'Don't judge'

"Don't judge"                            timothy r gates, 3/08/2014




So easy,
"Don't judge."
I'm hungry,
I'm full.
I'm Christian,
I'm Muslim -
or, a Jew, Buddhist, Pagan
or, A-theist.
(Sorry, if I missed a group.)
I'm vegan,
I'm vegetarian,
I'm eat most things.
I'm pro-choice,
I'm pro-life.
I'm gay,
I'm straight.
I'm phobic of you,
I'm phobic of you.
(Sorry, if I missed something.)
So easy,
"Don't judge."
The other path?
Kill everyone in the way of
our walk way.

'Friends?'

After my teenage son told me how much he likes this piece, well - i do too, now. Live how.love gives insight sight.
'Friends?'                                     timothy r gates, 2/22/2014
All called friends,
some call me one,
some call me other things
as well as friend.
some fancy agreement with me,
some do not --
i, still, call them the same.
Friends?
From nature
from nurture,
from adulthood
from childhood,
from theism
from atheism.
From homes
from streets,
from schools
from mysteries.
from life lived together.
Preachers and burlesque queens
supposed saints and sinners
Poets, painters, musicians -
not one craft show peddler,
or candlestick maker as far as i can tell.
Monks, nuns and drag queens
hetero and homo, plus variations of sexualities
Dancers, chanters, drum circles -
not one religious illusionist,
or segregation proponent as far as i can tell.
Our commonality,
thankfully not all of this,
save for this thing:
Friends.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRzKUVjHkGk

'Four from Liverpool'

"Four from Liverpool"           timothy r gates, 2/10/2014


eleven, the first time.
John's rebel,
"working class hero"
never left me.
Paul's highs..
his love of all things living,
with a resolve of love for John.
Ringo's niceness,
knowing the value of a backbeat,
perhaps the friendliness rock star.
George's quietness,
guitar weeping gently for many,
Zen's stillness reclining in the present.
decades later, the first time.
i, still, believe that peace is lived.
i, still, believe that all we need is love.
i, still, believe that nice people can still win.
i, still, believe that in stillness we find a quiet song.
Four from Liverpool, these Lads
made a difference for me as a teen when i felt alone.
Grateful.
Still, make a difference.

'a dust storm' or 'crossroads'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe2YQ5NZqkE
"a dust storm' or 'crossroads'        timothy r gates, 2/1/2014


coming to the
crossroads,
falling to my knees -
tears went dry:
Jesus and his nemesis
at the auction block,
claiming bragging rights to my soul,
it dawned on me,
"This is mine to keep,
to ask to be kept,
or to give it up."
Some,
"Want to go to heaven,
but nobody wants to die."
Some,
desire neither a heaven or hell,
only want to die.
turning around,
at the crossroads
a dust storm baptized my seeing --
wiping my eyes clean:
Gethsemane said hello to
Emmaus,
they seem to desire a triad,
waiting for my note.
i hear the silence of this chord.

'songs, strings' or 'a whisper comes'

'songs, strings'  or. 'a whisper comes'     timothy r gates, 12/29/2014


Songs
strings strung,
hung
choking,
written, unwritten 
intonations.
left hanging.
breathless.
reposed.
Strings
medium gage,
copper
steel,
re-strung, untrimmed
pings.
silent.
window fog.
Anesti!
risen, i scrape the window's frost,
what was thought to be unheard
a whisper comes near.
"Let the dead bury the dead."
this whisper is not another's.