Category Archives: Social Issues

day 61 – a ReVerse…well that was a week!

A bright crescent Moon dancing with Venus
~ kat 2025

a ReVerse…well that was a week!

history repeats itself
though nuanced variations can shift
it’s a quandary I’ve wrestled with
dreams of youth pending
deep breath…deep breath
as chaos churns
the birds are singing | people will perish
an attempted murder, two crows in a tree
it’s a murder now, two crows are three

~kat

It was the art of the steal…oops I meant deal…(wink) on display for the world to see this week. A mafioso-styled set-up meant to obliterate a genuine, humble leader, an ally, complete with a bad-cop hillbilly goon to rough up the mark, appeasing the Don, to cry foul when the truth was revealed. We all saw it clear as day. A shifting of alliances exposed, and the deal that never was meant for peace tossed aside, lauded as good TV for a delighted audience of one leering from his tower in the S.U., while his puppet danced awkwardly, the strings we all suspected finally exposed. The grand hall rats were waiting in the wings of course, ready to spread the toxic prepared talking points. “The nerve! The ungratefulness! Disrespectful! What was he wearing? No suit to meet with the greatest president in the history of presidents in his hallowed Oval Office! The audacity! No deal!??! No peace!” though it is becoming increasingly clear that peace was never, nor will be, part of this or any deal.

I feel the need to apologize to the world for this terrible mess even though I didn’t vote for it. I fought for the truth…and continue to fight. The truth is that truth died a long time ago. We are no longer the United States of America. We’re anything but united. Relegated to red bleeding into and obliterating blue. But over half of us are blue…we know at least that to be true. Sharpie scribbled maps…gulf of ‘merica, red, white, and blue land, gaza riviera, u.s. canal…please don’t trust us. The deals our leaders propose are laced with poison, self interest and malevolence. I stand with you…I stand with Ukraine…with Canada…with the Palestinian people of Gaza…with Mexico…with Panama …with Greenland and Denmark, and all other people’s and nations who find themselves the object of, and in the cross-hairs of our horrible leader’s lust for power, self aggrandizement, bigotry, hate, and cruelty. History repeats itself, obvious to those of us who know history. This is what ignorance breeds. This is democracy dying. 

The only glimmer I can muster these dark days is this…this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine…

Peace, love, and glimmers to you.

~kat


A ReVerse poem (a practice I started many years ago) is a summary poem with a single line lifted from each entry of a collection of work over a particular timeframe and re-penned in chronological order as a new poem. Unlike a collaborative poem, the ReVerse features the words of one writer, providing a glimpse into their thoughts over time. I use it here as a review of the previous week.


day 59 ~ exploring the cleave

it’s okay…I’m ok…everything’s okay

it will be okay | there will be collateral
the morning sun is bright | shine a light
the sky is blue | expose the lies
the birds are singing | people will perish
wake up, stretch | as they flex their hatred
take a walk amidst the trees | and burn things down
deep breath…deep breath | don’t exhale
embrace sweet routine | as chaos churns
a day like every other | unprecedented cruelty and power
work, play, rest, repeat | their malevolent goal
here in our bubbles | no one is safe
clinging to normal | democracy is dying
make bread | those starving for justice
sip sweet tea | long for peace
dawn to dusk | dusk to darkness
as the world spins | the sky is falling

~kat~

It’s been more than a minute since I tried my hand at a Cleave Poem. Described as three poems in one it is written in two contrasting side by side columns also designed to be read fully, line by line across both columns. What you see above is the total view.  But I’m going to break it down for you below as well…three poems in one. Truly a format fitting for times such as this. Cling to every glimmer you can muster. It’s not being delusional…it is survival!

Cleave poem breakdown part 1:

it’s okay…

it will be okay

the morning sun is bright

the sky is blue

the birds are singing

wake up, stretch

take a walk amidst the trees

deep breath…deep breath

embrace sweet routine

a day like every other

work, play, rest, repeat

here in our bubbles

clinging to normal

make bread

sip sweet tea

dawn to dusk

as the world spins

Cleave poem breakdown part 2:

I’m ok…?

there will be collateral 

shine a light

expose the lies

people will perish

as they flex their hatred

and burn things down

don’t exhale 

as chaos churns

unprecedented cruelty and power

their malevolent goal

no one is safe

democracy is dying

those starving for justice

long for peace

dusk to darkness

the sky is falling

And now jump back to the top and read the entire poem line by line…3 very different poems in one.

Peace, love, and glimmers to you…be kindness and hope for someone today. ✨✨✨💚💚💚✨✨✨


day 50

remember…
we are not broken
as fools have said

you are a brilliant, ferocious,
magic, dazzling star child
with heart and a voice
on fire for truth…use it

~kat

peace, love, and dazzling glimmers to you…use that beautiful voice of yours!

Magnetic Poetry – The Poet Kit


day 45 ~ and we wait & day 46 ~ affirmations

Spent several hours in the office space where I worked for 7 years before the pandemic sent me home to work remotely. It felt like a ghost town, but was a haven in the storm where I was able to recharge our generator batteries. Thankfully we didn’t need to use them for more than a few hours. in case you missed it… a huge glimmer her and gratefulness for access to resources.

Some random thoughts as I catch up on the past two days

day 45 ~ and we wait

blackout

the prospect of one more night
of bitter cold, of darkness, of death
our tropical fish succumbing one by one
it’s an unbearable burden
my best attempts to sustain us
woefully inadequate but I keep fighting
the warm-blooded souls under our roof
huddled, hanging on to the promise
that the services we depend upon
will be restored before day’s end
heartened by activity, tree removal
and utility trucks, in the neighborhood
trust slipping away by the hours
as darkness once again swallows the light

but I digress…
is this what it will be like
In coming years as safety nets
are eliminated, as our country crumbles
as the loyalists of the king are rewarded
and those of us opposed or other are
excluded to fend for ourselves…
must prepare, must be better prepared

huddled under layers of clothes and
blankets I close my eyes in hope
that at least this night the light
will break through, that power will
be restored, that we will be safe again
and then
a sputter, the hum of electronics, the
computer screens flash on, the printer
reboots and the heat growls to a start
i lay motionless, while the grid surges
wondering if it is temporary or real
…waiting…wondering…waiting
hoping…as the room becomes warmer
a sigh, a full breath of relief … such relief
short lived, as my mind rudely intrudes must be better prepared…must prepare

~kat

An update. Just lost a few tetras…the other fish held on!

day 46~affirmations 

repeat after me…

I’m still here
I matter
I have value
I am worthy
I am brave
I am a survivor
I deserve respect
I deserve to be happy
I deserve to be free
I am smart
I am compassionate
I am kind
I am light
I am love
and yes I am here…I AM SO HERE!

Peace, love, and glimmers of affirmation to you, and remember, you are a magnificent soul.

~kat

day 43

planning off the grid 

chickens…maybe a goat
or two…a donkey, a cow
I’m thinking that should do
the time to be prepared is now
we’ll need a garden, jars for canning
candles, and bulk bins of beans,
flour, grain, necessities, basic things
to self sustain these latter days
pro activity’s the way survivors
thrive, while making do with
what’s on hand we’ll make it through
we’ve known plenty, we’ve known want
life‘s not always been a jolly jaunt but
don’t you fret, at least you won
the vote you cast can’t be undone
your guy, dictator for a day, lusts
for the power to take away all
safety nets, all social norms
his vile band of misfits swarm
to steal the bounty for themselves
karma sucks you know, and hell
is raging here on earth, it’s sad
you never believed it could be this bad
chickens…maybe a goat
or two…a donkey, a cow
I’m thinking that should do
we’ll make it through

~kat

In times like these, crazy thoughts keep me up at night. Things like, how can we mitigate the rising cost of food…eggs in particular or so I’ve been told are a major concern… like toilet paper during the pandemic! As the prices soar they should at least be gold.  No more environmental protections, no more regulations to keep our food and water safe. No medical research, no education department, no more wokeness. Diversity doesn’t exist! Wipe those policies from the books, rewrite history. Make the “others”disappear. Take all those treasures gutted from our hallowed halls to an offshore bank. Tax the masses for more. it’s a nightmare that keeps growing more real. But, on a bright note…you knew I would get there, right? As a survivor, I know what to do. Prepare as best I can for the worst and hope for the best. That’s your glimmer for today. be prepared…and hope. And be kind to others and yourself. 

Our electricity has succumbed once again to the snow and ice. I write to you this evening on a fading phone battery and by candlelight. The total darkness that surrounds me only adds to the drama and gravity of this moment in time. But unlike power outages past, this time I have a small generator and a space heater to keep us. This time we were prepared. We’re going to be okay…

Peace, Love, and Glimmers of Hope and Resilience to you and yours!

~kat