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CHAPTER FOUR(EXCERPT)
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poetic reflections
keep the heart of
a child
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poeticreflections
keep the heart ofa child
Lori R. Lopez
Authors DraftTrilllogic Innoventions
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contents
forward! 1
1. ode to a poem 3
2. nonsense and stuff 21
3. punderances 35
4. existentialism 57
5. the silent resonance of regret 77
6. hallowing 99
7. preposterosities 117
8. bon-mottery 129
9. trust 145
10. mfriend 171
11. bewary very 189
12. treedom 205
13. thirteen 225
but seriously 245
about the author 247
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4
existentialism
(Original Publication Date onTrilllogic Innoventions: August 25, 2009)
Well, what about it? you might ask.Im getting to that; hang onto your berets!
Oh yes, Im the poet. Hang onto your chinsthen . . . Philosophically, Existentialismrelates to free will. But is everyone in theworld free? Not by a long shot. Somebecause of their own mistakes. Othersbecause they were born into bad situations,or were in the wrong place at the right time.
Some are imprisoned by fear, doubt, anger,even hate stemming from the scars ofexperience and loss; the twisty ties thatbind.
But what binds all of us together?The mere fact we exist. We share thiswondrous hurtling planet at preciselythe same point in time, and thats prettyastounding! If the degree of closenessof our D.N.A. isnt enough to convinceyou, being here now should certainly giveyou a sense of warmness toward yourfellow human beings. Its like were part
of one big messy superfamily. Sure,a bickering dysfunctional splinteredfamily group (sound familiar?), yeta family nevertheless!
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What does it matter? Good grief,must every paragraph begin witha question?!? Okay, Im the one writing
this so I guess that could be construed asmy fault. Guess Ive answered my ownquestion then! Back to your question.Which I considerately composed for you.Everything matters. Life matters. If itdidnt, we wouldnt be here.
What Im trying to say is, and thatisnt a question, dont let it pass you by.Dont let it slip away while youre blinking.Approach this gift of life with your eyeswide, your heart too, or youll miss thebest parts.
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existentialismFraught by doubt from its conception
Against all odds and every evenLife is like a game of chance
Youre here and then youre leavin!
Frights and blights may long divert us
Plagues and lags might weigh like boulders
Paths can stray or stall or wender
Hauling worlds upon our shoulders
Existential truths allude
While Gravity our ankle grips
Minds will query, ambitions tarry
As the moments memory of detail slips
Yet by birth we all share one thing
That none can ever quite remove
The quest for freedom, a yenning spiritTo live unshackled within our groove
And as the record spins its song
The needle dulling at each turn
We fondly crackle-pop with age
And cherish lives well-learned
Its not the distance traveledNor the wrinkles we attain
What matters in the end will be
The texture of the rain
What I remember most will be
Soul-dancing in the rain.
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Quoth the knaven, Othermore!
I suppose Im supposed to impart
some additional traditional existentialblather here. You know, why anything isanything and nothing is nothing andeverything is, well, you get the picture.
The thing of it is (and I say that a lot,especially while chatting with myself), noneof us would be anything without life. We
wouldnt be here, having this one-sidedconversation, if we didnt exist.
We wouldnt care about our feudwith the neighbors, the latest office politics,what so-and-so said about such-and-such.
We wouldnt care about anything atall. And thats somewhat remarkable, ifn
ya think about it. Doesnt it put all of thoselittle worries, those piddling paucities ofLife, into perspective?
If your reply is no, you probablyshouldnt be reading this book. You needto consult someone who actually knowsanything about something or other. Imserious. Put down the book and scuttleoff.
Now that thats settled, lets get onwith it. And dont ask, On with what?I was hoping youdknow.
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Anything(Song Lyrics 1993)
When I surprise myself
By growing in some way
I see myself as someone else
I was not yesterday
I reach below
The surface of my lifeAnd feel the flow
Of something more than pride
I feel the power rise
I feel the energy
I feel the flow of something endless
In the depth of me
A strength I never knew I had
I feel that I can beAnything
When my ideas
Dont amount to anything
And I just want to find a place
To lose myself within
But I cant go
Cant run away and hideBefore I know
I feel a change inside
I feel the power rise
I feel the energy
I feel the flow of something endless
In the depth of me
A strength I never knew I had
I feel that I can beAnything
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When I get caught in moods
Of wondering who I am
I see a strangers face
Reflected on the windowpaneWhen I feel low
I keep it all inside
It doesnt show
The trail of tears Ive cried
It takes me time to fill my mind
With confidence
And all it takes
Is one harsh wordTo bring me down again
But when it flows
It lifts me way up high
Im on my toes
And reaching for the sky
I feel the power rise
I feel the energy
I feel the flow of something endlessIn the depth of me
A strength I never knew I had
I feel that I can be
Anything.
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HerstoryThis is the Story of a writer
Telling the story of a WriterIn a panoply of Voices
It is the Classic Tale
Of a Little Girl Lost
A Woman scorned
And a Mother found
Here is a record of Truth
The odyssey of a VictimThe history of a Survivor
The epic struggle to be heard
It is the chronicle of a Dreamer
Who would become Three
Yet seek and aspire as One
This is a story you cannot forget
It is a story that must be toldA compendium of universal themes
Yet it is my story
And will be Ourstory
For now I shall name it
Herstory.
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This Year(January 14, 2004
Penned On My Birthday)
Last year
Was going to be
The one
To finally make my dreams
Explode
To find
The perfect wordsThe right
Ideas
To make it happen
Last year
I penned some tales
Competed, was defeated
Followed my pathOf winding wishes
And never quit
Believing
Last year
It didnt happen
But I wrote . . .
This year
As yet unknown
Ill keep believing
Reaching higher and achieving
With quills of hope
Risking
Soaring
On ambitious plumesPowered by
Exhilaration
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This year
Luck could change
Things may be different
And still the sameIll be a dreamer
A fantasy weaver
Spinning my threads
This year
Whatever happens
I will write.
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A LifetimeSpontaneous
AmazingPensive
Compromising
Challenging
Fragile
Predictable
Exciting
Fleeting
Common
Painful
Inspiring
Pliable
Susceptible
EmotionalContriving
Mysterious
Unique
Uncertain
Abiding.
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Count The Times(Song Lyrics 1994/1995)
The clock is ticking softly on the wall
I feel its presence now
Much more than yesterday
Warning not to let the seconds disappear
Into a stream of years
That swiftly flows away
A parents love is deeper as each second goesIt pains the strongest hearts to see
Their babies grow
Yet while the needs are less
They give more joy with every step they take
Into the world
Im watching every precious move you make
To play within my heartUpon a silver screen
The many little things that people
Let slip by
And then pretend theyve seen
I wont make that mistake
Im countin times
That youve made a difference in my lifeCountin ways
Youve transformed my days from dark to bright
Im countin too
That therell always be a part of you
Whos countin every time the way I do.
I feel like I was learning how to crawl
Just yesterdayAnd now Im standing tall
Though I dont know it all
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Im trying to make a mark
So youll be proud of me
Sometimes its hard to see
The man or woman that a child can be
Days slip past much faster every year
I once was unaware
But now its clear, I know
We need to catch each moment
In our hands
Like a butterfly
Then let it go
The clock is ticking softly on the wall
I feel its presence now
Much more than yesterday
Warning not to let the seconds disappear
Into a stream of years
That swiftly flows away
Im countin times
That youve made a difference in my life
Countin ways
Youve transformed my days from dark to bright
Im countin too
That therell always be a part of you
Whos countin every time the way I do.
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Sweet(Song Lyrics 2006)
Theres a lot of talk
Around the world about
Better ways to end it all
But I dont believe
Yes, I truly doubt
Most of us would like to callIt a day
Just throw it away
Wed rather get along
And so Ill pen more songs
To say
To all the rest of you
Weve better things to do
TodayWalking through the trees
Dancing in the rain
Rejoicing in the flow
Of breeze across the plain
Holding someone dear
Laughing till we cry
Living every day
Reaching past the skyWaltzing with the stars
Strolling through the dew
Relaxing at the shore
With nothing else to do
But listen to your heart
The syncopated beat
The rhythm of each life
Is anything as sweet?
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What the diplomats
With their bombs and guns
Cant seem to understand
We want a better worldThan they have given us
Not a world thats bound to end
All in vain
Its so insane
Wed rather live some more
Exchanging peace not war
Is that okay?
With all that we endureWed like to feel secure
Each day
As we labor in our fields
Toil in factories
As our tasks become one whole
Touching all societies
Every person plays a role
At the center of the stageEvery creature has a place
On every turning page
We need to get along
And so Ill pen more songs
To try
Convincing all of you
Weve better things to do
Than die
I am a patriot
Yet I can see beyond
The edges of Belief
To other families
Who share as deep a bond
Who look a lot like me
What leaders great and smallDont seem to understand
Who aim their guns so carelessly
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Im just a citizen
Im just like anyone
Who wishes to be free . . .
Walking through the treesDancing in the rain
Rejoicing in the flow
Of breeze across the plain
Holding someone dear
Laughing till we cry
Living every day
Reaching past the sky
Waltzing with the starsStrolling through the dew
Relaxing at the shore
With nothing else to do
But listen to your heart
The syncopated beat
The rhythm of each life
Is anything as sweet?
Is anything so sweet?
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Against The Knife(Song Lyrics 1983/1993)
You see me every day
You pass me on the street
Sometimes you look away
Sometimes you frown at me
Im reaching out my hand to you
As if for life
Im shakin in my worn-out shoes
Against the knife
Im Homeless, Im the poor
Im easy to ignore
Im where, but for the grace of God
Goes everyone
So say a little prayer for me
Ill pray for you
Im reaching out my hand to youAs if for life
Im shakin in my worn-out shoes
Against the knife
Against the knife!
Im living on the edge
Of your periphery
Im wretched and obscureBut Im humanity
Im reaching out my hand to you
As if for life
Im shakin in my worn-out shoes
Against the knife
You see me every day
You pass me on the streetSometimes you look away
Sometimes you frown at me
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Im reaching out my hand to you
As if for life
Im shakin in my worn-out shoes
Against the knifeAgainst the knife!
Im reaching out my hand to you
As if for life
Im shakin in my worn-out shoes
Against the knife
Against the knife!
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Anthem For Humanity(Song Lyrics 2006)
Ive been raised to believe
In a nation under God
Where people of all colors can reside
Standing on a land
In the footprints of great men
Where bravehearts of all races lived and diedAt the foot of a great lady
Who towers in each heart
As an emblem for liberty
By the light of her torch
I have viewed a kindred spirit
From sea to shining sea
I am an American.
Our blood is
Mexican, German, from Sweden, and England
Perhaps a little Franais too
Though we vote Republican or Democrat
We live independent
And are American through and through
We hail from distant shores
Yet one thing we all doWhether rich or poor
We love our families
The friends we come to know
We love the land for which we stand
No matter where we go
We love where we are from
We need our private space
But when all is said and doneWere all a single race
The race of Man
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From the breathtaking summit
Of an unfinished scaffold
To enduring columnsA beloved sagging tower
Down narrow cobbled streets
In the shadow of cathedrals
Gongs the echo of each hour
Quaint villages harbor tales
Of adventures and travails
A wealth of history
Walls of castles and museumsGuard a treasury of traditions
Preserved with dignity
I am a European
From the peaks of mighty pyramids
To the depths of creation
Co-existing side by side
From the dark of steaming jungleTo the blinding desert sun
We are poor yet rich in pride
From king to lowly pauper
Every creature is my brother
Every species has its path
Interior to coast
River delta to savannah
Living as I always haveI am an African
From the spires of Taj Mahal
And a meccas Wailing Wall
To the inner Chi of Man
Amid the cheering fans of stars
Beneath the glitter of nights canopy
For one and all I standA universal child
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My tears are older than the dinosaurs
My days, one blinking eye
With two hands I leave behind
An abundant legacyThe result of industry
Both good and bad
Will it stand the tests of Time?
I am a Human Being
We may be
Mexican, German, from Sweden, and England
American, a little Franais tooWe vote for freedom
Live for idealism
Our blood is red like you
We hail from distant shores
Yet one thing we all do
Whether rich or poor
We love our families
The friends we come to knowWe love the land for which we stand
No matter where we go
We love where we are from
We need our private space
But when all is said and done
There is but one true race
The race of Man.
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