Electric Change

As a day to remember the greats passes such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I'm reminded those that sacrificed so that others might not know suffering the same. Some ignited the powder keg of change in non-violent ways , while others chose a way that yielded results differently, yet none less noble than the other. Things, times, stories, promises and our children are all changing rapidly in an age when values are being re-visited, also in an era where information and control are played with by the powers that be, but regardless of the time we have with others, the attitude and Will I be mentioned amongst the greats? I used to have this issue with not being able to help others as far as work goes and my friends would remind me “you can't help others if you need to first help yourself.” This stands so true, so true to a realization that I stopped trying to work in the non-profit field and began to do something different. Luckily I re-discovered writing and poetry. Right now I don't reach a lot of folks, but those that do read what I share are thankful that they did. (Hint hint... tell folks about this blog)

Day upon day we wonder and question at specific times... What can little old me do to make a difference? Sometimes we're driven or moved to do more, think differently, or create some sort of change, whether it be from a distressful situation or a way of being that is nothing less than lifeless with stagnation. Difference: there's not much to it but a comparison, so aside from daily patterns responsibilities, it does take a spark of courage to veer off of the well paved road onto rocky trails & do something differently. The thing about creating change and making some sort of difference isn't that you simply help others or that you've fulfilled some sort of happiness by helping someone, but that “It Was Done.” Many times others might not see or even acknowledge the work you've done to make a difference in the life of another, however by helping one, (even by simply listening) mountains are moved. I know, many have helped me and I'm so thankful that they chose to open their eyes and see that something was up with me. So difficult these days to create and maintain a healthy community, but we all have to do something, even if it's reminding someone that we care and understand. Now doing something noble for the greater good... that's a different blog altogether. What will you do to protect your freedoms & those of ones that will come after you?

I don't ask that you guys donate to your local charitable organizations, or that you protest for something you believe in, just open your eyes & try something different. Some are moved with music and poetry while others are moved by what they hear opposed to what they see. I'm moved by beauty, compassion, passion, justice, struggle, Love and Truth found in so many things our creator has given us. So many have sacrificed so that we might have the comforts we know today, the freedoms that we try hard to express to my young folks. Lets not shame them (our ancestors, civil rights leaders, & close relatives) with our neglect by taking freedom for granted.

Wow... Change, so many things are changing. Everyday I read something new or hear of some crazy shit that so many are oblivious to... right under our noses, Laws about internet censorship, arresting peaceful protesters & firing tear gas into crowds of women & children, ordinary citizens organizing to protest or watch independent films being spied on & watched closely, hold up, is J. Edgar Hoover still head of the FBI (He died years ago...asshole)? So now is time for us to wake up, read different media sources. If in the Bay listen to KPFA, if in SD, listen to NPR or check out Hard Knock Radio on KPFA's website. I myself will continue to stand for all things my ancestors & many more died for. Do you have anything that you live for? What/who would you die for?

Use your voice if you can (even if it's reading a book to a child, your own). Some can barely communicate how they feel or live. Some speak of scraping to barely get by, many find it hard just to survive. I don't know about y'all but I can be comfortable just doing family things and day to day tasks, but remember, life is so short to stress like nuts, or allow someone else to. I don't want to just survive. I want to Thrive! I wanna Live and I believe that I'm once again learning how. LIVE!! So I'll continue to fight in my ways. It's okay to make a few waves, even if you can't swim that well. You just might be able to surf them safely to shore when the seas of life seem too rough to swim.

 

The dead look up eerily in silence & disgust

Never asking, “Why fight?” if they could

As pepper is sprayed into the eyes of the learning young

Tear gas gets fired into crowds of women and children & nothing is done, however

You can feel it in the air

You can smell it, like a holiday pie cooling off under someones window sill

Like the smell of an approaching storm

Not Love, but something similar

Something just as strong, yet it moves groups of folks not just two individuals

This change that clings to our restless spirits like static

Reactions to no action, they demand change

The tired, sore reflections of day to day progress

Progress for the far off lands they've cleared for the youth to both learn & play

Sacrificial in every sense of the concept, selfless

Teacher and leader to those willing to listen we all must strive to be or

Perhaps we could all just be good followers, not blind but Just

But if only, just if we could encourage some new leaders

But we are so caught up what our beloved country has fed us...

Dreams of white picket fences, strip malls, fico scores, countless goods, scams, prisons,

Irresponsible media, WAR, Hate, social awareness, financial status, bad habits & triple beams

As the hard working struggle experiencing family drama considered tragic but

This is America as we know it

Changing

Challenging

Innovative

Daring

Defeating and oh so young this country stands

Amongst the willing & most ingenuous

In shame

While some justify why it's “okay” to withhold the truth with rules, red tape & greedily drool

Others suffer in silence...

Hoping that someone with the strength will hold steadfast like a bent stop sign in a hurricane Standing!

Speaking volumes for what their scarred heard could in no condition utter

Sisters, brothers and even grandparents Standing up out of retirement...

Standing for their grandchildren and even complete strangers

So even the old timers wise in age begin to take up marching with swollen knees and old bones
Reconnecting all things they remember that once drove them to make a stand the first time

Reflecting cold lines of more picket signs, songs and of defiance in late December

Strong speakers, nurses, even elementary school teachers decided enough is enough

While the comfortable complacent become uneasy with all this electric energy shooting about

Can you feel it? Is it like an illness this call to change that's happening, spreading like-

Like something that needs to be confined

Centuries worth of progressive planning has left us with systems that in no way console

Let them try to poke & prod the hearts of the willing for our minds they can in no way control

Relinquishing honor and respect in every law enacted

Rules & laws that have enough red tape to block out the sun &

Strings of influence so long that can reach to the nearest solar system

But I have a solution, they call it eaves dropping, and prison

But how sovereign are we within our sovereign nation

Shaken to tears, back to church, mobs of earth movers doing something out of both Love & frustration

Passing along a song of hope or the young life that by being overwhelmed finds it difficult to cope

Words, promises, fights, loved ones, goals, dreams & hopes

Tasks & things we won't feel complete if we left this world without

Are you afraid of the danger that change brings

The possibility of being ripped from those whom you love or

Stripped of those things you worked so hard in your existence to possess?

All in the name of love, truth, and compassionate progress

But you don't have to be a bulldozer, wheel barrel, or drug trafficker to move something

You can be a small child drawing a picture or recycling

All it takes is an action different than one that solely feeds the self

A healthy reaction of common sense & shared interest to Do something

So while walls fall down, cell phone services freeze & drop bars, blackouts occur

Riots happen, freedoms revoked like drivers licenses taken away & replaced with fees

The pillars of this country also violently crumble as our delegations are replaced with thieves

With greed, selfishness and ignorance I try to remind myself that history repeats & that

Ain't nothing anymore really that strange

As dollars get redirected the youth get neglected and the balance of tomorrow hangs

Nothing left to do but make the best of it, Work Smarter, Love Stronger and Dream Louder
For some have waited all their fragile life for this, have fought hard, bled and survived to witness
Lost limbs loved ones and the chance to see sunlight in order to invite this amazing electric change

Electric Change

1-19-2012