Category Archives: Digital Art & Photos

September 25, 2018

September Poem #25

By Kat Myrman

proof,
the “gritty-nits”,
when tossed into a cesspool
of dull memories drowned in booze
conjures our worst demons

~kat

A word about the photo above. It is a composite of several men recently (within the last several years) accused or convicted of sexual assault against women. I layered their faces one on top of the other and blurred the final silhouette. In this age of “Me Too” it is hard to separate separate the demons from each other without convicting everyone before they’ve even been tried. Regardless of the seriousness of their transgressions, we are quick to treat all with the same intense condemnation. It is reasonable to say that an off color joke spoken in mixed company does not rise to the level of harassment or assault, and yet we demand justice. As for the women who have been truly victimized, who we want to believe and who deserve our deepest empathy and respect, it has become difficult to avoid lumping every claim that is made into one basket, which makes each revelation easier to dismiss. That is not fair to anyone. While it is important to believe those who bravely come forward knowing that they will be subject to unfiltered scrutiny, we must also take care to ensure fairness to all involved, be it affirmation for the victim or justice in a measure that is reasonable for the crime for those accused.  This issue has gotten so very blurry and politicized. Social change is never easy. These are important times and we need to get this right. May we always remember that our goal is equality, respect, empathy, and understanding…and not to win for the sake of winning.

8 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in Digital Art & Photos, Essays, Pensee, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings, Social Issues

September 25, 2018

She Said…

By Kat Myrman

thoughts, words mean nothing
‘specially when she says it
he rarely listens

~kat

For Ronovan Writes Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge: He & She.

5 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Digital Art & Photos, Haiku, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings

September 24, 2018

if…for girls

By Kat Myrman

if...for girls

If…for Girls

If you can dance with glee when no one’s looking;
and laugh when others catch you unaware
If you can love the girl you gaze at in the mirror
and realize she’s not her looks or wild hair
If you can fill your head with truth and knowledge
unashamed of being smart though boys may stare
And dream the dream of being anything you choose
reach for the stars, I promise, you’ll get there

If you can learn that strength is sometimes weak
that loving deeply’s bound to bring you pain
If knowing this you choose to love the least
and treat each person with respect, the same
If you would turn your ear from ugly chatter
defending the slandered scapegoat’s sullied name
Strive to be a friend who’s loyal, and forgiving
and when you’re wrong, bravely accept the blame

If you rejoice with others when they’re winning
and realize your own worth’s not diminished
If you can trust your heart and intuition, follow
through, see things you’ve started to the finish
If everyone around you tries to stop you
from being who you are, saying you’re foolish
Just rise to the occasion when it matters
there is no limit to what you’ll accomplish

If you remember all who came before you
the women who have lived and strived before
If you believe equality and liberation
are not some silly games to settle scores
If you’d pass this legacy on to your daughters
that women have a voice, teach them to roar
And teach them too, compassion in this land of men
sometimes the gentle way proves less is more

If there is just one lesson I could give you
I’d remind you that you’re perfect as you are
If I could live my life again knowing all this
I wouldn’t change a thing, we’ve come so far
If…what if, each girl grew up believing
their value’s not dependent on unrealistic bars
having it all is an impossible illusion
you’ll find your way by following your heart

~kat

A poem for Mind Love Misery’s Menagerie’s Sunday Writing Prompt inspired by the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling. (See Below) I couldn’t resist writing my own version, but this one is for the girls.

If—

Rudyard Kipling, 1865 – 1936

If you can keep your head when all about you
   Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
   But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
   Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,
   And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
   If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
   And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
   Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
   And stoop and build ‘em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
   And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
   And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
   To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
   Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”;

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
   Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
   If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run—
   Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

13 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Digital Art & Photos, Life Lessons, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings

September 24, 2018

September Poem #24

By Kat Myrman

friended
like potential
to feed your narcissism
heart your selfies, pledge loyalty,
unfriended for diff’ring

~kat

Have you noticed how little we talk these days, choosing instead to tweet and post detached words on a screen for whoever might read it. and truth be told, secretly we’re hoping that our growing list names will like it or even heart it…give it a thumbs up? Sadly, if we ever dare to diasgree with a friend online it is painless and easy to block someone or even worse, unfriend them, which leads to an even worse thing, ghosting, no questions, no trying to understand the other’s point of view, no agreeing to disagree, not even a goodbye. All that is left is a hole where once a relationship in real life may have existed. And all because we don’t talk…to each other…anymore.

So…if i might be so bold, I’d like to suggest something revolutionary. Pick up the phone and call that old friend or relative. You may need to leave a message, because people screen their calls for telemarketers. (I know I do) But don’t hang up…leave a message, connect, say something. we might not be so afraid of everthing these days if we just started talking to each other. Peace. ❤️

4 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Digital Art & Photos, Pensee, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings

September 24, 2018

Scars – Manic Monday

By Kat Myrman

scars

scars

she wants to be
unnoticed, an image
sculpted deeper, her
pain cut away, ‘cause
the dark knows you
and the heart could
change its scars to
beautiful…she dreams
to be nothing and
everything, she fades
away, goes deeper, the
mirror helps you see a bit
clearer, the light within,
a hope waiting, and a
beautiful heart, no scars
there, waiting in the dark…

you know you could change
the world to beautiful

~kat

A BlackOut Poem for Manic Monday’s Three-Way Prompt Challenge: Prompt Word: Scars/Song: Scars to your beautiful – Alessia Cara/Photo: as seen above. The full text of the lyrics of the song is listed below with text lifted for today’s poem in bold.

Scars to Your Beautiful
Alessia Cara

She just wants to be beautiful
She goes unnoticed, she knows no limits
She craves attention, she praises an image
She prays to be sculpted by the sculptor
Oh, she don’t see the light that’s shining
Deeper than the eyes can find it
Maybe we have made her blind
So she tries to cover up her pain and cut her woes away
‘Cause cover girls don’t cry after their face is made

But there’s a hope that’s waiting for you in the dark
You should know(s) you’re beautiful just the way you are
And you don’t have to change a thing, the world could change its heart
No scars to your beautiful, we’re stars and we’re beautiful
Oh-oh, oh-oh
And you don’t have to change a thing, the world could change its heart
No scars to your beautiful, we’re stars and we’re beautiful

She has dreams to be an envy, so she’s starving
You know, cover girls eat nothing
She says beauty is pain and there’s beauty in everything
What’s a little bit of hunger?
I could go a little while longer, she fades away
She don’t see her perfect, she don’t understand she’s worth it
Or that beauty goes deeper than the surface
Oh, oh
So to all the girls that’s hurting
Let me be your mirror, helps you see a little bit clearer
The light that shines within

There’s a hope that’s waiting for you in the dark
You should know you’re beautiful just the way you are
And you don’t have to change a thing, the world could change its heart
No scars to your beautiful, we’re stars and we’re beautiful

Oh-oh, oh-oh
And you don’t have to change a thing, the world could change its heart
No scars to your beautiful, we’re stars and we’re beautiful

No better you than the you that you are (no better you than the you that you are)
No better life than the life we’re living (no better life than the life we’re living)
No better time for your shine, you’re a star (no better time for your shine, you’re a star)
Oh, you’re beautiful, oh, you’re beautiful

And there‘s a hope that’s waiting for you in the dark
You should know you’re beautiful just the way you are
And you don’t have to change a thing, the world could change its heart
No scars to your beautiful, we’re stars and we’re beautiful
Oh-oh, oh-oh
And you don’t have to change a thing, the world could change its heart
No scars to your beautiful, we’re stars and we’re beautiful

Songwriters: Alessia Caracciolo / Andrew Wansel / Coleridge Tillman / Warren Felder
Scars to Your Beautiful lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group

 

7 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , | posted in Blackout Poetry, Challenges and Writing Prompts, Digital Art & Photos, Poetry