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Our Own


by Darryl Price



 

The world is upon us. The only thing that matters

Now is if you are willing to be seen by them. Many moths

Will be hidden by simply gathering on the bark

Of the one tree, but this will not sustain you if you

 

Do not also have the courage to flee when trusted to.

The world is upon us. In every direction

There is an army swelling waiting for a signal. We must

Carry something more precious than fear into the open wild with us.

 

Something that can only be felt in all hearts at once without

Ever trying. Something that remains when all else is

Broken and stolen and alone. Something that smiles in

The winds of terror without flinching or removing

 

Its kind intent before flying into the void to freedom. The

World is upon us. All doors are knocked in, all windows

Are reduced to gaping mouths full of sharp teeth and dull

Dead eyes. We must frame our own doors now to protect the

 

Beings who depend on us from further harm if we

Possibly can. The world is upon us. All pretense

Should be discarded. We must eat our own poetry

A nibble at a time and save the rest for each day

 

Yet to come. Let there be silent acknowledgments to

All the stars carried within us. The world is upon us. Let

The children feel everything they are naturally feeling. They did

Not make this fear. They are entitled to their own sweet dreams.

 

The world is upon us. There is no time left to plan for

Another escape. This is not the first time though. And not

The last time. Love is shrinking its presence out of necessity,

Not out of existence. It can wait forever to return. The

 

World is upon us. Every spear in the side is a

Way to the true road again though it may seem like a

Dam has burst to drown all that is fair. All living must

Have some sunlight on their skins to help them move forward

 

To attend the ultimate dance ahead. And like it or not

We're all invited as soon as we are born. Tickets the truth is

Are us. The world is upon us. We once knew this could

Happen again. It was no kept secret. The world is upon us.

 

And upon us now is our oath to always be here for each other

In times of trouble, to remember the songs we sang

When our towers were seen stout as oaks; summers

Were lazy and long and full of the best cheer humans

 

Have to offer. The world is upon us at last. Now

Is the time to open the sheds, break the glass cases

And sound the silent horns of our valiant folk heroes

To stand for justice, for mercy, for peace once more, for the gardens, for the

 

Many bright flags of fun and music and lasting friendship, for

Poetry, and for the rights of all peoples to live

Freely on this earth. The world is upon us alright,

But we are also upon the world. We do not give

 

Up so easily. Let us rejoice in this moment then:

That we shall never extinguish the art of living,

Nor let die the hope and dreams for a better angel

Of our nature. The world is upon us. So be it.     




Bonus poems:


Here

He threw an 
orange at the staff
and Eleanor
soon fainted.



A Faintly Heard Message 

by Darryl Price



 

There is no other message now that means more besides

the love we all can feel. Sometimes it comes to

us and at other times it comes from us, but

only because a heart somewhere is opening. At that point

 

we have an easy hard choice to make, either to

accept that lucky grace and be thankful for it or

to childishly reject it in the name of pride or

arrogance. Even though that is mostly true, it's also true

 

that many of our actions have been made sadder by

our own fears. The virus of fear is a mighty

sore symptom of misunderstanding and blocked thought, but it doesn't

need to overwhelm who you are to yourself-- because the

 

love remains where you are as a being, too, always.

It simply requires your meaningful participation, your free yes despite

the pain and suffering you may be experiencing at any

given moment. Give what you can into the spirit of

 

love wherever you are standing, sitting or lying down today.

There's no amount too small, no amount ever rejected or

sent back for more. You will receive it again somewhere

somehow tenfold because it is generous in its central nature.

 

It's no trick of the imagination. It is the very

instantly recognizable action of kindness. Any kindness. Any kind thought.

Any kind word. Any compassion. Any empathy. It moves the

universe in a more beautiful direction, away from pitiful bitterness

 

and into a worldwide celebration of inclusion and toleration, not

exclusion and loneliness, nor just simply selfish desire. It always

has, as it always will be the voice of mercy

and goodwill in each circumstance.  And it is just as

 

much you as it is me or anyone else. Please 

so won't you show some hope with us in your 

own dignified and special way of doing things, a way 

that most easily opens your own heart without hesitation?  Thanks. 




Bonus poem:



We Have Our Eye On You, Too


by Darryl Price


The hopeless world needs a little 
more love, but gets bundles of 
hate instead. New hope would go 
a long way towards fixing things. 

The hopeless world needs some light 
let in, enough to remind us 
all to have faith in kindness, 
like mercy, given like bread. The 

lonely world needs sharing. Hopeless people 
want a little care, that's all, 
to show them they are not 
alone. This world must have peace, 

power and love's living presence. Poetry 
is in our power. It's time 
to act. Not with anger as 
our only tool, but freedom, the 

ultimate goal for your courage. Our
voices are one now, as always,
a bell for our unique destiny
together, however they may view us.    



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