World Leader Pretend (September 5, 2019)

Rock star

Working crowds

Inciting rabid chanting fans.

As if

Lyrics to hit songs

On Billboard’s Top 40

With a bullet.

Divisive lightning rod

Drawing destructive energy

With every word/gesture.

Opposition attacked

With inflammatory 

"Red menace."

Rule of law

Suggested guideline

Ignore if conflicting.

Cruel parody

Of unifying voice

Facing economic

And political unrest.

Planetary lungs

Blackened remains

As burning beds

Light the night sky.

While

Rivers run red.

Therisa © 2019

Author's note: When I started writing this poem, about 4 months ago, American President Donald Trump, was the focus for this. In the time since, Brazil, Great Britain, Hungary and Israel have come to occupy my attention for this dubious title. The poem's title is a reference to the song, World Leader Pretend on the 1988 release cd, Green, by R.E.M.

By The Dwindling Light (May 23, 2019)

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was
not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because
I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not
a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Pastor Martin Niemöller

We’re entering

Another Dark Age.

Despite

Information found

So readily

At one’s fingertips.

Fear and ignorance

Have become

Violence’s deadly tools.

Extremist leaders

Preach damning words

To the masses

Like heavenly mana

Seeking answers

For their despair.

Only left answerless.

Externalizing their anger

Complicitly supporting

Their false Messiah’s

Racism and anger.

Never realizing

Are empowering

A white Christian male base.

Profiteering

From their pain.

Democracy’s candle

Flickers and flutters

In this troubling breeze

That envelopes us

Globally.

Reviving past age’s zeitgeist

Where human life was

Wantonly discarded

For dogmatic beliefs.

As human ashes

Filled the sky

Like falling snowflakes.

Therisa © 2019

Author’s note: I remembered the Jack Klugman character role (Quincy), in the late 1970s and early 1980s show, Quincy, M.E., spoke a variation of Pastor Martin Niemöller's famous quote, about Germany's complicity through their silence in the Nazi imprisonment, persecution, and murder of millions of people. Sparking the writing of this poem, comparing modern Right wing conservative extremist, with the Nazis. 

And yes, I do remember things like this, while struggling with my short term memory.

Tomb Raider (Poetic Style) (May 18, 2019)

Bravely

My mouse clicks

The poetry morgue

Like Lara Croft

Looking for hidden treasure.

Disturbing cyber-dust

From its worldwide web

Resting place.

Fully aware

Of the dangers

I face.

Traps - innocently written

Sanguining ink

On the page.

Awaiting

Careless missteps

To explode

Examining ancient poems

Written long ago.

By a stranger

I don’t recognize

Anymore.

Therisa © 2019

Author’s note: Lately, I’ve been reading more poems, from my poetic morgue, searching
for clues to inspiring my writing, as I have hit another writer’s block. Also, been posting
some of my older poems, over the past decade.

Personally, I think the Indiana Jones series of movies, is a lot better, as I never really got
interested in Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider movies or video games. For some reason,
4th Indie films is the lowest point of the franchise, in believability and storyline. It felt like
the gang got together, one last time, to draw a paycheque, from the box office receipts.  

Poetic Blog (May 16, 2019)

Today is

One of the least liked day

That I’ve to endure

As a tenant

In my apartment.building.

Why

You ask?

It’s the annual testing

Of the building’s

Smoke detectors.

.

Wish

I could describe it

Properly

In the right words

For you.

Cascading anxiety attacks

Have left me

A visibly trembling

Physically drained shell

Of myself.

Worse part

Is the sporadic testing

Without any sense of timing

Throughout the building.

So hypersensitive

To any sudden noise

That I’m jumping

At the slightest sound.

Imagine

A cartoon cat

With its claws

Dug into the ceiling

And that’s me.

Even now

An hour later

My heart is

Still beating

At an accelerated pace.

Another 2 more hours

Before it’s safe

To reenter my unit

And crash out.

In my now silent

Bedroom

For awhile.

Therisa © 2019

A Fool's Heart (January 7, 2019)

In my mind

James is playing

Getting Away With It

(All Messed Up).

As I sit

On my bed

Trying to

Figure out.

Where did I make

That wrong turn

On the freeway

Called life.

Could've sworn

Overhead sign said

Next turn right

For true happiness.

As Princess Di’s

Faerie tale romance

Crumbles to dust

Before a watching world.

No Princess Charming

Is standing

With her magical kiss

At the bedside.

To heal the heartaches

Or bandage the wounds

Affecting our souls

By love gone wrong.

In this impossible dream

We weave around our souls

Searching for everlasting love

Between two people.

As Princess Di’s

Faerie tale romance

Crumbles to dust

Before a watching world.

Taking away my heart

Some cheap trinket

To be discarded

At your whimsical pleasure.

Not caring

About my pain

Or me

You f--king bitch.

In stealing

My hopes and dreams

I shared with you

For the future.

As Princess Di’s

Faerie tale romance

Crumbles to dust

Before a watching world.

Therisa © 2019

Author’s note: I blame James for this lyrical poem/pop song creation.

Restoring A Ruined Canvas (December 28, 2018)

Never thought

My personal experiences

Would mean something

To others.

That I have any value

Beyond being a kid

From a functional

Dysfunctional family.

Not realizing

The violence and abuse

Of my earlier life

Was abnormal

Until years later.

As a result

Of these dark experiences

I saw myself

Nothing more than

Disposable garbage.

Tossed to the curbside

When my usefulness

Was over.

Oh I knew

My parents

Didn't understand me.

To them

I'm a Rubik's Cube

All jumbled up.

Unable to figure out

Without cheating

In taking me apart.

Especially

My late teens

As my musical tastes

Grew darker and colder.

Reflecting the darkness

Of my soulscape

With nightly suicide attempts

Something

I haven't done

Since.

Still

I must fight

For self-validation.

In a world

That rejects people

Like myself.

On general principles

As a lost cause.

Therisa © 2018