THE QUESTIONS

     I was recently having a discussion with a friend of mine about the current political climate wherein I took exception to the monies paid to our lawmakers, only to have them turn to the nearest lobbiest to see what else they can collect.  My purpose here is not to argue that I'm right.  It's to clear up a misconception and to answer a couple of key questions.

     Let's take the misconception first.  My friend thought that I had an interest in the money  after  it was in the pocket of the politicians.  She pointed out that it would be tacky and pointless for me to worry about it then.  She's right.  Once the money is paid, I have no interest in how it gets spent. 

     What does interest me is getting full value for the money we pay them.  It seems that, more and more, the needs of voters are being ignored because of lobbyists, political expediency and the constant focus on reelection.

     We don't expect politicians to work for nothing.  We know they won't.  But, once we buy them with more money than we make, and a better benefits & retirement package than we'll ever have, it's fair to expect them to stay bought!

     Everything said here is worthy of and, in fact, demands further exploration; in the future.  Right now, it's a digression from more important things.  The questions are: Do I believe in God, do I believe that God has a plan for us and do I believe I have a right to question what others do?  The simple answers would be yes, yes and yes. Most times the simple answers are the best ones - but not here. 

     I do believe in God.  I find it impossible to look at the rich complexity and simple elegance of life without a belief in God.  It seems that these two phrases would be at odds with each other . . . until you realize that neither one is a whole by itself.  Each is a compliment to the other and the two together make a whole.  This is the same way that men and women work together.  They are each a part of the whole, or as I prefer, each are a part of the ONE.  Following this logic, I won't state, or even guess as to whether God is male or female.  I believe that He/She has the best qualities of both and thus is the ONE!

     Believing this way is of limited comfort, unless you also believe that God has a plan for us.  There has to be a reason for us to be here . . . a reason for us to live, to die and to live again.  Since we come from God, the plan is for us to attain, through our thoughts & our actions, enough spiritual maturity to return to the ONE.  But, we cannot return until we've paid back every karmic debt we've incurred along the way.  This sort of maturity is gained only through experience & with great difficulty, which is why we are given multiple opportunities for growth.  There's only one more element necessary for the plan to work; free will.

     Without free will, we might just as well be sheep on a hillside, but God has given us free will.  we can choose to do well by others or we can put ourselves first.  We can speak out against injustice or be as docile as sheep.  We can defend others or watch them be hurt.  We can even choose to reject or to welcome God into our lives.  All in all, by our choices are we known.  And only by making the right choices do we return to the ONE!  

    

It becomes easier to recognize dogma as agenda when you understand that religions are, and have always been, instruments of social control.

     Religions and holy books are a lot like the training wheels on bicycles.  They're great to get you started but, sooner or later, you need to grow up, toss the training wheels and become responsible for the path your bicycle is on.

     It's a good thing we have the words "them" and "us" in our vocabulary, or we'd have to invent an artificial means of separating our-selves from others. 

     Never mind.  We already invented religions and they'll keep us separated - even into eternity.

     Once I compared a politician to a vulture.

     The vulture was angry.

     "After all, " he told me, "I'll never lie to your face and try to convince you that I'm stripping your carcass for your own good."

     I apologised to the vulture.

A comment on "The Inverted Pyramid"

     A bit of social observation and/or poetry should be strong enough to stand on it's own when you hear it, but I prefer to present it to a reader rather than a listener.  In this way, I can influence them with how it looks, as well as how it sounds.  The visual form also defines and enhances the rhythm that the writer sees for that piece.  With this poem, the physical appearance emphasizes the inherent instability of an inverted pyramid in the social model.   

The Inverted Pyramid

Lawyers ignore the truth while argueing for those who pay them

Politicians argue for whomever pays them the most

While appearing to work for us

Who argues for the truth

Who argues for us

Who argues

Who

comment on "time and distance"

     Despite the apparent simplicity of this poem, it was a challenge.  With the first verse in hand, and not a clue where it was going, the decision was made to keep the verses at three lines and the last word of each verse had to rhyme with the last word of the prior verse.  Second, the poem had to reach a recognizable conclusion.  And third, once a verse was left behind for the next verse, it could never be changed! 

Time and Distance

. . . so I sez

now look here Blind Billy

and why don't you see

we only travel

through time

from sneaker to knee

we pay for the time

but the distance

is free

when the distance

is done

we enter our plea

to beg

a new chance

from the Last Referee

to repent

and reform

we promise with glee

but He knows

of our record

does the Last Referee

and He knows

of our need

to disagree

so He gives us new life

a new chance to do right

another yank at the cosmic goatee



A comment on "At Home With The Homeless"

     This piece was written while I was (belatedly) going to college.  The sub-title was added because some of my classmates thought that it may have been exaggerated a little.  It wasn't.  The people who lived there had nowhere else to go, except for the streets.  I lived there because I got a break on the rent for cleaning up every morning and for policing the residents at night.  My decision to leave was made one morning when I realized that confrontation and violence had become a way of life, i.e. I was at home with the homeless.

AT HOME WITH THE HOMELESS

(A Gentle View)

     Welcome to the Orford Hotel.  We know your biggest fear; that when you get evicted, you're gonna end up here.

     Welcome to the Orford Hotel.  The last stop for the helpless and homeless, the weak and the weary.  Leave your dignity at the door, there's no need anymore.

     Welcome to the Orford Hotel, where the hallways smell like bare feet and beer farts, strong enough to make an onion weep. 

     Welcome to the Orford Hotel, where the dead and the dying are buried without a prayer.  Where pastime becomes passion and emotional brutality the fashion.  Where residents are hesitant to care any more or drink any less.

     Welcome to the Orford Hotel, where we stay in shape by running in place and running out of time.  Where we amuse ourselves by abusing ourselves and living in our dreams.  But the dreams are dying, and the nightmares are coming and common, and still we sleep.

     Welcome to the Orford Hotel. . .