Filed under: Musings Of Life | Tags: going back to innocence, musing of life, Revisiting childhood
Have you ever wondered about the innocence of childhood? How beautiful things were when we were kids. Looking at world with hope, optimism and curiosity and not with cynicism. Making friends easily. Simplifying things. Life was not at all complicated. So often, I have met people reminiscing about that golden era amidst the quagmire of adult life. Well, I think it’s never too late actually. We can’t replicate those things. We can’t go back to that period. But yes, we can always learn from that stage of life. We can always revisit that kindergarten atmosphere. We can still be simple, take great pleasures in small things of life, making friends easily. We can still trust people. The choice is ours.
First Knowing
That second day of kindergarten, I ditched
while Miss Clemens bent at the sink,
helping Peter Farley wash the paint off his hands.
I scurried across the wide green fields that led
to the road where our row
of white townhouses awaited me.
I wanted no more days without my mother
placed in the center of every hour.
I wanted her voice, the scent of the perfume
she dabbed on her writst each morning
before we watched my father walk away.
We stood at her dresser while she released
the stopper from a crystal bottle so blue
it rivalled sunlight staining the ocean surface.
I wanted to travel with her
from supermarked to bank, dry cleaners
to drugstore, wherever the days life took her.
As if sensing some hunger to come,
I craved her with a fierceness that made me run,
as if knowing I would soon lose her to a sadness
vaster than any of these fields I could cover
with the pace of my own feet.
Poem by – Andrea Potos
Filed under: inspiration for freedom | Tags: believe in self, I Believe In Everything
How many times in life, we have come to a point when our belief in things starts 
diminishing? Some of you will say, several times! When we look at the world, there are thousands of burning issues which make us wonder about the futility of living. War, terrorism, famine, hurricanes, sight of hungry kids, sad faces of unemployed youths, failing economy, drama of politics, corruption etc are few of the many factors, which demoralizes us. What’s the solution? Well, the solution begins with self. Things will continue to be they are though we will always hope of a better world. Probably small contributions from each of us will be significant in changing few things for better.
Today, I am sharing this poem which manages to emphasize the importance of self-belief.
I’m Alive, I Believe In Everything
Self. Brotherhood. God. Zeus. Communism.
Capitalism. Buddha. Vinyl records.
Baseball. Ink. Trees. Cures for disease.
Saltwater. Literature. Walking. Waking.
Arguments. Decisions. Ambiguity. Absolutes.
Presence. Absence. Positive and Negative.
Empathy. Apathy. Sympathy and entropy.
Verbs are necessary. So are nouns.
Empty skies. Dark vacuums of night.
Visions. Revisions. Innocence.
I’ve seen All the empty spaces yet to be filled.
I’ve heard All of the sounds that will collect
at the end of the world.
And the silence that follows.
I’m alive, I believe in everything
I’m alive, I believe in it all.
Waves lapping on the shore.
Skies on fire at sunset.
Old men dancing on the streets.
Paradox and possibility.
Sense and sensibility.
Cold logic and half truth.
Final steps and first impressions.
Fools and fine intelligence.
Chaos and clean horizons.
Vague notions and concrete certainty.
Optimism in the face of adversity.
I’m alive, I believe in everything
I’m alive, I believe in it all.
Poem by- Lesley Choyce
Filed under: inspiration for freedom | Tags: inspiration for self freedom, internal exile
Inspiration series comes up with new themes and inspiring poems and pieces of literature every week. Social justice is one of the most talked about issue in world. Right from USA to Africa and Asia, equality and social justice is always talked about. Sometimes, it’s negotiated, some other times, it’s asked for and some other times, it’s fought for. This week’s theme includes a little known poem which talks about freedom of self and deserved equality for our inner world. Aptly titled ‘internal exile’, the poem emphasizes upon social welfare and freedom of self.
Internal Exile
Although most people I know were condemned
years ago by Judge Necessity
to life in condos near a freeway exit
convenient to their twice-a-day commutes
through traffic jams to jobs that they dislike,
they didnt bury their heads in their hands
and cry, Oh no! when sentence was pronounced:
FORTY YEARS ACCOUNTING IN DULUTH!
or TENURE AT SOUTHWEST MISSOURI STATE!
Instead, they mumbled, not bad. It could be worse,
when the bailiff, Fate, led them away
to Personnel to fill out payroll forms
and have their smiling ID photos snapped.
And thats what they still mumble every morning
just before their snooze alarms go off
when Fluffy nuzzles them out of their dreams
of making out with movie stars on beaches.
They rise at five a.m. and feed their cats
and drive to work and work and drive back home
and feed their cats and eat and fall asleep
while watching Evening Newss fresh disasters-
blown-up bodies littering a desert
fought over for the last three thousand years,
and smashed-to-pieces million dollar houses
built on islands swept by hurricanes.
Its soothing to watch news about the places
where people are dying (literally) to live
when you live in a place with no attractions-
mountains, coastline, history-like here,
where none aspire to live, though many do.
A great place to work, with no distractions
is how my interviewer first described it
nineteen years ago, when I was hired.
And, though he moved the day that he retired
to his dream house in the uplands with a vista,
he wasnt lying-workings better here
than some misplaced attempt at having fun.
Is that the way it is where youre stuck too?
By- Richard Cecil
Filed under: inspiration for freedom | Tags: inspiration for anti-war, inspiration for freedom
Our inspiration series continues with diverse themes. This week the theme is of Anti-War. Several poems, articles and inspiring columns have been written by eminent writers and common people as well. War is one of the biggest tragedy faced by human beings. It causes of loss of monumental proportions. The poem I am sharing today was written against the war of USA and Iraq. Its heart-wrenching, to say the least.
Creating Patriots
They wrapped my son in the flag today
told him to pledge his allegiance
swear to not treason
all without reason
for the country that invaded another
the country of my mother
the CIA undercover
killing the man elected by another
mindset, quick-step, don??t step
on the red, white and blue
we say, yes, we can represent you
bring democracy to your country too
at the price of economic destruction
internal revolution
division of families
death and destruction
we will rebuild and empower a new leader
for all you decrepit, pathetic and ignorant people
we will repatriate, dominate
and take your natural resources
build gorgeous golf courses
occupy with no remorse
drink your wine, fuck your women
educate your children so they can be good Christians
not the heathen brethren the
God you love is not from our heaven.
They wrapped my son in the flag today
in an American classroom
under-funded and plundered
by the hypocrite war machine
an underpaid teacher, speaking rhetoric
the party line, stay on the line
don’t deviate, don’t question
for fear of retribution
in the form of pointed fingers
tongues wagging, tagging
you, you’re unpatriotic
clearly neurotic, a fucking liberal
who dares to speak out
dares to shout out
dares to stamp out
dares to be silenced.
They wrapped my son in the flag today
and on top of that now say he must pray
just a moment of silence to reflect on the day
write a letter to the troops to say hooray
who the hell are they to say
I am un-American.
Because at 8 years old
I don’t believe he should be told
what he cannot understand
and recite it with his right hand
on his heart as if that can protect
his mind.
By- Tina Borja
Filed under: inspiration for freedom | Tags: caged bird, importance of freedom, inspiration for freedom
Last topic talked about importance of freedom of press. But before that, we can not ever think of not thinking about importance of freedom. It has been said that, nothing is more important to an individual than freedom. Freedom to live, freedom to sing, freedom of expressing his opinion, freedom of exercising his rights on the mother earth. Who better than our ancestors (who lived in slaved India) to testify this fact! I will share a poem emphasizing the importance of freedom in any individuals’ life.
Caged Bird
A free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wing
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.
But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.
The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.
But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.
By- Maya Angelou
