Category: Enlightenment

NaPoWriMo 2022 Day 29

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, homelessness, my blessed life, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Personal Responsibility, Poetry, Society, Values, VolunteeringLeave a comment

I have a friend named Gene who has been working for years to make the world a better place. Slowly, steadily and most importantly, deliberately. He has worked for youth employment programs, outreach programs, community health networks, school breakfast programs, non-profit housing… the list goes on. All of it with the intent to make life better for other people. He is one of my heroes, and this poem is for him.

A Better World

How many lives do we each touch,

As through this life we pass?

Perhaps a bit more focus there,

Than on things we amass.

It’s what we’ve done as we pass through,

That says just who we are.

The choice we make to harm or help,

Dark cloud or shining star.

All ethics and morality,

Are just a guide it’s true.

What matters is what’s in your heart,

Intent must come from you.

Now do you seek to lift someone,

Or only cause them pain?

If you would seek the former great,

If not please think again.

For in the end the life you’ve lived,

Is judged by those you touch.

So hold your anger, spread your love,

Your kindness does so much.

Not one of us can change the world,

There’s none of us that strong.

But every kindness great or small,

Still counteracts some wrong.

If each of us but try to make,

Things better for someone.

The world will change for that is how,

The greatest works are done.

Not one of us but all of us,

Have strength to shift the stars

If we all try a kinder path,

Might shift this world of ours.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2022 Day 18

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, Loving Life, my blessed life, NaPoWriMo, Pop Culture, Society, ValuesLeave a comment

Sometimes it feels like everything today is about being darker, grittier, more cynical and sarcastic. Instead of that tried and disproven approach, maybe try this.

Be The Light

A smile, a word, a life is saved,

Is pulled back from the brink.

The power of a kindness is,

Much greater than you think.

The server at your coffee shop,

Though you don’t know their name,

Your smile and a few kind words,

Lift them up just the same.

No doubt you have a friend or two,

At work, you’re there all day.

So try to be more positive,

And weigh the words you say.

For words they have a power that,

There’s few who comprehend.

But this I know, the words we sow,

Are energy we send.

The message in my words is this,

If more joy you would find.

Then be a light in this dark world,

And most of all be kind.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2022 Day 16

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, Global Issues, Media, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Poetry, Rants, SocietyLeave a comment

I was talking with a friend the other day and they commented on how much worse the world has become since we were young. (Yep, I’m that kind of old man who sits and talks about such things.) I said I don’t think the world is getting worse. I think we are just exposed to a lot more of it, a lot more quickly. It’s up to us, how much of it we internalize.

Today’s poem is about that.

All The News That’s Fit To Internalize

I dream of waking up someplace,

So far from anywhere.

There’s no bad news of any kind,

Too far to ship it there.

Imagine how sweet life could be,

No constant doom and gloom.

How bright your days, how light your soul,

If we gave fear no room.

I do not seek a perfect life,

A life devoid of pain.

I only want to step away,

‘Til you and I remain.

Then I would know these joy and fears,

Of mine are really mine.

And not some outside aggregate,

From TV and online.

Now as you live your life recall,

Life’s not dark as they say.

No matter how much dark is pushed,

Into your mind each day.

I have not found that someplace where,

Bad news cannot reach me.

Instead each day, I try to choose,

Just what my soul will see.

If I can learn to limit dark,

And elevate the light.

Then I will know more peaceful days,

And better sleep each night.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2022 Day 14

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, Environment, Global Issues, homelessness, NaPoWriMo, Personal Responsibility, Poetry, Rants, Society, Uncategorized, ValuesLeave a comment

Obviously, I didn’t get this finished last night. But hey, here it is anyway. It’s all about the world we have to live in and changing it into the world we want to live in.

On Not Being A Greedy Supervillain

I wonder just how far we’ll go,

And how we will get there.

Or if we’ll stagnate where we are,

Will anybody care?

The future is not guaranteed,

There’s nothing carved in stone.

If we’d survive we must change now,

For our sins must atone.

Because we’ve thought, we’re all that counts,

We’ve made a hash of things.

Now mend we must our broken ways,

Before the last bird sings.

Instead of taking all we can,

Perhaps just what we need.

Instead of paving everything,

Perhaps should plant a seed.

We hear of corporate greed so much,

And evil billionaires.

But stock in greed is limitless,

We all deserve some shares.

It’s every time we’ve asked for more,

When we have all we need.

We’re all about that new TV,

Not hungry mouths to feed.

We gripe and grouse ’bout produce price,

Sell farms to subdivide.

Can’t stand the cities that we built,

So in our suburbs hide.

So now the question where and when,

And just how far we’ll go.

Is answered by our actions which,

Shape where all this will go.

So take the time to think it through,

The bigger picture see.

And make the choice to make the world,

The place that it could be.

Go take some coins and drop them in,

That homeless person’s hat.

If you could spare a little time,

Perhaps could stop and chat.

It’s little acts of kindness which,

Will add up over time.

It’s taking less and giving more

To live a life sublime.

So change yourself and change the world,

And maybe it will spread.

Perhaps someone will see and they,

Won’t take but give instead.

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

Winston

NaPoWriMo 2022 Day 6

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, family, Friendship, Love, Loving Life, Memories, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Poetry, RelationshipsLeave a comment

To every person who has blessed me with the honorific “friend”, I love you and thank you for the moments we have shared be they many or few. Each of you has helped me become who I am. Time is the only gift that truly matters. Thank you all for this most precious gift you have given me.

Don’t Just Take Time, Give It

Don’t grieve for me when I am gone,

Laugh with me while I’m here.

And then when all is said and done,

Then shed a happy tear.

So call me now or come see me,

While we’ve yet time to spend.

Not leave unspoke the love we share,

My dear and precious friend.

Too many times, someone has said,

“I wish I’d been there more.”

It is too late when we are gone,

Let’s spend the time before.

Let’s laugh and sing or sit and talk,

Or just together be.

Your company a magic balm,

Which brings such peace to me.

So this I vow, I will reach out,

To friends I have not seen.

To chat and laugh and marvel at,

Just how long it has been.

If each of us takes up this vow,

To reach out to someone.

There’ll be less guilt and less regret,

When our brief time is done.

In Kindness, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2022 Day 2

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, Loving Life, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Personal Responsibility, Poetry, Self Awareness2 Comments

I am no longer quite as young as I was previously. I’ve come to terms with this and tend to remind myself that getting older still beats the only proven alternative. Get old or die.

Years ago I worked for a wonderful woman named Heather who taught me one of the most important things I’ve ever learned. She told me “Good is the enemy of great.”. This means that as soon as we accept good we stop pushing for great. Now, whether it is in my poetry, my art, my work or whatever else I’m doing, I always try to push myself just that little bit further.

Good Isn’t Good Enough

Sometimes in life we don’t invest,

In everything we do.

Do just enough, that’s good enough,

And then it’s done, we’re through.

We’ve done the thing a million times,

It’s nothing but routine.

Sure we didn’t scrub the tub,

But wiped it down. It’s clean.

We see it doesn’t shine the same,

Way that it did before.

And in our hearts we know the truth,

We could have given more.

What we don’t see, not right away,

Our soul erodes a bit.

We are born great, each lesser choice,

Chips off a piece of it.

Then one day where once greatness was,

Just good enough is seen.

Surrounded by the rubble of,

How great we could have been.

So spend the time and effort to,

Change good to something great.

That extra that you give comes back,

To your soul soon or late.

Good is not really good enough,

When great is waiting there.

Just push and strive a little more,

See good cannot compare.

Then you will see within yourself,

A pride not there before.

For turning good enough to great,

Giving a little more.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2022 Day 1

On By WinstonIn Bullying Yourself, Enlightenment, NaPoWriMo, Poetry, Self Awareness, The Power of WordsLeave a comment

It seems like it was only eleven short months ago that I wrapped up my last verse of the year. Now here we are again. Softly, gently, we find ourselves wrapped in the sweet warmth of the dream, knowing all the time… the nightmare of writer’s block lurks somewhere up ahead. But that is a problem for another day. Without further delay my season opener.

The Lies We Tell Ourselves

Continue reading “NaPoWriMo 2022 Day 1” →

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 29…ish

On By WinstonIn Bullying Yourself, Enlightenment, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Personal Responsibility, Poetry, Self Awareness, The Power of Words, UncategorizedLeave a comment

So yesterday ended as a bit of a disaster. I got it sorted out in the end, but by then it was too late to write this because I had to work today. Long story short, here’s yesterday’s poem. It’s all about not being nastier to yourself than you are to others.

Be As Kind To You

Sometimes in life I make mistakes,

That anyone may make.

I drop something, forget something,

A plate or glass I break.

If someone else did just the same,

I’d understand, forgive.

But when it’s me, I start to rage,

Surprised I let me live.

I use such names, say hurtful things,

I’d never say to you.

I’ve done this for so many years,

Inside believe they’re true.

But here’s the thing, I know they’re not,

Yet in that angry heat.

I grab those nasty, jagged chains,

With them, my soul, I beat.

I know so many do the same,

It’s no more true I swear.

We all have chains to beat ourselves,

They’re always waiting there.

So here’s a tip, I try to live,

Though often yet I fail.

Don’t beat yourself, there’s others who,

Would gladly wield that flail.

We all are human and must learn,

To value who we are.

Accept our faults not pick at them,

Pick at them ’til they scar.

Now please be kinder to yourself,

Kind as you’d be to me.

Speak to yourself as to your love,

Try for yourself and see.

I’ve listened to the voices in,

My head and now I know.

I’d not speak thus to those I love.

Why do I hate me so?

Speak gentler words that build you up,

Alone within your mind.

Don’t punish but forgive yourself,

To your own self be kind.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 27

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Personal Responsibility, Poetry, Self Awareness, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I struggle a lot with getting overwhelmed by the things I have to do. Then I don’t do them. Then I get more overwhelmed. Then I don’t do them… I think you see how that works. Well, I’ve been working at changing that. This poem kind of articulates that struggle for me.

The Way Forward

Sometimes the things we plan to do,

Do not go as we’d hope.

And then we stress and blame ourselves,

Step on that slippery slope.

Now from that stress, depression comes,

To sap our will to try.

It just gets worse the longer we,

Allow time to slip by.

Before you know it’s spiraled down,

So overwhelmed we feel.

And though we tell ourselves it’s not,

Our black despair is real.

But here’s a thing I’ve had to learn,

That’s not a healthy place.

If you give in, if you get stuck,

Believe you’re a disgrace.

You can get stuck, see no way out,

But that’s not true I swear.

You can get free, can break those chains,

Find your way back from there.

Like any trip, it’s that first step,

The bravest thing you do.

Once that thing’s done, take the next step,

And then another too.

There will be times it will be hard,

You take no step that day.

And maybe two or three go by,

You think you’ve lost your way.

But you aren’t beat so don’t despair,

Can’t lose until you quit.

So give yourself permission to,

Fail. Make your peace with it.

But from that setback rise back up,

Push on despite the pain.

For even just the smallest step,

Is still some kind of gain.

So understand you will despair,

But you don’t have to dwell.

For each step’s one step closer to,

Escaping from your hell.

Cheers, Winston

Sir Winston Churchill, for whom I was named, once famously said, “When you’re going through Hell, keep going.” It seems to apply here.

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 25

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, Memories, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Personal Responsibility, Poetry, Psychology, Self Awareness, UncategorizedLeave a comment

For many years, I allowed my past (or at least my perception of it) to dictate how I saw myself. Over time, I’ve revised that narrative. I’m working on becoming a synthesis of who I believe I was and who I believe I can be. Today’s poem looks at the importance of acknowledging the past but living in the now and choosing who we want to be rather than who we were told we are.

The Past Need Not Define

I sing the songs of long ago,

Forgotten all these years.

And as I sing my mind drifts back,

My eyes fill up with tears.

Where did they go the days and years?

Were they as I recall?

Were they so carefree and sublime?

Have I rewritten all?

The mem’ry of a summer day,

So sweet my heart will ache.

A certain smell and then a trip,

Down mem’ry lane I take.

But are those mem’ries really real,

Or something we create?

Do we just cling to what we need,

No matter love or hate?

If it can justify the things,

Which we think us define.

Then we will find just what we need,

And take it as a sign.

I do not think it matters much,

How accurate and true.

Each person’s mem’ries are their own,

So yours are true for you.

But do not let your mem’ries make,

A trap, ensnare your soul.

Remember now is where you live,

Don’t stay down in that hole.

Take comfort where there’s comfort found,

Learn lessons that you find.

Make peace, find peace, within your past,

To free today, your mind.

Cheers, Winston