the others…

communal existence
coexisting pods
grouped
according to
some agreed upon
need
of
the others
somewhere
along
life
things changed
youthful ways
gave way to
acceptable
goals
and
decisions
of
the others
no longer
was it deemed
possible
to fulfill dreams
or
wander off into
the nothingness
of
tomorrow
everything
had to comply
with
the plans
of
the others
confirmation
of
self
personal identity
and
satisfaction
relied
upon
the others
questions
only arose
as death
became apparent
and
the walls
of compliance
were weakening
it was then
that
the others
really
didn’t matter
anymore

preoccupied…

you’re so caught up in
societal role playing
that life’s passed you by 
trapped in your own web
watching the pretty lights fade

 

 

illegal immigrants…

once death’s accepted
the question’s not if but when
the worrisome how
is an agenda item
paramount in some folk’s minds
but there’s an old lie
that fills our hearts with anger
eternal life myths
those promises that control
our desires and behaviors
keeping us restrained
compliant to other’s will
oh we had a choice
go against society
and live in the wilderness
or meekly comply
and go with the flow of life
sacrificing dreams
but being an outstanding
to be forgot fine corpse
with a funeral toast
praising all that you didn’t do
making you a saint
in some distant land of peace
an undocumented soul

personal assessment…

staring
at
the bottom line
a developing
life
pauses
followed
by
the
usual questions
regarding
purposes
paths taken
and
numerous scenarios
of
what
“ifs”
none
serving
any real purpose
just
a
preprogrammed
academic exercise
like following
a clearly marked path
to
the edge
of
a cliff

playing by the rules…

life’s full of carnival games
players following the rules
end up
spending more
than the prize is worth

 

a dare…

walk close to the edge
challenge the winds that push you
toward conformity’s crevasse

 

daily routines…

moving to beats
embedded
by society
the world’s people
arise
and
begin
the prescribed
rituals
coffee
tea
polluted water
walking
dogs
feeding
cats
rousing children
from
pretend sleep
a state
of
sleep
designed
to postpone
the participation
in
the rituals
how
quickly children
learn
to dislike
the
rituals
an innate
awareness
of
where
conformity leads
they’d rather dance
to their own beat
but
that’s
not possible
ford assembly line education
assures
their ultimate
participation
in
the rituals
no off cadence
beats
or
steps
are allowed
you must
think of your
credit rating
don’t you ever want
to
a home
rebels
all those lovely
uniformly unique tattoos
which
unknowingly
declares
participation
in the
rituals
tribal markings
like
man’s
early years
on
this planet
tribal markings
and
cave paintings
along
the roadways
where one
can hear
tribal drums
calling out
to all
join
the ritual dance
of
life

 

no one to blame but yourself…

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

your choices are there
you already know which one
will be best for you
but you will most likely yielded
to society’s edict

 

regulated…

brass plated cages
society predefined
awareness comes late

new year resolution of sorts…

within this grave
the walls
are pliable
i can move
from
side to side
but
never up
nor
beyond
the gravedigger’s
predefined
perimeters
of
my existence
that’s the price
of life
well
life
as presented
by
society
each of us
must stay
within our own grave
accepting the limits
imposed upon us
but
i’ve fashioned
a spoon
from hope
and
have begun
digging steps
while
not one
was looking
i’ve heard rumors
of
the resistance
to
ignorance
i’m hoping
to join them
if
they exist
if not
i shall form
the resistance