ASCEND.
Spirits rise,
That's no surprise...
Lay down-
Don't frown.
Body turns to dust,
That is a must...
Shed no tear-
There's nothing to fear.
Let all loved ones,
Gather around~ please...
Pay respect-
To those who are now past.
Their soul is goin',
Heavenly place~ headin'...
Into the light-
A place so bright.
Sing a song,
All day long...
Goodbye mon amour-
Till we meet once more.
October in Chicago
Autumn reminds me of October in Chicago. October in Chicago was always a hard month, sweatshirts and long pants to harbor against the chill in the air. And there is always a chill, whether the sun is shining or not, the wind off of the lake will always be colder than the air of the city. Turning leaves in the park that always fall to early and walking in the wind tunnels of downtown that always leave your face red.
But for me, October in Chicago always emotes a mixture of the bittersweet and the feeling of hope. See I don't know what it is with me, maybe its like the Salmon swimming up stream to mate but I have always found myself in the company of a woman, be it friend or more when it comes to October.
Bittersweet because either something ended that I didn't want to end, or hopeful because I met someone new. But regardless of what happened, it still gives me that thrill of possibility whenever I am outside, in a sweater or sweatshirt and the chill is in the air.
I remember a break up, at the Art Institute, looking at the moderns and the fight that broke out from...I can't remember about what. It was just something that we both didn't like. But here is the thing, it was probably because I didn't like the way she thought about something. I was always wanting to listen to how a woman thinks. I mean besides their body to admire, I need someone to talk with, to read my poems to, to serenade to, right?
But in this particular case, the fight between me and this girl was loud where I got embarrassed - and I never get embarrassed. To me, there is always room for discussion, but for some reason we just didn't or couldn't find a way to talk about whatever it was we were fighting about. So it ended, there in the moderns section of the Art Institute.
Another time, in another October, I met a woman named Teri. She was incredibly beautiful and incredibly bright. And I was so filled with hope after meeting her that I was scared. It scared me that I had that feeling about her. But with her, opportunity in another state dashed the hopes of that budding relationship. It would be unfair to do the long distance thing, as we both discussed. We stayed friends as long as we could, but like all things, they seemed to drift off. Lengths of time between calls increased and soon... just stopped.
But these are some of the things Autumn reminds me of, October comes around. The bittersweet of ending relationships and the hope of possibilities from starting them anew. Anew in the crisp air of an October in Chicago.
Naked and Proud
One hundred brush strokes through auburn hair
as wind whispers through my open arms, gliding
multicolored leaves of Autumn to forested carpet.
I stand naked and proud, exposed branches
for all to see, fingers shivering as they clutch
the last few flags of a forgotten summer.
Struggling vines hug my torso in last attempt
before the frigid fangs of winter take my toll.
I weep with the morning dew, saying farewell
to the glorious colors blanketing my feet
as I prepare for my long sleep before Spring
costumes me in green coat of memories past.
Life Isn’t Fair
I am neither clever, nor sophisticated.
Some might argue that my views are antiquated.
Still, the older I grow the more I am aware
of the harsh reality that life isn't fair.
One can whine about it, or kick and scream and cry.
Me? I saw that all I had to do was just try.
I could read every self-help book on the shelf,
but no superhero would save me from myself.
While Fate composed my chapters mysteriously,
I resolved not to take life so seriously.
I have learned to surrender to the pain of truth,
and shun the humorless attitude of my youth.
In my thoughts and words, I find that I'm transcending
the tawdry cruelness of being condescending.
Because, my pal, I've seen how the past works out fine.
It's there that I've found evidence of the divine.
Asleep At the Wheel
I have nothing to eat
But Jesus, and his
Multitude of soggy
Misrepresentations...
...There's a Tulpa
For every chrysalis,
And tonight we'll
Go out swinging...
Dance with me
To the sirens,
While we still have
Breath to spare!...
...You've been cruising
On the notion
Of tomorrows
In your lair
Where you'll recline
In finest comfort
Barely blinking
At a past
That you've cruelly
Devoted
To cataclysm
Of the mass. . . . . . . . . . . .
,,,
but I'm waking
from this terror now!...
...Why did I trust
Those eyes
That led me down a
Primrose path
Of trespasses, and
Lies?...
©
2017
Bunny Villaire
Everything Matters
In the end, everything you do matters to someone. Every action affects at least one person. That person may be someone you know or it could be a total stranger. Don't ever think that your actions are useless. Even if you don't know it, you could be changing someone's life at any moment. So many people have made a positive impact in my life and I never told them. Maybe everyone should tell more people that they make their life better. Even if you think that it wouldn't even matter, in the end, you could be saving someone's life.