Inspired by Sadje’s What do you see #111
an open courtyard beckons
and images of servants
gathering water fill my senses
i imagine nobles walking along
on the second floor, under the arches
deep in conversation
i wonder
was the highest tower
filled with prisoners
was it thieves trying to get in
or enemies of the court
from within this gated community
Inspired by Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie Saturday Mix – Black, White, Unusual and Common
Sadje’s What do you see #101
as travellers meander on old cobbled roads
and behold what was once ancient
they find it is rediscovered new every day
whether witnessed by black, white, asian or hispanic
the guide’s rich retelling of its history
suggests the unusual of the past
is common knowledge in the present
with loud hushed tones and awe
the gaggle of tourists move beyond the entrance
for their first glimpse of merch
at the shops of christian dior and swarovski
under the entrance of michael’s gate
Inspired by VJ’s Weekly Challenge – Roads & Sadje’s What do you see #80
while looking off into the distance
many roads lead to me
the curious may travel to catch a glimpse
and revel in my history
they’ll never quite understand what i’ve seen
a smell, a sound or a ghost
pins us back in time
a duality in the timeline
one foot in reality
the other in the past
echoes of the familiar
trap us quite robustly
forcing a face-to-face
as harsh realities present
a reckoning of our actions
will we learn
or are we doomed
to repeat the recollections
over and over
in our unsatisfying dreams
There once was a man named Tutt,
who got shot and fell on his butt.
All because of a pocket-watch he stole,
Wild Bill’s bullet caused the new hole.
“Boys, I am killed.” Dying, his mouth shut.
“Whites saw Indians as obstacles to settlement, not rightful proprietors. Whites possessed presumptive rights because they represented a superior civilization. Indians were merely “savages”, incapable of putting the land to its highest possible use.” “Feel-good morality tales, in which the good guys can do no wrong and the bad guys can do no right, are far from harmless. They feed the notion that one side, inspired by righteousness, possesses the right to kill. They fuel the destructive cycle of revenge, for the villainous acts committed by the bad guys must be avenged. The emotions stirred in stories such as The Patriot are elemental but base: we want the enemy to go down. Justice is achieved through killing.”
Ray Raphael, author of Founding Myths – Stories That Hide Our Patriotic Past
This thought-process explains why the military defense gets over half of the US budget. The mindset of the powerful is and has always been one of conquest. They expect everyone to feel the same and fall in line. Those who whitewash history know this. It’s precisely why our children don’t learn the reality of this country’s past as teachers shovel feel-good stories about patriotism. The United States tries to deflect on every level all the shit they have done.
It’s disgusting.
My piece “Down Through The Ages” was picked up for publication on their site! Although it was not one chosen for the Halloween series, I’m still happy they wanted to showcase it on Spill Words. Thank you, Dagmara, I appreciate it!
death gifted me a new hierarchical level
a transition of status
deserved? maybe
definitely earned
especially in my family
accidental or age-related
expiring and passing the torch
a normal consequence of living
most times it’s hard
in my case, a good thing
finally having autonomy
the benefit of losing people
who held me back for years
death seems a good thing
#fight me
resentments let go of
feelings resolved
the chaos and drama over
by dying they
helped heal my old wounds
A stranger turned ally, so fortunate for me
We forged a great friendship, a real family
Our lives navigating twists and turns
Left feeling at a loss, and with concerns
We struggled on, determined to remain alive
Oh, mentor and side-kick, you helped me thrive
Our strong bond, even stretched thin, wouldn’t break
Deep loyalty and care, we were never fake
Here we are hitting our peak, best friend
Our hearts bound together until the very end
Opening the lid to the past.
Joy, tears, and laughter escape.
Youthful feelings rushing back expectedly.
Playing in the past like it was yesterday.
Staying there is tempting,
in the good ‘ole days.
But were they really?
Boxed memories are nearly all good.
Who saves the crap?
Those moments slowly come back too.
Time to close the lid.
Back to reality.
I Write Her 