Category: Uncategorized

Read Poem: TAKE ME BACK TO WHEN, by Syed Mashiat Hussain

Take me back to when,
I was a baby sliding down the stairs on my ass and it left bruises,
I was a little boy finding toys in the backseat every time I took cruises,
I was a competitive little shit that laughed every time the other team loses,
I was the first in line and got whatever dad picks and chooses.

My mother use to hold me close and make me laugh with just a touch on my neck,
My sister and I use to fight to watch Hannah Montana but everyone else preferred Shrek.
My brother always got hit on the face with the ball and I laughed till I pissed my pants,
My childish mind use to feel like the giant in jack and the beanstalk because I use to play with ants.

There was no worry in my head and I could draw across the walls and then sit in the naughty chair,
There was no weight on my shoulders and I could do as I please without the slightest bit of care,
There was ice cream vans in every corner and you wouldn’t miss a day without getting a cone,
There was nursery rhymes like humpty dumpty and nick knack paddy whack give your dog a bone.

I was a kid trying to be Spiderman by climbing every building, every wall, every tree,
I was a kid trying to be friends with every frog bin, every ladybird, every bee,
I was a weird kid trying to lick the ink of every colour, every type, every pen,
I was a tree in the school play bringing laughter to every teacher, every parent, every friend,
I was a child wishing to grow up so I could tell that child to,

Take me to back then

Read Poem: MERAKI, by Dina Jael

The fixation of my hands
is upon the soil beneath me.
It calls me to nuture it,
thus I immerse in its moist nature.
Even the worms collaborate
in this messy downward journey,
softly lingering through my fingers.
Dirt and chaos everywhere,
as I penetrate the chosen spot.
The mycelium awaiting patiently
the arrival of the unaffected seed.
“Spread the news to the Mother Trees!” -they say
“this naive carapace has now entered deep.”
I comfort it with a blanket of mud,
hoping it feels tight and snug.
I carry myself away from the little one,
trusting the light will dry up its tears.
The days pass,
and soon a crackling sound
awakes my eyes.
Is it already time?
I rush to the garden,
encounter nothing but a sad sob.
What is it you need my tiny little dot?
“I need you to hold me, I’m breaking apart”.
A motherly sigh poures down from the clouds,
sparkling drops gently entering the ground.
As a melody of love lifts from a song,
a spirit of warmth prevails the dawn.
The short lived pain has gone astray,
the darkest night fleeted away.
The sun rises and sets.
Rooted secrets are blooming out the edge.
Stretching arms begin to unfold;
sprouting joy; neverending growth.
I stare at such greatness,
as the whistling wind
carries out loving scents of graces.

meraki poem - dina jael

Read Poem: THE POETRY OF YOU & ME, by April May Read

Mirror mirror on the wall,

show yourself before I fall.
Show ME all that keeps ME flawed.
Show ME all that keeps ME awed.
Show ME the ugly I still hold,
so I can thaw this heart so cold.

Please show ME now so I can grow,
or end it all and let ME go.

YOU and only YOU
have the vast power to show ME.
YOU and only YOU
because YOU were hand-carved for ME.

Your start was my start.
Your eyes are my eyes.
Your heart is my heart.
Your lies are my lies.
Your truth is my truth,
so tell ME this truthful,
how can we live a life
that is more fruitful?

In YOU I see ME,
all the ME
that can be,
the ME
that shies love,
the ME
that serves fear,
the ME
that loves love,
the ME
that’s so dear,
the ME
that pains YOU,
the ME
that loves YOU,
the ME

that knows there’s no one else here but YOU.
The ME
that wants to know someone else, not YOU!
And the ME
that’s awake and grateful for YOU.

You see, it always feels as though
YOU know
the truth that lies
within my muddled soul,
and maybe YOU do,
I’m staring at YOU,
this is your soul too
we’re just split in two.

So, can YOU see through my clean and pristine
prim and proper sometimes prudish esteem?
Can YOU see the mess of wires that are tangled
within
and still look ME in the eyes and recite that I can
win?

We live a whole new story
with new faces, new glories
new sweet smiles, new tears
new obstacles and fears.
YOU don’t remember ME,
I don’t remember YOU,
still, there’s a knowing.

Mirror, what are we to do?

Who do YOU want to be?
What do YOU want to see?

YOU are like my life projector,
projecting every little thing I do.
Some nights are hard to watch,
so I close my eyes
for those shameful slides
where I belittle YOU.
If I can only unplug YOU
for a bit and turn you off,
but what good will that do ME
like a luring flame to a moth.

Some days I lack courage
to look YOU in the eyes.
I fear you’ll see the tracks
left behind by my cries.
I gaze away
and maybe say
a joke or two
and YOU do too
to lighten up this mood of true
instead of seeking what to do.
YOU were sculpted by the best,
a masterpiece in every way,
yet I nitpick and I test
pushing YOU
further and away.

I take advantage of no limits,
but I fear I’ve pushed too far.
I fear that my desertion this time
might justly leave a scar.
I fear that one day I’ll come knocking
and YOU won’t open up,
and can I blame YOU,
with all that has runneth over your cup?

I remember that morning
when I looked at YOU and laughed.
I chuckled at all your dreams,
reminded YOU of the math.
Keep adding to yourself,
while I subtract away
that oughta divide us
and lead us both to stray.
Round 2-
We’re in the ring now
the classic story of the fight.
The fierce battle of the wicked wrong
and cheering for the right.
I keep on punching right
when I know deep down it’s wrong,
but fear and doubts at my corner
praising ME with song.

When YOU fall I fall.
YOU tend to shatter, I quickly break.
I turn to other mirrors,
but their reflections seem fake.

Even my pride had to admit
they’re not as honest as YOU.
They don’t show ME all that I need to fix
and show ME what’s true.
I run,
while YOU chase
and now I know why.
Now I know why
you’d look at ME and sigh,
for kind, clever Clarity
has finally come to ME,
she flew into my dreams last night
and surrounded us with her light.
She showed ME all that we could be,
and all the things I could not see,
like how YOU are my destiny,
and because of YOU,
I am ME.

So, I’m sorry for ignoring YOU.
I’m sorry for neglecting YOU.
I’m sorry for not seeing YOU,
and all that YOU are here to do.

I’m sorry for not being there
when YOU were lost and needed care.
I’m sorry for always thinking in MEs.
I promise to use US now, and some WEs.

Mirror, it’s all because of YOU
that I now know what LOVE can do.
It took ME long enough, didn’t it,
but not for YOU, YOU always knew!

I’m excited to do life again.
I turn to YOU and see a friend.
I now see the beauty YOU withhold.
I now see that in YOU I am gold.

Mirror, it all makes sense to ME now.
Suddenly I remember YOU… WOW!
Come, take my hand and let’s vow
to do what we’re to do NOW!

No more attempts to throw the scripts away
and ending this relation.
No more doubting why YOU are here
and entertaining my frustration.
I’ve got a hold of my quill again
that almost flew away
and I’m writing US the perfect plot twist
that’ll stay I pray.

Mirror, Life says it’s divine time,
so grab your wings while I grab mine,
cause NOW, I dare to look YOU in the eyes.
Yup, let ME tell YOU all the reasons why
YOU and I were meant to fly high
and leave our marks all through the sky!

Let’s show this world what we’re about!
Let’s show this world how to kill doubt
with an atomic bomb of LOVE
and some help from the stars above!

So, when I rise YOU rise
and we MUST always do!
And I’ll always wonderDo you see ME in YOU?
Are my thoughts your thoughts?
My fears your fears?
Some nights I now wonder,
are your tears my tears?
If they are, I’ll catch them
faster than before,
every fearful teardrop
that should ever pour!

For TRUTH I’ll do better,
because now I know,
so bring it on, weather!
We’ll build castles of snow!
We won’t drown like before.
We’ll take turns on that door,
and hold each other up
until we’ve reached the shore!

I’ll continue to take notes
and learn the lessons YOU teach ME.
So thank YOU, sweet Mirror
for showing ME all there is to ME.
Thank YOU for your patience
and for never giving up on ME
and thank YOU
for the unconditional
LOVE
YOU always have for ME.

I hope that with ME,
you’ll always be honest
and I with YOU
until our last day,
I PROMISE…

“No one is born with greed, prejudice, bigotry, patriotism and hatred; these are all learned behavior patterns.” — Art of Quotation

“No one is born with greed, prejudice, bigotry, patriotism and hatred; these are all learned behavior patterns.” Jacque Fresco, author, activist

via “No one is born with greed, prejudice, bigotry, patriotism and hatred; these are all learned behavior patterns.” — Art of Quotation

“The chief qualification of a mass leader has become unending infallibility; he can never admit an error.” — Art of Quotation

The chief qualification of a mass leader has become unending infallibility; he can never admit an error. Hannah Arendt, book quote from “Totalitarianism: Part Three of The Origins of Totalitarianism”, p.70, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

via “The chief qualification of a mass leader has become unending infallibility; he can never admit an error.” — Art of Quotation

“The very impulse to write springs from an inner chaos crying for order – for meaning.“ — Art of Quotation

The very impulse to write springs from an inner chaos crying for order – for meaning. Arthur Miller, playwright

via “The very impulse to write springs from an inner chaos crying for order – for meaning.“ — Art of Quotation

“For civilization to survive the human race must remain civilized” — Art of Quotation

“For civilization to survive the human race must remain civilized” Rod Serling, screenwriter, movie quote from “The Shelter” episode of Twilight Zone, 1961 A suburban dinner party is interrupted by a bulletin warning of an impending nuclear attack. As the neighbors scramble to prepare themselves, they turn against the one family that installed a permanent […]

via “For civilization to survive the human race must remain civilized” — Art of Quotation

In Memory: “Let your reward be in the doing of it.” — Art of Quotation

Don’t cheat yourself out of music. Music is one thing. The music business is another thing. Save enough of yourself to keep living anyway. Save enough joy in your heart to enjoy it. Let your reward be in the doing of it. Bill Withers, 1938-2020, singer, songwriter, musician

via In Memory: “Let your reward be in the doing of it.” — Art of Quotation