Tag Archives: Chicago

Life in Advance

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Can we see the desire of a man
Through the filter of our own eyes
If we can
Than we should offer hope
Help
Understand
That life is never simple
Easy
Or perfect
We must offer our best
To try and see
Through less filtered lenses
Dispensing love for no gain
Again and again
This is the ultimate challenge for us
To not judge at first glance
But at every chance
Give love
To all those in need
Pay it forward
Live life in advance

The Common Denominator

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What makes it better

What makes it worse

These vital feelings

We may not coerce

–

Pushing them in

Pulling them out

Will do us no good

If we are living like we should

–

Shall I wonder under a rock

Beneath feet pounding

Or center myself on ground

With my heart pounding

–

I am here for you

And you for me

That is why

We cannot let it be

–

Growth can occur

From one solid root

Life will burst

Into something beautiful bold

–

Your hand I hold

As we cry

Waiting for the storm

To blow by

–

These are not easy times

But they make us real

Through the fire burning

Born is true steel

–

I will be here now

And will be here later

Love will pick you up

It’s the common denominator

–

Love will push

Love will pull

Love will bring us back

Fill our hearts full

–

We live through great moments

We survive the bad

But at the end of any day

The good fights been had

–

I wish to say this

So that all can understand

You are my lady

And I am your man

Carnival of Waste

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Nothing disappointed me in music this year more than the claim or title that somehow Kayne West was the new Dylan. I needed to vent on this one.

–

It’s all about the hoes and the clothes

Songs about what others drove

Sipping crystal and shitting gold

That is what the new preacher told

My generation defined by such vanity

This new rhyme and rhythm

Isn’t what it used to be

Everyone singing about the “me”

How to satisfy oneself

Whether it be blatant

Or stealth

If Kayne is the new Dylan

Rolling up in a Bentley of Crimson

I will disown my own soul

If this is the price that must be tolled

For such vanity and glutton cannot be forgiven

Every single talent that is given

Should be taken away

Rather than wasted

Dylan sang for a generation

Calling awareness and action

Now all I hear is bullshit

Shooting gun

Pleasure the only “one”

To the ultimate satisfaction

I have no time for this carnival of waste

This recycled culture

Of copy and paste

I have no allegiance to this self-serving leader

Kayne no Jesus

And me no Peter

He defines no time

He is prolific poet

Not a single humble feature

Pathetic

It is to waste with such vigor

With chains of gold

Top down in the middle of winter

My frustration with my own generation

Giving golden crowns to those

With self views of inflation

I will not adhere to any of your calls

Forget your pitiful attempts to write your name

On history’s walls

I am not your follower and others say too

What you say does not reflect

In the things you do

No wishes for a brighter future

All the brightness taken

With your own scalpel and suture

So I willfully deny you of this title

Makes me sick if I just stayed idle

Kayne is no Dylan

That I know today

I will not change anything with words

But I said

What I needed to say

Trying to Find

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Trying to find the words

or the thoughts

Unable to connect
Through any pathways

Waiting

Hoping for inspiration

Lost with passing moments

So when time passes with nothing to say

Why not then say

Nothing at all

 

 

I Am One of You

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This is a poem that I wanted to write if I were to move to Chicago. I do not see me living there at any point in my life as I have aspirations that cannot be fulfilled in the wonderful windy city. So here it is…Chicago

–

I am one of you

Adhering to the droning call

Of the El clamoring on rusted tracks

Echoing through slim walls

And decrepit cinder block exteriors

Sound waves rumble through cracked wooden floors

Off arched doorways and into my ears

–

I am one of you

Adorning the Transit Authority with wrinkled dollar bills

Fumbled out of pockets full of lint and crumbs

Into hand frozen from wind rustled streets

Faces frozen eyes wondering for the next train

Enjoying the warmth of the train car

Handling homeless and trying to be generous

–

I am one of you

Creeping into storefronts to make my nose recover

From delayed busses and off kilter schedules

Sitting proud in my seat

Kindly nodding to the gentlemen and the lady next to me

Waiting for the next stop

The next opportunity

To start a conversation to ask how you are doing

–

I am one of you

Illuminated under the city lights

Crawling from my small abode in the height of 8 stories

Crackling heaters with old fashioned glory

In the stream of young lust hoping for a midnight story

Passionately taking every moment as it comes

Letting the others pass as they go

–

I am one of you

Saluting the 6 star banner

Waving in baby blue and red

With honor and dignity it waves

Gently

From the buildings overhead

–

I am one of you

With hope for a better future than today

Trying to make things better than yesterday

Shootings, violence, and challenges

The city faces everyday

Only change will then come

When the people have the pride to say

–

“I am Chicago”

The Genius of Catch

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If Not for Perfection

–

I wish not for perfection

Rather somewhere

At the intersection

Of preparation

And the continuation

Of ones course

–

The readiness is created

By all the time spent

Re-taking

Take after take

Just for one good virtuous shake

The artist prepares with good intent

Content on rehearsal

Frustrated with constraint

Holding the power to change

Is the key to arranging

The true masterpiece that lies within

–

The strokes fall smooth on the page

Many hours have been spent

To create this moment

In this perfect age

The feelings and the artistry dance

Upon the blank canvas

Creating great swaths of golden hues

No reason to overdue

Simple strokes and committed lines

Hours spent caressing this craft

To create a mindless illusion

The genius of catch

–

Illustrious moments turn to intricate delicacy

As the grand swaths revolve to small movement

This is where preparation meets commitment

Where the small lines have the greatest impact

No thought or stroke left un-in-tact

This creation flows from the mind

Through the heart and blood

To the muscles and fingertips

Out onto the canvas

–

So what was once within

Can be seen without

Having to speak or convey

The image left upon the page

The true masterpiece

Temporary Community

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Pulled off on the side of the road for bad weather

Said there might be a tornado round the bend

Closed and locked the car and headed in for shelter

The smell of cooked meat and raw potatoes

Clung to my skin as I rushed in with the fresh air

I sat and watched the storm unfold 15 miles away

Ripping the trees from the dampened fall ground

I turn around to see others standing around

Concerned for the storm that is now heading our way

In a gentle manner I tried to keep everyone calm

I have no idea what I was trying to say

But everyone seemed happy to be going along

As the wind and rain ripped into the building sides

We could no longer see our cars parked just outside

A young girl sat alone on her phone

Shaking and afraid to be out here all on her own

I tried to remind her that she would be just fine

Got to be tough stuck in a burger joint contemplating life

Alone

A wife sat with her husband holding onto her kids

Hoping that the storm would miss us

Another woman on her way to Chicago

Wondering once the storm rolled in which way she should go

I tried to keep everyone’s hopes up a simple gesture

Here I was hoping just to make things a little bit easier

Not quite sure if I helped I could see the storm caused the fear in her

Inside that building business went on as usual

Burgers being flopped from one side to the next

I had no real care for what was going on

Just watching what the storm did next

We all made this our temporary stop

Out of the blasting rain and bustling wind

One of the workers made it over to make sure that we were all alright

Holding our heads and cell phones so very tight

The wind ripped the rain poured

As soon as I turned around I felt like

There was a storm no more

Two tornadoes

One to the north

One to the west

Not our day to fight it out

But it was one hell of a test

As the rain cleared and the sun made its meager reappearance

With the dim lit assurance we could make out way on

Walking out to our cars we said our simple goodbyes

A small community was formed in that joint

Connected we were in a concern for the future

But as that future became our past we made out way out into the evening

Waved our goodbyes

And back to our paths in life we then proceeded

 

 

 

Don’t Be Shy

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Don’t be shy

When I come around

You know that

I’m your guy

And you’re my girl

–

There’s no time

To talk it out

We’ll spend sum more

Money on

The simple soul

 –

When we dance

We spend our time

So quietly

I don’t know

Where it goes

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*Chorus*

But oh

Where is

The burning in

My brittle soul

For you now

But I know that well make it out

We will make it out

Oh

We’ll make it out

For my crown

For you

 –

There’s no time

To wait out the storm

It’ll be just fine

Lets go now

It’s letting up

 –

Let me go

Stories you

Told burn my soul

Uh oh oh

Who oh oh

 –

Hey sister there

The one with the bitter soul

I swear

We make it alright

We make it ok

 –

*Chorus*

There is no time for us

The way to make the best of us

We make our way

As we go down there

As we go down the other way

Whoa uh oh

As we make it home

 –

We make it out

On a Tuesday night

We play each other

fine and solos

Rampant Road Rager

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What’s the rush for
Car can’t go much more
Flip the bird
Ride the bumper
I have no care for road rage
The lines pass in disdain
The burning look of pure anger
And pain
It is a shame that we have to deal with this
But these clowns run rampant in this town
Bringing even the good natured folks down
You see anger building up in faces surrounding
The engine revs in the burn sounding
Making each driver grab the wheel a little tighter
Pressing the gas a little harder
Staying ahead of the daemon driver
Keep up with traffic
An urban surviver
Look alive in this city
Stay on your toes
The rampant road rager
Will always be
Everywhere you go