The final September Song- Poems for hunger series

(Artwork by Marcin Bondarowicz)

I think today is the end of all things conventional,
Whatever had been predictable yesterday, is no more.

Forks and spoons are too rusted to use,
Jutting out of us like some perished nightmare.
Dining room tables are being used for makeshift mausoleums,
(Leave the dead, don’t waste precious energy.)
Electricity went out this morning, water this afternoon.

It reaches everywhere; the world reeks of a decomposing.
There’s a deafening silence ticking down like a giant clock;
Nothing can be heard, save the monstrous, shrieking echo of silence
That swims over our heads like crop-dusters spitting flesh.

We are so goddamn frightened! Is this the end of the world?
Has our greed and apathy finally made its way back to us?
Have our closed hands and open mouths at last climbed inside our minds?
Where are all the loud children skipping home from school?
What day is this? What time is it? What has happened?

At night there will be fireflies and the moon to feebly reassure us.
Everything we’ve ever been told about death and hunger and this moment
Sounds stupid.
All the times we’ve been told of it or witnessed such present horror
Is now speechless.
Everything is so horrifyingly quiet! The mask of life itself is waning
Like leaves falling upon autumn’s sword.

To our hands, the children. To our feast, the world
Now shaking off its parasites with winter’s cold harmony.
Of our hands, the stillness. Of our hunger, the stench
Masking any good that has ever been grown in the field
Or expressed with the sustenance of any true and decent love.

© 2009 mrp/thepoetryman

Read all the September Songs

Help support Feeding America's Hunger Action Month

I Am The Voice

......of one crying in the wilderness.
~John 1:23a

I can truly empathize with John the Baptist. I too, feel like the lone voice trying to bear witness to the truth.

I read scores of articles and news reports daily. When they are concerning Iran, there is one common thread: Macho Hubris. There are virtually no rational voices in the United States. With the latest news of Iran's nuclear enrichment facilities, all I've heard, non-stop, is sabre-rattling, chest pounding, and the renewed beating of the war drums.

President Obama has now threatened Iran with military force. It was not an overt threat, by any means, but a threat nonetheless. He said, in effect, his 'preferred way was diplomacy, but military force would not be taken 'off the table'. It is up to Iran to make the next move. They will either comply with what we want or .........................' .

This is an almost verbatim recitation of what Geo W Bush said to Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Basically, what he is asking them to do, is the same thing Bush demanded from Iraq: Prove a negative. And just as with Iraq, nothing Iran says, or does, will convince him otherwise.

He makes grandiose claims of 'intelligence gathering' from the U.S., Britain, and France. Remember, these are the same intelligence sources that swore on a stack of Bibles that Saddam had WMDs and imminent plans and capabilities for using them against us. We all know how that turned out.

The Congress has been complaining for months that we can't afford $900 billion for Health Care Reform in this country. Watch how fast they will be ready to cough up $1 trillion or more to attack Iran. We haven't even clawed our way out of the Iraq/Afghanistan hole we've dug for ourselves.

We're hearing the chicken-hawks heralding the good news that Russia and China will be with us. Don't believe it.

We have deceived ourselves into believing that we, and our 'allies', have the only intelligence gathering capabilities on the planet. We've heard how Russia was 'surprised' and 'upset' with this latest disclosure on Iran. Don't believe that either. Both Russia and China have very good intelligence gathering abilities. They are fully aware of what Iran is doing. In fact, they probably know more about Iran than we do. China has remained curiously silent on this. What does THAT tell you?

America has a knee-jerk personality with a need for instant gratification. We seem to be oblivious to the fact that Iranians and Russians are Masters at the game of chess. They have patience and think many moves in advance, something our checker-playing mentality can't seem to comprehend.

I don't know if Iran has nuclear weapons ambitions or not; but I do know this: They'd be damn fools if they didn't. Their biggest enemy, and threat, is Zionist Israel, which HAS nuclear weapons. They are surrounded by nuclear-armed States. India; Pakistan; U.S. (Iraq/Afghanistan); Israel; Russia; and China. How would you like to be the only one in your neighborhood without a gun?

Rather than bullying and coercion, we would do better at realizing WHY Iran would want nuclear weapons, and solving the problem from that perspective. Double-standards simply do not work. Put yourselves in the Iranian's sandals. THEY signed the NPT, while Israel; Pakistan; and India refused, and continue to refuse, signing on. Yet the U.S. not only allowed THEM to arm, but actually helped them (one of many Articles of the NPT we have breached). The irony is, Iran received much of it's uranium enrichment knowledge from Pakistan. Had we stopped Pakistan in it's tracks, it would have set Iran back decades. Had we stopped Israel, in all probability, Iran would not be so hell-bent on arming themselves.

Nuclear weapons are deterrent weapons. Notice how we no longer sabre-rattle and threaten North Korea. THAT is the sole reason America is against Iran being nuclear armed; we could no longer threaten and bully them. Iranians are human beings, just like all the rest of us. The Iranians are a highly intelligent people. They will not commit suicide and have their people and country laid to waste by using a pre-emptive nuclear strike on another. Iran has not attacked, nor invaded, any country in modern history; and it would be my guess, that they would not do so in the future.

My advice to America: Stop with all the arrogant hubris and bravado. Live and let live.

My advice to Iran: Be careful. You're dealing with some greedy folks who are only interested in your natural resources.

~~Cross-posted at the Blog of Revelation ~~

Give Peace a Chance,
Brother Tim

An inner dialogue with Rush and Glenn...

Glenn Beck had Rush Limbaugh on his show to help him obscure his blatantly asinine remark that Barack Obama is a racist and to, I suppose, deflect from the fact that after he uttered this idiocy advertisers fled from his show like intelligent moths from a flame.

Here's what the two clowns actually said (transcript via Crooks and Liars)...

BECK: Oh sure, they're tearing me apart (liberals) but none of the facts! Write what you learn on this show down. Write these questions down and demand answers. Because it's not my America we're talking about here. It's all of ours -- left, right, Democrat, Republican -- all of our freedom of speech is on the ropes. And questioning your government is not only important, it is -- in a democratic republic, which I think we still have, it is required of you. Freedom of speech is under attack.

LIMBAUGH: This whole administration is as radical and far left as any that the country has ever had. And what they're trying to do here to communications is simply stifle dissenting voices. They're trying to wipe out any opposition. If you look at Barack Obama and his track record as a politician, it is to clear the playing field. He doesn't even like debating his opponents. He just wants to get rid of them.

BECK: If you watch MSNBC, I contend that you will see the future. Because they are laying the ground for a horrible event that will be -- eh, what they're laying the ground for, anything from the right, they're -- some awful event -- and I fear this government, this administration, has so much framework already prepared that they will seize power overnight before anybody even gives it a second thought!

And here is their INNER DIALOGUE...

BECK: They’re hurting my feelings, Rush, and they’re using facts to do it! You and I both know that democracy can only take a thimble full of facts each week or BAM- its full-bore addiction! If the little people would just write down every sacred word I say, which is all of them, this country, right, left, Demonazis, RepubliChrists, would be a better place for me to live! My freedom to speak lies without getting fired is under attack!

LIMBAUGH: Poor schmuck. Poor little, disheveled, Mormonite schlub. He’s got potential, but he’s not quite “loony tunes” enough for my adoring fans, but he can get there with my help. Me. Me. Grandiose me! I love me more than I love myself. Ha! I'm funny, too! Nobody is ever going to stifle my beautiful voice! And certainly not some Kenyanized negroid who’s not fit to be my driver, let alone leader of the free world! They're trying to wipe out any opposition, but I’ll be damned if they take my job! The coon-eyed magic negro better not come within two miles of my job or I’ll- I'll- I'll throw up on his Uncle Tom Penny Loafers! He wants to get rid of me! Me? Me? Me?
Sonofabitchbastardmothafuckingcoonpenisassholetitcocksuckingbitchniggerscumbagelitist nogoodboogereatercuntlickingtwatblowjobclitanuslover!

BECK: God! I love the resonance of his voice! If it weren’t against my better judgment I’d suck him off right this very- If you watch MSNBC, I contend you’ll see the future, and I’m not in it! Because they are laying the ground for a horrible event, my firing! No! No! I’m only a mini-god! I want to get to where Rush is! A full-blown-massive-god-of-the-airwaves! A hurricane force motherfucker! I must not get fired before I become a raging star? What would the women think of me then? I must become a bona-fide god! I’ve already laid the framework to overtake Rush and all of his loony tuners! I need more time goddamnit! I need more time! Now get off my throne, you liberal, Kenyan born, socialist, communist, brown-skinned, terrorist loving, uncircumcised, Marxist, nappy headed son of a bastard! GET OFF MY THRONE! GET OFF MY THRONE! GET OFFFFFFF MYYY THRRRRRONNNEEEEEEEEE!

More INNER DIALOGUE

Letter to Pastor Steve

-Pastor Steve's Sermon followed by my letter in protest-

The same God who instituted the death penalty for murders is the same god who instituted the death penalty for rapists and for homosexuals, sodomites and queers!

That's what it was instituted for, okay? That's God, he hasn't changed. Oh, God doesn't feel that way in the New Testament ... God never "felt" anything about it, he commanded it and said they should be taken out and killed.

You know why God wanted the sodomites in the Old Testament to be killed? You know why every good king of Israel, the Bible says they got rid of the sodomites in the land? You know, the good kings that came after the bad kings who had allowed the sodomites to infest their land, they had infiltrated ... King Asa got the sodomites out of the land, Jehoshaphat exterminated the sodomites that were left from the days of his father, Asa. Why? Because the sodomites are infectious, that's why. Because they're not reproducers, that goes without saying, they're recruiters.

How are they multiplying? Do you not see that they're multiplying? Are you that blind? Have you noticed that there's more than there were last year and the year before, and the year before that? How are they multiplying? They're reproducing right? No, here's a biology lesson: they're not reproducers, they're recruiters! And you know who they're after? Your children. Remember you dropped off your kids last week? That's who they're after. You drop them off at some daycare, you drop them off at some school somewhere, you don't know where they're at. I'll tell you where they're at: they're being recruited by the sodomites. They're being molested by the sodomites. I can tell you so many stories about people that I know being molested and recruited by the sodomites.

They recruit through rape. They recruit through molestation. They recruit through violation. They are infecting our society. They are spreading their disease. It's not a physical disease, it's a sin disease, it's a wicked, filthy sin disease and it's spreading on a rampage. Can't you see that it's spreading on a rampage? I mean, can you not see that? Can you not see that it's just exploding in growth? Why? Because each sodomite recruits far more than one other sodomite because his whole life is about recruiting other sodomites, his whole life is about violating and hurting people and molesting 'em.

I'm here to preach the Bible. And I'm sick to death -- hey, let me tell you something. Our country is run by faggots. You know who wrote this 700-billion-dollar bailout bill? You know who was the man who was the architect of the bailout? His name is Barney Franks, he is a pedophile, he has been arrested for uh, interacting with boys that are in their teenage years when he's in his 50s, it's in the news, he's been arrested for it. He is a pedophile, he is a homosexual, he has stood up in the floor of the sacred halls of justice and said, 'I am gay, I am a sodomite.'

That's Barney Frank, that's who just sold our country into fascism. That's who just sold our corporations to the government. That's who sold out our country, a faggot! And I'm here to tell you something! I'm not going to stand for it, and let a faggot run the church! It's bad enough that we've got a bunch of faggots running the government!

Gospel of Hate via Crooks and Liars

__________________________________________

-Letter in protest-

Dear Steve,
You, sir, are unquestionably a man of god.

Yes. Little "g". You are not a man of God or any other proper name for some supreme being in the sky; you are your own arrogant god; the god of self.

You emit depraved hatred as if you were a perpetual volcano pitching down lava. You use the “good” book, the bible, to thrust a malevolent ember into the skin of anyone and anything that you consider unworthy of your kingdom.

No. It is not the kingdom of God; it is your own fiefdom, your very own Eden, your own private, rather lonely, and most depraved paradise.

According to your logic, I feel that is is in your best interest that I urge you to cease your small-minded parade. See, Steve, the same God who instituted all of those arcane and, in my opinion, despicable laws also had something to say about judging others and greed. He also said that we should stone children who are stubborn, put to death everyone who curses his father or his mother, cut both off from their own people any man who lies with a woman during her period, forgo cutting the hair at the sides of our head or clipping the edges of our beards, cancel every seven years anyone's debt, if a man has a stubborn and rebellious son he should be stoned to death, we are not to plant our fields with two kinds of seed, we are to kill anyone who works on a Sunday, and wearing polyester is a sin, as well as eating shellfish, we should support slavery, women are not to be teachers, we shall not touch the skin of a pig, and there’s also something in the good book about taking His name in vain, which, by the way, seems to be your specialty.

Yes. Your specialty is taking the Lord's name in vain. See, it’s not about uttering the word “Goddamn” in any of its forms; it is about using His name as a mockery, as a means to an end, using it, not as, perhaps, a graceful instrument to teach, but as an instrument of terror. That’s right. You, Pastor Steve, terrorize people when you choose to bend, for your own individual ideal, the good book that they, your flock, live and breathe.

You go on in your ranting sermon to defame Barney Franks as if he were not one of your own kind- human. You denigrate all homosexuals. You slander so much more than the few labels you viciously spout in your unhealthy repertoire. You slander all of humanity, religious or otherwise, with your insufferable delusions and unsophisticated spirit.

You recruit and rape via the word of God. You recruit through the molestation of one of the holy books. You recruit through violation of God’s word. You are infecting all of society. You are spreading your disease. No. It’s not a physical disease, although it makes me physically ill to hear of it, it is, ironically enough, your “sinning”, your depraved indifference that transfers this horrible infection. It is your wicked, filthy indifference to humanity that is spreading like a wildfire during a summer drought. Can’t you see that you’re spreading gloom through the children’s spirits. I mean, can you not see that? Can you not see that it’s just exploding in growth? Why? Because each self-infected preacher recruits far more than one disciple for Christ, because his whole life is about recruiting disciples for Christ, his whole life is about violating and hurting people and molesting children’s spirits for Christ's sake!

I’m here to tell you the truth, not to preach the bible or any other predetermined doctrine. And I’m sick to death of soul sucking leeches! Let me tell you something; our country is infested with self serving men and women of a little "g" god. You know who spouted hatred regarding a fellow human being? You know who was the architect of such a foul sermon? His name is Steve Anderson; he is a molester of children's spirits! He should be arrested for defamation and ruination of the human spirit! For interacting with the people’s precious minds and turning their God into a monster! You should be arrested for being an innocent soul pedophile, a molester of the scriptures and rapist of the soul!

Surely you know the term, jihad, right? If by chance you don’t, you certainly should. You are calling for one against those that do not see life, or God, the way you do. You obviously want to wage a jihad, but I need to inform you that you should be careful what you wish for. You may not like or even recognize what you get.

One last observation, Steve, if I may... If, and I do mean if, if God does indeed look down upon us from heaven, if He indeed devises plans for those deemed “unworthy” of His grace, if He truly is the all vengeful and the all wrathful and the all forgiving and the all powerful and the all loving deity that you claim He is… I’m reasonably confident that you, dear Steve, have caught His eye.

Sincerely,
Mark R. Prime
(thepoetryman)

Uh oh... Hurricane Bill Turns Political

Get ready for a new talking point, or screaming point, to emerge this week throughout the town hall meetings across the country.

Here is an example of what we are likely to begin hearing-

VERY OLD WHITE MAN: "This here Hurricane Bill is growing like the Mexican population! We, the true people of this land, are left with only one recourse, revolution!"

OLD GUY WITH HAT: "First the Death Panels, now this!? Bunch of no good terrorists! Over my dead body this Bill passes!"

NRA SPOKESPERSON: "We must inform congress that if this bill passes we will have no other choice but to begin attending any and all political events strapped to the gills with automatic assault rifles and any and all hand guns we can get our paws on!"

YOUNG GIRL: "Enough is enough! This is America, not Nazi Germany! We do not support an administration that has such little regard for life on the outlying coasts!"

NASCAR FAN: "In all my days I have seen many terrible bills pass through, but this one takes the cake! I won't stand for it! Who does this Obama think he is, president of the U.S. Weather Service?"

TORTURED BREATH

ACLU video features prominent figures like Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone and a 9/11 family member reading from one of the infamous Bush administration legal memos used to justify the use of torture against detainees in U.S. custody. The video calls for accountability and the restoration of the rule of law.

The video includes appearances by Oliver Stone, 9/11 family member Patricia Perry, actors Rosie Perez, Noah Emmerich, John Doman and Reg E. Cathey, and musical composer Philip Glass, among others, reading directly from a memo authored by Jay Bybee, former head of the Justice Departments Office of Legal Counsel under the Bush administration. The memo was released in April as part of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by the ACLU.

For more information, visit:
http://www.aclu.org/torturedlogic (video)
http://www.aclu.org/torture

TORTURED COUNT (a poem by thepoetryman)

One-
I am trying to breathe.
I do not offer myself.
Everything flows over
Within this; my mouth.
Two, three-
The surge reveals a child.
A symphony of barbs pierce my rest.
What is asked of me
Will not be of the next.
Four, five-
Anyone that can hear me,
I will tell you something,
Anything to make it cease.
Earnest plea at death’s gate.
Six, seven-
Toss me in safety’s grave,
That is now my wish
Of you; my mind’s slayer,
Liberty’s perpetual destroyer.
Eight, nine
I’ll gladly give up my use;
The substance of my collection.
Feet elevated inside iron shoes,
Angels slithering to my side.
Ten…

© 2009 mrp/thepoetryman

Imagine if AMeirca did this when Bush cheated