thoughtsfromb4

[thoughtsfromb4]

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[thoughtsfromb4]

Just wondering - If Trump was actually a Manchurian candidate, I am trying to imagine what (if anything) he would be doing differently...

Thankfully though, this can all also be explained by stupidity, narcicism, demented joy at the suffering of others, and a seriously thin skinned ego (oh and racism, definitely can't forget the racism)

@thoughtsfromb4

[thoughtsfromb4]

The Tenacity Of Hope

Now, in this land, in times beyond our forefathers,

Beyond those who were first and merely squatters– 

Those who crossed the Delaware’s frozen waters, 

Those brought and sold as economic fodder, 

Those who charged ashore into lead breakwaters–

These people were real, not the myths some now proffer. 

So in this day is it our intent to say 

(As, from our ideals, we’ve now run astray) 

That the reality of their truth has today

Such little value it can be cast away?

Of course, times have changed, and yet so have we,

So perhaps what we need is a reverie, 

A vision of a future that can still be seen,

Free from the authoritarian political machine,

A vision for you and me–for all to see– 

The path from here to where we should be,

One that can clarify and bring into view 

All the types of things we all must do.

So, what should be our new vision's theme? 

"Liberty or Death" or “I have a dream”? 

Or something newer, a rallying call

Like the one we heard one glorious fall 

When, out of nowhere, came a politician;

and I tell you what, he was on a mission,

Because this guy had devised a simple plan 

The “Audacity of Hope” plus “Yes We Can.” 

He made us see that what we face 

Is not beyond our knowledge base,

That we have the strength to carry on 

And to lay down foundations whereupon 

We can build a new future–with all our hands–

And begin to enact all of the types of plans 

That shepherd that future and serve to guide it 

Down a path we can walk with Pride beside it. 

Of course, that was then, and this is now,

So we face the eternal question: how? 

How is it that we can respond to this 

When so many feel things are still so amiss?

When so many people live in a world without facts

While cheering on a demagogue's authoritarian acts? 

When majorities cry victim as they still oppress 

Any who dare to offend the fragile views they possess? 

Sadly, history shows these troubles have been seen before

Whenever bigots and despots blame the tired and poor,

So we must keep up the resistance and fight on once again, 

Just as those before us who worked to move us to Now from Then.

First, we must remember that "Yes We Can" 

Was simply so much more than a single man– 

That rallying call was built on aspiration,

Calling out to us all as if a gauntlet thrown,  

A challenge sent out to the entire nation 

To earn the ideals that we claim to own. 

Yes, we can meet this challenge, but to do so, we must rise

Up to meet the gaze of all those with hate within their eyes-

Just as those before us who stood up to all the tyrants of the past,

Ironclad in their convictions, hope unconstrained by class or caste.

So in this Now we must speak out, vote, and protest; 

We must summon our strength of will and refuse to shrink

From the unending trials of our democratic contest 

With all those who seek to push us to the brink. 

For it is in all of the faces of our can-be-great nation

That we see how it is we will cope, 

Showing all, through our audacity and determination, 

The true Tenacity Of Our Hope.

--@thoughtsfromb4

[thoughtsfromb4]

A running list of links to my work to save those interested in reading them from all of the ads/scrolling.

Blake’s Fire

Over There

Cosmic Questions

The Tenacity Of Hope

The Demagogue

Why We Speak

Know That I Too

The Secrets Of Seasons

The Walls

For Tommy

Home

Be-Calmed

Reawakening, Upon A Spring Morning

An Ode For My Mother

The Angel On My Shoulder Goes By The Name Of Death

Diamond Lit Skies

Arrows

And Still The Sun Will Rise

When I Am Up

Endings Without Ends

Eternity In A Telescope

The Storm

Reflections

A Piece of Peace

--@thoughtsfromb4

[thoughtsfromb4]

The Demagogue

Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free

So I can see their faces as I cast them back into the sea.

For I have no time to save them, nor be bothered by their fate;

As I must save the nation from all the Dreamers at the gate.

First, though, I must deal with anyone who does not look or sound like me,

Especially all those sad, bad hombre types who would dare to take a knee.

I mean, they make tons of money right (though not nearly as much as me),

So why should they care about the victims of some police brutality?

It's not like they are suffering, nor having their history erased.

Like all those "fine folks" who are having their monuments displaced.

Yet there's no need to fear, I know what monuments and parks to remove,

And with the regulations gone, new wells and mines can be approved.

So to those pathetic liars who say that this type of order is unfair,

Know that I am just making room to bury you beside your Medicare.

And once that’s done I can finally move on to updating our economy;

So that the full 99% are poor and all the rest are rich like me,

Because I know which type of people have suffered most of all — 

The bankers, brokers, and capitalists with their backs against the wall.

And so now you can see the "stable genius" of my “unpresidented” plan:

Stripping all the wealth and liberties from everybody that I can.

Because all of this blood and treasure some say is spent to secure our liberties

Will now be spent to secure the wealth and privilege of rich old fucks like me

--@thoughtsfromb4

[thoughtsfromb4]

The Tenacity Of Hope

Now, in this land, in times beyond our forefathers,

Beyond those who were first and merely squatters– 

Those who crossed the Delaware’s frozen waters, 

Those brought and sold as economic fodder, 

Those who charged ashore into lead breakwaters–

These people were real, not the myths some now proffer. 

So in this day is it our intent to say 

(As, from our ideals, we’ve now run astray) 

That the reality of their truth has today

Such little value it can be cast away?

Of course, times have changed, and yet so have we,

So perhaps what we need is a reverie, 

A vision of a future that can still be seen,

Free from the authoritarian political machine,

A vision for you and me–for all to see– 

The path from here to where we should be,

One that can clarify and bring into view 

All the types of things we all must do.

So, what should be our new vision's theme? 

"Liberty or Death" or “I have a dream”? 

Or something newer, a rallying call

Like the one we heard one glorious fall 

When, out of nowhere, came a politician;

and I tell you what, he was on a mission,

Because this guy had devised a simple plan 

The “Audacity of Hope” plus “Yes We Can.” 

He made us see that what we face 

Is not beyond our knowledge base,

That we have the strength to carry on 

And to lay down foundations whereupon 

We can build a new future–with all our hands–

And begin to enact all of the types of plans 

That shepherd that future and serve to guide it 

Down a path we can walk with Pride beside it. 

Of course, that was then, and this is now,

So we face the eternal question: how? 

How is it that we can respond to this 

When so many feel things are still so amiss?

When so many people live in a world without facts

While cheering on a demagogue's authoritarian acts? 

When majorities cry victim as they still oppress 

Any who dare to offend the fragile views they possess? 

Sadly, history shows these troubles have been seen before

Whenever bigots and despots blame the tired and poor,

So we must keep up the resistance and fight on once again, 

Just as those before us who worked to move us to Now from Then.

First, we must remember that "Yes We Can" 

Was simply so much more than a single man– 

That rallying call was built on aspiration,

Calling out to us all as if a gauntlet thrown,  

A challenge sent out to the entire nation 

To earn the ideals that we claim to own. 

Yes, we can meet this challenge, but to do so, we must rise

Up to meet the gaze of all those with hate within their eyes-

Just as those before us who stood up to all the tyrants of the past,

Ironclad in their convictions, hope unconstrained by class or caste.

So in this Now we must speak out, vote, and protest; 

We must summon our strength of will and refuse to shrink

From the unending trials of our democratic contest 

With all those who seek to push us to the brink. 

For it is in all of the faces of our can-be-great nation

That we see how it is we will cope, 

Showing all, through our audacity and determination, 

The true Tenacity Of Our Hope.

--@thoughtsfromb4

[thoughtsfromb4]

Blake's Fire

Fire, fire, burning bright,

weaving shadows from the night,

how did mortal man learn to

unlock the secrets within you?

From what darker, distant past

did we emerge, free at last,

once we'd learned to tame then free

thy flaming volatility?

For the magic of your light

gave us ways to fend off night,

steal back daylight, and explore

lands unseen by man before.

Fire, with your powers near,

we outshone our darkest fears

so that, in caves, we could start

making works of timeless art.

What hand or eye or mind was first

moved to quench deeper, inner thirsts;

to–with pigment, coal, or chalk–

imbue their Self upon the rock?

So, with these powers over dark,

one last thought was left to spark,

as we, through art, learned to see

our true immortality.

-- @thoughtsfromb4

**Inspired by the cave paintings of big cats at Chauvet Cave and William Blake's "The Tyger"

[thoughtsfromb4]

A running list of links to my work to save those interested in reading them from all of the ads/scrolling.

Blake’s Fire

Over There

Cosmic Questions

The Tenacity Of Hope

The Demagogue

Why We Speak

Know That I Too

The Secrets Of Seasons

The Walls

For Tommy

Home

Be-Calmed

Reawakening, Upon A Spring Morning

An Ode For My Mother

The Angel On My Shoulder Goes By The Name Of Death

Diamond Lit Skies

Arrows

And Still The Sun Will Rise

When I Am Up

Endings Without Ends

Eternity In A Telescope

The Storm

Reflections

A Piece of Peace

--@thoughtsfromb4

[thoughtsfromb4]

Over There

Over. Still, I linger…There. Where all things once seemed so fair. Perhaps I’ll walk. Wander. Where? Because everything was there? Now, though, I'll not wonder There, for it is just passed despair. Instead, I’ll grow, ponder errs, giving all their fair earned share; Moving on with grace and care, knowing everything is rare.

--@thoughtsfromb4

[thoughtsfromb4]

Cosmic Questions

What questions would you wish to ask of the stars, if we could speak their language or they speak ours? What answers would you seek from their brilliant years to help ease your worries and quiet your fears? Would you ask them for truths of days long since passed, or ones of new days that now come all too fast?

Or perhaps you might ask them what you could do in thanks for their stardust that resides in you?

--@thoughtsfromb4

[thoughtsfromb4]

The Tenacity Of Hope

Now, in this land, in times beyond our forefathers,

Beyond those who were first and merely squatters– 

Those who crossed the Delaware’s frozen waters, 

Those brought and sold as economic fodder, 

Those who charged ashore into lead breakwaters–

These people were real, not the myths some now proffer. 

So in this day is it our intent to say 

(As, from our ideals, we’ve now run astray) 

That the reality of their truth has today

Such little value it can be cast away?

Of course, times have changed, and yet so have we,

So perhaps what we need is a reverie, 

A vision of a future that can still be seen,

Free from the authoritarian political machine,

A vision for you and me–for all to see– 

The path from here to where we should be,

One that can clarify and bring into view 

All the types of things we all must do.

So, what should be our new vision's theme? 

"Liberty or Death" or “I have a dream”? 

Or something newer, a rallying call

Like the one we heard one glorious fall 

When, out of nowhere, came a politician;

and I tell you what, he was on a mission,

Because this guy had devised a simple plan 

The “Audacity of Hope” plus “Yes We Can.” 

He made us see that what we face 

Is not beyond our knowledge base,

That we have the strength to carry on 

And to lay down foundations whereupon 

We can build a new future–with all our hands–

And begin to enact all of the types of plans 

That shepherd that future and serve to guide it 

Down a path we can walk with Pride beside it. 

Of course, that was then, and this is now,

So we face the eternal question: how? 

How is it that we can respond to this 

When so many feel things are still so amiss?

When so many people live in a world without facts

While cheering on a demagogue's authoritarian acts? 

When majorities cry victim as they still oppress 

Any who dare to offend the fragile views they possess? 

Sadly, history shows these troubles have been seen before

Whenever bigots and despots blame the tired and poor,

So we must keep up the resistance and fight on once again, 

Just as those before us who worked to move us to Now from Then.

First, we must remember that "Yes We Can" 

Was simply so much more than a single man– 

That rallying call was built on aspiration,

Calling out to us all as if a gauntlet thrown,  

A challenge sent out to the entire nation 

To earn the ideals that we claim to own. 

Yes, we can meet this challenge, but to do so, we must rise

Up to meet the gaze of all those with hate within their eyes-

Just as those before us who stood up to all the tyrants of the past,

Ironclad in their convictions, hope unconstrained by class or caste.

So in this Now we must speak out, vote, and protest; 

We must summon our strength of will and refuse to shrink

From the unending trials of our democratic contest 

With all those who seek to push us to the brink. 

For it is in all of the faces of our can-be-great nation

That we see how it is we will cope, 

Showing all, through our audacity and determination, 

The true Tenacity Of Our Hope.

--@thoughtsfromb4

[thoughtsfromb4]

Hello, good afternoon/evening. Is it possible to publish poems in Spanish? Or do you know of any community that is in Spanish here on Tumblr?

I do not know of a Spanish alternative but all people and all languages are welcome. Perhaps you could start a trend of tagging poems with the appropriate flag or some other emoji such that others can find works in your language more easily. If you are interested in helping build the community or have other ideas or questions please feel free to message me and I will help however I can

https://www.tumblr.com/communities/poetry-on-tumbler

[thoughtsfromb4]

Hello! Is your poetry community a good place to advertise my published book of poetry?

Thank you for asking and best of lick with your book. To answer yoyr question feel free to reblog other posts of poems you have written, excerpts from your book etc. If you choose to have some sort of ad or link in those posts that is up to you, but the posts in the community need to be a poem you have written. We all want to share our work but posts of pure advertisment "hey check out my new thing, via this link" are not in keeping with our guidelines. I do not think that should hinder anyone wanting to share or promote there work, but does treat the reader with a bit more respect. If they like the work, I'm sure they will peruse the original post or profile and (assuming the right level of interest and finance) buy a copy. If you have suggestions or thoughts do not hesitate to dm me, the community is growing fast and we are working on building new aspects as we speak

You find the guidelines here: https://www.tumblr.com/communities/poetry-on-tumbler by clicking "see more"

[thoughtsfromb4]

The Demagogue

Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free

So I can see their faces as I cast them back into the sea.

For I have no time to save them, nor be bothered by their fate;

As I must save the nation from all the Dreamers at the gate.

First, though, I must deal with anyone who does not look or sound like me,

Especially all those sad, bad hombre types who would dare to take a knee.

I mean, they make tons of money right (though not nearly as much as me),

So why should they care about the victims of some police brutality?

It's not like they are suffering, nor having their history erased.

Like all those "fine folks" who are having their monuments displaced.

Yet there's no need to fear, I know what monuments and parks to remove,

And with the regulations gone, new wells and mines can be approved.

So to those pathetic liars who say that this type of order is unfair,

Know that I am just making room to bury you beside your Medicare.

And once that’s done I can finally move on to updating our economy;

So that the full 99% are poor and all the rest are rich like me,

Because I know which type of people have suffered most of all — 

The bankers, brokers, and capitalists with their backs against the wall.

And so now you can see the "stable genius" of my “unpresidented” plan:

Stripping all the wealth and liberties from everybody that I can.

Because all of this blood and treasure some say is spent to secure our liberties

Will now be spent to secure the wealth and privilege of rich old fucks like me

--@thoughtsfromb4

[thoughtsfromb4]

The Tenacity Of Hope

Now, in this land, in times beyond our forefathers,

Beyond those who were first and merely squatters– 

Those who crossed the Delaware’s frozen waters, 

Those brought and sold as economic fodder, 

Those who charged ashore into lead breakwaters–

These people were real, not the myths some now proffer. 

So in this day is it our intent to say 

(As, from our ideals, we’ve now run astray) 

That the reality of their truth has today

Such little value it can be cast away?

Of course, times have changed, and yet so have we,

So perhaps what we need is a reverie, 

A vision of a future that can still be seen,

Free from the authoritarian political machine,

A vision for you and me–for all to see– 

The path from here to where we should be,

One that can clarify and bring into view 

All the types of things we all must do.

So, what should be our new vision's theme? 

"Liberty or Death" or “I have a dream”? 

Or something newer, a rallying call

Like the one we heard one glorious fall 

When, out of nowhere, came a politician;

and I tell you what, he was on a mission,

Because this guy had devised a simple plan 

The “Audacity of Hope” plus “Yes We Can.” 

He made us see that what we face 

Is not beyond our knowledge base,

That we have the strength to carry on 

And to lay down foundations whereupon 

We can build a new future–with all our hands–

And begin to enact all of the types of plans 

That shepherd that future and serve to guide it 

Down a path we can walk with Pride beside it. 

Of course, that was then, and this is now,

So we face the eternal question: how? 

How is it that we can respond to this 

When so many feel things are still so amiss?

When so many people live in a world without facts

While cheering on a demagogue's authoritarian acts? 

When majorities cry victim as they still oppress 

Any who dare to offend the fragile views they possess? 

Sadly, history shows these troubles have been seen before

Whenever bigots and despots blame the tired and poor,

So we must keep up the resistance and fight on once again, 

Just as those before us who worked to move us to Now from Then.

First, we must remember that "Yes We Can" 

Was simply so much more than a single man– 

That rallying call was built on aspiration,

Calling out to us all as if a gauntlet thrown,  

A challenge sent out to the entire nation 

To earn the ideals that we claim to own. 

Yes, we can meet this challenge, but to do so, we must rise

Up to meet the gaze of all those with hate within their eyes-

Just as those before us who stood up to all the tyrants of the past,

Ironclad in their convictions, hope unconstrained by class or caste.

So in this Now we must speak out, vote, and protest; 

We must summon our strength of will and refuse to shrink

From the unending trials of our democratic contest 

With all those who seek to push us to the brink. 

For it is in all of the faces of our can-be-great nation

That we see how it is we will cope, 

Showing all, through the audacity of our demonstrations, 

The true Tenacity Of Our Hope.

--@thoughtsfromb4

[thoughtsfromb4]

Why We Speak

To triumph, all the wicked need is our silence as they pursue their tyranny.

For in that silence, we will sadly find that our path lies beside complicity.

True courage stands and speaks its mind; it is undaunted, damn the cost–

It knows the power held in every voice and just how much could still be lost.

This is why, in these times, we must all speak–loud and proud and clear;

Why we must have faith in one another and why we cannot give in to fear.

Why we must stand firm in the face of hate, even when it feels we must move the heavens;

Remembering, always, the simple, eternal truth that from our lips leap weapons!

--@thoughtsfromb4

[thoughtsfromb4]

Just reposting before this very important month of awareness runs out.

Know That I Too

Preface: As we wind down towards the end of this very important mental health month, I wanted to share something I wrote that deals with some rather dark struggles. Struggles that I know others face as well. Struggles that I hope might be eased for just one person who reads this and feels less alone, even if only in the smallest way.

To You, With Love, From Me

Please know I too have felt there is nothing left, been afraid, and out of hope.

Please know I too have felt there is nothing left and did not know if I could cope.

Please know that I too have felt alone and watched my strength drift beyond my view.

Please know that I too have felt alone, but know that you are not because I love you.

Because I, like you, have felt the type of pain that only our minds can manifest.

Because I, like you, have felt the type of pain as though a world sits upon my chest.

Because I, like you, know how it feels when life is devoid of joy completely.

Because I, like you, know how it feels to fight my brain and have it defeat me.

Know that I too have stood at the edge, casting stones into the void.

Know that I too have stood at the edge, longing just to be destroyed.

Know that I too have stopped for death, though he did not stop for me.

Know that I too have stopped for death, yet in This Now you find me free.

Know that I have faced the darkness too, and I have found my ways to clear it.

Know that I have faced the darkness too, and no longer have need to fear it.

But know that, even so, I too have wavered in my care of both my body and my spirit.

And know that I too have often wavered, in despair, so when I say this, please hear it:

Know that, just as I have found my ways, I believe in you and that you can, too, for it's within our hearts, not heads, where we truly hold our spirit.

And so please know these final truths too, spoken most sincerely: That you are loved, your path lies just ahead, and you are oh so very near it.

-- @thoughtsfromb4