Poem: Neda

Neda

A beautiful smile

Obvious joy in living

Musical, friendly, playful

Neda

Twenty-six years old

Only beginning life

So much promise; so many dreams

Neda

One bullet to her chest

Then eyes roll to sleep

Blood pouring from nose and mouth

Neda

A nameless triggerman

But the assassins?

Khamenei, Ahmadinejad

Falsely-claimed men of God

Oppressive cowards

Fearing the people, the truth, freedom, God’s way

Neda

Truly these rulers – frightened tyrants

Hiding behind lies, crimes, stolen elections

Pretending belief in God

Killing with evil, brutality is not God-like

Neda

A young life of endless possibility

Bleeding away on the pavement

How many more in the shadows?

Neda, Neda, Neda

All tyranny is defeated by time

Honor and justice prevail

And a death, many, too many, will be remembered

Neda will be remembered

Copyright SGW 2009

My previous thoughts on Neda are here.

Neda

So many people die each day. Many die at the hands of evil and corrupt people or institutions. However, the death of Neda Salehi Agha Soltan, 26, in Iran a few days ago haunts me. It is the first time I have ever witnessed someone die (via Youtube) and I will never forget her face.

Seeing Neda die in such a way gets to the heart of what is happening in Iran and many other places around the world. Anyone who could witness another person die in this manner and still condone acts of violence against innocent people does not believe in God, is wholly unjust and immoral, is criminal, and deserves no place in society. The Iranian regime must go. It does not deserve power, respect or any measure of religious standing.

I pray that the people of Iran can rise up and replace the Khamenei/Ahmadinejad dictatorship with a just and free government - one that does not hate its own people OR God.

Poem: Circling The Drain

Circling The Drain

The Republican remnants in a terrible fright
The right wingnuts worry they have lost all their bite
Cry of lost power thrown away they once kept
When they made the decisions they were wholly inept
They freed Wall Street bankers to run unfettered by law
Rules that might govern they would strongly abhor
The economy’s in ruin and they offer just “no’s”
Herbert Hoover their answer as history shows
Boxed in a nation only richest might thrive
When Bushie left office we could barely survive
Their Fox, faux, fake news show where the ignorant turn
They distort, twist and lie and their viewers won’t learn
Screaming irrationally and playing to fear
Obama’s a Marxist, militant (black), Muslim, queer
Reduced to the ravings of a tea-bagging muddle
The conservative ocean now no more than a puddle

Copyright SGW 2009

Extremists in the name of NO God

Extremist Muslims who are suicide bombers do not follow anything God might defend.

Extremist Christians who shoot doctors who perform abortions and discriminate against gays do not follow anything God might defend.

Extremist Jews who rampage against Arabs in the West Bank and murder to defend illegal settlements do not follow anything God might defend.

Poem: Broken

Broken

He hit you

Again and again and again

Left bruises, scars

Emptied spirit bled dry in the unanswered questions of why

Your father

Who loved you

But how is it love; the beatings?

You hit me

Again and again and again

Left wounds, marks

Hollowed spirit sucked clean from the unquestioned answers of because

My father

Who loves me

And it is how it is; the beatings

I could hit him

Again and again and again

Leave bruises, wounds and scars

Destroy another in never-ending chains without questioning

A father

Who loves him

And it is love to say enough

Copyright SGW 2009

Footnote: Nothing about this poem is personal. My dad was the furthest from this as is possible, as was his father. I wrote this as part of an exercise in relation to this poem: Prevention.

Poem: Prevention

I work for a place that PREVENTS child abuse. That is the first thing that made this endeavor a challenge: How do you write about something that has not happened? My organization trains people and provides technical assistance to those who work with families, so they are not necessarily the first line of action either. They are in the schools and run programs, as such, but again, it is a tough angle to write from. They asked me to do so.

Prevention

Days can grow long with a sense of no hope

Life has its struggles of a too much to cope

I could know not the answers for a world of dismay

Fallen ‘pon hardships of a sure disarray

Money grows tighter so as can’t meet their needs

Obligations as mother are a challenge to heed

How can I feed them and who will buy clothes

Help with the housework? God only knows!

They disrupt any quiet and disobey me at will

Constantly crying, and the whining grows shrill

Lines of support mostly shatter or wilt

Relationship’s falter from foundation’s poor-built

An urge often rises all the harder to fight

You are weak with exhaustion; every nerve starts to bite

Control could be lost bringing anger to head

That’s when children get beaten; that’s when children get dead

One should see these portrayals as being unset by stone

There are choices to make if we’re not left alone

For the parent who struggles, there’s an alternate route

Teachers with answers to be found all about

In the training, assistance and support we provide

At each fork in the road better paths get applied

Here lies a purpose and the mission at core

Preventing abuse – we will work all the more

Copyright SGW 2009

Sarcasm ...

... your body's natural defense against stupid.

Poem: Fresh

Fresh

Winter’s gray shows signs of lifting;
New life pauses to reflect
Upon a thaw of hope;
And the color returns.
Promise opens wide her petals
Toward strengthening sun
Whose warmth feeds the soul.

Let this not be false;
Allow sustenance;
Don’t grow cold again.

For I have put aside
All sweaters, gloves and heavy coats.

Copyright SGW 2009

Poem: Time Running

Time Running

The choices are plentiful,
Or is it more lack thereof.
Trapped by the indecision
From a multitude of chance;
This path, that road or ... somewhere.
Decisions are bound by fear,
Like the chaos of panic;
“What to be’s” know no answer,
And resolution dwindles;
Dwindles down into darkness.
Is there a place to turn to?
Unknowns cast a cloud of doubt
Over skies once built in hope,
So now as the clock ticks on;
Await the clarion call;
It is time, Scott, it is time;
Choose ... choose right ... or suffer on.
These are my daily trials.

Copyright SGW 2007

Poem: Insanity

Insanity

As winter lies restless in tears of the mind

Storms leave the markings on a time undefined

Where whispers find calling in residued voice

Echoes of laughter ‘long the walls of no choice

Harassed by the demons holding bitter-pill wish

The pains served as trials are an unpleasant dish

Quickly, seek cover, darkest clouds find the sky

Believe there’s no danger and buy into your lie

Copyright SGW 2009