stares at him mockingly Taunting the terror of The puny mortal before it For this human should be afraid For it is the terror That all true horrors come from Its many legs skitter Like a million merciless dancing Tapping blades Eager to skewer its next victim Ready to torment any Ill fated wanderer who just so Happens to cross its path It is a killing machine ready To do its worst A predator waiting to Demolish its prey A terror perching on the edge Seconds from destroying the world … or… it’s just a spider…
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The Day My Life Ended: National Adopt a Cat Month It started a day like any other A bit of sun, barely a cloud Warm light easing in Through the windows I always tried to be A good person I paid my taxes Helped my neighbors And even avoided Trolling people to death On the interwebs, No matter how fun it may be. But all that came to a close, When a commercial came on tv It was the eyes that really got to me Those pitiful little eyes Pleading and sweet Oh what a lie McLachlan sold me a lie I thought “Why not adopt a cat?” I would be doing a good thing Raising a kitten could be fun So to the shelter I went away I looked at cats and I looked At kittens And I picked myself a cute one Its paws waved playfully jaws parted in mewls This was my kitten I took home the disguised devil This Trojan horse in fur For little did I know The horror I’d know for sure The kitten grew to a cat My end had now begun It started small at first A missing pen or bottle cap Then it started on my food
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It sought to cut me off early, I think, separate me from my resources Next it hid my car keys Effectively eliminating my Ways of escape I realized all too late I was trapped Staring across the room At the furry menace I can not set foot to the floor Standing on my couch Avoiding the lava It stands by the door Guarding the only exit to the house I consider going out a window But I’m certain they’ve been tampered with I saw it with its claws in them I’m certain the beast has laid a trap I can’t go out the back door For it spread liquid fire at the base A foul by-product of its body Capable of singing the nose and lungs Of even the mightiest warrior My last chance lay In a devious trick My last move was To distract it with catnip Jumping between chairs and tables To retrieve the herb of peace From the confines of the Food room But the cat saw through My clever plot And it stayed by the door Escape I could not
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The World According to My Drama Fox Woe is the world for my human has surely abandoned me Gone are the better days of before The passage of time uncertain I will surely starve. The sun taunts my predicament It no longer sets so that I may tell The passing of days Its heat warms the den of the humans By some luck my cooling pack is still frozen I must conserve as much water as possible I will surely die of the heat. I hear sounds at the front door A human returns Not my human This is one of the house humans But not my human My human has abandoned me I will die of loneliness. Other human takes me outside Clips me to a line Free at last! Run, run, run, run, run… Wait, I’m stuck… It must be my tails fault. I will bite the tail. Sounds of car monster approach I must be wary that it doesn’t Trap me in its belly Footsteps come around the house MY HUMAN! Scream, run, run, spin, spin. The wire has tangled my feet Panic, pull, fall, oh no… My foot is tangled, I must chew it off.
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My human approaches Forget foot for pets and belly rubs I must whine pitifully. Telling you all the horrible things That happened in the years of your absence Human reaches for the wire Wait, what are you doing human? Play time now? I must avoid the hand at all costs. The hand is the enemy, And I must pounce on it I can’t pounce Oh no, I’m still tangled Panic, run, can’t run, panic more My human grasps my harness Oh no, what are you doing human? Stop it human Human’s going to eat me I don’t taste good human I’m going to be eaten. Oh no, human is reaching for legs Suddenly wire free Run, run, run… You won’t catch me human I will catch you. I sink into the grass Prepare to stalk the Offending hand My human sinks down And stalks too You are bad at stalking human I will get you. Human plays for only a minute The sun taunts me again with its light It now begins to set Darkening the night too quickly Mocking my short time with my human My human walks away Looking at garden plants
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The line is too short I can’t follow. I watch him out of reach I make pitiful noises But he doesn’t immediately Return to pet me My human has abandoned me.
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