Category: Personal Responsibility

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

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 12

On By WinstonIn COVID 19, NaPoWriMo, Pandemic, Personal, Personal Responsibility, Poetry, Science, Society, Uncategorized, Values2 Comments

I am well aware that not everyone will agree with today’s poem and that’s okay. This post reflects my views on the current situation. Thank you for keeping any comments polite, respectful and brief.

COVID 19

This virus, such a tiny thing,

How quick, how far it spread.

Around the globe in just a year,

There’s near three million dead.

“It’s not so bad.”, some folks maintain,

“It’s no worse than the flu.”

At least until someone who died,

Is someone close to you.

They can’t conceive or won’t believe,

Why everything must stop.

And every step that we can take,

We must ’til cases drop.

Now wear your mask and wash you hands,

And stay home that’s the plan.

Now close the restaurants and bars,

Close any stores you can.

There’s no cabal with some grand plan,

To strip your rights from you.

The powerful elites don’t care,

‘Bout little fish like you.

Your “rights” aren’t more important than,

All those who’ve yet to die.

Unless you’re one who’ll tell me that,

This all has been a lie.

I beg you don’t say this to me,

I’ve heard it all before.

And I’ve no wish to go around,

Go ’round and ’round once more.

This virus, such a tiny thing,

Makes such a huge divide.

Some swear our fear has made us blind,

Some work to stem the tide.

I’ve diabetes, heart disease,

Health issues by the score.

Up until now my Docs have worked,

To keep me from Death’s door.

So I’ll rely on their advice,

To get me through these times.

And pass the lockdown as I do,

Composing little rhymes.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 09

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, Global Issues, Media, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Personal Responsibility, Poetry, Society, Technology, ValuesLeave a comment

A lot of ink, both physical and digital has been devoted to the evils personal tech devices of late. I’m more a proponent of balance than banishment. Make better choices. That’s what I’m striving for.

What Is Light Without The Dark?

The constant light, is always there,

It seeps in through the seams.

There’s nowhere that I’m free of it,

Even my darkest dreams.

Light finds me there, and sears my eyes,

I beg for some respite.

But there is none, it never fades,

Dim yet eternal light.

Five billion screens, each one aglow,

Dark never stood a chance.

Now day and night are just the same,

We’ve stilled the ancient dance.

And though our screens give constant light,

We see much less by far.

Than when our eyes looked up to seek,

The brightest, clearest star.

By giving all our time to this,

Thing there within our hand.

We’ve lost the will to look beyond,

And try to understand.

But don’t forget that screen is just,

A tool that we can use.

Don’t blame the thing, but blame the choice,

And then more wisely choose.

Now choose to close that screen sometimes,

Enveloped in the night.

For darkness is essential to,

Appreciate the light.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo 2021 Day 4

On By WinstonIn Discrimation, Enlightenment, NaPoWriMo, Personal Responsibility, Self Awareness, Society, Uncategorized, ValuesLeave a comment

With all the people I see complaining about “cancel culture”, snowflakes, and people being offended, I wanted to share the following.

You Don’t Know

You don’t know what I have been through,

Nor truly anyone.

Perhaps you think you speak in jest,

Are only having fun.

But words cut deep and deeper still,

Their wounds may never heal.

Your words you think are but a joke,

Cause pain that’s truly real.

You’re free to speak say what you wish,

Just don’t hurt anyone.

Sure in the past was not the case,

Thank God those days are done.

When someone says your words cause harm,

You laugh and say they’re weak.

Their courage shows as they speak out,

You wish they would stay meek.

When someone says offensive things,

They have earned my offense.

Then they’re offended by this truth,

They lack all common sense.

If you can’t find something to say,

That will not hurt someone.

Well then perhaps the very best,

Things you can say are none.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day 4

On By WinstonIn Education, Environment, Global Issues, NaPoWriMo, Nature, Personal Responsibility, Science, SocietyLeave a comment

Earlier I was watching TED/Ed as one does when they are at work. And I came across this talk by Xiye Bastida ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBeU6UZyPjY&feature=emb_title ). It inspired today’s offering.

On Xiye Bastida

I just believe she said to me,

as hope shone from her eyes.

I know you don’t, and that’s okay,

my dream fits every size.

 

For each good thing there is in life,

was once just someone’s dream.

Belief is what brings them to life,

hold it in high esteem.

 

Then as I saw the hope in her,

it kindled hope in me.

And as it grew I understood,

You must believe to see.

 

Now as I watch, a million more,

once more start to believe.

They share her dream and dare to hope,

it’s one we can achieve.

 

Every good thing that we have,

and every bad as well,

was once a dream in someone’s heart.

You never can quite tell.

 

Before you mock or just dismiss,

the dream she has to share.

Please understand, it’s not a plan,

Just asking you to care.

 

Now I believe. It’s not that hard.

But making dreams come true,

that takes an act of purest will,

and sacrifices too.

 

So I believe, take baby steps,

to build tomorrow’s world.

Inspired by the faith and dream,

Of this young, hopeful girl.

 

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day 22

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, Global Issues, my blessed life, NaPoWriMo, Personal Responsibility, Poetry, Society, Uncategorized, ValuesLeave a comment

We often hear about the greed of the super rich. But the fact is, it’s most of us as well. We all see the poverty in our own communities and around the world, but so few step up to do anything about it. Instead of waiting for the rich to throw money at these problems or the government to fix them, it’s up to each of us. Today’s poem is about the low-level greed and despair that hold us back from a better world. Enjoy.

 

WE CAN BE THE CHANGE

Today I have enough to eat,

A roof over my head.

I turn a tap and water’s there,

I have a warm, safe bed.

 

Sometimes there’s things that I may want,

I’m sad I cannot get.

But then I try to realize,

They are not needs I bet.

 

So many live without enough,

To eat or even drink.

How spoiled am I to stress about,

Stuff I don’t need, I think.

 

It is the blessing and the curse,

Of where I live I guess.

We have so much, but want much more,

It makes our world a mess.

 

Why’s it so hard to understand,

There’s others need it more.

The money that I spend on whims,

Could truly help the poor.

 

Instead of doing all we can,

To help those most in need.

We drop our coin, to buy that thing,

And never think it’s greed.

 

No, greed’s a thing for CEOs,

Not folks like you and me.

The truth is we are just as bad,

On smaller scale you see.

 

We want to keep all that we make,

The same as rich folk do.

And get upset when strangers ask,

For cash from me and you.

 

We don’t want to be told the truth,

Reminded of the fact.

That we are just like all the rest,

Who know but will not act.

 

We get so overwhelmed when we,

Think of the problem’s scale.

But don’t forget that plankton feed,

The mighty baleen whale.

 

No runner ever starts the race,

Right at the finish line.

It’s all the steps that come between,

To victory incline.

 

So think on this, the smallest step,

We take is something more.

And even baby steps move us,

From where we were before.

 

Before you buy that shiny thing,

That just now caught your eye.

Give just a bit, it’s not that hard.

To help someone, just try.

 

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day 20

On By WinstonIn Global Issues, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Personal Responsibility, Poetry, Science, Society, Technology, UncategorizedLeave a comment

My grandmother lived to be one hundred and four years old. She grew up in London, England in the late 1800s before moving to the prairies in Saskatchewan, Canada. She went from living in the bright center of the British Empire to living in a sod shack. The last time I saw her, she was talking about all the wonders she had seen over her lifetime. From steam engines to moon landings and from telegraphs to television. The pace of progress is even quicker now. Who knows what wonders we will see…

TOMORROW’S WONDERS

I travel ever on and on,

Through this strange place called life.

And lose myself in daily rounds,

Of sadness, joy or strife.

 

But every now and then I wake,

And look around in awe.

At miracles I see each day,

And then forget I saw.

 

A medicine that saves a life,

Last year was surely lost.

But we don’t see the miracle,

Just grumble at the cost.

 

A car that stops before it hits,

A person in the street.

Don’t care about the life it spared,

Just think, “That’s kinda neat!”

 

A human habitat in space,

Now orbits overhead.

Where scientists experiment,

While I I’m asleep in bed.

 

The pace of progress does not sleep,

It forges ever on.

As long as questions still get asked,

‘Til the last human’s gone.

 

Think back to when you were a child,

Now see the massive change.

Now see tomorrow and the next,

How beautiful and strange.

 

I know that it’s not guaranteed,

This future that I see.

But giving it a fighting chance,

Is down to you and me.

 

Try to consume a little less,

Give back a little more.

If we all do a little bit.

We’ll reach that golden shore.

 

So look around with open eyes,

At what we can achieve.

Now every one of us must build,

That future we believe.

 

Cheers, Winston

 

NaPoWriMo Day 17

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

I lost my temper this morning. It was over something stupid. It didn’t need to happen. I don’t lose it often, but even once in a while is too often. Some days…. I really don’t like myself very much.

 

MY PERSONAL DEMON

There is a rage inside of me,

Each day I watch it grow,

No matter what or how I try,

I cannot make it go.

 

I try so hard to keep it in,

To spare those close to me.

The harder I try to suppress,

The worse when it breaks free.

 

I snarl and shout and sound just like,

I have gone quite insane.

But I’ve no easy reason there,

No illness of the brain.

 

The guilt may damp the flames of rage,

But I know not for long.

And soon enough I’ll loose my grip,

When something small goes wrong.

 

I’ll lose control, the rage will win,

Misplaced as it may be.

Another moment I’ve destroyed,

Ashamed that I am me.

 

I vow that I’ll do better now,

No matter what it takes.

But it always ends up the same,

Can’t learn from my mistakes.

 

There is a beast inside of  me,

It rages on and on.

It does not rest, it will not stop,

‘Til I at last am gone.

 

Cheers, Winston

 

NaPoWriMo Day 16

On By WinstonIn NaPoWriMo, Personal, Personal Responsibility, Society, Uncategorized, ValuesLeave a comment

So I’ve got a funeral to attend today. I don’t like large groups of relative strangers, or stranger relatives for that matter. I especially don’t like funerals. But I’m going anyway because it’s what we do. This poem is about that sense of obligation.

OUR SOCIAL CONTRACT

There’s things in life we can’t avoid,

There’s things we have to do.

Those things we hate, and would avoid,

But no where to run to.

A social obligation is,

A dreadful weight to bear.

We must fulfil it all the same,

To show how much we care.

We are all social creatures and,

On each other rely.

But there are times, we’d rather be,

Alone to sit and cry.

Instead we wear our public face,

The one we wear for show.

We put away the truth of us,

That no one else should know.

We go and do expected things,

Because that’s who we are.

When we’d far rather go and spend,

That same time in a bar.

But we know others count on us,

We’ll count on them one day.

So brave face on and out the door,

The platitudes to say.

Now do the things I can’t avoid,

The things I have to do.

The things I hate, and would avoid,

All right, I will, for you.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day 12

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, homelessness, Personal Responsibility, Society, Uncategorized, ValuesLeave a comment

I work in downtown Ottawa which is the capital of Canada. My office is a five minute walk from our Parliament building. Every morning in the summer there are homeless people sleeping in many of the doorways on my street. You see them year round with hats or cups in hand, sometimes with a sign. They don’t ask for money because the city has forbidden it.

No matter how far they have fallen, they are still worthy of our help and being treated with dignity and respect.

IT COULD’VE BEEN ME

Each day as I walk down the street,

I see them here and there.

Their dirty coats and ragged pants,

Are all they have to wear.

 

A hat held out, a hopeful smile,

They cannot speak their need.

For we don’t want to hear them ask,

Will we their hunger feed.

 

They seem like broken drifting wrecks,

Left on a hard life’s shore.

But they have stories just like us,

And hopes and dreams and more.

 

Most mornings in the summertime,

You see them quite a bit.

In doorways where they spent the night,

Though streets are brightly lit.

 

These people are no secret here,

Most just choose not to see.

And if they do their only thought,

It’s naught to do with me.

 

But it’s to do with all of us,

I’ll tell you something true.

If things had turned out differently,

That person could be you.

 

So share your change or share some food,

Or help them how you may.

And thank whomever you would like,

You’re not out there today.

 

Cheers, Winston