'the other way'

 

‘the other way’                                                            timothy r gates, 10/24/2013

I turned the other way

The other day

Then I lost my way

So I thought i’d say

Then I turned the other way

It was still today.

Pt. 2

I know that once I knew

Then I knew anew

Knowing that what I once knew was not new

So I thought I’d know you

You too know that you knew

Then we both flew

Knowing that knowing is always new.

Pt. 3

I walked away

The other day

Then I knew another way

So I will now say

Walking this or that way

Tributaries are merely the joy of the path’s way.

Columbus sailed the blue

‘Columbus sailed the blue’                      timothy r gates, 10/9/2013

said these folks in "India" were
lovely, easy to subjugate,
God's will to steal from.
Indies became Americas,
North America,
yes, America, though he never
sailed the ocean true.
America,
red, white and blue
would accuse others of imperialism,
forgetting
red and yellow,
black and white,
precious in Jesus' view,
subjugated by the few.
Columbus knew how to spin
starvation, thievery and murder
for the common good,
wrapped up with a red bow.
The "City on the Hill,"
they've learned this story well,
"Bring me your tired....."
Columbus believed his shit didn't stink,
too bad the Americas' Golgotha
isn't much more than a
compose pit for the divinely inspired victors.
Columbus, please,
pray for those still subjugated,
many never seeing an ocean blue.
Mercy. Love. Namaste.

Jesus, i

‘Jesus, i’                                 timothy r gates, 10/18/2013

Jesus, i
prayed, "Please."
(Four years old, my
first time.)
You must've been busy....
Tom waits,
"Away on business;
Why wasn't God watching?"
Rachel's lament,
millenniums of buried dirges
kept their tears from heaven's sight.
used by
prophets of old
used, still, by
temple preachers, calling it
providence.
(The thing pointing
is not the thing,
the thing points to the thing.)
"This hurts me more than you,"
innocuous bullshit,
only topped by,
"We all deserve death and hell."
Grown up,
Ha!
i, still, pray.
Difference?
We're both busy,
and we both attend to business.

Death weeps not

‘Death weeps not’                          timothy r gates, 10/23/2013

Death weeps not
this Angel smiles,
may look like a grimace.
maybe it's difficult,
one more passover assignment
being the hand of God,
doing what you're told
gets old, at times.
Wings of mercy,
not melting
not flying into the Sun
not falling to the Earth,
carrying innocents home
leaving other clear eyes to live,
pilgrims caught in another's balance.
"Death, where is thy sting?"
Maybe this Angel has no tears,
desert ravages
wearied by carrying these angels,
knowing their trust
knowing their freedom
knowing their holding on,
prostrates before them,
left with,
"Lord, have mercy."

sad over the cries

Sad over the cries.                    timothy r gates, 10/16/2013

innocents fallen under,
necessary, so it's said, swords --
"Pro-lifers" and "Pro-choicers,"
could start a new club.
No more "collateral damage"
No more hungry children
No more violated weeping babies,
waiting for mommy and daddy to come home.
"But we've trained these soldiers
to kill!"
Maybe when we stop making excuses
Maybe when we stop needing to rebuild bombed countries
Maybe when we stop regrets and anxiety,
lamenting yesterday's horrors and tomorrow's coming plagues --
sadness over abortions and adoptions will be buried.
Or,
sides can continue their fundraiser support groups.
Some soldiers dream of peace,
weaponry obsolete.
Some police officers dream of walking a beat,
tasers, guns, and vests antiquated.
Some activists dream of a cause helping people with names,
checks and donations not primarily for their directors' paychecks.
Tears may be wiped away,
furrows being icons
No more crying of innocents,
sharing in their lamenting -
I am baptized
by people with
faces and names,
breathing the same air.
Rising up out of these waters,
we gasp, we inhale,
we exhale.
Angels might know happy tears, here.