Tag Archives: truth

July 15, 2017

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 16 July 2017

By Kat Myrman


I think of loss when I think of 2017. Loss of friends and family to the great chasm forged by the US election. Loss of safety in a land whose people feel emboldened to hate, discriminate and dismiss others not white, privileged or born here. Loss of the ideals that once bound us all; things like truth, honor, common decency, compassion, empathy and kindness. Loss of hope that I will have security in retirement…scratch that…I am resigned to the fact that I shall likely need to work for some company who cares only about profit margins and synergy savings and downsizing, until I die.

It all feels pretty grim. And yet I resist. I fight for what I believe is right and good and true. I extend a reed from the sharp edges of my bleeding heart, hoping to bridge the divide between me and those I never stopped loving. I dream of a day when religion is not used as a weapon and laws are not written to discriminate and exclude, but to serve all and protect. I tread lightly on the precious soil beneath my feet, leaving tiny footprints, though others may trample our mother’s green places, spewing poison in her waterways. I try to be good. To repay malice with kindness; avarice with generosity. To be a flicker of light in the growing darkness. To love and not hate.

I wonder how much more I can lose and still survive. And yet, I am still here living and breathing through things I was certain would break me.

But I am not broken. I have a heart that beats, and a conscience that sings me to sleep each night. I have an inner light that stirs me every day to press on. And so I do.

There is comfort in knowing that I am not alone. That there are others like me who wrestle with darkness. Who speak the truth. Who love unconditionally. Who care for the least of us. When I start to feel weary I remember the good and goodness that exists.

Sometimes losing everything helps us realize what is most important. It helps us let go of the things that were never ours to hold, bringing us to our truest self. It lightens our load for the long journey home.

While I’m not home yet, I think I know the way. Following the light is all it takes. Just follow the light. Just follow the light.

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 16 July 2017

remember the good
maybe
purr in rhapsody, the muse
filled to brim longing
most comes to mind, not amusing
when the tree bough breaks
dressed in eerie blue
welcome us in death
like diamonds
and dragons…
you are from eden
tiny gift
to the day

~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.

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

July 2, 2017

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 2 July 2017

By Kat Myrman


“Happy Sunday!”

“Happy, you say?!”

“Well, in a transcendental, metaphysical, quasi-spiritual, dreamy, optimistic sort of way, yes, happy. And it is a fact that it is Sunday…unless you reside in the Far East…then it is almost Monday…but I divagate.”

“You what?”

“Divagate….as in digress? Remember? The new word we learned this week.”

“You’re such a diva!”

“Am not! You are! But back to your original question, ‘happy, you say?!’ … yes, I take it you’re not.”

“Well, how can anyone be happy when everything in the world is spiraling out of control?”

“Take a Dramamine?”

“Come on! Global warming, a heath care bill that is going to kill people, an insane, mean old man running the country, Russia (need I say more?), collapsing infrastructure, the assault on our public schools, voting rights, gerrymandering, voter suppression, nationalism, travel bans, ageism, misogyny, racism, homophobia, religious profiling, insane tweets, the wall…”

“Feel better yet?”

“No, I’m just getting started. And just you wait. Tomorrow something else will happen to prove  we’re all up shit’s creek without a paddle. So forgive me miss giddy twinkle shoes if I can’t be happy right now! I’m mortified! It’s terrifying!”

“Oh, but you can. Be happy that is. It’s all a choice. It only takes a second.”

“Harrumph! Delusional you mean!”

“No. Happy. Right here, right now, this moment. Let me show you. First, close your eyes…now think about something that makes you happy.”

“You mean used to…”

“Give it a chance. And you opened your eyes…start over. Close your eyes…think happy something…anything. Got it?”

“Yeah. Okay now what?”

“Now take a deep breath in. Imagine yourself completely enveloped by your happy thing…don’t breathe out just yet…imagine…okay now…slowly…let it go. Feel better?”

“I do actually. I get it. I remember. Thanks self for pulling me off the ledge one more time.”

“Don’t mention it. We’re in this together you know. Happy Sunday?”

“Yeah, I’ll give you that. It’s happy enough, given the circumstances.”

“You’re exhausting!”

😳😊😟😉😜😀😢😣😐😘😌☺️😒😅😮

And…welcome to my world! My mind battles itself regularly. Yeah, the world is a bit, chaotic these days, but it’s important to unplug when it gets to be too much.

We’re gonna survive this, like we have survived every trying time in our history. I’m not going to tell you, “don’t worry, be happy”. That is a bit delusional, and it is important to stay engaged as a member of “we the people”. But…there is nothing wrong with divagating into your happy place every now and again.

Look! There goes a butterfly! A beautiful graceful butterfly…and there! Look! A flower! Oh, and I just noticed someone being kind…Wow! It’s not as hard as you think.

So…Happy Sunday y’all! I hope you can find your happy, if even for just a moment, this week. Just remember to breathe. ❤️

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 2 July 2017

If people only knew
never say it…only
smoldering remains
weeps perfume when crushed
from obsidian to glass
Some souls find heaven in hell’s corridors.
look! a butterfly!
divagating tweeted blips,
because that is what those with the truest hearts do
softly
magic is in the air
make love bloom
dreamers ask,
“why not?”

~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.

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

June 11, 2017

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 11 June 2017

By Kat Myrman


These days reality is a subjective…uh, reality. Based on our own personal perspectives and tinged by our beliefs, socio-economic statuses, cultures, and personal demons, is it possible to really know what is true and real? How do we navigate our way through the spin and lies so prevalent in this alt-reality world? And what is more disturbing; how did we get here? Have we always been here?

If not, what was the tipping point? When did we lose our common sense of humanity, our faith, our minds? By splintering off into polarized hoards to feel safe, we have never been so alone. The truth, or at least our growing collective impression of truth, is that we can’t trust anyone. We can’t even trust ourselves. Especially when the powerful tell us that what we’re seeing and hearing is not what we’re seeing and hearing. We’re all a bit mad.

This week we witnessed an epic battle. It. Was broadcast globally for our entertainment. Truth was on trial. On one side, an honorable gladiator and career lawman, albeit a showboater, who likes to write memos that read like noir novellas, gave his sworn testimony. On the other side, another showboater, but a rich, powerful one (as in leader of the free world, powerful), an undisputed serial liar with no respect for the rule of law, tweeted an opposing recollection, as well as sending his bumbling henchman, who doesn’t know how to use spellcheck, to the national stage to hold court.

The drama is being aired 24/7 and each showboater is given the same consideration. Democracy demands that we are fair and balanced. That we give each view equal time and value. But it doesn’t feel right. It feels a bit insane. Surely both sides aren’t the speaking the truth. There is only one truth, right?

Sadly we may never know. It’s probaly best to turn off the telly and mobile news prompts and avoid print altogether, but I admit, I’m hooked. I can’t bring myself to look away. I have to see how this ends. I’m terrified to see how this ends.

At any rate, I hope you have a great week. May our personal realities make us feel safe and happy. Right now, that’s all we’ve got.

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 11 June 2017

tears for all
settle down
dust on air, drifting
wild, wet blossom bursting
blushing innocence, giggles
never looked back
ashes to dust
rude bursts of hot air
grumbling optional
bellyaching nitpickers
your lattice is fading
in the blackest of times
everyone knew his name…Chuckles

~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.

4 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Digital Art & Photos, Essays, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings, Shi Sai, Week in Review

May 23, 2017

Queen of Hearts

By Kat Myrman

Portable Network Graphics image-563C3697A7BE-1 2.png

she wears a heart of sterling silver,  pulsing, throbbing, blood-gorged sinew,
bejeweled art on a gilded, dainty chain, bleeding, breaking, burning, skipping,
a filigreed, embellished reproduction, nestled deep beneath bone and flesh.
it dangles from her neck for all to see, sometimes she wears her heart on her sleeve
it’s just an illusion, a token, messy emotions, hot, cold, spewing, searing,
that says, “love of mine, remember me”, the dark, the light, fierce honesty, authenticity.
dreamers wear hearts of sterling silver, it takes a strong, fearless soul to bear it.

Peace and Love,
~ kat

(A Cleave Poem – To be read three ways. Column One, top to bottom; Column Two, top to bottom and each line across, top to bottom.)

1 Comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Cleave Poem, Digital Art & Photos, Poetry, Spirituality

April 7, 2017

Inveterate – Friday’s Word of the Day Haiku

By Kat Myrman

inveterate.png

It’s Friday. Thank goodness it’s Friday! Today’s dictionary.com Word of the Day  is “Inveterate”. It is defined as: settled or confirmed in a habit, practice,  feeling, or the like: an inveterate gambler; firmly established by long continuance, as a disease, habit, practice, feeling, etc.; chronic.The Collins Dictionary also adds an obsolete meaning: full of hatred; hostile.

Dictionary.com gives us a nice bit of history on the word:
Inveterate comes from the Latin verb inveterāre “to grow old,” a derivative of the adjective vet(us) “old.” Latin vet- is related to Greek ét-os (Doricwét os) “year” with its derivative etḗsios “yearly” (cf. “etesian winds”). The Latin nouns vitellus and vitulus “calf, bull calf, yearling” are also derivatives of vet(us). The Latin name for Italy, Italia, has the rare form Vitalia (cf. Oscan Víteliú), both of which are from Greek italós (Doricwitalós) “bull,” because Italy was rich in cattle. Inveterate entered English in the 16th century.

There is not much in the way of backstory that I could find for this word apart from its peculiar etymological link to cattle; bulls in particular. If you ask me, there are quite a few derivatives in the above blurb, which makes me a bit suspect. But for the sake of discussion I can probably squeeze some sort of relevance out of all this. For example, bulls are generally seen as stubborn, immovable, etc. Not exactly following the “because Italy was rich in cattle” part. Um, okay…if you say so…that’s nice to know…not.

As for the “growing old” part, it is true that some old people are set in their ways. Routine and habit are comforting ruts for some. But I would venture a guess that not all elder folk are inveterate; some are quite comfortable with movement and change (including me. And I do qualify as a first person expert. I have my AARP card to prove it!). But that’s about all I could muster on this week’s word. It is what it is. As with all bland, so-so words, use em or lose em.

I did discover that as a ten letter word, inveterate will land you a whopping 63 points in Scrabble. Good luck with that. I am lucky when I can use all SEVEN of my allotted letters, let alone TEN! But you can store that in the “obscure word fact” file in your brain. Never know when you might need it.

Have a great weekend!

Signed,
An Inveterate Optimist 🙂

Truth is elusive
to inveterate liars
fiction is the truth

~kat – 7 April 2017

5 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Essays, Haiku, Random Thoughts and Musings, Word of the Day Haiku