If I Knew What I Know Now

What's old always is new,
When it comes back around,
Because people are really no diff'rent,
Far back as you can count,

They just didn't have the things we have now,
Like we don't have their things,
What do you think you would be doing now,
With no car, internet, or onion rings?

I am not sure I would change all that much,
'slong as I had a pen,
Or chisel and rock, or oration skills,
And a bed to lie in,

Oh, and a friend,
Did they have those back then?
Someone to talk to about life's wonder,
And help each other out of depression.

Congratulations!

Some days you just can't lose,
Would they could be each day,
When everywhere you turn you find good luck,
Maybe it is today,

The culmination of the days before,
Perhaps you did good deeds,
Without expectation of quid pro quo,
Like planting thoughts you didn't know were seeds,

It is the not knowing that really counts,
The key's to be sincere,
Not knowing that you know what the key is,
With completely no fear,

Or self-knowledge,
It's actually not fun,
You require more days of disappointment,
To appreciate the scattered fortune.

Keeping High While Low

I need to do something,
Even if it is this,
Sometimes it's hard to remember the fact,
That we for sure exist,

That that means no one can tell us we don't,
Nor tell us that we do,
Yes, you only have the moment at hand,
But does that provide you any real proof?

Or rather, what does this proof offer you?
Where is life's manual?
Oh, you have it, and it's all written down!
Starting with our first fall,

From grace, that is,
We've never since bounced back,
It's bad enough I've my own life to sort,
Somehow it was e'er ruined by some hack.

The One-Dimensional Man

You know Herbert Marcuse?
Well, I didn't either,
E'en though I've a philosophy degree,
And breathe the same ether,

It's like he described what we have become,
Some forty years before,
Enmeshed until we're one-dimensional,
A component automation's core,

No longer able to be what we were,
When there was still a hope,
Shining a light in our consciousnesses,
Now we can all just cope,

With what there is,
Which is beyond our grasp,
Unless we can manage to overcome,
Control of capitalism, at last.

Another Economic Save

It's a wonderful life,
If you are not a bank,
Who am I kidding, they're doing alright,
Yes, even though they tank,

The government won't let them go under,
They are too big to fail,
Just ask Obama in two thousand eight,
When folks were starving, who he chose to bail,

'cause folks don't have the ear of presidents,
They just close streets sometimes,
If you want to see politicians shake,
Threaten to raise the prime,

Something like that,
I do not even know,
What secret jargon the banker whispers,
In the ear of who's really in control.

Happy At Last

I'm so goddamn happy,
I am just letting loose,
Why not acknowledge that you just live once,
Then casu'lly light the fuse?

It's better to burn out than fade away,
Did I just make that up?
Avoid regret, believing in nothing,
You will forever have an half full cup,

It is that easy if you have the cash,
Live where you're not repressed,
Just joking, such a place does not exist,
Some countries just seem less,

But they're not,
You succumb to belong,
But don't worry, as long as you know this,
You can think you're happy and not be wrong.

Selective Outrage

Watched Selective Outrage,
I've always liked Chris Rock,
His joke 'bout charging 5k for bullets,
Still makes me laugh a lot,

He's fin'lly talking about Will Smith's slap,
He took it like Pacquiao,
You know, the Filipino senator,
Who sings the song Biyaheng Pag-Asa,

Chris says Will's anger preceded the hit,
Back to Red Table Talk,
Jada questioned him about her affair,
Then came the joke by Rock,

The show was good,
I did laugh all that much,
Thought maybe he'd go on about PacMan.
And reference his song, "Sometimes When We Touch.

I'm Not In The Mafia

Yes, I am Italian,
Though, born in Canada,
And despite what you think 'bout my culture,
Not in the mafia,

It might be possible I've known a few,
If rumours are believed,
Which if any of them are reading this,
They are laughing at my simplicity,

For who of us are so isolated,
That everyone we've met,
Have found success by playing by the rules?
If you've found any, yet,

Which you can't know,
Unless you're one of them,
In which case odds are someone that you know's,
Part of a suspect organization.

Why Not Wake Up?

What is wrong with wokeness?
I am not telling you,
If you know what it is and you don't know,
Then don't seek out that clue,

It's a seed of a thought that bears bad fruit,
That will then spoil the bunch,
Resisting the point by sharpening it,
Ruining an excellent learn and lunch,

Why not instead engage it in good faith,
Embrace the openness,
Assume that no topic is out of bounds,
As a given premise,

Then wait and see,
If you leave it to grow,
The search for equality should find you,
Which, be honest, is what you fear the most.

If You're Reading This

'fyou've got time to read this,
Things ain't going that bad,
You must be on some kind of computer,
So mazel tov on that,

You're using accessible internet,
You're using your free will,
Unless someone's got a gun to your head,
Forcing you, as torture, to read this swill,

I can't imagine you're on your deathbed,
You'd not waste time with Waths,
Unless, wait a sec, are you my mother?
No, she's already lost,

So here's the deal,
Since I've your attention,
The fact that we're here, talking together,
Tells me you live in major convenience.

Strategy

Strategy must adapt,
Or it's just an old thought,
That is especially difficult when,
Your life is in a rut,

When you keep trying the same things again,
And get the same results,
Wait, this is sounding like something else now,
Like maybe it's not your strategy's fault,

Let's focus instead on environment,
It changes like climate,
So you must evolve incrementally,
Or that's the end of that.

Know what I mean?
Take a look at your life,
It's not that nothing ever goes your way,
It's that you're turning left when things go right.

The System's Alive

I'm starting to wonder,
Just what is going on,
Is everything I read on the news true,
Or is it deception?

Forsooth there are reporters who believe,
What they report's the truth,
But like Chomsky has said, they're just the plaque,
On Capitalism's decaying tooth,

Or something like that, but the real point is,
They're hiding the structure,
Which supports the system that benefits,
A precious few, for sure,

Which ain't the point,
It's just a distraction,
Orchestrated by a living ideal,
Scrambling to eschew its own extinction.

I'm Not Complaining

Forget the Earth's troubles,
Take a look around you,
So many people living their best life,
Though granted they are few,

Attaining success because, yes, they worked.
Harder than anyone?
Even assuming that that is the case,
There's not room for many in this system,

Just enough to keep the machine working,
Keeping most all else down,
If we didn't have those to which to strive,
We might start looking 'round,

Then realize that,
The system is all fixed,
A blinding truth I'm not the first to speak,
Drowned out by fake news they throw in the mix.

Oh Death

The irony of death,
Rests in its welcoming,
One fights it off with every ounce of strength,
Despite being buried,

Then cheers arise from the mass of hopefuls,
Lauding resiliency,
Voices raised up in thanks to man and god,
Drowning out the wailing of refugees,

The distant murmurs of the dispossesed,
Lying in the next street,
Hundreds of thousands gone before this line,
E'en mentions the elite,

Who defy death,
As long as science helps,
Research that could be used to save millions,
Drawn by the profits of aesthetic health.

Maybe Not So Profound

It all came clear to me,
In a dream of all things,
Sitting in a theatre with strangers,
With whom I shared something,

The curtains were closed, the seats black and plush,
We were all dressed nicely,
A few friends I wouldn't know in this world,
Who represented my hopes were with me,

We began to shuffle to the exits,
Can't say how the show was,
But an epiphany strode sleep and wake,
Simple, but gave me pause,

The world's dying,
Due to the structures built,
By a few, that we have to live within,
Either thriving, struggling or racked with guilt.

The Ridiculousness

Don't know who to believe,
About China's balloon?
How about telling them to all fuck off,
It couldn't be too soon,

The fact that any of it's on the news,
Means that it's a set-up,
The U.S. planned to attack P.R.C,
Years before that Sidewinder blew it up,

Maybe it's because it owes China cash,
So much, it cannot pay,
A dying empire means people die, too,
That's just the human way,

It's always been,
We think that we've evolved,
We're no smarter, nor sophisticated,
We're a broken puzzle that can't be solved.

The Wolff of Pennsylvania Ave

I'm no economist,
Don't even look at bills,
I'd rather forget there's a thing called cash,
Take on debt, come what will,

Just like the American government,
Richard Wolff knows the deal,
For a four-year term, what would someone do?
Not ostracize those who pay for their meals,

Which means they can't tax the corporations,
Who care for naught but gain,
So the government borrows from business,
It's, as Wolff says, insane.

We all pretend,
Like I do with my bills,
Imagining the American Dream,
Can be accomplished by sheer force of will.

The Origin of Laughter

This might appear funny,
A thought occurred to me,
About the cause of the best medicine,
A Proverb's legacy,

I've heard it said it's funny 'cause it's true,
Well that makes me guffaw,
Not that the phrase doesn't scratch the surface,
Like not killing someone describes the law,

What is happening when you L.O.L.,
Is more transcendental,
It's the witnessing that you're not alone,
That's so hysterical,

But it can't last,
As long as you're human,
You must attain some higher level shit,
To afford to laugh for milleniums.

Hold That Thought

What's with all these layoffs?!
Can't a tech get a break?
Half the world uses social media,
Though most of it is fake,

Where are the cutbacks in fossel fuels?
Don't think that I've seen that,
Uganda's going to start drilling oil,
Not that lithium mining's where it's at,

You see how one complaint leads to many,
Maybe we shouldn't start,
Next thing we'll be demanding less airplanes,
And I don't have the heart,

'Cause I've got plans,
To go to Mexico,
For an all-inclusive with my family,
Let's not talk about this before we go.

Excel Calibration

Who knows what will happen,
Just when it's figured out,
Everything you thought was going to happen,
Is suddenly in doubt,

Like everything else you expect will not,
Then happens anyway,
Like all risks, they could be helpful or not,
Then just disappear as well any day,

While what stays constant is your attitude,
Even if it should change,
There's something you call yourself leading it,
That recalls each exchange.

So, think on that,
What you control and don't,
Then make a spreadsheet lining up your past,
How do you feel when what you want to be won't?

When You Know

When there's nothing to say,
You're lying to yourself,
In fact, let us go a little further,
About your mental health,

Everything you say is nothing at all,
A delaying tactic,
It's all noise you make to distract your brain,
From considering a worthwhile topic,

Like what the hell are you doing on earth,
For the blip of time you are,
If you knew, how would you, what would it mean,
Could you then stop all war?

Would you e'en try,
If you knew everything?
Maybe you'd let yourself just starve to death,
In a bliss that all others are missing.

Not Now

I'm not sure I want this,
Sitting here, writing,
But then I think about alternatives,
And I quit my fighting,

It is not that I'm getting paid for this!
Why's my mind go there first?
Oh, money's how we determine value,
That is why I always carry my purse,

Just kidding, I purchase with apple pay,
My phone's not in my purse,
That's where I keep my wallet and Kobo,
I don't want the thing to burst!

Like this poem,
What, you didn't notice?!
Sorry, forgot what a poem's good for,
Now walk back slowly from the precipice.

Too Personal?

I wish he'd included,
The one 'bout Mr T,
From Delirious in the tribute deck,
Lauding Eddie Murphey,

You'll have to look it up, if you don't know,
But I can't be too sad,
After his acceptance speech and the joke,
Heard around the world wasn't so bad,

He took a topic often talked about,
But never done justice,
Dropping his bomb like a professional,
Always leave them in bliss.

So here's to you,
You're forgiven for Klump,
Now I have to go and do my taxes,
Maybe next year I won't feel like a chump.

How To Get Ahead

There is a comfort zone,
At every stage of life,
In which you're not challenged to change a thing,
Despite struggles or strife,

It is easier to do what you know,
E'en if what you know's bad,
You feel you can't do what those others do,
You lack the aptitude you think they have,

When if you could get inside of their heads,
You'd not find much at stake,
Think of the success so many relish,
You think they're all that great?

Well they're not,
They have one possession,
A belief in their own capacity,
Or a lack thereof in those around them.

The Guide to Life

Who knows what will happen,
From one day to the next?
A hope you've had comes true against all odds,
That last year had seemed vexed,

Your house burns down if you have one at all,
You win the lottery,
A gas line exploids just as you walk by,
You've been a captive, now you've been let free,

A loved one dies without any warning,
The things you wished you'd said,
An illness strikes you that you suspected,
But left unattended.

And in the end,
Life is both short and long,
The blip you are means naught in the grand schemes,
All that has weight's that you've not got it wrong.

Sorry New Year

Last day before new year,
What does that even mean?
A day like any other day before,
Or any to be seen,

Except so many people all agree,
Though, still, not everyone,
That we shall all mark it as a new start,
Supporting personal revolution,

Like committing to one's physical health,
Or helping out the poor,
Maybe that's why fiscal years don't align,
So these can be ignored,

By big business,
I'm sorry, is that rude?
Defiling the spirit of the new year,
Showing Capitalism's attitude.

Synchronicity

What's synchronicity?
It's my bread and butter,
Most of what I have's by fortunate chance,
Let me explain better,

When I've a need, I ask the universe,
Forget it and move on,
Next thing I know I have a brand new job,
Or a new espresso maker button,

Yes, yes, I live in the land of plenty,
Though others have much more,
True, my fortunes come at a cost for those,
In the lands of the poor,

Or, is that true?
Besides, that's not my thread,
This tactic might not work for everyone,
But, it's worth trying if you're not ahead.

The One To Love

The world is chaotic,
Just like reality,
War has existed since the dawn of man,
Though, it hasn't touched me,

Violence springs up at home and outside,
You're not safe anywhere,
Though, again, I've not seen it in person,
Which only means that life's also not fair,

If you are lucky you might meet someone,
In this uncertainty,
Who you know you can trust to provide you,
A source of surety,

No matter what,
That is what freedom is,
To counteract nature's reality,
By offering someone trustworthiness.

The River You're Dealt

If you observe your life,
You will find a pattern,
Like meanders in a lazy river,
You can predict the turns,

Each person must navigate a channel,
That only they can see,
Learn riding rapids, maintaining control,
Or circumnavigate rocks and debris,

The challenges don't change if you're lucky,
They become easier,
If you recognize their similar'ty,
And choose to be better,

But if you're not,
(Not lucky, not better,)
Then you'll have to recognize that instead,
The only way you will succeed, though harder.

Why Try

What's the use in trying,
When nothing turns out right,
Or when everything is handed to you,
As if it's your birthright,

Or when you lose some and you win some, too,
Despite how much effort,
Or when the world is doomed to self-implode,
Due to our actions and we won't abort,

Or when so many others are worse off,
Making you luckier,
While so many have more than you'll ever,
Because of who they are?

I'll tell you why,
It's part of who we are,
It's why the world is the way that it is,
It's the only way it will get better.

Don't Be Different

There've always been people,
Whose lives are different,
The Königreich Deutschland in Germany,
The burrneshat virgins,

Of course that means they're a minority,
Like climate activists,
Choosing how to live for their only life,
Other than how humans mostly exist,

Which is to assume the norm as a chassis,
Then build on top of that,
Find uniqueness in the look that they choose,
Like an avant-garde hat,

But be careful,
That hat does not impede,
Take it off if the government tells you,
Or you get conspiracies in your feed.

Deep Thoughts

This is not the morning,
To question what you do,
That deep, deep chasm like a twirly slide,
Beckoning on to you,

While the kindest attempt to pull you back,
Others shaking their heads,
Secretly wondering what it is like,
The thought of knowing filling them with dread,

For what would get done, if we all indulged,
In the truth we possess,
When only by holding it at arm's length,
Can one e'en be depressed?

Oh, never mind,
To think this way at all,
You would have to have it all figured out,
Or be so wrong you may just as well fall.

Pain's Value

Sometimes you must regret,
E'en though it hurts your brain,
It means you are not learning the lesson,
That comes from feeling pain,

Which is, 'what could I've done to avoid that,
Should it happen again?'
You think your body wants to feel that way,
When it could conceal it with endorphins?

Or simply remove the guilt that you feel-
Wait, that's a psychopath,
Funny how bodies without consequence,
Are often seen as bad,

Because we hurt,
When we bump into things,
To warn us we have wandered off the path,
Therefore, assisting us keep our bearings.

But, Maybe I'm Not

How could so much happen,
Since last I wrote a line?
SFPD bought a killer robot,
Maybe I can count nine,

Trump has announced he will run again,
Then dines with Nick Fuentes,
COP27 took place in Egypt,
The crackdowns happend after a few days

I didn't hear that, I'm only guessing,
While Ukraine's in the dark,
The U.S. had to protect gay marriage,
From its supreme court lark,

Wow, this was work,
Everything takes practice,
And there's so much I'm not doing to help,
Now I'm too old to be an activist.

Best Remembered

You must take advantage,
Of your advantages,
With a heart pure and intentions benign,
With a mind naiveless,

Prepared to defend each of your actions,
As well thought-out and kind,
Without the casualties of those with less,
Being inexcusably left behind,

So when you have outused the benefits,
You did not work to get,
Those alongside you can now lift you up,
For they will not forget,

That in this world,
Nothing is guaranteed,
Here today, gone tomorrow is easy,
Best remembered as someone without greed.

The Middle Road

There is small comfort,
Well, maybe great relief,
That though I'm not drowning in money,
I've no dark history,

Like my family didn't own a farm,
Worked by desp'rate migrants,
Picking olives destined for haute markets.
Would my wealth be comfort for my conscience,

Or would I just think that's the way things are,
It's better them than me,
Or that I've some right to my privilege,
From geneology?

Sometimes I think,
Not being rich or poor,
Affords me peace of not having to ask,
Which grates on my concience a little more.

Keep Safe and Quiet

Int'rest rates are rising,
For normal working folks,
Forget the super rich or businesses,
Or those that are just poor,

The latter will soon have more company,
The former have more cash,
Just in time for Trump to be in again,
Because his crimes really aren't that bad,

Or rather they are really not unique,
Among the ruling class,
If tax fraud was a jailable offense,
Jail'd become the White House,

But we are blessed,
For the state which we're found,
Is like a bubble within a bubble,
Keeping us safe from uncomfortable sounds.

This Will Get You Down

What can I really say?
The sadness is so deep,
It's not about wanting things I don't have,
It's not getting to keep.

The oceans could swallow us up today,
Or a meteorite,
Bombs falling from the sky from miles away,
Have I been sounding down lately? I might,

Economy's always been tenuous,
So has democracy,
Not that either has ever existed,
As far as I can see.

Ok, I'm done,
No, I mean writing this,
It's only because it is my birthday,
That I am feeling such an optimist.

For What It's Worth

What you do in one day,
Isn't what you have done,
The months and years that pass before you know,
Is life's true conundrum,

It's not any one thing that flies it by,
Like kids or a sickness,
Time's such an incomprehensible thing,
Most find forgetting it the easiest,

Until you're lucky to get to the end,
So you can look back on,
The cumulation of your successes,
And all that you have done,

You lucky now?
Let's tally up the stats,
Pretend we're taking our very last breath,
While we weigh the worth of our lifetime's acts.

Sick In Bed

The world can change so fast,
I don't mean globally,
Whether your talking war, famine, climate,
It's all the same to me,

But check your perception of all of them,
From yesterday to now,
If you're honest and take stock of your thoughts,
You'll find you're a different person, somehow,

Because your attention's constantly pulled,
This is no new secret,
How else did humankind get where it's now,
With no curious bit?

But here's the thing,
They don't tell you at birth,
At some point you will be on your death bed,
Then only you can you guage what your life's worth.

What's The Big Deal?

What is the argument,
Against mass shooting sprees,
Where it is everyone's right to bear guns,
Even if you're fifteen,

Leaving a population wondering,
If when they wake that day,
Whether a random man will shoot them dead,
Because they happen to walk the same way,

Building a stronger nation armed with fear,
Ready for anything,
Pumped up because vi'lence is the answer,
First and everslasting?

Can't think of one,
Don't like it, you can leave,
That is, of course, if you can afford it,
Then buy a house protected by police.

Circumventing the Thoughtful

Finland's safe from fake news,
Not because it's not there,
Not because dissenting voices are jailed,
Or the government scares,

The defence against misinformation,
Is in the public schools,
Generations taught to critic'lly think,
So that they grow to be nobody's fool,

They learn to take in any media,
With a discerning eye,
Ask questions unveiling what's true and not,
So reveal what is lies.

Sounds dangerous?
Maybe, or maybe not,
It might mean the cabal works diff'rently,
To manipulate things for what it wants.

Flipping Time On Its Head

I've been thinking 'bout time,
So, no time for writing,
Did you know the thing changes each moment,
Each moment you're thinking?

Like, it's a diff'rent thing altogether,
Even Fletcher says so,
'bout people, in the book Fletch's Moxie,
Reminding me what I already know,

Which means this Wath has changed from the start, too,
Just like all the others,
What I meant to say's not the same as now,
As my final answer,

To what, you ask,
Let's go back to the start,
You can't plan for an end that's yet to come,
The horse has always been pushing the cart.

Nord Stream 2 Is Leaking

You maybe are asking,
Why Nord Stream is leaking,
One might argue that it doesn't matter.
The damage it's wreaking,

Adding to the climate catastrophe,
While throwing DARTs at rocks,
Greenhouse gasses are bubbling from the sea,
Nobody thinks that it's not sabotage,

Nuland of the U.S. already said,
If Russia 'ttacks Ukraine,
In Jan, "Nord Stream 2 will not move forward."
Am I sounding insane?

It don't matter,
Nothing changes a thing,
Despite claims to care about the climate,
The U.S. will e'er put first conquering.

All The Best

As storms land in Cuba,
Florida, Philippines,
Puerto Rico, Atlantic Canada,
And all spots in between,

Russia's annexing Ukrain'an regions,
It'ly's fascist, again,
The U.S. stirring the pot in China,
U.K. embassy moves to Jerus'lem,

Corporations have led for far too long,
Profit over people,
Only works until conditions for them,
Become beyond feeble,

Then it's too late,
Like bandaids on cancer,
We created our own worst enemies,
I hope that they treat themselves much better.

Don't Be Scared

You don't have to be scared,
Though, you probably should,
It's hard to believe you can effect change,
Cozy in a falsehood,

That you'll be protected no matter what,
Ask any homeless folk,
If when they had their first thought as babies,
They imagined they'd grow up to be broke.

Instead they had something that we call hope,
A vague expectation,
That fortune's not controlled by anything,
But self-motivation.

That is a lie,
Fortune's a made up haze,
Dependant on the unfortunate ones,
Convinced the world's naturally this way.

Not As Bad As Some

I look out my window,
See the fence around me,
Owned by someone else I pay for the right,,
To call it 'property',

For what was a high price ten years ago,
Now's basically a steal,
Until he decides he'd like his fence back,
Then there's nowhere in this town I could deal,

But this is not just where my house is found,
It is also my home,
I'm tied to it by offspring living here,
Not facts you need to know,

It's not so bad,
I'm not living through drought,
Persecuted, or under oppression,
With freedom to decide my own way out.

What Else Is There To Talk About?

I am Canadian,
That is where I was born,
So why do I focus so much outside?
We are not virtue porn,

Once a colony of the great U.K.,
Yes, France, you had some, too,
Indigenous peoples often cheated,
To give a horrid history nice hues,

The world's longest unprotected border,
Shared with the U.S.,
Like leaving the door unlocked in good faith,
In truth, under duress,

For, whatya think,
If they need anything,
From our house, do you think that they will knock,
When, really, they don't even need the key?

The Circle Will Remain Unbroken

Should we really worry,
'Bout the U.S. next move,
As if they orchestrate global events,
With no onus to prove?

Sure, it still arms armies around the world,
For its own agenda,
Has the most billionaires than anyone-
Though a close second is pesky China,

But every bully's surrounded by those,
Who want to bring them down,
Who then, most likely, become bullies, too,
Then begins a new round,

Of what they'll do,
Until they're unsat, too,
Meanwhile the system that allows them both,
Continues, despite who's bullying you.

Not Far From Falling

I am not saying much,
That's not been said before,
By observers sitting in soft armchairs,
While earth sits in horror,

Commentating not from a lofty place,
For I'm not far removed,
From the migrant running from violence,
Because I have one, but don't own my roof,

The first domino that falls won't hit me,
In truth, it's ere fallen,
The safety net was not woven so tight,
That all needy fall in,

But come a storm,
That tests savings I'd need,
To protect me when the government can't,
I'll light this armchair for fuel, tout suite.

The Climate Revolution

Oh, and on rev'lution,
There is hypocracy,
Industrial, Digital, Internet,
Our human legacy,

No one denies while we live in the times,
"Well, this ain't our doing",
(As long as we can distance ourselves from,
The nasty adjunct things).

Yet, here we are living through another,
Undeniable truth,
Catastrophes born of revolutions,
Passed on to the next youths.

Since there's no good,
Had from this last great feat,
All's left is for us to distance ourselves,
Though it's hard to get away from this heat.

The Same Old Song

Are two forces meeting?
It can't be that simple,
Like every fantasy book ever wrote,
Of good fighting evil,

On one side those who want to save the world,
By fighting for climate,
Protection for workers and refugees,
Denouncing war, calling for human rights,

Then there are those who want to save themselves,
Consequences be damned,
They're either rich or been trounced on too long,
To see past their own end.

Then there is me,
(Speaking for everyone),
Feeling I can go nowhere, left or right,
Desparately wanting a revolution.

A Day In The Life

I went to the kitchen,
I opened up the fridge,
Sifted through the fresh food and leftovers,
Took my time as I did,

Turned on the stove and warmed up what I chose,
Listening to the news,
Energy crises in much of the world,
Blamed on greedy oligarchs by some views,

When I'm done I run the tap, 'til it's hot,
So much goes down the drain,
While people scramble over muddy pits,
Facing months of no rain,

And I am poor,
At least by some measures,
To keep me in my place and wish for more,
So I don't think of universal cures.

The Importance of Satire

Sometimes just to stay sane,
I go to The Onion,
Learn things about news that don't come out,
Without great sarcasm,

Like precise fermentation is nowhere,
Even though it should be,
Promoted by Monbiot as a cure,
For the world's reliance on processed meat,

But that is too real for any satire,
Or legitimate news,
Not conspiracy, but reality,
We are structured to lose,

This world to cash,
Which, in turn equals greed,
Just like Oxford Bags showed six years ago,
The only cause of human change is need.

You Can't Change?

It is a slow news day,
Let me talk about me,
Occupying my time with handiwork,
No help to soci'ty,

I may take moments staring into space,
No carbon footprint, then,
Except for the furnace running inside,
Keeping warm all my needless possessions,

Sent in pieces around the world in ships,
Places I'll never be,
To be assembled then shipped one more time,
Wrapped in plastic for me.

Funny, but true,
Well, now I'm not so sure,
You're born into a system you can't change-
Or's that thought born of the system's structure?

Did Something Happen?

What's in the news, today?
Cannot think what happened,
Seems like the same thing in the BBC's,
Continental sections,

Africa doesn't have much going on,
I guess it's all okay,
Asia seems charmed, at least in India, Seems Australia no longer has dismay,
Europe, may have taken a break from war,

It's only respectful,
Latin America - wait, no Brits there,
Mid East's depressing still,

And the U.S.?
How 'bout you take a guess,?
It's hyperbole, but you get the point,
When it's propoganda, it is newsless.

The Day's Sum-up

Bannon's been indicted,
Mada Masr's been charged,
Pakistan is under water once more,
It's just a drop, so far,

A queen just died, but her riches remain,
Truss once wanted her gone,
But there's a deal only the elite know,
That means to play she's got to play along,

Cornel and Briahna stated it well,
It's about truth not words,
Maybe they'd shake their heads at that trite line,
But I've not room for more,

Neither do they,
Dare I say you don't, too,
Each generation fears they'll be the last,
I fear to say we're not, might not be true.

What To Read

Hard to know where to start,
Jokes about private planes,
Pakistanis fighting cosmic flooding,
Putin passing the blame,

They are all different, and yet they're the same,
They're from the BBC,
I could get alt news from other sources,
Then there would be no time to write for me,

Or none of the volunteer work I do,
That last line's a lie, sir,
Unless you count writing what no one reads,
Then I'm the front-runner.

Then there is you,
Do you think this is news,
Or are you looking for an opinion,
That doesn't drown you in world-weary blues?

How To Fix it All

I don't know what to say,
'bout Chile's decision,
To vote against Boric's proposed changes,
To their constitution,

I mean, I get it, as my good friend said,
They're wary of mass change,
They have revolutionized from both sides,
Experience taught them it must be reined,

From the eighteen hundreds, defeating Spain,
Then despot Ibanez,
Some democracy before Pinochet,
Is this too noncomplex?

How about this?
Equality'd reign true,
If everyone just loved one another.
But that's something humans will never do.

Art Should Offend

I'm afraid to write this,
Which means I should, some how,
Aft' listening to the Zinntennial,
On Democracy Now,

About the historian, Howard Zinn,
A world war two bomber,
Wrote A People's Hist'ry of the U.S.,
To call him pro-war'd be a misnomer.

Then there is an artist in Australia,
Who took down his mural,
(A Russian and Ukraine soldier hugging),
Due to public furore,

Why'm I afraid?
I guess I don't agree.
Since when should art aim not to give offence?
Thank god no one actually reads me.

Trump or Biden?

Who'll save America?
Trump has claimed the slogan,
In Florida, days after Biden's speech,
Against Republicans,

Who believe twenty-twenty was stolen,
Regardless of hindsight,
There's not proof, it seems of insurrection,
The primaries will confirm who is right,

Unless the elections are rigged again,
That is, against MAGA,
Don't get me wrong, both sides have good people,
The bad ones hadn't saw,

What was coming,
It's not about leaders,
When the system only gives bad choices,
What's popular will always seem absurd.

The Key To Success

I cannot imagine,
What it's like to achieve,
Accomplishments like Serena Williams,
Nor should that be my dream,

It's not e'en that I should seek out heroes,
Who look more like I do,
I'd rather celebrate their life's journey,
Then use them as a calibration tool,

Like what is my version of their success?
Would it make me happy?
Is there something 'bout this conversation,
That keeps me from rhyming?

Or's that the point?
They are wholly unique,
Not because they excel at what they do,
But what they searched for only they can seek.

The Secret Podcast

Listened to this podcast, 
With guest, yikes, I can't say,
A discussion about ev'ry president,
Of the United States,

From Washington all the way to Biden,
The people, not their feats,
It never hurts to get new perspectives,
No matter what one's been known to beat,

But did it tell me something I don't know,
Other than anecdotes?
For a moment I thought, 'Is Trump that bad?',
'Should Dole have won the vote?'

Does it matter?
Presidents just preside,
Maybe they do reflect the people's will,
Less leader, more a unique look inside.

The Next Empire

I don't know history,
There is too much info,
Not to mention it grows every moment,
Oops, another war goes,

But America is still very young,
Yet old for an empire,
It spends more on war than any country,
While its economy's in a spiral,

At least if you look at what others have,
Well, elite, not people,
Let's hope there's a new structure for our kids,
That is much more equal.

What was my point?
Oh, the world is changing,
Look at a map evolve from before us,
We've not much time before the next crowning.

The True News Source

Where do I get my news?
The BBC mostly,
I cycle through all of the world sections,
From Asia to Mid East,

Africa, Americas, Australia,
That last one shouldn't be,
Hold on, it shouldn't be a section of its own,
I don't mean it shouldn't be a country,

Or a continent, let's not get off track,
I check out Bad Faith, too,
Sometimes I'll jump to Fox or Aljazeera
To get a different view,

But, they're the same,
What I mean's, they just wave,
At the same void that we all dance around,
Because the truth's not something one can say.

The Real Conspiracy

Even before Covid,
The world was melting down,
I don't know what a conspiracy is,
But timing is profound,

Climate took a backseat for two years,
Really, at the nexus,
I remember thinking in naught eighteen,
Right now, there should be no other focus,

Well, sure, there were more immediate threats,
To others, like famine,
Local's what concerns, and my biggest threat,
Was oil industry's sins,

Now they're forgot,
With the Inflation Act,
I won't get into that conspiracy,
There sure is not enough room here for that.

Climate Crisis Intro

Said lots about climate,
I'm not the only one,
Thankfully, where I live is not hard hit,
Unlike other nations,

But Canada's honeymoon will be short,
Maybe before the droughts,
We laud our friendship with America,
But our wealth of water puts that at risk,

Not to mention that global climate woes,
Destroys economies,
Just like the internet connects us all,
It's an analogy,

I know, I know,
I've said naught new,
The fact is it has all been said before,
Next time I will purport different views.

Substack Intro

What I know's limited,
By what I've on my lap,
Connected to the worldwide internet,
Filtered by many caps,

First by my status in society,
Not high, but sadly high,
Born in a country, relatively free,
Privileged, for now, being born a white guy,

Plus the internet's fallen short of goals,
Like being truly free,
For how can you know what is really true,
With no reality?

But what I know's,
Opinion's never wrong,
If used as an investigative tool,
To figure out how to all get along.

The Range

Life has its ups and downs,
Would most people say that?
It's sure that if you have all that you need,
That's going to be fact,

Humans can do a lot animals can't,
Staying happy's not one,
Not that I'm an expert on earthling minds,
But people are good at self-destruction,

I susptect, too, that if you're destitute,
Had no luck or prospects,
Held down from birth by money and by caste,
You've smiled despite the hex.

So, why is that,
Assuming that I'm right?
What's wrong with feeling happy all the time,
And why find light within the darkest night?

To Write

This is just for writing,
Like many writers say,
To write you must write and make sure you write,
Every single day,

It doesn't matter what you write at all,
Just that you write at all,
Though it's your right to write what you want to,
You might write what is called exceptional,

That is if you feel writing is a rite,
I had to fit that in,
To write should have a religious aspect,
Outside of ambition,

So I've written,
Now there's no more to do,
Until I realize I haven't written,
The last thought I didn't write down for you.

Trite Life

What is really different,
From your day yesterday,
That your perspective on life has reversed,
From hopeful to dismay?

There are infinite factors in your life,
Within its unity,
Making any one by comparison,
Ineligible for priority.

What a load of crap, I hear you saying,
That is bad math gone wrong,
Tell that to my overdrawn bank account,
It sings a mismatched song.

Maybe you're right,
Wait, what just happened here,
Shows how we're at the whim of destiny,
Or whatever you call life's sudden veers.

The Way to Think

There is an attitude,
Experienced before,
A naïve feeling of optimism,
While nothing is in store,

You could liken it to the Tarot's Fool,
Or Kierkegaard's Faith Knight,
A self-awareness that nothing's deserved,
But somehow knowing each step taken's right,

Let's not get caught up in definitions,
Mystic or Danish fans,
The point is within the moments lived thus,
Your life feels happenstance,

Well, not just feels,
In my experience,
The greatest chance of opportunity
Is generated by this mental stance.

Morning Time in the Laurentians

The air's cold on my skin,
The sun is shining bright,
The shimmer on the water may be bugs,
Or a summer breeze, light,

The sough through the trees is releasing rain,
Having fell yesterday,
I can't decifer whose bird call is whose,
Nor how my future debts will all be paid,

The journey ahead is long and winding,
Gravel will shoot from tires,
To buy a coffee made by steady hands,
Available for hire,

But otherwise,
Who knows what they would do,
Assuming society cared for them,
So survival was not a concern, too.

Getting Better

I found myself someplace,
I don't want to admit,
For years where I was not allowed to strive,
Or did not even fit,

While I was convinced it was all on me,
If I could figure out,
What it was that I kept on doing wrong,
Putting my own abilities in doubt,

Until it all culminated one day,
Into a perfect storm,
I realized I would not get what I want,
Which had become the norm,

But I'm not mad,
I don't blame anyone,
I've come out stronger and more sure of things,
I chack it up to my evolution.

This Is Not A Dream

Ever have a good dream,
Where there's lots of people,
You're happy and you really don't know why,
So much you can't keep still,

Then you realize that you are in a dream,
Which makes you happier,
You fly around the room because you can,
For you're completely void of any fear,

Then you wake up remembering it all,
Knowing it meant something,
Like it's saying you are on the right track,
Both in life and thinking?

What, you haven't?
Then let me tell you how,
All that is keeping you from that feeling,
Is not having read this Wath until now.

Day On The Lake

I saw my first beaver,
Break the surface of glass,
My movements so slow, like I wasn't there,
It continued to pass,

Then clusters of bugs shimmered on it, too,
As I glided through them,
Collections of pixels ne'er to return,
In exactly that configuration,

I immersed myself as deep as I could,
Silk soft tendrils touched feet,
Nothing to save me should they choose to grasp,
I'd not call that defeat,

P'haps surrender,
To what I'm already,
If the universe fell in on itself,
Would you call that some kind of victory?

Other Things

That it has been a while,
Since a post's come up here,
Is not a sign of productivity,
But of location, dear,

P'haps the tagline should have a caveat,
That life exists elsewhere,
No just the ones and ohs that make this screen,
But what some people may still call out there,

Where one's life intersects with just a few,
Not with no one, like this,
The breeding ground for possible content,
Most of which you will miss,

'Cause it's not here,
Much of it's not written,
Also, many Waths exist not here, too,
Sorry if you thought this was my mission.

Tragic Time

TIme has gone so slowly,
And yet, it's gone so fast,
The wait for tomorrow is torturous,
I've lost grasp of the past,

I cry for each moment for it is gone,
One step closer to death,
But first I must endure this loneliness,
That promises respite I never get,

Amidst this all are those that mill around,
Winning and losing, too,
Ecstatic faces that will learn time's wrath,
Then turn dark shades of blue.

It's not all bad,
It's not all good, either,
There is no difference between two moments,
We make them so to create a future.

Successful Fear

It's hard not to wonder,
Well, I better not say,
Who knows the eyes that will be reading this,
My mind's already stayed,

This has beeb the struggle since I was young,
As long as I'm alone,
The thoughts will flow like a running river,
Then sense an audience, it's blocked by stones,

Sometimes I think it is the universe,
That knows best what I need,
Just enough friends and cash to get me through,
That's what being rich means.

Yet there's a trade,
There is no loss to fear,
But you must keep faith that all will turn right,
And that when you speak nobody will hear.

World Truth 1

The sun's shining on me,
Thank goodness for the clouds,
Small mercies in this age of climate change,
Are all that are allowed,

I'm not even in the depths of the hell,
Many people are in,
Japan, India, Australia, Utah,
Are just a few living in an oven,

Then there are drought-ridden wastelands about,
Too many to name here,
Tornados, hurricanes, floods, you name it,
It's not too wild to fear,

And we're in it,
Well, we're far from the cap,
Woe our children and those that come after,
If the human race gets as far as that.

No Answer

It's really happening,
Though you do not know what,
A slow burn to something incredible,
If you don't fuck it up,

One mis-step will lead you down the wrong path,
If you've not already,
Without omnipotent vision of it,
The only proof will exist when you die,

Make no mistake that it was possible,
There's many examples,
Both of unbelievable success,
And destructive stumbles,

Which will be you?
Traverse the middle road?
You'll never know which step will take you there,
For the road to success is never showed.

Don't Speak Your Mind

I'm not going to say,
What's really on my mind,
Thoughts are so removed from reality,
They are not even mine,

They are like a playground in a school yard,
You've heard what goes on there,
Meanness and absurdity at recess,
Morbid acts at night one would not dare,

But run those thoughts to the physical realm,
Filtered by your organs,
They have the chance at being translated,
So they do not offend.

Are they the same?
You don't want them to be,
You want the best of you to be expressed,
And hope the worst stays deep in your psyche.

Start to Die

On the cusp of the ring,
We're safe from the death heat,
Where they thought things would be safe from melting,
As they relished their feats,

The irony combusted as they built,
Now we all pay the price,
Us, amidst gails that pull down massive trees,
While we take shelter from golf balls of ice,

There was a time when time appeared so slow,
Geological age,
But what's passed is no proof of what's to come,
Ask anyone that's caged,

Is this too dire?
There's been crises before
We've e'er seemed to dodge, though with casualties,
Maybe there are no chances anymore.

Dizzy

No one loves everyone,
No matter what they say,
Everyone has at least someone in life,
Who's not their fan, today,

Who might change their mind soon, but not before,
They're replaced by someone,
Even the most loved person in this life,
Is some individual's non-person,

For how else do you think we've got so far,
With cars, phones, and climate?
If humans shared no animosity,
We'd be done with all that,

So, viva hate!
Let's sing it to the sky,
At least where we think that it is hiding,
Past the smog, smoke, and mushroom clouds so high.

Keeping Us Down

Some people have it good,
Though they didn't always,
Most had some advantage to get them there,
Of course, they'll never say,

Instead they will pass on words of wisdom,
From their experience,
As if the doors open for them ain't closed,
For the vast majority of humans,

We cannot all be living the good life,
The world could not sustain,
It might seem all but you have succeeded,
But that's part of the game,

To keep us down,
There, I've said it out loud,
The government and oligarchs all know,
Hope is the opium that calms the crowd.

Live and Learn

You must temper yourself,
Do not come in so hot,
Excitement is no excuse for rudeness,
Good intentions or not,

You must not now be tortured by regret,
The past is for learning,
You've never done what you're about to do,
Even each breath is a unique journey,

As is the witnessing it by others,
Each everything is new,
There's ne'er been a moment in history,
You are about to do,

So, please take care,
Art's not a mindless thing,
It's informed by everything that you've done,
What you've learned, and the hope for harmony.

Mode

You must be complacent,
Some proportion of time,
To not deny you a spectrum of modes,
Possible for your mind,

"Wait, that's going down a slippery slope!
Why not, too, be obscene?
You want to experience all there is,
Try making promises you'll never mean."

I understand the point you are making,
My devil's advocate,
'Let's abstain from anything that may hurt,
Another's complacence.'

I'm feeling mean,
Maybe solipsistic,
A mode that allows me to ignore you,
Not a path I would naturally pick.

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

I've been reading Greenlights,
Want to write one as well,
Describing experience as the past,
But constantly unveiled.

McConaughey has a different concept,
With more prescriptive views,
Though he says it is not a self-help book,
He certainly believes what you should do,

Which some may claim is based on his privilege,
We all come from somewhere,
This isn't a review, but if you ask,
His options were unfair.

Compared to who?
Why, the ones behind him,
The ones in front, well, we each all have both,
It's our choice which is our motivation.

I Never Know

There must be other ways,
To express what I feel,
Odd thing is I think I have tried them all,
Lest there's any concealed,

Either I don't know where to start or end,
Like the world's closed to me,
I do not know what I want to express,
Until I place my fingers on these keys,

That sentiment does not quite hit the nail,
For if you were to ask,
Where these thoughts are going to lead me to,
I would just straight up laugh,

'Cause that's the fun,
It's a journey for me,
Until I write the last word of a Wath,
The ending is always a mystery.

Be Bold

Sometimes you must be bold,
The rest of the time, too,
Even when you are being cowering,
You must have attitude,

People will say that you must know your place,
Well, that's completely true,
How else will you know where to thrust your sword?
You must be bold, but recognize the cues,

That's why living well is the best revenge,
Lost on all but a few,
The last laugh's the one that lasts the longest,
Let it not be for you,

Let it be yours,
That drops the other shoe,
Now you have everything you need to win,
You cannot complain that you never knew.

The Drag Race

You have to throw the net,
In pools shallow and deep,
Opportunity comes to those willing,
To take uncertain leaps,

You know the trodden path will grow no grass,
It's never greener there,
But roll the dice enough times you're ensured,
That you'll eventually roll a pair,

Isn't it more fulfilling to do that,
Than following the path,
Mixed metaphors do not erase the fact,
The chances that you hath,

As do us all,
You've just to find your drag,
Be yourself to your most flamboyant self,
Again, I have given that dog a wag.

What Is a Wath?

If you are not anxious,
At least some of the time,
It is like the equivalent of,
Living without enzymes,

There are perceptions you need to break down,
That build up in your brain,
Taking up room, like fat under your skin,
Your body will never use to sustain,

They're puzzles to what makes you who you are,
Created to be solved,
The pieces then there to be rearranged,
Or you could say, resolved.

Did you get that?
I almost didn't, too,
I hope I don't have to also point out,
How this Wath's also a puzzle for you.

Remember

If you think back a year,
On this here very day,
Do you remember what you were doing,
I wonder what you'd say,

If you knew I knew the answer to that,
I'm not talking 'bout you,
I have documentation of my life,
All the way back to two thousand and two,

Even farther, if I don't want to rhyme,
That's the value of truth,
I can't say I've changed much over twelve months,
Except for fading youth,

I know, I know,
That was gone long ago,
The point is my memory's not that good,
So these Waths help me remember my woes.

Musk Dreams

Oh mother, I can feel,
But nowhere like I should,
I used to think the world was there to take,
With the right attitude,

What I forgot's I'm not the only one,
With dreams worth fighting for,
Not that I really tried to fight at all,
If I had known, sure, I would have tried more,

Instead, I put faith in the universe,
(I hope it's not list'ning),
Truth be told, I can't say life's that bad,
So, I'm not complaining,

You, hear that world?!
Yes, I am satisfied,
I want for not and have love all around,
Consider all future dreams duly tried.

We Are All Animals

We are all animals,
Despite what we believe,
There are just so many so far removed,
Our minds cannot conceive,

But surely you can relate to an ape,
Lying by their loved one,
No thoughts but comfort and intimacy,
All threats safely a distant conclusion,

Now be the ape and relate to lions,
Basking in the hot sun,
The lion relates to another beast,
And so on, and so on.

You see my point,
But you do not agree?
I think I have said all that I can say,
I guess you just cannot relate to me.

Who Do You Live For?

You have to keep the faith,
It will not be easy,
Every moment provides another test,
To your resiliency,

And you will not always be rewarded,
Or so it may not seem,
Disappointment today may be a step,
To an unbelievable victory,

It may also be a step off a cliff,
I'm not a soothsayer,
The question is how do you want to live,
And what is living for?

Is it for you,
Or for those that you love?
That last question's not a non sequitor,
What will your choice of life make them think of?

Who

Try On Your Own Shoes

Life has its ups and downs,
We have all heard that said,
Whether you're me fighting no confidence,
Despite being ahead,

Or someone else, well, you would have to be,
You cannot wear my shoes,
No matter the wisdom of vast cultures,
You paint every experience with you,

But that doesn't mean that your shoes are on,
Not left in the closet,
So many lives are lived without a clue,
Of who really owns it,

So take a look,
Investigate each stitch,
Once you realize how unique your shoes are,
You'll understand why we could never switch.

Try or Not

Don't back off on your dreams,
Not that you will succeed,
You will not know which way things might have gone,
If you just let life lead,

Which isn't really a terrible thing,
Gosh, you have got this far,
Which is to say you've been carried along,
Without the bother of raising the bar,

So who cares what else you might want to do,
That requires will and strength,
Resulting in a feeling you can't get,
On the lazy stream's length?

You answer that,
I'll take chances again,
I may have not got far the first time round,
But I want to know what it's like to win.

Where We Will Be

Fingers tapping the keys,
My eyes are telling me,
As are the nerve endings in my digits,
And the words on the screen,

My right thumb's sore from the iphone home key,
Hence, they changed the design,
Woe we with the older generation,
We're both sooner to die,

Not getting to finally link our brains,
Like digital fingers,
We'll have to seek for consciousness elswhere,
Maybe in the liver,

Or in the cloud,
Where our mind-drones will be,
Taking selfies from hundreds of feet up,
Circumventing my eyes so I can see.

Change And Living

You can't just get bigger,
Without expecting change,
Pains in your bones, clothes no longer fitting,
Perspectives rearranged,

The world gets a little smaller as well,
So there's less room to move,
At the same time it sees you differently,
So now you have something different to prove,

But how do you manage this and still live?
You've other things to do,
What you are missing is that change is life,
Dealing with it is you,

Nothing changes,
No matter what your size,
Each moment's a birth into something new,
Living is your place in it recognized.