written word: desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery.

But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.

Especially do not feign affection.

Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.

But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.

Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.

And whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.

— Max Ehrmann, 1927

kb’s thoughts: these words are timeless and have been floated around and quoted for years. i love so many things about this but “be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be” is one of my faves.

written word: poem eleven by warsan shire

i love this pic.

scrolling through google reader – i was in a clutch post that referenced this poem.

i like poems – so thought, let me look.

since im posting it here – clearly i gave it many a finger snaps.

poem eleven

-for women who are ‘difficult’ to love.you are a horse running alone
and he tries to tame you
compares you to an impossible highway
to a burning house
says you are blinding him
that he could never leave you
forget you
want anything but you
you dizzy him, you are unbearable
every woman before or after you
is doused in your name
you fill his mouth
his teeth ache with memory of taste
his body just a long shadow seeking yours
but you are always too intense
frightening in the way you want him
unashamed and sacrificial
he tells you that no man can live up to the one who
lives in your head
and you tried to change didn’t you?
closed your mouth more
tried to be softer
prettier
less volatile, less awake
but even when sleeping you could feel
him travelling away from you in his dreams
so what did you want to do love
split his head open?
you can’t make homes out of human beings
someone should have already told you that
and if he wants to leave
then let him leave
you are terrifying
and strange and beautiful
something not everyone knows how to love

written by warsan shire.

all i do is sigh.

kbe.

for more go to here: http://warsanshire.blogspot.ca

what say you? any writers/poems you’d like to share?

written word: the king and his queen

as i think about all the secrets she holds
i stand in awe and wonder – if they will ever be revealed
if anyone knows her beyond the surface curves

she is protected by a king, who promises to shield her name
like a groom to his bride
he will protect her from those who try to use her
for their own pleasure
even if it’s at their own peril

the tide ebbs and flows
crashing against the sand
like clockwork
always on time, with no schedule in mind to meet

being in her presence, is like meeting royalty
or better yet, the greatest mother of nature

she can calm and scold
but she can rock and soothe your body and soul
she will never forget to greet you with a genuine wave hello
and tell you bedtime stories until you drift off into a peaceful slumber

you wonder what her wants and needs are
as she, like most mothers, gives more than she takes
never asks for much in return
always with her heart and arms wide open

i close my eyes and can still see
nothing but limitless potential
reflecting the never-ending skies through the sun and God’s tears

her beauty is in her strength
her pride and hope will never drown
she will continue to do, what she has always done, until the end of time.

i look at her, and realize i am more like her than i ever knew
meeting her for the first time, was both exciting in its newness and it’s familiarity
and am grateful for being able to look into her soul and see a little bit of me

leaving her was like closing a life’s chapter
but it was really was opening another
and i await with impatient breath until we meet again
wondering if the next time will be as wonderous as the first time

so until then, i will close my eyes
and listen for the sound of your heartbeat
and remember that in making your acquaintance
the pleasure was all mine

06/08/09

kbe.

written word: missing half

Walking along a nature trail
Basking in the small wonders offered to hear and see
I reach for your hand that isn’t there
So I’m forced once again, to walk alone

I dream of your delight at the sight of me
A delight that never comes
A dream that goes unanswered
I wonder sometimes if you are a figment of my imagination
Like the lack of pigment in my discoloration
The painting I made for you, slowly receding and becoming a blank canvas once again

I lie in a bed too big my body
But big enough for all my burdens and expectations to roam free in
Turning and reaching for you in my sleep
Only to wake up with the familiar feeling of your body not becoming the pillow I hold instead

I observe a couple saying goodbye
Although, there are no decipherable words, her pain and agony apparent with each sob
I admonish myself for being jealous of the sadness she feels
Being free to shed tears, knowing there is someone there to catch them

She prepares herself for the long walk
Knowing half her heart is gone,
But she knows all that she needs to know where her missing half is
And that she’ll be able to find it – in the same spot she left it

I wonder, not for the first time
If fate has played a trick on me again
Repeating a different history
If I am doomed to learn the same lessons
The hard, harder and hardest way

Each time my hope shatters
I lose part of the puzzle
That only seems to get bigger and harder to solve
The stakes are higher than ever before
With time running out
I’m scared that the things I tell myself is only a means of shielding myself from reality
That the things I say to you, aren’t really truth
Knowing they can never be
Knowing that’s part of the problem

written word: time

It’s nighttime…

I’m lying here, torn with my thoughts

Wrestling back and forth on if I should or shouldn’t.

Part of me says, I should just follow the old adage:

If you love someone, let them go and if they come back…

The other part says; life is too short and our time here is unknown

So should I stay or should I go?

Do I let time slip away with words and feelings unspoken?

Or do I carpe diem with no regrets?

I slip in and out of consciousness

Trying to let my inner soul speak to me when all is quiet

Moving silent pictures behind my fluttering eyelids

Each a snapshot of you and me

Ones I erased electronically

But are imprinted in my spirit

Memories truly don’t live like people do

They haunt and follow you

Whether things are good or bad

But is life worth living if it’s just memories that you have?

When I’d rather just have you

Creating memories

Recreating moments both spoken and not

Sequels and prequels to a never-ending movie?

Its morning…

As the sunlight hits my face

I wake with an empty feeling and a bad taste in my mouth

I face the day with a brave face

Knowing that I’m living a dishonest life

Pretending to be happy with the status quo

When every hour I spend contemplating doing things I’d never said I’d do

All to get things I’ve had before

You are the only deja vu I want to recreate

But I’m not supposed to want you

Or need you as much as I do

So fighting the urge to scream out

Becomes the real 9 to 5

The job I hold with no pay and no health benefits

Insurance premiums on my heart are just too high

The vote is clear, but the victory is not.

It’s sunset…

The sky turns from blue to different shades of love

And slowly each star comes out of its hiding spot

I remember sharing the nighttime with you

Its beautiful secret

And take solace that we are still at least sharing something.

As nights turn to days

And days turn to nights

As calendar pages fall from the sky

And time throws up a middle finger

I stand still

Knowing that nothing around me does

Maybe even you

Like sands through the hourglass

These are the days…and the nights..and the days of my life.

*Apologies to Beenie Man, Stephanie Mills and Days of Our Lives for slight theft. lol.

3/30/10

kbe.

written word: me and you

i lie in bed
thinking of you, missing you
the thought, taste and feel of you
the smell, touch and laugh of you
the hands, tongue, back and essence of you
and all the things you would do to me
and for me
and because of me.

was it all just a dream of me?
the wants, needs and desires of me?
the existence of you and the happiness of me?
does the level of hope that ebbs and flows like the tide, represent the impatience of me?
the lesson of me?
the best of me?

i will continue to walk the lonely road
and sail the deceptive seas
until the fork in the road becomes a single street
and i figure out
the past
the present
and the future of me.

and you.

originally written 4/10

written word: where i wanna be

the heart vs the head

I wish u were here
In my place and in my space
Your hands gliding where your tongue plans to follow
Invading me like countries do to others
Leaving no stone unturned
Seeking the ultimate treasure of pleasure

I wish u were here
In my heart where I keep unfulfilled secrets
Thoughts of you I don’t dare speak out loud
Paralyzed by fear
Silenced by pride
Embraced by regret

Its easier to wish for you to be in one place than the other
I know it shouldn’t be the case
But sometimes you build the cart before buying the horse
it carries all expectations, hopes and dreams
And not all are strong enough to pull and guide it through
Navigating streets full of potholes and past failures

I wish you weren’t here
In my mind, with access to my unfiltered thoughts
Raw emotion leaving me more naked than you usually have me
Knowing what words will be spoken before I speak them
You’ve moved in without throwing a housewarming, word or invitation
You being here means you know my subconscious better than I do

Sad and scary part – I don’t think you want to be here
You feel pushed rather than pulled into this abyss of uncertainty
A relationship with no beginning, middle or end
A vicious cycle of wants and needs.
A song that never ends

Until you decide where you want to be.
Here
With me

kbe.

(written 12/10)

written word: oh the places you’ll go

it’s a new year. optimism is in the air. so thought i’d share this with you, one of my fave books ever!

Congratulations!

Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets. Look ‘em over with care.
About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.”
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any
you’ll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you’ll head straight out of town.

It’s opener there
in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen,
don’t worry. Don’t stew.
Just go right along.
You’ll start happening too.

OH!
THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!

You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed.
You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you’ll be the best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’ t
Because, sometimes, you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so
but, sadly, it’s true
and Hang-ups
can happen to you.

You can get all hung up
in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on.
You’ll be left in a Lurch.

You’ll come down from the Lurch
with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then,
that you’ll be in a Slump.

And when you’re in a Slump,
you’re not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked.
A place you could sprain both you elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And IF you go in, should you turn left or right…
or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?
Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find,
for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused
that you’ll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place…

…for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

NO!
That’s not for you!

Somehow you’ll escape
all that waiting and staying.
You’ll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.

With banner flip-flapping,
once more you’ll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you’re that kind of a guy! (*t’s interjection: or gal)

Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. there are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don’t.
Because, sometimes, they won’t.

I’m afraid that some times
you’ll play lonely games too.
Games you can’t win
’cause you’ll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you’ll be quite a lot.

And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance
you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.

But on you will go
though the weather be foul
On you will go
though your enemies prowl
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike
and I know you’ll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.

You’ll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You’ll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life’s
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3 / 4 percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU’LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So…
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea,
you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

Written by (the one and only) Dr. Seuss

written word: reading is fundamental

 

am I nothing but an open book to you?
my pages, a blank canvas for you to write on -
with no thought to how the story ends?
a book you open wide when you want
breaking my spine in good and bad ways

ive placed myself on hold for you
and yet you refuse to sign me out of the library
abusing the privileges that comes with being able to read me
or maybe I’m just too easy
your comprehension level beyond what I’ve given
knowing that I can never give you anything more
or less

if you are the author, then I am a character
but am I a heroine or a villain?
the protagonist who will see a happy ending?
or the antagonist who battles obstacles.
unsure if the obstacle is me.

you have all the control in how you develop me
and you’ve written me off as a 2-dimensional character
with only 1 use, 1 purpose
to do your bidding
when
where
and how you want

i am your Pinocchio
wanting nothing more to be real
but reality is the defining characteristic of your fictional story

and at that discovery – the plot thickens
like the knot in my throat
choking back words that I need to say
that I need to scream out loud
that I need to scribble on any and every piece of paper
knowing that the pen is mightier than the sword
we will have to duel to the death
no story ever ends with two winners
there is only one happily ever after
after all

perhaps the book that I am isn’t the problem
perhaps its you – the reader
who can’t appreciate the unique treasure that I am giving you
perhaps it’s best that I sit on the shelf
growing older and appreciating with age
waiting for when a person comes along who is interested in the subject at hand
who will value the book not just as some paper – but a collection of words and ideas
will find a place for me in their library, on a shelf – similar to a pedestal
one that I know I belong on
for i am the first and only edition
there are no reproductions or translations of me
take a page from me if you must

kbe.

original by me 06/09

written word: sole love story

I love shoes but waiting for the other to drop is the part I hate about them.
I wish there were some way I could avoid that way of thinking, but sometimes your past does have a way of messing with your future.
I’m not looking for perfection, just a good match – the right to my left, the flip to my flop.
Cuz when the shoe fits, nothing feels better.
And its true that you may have to try on many pairs before you find which to invest in.
And it is an investment.

Or at least should be.

Shopping at payless,you shouldn’t be too surprised when the shoe falls apart.
Buying shoes because they were on sale, because you were having a bad day, without trying them on will usually lead to regret.
And you should never regret a shoe.

Shoes make you feel good and look good.
They can change your mood and your body.
They can change how you see and present yourself.
(There is a reason why they say to always put your best foot forward)

So is it no wonder that every girl is in search of the perfect shoe?
That we see each other as competition and not someone who could help us find the right size?
Which is sad, because isn’t one of the best part of shoes is that one size doesn’t fit all?
That there is truly a match for everyone?

Sure there is disappointment when you see a shoe of beauty, but it doesn’t fit or its not in your size.
But perhaps it didn’t fit your budget or would have caused you more pain in the end.
And if there is one thing we’ve all done, is worn/bought a pair of shoes that didn’t fit.
Knowing fully well it wouldn’t get better down the road.
Convincing ourselves that it could.
Or that it would.

If only we tell in advance those flats cut, the heels break, the upper doesn’t stretch before we open up our…wallets. We could save ourselves some pain and heartache.

But then there are the hidden gems.

The sale shoe everyone over looked.
The fave pair, go-to boot that would never let you down.
The shoe you’ve repaired and put more money into after the fact than when you originally bought it.
The shoe that goes with everything.
The shoe that makes someone stop you and say: what a great match!
Those are the shoes we should be wearing.

They are the shoes who will stand with you, help you stay tall, keep you grounded, pointy in the right direction and well rounded, walk with you, run away with you, help you jump and soar.
They will support and keep you warm.
They will protect you from the storm.
They are good right down to the sole and up to your soul.

Don’t forget you have to take care of your shoes, if they are going to take care of you.
Protect them, appreciate them for what they can and cannot do.
After all shoes is only one part of the outfit.

Maybe the Cinderella had it right, leaving a shoe behind so that instead of looking for it, it finds you.
And when it does, it may not be a seamless fit right away, like it is in the fairy tales.
You might need some time to become comfortable with it.
And there is nothing wrong with that.

Just remember, that if the shoe fits: you must wear it
Wear it well.
Wear it with pride.
Wear it with love.

kbe.