Acts Of Kindess

What is the impetus,
When you own a business,
To do something that atch'lly costs money,
Simply out of kindness?

Well, it is never just a 'simply' thing,
That's just not the world's mood.
As Gord Gekko in the film Wall Street said,
"Greed, for lack of a better word, is good."

Though it might feel good to be generous,
It's more like fantasy,
Cap'lism makes sure it eventch'lly hurts,
'Less you get tax receipts.

'Cause you're so rich,
And have more than you need.
There's no other way human's could progress.
No soci'ty'd be, with n'imp'tus for greed!

Allah, I Say!

What about Malaysia?
A country to be cheered,
Rich in exports from disk drives to palm oil,
With beaches to draw tears,

And yes it's had some problems in the past,
But in the world's grand scheme,
From anti-communist, British col'ny,
It is a country-in-turmoil's wet dream,

Sure, the gov's main opponent's been charged twice,
Then acquitted twice, too,
Of sod'my, who supports democracy,
And who dares to argue,

And now 'Allah',
Can only be uttered,
By law, by citizens who are Muslim,
Still, as nations go, hard to find better.

Here Comes the Debt Ceiling

Not since the gold standard,
Became the U.S.A.,
Has the world economic 'stablishment,
Had such a chance to play.

I'm sure the Tea Party Libertar'ans,
Are tickled pink because,
America can lead the way again,
Creating a "no-tax, cit'zen's-the-boss,

"Maintain-your-own-roads, defend-your-own-land,
"Government-just-make-war,
"And-use-the-spoils-to-generate-more-spoils,
"And-help-the-poor-no-more."

Is that so bad?
Doesn't the world need help?
Capitalism hasn't been the best,
At ensuring we are all in good health.

It's All About Land

In news you rarely hear,
But which seems will ne'er stop,
In places like South America,
Where land's stolen a lot,

By rich land owners with impunity,
Except Señor Luedy,
Charged for the Felisburgo Massacre,
In Brazil, ninety-four, 'gainst MST.

But he can appeal, and 'til that is free,
These guys are rarely charged,
And even then, it's the smaller big guys,
You're safest when you're large.

Same here, I guess,
Look at the U.S. banks,
Millions of foreclosures, a big land grab,
While the gov'ment gives them bail-outs of thanks.

Speaking So The World Hears

Now I am just writing,
'Cause I know if I don't,
I will feel the world is passing me by,
Because I missed the boat,

Because it's hard to keep on expressing,
Because people don't hear,
Because there's so much begging to be heard,
Because we're all driven by the same fear,

Which is that life doesn't really matter,
Whichever route you take,
Which is true unless you can make your mark,
Which is so hard to make!

I'm not afraid,
To admit that I'd like,
Recognition for the thoughts in my head,
And the way I have decided to write.

Is It A Cult Party?

It's just hard to believe,
They're people that exist,
Enough to shut down the U.S. gov'ment,
With such a callused fist,

With such blind belief in their own beliefs,
That there's no compromise,
That the life of he who don't share their views,
Is so quickly forgotten if it dies.

Ask Boehner if he thinks the Tea Party,
Cares if he is ruined,
They must have something pretty bad on him,
Given what he's doin'.

"Abs'lutely thrilled!"
That is how Bachmann feels,
When the government is pushed to default,
Party leaders will ne'er be short of meals.

The Workers Punished Again

When I was in Boston,
I said to this old joe,
"Hey, Congress closed the U.S. Government,"
He said, "How would you know?"

But seriously, folks, people lost jobs,
Like in national parks,
That probably take in more in a day,
Than the employees take home for their work.

They're no CEOs that have been let go,
Homeland Secur'ty's safe,
As far as I know, Congress makes no less,
The budget's biggest waste,

Which makes me think,
Why don't the laws protect,
Rights of the people to a living wage,
And punish leaders for being inept?

Will The US Shut Down?

I wish I knew hist'ry,
'Cause I'm willing to bet,
That this threat to shut down the U.S. gov,
Is not a newborn threat,

And I'm not talking nineteen ninety-six,
Let's try Amer'ca's birth,
The one preceded by revolution,
Creating the most unique place on Earth,

Where they live together, but are not one,
Look at Obamacare,
How dare he propose an easier way,
To make hosp'tals more fair?

That would be wrong,
Everyone for himself,
If you can't afford med'cine for your kids,
Then maybe you should check your mental health.

David Bowie is here

When I was in grade one,
My sister Sue helped me,
Win a jack-o-lantern contest at school,
Well, the work was all she.

I won a gift prize for a record store,
My very first album!
Sister two said, "buy Rush, Exit Stage Left!".
I tended to value her opinion.

Then Susy went to the store with my prize,
Bought Bowie's Changes One!
I was angry, then I listened to it,
And all anger was gone.

Now it is thirty years,
I've got thirty Bowies,
His words will live forever in my mind,
All from a pumpkin with ears made from leaves.

The Green Peace Pirates

Some of Russia's comments,
Are a bit of a lark:
The ship "was loaded with electronics,"
Ya, so the ship could work.

But I guess what are they supposed to do?
Green Peace was scaling walls,
Trying to get on their arctic oil rig.
These activists really have some big balls!

So now all thirty of them are in jail,
And I have to admit,
I'd know naught about Prirazlomnaya,
But for these mad pirates,

Nor would I know,
That there is no good plan,
Barring the 'useless' Nuuk Declaration,
For cleaning oil spills in this pristine land.

The Role of News

So now there's al-Shabab,
In Arabic, The Youth,
Militants who practice Sharia law,
For Somalia's good,

Formed to keep out Ethiopian troops,
Helping the government,
That replaced the old Islamist leader,
Ex-President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.

There are many stories like this around,
Waiting to hit headlines,
Lots of women stoned and crowded malls blown,
Aid denied all the time.

So now we know,
Our brains put aside space,
To acknowledge injustice in foreign lands,
Until another headline takes its place.

As The Rain Falls

As the rain outside falls,

As the train rambles by,

As my eyes hurt by the light of this screen,

In the darkness of night,

As production continues through all hours,

From countless artists' hands,

Reflecting this world from their own eyes' light,

Reaching the eyes of very few humans,

As the solutions can't keep up with the,

Problems that we create,

Inventing things with no care for the world,

As we still procreate,

As the rain falls,
Finding the eas'est paths,
I wonder, will life ever provide me,
With all the things for which I've ever asked?

A Bio of al-Assad

Did you know that Assad,
Wasn't to be pres'dent,
'Til brother Bassel died in ninety-four,
In a car accident?

Pres. Bashar was an ophthalmologist!
That's a doctor of eyes,
But then he was fast-tracked through the army,
Took five years to make colonel, for this guy.

In two thousand he became president,
People hoped he'd reform,
It soon became clear he had no intent,
To dev'ate from the norm,

Now civil war,
Two-years old and growing,
With Russia and China firmly on side,
No hint of waning resolve is showing.

Risk For Gain

Is there any value,
Pushing the envelope,
That moment your body is telling you,
It's uncomfortable?

Is it saying that if you go further,
Something's sure to go wrong,
To take what you have and to be happy,
Don't risk enjoying the success too long?

Or is it presenting to you the chance,
To grab for the brass ring?
Something out of reach when you're comfortable,
But sure worth the stretching!

Here is the thing,
You'll surely never know,
If you don't risk the comfort that you're in,
Which you may really not want to let go.

The Throne Speech is Coming

The Throne Speech is coming,
The one that will unveil,
The strategy of the ruling Tories,
After years of no fail.

The one that will try to set the debate,
For the next election,
Forget Mulcair, this one's against Trudeau,
The dope-smoking hippie politician.

So, after proroguing the parliament,
And dissing the lib'rals,
For not having policy of their own,
For what will Harper call?

For more fairness,
For normal consumers,
Their right to buy goods without confusion,
So we can reach our debt-cap that sooner.

Miley and Dolly

This guy Steve Moccio,
Wrote the song Wrecking Ball,
As performed by Miley Cyrus, naked,
Licked sledge hammer and all,

But there's something funny going on there,
In the song's last motion,
She tried to break her love's walls, but then says,
As if she did, "I should've let you win."

Despite not actu'lly being let in,
"I will always want you,"
How did she see something inside of him,
While never breaking through?

Like Julliette,
Is it folly of youth,
Can't people be Islands in the Stream, or,
Is Billy Ray's daughter singing a truth?

Dream's Reality

I dreamt I lost three teeth,
Symb'lizing anxi'ty,
For somehow losing a part of yourself,
Is not a mind's party,

Which makes my own mind twirl with vertigo,
'Cause I don't even know,
Where my body ends and the world begins,
So can pieces of me be said to go?

Maybe what losing teeth should really mean,
Is forging a new bond,
Meshing somehow with the environment,
In a way yet not found.

We are all one,
From toes up to the teeth,
Expressing reality's potential,
Whether in waking or just in our dreams.

Syria Safe From Scrutiny

Barack's wiping his brow,
Changing his underwear,
For once, Russia's opposite intentions,
Will work in his favor,

Syria agrees to stop chemicals,
Russia won't veto that,
Meaning that congress doesn't have to vote,
And veto Obama's call for attack.

Isn't it great when everyone looks good?!
Even Mr. Assad.
Doesn't even look like he'll have to pay,
For the kids he hurt bad.

What about that?
The hundreds burned to death?
And the many more dying ev'ryday day,
While our world leaders drink to their own health.

Shurman Gets The Axe

Some say Peter Shurman,
Was sacked by Tim Hudak,
Not because of his living expenses,
But for something way back,

In two thousand and eight when he refused to,
Resign his seat to Tim.
A past favorite of leader John Tory,
Shurman prob'ly seems like a threat to him.

'Cause the details of the costs Pete had claimed,
Were cleared by the leader,
Reviewed, I'm sure, by the PC watch dogs,
To help protect Peter,

Which it did not,
Because the rules must change,
At least that is what Tim is now saying,
Which, if he act'lly likes Shurman, is strange.

The U.S. Conscience

Why is it the U.S.,
That must lead all conflict?
Forget the ethics of Assad's regime,
No one don't condemn it,

Even Russia says if it's chemical,
The world must do something,
Not that Putin's rushing to find the truth,
Losing his Syrian ally would sting.

But really, from both Bushes to Barrack,
Johnson in Vietnam,
Maybe it's just the hype of Amer'ca,
Like Miley's awards stunt,

That makes it seem,
That they're the only ones,
Who wage war without U.N. approval,
And have ulterior motivations.

Dissecting Life

Life has many stages,
Not hierarchical,
Although some you would like to leave for last,
Like congress sexual,

Others you can take or leave, like some films,
They were enjoy'ble, yes,
But did not improve your knowledge of things,
Nor did they contribute to your success,

Then there are the bittersweet ass-fuckers,
Excuse the language, mom,
These are the ones you wish didn't happen,
But preceded good ones,

And it might be,
They were needed, though mean,
Maybe they changed you in prep for the next,
Most fantastic, unbelievable dream.

Same Old News

I sometimes think humans,
Have never really changed,
Though rhetoric's said we've grown more humane,
The news remains the same.

The Snowden leaks reveal the NSA,
Has hacked the U.N.'s mail,
The biggest intel org in the U.S.,
I'm sure they just ran out of crooks to tail.

Of course the salaries and overhead,
For the team that did it,
Could likely have fed a small city or,
Pulled house-poor out of debt.

And then there's war,
Happening all the time,
Ninety-five years post the one to end all,
That could have taught us how to just be kind.

Disingenuous Syrian Resolve?

Barack added a word,
And it's 'significant',
'Bout chemical weapons in Syria,
And being militant,

It was just the use of arms chemical,
That once marked the red line,
But with hundreds of apparent victims,
His rhetoric's become more serpentine.

'Course the U.S. is in difficult times,
Failed wars, mid-east fatigue,
While roaming U.N. weapons inspectors,
Appear out of their league.

Or do they stall?
Reluctance on both sides?
The world just doesn't want to get involved,
While Assad's regime has something to hide?

Final Stand for Marijuana Laws

It was two thousand two,
When these nine senators,
As directed by our fine government,
Published this drug report.

This report states dope has no ill-effects,
No ifs, ands, buts or hows,
That Canada should let the world know this,
So Steve made it more crim'nal up to now,

While Trudeau says let's legalize this drug,
That he has smoked it too!
The Tories say he's a bad example,
Crim'nal's what crim'nals do.

Now time will tell,
If Canada's spirit,
Will vote Justin down as a law-breaker,
Or give Marijuana rights a new writ.

Quebec Government Plans to Ban Religious Symbols in Public Buildings

What is my religion?
I tend to follow Hume,
He believed morality’s grounded in,
What’s best for me and you.

This guides my life and I would fight for it,
If you pushed me to that,
As tribute to Hume and reminder, too,
I wear this orange, turbany-like hat,

It also serves as a message to all,
Who get what it’s to mean,
That if you want to get to know me read,
Morals Enquiry.

But now’s I’ve said,
If I visit Quebec,
Does Marois want me to take off my hat,
When at the bath house. Ain’t that ‘Putinesque’!?

A Rare Murder Charge for Cop James Forcillo

Forcillo's not surprised,
That charges have been brought,
Against him in the case of Sam Yatim,
For on YouTube he's caught.

Sammy's standing in an empty streetcar,
Twenty cops at the door,
Forcillo must have had somewhere to go,
And couldn't wait for Yatim anymore.

Nine shots he let fly, some after Sam fell,
Of course he lost his life
'Fore the Taser was used. That must have been,
One scary looking knife.

But James is shocked,
The call's second degree,
Meaning he wanted to kill that young man.
How many more shots he think he would need?

Two Million Have Now Fled Syria

One hundred thousand Kurds,
Enemies of Assad,
Have fled northern Syria to Iraq,
'Cause Turkey's all filled up.

Most are children escaping violence,
No food and high prices.
The U.N.'s not sure of this sudden move,
Though, there's been more fighting with Islamists,

Who're also anti-Assad, which just proves,
Vi'lent begets vi'lent,
Iraqi-Kurdistan says it will fight,
If Kurds are under threat.

It's too complex,
To really unravel,
States, terr'ists, rebels, allies and the world,
Trying to draw it all out just baffles.

Let's Just Stop Talking About It, Please

There's just too much to say,
It's so very tiring,
Trying to keep straight Ford's drug connections,
Instead of just firing.

Lisi, Price, Kordas, Kasim, Smith and Basso,
Need anymore arise?
It's not that he knows people of this ilk,
It's that Rob's smoked crack with some of these guys.

There is a point when circumstantial facts,
Tip the scales to one side,
And there's no amount of weaving this stuff,
To show he hasn't lied.

I want fairness,
And benefit of doubt,
But with no attempt at showing he's true,
It's probably time to show Rob Ford out.

Wallin's Wiggle

Pam has come a long way,
Since her days with the Corpse,
That's the CBC, if you didn't know,
Needed one syll'ble more!

Now she 'wants to be a milli-onaire',
Though maybe can't be blamed,
I've a feeling once all the senate's checked,
Many more expense fraud names will be named,

To her credit, her story's been the same,
Since Duffy had the stage,
She defends the spirit of her costs as,
Why the senate was made,

It's her duty,
When invited to speak,
Though I'm sure she wishes Deloitte had not,
Let facts of her doctored calendars leak.

Be All That You Can Be

Be all that you can be.
How will you know when y'are?
Why, when the world is bowing at your feet,
Like planets to a star,

Like mere animals envious of us,
And the way that we think,
Manip'lating Mother Nature herself,
Pushing her del'cate balance to the brink.

You'll see those 'round you and pity their state,
For they've not found the key,
That unlocks one's full potential, unless,
They're, too, all they can be,

Which might be true,
There're many realms to run,
In fact, we may all be all we can be.
God help the destiny of us humans!

Who Rules Democratic Egypt?

This is where ideals clash,
This Egyptian chaos,
It's a fulcrum of pow'r in the Mid East,
So U.S. is hands off.

The army has always been in power,
And we may never know,
Why they really thought to dethrone Morsi,
But I doubt 'twas the will of the people.

El Baradei has left the government,
A Lib'ral, in protest,
Of the army killing hundreds of those,
Protesting the gov'ment.

It breaks my heart,
People dying for what?
To hang who they desire on puppet strings?
Naming rights were never so dearly fought.

Rethinking Ford-Bashing

Wait! I may've spoke rashly,
Regarding our mayor,
True, it's no big deal to have a good time,
That's what fest'vals are for,

But he was supposed to be somewhere else,
In an official way,
Not slurring words standing beside his car,
'Bout which there are other things you could say.

So when he was rounded up by his staff,
With taxpayer's police,
It's 'cause he was already late for work,
Job shirking, if you please.

If I did that,
Drinking during work time,
I would be warned, at least, if not let go,
Doesn't he have a Staff Handbook, like mine?!

Unwarranted Ford-Bashing

There's really not much else,
Except for Wallin's costs,
Oh, and various protests 'round the world,
Making the news like Rob,

Walking Bloor with a thousand other drunks,
Still nice to everyone,
He should have had a person with him,
That was the mayor's real aberration,

Because he was just having a good time,
He is a normal guy,
No more problems, too, than a normal guy,
Though, much harder to hide.

I take issue,
With the idea that,
He was wrong to enjoy the city fest,
Or that there's a way a mayor should act.

Morning By The Lake (7:30am)

The water's so calm now,
It is shimmering glass,
Random fish kisses visit from below,
Eas'ly missed, they're so fast,

My shadow's long, even sitting down low,
Warmth on my other side,
Few are awake to see this other lake,
Still, too many to proclaim it as mine.

There is one resting there in a dinghy,
Shirt off, hands behind head,
More walk the shore as I write what I see,
Others listen from bed,

For what's not there,
Like the roar of the waves.
Oh, what's missed by those who participate,
Just in the bustl-ing part of the day!

An Ode To The Wind

I really like the wind,
Espesh'lly at the beach,
Or with my head stuck out of the window,
Driving at a fast speed,

I remember one time feeling the wind,
It pressed against my skin,
The sensation became a part of me,
As if the feeling had come from within,

Since that exper'ence, I've wanted it back,
Though many years have past.
What was it about me in that moment,
That my mind could surpass,

Reality?
Or maybe it was real,
The air stopped moving for those few seconds,
So my body could know what it can feel

To Be Seen

Does there come a moment,
Singular from the rest,
In a life that seems to repeat itself,
As the least glamorous,

After which, you can def'nitely look back,
And thank your lucky stars,
That the universe had mercy on you,
Allowing you to define who you are,

Giving you power over people's eyes,
Letting them see your mind,
Recognizing in it what's in themselves?
That's all for which we pine!

To be open,
For others to enter,
To feel that others actu'lly exist,
And that we're all in this together.

The Life of Rod Zimmer

Liberal Rod Zimmer,
Born nineteen forty-two,
Joined the senate in two thousand and five,
Was a fundraiser, too,

Almost Manitoba's Lieutenant Gov,
A business man at core,
Known for his wife, born nineteen eighty-nine,
Has battled throat cancer and now much more,

So that he's quit, leaving a senate seat,
Most prized of gov'ment posts,
Little to do and much money to make,
A party's 'thanks', at most,

Which begs the ask,
What will the P.M. do?
He who has paraded senate reform,
Who has some 'thank-you's to offer out, too.

Who Is The Enemy?

Where the fuck is Yemen,
And what 'bout Pakistan?
Isn't Iraq still in the Middle East,
Was''t Bin Laden the man?

Now there's al-Qaeda's al-Zawahiri,
A name I'll have to learn,
Breaking out soldiers from foreign prisons,
To start a new campaign of slash and burn.

U.S. drones are causing their own havoc,
A war we never see,
Until the enemy is so pissed off,
Everyone must flee.

Can someone please,
Explain who the foe is?
I'm pretty sure Iran's now moderate,
Should I be worried 'bout Mauritius?

Russia's Isolation

Snowden's now in Russia,
Protected by Putin,
A country once known to help Amer'cans,
Wanted by Pres. Truman,

Now discrimination against those gays,
Those who would support them,
And anyone who thinks it is alright,
Is written into Russian leg'slation,

Months before the world will visit Suchi,
For the Olympic games,
Though Putin told the I-O Committee,
Athletes aren't the same,

They will be safe,
Because there's a curtain,
Between what normal Russians must believe,
And what others know's at the rainbow's end.

Goodbye Nonna, July 31, 2013

You'd always get a smile,
Commenting on her skin,
Telling her how young and healthy it was,
Like it glowed from within.

We were never very good at talking,
Because of the language,
My Italian was never very good,
And she never tried too hard at English,

Still, I always liked to visit nonna,
Whenever I was home,
We'd sit and play Scopa and Briscola,
Having homemade cookies and espresso.

So now she's gone,
No surprise, still a shock,
I'll miss that woman named Italia,
And a world where she would answer my knock.

Intimacy

What's intimacy mean,
In the context of mind,
When even if you entered another,
You couldn't tell the line,

Of when you crossed from your own real'ty,
'Cause all you ever know,
Is what you're experiencing right now,
The only data by which you've to go?

Like anything true Faith is required,
The only route outside,
The only way to gain a deeper look,
At life before you die.

And where to place,
This most precious virtue?
It must be with someone who understands,
The presuppositions that define you.

When Death Knocks

She can't get over it,
These conditions of life,
That will not change until death visits her,
With old age or the knife,

So most waking hours are now occupied,
And I bet sleeping, too,
Going over the same old arguments,
Of why the world should be structured anew,

But nothing will change 'cause it only does,
Once everything's embraced,
And you recognize how you fit in it,
Managing just with faith,

But she will not,
And things will never change,
She's built a prison up around herself,
Filled with self-pity, angst, regret and blame.

New Roads

It is never too late,
To in some way evolve,
It is not like humans have reached the peak,
Or have nothing to solve,

If we did, our brains would surely just die,
Our bodies would just go,
Doing what needs to be done to survive,
Desiring nothing further to know,

Which is not the case with anyone,
No matter what you think,
Despite how some people choose to behave,
We all live on the brink,

Of learning more,
About why we are here,
And just like nations choose new ways to be,
We all can be more, if we conquer fear.

Congratulations to the House of Windsor!

The whole world's now talking,
'Bout Will and Kate's new son,
Born July twenty-two, two-oh-one-three,
Six ounces and eight pounds.

Now this one's third in line to become king,
(Thank god he's not a girl),
With no power other than symbolic,
Oh, and enough money to buy the world,

Born of a tradition marked by incest,
Though, granted, not lately,
The Monarchy has had no juice since the,
Seventeenth century.

But they're still loved,
By most those of England,
Still an excuse to stay within in one's class,
And avoid excessive revolution.

Good-Bye Honest Eds

Everyone in T.O.,
Knows that bright, dazzling sign,
Dollar store wares and Walmart-savvy staff,
It is one of a kind.

Now sixty-five years old, it's up for sale,
And it won't stay a store,
Probably hasn't made a penny in years,
Free birds given at Thanksgiving no more,

Instead this hallmark of the Mirvish clan,
Becomes prime real estate,
Another piece of land to develop,
Lots of money to make.

It's always been,
A symbol against greed,
A reminder that things can just exist,
Without making it something that you need.

TR - The Relativity of Simultaneity

Einstein had a theory,
'Bout the nature of time,
And how simultaneity's a joke,
Perpetrated by mind,

For how could two things be said to happen,
In two places at once,
If light couldn't even travel from one,
Before the other attained completion?

'Cause nothing exists that we can't observe,
Rather, that's all we got,
So, you can't say anything about things,
Whose proof cannot be sought.

But what happens,
If we all become blind,
Do we measure things by the speed of sound?
Why can't we judge by the sight of our mind?

Why Carry On?

It's not really easy,
Anything that you try,
Everything demands some kind of movement,
And effort from the mind,

Not that it's necessarily easy,
To sit and do nothing,
You'd have to pump most people full of drugs,
Not to accept what life is offering.

So here you have life's greatest conundrum,
The drive to continue,
Against the forces constantly pushing,
From every side of you.

What is this force,
That makes us carry on?
Is it the love we carry for others,
Or the need for self-preservation?

If My Dreams Were Reality

How real's the real'ty,
Of the dreams when you sleep?
We already know that nothing happens,
Outside of what we see,

Of course you can't cut yourself in a dream,
And find blood when you wake,
And you could never fly in the real world,
Like in the world your sleeping body makes,

But if you slept for the rest of your life,
And only had your dreams,
With no access to the world outside you,
What does real'ty mean?

It means you're free,
To make it what you want,
No one's yet been able to say for sure,
What's really reality and what's not.

Wake Up

If you are really tired,
And cannot really think,
You want to finish what you are doing,
To let your mind just sink,

You have nothing left in you to get done,
Even the simplest task,
Because the body was never designed,
To exceed the limitations of facts,

You do not feel responsibility,
For the things that you should,
And no longer wish to do anything,
You once wished that you could,

Then take a break,
You're doing something bad,
You're not being what you were meant to be,
And trying to use things you never had.

Writing in Bryant Park

I'm in a big city,
About eight million strong,
Sitting in a park surrounded by trees,
Surrounding a green lawn,

I'm plugged into the garden's free power,
Riding the free wi-fi,
The sound of traffic mixes with the birds,
Mingling with the scent of that homeless guy,

Sweat beads on my knees like Neanderthal,
Resting beneath the trees,
Contemplating how I fit in this world,
Versed just by what I see.

And what I think,
Was thought by him also,
This is the wor-ld that was left to me,
What will I leave to others when I go?

Too Late

It's been far, far too long,
And yet, not long enough,
Sometimes missing something until you cry,
Teaches you about love,

And it can also give you perspective,
On what is important,
The one way to triangulate yourself,
Is to walk towards where you once pointed,

Like when I pointed at that little kid,
Smiling at the big dog,
His parents telling him to be careful,
Him, living in a fog,

And here I am,
Sitting drunk and alone,
Thinking of all the things I could've been,
If I wasn't taught to fear the unknown.

To Succeed At Life

What does it really mean,
To be living your dream?
I've been alive for almost forty years,
And I've still yet to glean,

What I'd want if I could have anything,
And maybe that's just fear,
Of actually getting it, and then what?
Or of never actually getting near.

There's always quotes from folks like Roosevelt:
"It is hard to fail, but,
"It's worse never to have tried to succeed."
Here's the hard to crack nut:

You take one path,
Amidst infinite more,
Or you keep your options open for life,
And live with hope you'll find out what it's for.

Egyptian Army Stages An Uncoup

Now that's democracy!
Of the most direct kind.
Maybe we should have a military,
Keep our gov'ment in line.

Like Morsi, Harper would have to step down,
An example for jest,
Dave Johnson could be interim PM.
Quebec would love election by protest!

In fact, why give leaders a term at all?
Just lead until you suck.
If Morsi had done what he said he would,
He'd not be out of luck,

And not uncouped,
Though, could be a bum rap,
Who knows what happens behind those closed doors,
Or if the people know what they're mad at?

What Will Be Snowden's Fate?

Well, there's Venezuela,
Ecuador would help, too,
If he can make it to their embassy:
Pereulok No. one-two,

But of the other twenty-one countries,
None will lend him a hand,
'Pressured by the U.S. vice president',
Replies Edward Snowden,

They 'frighten those who would come after me',
'Bad political tools',
While the media machine does also,
Paint him traitor and fool.

Well, he's safe now,
For a while, if you care,
Says president Putin, Moscow never
'hands over anybody anywhere'.

Happy Pride, Politicians!

This weekend's pride parade,
Was a 'who's who' affair,
Like, 'who's that old guy in the purple lei?',
Oh, that's Thomas Mulcair!

He's shaking hands with that lib'ral heartthrob,
Not talking 'bout Bob Rae,
Though he was there in beads and holding signs,
That anywhere else would be called risqué,

Of course I'm talking about young Trudeau,
White pants and casual shirt,
Laughing and smiling beside Premier Wynne,
This public'ty don't hurt!

Especially when,
One was clearly absent,
And let's be fair, he would be hard to miss,
That's no way to rep T O's government.

How Not To Offend

There's a sentence I know,
And someone pointed out,
That no matter who in the world said it,
It's offensive, no doubt,

I don't know where the ref'rence book resides,
That lists these sentences,
But she said that it would still be racist,
Coming from the mouth of Malcolm X's.

I'd love to get me hands on this bible,
'Cause I always just thought,
You can't give, you can only take offense,
That's apparently not,

How the world is,
That is Solipsism,
To have a soci'ty with no conflict,
You must have access to this syllogism.

Guess Who's Back In Hudak Town

I swear I'll eat my hat,
If the rumours don't fly,
Because Broten's leaving Etobicoke,
About another guy,

A guy who has called the Conservatives,
And told them that he's free,
Ready to serve in a blue government,
That will fix the errors of McGuinty.

Yes there's some rumours already around,
'Bout this Ward Two Counc'llor,
Regarding the sale of pounds of hashish,
Round 'bout age twenty-four,

But he's past that,
And this is his home town,
The fact that nothing's come of the Globe claims,
Should make Tim Hudak come right back around.

The Super Moon

Tonight's a Super Moon,
Though I may not see it,
This rain's torrential like I've never seen,
And I was excited!

To feel its pull from the closest it's been,
Or will be for the year,
A power invisible yet so strong,
Proves one's influence grows as you grow near.

Because we all have our own gravity,
Some greater than others,
When with ones of a particular ilk,
Norm'ly known as lovers.

Like you and me,
When our orbits did cross,
My heart overflowed from a vi'lent tide,
And I wish-ed the sun forever lost.

TR - Perfect Circle

They say the circle,
That math'matics constructs,
Cannot exist in the world where we live,
Because perfect we're not,

These formulas are what the world strives for,
When it creates shapes,
But nothing will ever fall on the points,
That math'matical equations create.

But is there a statement that could be writ,
If we knew everything,
That could perfectly describe a circle,
That's act'lly existing?

'Cause if there is,
Then why cannot there be,
A circle that's created in nature,
That's pi times diameter, perfectly?

TR - Intro

So far there's nothing new,
Time is an illusion,
Though, ev'ryone in hist'ry's allowed that,
It's something we live in.

Now, I am not a mathematician,
But, like Lee has advised,
I'll do what scientists do when they read,
Skip things until something is recognized!

And what I see coming is an old trap,
Set for the good-hearted,
Trying to escape presuppositions,
As made up as art is:

He may back up,
Though I hope he does not,
Into claiming there's a different dream,
In the made-up world against which he fought.

Clean Trudeau

Trudeau's got a great gift,
From the Conservatives,
Who've attacked him for taking cash to speak,
From charities that give,

'Cept for one that couldn't due to its bills,
And asked for its cash back,
Not really a professional request.
Really, what kind of charity is that?

So, this minor scandal is created,
Allowing Justin to,
Actually reimburse the money,
Despite having been true,

To gov'ment rules,
And claiming the income,
Whether deflection or attempt to smear,
Stephen Harper's cronies got this one wrong.

Turkey's Turn

Looks like the Arab Spring,
Is still alive and well,
Well, 'well' is of course a relative term,
And only time will tell,

And time says Turkey has shook with earthquakes,
But never have they killed,
In numbers close to what violence has done,
In the name of the secularist will.

Now police forces fire water canons,
On those in Taksim Square,
Another civil war viewed by a world,
Wond'ring if it should care.

Like Erdogan,
Doesn't care 'bout the world,
'Cept for the thirty-year-old wish to be,
Part of the European Union's fold.

In Defence Of Our Country

I love Peter MacKay,
And I will tell you why,
Though his career's marked by stumbles and gaffs,
Still's a char'smatic guy.

Do you remember he led the PCs,
Promising to Orchard,
No merge with Canadian Alliance,
Then to attempt to move Free Trade backward?

And the cost of the F-Thirty-Fives was,
Almost twice what he said,
The Defense Department never looked great,
With Peter at its head.

Now CSE,
Is tapping all our phones?!
He said us Canad'ans' rights are safe,
But now, seems exceptions may've been condoned.

The Ontario Liberals Hang On

So Wynne wins the budget,
And McGuinty steps down,
Which is impressive, because the latter,
Hasn't much been around,

Not even for the latest budget vote,
Though that was all Horwath,
Again, giving this government new life,
'Cause they'll never get support from Hudak,

E'en if she was backing poor blind puppies,
He would still say 'No deal',
For how could a government that's not his,
Really get what he feels?

Then there's the gas!
And the destroyed emails,
If they had to have an election now,
To win, they'd need Tim to eat puppy tails.

The Good Ol' Ford

Welcome back old Rob Ford!
And good-bye Robinson,
This hearkens back to the good early days,
When he could do no wrong,

When library committees were fair game,
Given to friends of note,
When Mammoliti put thumb up or down,
To let council know which way they should vote,

When people still believed the gravy train,
Was out chugging somewhere,
And Nunziata's antics were allowed,
From the speaker's chair.

He's got new life,
And confidence, too,
He's even scheduled his own Ford party,
To show the world what Ford Nation can do.

Bedford vs Canada

The con side to sex sales,
Is the exploitation,
Women forced into selling their bodies,
For rent compensation.

People argue that no one would do it,
If given the option,
A profession linked to drugs and vi'lence,
It will get worse with legalization.

So, the girl whose body is her asset,
Should rather live in shame,
Told by the law that what she was born with,
Is not hers to exchange.

My instinct says,
That jons are predators,
But why should the government help them thrive,
By stripping their prey of food and shelter?

Blue North Strong and Free

The PM's new paint job,
Of his official jet,
In colours that remind one of Tories,
Will ring a bell, I bet,

How about the stimulus spending signs?
Maybe not Torie blue,
Still thousands of signs that stimulated,
Excitement over what the gov did do.

Then they put Torie logos on big cheques,
Presented by the Feds,
If they started making self-attack ads,
They'd think they were struck dead,

Sent to heaven,
Treasures dropped in their hands,
Like a magic world where NDP rule,
And decide to paint their own jet orange.

The Upstaging of Millard

It is a big circus,
That could trump Bosma's case,
But even with his constant, "Next question"s,
The Ford drama's not waned,

While on the next page, the saga goes on,
Now it turns out Millard,
Signed over three properties to his mom,
'Tween arrest and body found in his yard.

Now, this timeline could all be innocent,
Though the experts say, 'naw',
But these rich man's games with money and lives,
Is like a soap op'ra!

And let's ask this:
'How many folks you know,
Are connected to two suspicious deaths,
Then after a third, sheds a new condo?'

A Second Life for the Fords

Well, well.  Oh my Gawker!
What is the story now?
Is the video police evidence,
Or is Rob saved somehow?

Should eyes ne'er feast on the crack film again,
Then business will go on,
Of course, until Smith's murder file is closed,
The papers will still have speculation.

There is still the story of brother Ford,
Though no one seems to care,
E'en Ontario's Blues will take him in,
Once that's a dead affair,

For, here's the deal,
Like Woods once did note,
I quote, "Winning takes care of everything,"
And I think the Fords could still get the votes.

Justin's Tack

At his FCM talk,
In Vancouver, BC,
Québécois Justin Trudeau proclaimed that,
The senate should still be,

As opposed to Mulcair, who says kill it,
That is much, much too harsh,
Especially for Quebec's twenty-four seats,
Justin's struck the NDP at its heart,

And massive reform, this Lib'ral points out,
As if his foes don't know,
Would take years to complete for it entails,
Constitut'nal reform,

'Just be open!
Like when I ope'd my books',
Though he may not want to invite too much,
Lest someone actually decides to look.

Harper's Next Step

I'm sure Stephen Harper,
Is not a happy guy,
He prefers to be executing plans,
Not explaining thick lies.

He prob'ly told Mike to pay back the funds,
When he learned back in Feb,
His team got scared and tried damage control,
Steve not knowing what they did, like he said.

But Mike's got a hist'try of dirty claims,
And Steve likes to stay clean,
Though he's also good at turning scandal,
Into opportun'ty.

Or just kill it,
Like the stim'lus spending,
So far he's distanced himself from Duffy,
Let's see what's next after just defending!

The Grass Isn't Always Greener

Yes, life's always changing,
It's nicer or meaner,
But despite what's said about other sides,
They're not always greener.

Just because you can always find someone,
Who's happy where they are,
That's not proof it's the same for everyone,
You can't take an observation that far.

So, some people aren't where they should be,
Others happily are,
The question is how to find greener grass,
Before life gets too far.

Maybe you can't,
The world may need both sides,
Some meant to regret what they didn't do,
In light of seeing others in great lives.

The Syrians Are People

I was at a wedding,
Two love-struck Syrians,
Their family on Skype cannot leave their house,
'Cause they're shooting Christians,

And that is not even the main conflict,
This two-year civil war,
Has heightened stress between super powers,
As if we don't know what the Mid East's for,

As if the U.S. wants democracy,
And Russia wants power,
As if anyone of us knows a thing,
While the deaths grow higher.

I'm just saying,
There are people in strife,
Far more than those fighting everyday,
Who want the embargo lifted on life.

Doug's Turn

I guess we can't ignore,
This latest Ford scandal,
Though selling dope when you're a teen, to most's,
Easier to handle,

Like throwing rocks through windows late a night,
Or even driving drunk,
There's behavior typical of an age.
Lots of respectable adults were punks.

Though this is not part of the narrative,
That's erected by Doug,
The media is the "social elite",
With a hard-on for drugs.

Why not just say,
Like a normal human,
'When you're young you do things you might regret,
That help you be a better citizen.'?

Finding My Way

I don't care what you say,
It is your choice of words,
With images that slide onto my mind,
Like barbeque covers,

Keeping it clean and extending its life,
Making me think and search,
Easily starting to dig new paths to,
Potential hiding under untouched earth,

So that I can share my images, too,
Once I've emerged to light,
Eyes stinging, adjusting and now seeing,
How we all can unite.

So talk to me,
And I will listen, nay,
I'll live in your world using my own brain,
And maybe I'll fin'lly find my own way.

Bye Bye, Casino

So, the casino's dead,
With little resistance,
Ford's 'golden opportunity' 's tarnished,
By Wynne's Lib'ral province,

Because it doesn't want to share too much,
And there's no reason to,
When other cities are quick to play ball,
And give up much more of its revenue.

This is one issue I'll have to applaud,
The mayor got it right,
If maybe for all of the wrong reasons,
Or perhaps lack of fight.

What I will say,
Like David Hume before,
It doesn't matter why a thing is done,
It only matters who it is good for.

The $90K Scandal

If I was Steve Harper,
A well-known control freak,
He who ran on reforming the senate,
If that is what he seeks,

And then my chief of staff,
A friend for decades and someone I trust,
Thinks it is a good thought,
To pay Mike Duffy's costs,

An act of poor judgement, not to be done,
Without my own consent,
By first Nigel Wright asking me outright,
Or him knowing my bent,

Which, either way,
Makes me an accomplice,
Then the next time Nigel came for dinner,
We'd laugh as Mike passed us the Hollandaise.

Personal Power

What's personal power,
And how can it be used,
To ensure that you follow your own heart,
Even when part of groups,

Meant to create something in unison,
With others with power,
And diff'rent perspectives on how to live,
From all the other of the group members?

This is the problem we all struggle with,
Being human and all,
We need to live together in cities,
For all to stand up tall,

And be counted,
That's all anyone wants,
Not to actually become a number,
But be lauded for what others are not.

The Ford Saga

It's unbelievable,
Like the Leafs being out,
Like if Harper wore a tutu and said,
'The future is in doubt'.

It's not that I'm surprised that he'd smoke crack,
He is of the people,
And the people will still stand behind him,
Even if he's seen trolling for cheap pills.

What blows one's mind is that he's our mayor,
A fairly large city,
One of the most robust in the whole world,
Downtown or surrounding.

And here he is,
Forget controversies,
He spends time stifling debates on transit,
And wastes it getting kicked out of parties.

The World I Paint

I wish that I could paint,
Though, I've not stopped to guess,
Of what my style would be if I could,
Which makes me now digress...

When I was twenty, I bought an easel,
Some paints and a canvas,
And attempted to paint a self-portrait,
With no formal training and no practice,

I didn't get far on that eager whim,
And never tried again,
But now I think I know what I look like,
With years-long duration.

I look like me,
In a world I've painted,
And if I showed you what I'm seeing now,
You'd say, 'It's a beautiful world, ain't it?'.

The Leafs Eliminated

My son's fin'lly alive,
For playoffs with the Leafs,
Something that was common as I grew up,
Salming, Gilmour, Sundin.

And what a story they wrote for themselves!
Coming back from three-one,
To a game seven where they're up three goals,
With ten minutes left in regulation.

The two of us lived in a ree'lity,
Of the Leafs in round two,
My son went to bed before overtime,
To learn that reality can be skewed.

It's a small thing,
A team being knocked out,
But still a memory embedded in,
A mind still learning what life is about.

If You're Not Alive

If you don't have something,
To help you stop and think,
To know what you'd hold most dear in this life,
If you had anything,

If you've had no thoughts of why you are here,
That is hard to believe,
Struck by the fact that you exist at all,
In those moments without a sound or screen,

If you have never strayed from living for,
Those things that keep you live,
'Cause you've not been given an easy life,
Or been given the time.

If this is true,
Let me help you live, now,
Let me take some of your burdens from you,
So you can see the truth life allows.

Why Steal The Truck?

It's a great conundrum,
With someone like Millard,
Someone you'd think has everything he'd need,
To live well in this world,

And of course everyone who has known him,
Says he's a normal kid,
With tons of cash and opportunity,
If he did, why did he do what he did?

But we all have in us another one,
Whose place is under wraps,
Venting the dark desires we ought not,
Explore within life's gaps,

Those gaps are for,
Figuring what to do,
To make this world a safer, better place,
So everyone can have what they need, too.

A Taxing Issue

Where does Mayor Ford think,
Money's come from 'til now?
Taxes are how govs get their revenue,
Not some sneaky cash cow.

If you want to choose the transit option,
Costing three times light rail,
And pay for it by tightening your belt,
It's good we've started with such a large male.

Of course now we have all come full circle,
After spending tax funds,
On consultants and debates and of course,
Lots of pulling of plugs.

Where're we getting?
So far, not very far.
I've taken the TTC once this year,
'Cause I spent all but three bucks at the bar.

Jets Over The Water

It's really difficult,
To see which side will fly,
NoJetsTO is def'nitely NIMBY,
'Gainst Porter's bottom line.

If you've flown Porter, you have to agree,
They really deserve to,
Expand that runway to expand their reach,
And jet to places exciting and new,

But yet its affect on the Waterfront,
Already a sore spot,
Is greater than a thousand new condos,
Just fifty per cent bought,

Because water,
Represents our freedom,
Do we keep the landscape of that jewel,
Or make it something that we just fly from?

To Live Is To Rebel

Want to make a diff'rence?
I'll tell you how you can.
Don't worry about hurting the feelings,
Of strangers, friends and fam.

Ev'ry example in know history,
Of someone showing us,
That there can be an improvement to things,
Starts with that person being rebellious,

Which is the story of every change,
In or out all of you,
It is also what makes you a human,
Yet only shared by few.

And this world's not,
Meant for a minor'ty,
The most good for the most sharing the land,
Is the benchmark for all societies.

Before It's Too Late

If you do not watch out,
You'll end up really old,
Looking back on your one and only life,
Not calling yourself bold.

Don't do away with all of the cliches,
They're telling you something,
That you don't have the time to think about,
Amidst all of this survival living.

You actually only get one chance,
At making who you are,
A process that continues throughout life,
A journey that's not far.

But, who am I,
To comment on one's dreams?
I've not yet found myself on my death bed,
And ends of roads are never what they seem.

Stay In Line

What's gotten into you?
I'd really like to know.
It's like everything you've been taught in life's,
Been thrown out the window,

Like working hard is the only way to,
Gain success on this earth,
Instead, you think by doing what you like,
All will be granted by the universe,

Like you must sacrifice to contribute,
To the system we're in,
Instead, you challenge the way we do things,
Like they're not ev'lution.

Well, you will see,
It's taken years to build,
The best of worlds, this democracy,
For which countless millions have been killed.

Change

The worst part about change,
Is the wholly unknown,
Which is ironic'lly what makes our lives,
Worth the mirrors and smoke,

And yet we raise ev'ry generation,
To stabilize the world,
To accept what's been built and what you have,
A mandate more of the established rule.

Dissension's  punished more than rewarded,
Unless in the context,
Of the framework that we have been given,
And not of a world next.

So what to do,
When your heart is screaming,
That the right way to live is different,
Than the current world you're in is seeming?

One Day

The seed is in the ground,
Waiting to be watered,
Patiently as my mind ruminates on,
The best way to solder,

The message I believe must be there,
With some way to express,
So at the end I can look at my work,
Finally feeling true contentedness,

And yes it's about working very hard,
All the successful do,
But they also live with an honesty,
The link 'tween me and you.

And so one day,
The switch will be turned on,
And the thoughts will flow out just as I want,
A belief for my own constitution.

Marathon Bombers

I must say that I cried,
Reading about Boston,
And how the bombers timed the explosion,
For last year's av'rage run,

I thought of friends and fam'ly standing there,
As time ground to a halt,
The realization washing over them,
Of this mad, uninstigated assault,

That must have been a long time in planning,
For at least two suspects,
Living for this one horrific moment,
Now one of them is dead.

And what's two's thoughts,
As he runs from the law,
Guaranteed never to be free again,
Just as he prob'ly hasn't been in thought?

Jane

Is it diversity,
That makes a great city,
With both a mix of race and income,
Business and family?

That's what some say the key to success is,
For it encourages,
Simultan'ous movement of diff'rent parts,
All vying to be victors of the age,

Which none can be for they all live as one,
In a community,
And what they build for themselves they build, too,
For everybody.

And that's the key,
To quash complacency:
Take what people are doing anyway,
And just repackage all that energy.

Why Can't We All Just Get Along?

What if everyone just,
Suddenly got along?
I don't think people've stopped to consider,
What poss'bly could go wrong,

We'd first have no need of authorities,
Who's job's to keep the peace,
What a mind trip to live our daily lives,
Without the ominous fear of police.

And what about politics? How'll we choose,
The caretakers of us,
Without accusations and attack ads,
That laud the injurious?

And then there's us,
Conflict seems to define,
The lion's share of our relationships,
It would just be weird if we were all fine.

Body and Mind

Socrates once lauded,
The benefits of mind,
But he also talked about the body,
Needed for the sublime,

For there is more to humans than what's seen,
There is what is felt,
Its source sprung from something beyond anything,
The mind could ever more dearly have held,

And that is why he always exercised,
Strong mind and strong body,
Are the keys to getting the most of life,
Than just from one of these.

So that is why,
My heart is beating fast,
I've exercised my mind and my body,
To make this joy of life that I have last.

Church

I went to church today,
I think it was Baptist,
They welcomed me with open arms and minds,
And a warm interest.

The band rocked the house with songs of worship,
Then the hat was passed 'round,
A pause to meet the person next to you,
The pastor asked where I'm usually found.

His sermon promoted humility,
See Philipp'ans two,
Jesus gave up his divine priv'leges,
Though he's better than you.

And all I thought,
Was, "That is good advice",
But I don't need to come here to be told,
That common sense was invented by Christ.

Dennis

You'll always be crazy,
That's what you are to me,
And if you want to talk about my thoughts,
You'll be kinda lonely,

But I know what you say's always sincere,
And dig how your mind works,
Your dedication to your expression,
Un'pologetic for being berserk,

You're always a pleasure to hang out with,
And our hist'ry's always,
A pleasant stage in my unfinished life,
I'll never throw away.

So go ahead,
Say what you want to me,
'Bout anything that you see written here,
With an equal level of honesty :)

Your Self

Just because you see me,
You should not trust your eyes,
Even when you're looking at your own self,
Everyone's clothed by lies,

A layer meant to protect ev'rything ,
That you hold close and dear,
Imagine baring it all to the world
Without true and justifiable fear,

Ev'ry thought you've had uncensored, naked,
I do wish that for you,
A soul so pure you couldn't help but awe.
You are among the few,

Who can will change,
And show people that, yes,
There is a way to have faith in others,
Though you'll never get a chance to, I guess.

Life's Dreamy Magic

I can't quite remember,
What I wanted to write,
But, like a dream it was once clear to me,
My mind has its own night,

In which it shows me all my mind holds dear,
Though it's hard to hold tight,
Long enough that I can show all of you,
The window onto my potion for light,

The light that shines on honesty and art,
You all know about that,
Glimpses caught midst responsibilities,
Hanging off us like fat,

That we'd all shed,
At the drop of a hat,
'Cause no matter how full life is with shit,
That it's magic's a universal fact.

Dreams Gone By

Everybody's aware,
Of the fleeting of time,
And watching one's dreams and goals disappear,
For hope of youth, they pine,

When responsibility meant nothing,
But fulfilling your heart,
Until society tricks you into,
Discarding desires to take on a part,

To maintain the system in which we live,
Unless you are lucky,
And are chosen to be an example,
One of very many,

Of dreams come true.
You can't live without hope,
If you are not at least given freedom,
A lux'ry that does not go past the vote.

North Korea's Move

Let's just pretend, maybe,
That North Korea's threats,
Are not meant to intimidate the South,
Or anger the US,

"We're not seeing large-scale mob'lisations",
A move they'd need to make,
Even the restart of their reactor,
Seems a stratagem for posturing`s sake,

Not that Kim Jong-un`s not crazy enough,
Though his hist`ry`s unknown,
Raised to be leader of a recluse state,
Your social skills ain't honed.

But to be fair,
He's prob'ly just trying,
To sell nation'lism to his people,
With the hope that they are still buying.