It is a common factor of all mankind; that we would like to be on the “just” side of things. It can be seen that every group or distinguishment has a narrative compelling them to the “just” side of the table. It clearly cannot be true that we are all correct. Can it? I will refrain from commenting on that. Though, the important note I would like to present here. Is that; the need and want of belonging to the “just” side of things, is just as dangerous and is very similar to being ignorant.

Safe in the Steep Cliffs

The wild man comes down from the steep cliffs
Running across the plain
No shoes
No clothes

He has been hiding for a long time
Holding all his energy within
Waiting for the moment to release it
Breathing in deeply, the cold air

Filling his lungs he strives to go faster
Stumbling across rocks and through rivers
His soul has spoken
Stomach, heart, and mind, all in accordance

He listens to the wind as words of encouragement
Leaving everything behind
The truth lay all around him
Smoldering from his nostrils as his heart is filled with excitement

Where is he going
Running so quickly
Galloping like a steed with eyes covered
He knows and he knows not

And finally, the black lake
He approaches and allows his eyes to take their pleasure
The lake is deep and unmoving
There are no trees around

Here the wild man falls to his knees
Breathes deeply
And folds his hands
Waiting for the moment for which he has come to bear witness

A moment in time
He may choose to let it define him
To allow a story to be yet untold
He closes his eyes

Opening his senses back up
He remembers the black lake
The wilderness led him here
Within his gut he is sure

He stares into the darkness held within the lake
And yearns for the moment to come near
Still he must wait, all through the night
Stars pass and fall

The moon shines through
Giving him life and illusions
Sounds piercing his concentration
Bringing him back to the lake

He will wait no longer
First out of the lake comes the old devil
Spilling bile with every step he takes
The wild man feels fear within his being

Then out steps a goddess
Beautiful and pure
Full of passion
Yet, grounded to this sacred Earth

Last, out steps a boy
Whose words are spoken slowly
Never daunting and always patient
His eyes shine bright as the morning sun gives the horizon a rest

Each one believes in the wild man
Each one has a burden to bear
All of them embrace the wild man
And ask him to stay

Enter the black lake
Give your life to us they say
The wild man looks back
At the safe steep cliffs

Remembering the moments his heart spoke to him
How his soul yearned
How his gut screamed
And when his mind attempted to do it all

He remembers how they were all laid to rest
Allowing balance fill the gap between them all

Holding out both hands
He accepts their invitation
And is helped to his feet
Re-entering the world

A wild man from the steep cliffs

-Zazzo

What is going on in American society these days? The liberals are intolerant of the intolerant conservatives. Ha! Or are the conservatives being tolerant of the liberals’ tolerance? Or are liberals going crazy and the conservatives being left behind? Here are some questions. Instead of badgering you with my judgments. Figure it out on your own!

Artistry

One cannot write and be happy
For completion is not an ending
A small piece of truth escapes
All the clutter and blubber which I write on this page

The reasons which I write are many
Yet the feelings that are communicated are few
A life is short and a feeling can be wrong
Here choice lies in the mind of a human being

What I choose to feel
What I choose to know
Who I choose to be
All sums up to the end of an equation

No one knows the answer
And this is well known

Still we try, and we try
Eons have passed and for some strange reason
I feel we are closer
Some predetermined lot, drawing us closer

Artist show us
In different forms and ways
Hazing and blazing paper, pen, and sound
All culminating into one sense of expression

It is not complete and will never be
Only when I add them all up
Do I see what lies in the depths of the heart
A story, untold yet locked inside our awareness

Look into your heart, your mind
Close your eyes and all of us will find
We are not complete
This is where the story begins

Striving to be larger, stronger, faster
Adapting to past and present
Professing the future every more clearly
Still, this is but a part

Artists tell the story, not mold it
We are all artists in our own way
Sharing and caring a little of our soul into the world
Thank you all, and thank you artists

For showing the story of a changing conscience
Straggling emotions
Thoughts conjured way into the future!
And at the end it all does, it truly does
Relate to us
I implore you all
Make your soul important
Become part of the story larger than yourselves

Here we are gathered
Here we meet

Caste away doubt and let yourself believe
Your suffering may not be what it seems
Your struggle may not be in vain
And still,

I am just a poet, telling you to believe
While you still breathe

-Zazzo

“There was never a scheme against which objections might not be raised. But this alone is not a sufficient reason for rejection. The only line to judge truly upon, is, to draw out and admit all the objections which can fairly be made, and place them against them all the contrary qualities, conveniences and advantages, then by striking a balance you come at the true character of any scheme, principle, or position.” (The American Crisis V, 1778, Thomas Paine)

A wise man once said, “My only need is time.” A foolhardy man once said, “Please! Just give me more time!”

Death

I am no one
Allow me to remain no one
The cuts and concepts I follow are simply to survive
My soul is still no different from yours

For all the beliefs we hold so exceptional
There is but one which distinguishes a person
That is being human, which is really nothing at all
The cords and strings we pull to show the world our fate

Are not but a delay of the inevitable
Death and dying
Do I have the ability to die?
This is what I judge my self by

My heart is one beating part of my body
It lies under my ribs which protect it
Pumping me full of life
Preparing me for death

The fundamental energy of life comes from the Earth
Let’s look around
What do we see
What do we feel

When I examine my soul
I compare it to the animals
The freedom they have!!!
And yet, they are locked in a prison

We are the same, but
A different prison, with different freedoms
Neverchanging
As life goes on the human mind does change

As do our souls
Hearts and feelings
And everything in-between
Still, the door is shut, the line has been drawn

Can I die
Have I really claimed to be more than death
I made something of myself in this life
Therefore, I will not provide you the dignity of death

What a calamity
This is the essential and inalienable dignity of every human
I too shall die
And with it,

My eyes cast skyward
My heart an empty fire hydrant
Fingers like icicles
And nothing more to be said

Nothing more to be done
Nothing more to be felt
Life has passed!
What a time to rejoice

Claim your freedom!
You too can die, it is our one power
That shall never be taken away
I choose dignity

And yet these words,
So high and mighty
Would shatter under the weight of a single day of real suffering
My feelings are insulated in my comfortable home

My comfortable life
Passing me by like a wasp in front of my eyes
Praying not to get stung
It is all our desire

Death approaches young one
Death has made you wait old one
Questions are for the wise
And the weak

Answers are for the strong
And the foolhardy

Death is for all
And life, it seems is but for a few

Someone please show me the difference between life and power
I am on my knees praying to God
Please!
Allow me to live free from this curse

The shackles of death hold nothing back in life
We live until we die
That is our mantra

-Zazzo

There are only three things guaranteed in life; death, the present moment, suffering, and most times there will be some sense of joy.

Direction is way more important than speed. -Russ

Russ has truly inspired me, and for that, I hope I can repay him with doing me 100% everyday.

A fundamental difference with the modern world is since the discovery and implementation of the internet and light speed communication of messages and images, humans have become very worldly in their views and understandings with the world. And with their emotions and decisions. In order to take action we must understand the root of the problem or issue. In this day that is difficult and easy at the same time. To put this dilemma wisely, today we focus an enormous amount of our attention on the outside world. The worldly world, instead of our own experience. Our own understanding of life  based on our internal journey and personal wisdom is very much devalued. Our truth is communicated to us by something external. Instead of finding our emotions within we allow them to be given to us. This creates a fundamental problem in the authenticity of our emotions and the originality in our decisions.

What can I do but make commitments everyday
The word on the street is that they don’t matter
Here I am a human, suffering
Yet they have the nerve to ask more of me