Best friend defined:

My best friend
helps me to maintain,
my best friend
doesn’t take advantage of me,
my best friend gives me energy

to keep climbing this mountain,
which is so called a living,
my best friend isn’t an enemy
who wants to devour me,

when the sky is cloudy for me,
my best friend reminds me
of the Almighty mathematician,
who can freely give me a solution,

my best friend
says a prayer for me,
and tells me it shall end,
for I am in God’s hand,

my best friend
puts food inside my body,
not crack or dope,
my best friend is not jealous of me,
that’s why my best friend gives me hope,
when depression tries to devour me,
my best friend goes above and beyond
to help me cope.

When You’re Not Having Fun

Arcades are full of brilliant people
Who don’t dwell on their thoughts
Moonbeams like lightning provoke thought
If you can see through the window
You may rather venture out to the other side

Can I ever…
I love him like a friend
What does it mean?… Friend

Like mornings bring the opposite of constipation
I needed him there
There they are; stuck

I thank readily
I see the beach
As I lay on the shore
Trying to psychically relay the message

Does he know I think of him this much?
Does he know I think this much of him?

Needing relief
I cannot pine for him any longer
Sitting…thinking… feeling
It is time for independence

To become something more than a girlfriend
Time to grow,
Time to seek,
Time to find; to be mentionable

The world is a big place
It is a place of work and of reason
But sitting on the couch every day
Don’t make sense any day, when you’re well
And it isn’t found to be very interesting either

How does he find interest in me
When I do not

What isn’t a game
What isn’t fun
There’s a reason why children play
They are very serious about it
And intent about it.

All that I don’t know
Doesn’t mean that I’m incapable
All I need is practice and to show up

Getting out of bed is no barrier
Of course it could be
But I know I can do it.
For I bring natural gifts
That the world at work and play,
Would find necessary to healing

Part of lounging on the beach or the couch
While, relaxing is being thankful that you or I have worked
And knowing that there is always more to be done
Another connection to be made
Another fullness of the moon on its way
When you’re not at least a little scared
When you’re not having fun
It’s time to turn the page and start a new chapter
Or to play a new game

Sonnet To Water
after W.S.

Of all elements, the lucent master.
Of first and last necessities,
the indomitable, flowing king.
Marching in blue-green echelons,

sculpting our porous coasts,
it also threads the blood
by ubiquitous routes.
As crystalline symbol,

it stands as ocean
for scores of
sunken archetypes,

informing the speech,
the man, and his bent
in a pooled invisible.

The world is not scary
You are safe
The world is what you make of it
You can be scared sad and lonely
Or you can try
Try to be happy
Try to see the good in the world
Because there is good
Even if you don’t see it
Where ever you are
I believe you can be calm too
I wish the world around can sometime bloom
Just remember now
The world is not scary
And you are safe

P.R.E.N.A.
“Inspired”: Poetry, Rhyming & Essay/Newsletter Article
(“Prena” is a feminine Hindi name meaning, “Inspired”)
*This mini-compilation is dedicated to my friend Jennifer. She unexpectedly passed away just recently and she was kind, compassionate and caring. She “inspired” me to be my best possible version of myself by example while always carrying herself with a quiet dignity and grace.

POETRY & RHYMING

“WE”
We speak differently with our lips while hailing from many lands but we ought to come to grips and come out from under our own lampstands…

Be the first one who understands that we all need to joined at the hips as well as the hands…So that we can be bonded together with our friendships…

God above is not making any… unreasonable demands!

We all have our claim to fame but we have to be the first one to plant the seeds of love and avoid pointing out everyone else’s misdeeds…

Be the first to stop the blame because our ultimate aim should be taking care of everyone’s needs for the simple fact is… we all bleed the same!

Though we are made up many colors, languages, cultures and… countless creeds!

Now release the peace dove and s keep in mind all the words above while always remembering “the greatest language of them all” is… “love”, Love!

Love conquers all infirmities. Love conquers all. Love!

“ILLUMINATION”
Heaven’s firmament cleanses
the darkest corners of my soul/
Love warmth peace purification
are the new afflictions
as I ponder a new direction/
The Holy One now resides
eclipsing the black hole
that was once only occupied by Sheol/
Now I am whole

“EMBRACE”
Faults and weaknesses abound
Imperfections ever crowned
Turn around and
Embrace your own sound
Embrace all I say
Both night and day
Cuz even if you stray
Let the light show you the way
Embrace

ESSAY/NEWSLETTER ARTICLE

“Spirit of Mankind”
The other day I went to a multi-use human services agency so that I could pick-up some staples from the food pantry that is located in the building. The premises were occupied by a large group of people who were connected to a volunteer agency. They were engaging in painting, assembling, cleaning and a whole host of other activities to the backdrop of music coming out of a boom box.

It resembled a busy beehive as no job was too big or too small with mild conversation thrown into the mix. From what I could decipher, the volunteers were made of both young and old alike as I imagined the workers could have come from a horde of backgrounds: retirees, high school and college students, people that have been laid-off and others that I cannot come up with. The volunteers did labor vigorously and undoubtedly accomplished their tasks probably within a single day that was allotted to them. No motivation of earning a day’s wage and or egos to feed. What came to me was a simple subtle joy that you can’t put in checking account as it reminded me when as I kid growing up in the housing projects when people would sweep the courtyard or help someone “new” move-in with no compensation other than being neighborly.

I did not come away with any food (the food pantry was closed) but more importantly this pessimist of society walked away with a renewed sense of hope that the spirit of mankind is alive and well as I joyfully came away with a lot more than food on that day.