No Love No Society #poetry #Gandhi #illsofsociety

I come to the altar

offering like I should

I ignore my neighbor’s crying

no time to do what’s good

*

Tomorrow I go to the field

a mission for all to see

on the podium I stand tall

“Look here, look at me!”

*

I’m promised only this day

a difference I can make

am I looking in the mirror

or do I give others a break

*

there will always be those who have need

empty handed I bring love

the act of artless giving

brings glory to God above

 

The prompt for the Midweek Motif is  Social Goods based on Gandhi’s premise of the 7 Deadly Sins that could destroy society.

 I believe without love for others a society will implode. We can do good deeds even with loads of money and while doing them be drawing attention to ourselves – Is that really a good deed???  Look at people like Mother Teresa; they have so little but what they have is a heart brimming with love and with it they care for society.

I hope you are warmed by the smile of Zeek. I believe my little cousin will grow up with a heart brimming with love; there is much we can learn from guiless children.

 1st Corinthians Chapter 13 talks about the nature of LOVE:

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”

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Conflicted #poetry #photography

Empty Fields

John Deere

Unhinged

Fall harvest

The Old Barn

I stand in a wedge of conflict

between the familiar now old 

white washed plastic

new and cold

*

I behold a world

slipping away

horses, fields

tractors  only on display

The cavernous barns

where we once climbed

are now derelict

  broken, gray in decline

*

a world that was wild

once free and grand

is caught up in bargains

fenced in land

*

 senses  affronted

as I cross the highway of life

buildings emblazoned with red circles

Flashing lights blind my sight

*

Go!  turn your backs

on the world of old charm

give up expansive  fields 

 embrace plastic, metal, car alarms

*

I am posting this poem today with Poetry Pantry where poets get to share old and new poetry.

This poem was originally posted in July 2010. I did a little restructuring but I hope  the conflict between an old more stable world versus a more static plastic world is still conveyed.

The Day the … Died #flashfiction #vandalism #Lincoln

A long, long time ago…
Words meant something
promises meant more
you’d turn the sprinkler on and there was an instant neighborhood party
add hand churned ice cream and the old people joined in
but that was a long, long time ago
now we rush around to the loud din of the money factor
churning out paper money faster than we can replace it
and no one from the neighborhood joins in because
water is more valuable than money
the ice cream is synthetic
and the man who delivers ice cream
knows more about the deal with Meth
it doesn’t matter the ice cream is synthetic
as are the promises that important men make
in the shadow of those from
a long, long time ago…

This photograph is attributed under Creative Commons Legal code as being the work of Adam Lederer

Please enjoy other work by Adam Lederer

Creative Conformity #poetry #photography

we strive in our heart’s passion

set the prisoner free

words edged with fire

brush strokes flair in action

notes collide on music’s sea

*

we survive lacking passion

bend the captive’s mind

tread water in muddied pool

a box an artist’s prison

society’s claw creativity to bind

photography: “Leaf the bricks” ©L. Moon 2012

Ripples of Compassion #haiku #kindness #poetry #photography

Your outstretched hand

reaching toward wounded soul

fingertips meet

*

fingertips meet

heart warmed with kindness’ smile

reflect in the sky

*

reflect in the sky

ripples of  compassion

circle the earth

It is so refreshing that the smallest act of kindness can have a ripple effect

Thanks to Kristjaan at Carpe Diem for prompting us to reflect upon compassion.

Photography: “Ripples of Life” © L. Moon 2012

With Truth #poetry #latin #photography #poetsunited

Have we lost your value

are  people still set free in you

or forgotten in ocean’s deep

idly lost in motion’s sleep

*

Can you retain your pride

is the cause rallied by your side

or are lies thick as thieves

and readily despised

*

Valiant raise your scepter

sally forth as victor

Veritas stand stately and tall

for if not you mourn society’s fall

Photograph: “Truth” copyright L. Moon 2013 (Latin: Truth Conquers All Things)

or as someone said a millennia or two ago – “The Truth Shall Set You Free!”

Today over at Poet’s United Verse First’s Prompt is The First Function of Freedom

A big thank you as well to Sherry at Poet’s United for her fine interview of me this week. Have a look.

Quirky #atozchallenge #life’slessons #photography #napowrimo

Violet had one leg that was slightly shorter than the other

so she hobbled in PE class

one eye was half brown half blue

her accent was English/ other times German

when the sun caught her hair it was golden then fiery red

she told interesting stories about her life

everyone laughed no one believed

“they hold a parade in my honor each year at my home

my name is a household name,” so she said

the girls roared on the ground as they heard this silliness

 the half brown half blue eye got a tear

Violet invited me to her home

“you will be my guest of honor”

Not sure what to expect I went because she was my friend

now my name is a household name in her home town as well

This is a fictionalized story about a real person. There are those who are out of step with their  community, school, or workplace; society too readily draws the line ostracizing  people even bullying them. I like quirky, non-conformist; they make life spicy where otherwise everything would be just the same.

Photography: “Violet” copyright L. Moon 2011

This year for  A to Z challenge, I am using the Nautilus as my inspiration all month. The shell has many chambers (at least enough to fit all the letters.)  You will find poetry,  You will find some dark stuff (as I am attempting to branch into the horror genre), You will also see a smattering of short stories or prose (some with children in mind) others as lessons that we can all learn from. I look forward to  meeting you and getting to know some talented writers over this month long writing journey. Please check over at the A to Z challenge and see what they are up to; they are a fine bunch of folks.

Misunderstood #poetry #pain #photography

Window – Holocaust Museum

I look from a point of no reprieve

behind the pained glass window

light flickers in the trees

people pass smiling as they go

it feels like?

looks like?

is…

I breathe in – precarious I’m standing

little oxygen

less understanding

this lack makes my head spin

it feels like?

looks like?

is…

I plaster my face to the glass

can’t they see inside

what of them should I ask

as they travel quickly by

it feels like?

looks like?

is…

I wonder does it matter

flailing against the glass

they watch as the pain does  shatter

looking upon bloodied ruin as they pass

it feels like?

looks like?

is…

Photograph “Holocaust Window” L. Moon copyright 2012

Merciless are the Hands of Time

Peering into the bottom of her glass

evoked a smirk

it was empty

hands of time bent

**

Looking into the sky

dreams had soared there

crashed in a wingless hulk

no future for the golden chimes

**

Grasping hands

perfunctory joy

meaningless melted failure

life’s promised sands

**

captivating laughter

floated on the air

heart climbing from the  ruin

“tick tock” mimicked beats

**

Realizing too late

the last, the sickest joke

believing for one breath

time stopped to care

This poem is in response to my friend Shay’s excellent perspective of Free Verse at which she excels. Join us at One Stop Poetry as we toot our kazoos.

What Don’t They Support?

I’m part of a thirty day writing prompt called #Trust30

Todays Prompt: The world is powered by passionate people, powerful ideas, and fearless action. What’s one strong belief you possess that isn’t shared by your closest friends or family? What inspires this belief, and what have you done to actively live it?

I grew up in a household with a family member who had severe Cerebral Palsy. I never looked at her as different; a wheelchair was as normal as my being left handed. Well I guess being left-handed had it’s own cultural stigma. I noticed when people stared at us; I never understood why they gawked at us until I got older. As I grew older, I became an advocate for children who were a few years younger than myself. I beat up a couple bullies in grammar school who picked on special needs kids. To me it never made sense. Why do the strong attack those unlike themselves? I still am an advocate for those who often need a voice and have none. I am aghast when people look for a pile of sand to hide their head in as if looking the other way or not addressing the issue makes it go away. Are we not an intelligent society that has made great strides to educate and close the gap? Believe what you want but there are still many biases against the special needs community ( I see them every day). The sand pile is full of heads I assure you!!!

It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude. – Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance