Round 2: Next year (and 10 poems I liked writing)

Hello to anyone who's actually adventured this far.

It's been a phenomenal time, and many thanks to those of you that've actually been reading and enjoyed what I wrote. I'm always amazed every time someone's said they've read and enjoyed them. So even if you're only doing it to humour me, thank you :)

Next year, I'm going to be doing something slightly different. I'm still going to be writing a poem a week. The only difference is, this time each month I'm going to have a theme. And, with a one poem a month exception, each poem has to be (at least tenuously) related to that theme. While my writing has got better, I need to get better at being creative with the original idea. So that's what this is for.

Many thanks again, and if you want to find out what it is I've been up to, find a list of ones I liked this year to read. If you liked one then please do let me know. It really does mean a lot.

27: When Science Proposes to Art - Favourite Poem
I don't think there's anything I would do to this poem if I had the chance. I think it's the right length, and it captures my current thinking on why Science and Art are similar (but also different). As a poet/engineer I've had to think about this a lot. There's a lot of doctrine saying if you do this you can't do that. This was me saying that, aside from the whole 'you don't have to do what people tell you' thing, exactly why the two are alike. And why together they are even better.

10: The Beat - Favourite Rhythm/Wordplay
This is my favourite use of wordplay and rhythm. Every time I read this I perform it a different way. While others I love for their imagery and themes, this one I love because it's just so damn fun to say aloud. Go on, give it a go. Somehow it manages to get you comfortable at the right parts and then jarringly change it to make you unseated. I'd love to be able to write stuff with this sort of rhythm the whole time. And I haven't been able to write like this again since March. Ah well.

23: A Gentleman's Rhyming Duel - Favourite to Perform in Future
I can't remember why I thought of this one. But it's use of longer rhymes and the fact it fits with my natural performing style (I know I'm close to rapping anyway) means that it seems to fit very well in my speech. This is certainly one I'd love to perform at some point. Partially because I can do a silly voice. Well, mostly actually. But it's probably the funniest I've done and I reckon it'll get the best reactions.

46: You Are All - Favourite to have Performed
I started out doing poetry as performances. And the reactions of people is why I still do it. I thought up the first 2 lines, and knew this would be one I had to perform. As such, I had a long time (until the next open mic) to try to work out where the poem would go. And, after all that thought, I ended up writing something fairly thematically different (though keeping the main lines). I love the power of this one, and it's one of the ones I've managed to go back and re-write a couple times to improve.

29: Monsters - Favourite Lines
I actually remember strolling down the street when the first couple lines came to me. This happens occasionally, and a basically spent the rest of that trip repeating the lines (so I wouldn't forget them) and then expanding in a few ways on them to find where I wanted the poem to go. I can't remember what the alternatives were, but I'm very happy with how it turned out. It was also very fun to perform, as I did at my college poetry night (meaning it's one of the ones I've sort of got memorised).

13: Don't Look Down! (Up is Far More Interesting) - Favourite Written on the Spot
Written for a friend of mine (hi Aimeé!) this is actually one of my few science related poems. I pretty much wrote this one on the fly writing it as a facebook message (which is why it formated oddly) and then copied and pasted it straight into the blog. I find any poem I'm able to write in a sitting tends to fit together a lot better and finds it's naturally length more naturally. Not being able to edit is both a blessing and a curse though.

34: Roses - Favourite Shouted on the Spot
So, I was at work, and bored. I went for a walk to clear my head. Turns out near where I worked there was quite a nice forest trail. I ended up sitting on a bridge, and performing this one aloud on the spot. I then did so again. A few more times, and I thought I had it. I hurried back to work and typed it up as an email (poems look very different from code, and I kinda didn't want any work people to notice). It's probably the only non-rhyming one I'd ever be happy performing, though currently my only audience have been the trees. Ah well. Also, side note, the initials are a shout-out to a couple friend of mine, but I don't think they read this blog. But they would totally be the type I can imagine writing on trees. I did also have to kinda condense this down from the one I shouted, as I think I was going for a good few minutes before I noticed someone coming in the distance and got embarrassed.

5: The Nod - Favourite Non-Rhyming
I've always wanted to try branching into spoken word. Into just writing a paragraph so powerful it can be said aloud and still works. This is my best attempt at that (so far), though I'm still a little way off. The link actually goes through to a blog by a good friend of mine, where some more of my stuff my get linked to in future. He also managed to improve in a couple of ways the poem. This is why writing to a deadline is a bad idea, but I certainly couldn't have done this year without it.

48: Refuge - Favourite Message
This was originally written for an Oxfam poetry competition. Apparently it didn't fit the 'theme' they had in mind (though they were naturally very kind about it). This is about a very core belief of mine - that of charity. So I find it quite tough to write about, while giving it the respect it deserves. The fact I think I managed it here is why it's one of my favourites.

3: I Am But An Idea - Favourite Marker
The first poem I did where I was proud of it. It took a few attempts, but even though this one isn't as good as I'd like now, I still remember the satisfaction having written it, and thinking how much I liked it. A nice one to finish this post on. It really does show just how far I've come.

Thanks for reading. Really, I hope you liked it :)

#53 The Adventure

I remember when I started out, I was so naive
It was a seemingly innocent and quiet eve
I set out of my proverbial door
Not knowing the challenges the world had in store

So I braved monsters and demons
Stood toe to toe with the most sinister villains
I developed arch-enemies and other foes
But I also had friends, as is custom I suppose

But every time the challenge came my way
I thought back to that fateful day
I could have just stayed at home
Safe and cosy in a protective dome

I ask myself, why am I out here at all
As I'm being battered down and about to fall
After all, the challenge a was self-imposed risk
There was no need at all for me to do this

And the comfort is alluring, no doubt of that
I could just give up and fall down flat
Accept that the adventure is not my fate
That the danger has been getting too great

But, while all of that is certainly true
I have to look back at what I've gone through
I'm taller now. I have a clearer view
I can see exactly what I was trying to do.

Now, after so long in the wild, a choice appears
One that has filled all my hopes and fears
There's a path that circles back to comfort again
It seems so relaxing and free of pain

I mean, I can still journey out once in a while
Tell myself I can go just one mile
The marathon is just self abuse
It's an offer I find it tough to refuse

But another path branches off to the left
And of comforts it's very much bereft
It requires me to be unique - the monsters have learned
It might best me even with the skills that I've earned

With a sigh and an eye role, I head to the left side
I'm not sure why, it might just be pride
But screw it. What is life but for the battle?
Why do we exist if not to get rattled?

For why comforts are tempting, they're the reward of life
To earn them we have to fight hard and take on the strife
For to have taken on the world and still be able to stand
I can't help but feel that I've emerged a slightly better man

#52 A toast to Adulthood

Ladies and gentlemen. I bid you silence for a second.
Yes, I know, but it'll only take a second.
Come on, please? It's this type of thing I'm going to talk about.
Alright then. Ladies and gentlemen. Fill your glasses and raise them.
As I make a toast to adulthood.
And ignore the fact my glass is filled with milk. Focus.
This is important.

*ahem*

To. Adulthood.
That exact moment when we all became mature.
I hope you all remember where you were when it happened to you.
You were just walking along, jeans round ankles when suddenly, boom.
You pulled up your pants and walked briskly to the nearest store to purchase a pair of slacks.

That exact point where we woke up and realised we needed to apply for a job
Where we all realised there were 'young people' in the world
Where suddenly youth culture stopped making sense
When people instantaneously felt they could rely on us

When we realised how important responsibility was to us all.
When we were able to go to bed at 10 and wake up at 7 every day
When we realised late night parties were silly
And that exact moment when we realised there was nothing we liked better than doing the same thing each and every day, preferably for the next 50 years straight.

Where, just like our parents before us, we suddenly wanted to be sensible
Where, just like our teachers, fun was something that happened to others, and should therefore be squashed
Where you were suddenly aware what taxes were and how much you hated them
Adulthood. Where in an instant you changed into a functioning member of society.

Nah, I'm just kidding ya.

This is a toast to the slow gradual decline of childhood,
And the realisation that it's left adulthood behind for you as a parting gift.
To the slow appreciation that someone actually makes stuff work
That people have been working pretty hard around you your whole life

To understanding this world isn't all fun and games, as much as we'd still like it to be.
To knowing that you have to work a lot of it out yourself, and suddenly being aware that no one anywhere has any clue what they're doing.
To moving away from friends because you don't have time any more, but you'll find time again soon I'm sure.
To wondering how there could ever have been too much time in a day.

To adulthood being the realisation we are all alone.
And this toast is to adulthood. But it's a toast by many. For we have become alone together.
Which just might make it that much more bearable after all.

To adulthood.

#51 Planning

You can spend a lifetime planning
Where your lifetime's gonna go
You can spend a lifetime planning
All the things you're gonna know
You can spend a lifetime planning
Trying to decide just one decision
You can spend a lifetime planning
Finalising your grand life vision

And I know you

You're the sort of perfectionist
For whom the devil's in all details
For whom every plan has a plan
And plans for what those plans then entail

When your lifetime plan is done
And has been checked over twice
Then you can really start to be someone
Which I guess will be nice

But new surprises will come through
For all plans have their flaws
What then will you do
You who planned 'til you could plan no more

So here's what's up

Everything in life is a balance
And plans do indeed help life run by
But, there will always exist chance
On that you can rely

Sure the future is scary and unknown
And planning can help to that end
But no matter what fate has sewn
You still have to live in the present, my friend.

#50 Rebellion

He sits in his room and plots the world's demise

Through this musky gloom comes all light to his eyes

This darkened vision, this darkened sight

Unwelcome decisions taken in perpetual night

And this propagates, spawning new dilemmas and questions

But he's started this class and is determined to learn the lesson

There is a grandeur, and a certain amount of style

To dark this pure, as he sits and ponders a while

As he sees himself, stood on top of it all

Standing on the back of the world that he made fall

His plans have come to fruition, come to an end

He's a king with ambition, no more need now to pretend

He's been hiding himself so long, and his true potential

But now power courses through him in a manner almost sensual

And he can see everything else, stood in awe finally aware

Or exactly who it is they see standing there

They finally notice, they finally recognise

Too late the mist has been drawn from all their eyes

He can see himself now, finally who he deserves to be

This vision he sees through the dark with such clarity

Ah even the manic, the megalomaniac and king

Can be drawn asunder by even the simplest of things

He so focussed on his vision of being Lord of all

He's forgotten he needs a plan to make the Earth fall

He sees so far ahead he can't take a single step forward

He's stuck in the present, but if he can't help himself then who would

The grandest ambitions can lay waste to the greatest of men

As he sits forgets that life is an 'if' not a 'when'.

#49 Teaching Parallax

One of the sad facts about life is that you have to get older

One of the good facts in life is that we progress
When balanced together, it can seem irritating.
I'm turning it through in my head 'til my mind is a mess

Yet as I grow up and older, I'm forced a new angle on life
I can witness my perspectives slowly shift
So while sometimes this change can be truly devastating
Other times it can't help but be a gift

See, I remember back when I were a lad.
How I thought about education and about learning
And through the forced nostalgia of age
For that time again I'm initially yearning

Then I remember how I behaved. How I acted.
I remember all the embarrassing things that I've done
About yelling and screaming. About bullying and demeaning.
Oh, what it was to be young

See life was clearer back then.
It was binary, Boolean, in black and white
Good and evil were clearly determined
By who you'd got along with that night

And there was one evil clearer than any other
Standing clearly in front of us all
The teacher, controller of our fate and destiny
The teacher, standing so tall

That one who was forcing us to learn against our will
That one who couldn't understand who we were
That person who seemed heartless and cruel
That villain. That scoundrel. That cur.

And yet. And yet. The teacher isn't so tall these days
I'm starting to see life from that view
Looking back, I'll admit, I'm almost amazed,
At what we put our teachers through.

They're trying their best, in a thankless job,
The outsider just doing what they can
And to still impart knowledge, and lessons of life
Ain't an easy job for a man

So now I can see clearer, or at least in a different way
From how it was way back when
First, I want to firstly apologise
For how difficult I can't help but have made it back then

Second, be grateful, that this realisation
Came while I was still learning
Since the way I'm treating those trying to educate me in life
Is slowly but surely turning

And finally I give thanks
And gratitude most sincere, of that make no mistakes
To those who fought through
To teach and educate, for mine and for other's sakes

Who went the extra mile, to show me
That the teacher in class was a person too
And by that I mean, they're tired and flawed
A person like me or you

Yet still they show strength,
Trying to do their best each and every day
For their own reasons
Helping the tomorrow before they become today

So a repeated thanks to my teachers
And to my friends who are bravely choosing this as their career
It may have taken a while, but I assure you at last
You'll find gratitude and sympathy here.

#48 Refuge

I mean, personally, I find it difficult to see
Why anyone on this Earth would become a refugee

After all, it's quite frankly plain to me

There's no place like home to be quite so homely

I mean, my parents are there, if I'm not feeling well

But for when I am, man, the place seems swell

I'm safe behind these walls, it's easy to tell

To never come back, now *that* would be hell

I mean, why would anyone want to depart

The place they hold as home in their heart

I mean, there are so many comforts, privileges too

This country cares for me but why should it care for you?

I mean, sure you'd be welcome to stay a little while

But don't you miss home? Oh, why don't you smile?

I mean, is it really that bad? Is it really that tough?

You've...given up your home. You've had enough.

I'm sorry. I guess. I mean. I can't really know.
What it's like to not have a home to which you can go.
I've been fortunate. Far more than I'm willing to admit.
Please, I'm so sorry, won't you come in for a bit?




This was a very quick poem (intentionally kept a bit short), done a while ago on the theme of refuge. The people I submitted it to thought it wasn't good enough though. Considering I think this is one of my favourite ones I've written so far, that's a little disheartening, but hey, just means I'll improve for next time.

#47 Welcome to Nostalgia

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm here to sell you one hell of an adventure
The only fear that I have is that you'll love too well it's splendour
You'll be enticed, drawn in, and instantly infatuated
As I present to you the boldest hypothetical ever instigated

Nostalgia. Where you can go back and live in the past
Go back to your birth or just re-eat this morning's good breakfast
In fact it can do both, and intertwine strands of time so fine
So that you'll align any personal timeline highlight you call mine

Yes re-relive your memories for only a minimal fee
We'll even add in this rose tinted filter for free
Oh, can't you see how much better your life could be here
Sure you can stay for a while, of that don't you fear

In fact some of our clientele stay for a long time indeed
They get almost defensive if you try to make them recede
After all it's comfortable here, what on Earth is the harm?
It's good for you, cover the pains of today with this temporal balm

Now I'm nothing if not honest, you see I did mention a price.
It's very small, practically minimal, but this virtuous land, it can be a vice
See while it's good to visit and remember where you came from first
It's like an elixir which can be addictive to those who develop fix for the thirst

But never mind that! Get lost in happy mis-memories and drink the present away
It's scary there, just a few sips and you'll return to a happier day
Maybe you'll come to love Nostalgia, maybe you'll never want to leave
Maybe Nostalgia is cruel, and your time it might just thieve

But aside from all that, why not come for a small trip?
Our drink is healthy, even doctors recommend the occasional small sip
Come on. What's the worst that could happen, do you really need much persuasion?
Come to Nostalgia. Give in to temptation.

#46 You are all

This is dedicated to anyone who's every found themselves apologising for no less a mortal sin than just being themself

Let me just start off by saying you all *the* most spectacular fantastic amazing interesting and intriguing *person*, that I have ever seen.
I realise that this might sound a little extreme, so let me take a step back to explain what I mean.

See I guess I'm a passionate guy, But I'd like to think I'm honest too
So I'd like to admit to being honest about being passionate about you
And by you I mean every human soul who I've been lucky enough to greet
You've all achieved this amazing goal, this amazingly crazy feat

And that's:
To manage to make your own way in this feral thing called life
To fight through all the perils and to fight through all the strife
To find beauty in areas that other people don't
To experience cares about things that other people wont

You've all got a past that belongs to no other
You've all seen life go by fast, you've all been a lover
You've all gone through great hardships, you've all gone through betrayal
You've all known what it's like to try you're very best and yet still somehow fail

You are individually wonderful, individually unique
Which all seems fascinating to this happy little freak
I know you do yourself down a lot, that's just how things are
But even when you're down, you're still wonderful, you are your own little star

What I guess I mean is, if you'll excuse me the rambling
Is that life is a game of risks, and I'm not very good at gambling
So I love to meet everyone who took the chance to advance down different paths in life decisions
Which I think is roughly everyone, estimating with fairly accurate precision

You have great personal stories and you've shown great personal strength
Strengths about which if I don't condense I am able to go on at great length
Because when I say you are the most spectacular fantastic amazing interesting and intriguing person, I honestly mean it to be true
But what I mean by that, what I'm trying to get to,

What I mean is that you're quite simply and wonderfully just you

So don't you ever let me catch you apologising for no less a triumph than simply being yourself.

#45 The Earth Keeps Moving

Any fool, or any dunce
Can, if they try, make the world stop once.
To make the world see them, to make the world know
That this fella right here is a guy who's gonna grow

It's not too hard, doesn't require too much invention
To make the world make you the centre of attention
Make it acknowledge that, hey, you exist
Isn't that nice, now wont you be missed?

Only, if you've stopped the world, it's a dangerous game to play
As the world respins and curls, commences creating the day
The intertia, might just knock you off your feet
In the type of experience you might not wish to repeat

See now you're behind, trying to catch the world again
But you've had your time, it's just not the same
It knows who you are, now does it really care?
You'd have to go so far, and no it's not fair.

Last time, you took the world by surprise,
And in it's shock it managed to look you in your eyes,
But all it saw was a fool or a dunce.
Who had their moment, and made the world stop once.

However, that's really not the point of this rhyme.
The real trickster can stop the world a second time.
Stop the spinning of this great ball of rock
For the second time to halt both hands on the clock

To have the courage, conviction, creativity and class
To once again manage to stand on top of this planetary mass
So that, for a second time that the world sees you standing right there.
You see the second time you make the world stop, you also make it care.

Because any fool, or any dunce
Can if they try, make the world stop once
But that's not really the point of this advice
For it takes a genius, to make the world stop twice

#44 Not your typical

Just to say, I'm not your typical run of the mill human being
I'm not like that standard model you see walking around
I'm fully equipped with genuine thought 'n' feeling
With all the latest gadgets that can be found

Look, I can work through maths with 101% accuracy
I can draw art, and I'll only have to start over twice
I can feign culture and pretend to be classy
And, if for some reason you desire, I can feign being nice

Yes I'm the top of the range, the latest trend
Not like those other fakes you see walking around
I can see you're jealous, no need to pretend
I'm unique, one like me is not to be found

But then it hit me. Exactly what I was saying
By trying to be the best, I was being like the rest
With exactly what message I ended up conveying
It mattered not the result, just that I was taking the test

See the flaws in my design are what keeps me different
I don't need to be scared to acknowledge it you see
All I need to do is acknowledge what is most apparent
That I don't need to be better, just to be me

#43 Birthday

So, it's my birthday. I've survived another year.
And I did it my way. And yes I'm still here.
I've clung on for life for another orbit of the sun
I've survived much strife but now this year is done
One more to add to my ever building total
Kind of sad, the year is just a number after all...

But in that year that adds just one to my age
While I've dwelled here still on life's stage
I've acted my part in a great many plots
I've thrown my heart into worlds that others forgot
I've moved on a great deal, not forgetting my past
There's been times to stop and heal, others to go fast

There's been a great many memories that were once the present
Hopefully now fewer enemies and who have less to resent
Many friends made, and many friends not seen
Many debts paid and many insights gleaned
There's so much I've done, and forgotten accidentally
But now this year's gone, and wont return incidentally

So when I add up all that I've achieved
I can stand tall with what I've received
Aside from the friends, aside from the presents
And I wont pretend that I mean the events
I can forget all that, and add one year to call myself 21
As where I'm at, and a tribute to the year just gone.

#42 Maturity

The first time I cried, and realised I wasn't ashamed
Was the first time I realised that I had cried as a man.
When I decided to accept responsibility when I was blamed
I realised that I was finally mistress maturity's fan

We were never told about this growing up
The difficult parts about becoming an adult
That it doesn't come at one time, a head's up
But a collection of slow and uncertain results

But sometimes you get glimpses of indications
Little hints that Life is moving you along
Giving you a little bit of provocation
After all, the distance we walk is long

Sometimes I feel I don't want to advance
That I'm happy just at this point in the adventure
Feel happy pausing at this instance
Not feeling there's anywhere else I need to venture

But I realise now, I'd hate to be stuck further back
Now I've developed so far
Progress of self is a virtue I'd not wish to lack
And that's when I have my moment of aha

See, although moving on is a scare
It's how we sadly mature
And this realisation, of it's own affair
Was another small personal advancement to endure.

#41 Out of my depth

It's happened. Again.
It feels kind of insane
How often it's said
That I'm in over my head

Everything is rushing
I'm embarrassed and blushing
Because I should understand
But I'm really not the wanted man

Let me step back and explain
I went to shot the moon but hit a plane
I aimed way too high, and fell on my ass
I wanted to graduate when I needed to stay in class

Learning to reign myself in is not a skill I possess
I tend to go for too much so end up with less
Find myself claiming I'm far more than I am
A hollow shell of a shadow of a man

So as an intruder, I hide my heart
I try my best to act the part
And sometimes, I succeed
I do exactly what I need

I've felt an intruder the entire time
Like an accomplice in some sordid crime
Then people congratulate me after
Pat me on the back and say with laughter

How well I did, impressive and cool
Yet if on that day, I feel a fool
I'll believe them. And pledge to aim higher
Jump willingly from the frying pan, and into the fire.

#40 What is Courage

It takes a lot of courage to stand up to our enemies,
But a great deal more to stand up to your friends.
In fact, courage comes in many places
But it follows no patterns or trends.

Courage can be exactly what you'd expect.
Some show it by great acts of heroics
Which have an obvious cause and effect
Which are all very lovely and quite poetic

But who doesn't love a challenge ay?
So I'm taking quite minor courage and making a stand
Here is some courage more difficult to display
Here is some courage of which I am a fan

I love the courage of a small kid standing up to a bully
But also that of the bully to admit he's done wrong
To overcome pride and admit his folly
That he's been a bully all along

To the man who's struggling with depression
And has the courage to admit it to another
Who decides to seek help, rather than bottle it up
Is courage greater than almost any other

For the small girl who believes in monsters
That are hiding under her bed when she rests
When she goes to look and confront her fears
She is sure to match her monstrous test

I love the courage to play an instrument even when you suck
The courage to say what you should've said before
The courage to stand up for small principles
The courage to be just a little bit more.

Courage can take many forms, forms others don't understand.
For courage where it seems not needed is almost an adage.
But the first step is always the hardest. And the most worthwhile.
So go ahead and be brave my friend. Have courage.


If you didn't get the Harry Potter quote, then, well, I guess that's ok. But seriously, you should read the books again. Seriously.

#39 Books

When I was younger, I was a little scared of books.
They were all terribly impressive after all.
They contained worlds I could never understand.
Words I could never hope to comprehend.
Books were almost a symbol of adulthood in their way.
A tangible path to maturity,
They were powerful.

Very powerful.

I learnt about books leading men to war.
Growing up a Christian I was taught about one very powerful book indeed.
And there are similar texts which command similar authority.
Books which controlled nations.

There was also the personal level on which they had power,
JK Rowling created a brand new world in books,
A world I spent more of my life than was probably healthy in.

I was taught at school that some books were more powerful than others.
That by studying them, I could tame them.
So study I did. And the more I did so, the tamer that book became.
But books in general were still to be respected.

I read every book I could. Some more than once.
I absorbed other worlds. And they absorbed me.
There started to be a lot of books I had to read.
Yet still, I battled on.

But then the world started to change.
The world went online. And books had to go with them.

While for some this change was welcomed,
I guess I found myself very much part of the old skule school.

They no longer had a physical presence.
I could dismiss huge texts in a second.
There was just too much in one place.
Far too much to ever read.

I felt a disconnect from the author.
A disconnect from the words.
Sometimes, even a disconnect from the world within.

Books have lost their power.
I have tamed them, but the victory is Pyrrhic.
A victory I had never sought.
But the world moves on. I just wonder where it will move on next...

#38 A Demon Dreams On

I know why I'm stuck down here
But I'm still occasionally the one who gets scared
Cause I'm constantly plagued by a single fear
It's unheard of, as a demon who dreams of nightmares

See I threw in my hand, way back many days
I had my reasons for my choices, I was mad
I gave in to Lucifer's temptations in a daze
But that was so long ago when I was barely a lad

And now I'm stuck here. Paying back my debts.
An infinity in which to think things through
And when you've so long to think, you'll sure have regrets
About what your life has lead you to

See I've been told many a time
That my work is for the good of mankind
That those that I'm torturing are guilty of crime
The greatest sinners you ever could find

So I put them through torture, I put them through pain
Basically, I'm a professional plying his trade
And don't get me wrong, like my clients, my skills are insane
Out of millennia of practice, such skills can't help but be made

But my victims they scream, loud and unbound
And though I'm deaf to every word they say
And though worse scum could nowhere be found
And though they deserve whatever comes their way

There's a couple come through that have silver tongues
Their tales can reach even my devil's heartstrings
They scream their innocence as I pull out their lungs
As payment for all of their sins

But even as their screams stop still as they turn silent
Their words can hang in the air
They follow me round, no rest for the wicked and violent
Because apparently justice is fair.

Their claims of innocence ring in my ears
Their pleas will borrow into my skull
As they attack the worst of my fears
They're the iceberg striking my hull

Cause it's possible life and decisions ain't always so clear, it's not fair
That my victims are mentally unstable and torn
But what does it matter what I feel and fear, when I dream of nightmares?
After all, I'm just a demon, and the devil's own pawn.


Context: Recently, a good friend introduced me to the Mechanisms. And I have to say, everything else aside, they write some amazing lyrics. One lyric in particular inspired this, from the song broken horses - http://themechanisms.bandcamp.com/track/broken-horses-2#lyrics

The line is "I wonder if devils get nightmares//Of all of their victims as well". I don't think it's difficult to see how I used this line. I may have taken minor liberties with Christian doctrine here, it was intended merely as a setting for an interesting character viewpoint.

#37 In which I learn I suck at small talk

Hey man!
Hi.
Whats up?
Not much. How're you?
How am I? Well.
That's kinda difficult.


See, I'd describe myself as kinda complex. A little bit unusual, y'know?
Saying how I am is gonna take a little bit longer than you might think.
I've been thinking a lot about a lot of things in a lot of ways
So you might want to settle down and grab yourself a drink

I'm feeling kinda amazing. I'm luckier than most people in this world.
I've been blessed with a caring family, supportive friends and good circumstance
I was born with relatively few disabilities to stunt my growth
There are only few obstacles on the path down which I wish to advance

But I'm also feeling quite sad and disillusioned
Whenever I see what's happening in the news
I feel sad when I see the media not doing it's job
Yet when it does it's job well I just develop depressing views

I'm feeling optimistic - I'm still young with life to live
I'm feeling kind - there's so much that I want to give
I'm feeling anxious - there's some tough challenges in store
I'm feeling satisfied - screw materialism, I don't need anything more

I'm feeling like the sum total of 1000 generations of natural selection
I'm feeling that I'm thinking too much, with introspective introspection
I'm feeling lonely, a unique sum of genetics within the human race
I'm feeling small, as I realise the vastness of outer space

I'm feeling like a lot of things right now
And I know you do to.
I'd love to ask you to answer with exactly how
It really feels to be you.

But with all things considered
Now I've gathered up all these thoughts of mine
When you ask me how I'm feeling?

I guess I'm fine.

#36 Thank Yous and Responce

So, it's started to happen slowly,
That among the 1000+ people who are friends on facebook
The 1% of you who've seen me link (or maybe 2%)
Who've thrown caution to the wind and given my poetry site a look

And then decided it wasn't as bad as you thought
And told me you quite liked what was written here
And possibly been kind and told me to promote further
I wanted to respond to make myself clear

But first, let me thank you in an unreserved manner
It was really unexpected, that you actually liked my little spiels
It really does make me happy and surprise me everytime
One of you comes and admits my poetry held a little appeal

And while I truly am glad, allow me to be a little blunt
For I'm a sham, and the selfishness of this blog is my vice
For the main reason for me writing this was for me
So I could see myself improve and realise some advice

If you're feeling brave, flick between the start and now
I feel I've already got better than I was before
And I want to keep getting better and better
Until the better of my poetry is rooted at it's core

I know this sounds bad. And I may actively try to promote in the future
But right now I'm not quite there.
So while you're reading this from the comfort of your computer
Let me state right now, I'm really glad you care.

That each view does make me glad.
And people returning to read more is just, well, great.
And if you hang on a bit further until I'm a little less bad
I'll try my best to make it worth your wait.

#35 The Work Unseen

You kinda have to be an artist to understand.
That behind each masterpiece of art lies work unseen.

That thousands of brushstrokes went into building the technique
That many paintings were discarded in the pursuit of perfection
Into the muscles mastering the precise control and co-ordination
Into having the patience to repeat, over and over, for every flaw
That which is before you is the sum of far more than just the time to create that one piece of work.
But only an artist would understand


You kinda have to be a musician to understand.
That behind each masterpiece of music lies work unseen.

That thousands of hours went into building the technique
That many melodies were discarded in the pursuit of perfection
Into developing the rhythm which will guide every beat
Into having the patience to repeat, over and over, for every flaw
That the work before you is the sum of far more than just the time to create that one piece of work.
But only a musician would understand.


You kinda have to be an athlete to understand.
That behind each masterpiece of athleticism lies work unseen.

That thousands of hours went into building the technique
That many techniques were discarded in the pursuit of perfection
Into the muscles mastering the precise control and co-ordination
Into having the patience to repeat, over and over, for every flaw
That the work before you is the sum of far more than just the time to create that one piece of work.
But only an athlete would understand.


You kinda have to be a scientist to understand.
That behind each masterpiece of knowledge lies work unseen.

That thousands of hours went into building the thesis
That many ideas were discarded in the pursuit of perfection
Into understanding exactly every assumption and justification required
Into having the patience to rethink, over and over, for every flaw
That the work before you is the sum of far more than just the time to create that one piece of work.
But only a scientist would understand.



Yet it took me a long time indeed to understand
That behind each masterpiece of any field lies work unseen.

That thousands of hours went into building the technique
That many techniques were discarded in the pursuit of perfection
Into developing any skill to the point that no one else could imitate it
Into having the patience to repeat, over and over, for every flaw
That the work before you is the sum of far more than just the time to create that one piece of work.

That every thing masterpiece you witness
Is the sum of a lifetime so far
That no truly great work is achieved without great effort behind the scenes
Without all the sacrifice, all the pain,
                                                     and all the work unseen

And I think that, just possibly, I'm beginning to understand.

#34 Roses

I've always been told,

"Why can't you just stop for a second and smell the roses?

Can't you see how pretty it is?

Feel how soft it's petals are?

How the thorns give pungent imagery about the intertwined nature of beauty and danger?

Just stop and appreciate the rose."

It might just be me, 

But I'm far more interested in the bit of graffiti

Etched imprecisely on a tree

Saying SW loves JD

In the slightly damaged branch

In the bit of litter on the ground

In the butterflies dancing with each other

In the oak that stands many meters tall

In the little bit of rope on the strongest accessible branch indicating the absence where a swing used to be

In the pattern of flowers that means nothing at all

I love the sound of a river streaming

I adore the rustling of leaves indicating the hidden life I can't see

I like stopping in a place with long grass indicating no one really stopped here before

I like to stop to try to work out why on earth I've stopped at all

And yes, sometimes, I like to stop to smell the roses.

But the only reason we can stop at all is because the rest of the time we're moving.

We can only stop so many times.

And I have to say, that when I stop

I want it to stop for my own reasons

And find my own beauty in this world.

#33 To care about something

It's quite odd that we view not caring about something as cool
I don't know why, but I had this feeling all the way through school
That it was wrong to have any greater goal and mission
That the greatest sin was the pride of ambition

Cynicism is king, scepticism the jester
That the worst person is the one who invests their
Time trying to be an active go-getter
Making fun of anyone trying to get better

All of this, sort of builds into a general theme
That to care about something is entirely obscene
To try to strive in a new direction
Is tantamount to utmost insurrection

And now I regret not doing more
That I didn't have more things to try for
For now the most fascinating people I know
Are those who've been driven be something greater since the word go

Because it's only when you take a stand you can realize you're standing on faulty ground
It's only when you've tried your time many times you can realize what you've found
Only when you've tried and failed and tried and failed again
Only when you've defied all odds can you love your mission

So screw convention, and the idea you shouldn't have a passion
Let's have an intervention, because apathy shouldn't be the fashion
Let's all go out in different directions, please go and stop stalling
This is my open invitation, for you to finally find your calling

#32 Breathing

I'm an asthmatic.
Sometimes, I really struggle for breath.
And I have to stay calm.
Can't be mad or fanatic
That way, I walk to close to death
To very dangerous harm.

You treasure seconds
You store them up for later use
Life is more real
The struggle beckons
As you try to reach a truce
So you can still feel

And then suddenly life is back to its normal pace
You're hustling about again, forgetting time is a race
You'll spend days doing nothing at all
Forgetting the moment you hit the wall

Forgetting the sweetness of the first true taste of air after an attack
Forgetting the fleetingness of moments where you didn't know how to come back
Forgetting the alien sound of wheezing coming from no mouth but yours
Forgetting the difficulty of the ground, the feeling of your pores

I have known the value of a single exhalation
Only when you know that can you know inspiration
Take that struggle, and know asthma only highlights what you spend every moment doing
Pull yourself up young muggle, because tonight you realise what is worth pursuing

See, that near death experience has become routine
I can disappear, greet the reaper, and return with absence unseen
It's not often, and normally it's not to severe
But when it is, you'll know if you happen to be near

Breath is short
Words are now even shorter
I become more zen
I'm caught
Possibly down for the slaughter
Life is precious again



Context: So, I've had asthma since I was a young child. Although the attacks I'm describing now have happened only a few times (usually when I've been an idiot and forgotten my inhaler), the feeling of struggling for each breath is certainly genuine. I do a lot of exercise, run a lot, and take my fitness for granted more than I should. It's really when asthma hits that I realise a lot of my natural inclination towards being athletic is more God given than I would like. And maybe, just maybe, it helps me realise how lucky I am, and help me work to push myself harder.

#31 The Clockwork Man

I don't know why, but sometimes, I'm scared of being replaced.

And I'm scared that replacement will be able to do everything I can

That if one day I was just suddenly erased

My replacement could just be the clockwork man

That my day to day becomes too predictable

That the way I walk and talk can be replicated

That each day is merely average and typical

With the life that fate has seen me designated

And I'm not sure why I'm scared of this

What is so bone chilling about routine

But it's simultaneously a cage, a chasm, an abyss

The easiest trap into which I could careen

It's the curse of comfort, the fate of the familiar

But something which a lot of people may not think too scary

Life is just what you've got, does it really make you shiver,

If you like your life enough you don't want it to vary?

I want to experience life, in all it's horror and majesty
I want to know my life was not just spent in the same old dive
To make mine the richest of tapestries
To always feel like I'm still alive

For me, I'm afraid, that's the way my views go

The monotony of repetition is my greatest fear

Because the clockwork man inside me is waiting in my shadow

But for now, if just now, he's not in control here.

#30 Moment of Clarity

I had one of those rarest moments today

It was clarity, like a single word in ink

A moment of great rareness and sparsity

A moment where I could actually think

The feeling was enlightening

A release from my usual entrapment

Yet also, oh so frightening

At the brevity of this enlightenment

I could do anything, if this feeling would only last

Understand any problem, solutions would surround me

My mind finally working, and seems to run fast

While clarity quickly lessens, then confounds me

I really want to focus, but these days it is so hard

There's so many updates to see and read

And to think takes such effort, to go the extra yard

We have everything that we want, but nothing that we need

It is time I actually did it, shut everything down

And listened to nothing, so that thoughts could be beckoned

And then, for just once, in this noisy old town

I could gain clarity, for more than just a second.

#29 Monsters

In this world of Monsters,
We're either charlatans or freaks
The charlatans, they try their hardest
To be seen as neither 'weird' nor 'unique'

The hide every imperfection
Every blemish that they perceive
Then sell their vision to us
And it's that vision we receive

That this world is not of monsters
You're clearly not trying hard
This world is one of perfect beings
Who are never spotty or scarred

Can't you see how happy we are?
And how perfect we appear?
You know you could be just like us
If you tried your whole life time plus just one year.

...

In this world of Monsters,
I count myself a happy freak
I'm not trying to hide myself
And I don't think that makes me weak.

I will never be the perfect being
They parade around before us
They're tried so hard to pour beliefs into me
I'm practically porous

I am blemishes and scars
Acne, pain and regret
And that ain't no bad thing
I'm proud of it you bet.

Sure I'm trying to improve
I'm not saying in life you can't progress
But there's nothing wrong in being yourself
Even if that self is a mess

You are beautiful, you are flawed
With your own personality
Embrace your weirdness and your oddities
Cause you're a Monster, just like me.

#28 Awkwardness

Ok, I'm about to speak about something
To which every reader can certainly relate
I'm talking about when you're talking
And plough straight on, and don't hesitate

Oops, see? You've done it now
You've said something awkward,
It's been said and you know exactly how
And you know you can't just leave it and move onward.

No.

From now, you will spend countless hours thinking about what you just said
It'll hold immense and uncertain power, swirling around inside your head
A thousand different scenarios will present themselves as an option
Things that would just flow over the conversation and soon be forgotten

What if? What if? Your mind will echo for a age
If only I could go back in time, rewrite that page
I could be known as a great wit and connoisseur
Instead now I'm just a local twit, a dumb-ass cur

You're going to beat yourself up for a while I can tell
So let me step in before your own mind becomes a hell
It's perfectly natural to worry about this - it's how social skills improve
But if your mind wants to find bliss, it's going to have to move

For you can say things that can brighten someone's day
That can help and encourage when someone's mood is grey
You don't realise it, but that's what people remember
I mean, you may not relight someone's fire, but you can provide an ember

You can build up and strengthen, that's your gift
What you just said was over quite swift
One time is one time, but what matters is the message you re-enforce
But that's up to what you want to do, of course.

I mean, some people like being awkward.

#27 When Science Proposes to Art

I was there on that most beautiful and fantastic of dates
A summation of two such painful and intertwined fates
Despite efforts to separate, the decided it was far easier to join
As two opposing sides realised they made the same coin

It was the ceremonial joining of Science and Art
An emotional time for the brain and the heart
Both simply trying to comprehend to world in which we dwell
Both had caused healing and harm, created heaven and hell

Yes there was bound to be turmoil, the honeymoon would be short
That there would be debates and arguments worthy of the highest of courts
But for the good times, man, they would rock the world in two
Lifting us higher than either one alone could do

The ceremony was certain to be a most curious affair
For the conjoining of such a conflicting pair
On a beach by the sea lit by stars in the sky
The sort of scene that embodies the very essence of the question 'why?'

The vows were something to help separate the couple
Art wished for turmoil, so as to find beauty in the struggle
To sometimes work apart, so they'd appreciate being together
To go forth sans map or chart, not knowing what storms they'd weather

Science, in their vow, wished for something quite different
For both to work together to avoid being ignorant
To never let ego and pride cloud the road ahead
But even more fascinating were the words left unsaid

For as these two embraced, kissed, and left over the sand
And strolled away, hand in newly ringéd hand
I realised why this was the most beautiful pairing I'd ever witness
For both Science and Art answer to themselves, and no other mistress

There is nothing that can limit the artist's imagination
Scientists' will hypothesise the impossible without hesitation
Together, brand new ideas and possibilities could be given birth
Together, they could truly push the limits of earth

Context: Aesop Rock's "Water" contains many beautiful lines, one of which is:
'When Science proposes to Art beside the peace-filled sea,
I'll be the cat with a ring on the pillow shouting "Finally!"',
which gave birth to this poem.

#26 The paths you've taken

The paths you've taken are yours and yours alone

These paths define your current personality and tone

And lead you to where you are right now

Now while you can never take the same path twice

To revisit where you once trod is my advice

Find a way to do it somehow

For a man who's forgotten from where he came

Does so only to his utmost shame

For he's lost touch with his past

So I'd encourage you all to do this

Go back, stop, and reminisce

Find the mould from which you're no cast

But don't stay for too long in that place

Keep on moving in this human race

Staying back too long should be barred

For you have to move on from your history

To places unknown, towards utter mystery

Even though sometimes, trust me, it's hard.

#25 First Impressions

I sometimes wonder what first impression I give
What criteria people judge me with
How I'm perceived, and how much the impression sticks
How long an impression takes to break, how many clock hand ticks.

I don't care about my appearance much, but it's more than I used to
I find rigorous styling too much hassle to go through
But I still care more than I might like to admit
So I'm curious as to what signals I transmit

So I know I talk fast and my hair is unkempt
That my posture is slovenly despite recent attempts
That I do talk a little posh, but dress as a mess
That I sometimes forget the name of the person I wish to address

That I tend to be keen, at least when meeting someone new
That I tend to mutter when I don't wish to
That I judge people as well, I have just as much guilt
It's something I'm ashamed of, a slight perspective tilt

But I've tried to become aware, so I can correct the pitch
It's much worse to be ignorant than to solve a worry itch
Because I'm a poor judge of character, and people can fascinate
Learn who someone really is, before you character assassinate

#24 The Push

It's not to hard to find the pressure against you
Feel it building up and becoming immense too
These pascals are building up high
Units increasing not passing by

It's quite tough. And it comes from strange places
People demanding you pull out a hand of aces
Or pushing you way past your comfort zone
Taking about things in distasteful tone

You've got to wear these clothes, think this way
You've got to talk like us or it's not ok
You've got to be up with the latest trends
You've got to like this things or we're not friends

I'm not a fan of this as you might guess
But it can be a difficult thing to address
The idea of all being the same is almost despicable
It's your duty, when everyone is pushing, to be individual.

And push back.

#23 A Gentleman's Rhyming Duel

Dear Sir, you've been nothing but obnoxious all evening
And normally, naturally, I'd just be enquiring as to the time of your leaving
But this time I feel special discipline must be enforced
Why are you raising your fists? Ah, you're not cultured, of course. 

Forgive my ignorance of one so uncouth
I'll be generous and put it down to the frivolities of youth
No, dear Sir, when we battle, we battles with rules
So let me explain what's happens in Gentleman's Rhyming Duels.

I know you're a scallywag and a young up-starter
But you must still learn of it, it's our poetic Magna Carta
So lest you invest to test yourself against the best but before you end in destitution
Let me unveil the lines of our constitution

Rule 1: There is to be no physical blows or contact
Only with words may your opponent be attacked

Rule 2: You may not insult an opponent's romantic relation
That line used to say wife, but in the future we don't use that connotation

Related rule 3: It's never an insult to call your opponent gay
You're a gentleman, boy, we're learnéd that way

Rule 4: You must speak in clearly pronounced rhymes
No slanting or mumbling for that is cheating and a crime

Rule 5: Be intelligent in the way that you insult
No baseless jabs or insinuating an untrue fault

Rule 6: When you're disposing of your opponents smart arse
Be dressed well and proper, show him your class

Rule 7: Only battle if the occasion genuinely requires
But if it does you step up and turn that sir back down to a squire

Rule 8: No rhymes aimed below the waistband
Rhyme face to face don't go for the cummerbund

Rule 9: Don't think wistfully of rhymes you could have done
If the duel is over you accept the result and move gracefully on

Rule 10: Be a gentleman in defeat but also be a gentleman as the victor
I've so some men celebrate so great you could measure it with Richter.

See most fellows can't actually follow how we do
We battle at too high a level, do me and you

They've phased in and out, they've tried a little to follow
But seeing gentleman battle, well it's a tough act to swallow
If at the end of it all, you shake my hand
You emerge a tattered but better man

But now you've learnt the game, do you still wish to play?
I assure you I've been duelling since back in the day
And while I play with grace, I play to destroy
So next time think twice before you cross me, boy.

#22 Straight Edge

I've never needed to artificially produce a high
Never really done drugs, let me tell you why
Life is so thrilling and fantastic as it is
I don't need to do anything drastic for a fizz

To some people this is alienating
It's just uncool and a bit frustrating
People ask why "How can you not do {insert drug here}"
I'd reply but there's no answer they want to hear

I'm a bit scared of becoming reliant - sure
I've friends who're already in need of a cure
But it's not a main reason for keeping it clean
For not giving life a seasoning and adding a sheen

"Do you not feel awkward, like you're making us feel bad?"
You just sound backward, and kind of mad
I don't expect anyone to lead the life I do
But it's the way that gives me least strife, it's true

"Don't you feel like you're missing out on what life is?"
Let me answer that with a one question quiz
Is life about just taking stuff and losing yourself
About taking enough medication from shelf after shelf

No, the real reason is I want too do things under my own steam
I want to be the reason behind what all my actions mean
I want to be responsible for every choice
For the good, and the bad are done with my voice

While originally I just didn't like the taste
It's now a rule on which my life is based
For the better, it's part of my pledge
To the letter, to be straight edge.

#21 Ways To Say Goodbye

Goodbye.
It's a simple word isn't it.
Yet it contains so many different connotations and meanings that it can mean almost anything at all.

The simple goodbye,
For a friend you know
You'll meet again tomorrow

The goodbye when leaving home
To the family you've known you're life thus far
And going out on your own to this world so bizarre

The goodbye when you aren't sure when you'll meet again
When you don't know whether you should hold back the tears
If the next time you meet will be in years

The goodbye when you know you wont meet again
When a friend is leaving your world for good
And lives are parting like they never should

The first goodbye of a new friend
When you know you'll have fun again soon
The goodbye of a friendship newly hewn

The goodbye you give when you don't want to leave
When circumstances seek to drag you away
When all you really want to do is stay

The final goodbye you'll ever say
The one thing all of us have to one day give
The only one you never outlive

The goodbye you never said, but now it's to late
There's no sense of closure, just emptiness inside
The goodbye never said to the person who died

#20 One D more

So, here's the scenario. You've been staging a dramatic comeback against a team. You've just scored, and are starting on defence. It's a big point, and it means a lot to everyone there. Nervously, you look to your captain. He looks nervous to. Then, suddenly defiant. You wonder what's coming next. Suddenly, he starts to sing...

VALJEAN
One D more!
Another point, another man to D.
This never-ending road to victory;
My men have one more wall to climb
To finally end this overtime.
One D more!

MARIUS
Only one point left to play
Time to finish what we have started.

VALJEAN
One D more.

MARIUS & COSETTE
Tomorrow you may rest away
Which you may do, when we have parted!

EPONINE
One more D to make my own.

MARIUS & COSETTE
Will we be on O again?

EPONINE
One more D for the crowd staring.

MARIUS & COSETTE
I was born to score with you.

EPONINE
What a throw he might have thrown.

MARIUS & COSETTE
And I swear my force is true!

EPONINE
But he never saw me there!

ENJOLRAS
One more D left to perform!

MARIUS
Do I follow as the disc goes?

ENJOLRAS
As we fight on with ambition.

MARIUS
Shall I poach another player?

ENJOLRAS
When our zone begin to form

MARIUS
What's my play; and do I dare?

ENJOLRAS
Will you form the cup with me?

ALL
The time is now, the D is here!

VALJEAN
One D more!

JAVERT
One D more to resolution,
We will lay out in the mud!
We'll are ready, make some noise
Be prepared if they run a flood!

VALJEAN
One D more!

M. & MME. THENARDIER
Watch 'em run in muck,
Catch discs as they fall,
Never risk your luck
When there's a free for all,
Here a little tip
You can catch any 'touch'
Play your best with honour
Play with spirit and such!

Students (2 Groups)
1: One day to a new beginning

2: Raise the flag of ambition high!

1: Don't be scared to make a swing

2: Don't be scared to make a swing

1: There's a new point for the winning

2: There's a new game to be won

ALL
Do you here the sideline sing?

MARIUS
My place is here, I play with you!

VALJEAN
One D more!

MARIUS & COSETTE
Only one point left to play

EPONINE
One more D to make my own!

MARIUS & COSETTE
Time to finish what we have started.

JAVERT(overlapping)
I will join these people's heros
I will follow where they go
I will earn the profile pictures,
I will know what throws to throw.

VALJEAN
One D more!

MARIUS & COSETTE
Tomorrow you may rest away

EPONINE
What a throw he might have thrown!

MARIUS & COSETTE
Which you may do, when we have parted!

JAVERT(overlapping)
One more D to resolution
We will lay out in the mud
We'll are ready make some noise

THENARDIERS(overlapping)

Watch 'em run in muck,
Catch discs as they fall,
Never risk your luck
When there's a free for all.


VALJEAN
Tomorrow we'll be far away,
Today is now our judgement day

ALL
Today we'll all discover
What our opposition has left in store!
One more score
One more D
One D more

Context: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KM3MzWYa_-Y

#19 Just a fish

Hey, I'm just a fish in the sea
And guess what, there's plenty more of me
Always has been and hopefully always will be
But we don't taste the same, we're quite unique

See I'm aware I'm the subject of many a metaphor
Just a phrase for there being an abundance, and there always being one more
But I'd like to counter that with utmost vigour
For not every fish is one you would wish to seek

And hey, the water's the place I like to dwell
When I'm out of it I wouldn't do so well
Unless I'm under some magical Disney-like spell
But that doesn't mean you shouldn't try something new

It's better to challenge yourself in new situations
Being stuck in a rut just causes frustration
Being the fish out of water can cause some great new adaptations
After all, a fish that left the seas long ago eventually became you

We're all unique in our choices and decisions
No saying is ever going to be perfect to every fish you see
I guess here is the climax to this vision
You too were once just another fish who left the sea

#18 Changes

The world revolves at a steady pace of 360 degrees a day
The sun will rise and it will fall. But it will never stay.
The stars in the sky will eventually burn and change how a constellation is arranged.
The Universe itself isn't constant. In the end, everything will have changed.

Growing up, you never see yourself grow into anything different.
This world is trying hard to change you, but man you're persistent.
You'll always be you at heart, whatever that means anyway.
There's certainly nothing to contrast any consecutive day.

But then, take a look back. A good while back if you have to.
You've developed. Don't be ashamed, it's true.
But the you back then wouldn't recognise you now.
You didn't realise, but the world changed you somehow.

And look the other way. You'll change in the future as well.
You'll go through heaven and you'll go through hell.
How you'll change. Man, that's just speculation.
You'll be built up further, all you know is the foundation.

There's just no use trying to stay as you are.
You're eventually no more permanent than a star.
Embrace it. Life will take you fantastic places if you give it a try.
And never allow the past to let the future pass you by.

#17 Right now

Right now you're not the only person on earth
Right now there's a grandfather dying and a mother giving birth
Right now the world is spinning, and it's only one moment you may find
Right now is one moment experienced in 7 billion different minds

Right now the night is dark, and the moon is bright
Right now it's raining, but dry, so hark at the sun in the sky
Right now one little kid just opened his eyes and saw his first ray of light
Right now six astronauts float in space where there's no day or night

Right now a young girl creates a semi-perfect daisy chain
Right now a young man wishes he could pass out from pain
Right now a kid found hope after hearing it get's better
Right now a young lover just finished writing their first love letter

Right now a patent just got approved for the next big invention
Right now a student just met her true love next to her in detention
Right now friends just reunited for the first time in years
Right now a teen read their acceptance letter through tears

Right now a office worker finally broke a habit of decades
Right now a man who dropped litter on the street labelled himself a renegade
Right now someone just joined the unemployment lines
Right now someone just found out their tumour was benign

Right now a man just passed away before he could say his last phrase
Right now someone laughed for the first time in days
Right now someone wiped away a tear as they said 'I do'
Right now a life just continued as though this moment meant nothing to you



Inspiration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cDDWvj_q-o8
Yes, it was posted early. I never *have* to wait for the deadline. I just normally do.