Honor me, woman. Kiss my chest, for I am doing my best to survive this brainwashing holy war against me and my brothers. Snake charmers freebase on flutes everywhere. Their music pollutes my head. It tells me you and I are irreconcilably different. I am drawn to the sweet, dark music. It makes me laugh.
But an ancient voice within keeps whispering we share more similarities than differences, that we might just all be people, brothers and sisters together. It is the inescapable flute music that celebrates the differences. I'm from Neptune. You're from Pluto. Aggression is my nature. Mood swings are yours. I am the provider. You necessitate protection.
People on this side of the fence know better.
Our generation got it right.
Everyday I endure these messages, and they chip away. Honor me, and I will begin to rebuild what has been shaved from my life. Something deep inside tells me it's not too late, that I can still see this world as it really is, that maybe, just maybe, the blasphemy that cannot be uttered in acceptable circles without smirks and derision might really be true: We are all truly one.
Do not underestimate the snake charmers. Their music lives inside our homes. The history of other cultures is not relevant, I hear. What is relevant is which brand of beer to buy and most of all, protecting our egos.
Some days I am so tired from the noise. Some days I don't think it's possible to bloom beautiful in this scortched land.
Kiss my face, woman, for I am doing my very best to survive this holy war I was born into.
8 comments:
Not usually big on reading poety, but when I like something, it's for a reason. I love the rhythm of this, and the wording is beautiful. Great job.
"Kiss my face, woman, for I am doing my very best to survive this holy war I was born into." So real! I love it. I think we all strive to survive.
thanks mucho. after i wrote this i really swung emotionally to the holy war women fight their entire lives in this atomizing culture, but although sympathetic to the cause, it's not a piece i can write, clearly.
I like the feeling of this, though I can't quantify it. It moves well, for lack of a better way of putting it.
Yeah, we're all trying to survive. But it's the men who are trying earn the respect they need so badly, without letting anyone know they "need" it.
Well done, Ed. Moving.
thanks so much, wendryn. it's a really great point, tth. i need respect for my journey but there are guys who natually fit into the provider and other things. you are so right, it's so tough for guys to voice their need for respect. it's a major breakthrough when we can. we actually end up disoverig more about ourselves when we're forced to artiuclate what it is we're looking for.
"we actually end up discovering more about ourselves when we're forced to articulate what it is we're looking for."
Exactamundo. Funny how that works, huh?
never even would have said that if not prompted by you. funny how dat worked.
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