Category Archives: Social Issues

November 12, 2017

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 12 November 2017

By Kat Myrman

With every sensational soundbite, those who are paying too close attention (I am all to easily sucked in…guilty as charged) are reeling from the downward spiral of our uncivil civilization. I happen to have an American front row seat, but from your comments; you my friends across the pond, and from the north, south and east, this current state of unrest seems to be global. With nuclear options being flexed and monsters being exposed, I have even heard the “A” word mumbled under pundits baited breaths. “A” for apocalypse…oh my!

But I’m not buying it. And, well, if I’m wrong….that’s okay. I can deal with being wrong especially since there won’t be anyone around to say “I told you so…” Why am I not buying it? Not yet? There is still enough good in the world to hold this implosion at bay. Patriarchy is going down. Hate is being exposed for the ugly blight that it is. And we are starting to believe the women…and the innocents when they point at the emperor declaring that he is buck naked. He’s always been naked. I know it’s a shock, but that’s how truth rolls.

At any rate, the bad guys will still try to distract us from the truth, blame the victims, call monsters heroes. I don’t expect them to go down without a fight. But they are clearly desperate. That’s a good sign.

I know you’re weary. But we’re in the final stretch it seems to me. The apocalypse may be coming, but for a chosen few. I expect to be standing when the smoke settles.

Peace, truth, love…resist! ❤️

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 12 November 2017

she lights up a room / she’s a sorceress cackling, tock-tick-tick-tock-<
ainful<
..sorry to interrupt your eternal bliss<
ool nor-eastern zephyr whispers<
aging from coal soot nostrils<
rumbling to dust<
he burning stench of liquid iron, oozing<
hoose me, choose me<
..haven for hoards of crude middling beasties<
irtue is disdained<
oo beautiful to bear<
o not lose heart<
hey’re going down<
eartless fools who<
ish that you were here instead<
..brief glimmers of recognition

~kat

A shi sai or ReVerse poem 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 shi sai features the words of one writer, providing a glimpse into their thoughts over time. I use it as a review of the previous week.

6 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Digital Art & Photos, Essays, Life Lessons, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings, Shi Sai, Social Issues, Spirituality, Week in Review

November 10, 2017

Drain The Swamp

By Kat Myrman

‘And he saw how the reeds grew dark
At the coming of night-tide,’  W.B. Yeats

Drain the Swamp

a congress of reeds congregates in the shadows
corrupted, its oil glutted rodomont brims,
impassable moat churning pristine and brackish
host to edge dwellers too fearful to swim

as murky gray fog settles round its foundation
turbidity swirls, fire tangoing with ice
the tide ebbs disturbing its frail underpinning
sweeping them into all manner of vice

this haven for hoards of crude middling beasties
conceals crawling shape-shifters, long-legged fowl
slimy, amphibious, hideous predators
hiding sub-surface, always on the prowl

~kat

Today’s Prompt Verse for Jane Dougherty’s A Month with Yeats – Day Ten Poetry Challenge is from Yeats’ poem, ‘The Host of the Air.’ I resisted looking up the poem this time, before writing my own, because I wanted to focus entirely on the words of the verse. At first glance I imagined sunset rouged, tidal wetlands, with tall sea wheat and cattails; the day surrendering to evening. But when I looked up the word ‘reed’  I discovered it has a myriad of possible definitions; one in particular that caught me eye...from Webster: a person without strength of character. Oh…it went on…doorman, jellyfish, namby-pamby, pushover, weakling, wimp, coward, milquetoast, mouse, nebbish, nervous Nellie (or nervous Nelly), pussy [slang], wuss (also wussy) sheep. Not the idyllic scene I first imagined, but hey…I went with it, with a melding of the two. With so many reeds to inspire me on the world stage these days, how could I resist?!

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

November 9, 2017

Now is Not the Time…

By Kat Myrman
doll-2731568_960_720

From Creative Commons at Pixabay.com

‘Troy passed away in one high funeral gleam,
And Usna’s children died.’  – W.B. Yeats

Now is Not the Time…

the burning stench of liquid iron, oozing
clouds of ether, billowing from hell’s hot gate
midst crimson pools of life on pews, congealing
silent screams of innocents who met a too soon fate
with cool resign they sacrifice the children
offering thoughts and prayers as consolation
while coddling the vain and self-indulgent
as more blood spills they crush all condemnation
it makes no sense, this detour from all reason
building up tall walls just keep monsters inside
until this ends, the meek remain in season
don’t believe them when they say they care…they lie

~kat

Not sure what style of poem this is. It started out at a Rispetto, but I had more to say that two stanza’s would allow. So here it is then, a modified verse that rhymes and plods along in an iambic cadence some 11 syllables per line. Of course this is the ninth day of Jane Dougherty’s A Month with Yeats. Today’s inspiration comes once again from‘The Rose of the World’ by W.B. Yeats.

20 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings, Social Issues

November 8, 2017

Remembering We

By Kat Myrman

‘The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;’  -W.B.Yeats

Remembering We

she’s bleeding out in back-wood hollows
where stone monuments honor fools
raging from coal soot nostrils
pale faced freedom fighters
who stand for anthems
and love Jesus
on Sundays
yet fear
death
but
slowly
they come forth,
silenced voices
like seed pods bursting,
innocence reborn to
overwhelm the bloody mess
and hope’s pursuit of happiness,
people who remember they are we

~kat

A Nonet/Reverse Nonet* For Jane Dougherty’s A Month with Yeats – Day Eight Challenge inspired by the verse above from the poem ‘The Second Coming’ by W.B. Yeats.

*A nonet has nine lines. The first line has nine syllables, the second line eight syllables, the third line seven syllables, etc… until line nine finishes with one syllable.

7 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Digital Art & Photos, Nonets (9 Lines/9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1), Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings, Social Issues

November 7, 2017

Dear Mr. Rogers

By Kat Myrman

For Sunday Writing Prompt #227 “Letters to Characters”: The challenge: write a letter to a character from a book or movie as if they were a real person. The character can be one that you love, hate, or love to hate. Offer them advice, question their life decisions, criticize or berate them, profess your love to them the choice is yours!

mr rogers

Fred McFeeley Rogers – March 20, 1928 – February 27, 2003

Dear Mr. Rogers,

I’m sorry to interrupt your eternal bliss. I’m sure you are resting peacefully in your own beautiful corner of heaven enjoying the rewards of your stellar time on earth. Don’t get me wrong, you deserve it, but we need you!

Our neighborhoods are not beautiful right now. People are afraid to come out, locking their doors and shuttering their windows. They’re talking about building walls and they’re burning down bridges. I’ve witnessed that with my own eyes. And people are mean Mr. Rogers. So mean. It’s really scary.

Now, I know what you are probably thinking,”Look for the helpers.” I can even hear you saying it in your soft comforting voice. The thing is…the thing is…I have to tell you Mr. Rogers it’s getting harder and harder to find them. The helpers. But what’s even worse, horrible in fact, is that the monsters are now stalking us in the very places where the helpers hang out. Fun places, sacred spaces, the halls of our government! They are everywhere.

I’m not sure how it works, but I’m sure if anyone can figure it out, you can. I’m afraid if you come back the old fashioned way, as a baby, there might not be anything left by the time you are old enough to help. If it’s possible, maybe you can split yourself into several parts and possess a few of us. You won’t have to do anything except whisper in our ears and stir our souls. We’ll do the work.

And you can use me if you want. I don’t mind. But I don’t think I can do it alone. I have a few friends. I think they’d be willing to help too. Especially if I told them it is you.

Think about it Mr. Rogers. We need you more than ever. Some people say you were just a character on a kid’s show. But I have always believed you were the real deal. I would never impose upon your eternity if it were not really important. It is really important.

Sincerely,

Kat

15 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Essays, Flash Fiction, Random Thoughts and Musings, Social Issues, Spirituality