Saturday, February 19, 2011

UNWANTED PERSON

I saw you sitting there today.
Once a valuable part
Now not treated as such.
Society used you up
Took everything it could want
Then you changed 
For good or bad
And your value was less desired.
Turned you into a debt
A beggared
Not a prize.

So now you sit on the sidelines.

Who will help you?
Who will come to your rescue?
Who will pass you by…
Turning an unwanted eye… 
Away so to avoid… 
What seems to be an unwanted person?
A kind of person allowed to reach a sublime mark
And place on those around a demand.
No need to help you be whole, 
Or at least fit in.
Can you be whole?
Do you demand it?
Society's need for love and fixing is not to be complete
It is to get you on your feet, then leave you on your own.
It should be to bring you back into the fold,
Make you one of us rather than leave you one of them,
So you are once again 
Where and what you should be - US.


    


Just to explain, I was driving down a street today and saw a man in a wheelchair waiting for something, or someone. He had a heavy jacket on but was sitting in direct sunlight and it was hot!! My emotions just hit me and I had to pull off the street and sit in the car while I teared up and dealt with the images that flashed in my mind, this poem. I talked with him for a couple minutes, he had been to a doctor's appointment and was waiting for a scheduled pickup; so he was pushed to the edge of the street and left waiting (basically at the discretion and schedule of someone else). While reading my words I hope you experienced a sense of what I felt, it was not comfortable at the time and not while typing the words. You can make a difference in the life of someone, so do it whenever you have the chance.  Andy

Posted 2/19/11

Friday, February 11, 2011

THE SEARCHER (entry 2)

(Read "entry 1" before this continuation.)


With eyes looking across the land
The Searcher shouted commands 
“Get Back! Do not advance! Keep your blades at the ready.”
Then ordered, "Defensive Stance!!”

His soldiers placed both feet on the ground
While pulling weapons directly in front of them.
The man holding the deceased's head laid it down
And instantly vanished before he could call out.

His brothers-at-arms
Trembled at the site.
Looked at each other
And one cried out.

“What happened? Where did he go?
He was there and something sucked him from our existence.”
For what happened had never been seen.
He had been pulled through some sort of screen.

A screen like a web, but not like smoke.
It was like the surface of a lake.
Only this magical lake 
Was standing straight like a mirror or gate.

It was as-if he was sucked through a wall
An opening appeared and then he was gone.
One man mumbled, “But did you see
A shadowy creature that was standing 3 meters tall?”

"I saw it," one said. “It had claw-like hands
And a hairy face.”
Another added, “Yes, it was like
A snout with two eyes and a penetrating gaze.”

The men continued to hold their positions
Swords at the ready.
The Searcher called out, "Light torches"
And motioned for all the party to stay ready.

A search of the immediate area
Provided no proof
Of what the party
Had witnessed, the sinister vision.

The only thing evidenced
That would prove the brother existed
Was the blood on the ground
And the horrid image that had visited.

A rustle in the brush could be heard
Followed by scurrying, maybe birds.
The search party continued to light torches
While looking through the woods.

In a few moments the animal sounds stopped
Except for a howl in the distance
The Searcher called out, "Stand down.
We seem safe, that must be someone's hunting hound."

Remembering the voice from before the attack
The Searcher said, "Prepare to move. This place may not be safe.
Collect your personal things, we have much ground to cover
Before we will see the day sky again."

The band of soldiers moved quickly through the night.
Other than being no enemy or creature to fight,
There was no peaceful plan. 
As instructed, they would remain low and close to the land. 

Searching for the princess was his intent
The men had been ordered to support him
And go where they were sent.

A few hours later as the sun rose the men sang a hymn.

"The Lord bless us and guide our way.
We have faith in the almighty one.
We are blessed and sing his praise
Our prayer is that with us he will stay."

The party had traveled 3 kilometers in the night
Many soldiers pondered what created their fright
They came upon a tall cross accompanied by burial mounds 
A place where many considered the dead to lounge. 

Thoughts of the soldier disappearing into the non-world
Frightened the most experienced soldier.
None had seen a person disappear before their eyes 
But memories of the hairy 'ghost' seemed to reside.

They sat up camp
Locals came out to greet
They traded for supplies
And cooked quite a feast

Then the questioning was resumed
Many had a blank look on their face.
But a few people had information
And wanted to claim their stake.

You see the King
Announced a financial purse 
For any assistance provided to
The Searcher for his daughter's return.

The Searcher was intrigued by what he heard
Talk of a shadow following a group
Several men had passed with a small figure in tow
Followed by a hulking man in the shadow.

The soldiers had been told of the two figures
As they had advanced on the princess.
How one had been hulking 
As he carried her away.

The Searcher was excited
Maybe they were getting close
He called out to his men
Almost in a loud, voice of boast.

"We can find her, We can find her!
We are close!
Quickly, thank our host.
Hurry, Hurry, Hurry to your horse!'

(continued) - posted 2/11/11

Monday, February 7, 2011

THE SEARCHER (entry 1)

The Princess walked freely in the kingdom
No evil stepped out.
She walked the street knowing that respect abound.
She loved the children and families too.
No matter where she walked evil was taboo.
This doesn’t mean that evil was not about.
But respect of ladies was the law in her land.

But some followed and planned evil things.
Murder, robbery, injury and slander of civic leaders including her father the king.
One group made plans and laid a trap.
They would stop her and abscond with her body.
Financial and political demands would be made for her return.
If the king would not step forward and meet their demands,
Her life’s light would be snuffed out.

The attack was designed and the day was at hand.
Unknown to her a trap had been laid in the dusk hours by man.
While walking down a street, two cloaked figures stepped around a corner.
A man pointed and said, “Come with me, do not scream.”
The larger figure gagged her with cloth and lifted her over a huge shoulder.
She tried to bite his arm but it was hard like a rock and round like a log.
A few breaths later she was gone.

Many men were asked to come forth and rescue her.
But many were physically unable to answer the call.
Some were around the globe, out and about.
The few who were capable and financially sure
Lived in fear and withdrew with no bid.
One simple man who had very little for his clan.
Stepped forward and shouted, “I will do it, I can!”


The crowd looked down at him; he was one and one-half meters tall.
The king came forward and said, “My short servant, take this sword and go forth.”
The young man collected the sword, helmet, a shield, boots and a map,
Walked across the town square, through the gate and his steed galloped away.
The moment he passed over the first mound he pulled back on the reign,
Removed his helmet, took a knee on the ground
And he began to pray.

“God, I ask you to bless my poor soul.
If I am able to do this it will be because of you.
Give me the strength and courage to move forth,
Provide me eyes of an eagle and hearing of a deer,
 To search for this damsel and find her with no scout,
In thy hands I place my heart and my mind.
Now take me, guide me and protect my soul.”

He mounted the animal, placed his boots in the stirrups and started again.
Shortly he came upon a small village that seemed to be old and down trodden.
But being present he looked for the leader of the few.
The people greeted him with smiles but silence  
Noting he walked as a knight and provided his steed a respite.
The villagers he passed were skinny and weak.
It was obvious that this village received little from the King.

The Searcher addressed each villager with questions about the young lass.
Each shook a head to the negative and he walked on past.
He bid them farewell, mounted his animal and left town.
The villagers who were present swore they heard horns blow loud.
Many others believed the sound to be angels singing his praise.
But truthfully it was only the wind that blew about.
He visited many villages in the same debilitated shape.

Each village greeted him as if he was the King
After all word spread fast that The Searcher would visit them soon.
It was as-if the King had remembered them when they were needy the most.
But no avail each village and small town could only answer in the negative
“Searcher, we have not seen her, she is not about.”?
He left each metropolis, city of village praying to God
Requesting the almighty deliver a plan.

Late one evening while his cook prepared food over a fire,
The Searcher lay on his back gazing into the sky.
Many in attendance later would swear they heard a second voice speak.
But no person was seen; and no one heard the steps of steed.
The voice said, “Do not be concerned, this will all end right.
 Continue your travels through this night.
But be careful there is danger all around.”

The voice concluded with “Prepare your sword and stay low to the ground.”
Moments later the young man rose from the ground and said to his men,
“Prepare your weapons, saddle your stead and lay down on that mound.”
His men prepared as instructed and moved their bed rolls with no sound.
Each lay down on their back with sword in hand; one stayed watch, many snored.
 Minutes seemed to pass slow like centuries since the dawn of time.
The single guard’s face was lighted only by the stars in the sky.

At some point the lone man heard in a commotion in a low lying scrub
Then the sound jumped into the top of the surrounding trees.
The steeds stammered their hoofs and whinnied to warn
That things were not safe, danger they had found.  
The guard called out to his mates
“Awake! Awake!” he shouted while pulling his sword.
“Awake! Awa….” was what was left to be heard.

While the last word trailed off in the empty forest air,
The others arose, each weapon pulled and held.
Each man pulled close to the next forming a circle as if bailed wheat.
The Searcher called out, “Where is our young guard?”
While watching the bush and tress he searched about.
Momentarily no one spoke a word,
Each man reviewed the perimeter for danger and a missing mate.

Then with a breath of fresh air passing across the mound one shouted,
“There lying on the ground, I see him on the ground.”
The Searcher shouted out, “Stay your position! Stand your ground!
With swords held high the circle of protection constricted
Terror seemed to magically pull each man back-to-back.  
There was no movement, no sound could be heard
Except for the exhaled breath of fearful mist into the cold.

The Searcher commanded one soldier “Bold your heart and check our brother.
But while giving him due required keep your sword at the ready.
Danger still prowls so make your concentration as bright as a light.”
The soldier walked slowly while glaring excitingly at the trees and the scrub.
With warm air passing between his lips the chill of the moment sailed back into his lungs.
 He stopped at the body and rolled it over, reached down and extended his arm
Then lifted his hand up holding the dead brother’s head and screamed, “He is dead! He is dead!”

(Continued)

While watching the second half of the Super Bowl I had a little fun and wrote this story (1st part). Leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

Posted 2/7/11