Month: March 2017

In Whose Name?

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Changed the title of the poem, I think this one is more fitting. Listen to Bob Dylan’s – with god on our side … that song and a few others inspired me to pen this poem

mikesnexus

the evil that men do

in the name of a god

is not in god’s name

but rather

evil enacted

in their name



hypocrisy prevails

in whose name?

some faceless god?

no…….

just greed

and the face on the lucre



the victorious

the arrogant

the ungodly

there is no god of the righteous

only the greedy

might is not always right

but greed trumps



"in god's name"

is now a lament of regret

what have we become

© 2017 michael d emmerich

 

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In Whose Name?

/ mikesnexus / 1 Comment 
the evil that men do

in the name of a god

is not in god’s name

but rather

evil enacted

in their name



hypocrisy prevails

in whose name?

some faceless god?

no…….

just greed

and the face on the lucre



the victorious

the arrogant

the ungodly

there is no god of the righteous

only the greedy

might is not always right

but greed trumps



"in god's name"

is now a lament of regret

what have we become

© 2017 michael d emmerich

 

The Wall of Time

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that wall of time

over the years

it just gets higher

the great separator



that great divide

shuffling out the old

ushering in the new

breaking bridges along the way



conformity

that builder of walls

destroyer of bridges

ensuring, at best

only memories remain



bridges built across time

memoirs adsorb the unwanted

safely travelling back

allowing

old to become

…..

the new, new

© 2017 michael d emmerich

Writers/Creative Block (Partial)

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The ideas are there, still flowing, my ideas journal is being topped up, writing is taking place; but I am just battling to fully translate the ideas into a completed poem – that is ripe and ready to enjoy – in my opinion. The branches are thick with fruit, they look tempting, ready to pick, but no; they are still to green, so there they must hang and just be viewed by me and not enjoyed by others. Each day I return to see if they can be picked and posted, but no, so I just have to sit and stare at them, hoping they ripen, so frustrating. At present, I am writing, but all the poems are either incomplete or unsatisfactory – just missing that something.

My usual tricks of the trade are not working:

  • Longs walk (done)
  • Inspirational playlist via headphones (done)
  • Required reading (done)
  • Teapot full and ready (done)
  • Dream Inspiration (incomplete)
  • Vent/Rant writing (Incomplete)
  • Faking it till I make it (battling there)

They say that writer’s block, is often caused by conflicted emotions, outside pressures and distractions outside the norm. Most of us who write are marginally OCD, (or maybe I should only speak for myself) when it comes to our writing and the finished product. We can see the finished product, but just battle to map the route or are confused by the multiple routes available, or as in my case; I am at point A and can see that I need to be at B or whatever! but have no clue as to where the path lies. I have a few finished poems, but am afraid to post them, afraid that they will not measure up to the readers expectations, which is really bullshit, as how can I presume to know what the reader will read or interpret. As they say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

My writing is at times cathartic and I write even in the deepest and darkest moments, but not today, (or yesterday or the day before that). Is it possible that to much angst, can be a bad thing?

“A great deal of poetic work has arisen from various despairs.”

Lou Andreas-Salomé, the First Woman Psychoanalyst, on Depression and Creativity in Letters to Rilke

What do you, dear gentle reader, do if you are a writer and/or artist?

© 2017 michael d emmerich

Self Publishing My Anthology

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To all of my followers and gentle readers, I am busy preparing my anthology of poetry for publication later this year. To this end I have started a crowd funding campaign, donors are also eligible for a personal signed copy, shipped to them once published.

help-me-to-publish-my-first-poetry-anthology

The introduction has been drafted, cover has been designed, back stories for some of the poems penned and possibly a few interesting photos of my working notes have been taken to (hopefully) insert into the anthology. This is where you dear gentle reader come into the picture,  by helping me to select 30 to 35 poems, some of which are listed on my site:

Michael’s Poems

The working title of the anthology is yet to be decided, but I am dabbling with; Shadow Chasers or Chasing Shadows .. as many of my poems delve and dive into the gray, darker parts of my mind

Thanks again for all the likes and follows, and hopefully some of you, by year end, be a proud owner of a signed and inscribed copy of Chasing Shadows.

see you in the web world 🙂

The Ballad of Nikkie Jean

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sub-titled – the ballerina assassin @nikkiejanee1972

in the still of the night

as we chase the sunset

candles flicker in the wind

the swan lies in repose

the pirouette slows

en pointe is driven home



when the deal goes down

red lips of mercury approach

the mist rises

the die is cast

the creed is done



these visions of bella donna

conquer my mind

my achilles is found

I claw my way out

of the memphis mobile

feeling blue



pill box hats

consume my dreams

the wind whispers la’ bella

while mercury vapours consume me

my time is pledged

the reaper awaits



the sad-eyed ballerina assassin

enters, riding

the 6th white horse of the apocalypse

as she drifts slowly

over the undulating lowlands



tears are falling from on high

the lips of a precious angel

delivering kisses like buttery wings

while storms roll in from afar

bringing that familiar morning smell

we oh so love



stoned and fractured

harried by the dozen and 35

the swan is lowered

to yonder depths

to rise again

à bientôt

© 2017 michael d emmerich

The Price We Pay

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grief

disorder or disease

sign of weakness

some would say

but,

it is the price

we pay for living



an emotional, physical

spiritual necessity

part of who we are

the price you pay

……

for love



the cure for grief

it is to grieve

own it

hold it close

treasured, nurtured

it is the price

we pay for caring



the journey of life

requires travel luggage

grief is our carryon luggage

our constant companion

the price we pay

for being

© 2017 michael d emmerich

My Top 10 Bob Dylan Love Songs

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My next nigh on impossible task (thanks to my Dylan twitter friends), is to select my best Bob Dylan love songs. As an introduction, let me say that Together Through Life (April 2009), in my humble opinion is his most romantic album. It also depends on which reviews you read, as many of the songs are open to diverse interpretations (but that is the way Bob rolls). The entire album is bluesy jaunt as he surveys the world and country, as he slowly  drives by; never giving up on love, even if it is a shared misery.

He croaks his way through sadness, disappointment and exhaustion, “with the blood of the land in his voice”. Its an unforced, emotionally strong album coming off the back of his renaissance trilogy of albums (Time Out Of Mind, Love And Theft and Modern Times). In his own words, from the album: “I wouldn’t change it even if I could. You know what they say: It’s all good.”

I have not taken any songs from my previous list – My Top 10 Bob Dylan Songs some of those possibly could have ended up here – (barring one in the Special Mentions list at the end). I have also not included any songs from Together Through Life.

Well here goes … in alphabetical order:

Brownsville Girl – Knocked Out Loaded (1986) – A wistful lyrical song of a lover from his distant past. Dylan speaks to a lover, presumably one gone years before, and muses that she reminds him of his current love – he says she has the same “dark rhythm in her soul”. An epic and touching homage to a past lost love.

I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight – John Wesley Harding (1968) – A simple sweet song for anybody to sing to their lover, even if it is only for one night 🙂 . Light the fire, uncork the red wine and lets get cosy.

If Not For You – New Morning (1970) – A beautiful, simple love ballad. For me the best version is Bob and George Harrison, live at the Concert for Bangladesh rehearsals (1971). Their interaction, body language, smiles and laughter is just so endearing. If you have not seen this video it is a must 🙂

Is Your Love in Vain – Street Legal (1978) – Dylan asks, straight out, “Are you willing to risk it all or is your love in vain?” An emotional roller coaster song about the man himself? We can hear the pain, tiredness and weariness when he says, “All right, I’ll take a chance, I will fall in love with you”.

Lay Lady Lay – Nashville Skyline (1969) – Some trivia, it was originally written for the soundtrack of the movie Midnight Cowboy, but wasn’t submitted in time to be included in the finished film. I love the live version on the Hard Rain live in concertalbum.

Love Minus Zero/No Limit – Bringing It All Back Home (1965) – I enjoy the live version The Bootleg Series Vol. 5: Bob Dylan Live 1975, The Rolling Thunder Revue  – The song is believed to be dedicated to his future wife Sara.

Precious Angel – Slow Train Coming (1979) – I very syrupy love song straight from the from the heart, its from Dylan’s religious period; there are some gems tucked away in those hidden years.

Shooting Star – Oh Mercy (1989) – Shooting stars, an analogy of religion or romance, I prefer the romance analogy. Love lost and still longed for, and then remembered. If you have not heard the MTV Unplugged reissue (1995) I urge you to download that version.

Wedding Song (Who loves you more?) – Planet Waves (1974)  One of Dylan’s, not quite lost songs from the Empire Burlesque recordings. The song is filled with loving sentiment, but there is an undercurrent of loss, and almost pleading; What’s lost is lost, “we can’t regain what went down in the flood” certainly suggests some “trouble in paradise”. But that’s why we love Bob, he always leaves us guessing.

When The Deal Goes Down – Modern Times (2006) – When I hear this song, I get the mental image of the movie; On Golden Pond, 2 elderly lovers, in their golden years, comfortable in each others company and silence; sharing their last days together, in peace and love.

Each invisible prayer is like a cloud in the air
Tomorrow keeps turning around
We live and we die, we know not why
But I’ll be with you when the deal goes down

Well Worth a  Mention:

Who Loves You More (1984)  – This is a bootleg, available on the Clean Cuts Bootleg – Who Loves You More. Click on the link, well worth a listen. Seemingly, Dylan is just pouring out random lines in relation to his love for the woman.

Mississippi – Love and Theft (2001) – The troubadours love song, the drifter, wanting his woman to stick with him in tough times, hoping for better days. There are a few other interpretations, one being a political commentary of a changing country.

Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now
So give me your hand and say you’ll be mine