People portray their lives for your entertainment
on television, Claiming superiority and you nod in agreement.
He announces, “Screen my calls from behind these icy brick barriers,”
Saying, “Step closer, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.”
One more medical invoice, another legal fee,
Yet another alluring but inexpensive excitement.
You know you adore him,
When you decide to include him in your testament, but
Who’s going to redeem your souls?
When it’s time for the flowers,
Who’s going to redeem your souls?
After all the falsehoods you’ve spun, my friend,
And who’s going to redeem your souls,
If you refuse to save yours?
We attempt to trick them, hustle them,
Even curse them.
The police are seeking someone
To crack down on Orleans Avenue.
Another day, another dollar,
Another conflict, another tower
Erected where the homeless once resided.
So we send our prayers to as many deities
As there are varieties of flowers,
Yet we consider religion an ally.
We’re so consumed with saving our souls,
Fearing divine retribution,
That we neglect to start living, but
Who’s going to redeem your souls?
When it comes to the destitute,
Who’s going to redeem your souls?
After all the untruths you’ve delivered, my friend,
And who’s going to redeem your souls,
If you refuse to save yours?
Some are walking, some are conversing,
Some are stalking their prey.
You have social security,
But it doesn’t cover your expenses.
There are cravings to satisfy,
And mouths to feed,
So you negotiate with evil,
But you’re safe for now.
Claim that you love them,
Take their wealth and make a run,
And declare, “It was a lovely time, darling,
But it was just one of those fleeting moments.”
Those affairs, those ties you need to sever,
So step onto the streets, ladies, and work your hardest.
Who’s going to redeem your soul?
When it’s weighed down with burdens,
Who’s going to redeem your souls?
After all the falsehoods you’ve spun, my friend,
And who’s going to redeem your soul,
If you won’t save yours?
Let me tell you about it,
Bide your time, simply bide your time.

Oh, let me weave a tapestry of verse,
Where nature’s creatures dance and converse.

The pigeons, graceful in the meadow’s sway,
In flight, they flutter, free to play.

The game, nocturnal, swift and sly,
Seeks solace beneath the starry sky.

The water creatures, bound by liquid chains,
Yearn for freedom, where liberty remains.

And behold, the butterflies so fair,
The last of their kind, delicate and rare.

Even they, like others, thirst for a taste,
Yearning for droplets in this arid waste.

But oh, to dissolve with that wandering cloud,
Blessed by freshness, where dreams are allowed.

To exhale amidst violets, damp and sweet,
Awakening the woods, a fragrant retreat.

In this realm of nature’s vibrant hues,
Where life’s essence mingles and imbues.

Let us find solace, our spirits set free,
As we blend with the world’s grand tapestry.

:: 06.04.2023 ::

In shadows’ grasp, poetry fades,
As tyranny’s hand its touch pervades.
Words silenced, whispers repressed,
Art’s beauty robbed, hearts distressed.

Authoritarian terror tightens its grip,
Constraining thoughts, freedoms slip.
Verses wilt, ink runs dry,
Imagination caged, creativity denied.

But even amidst the darkest of days,
Resistance thrives, in subtle ways.
Poetry’s spirit, resilient and bold,
Defies oppression, its power untold.

For art, in its essence, can never be tamed,
Its whispers of truth, forever unchained.
In defiance of terror, it will rise anew,
Inspiring hearts, reminding what’s true.

So let us stand firm, united in rhyme,
Against oppression, one stanza at a time.
For poetry’s soul, a beacon of light,
Shall prevail over darkness, shining bright.

:: 05.26.2023 ::