NaPoWriMo Day 6

On By WinstonIn NaPoWriMo, Personal, Poetry, Self AwarenessLeave a comment

Here we are at day 6 of NaPoWriMo and I’m starting to question why I do this. So that’s what I’ll write about tonight.

 

A Rambling Thought

I sit and write and as I do,

a thought occurs to me.

Why do I write? What is the point?

What use can these words be?

I’m certain that no lives will change,

because of reading this.

If I should stop, just give it up,

there’s naught for you to miss.

So if it’s not for you I write,

perhaps it is for me.

An outlet for the noise within,

to let somebody see.

These words are just a fleeting thought,

set free and then no more.

Although they linger on the page,

they mean less than before.

The muse which drives me ever on,

decides the way I take.

I never know the verse I’ll write,

nor what new rhyme I’ll make.

I do not plan or try to seek,

for some specific goal.

Just start to write and let it flow,

until it’s done and whole.

And now my muse is telling me,

this task is nearly done.

Just one more line, at last I see,

this is the final one.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day 5

On By WinstonIn Loving Life, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Poetry, Self Awareness, Society, ValuesLeave a comment

Yes, I know that I’m posting this on day 6. At least it’s getting posted, so half-marks for that.

Be Here Now

We spend so much of every day,

caught up inside our head.

Dwelling still upon the past,

or planning far ahead.

But all the time we spend like that,

is time we are not here.

This present now is all we have,

and we should hold it dear.

Each time we think of all we’ve had,

we throw our now away.

And as we dream of what we want,

we miss out on today.

I do not say you should not plan,

or should forget the past.

Just do not give your life to them,

it’s now, be here at last.

Right now as you are reading this,

your mind is far away.

Thinking of all the other things,

that you will do today.

But you are here and it is now,

live in this time you’re in.

When you are with the ones you love,

then wandering’s a sin.

They are what is most important,

not what was said at work.

The person who is here with you,

is not your boss (That jerk!).

So don’t give past the power to,

destroy your now as well.

For re-living your pains each day,

is like a mini hell.

So be here now, be when you are,

take back your life today.

For here and now come round but once,

It’s where we all should stay.

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day 4

On By WinstonIn Loving Life, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Politics, Society, ValuesLeave a comment

So Canada turns 150 this year! Here is my first tribute to the country that I am privileged to call home.

Canada 150

One hundred-fifty years ago,

my Canada began.

It’s dream of freedom and of peace,

a continent did span.

And now we stand here looking back,

at just how far we’ve come.

With some things we have come quite far,

and dropped the ball on some.

We are diverse, a varied lot,

who rarely can agree.

We argue, shout and brawl and such,

but no one shoots at me.

And half the time near half of us,

they want to leave the rest.

But then they slowly realize,

together, we’re the best.

So wave a flag and raise a pint,

to this grand land we share.

And if you doubt it is the best,

go try your luck elsewhere.

 

Cheers, Winston

NaPoWriMo Day 3

On By WinstonIn NaPoWriMo, Poetry, Self Awareness, Society, UncategorizedLeave a comment

It’s late and I should be in bed, buuuuuut…… this should just take a minute.

 

Seek a Different Path

The dance begins, the battle joined,

the words cut just like knives.

We know that we should just let go,

this is not worth our lives.

But we can’t just forget the hurts,

keep living in the past.

Can’t now recall who started this,

nor how long it will last.

But we are right of this we’re sure,

about what we don’t know.

They must be wrong of course they are,

else we’d not hate them so.

Our fathers hated so we hate,

for what else can we do?

This is how it’s always been,

of course it must be true.

But there are those who seek a change,

who seek a diff’rent way.

Some day they hope to stop the hate,

seek peace for all they say.

I do not know what that would be,

I’ve dreamt of it I think.

But peace is such a fragile thing,

may vanish if you blink.

 So we go on, seek victory,

it’s what we think we need.

We claim to love the ones we hurt,

then weep to see them bleed.

It’s what we’ve learned, it’s what we teach,

but we can learn new things.

Not bound forever by the past,

it’s hope the future brings.

 

Cheers, Winston

 

 

 

My Angel

On By WinstonIn Loving Life, NaPoWriMo, Personal, PoetryLeave a comment

Day three of NaPoWriMo. What to write today, that’s the question. Ah, I know….

 

You Are All I Need To See

I sit upon the shore and gaze,

out at the distant sea.

And think of all the places that,

I think I’d like to be.

But then I stop and start to think,

of all I have right here.

The life I’ve built, the home I have,

the one I hold so dear.

It’s true there’s wonders everywhere,

that I would love to see.

But there’s no joy that could compare,

to what you give to me.

I’d rather see your face each morn,

than see the Taj Mahal

For just one smile that lights your face,

I’d gladly skip it all.

So if I leave to see the world,

this much I promise you.

Where ere I go what ere I see,

each pass will be for two.

 

Cheers, Winston

 

Return of the Poet

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, Loving Life, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Self Awareness, ValuesLeave a comment

I’m actually a day late with this. I had planned a while ago to participate again in NaPoWriMo. Then totally zoned yesterday and forgot about it. Oops.

Here we go anyway!

The Return of the Poet

It’s April once again and I,

Begin to write anew.

To search throughout my cobwebbed mind,

Tell something that is true.

Those rhymes I’ve made and words I’ve spilled.

So oft upon the page.

Are scarcer and much slower found,

My brain now shows it’s age.

So here’s a truth from one who’s looked,

Unflinching at his days.

Don’t sit and wait, the time is now,

To grow, to change your ways.

For in the end with every choice,

Our soul is more defined.

So think before you speak or act,

There’s no chance to rewind .

Cheers, Winston

Welcome to “The Pussy Generation”

On By WinstonIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

My Facebook feed has been filling up with posts referencing Clint Eastwood’s recent interview with Esquire magazine in which he slammed political correctness and referred to this as “the Pussy Generation”. Despite his best efforts, and being totally wrong, Mr. Eastwood accidentally slipped a little bit of truth in there. You see, he is treating the phrase like an insult, but what if you flip it around and look at it from the other side?

You see, “the Pussy Generation” is all about sensitivity, compassion, helping those in need, environmental responsibility, equality of opportunity, respect for everyone, and ensuring the strong don’t trample the weak. In short, political correctness. Traditionally, these ideas are all more or less anathema to our traditional, patriarchal society. For many years now, anyone who embraced these “feninine” leanings could expect to collect the pejorative label “pussy”. But that’s only a bad thing if you’re a slave to patriarchal fashion. Let me explain.

“Pussy” is used as a slang term to refer to female genitalia. To refer to a male as a “pussy” was to imply that he was acting like a woman and that this was a bad thing. It’s only bad if you drank your daily dose of patriarchal kool-aid. Once you realize that all of these feminine behaviours have been run down to build up the hyper-masculine values our society was built on, you can understand that their negative connotation is a deliberate construct.

For time out of mind, our society has been run by a male dominated, misogynistic, hyper-masculinized patriarchy. Before anyone points out the usual list of female rulers let me just point out that every single one of them succeeded by playing the men’s game by the men’s rules. None of them were noted for bringing an especially feminine sensibility to the halls of power.

If this is indeed “the Pussy Generation” then what about all those that have come before? Well, let’s take a look at that for a moment. If someone is rude, abusive, insensitive, hurtful, bossy, negative, bullying etc, we would likely say that they are being “a Dick”. As the counterpoint to “Pussy”, “Dick” is the negative pejorative associated with male genitalia. As such, it is associated with all the traditionally male behaviours.

With all this in mind, it quickly becomes apparent that our society, and indeed much of the world has been run for thousands of years by successive “Dick Generations”. Look at what that has gotten us and you can start to understand why I don’t see “the Pussy Generation” as a such a bad thing. Given the history of war, bigotry, oppression, suppression, hatred, greed and general abuse of anyone who doesn’t think/look/talk/act/believe/behave/whatever the same as us, maybe it’s time the “Dicks” took a rest and let the “Pussies” have a crack at it. Maybe it’s time for a little compassion, sensitivity and nurturing. Maybe it’s time to try to understand the other person’s point of view/culture/way of life instead of just assuming ours is better.

Maybe it’s time for us to understand that “Political Correctness” is good for something more than the punchline in a tired stand-up comedy routine. It’s time to see the value in embracing someone in a hug rather than a head-lock. Understanding is better than blind obedience. Accepting people’s differences is better than forcing a false conformity. Women aren’t the same as men, but they are every bit as valuable as people and deserve full equality of opportunity and the right to live their lives free from the institutionalized abuses of patriarchy and misogyny.

So long “Dick Generations”… Welcome to “The Pussy Generation”!

Cheers, Winston

Morality For The Lost

On By WinstonIn Dark / Gothic, Enlightenment, Personal Creativity Project,, Personal Poetry Writing Challenge, Poetry, Society, ValuesLeave a comment

Morality For The Lost

A demon danced in dead man’s shoes,
His face turned to the rain.
An angel raged on through the night,
Adrift on seas of pain.

A babe new born an orphan lost,
Alone and powerless.
A demon too far gone to curse,
The angel cannot bless.

The babe, a child, grows up alone,
Ward of a careless state.
And still the demon dances on,
The angel curses fate.

The child becomes a young man now,
Most think he has no chance.
He’s seen the angel, knows his rage,
Has learned the demon’s dance.

He’s done some bad, he’s done some good,
He’s learned what’s right and wrong.
It isn’t what you do but why,
That drags your soul along.

A demon dances in the rain,
He wears a young mans face.
And those who see him watch in awe,
Angelic rage and grace.

He sees no absolutes in life,
In terms of wrong or right.
To him there’s only shades of grey,
Invisible at night.

Cheers, winston

NAPOWRIMO Day 30

On By WinstonIn Enlightenment, NaPoWriMo, Personal Responsibility, Poetry, Society, ValuesLeave a comment

Commonality

So I believe and know this truth,
I am the same as you.
Not in the way I speak or look
Nor in the things I do.

It’s what we are that is the same,
This we should keep in mind.
And understand the falseness of,
Divisions that you find.

What matter gender, race or creed,
We dream our dreams as one.
To love and laugh and live our lives,
Content when we are done.

So next time someone does you wrong,
Think on your own mistakes.
Remember  They are You and I,
Be kind for all our sakes.

Cheers, Winston

NAPOWRIMO Day 29

On By WinstonIn NaPoWriMo, Personal, PoetryLeave a comment

I’m A Very Rash Person

I almost wrote no verse today,
My focus is not there.
I’ve got the plague, the walking death,
My skin hates me I swear.

It’s blistered, lumpy, burning, raw,
The itching drives me mad.
It’s spreading fast it’s spreading far,
My face looks really bad.

I do not know just what it is,
My doc’s a busy guy.
I really hope to see him soon,
Sometime before I die.

I think it might be fungal but,
It yet may prove me wrong,
It may have been bacterial,
Or viral all along.

But either way it matters not
I’m cutting this one short,
To fix myself another drink,
Doc Booze my last resort.

Cheers, Winston