More on Interact Question from 7-28-13

1. Question:

How do you feel about getting involved in controversial issues. Are you afraid of that? Do you feel it dilutes your message? Powerless to do anything about it? Let me know? 

What are you working on?

"I just wrote this Poem 12 called "Look" ...I've written before about how and why I don't watch news. It feels reactive. But the last thing I saw on a news page was literally a story where a little boy shot a random infant in the face. I thought to myself how I cannot imagine that happening, and I know it doesn't because I had never heard of it before, but I felt so repulsed by it that I would rather not judge the world based on what I saw on the news that day. What you feed self will be what comes out, so then the challenge became: if I will ingest this, I will ingest as much positive, but I never got back around to the negative stuff :)" - from Interact with me 9pm, 7/28/13

Pt 1. Like everyone else, I choose my battles- asking the same questions I guess y'all ask: Will this matter tomorrow or the year after, etc? And I just go from there. For example, on the one I just wrote: Poem 12: Look, Say Something. I don't generally get mired in debate because many are no longer debatable, what's the point of that. Make a decision, and move along. On this issue, I believe that we should all be offended. Thankfully, we are not where we were, but with an estimated 600 women a day being violently assaulted and 1 and 3 murdered daily by intimate partner, we still have a long way to go before pack-patting. Am I afraid? I would be more of not saying anything; please have my "message" in exchange- deal. 

Iyanla Vanzant ‏@IyanlaVanzant7h

Letting go doesn't mean ignoring a situation. Letting go means accepting what is, without fear, resistance, or a struggle for control.

Powerless? No way because I believe that any small thing counts. Every interaction between humans count. A family raising great children is a part-- imagine the generations affected- Lord willing. Being kind to a woman and supporting her after an assault and helping to care for her emotionally until she can better care for herself is a part. It helps her-- her children; what if she pays it forward to someone else. If the price is interrupting a chorus of sunshine just to say-- hey I love boot-strap talkin' as much as the next person, but you over there trying to survive this. I see you; you are not invisible. You didn't do anything wrong, and and from you are not what I turn my face.

What are your answers?

More on Rose that Grew from Concrete and rosa do povo: An Ugly Win is a Win

I wrote and live edited a post featuring The Rose that Grew from Concrete Poem and rosa do povo on Love Mekanism Project. The second related article was Nerd Words: et Tu, Rose?

My hands interpreted as my mind recalled Tupac's poem but not more so than the interview when he discussed story. The imagery in my head was striking to me because, those days he had seen his share of troubles, but his face beamed as if he had none while his words took him to this art- The Rose... In a calm but passionate tone, he described its battered condition in words and gestures while smiling because he could see what others could not. While their eyes were fixed on the cleanliness (purity) of this rose, his were fixed on the wonder of its perseverance.

In a culture that places such a high value on impossible standards of perfection, beauty, and at times-rigid idealism, it is up to the individual to remember that while the goals, tasks, and objectives may change, the vision does not, and it's not always pretty. But the beauty is not always how you look when you come out, but that you do came out. In retrospect, that was one of those moments- even as a young teen, when I knew that what I heard was special and would one day show up when I needed it most.

I also looked for artwork to to decorate it for you-- one that reflects this emotion, I just could not. But I did find many stunning, beautiful works- some more creative than I could have dreamt. They were mostly too perfect for my mind's interpretation- already tainted for too many years with Tupac's haunting description, but I want to share this quick video I managed to find of it re-aired so your mind might draw your own rose. Enjoy! -lovemeka

If you like this post, "Like" or G+ it here then head over to Love Mekanism Project at lovemekanism.org and read these rose metaphor inspired articles. Thank you for reading. #lovemeka

2 More Points on Demise and Burial of the Half-@ssed Apology

More on Demise and Burial of the Half-assed Apology

"We eulogized the Half-assed Apology today. Mr. Half authored popular works such as: "I'm sorry you took it that way." and  the popular series "I apologize if..." He came of age with Instead O. Permission, who regrets he cannot be here.."I'll be with Honest Mistake and I. F. Dupp instead. Roll Tide, -Pr' tendit Didn-Thappen"  Hmm... wouldn't that be nice?"

Followers saw the first draft of this article. I was actually kicked while editing for traffic for the first time; thank you very much. If you saw the first drafts, you recognize these portions which were edited out. I usually just delete them, but if you missed them, this seems like the perfect place for these musings. Enjoy!

From Cause of Death

Fallibility is a reality of our existence-- maybe a quality or an attribute of humanity-- we will be wrong sometimes. That's even mooore real than the ideas we know, to be iron-clad like that we deserve to pursue what makes us happy and to be free, are qualities of humanity. How's that for entitlement? That acceptance of self; is love and it gives us room to accept and love others- even in theirs. NOTE: Room to "accept" is no way a suggestion that ya "subject" yourself to the wrongs of others. I found that there are many opportunities to embarrass myself, but here's one on the house. Don't embarrass yourself with this lesson; buy it if you must, but understand that it can get expensive: No one thinks anyone's perfect, but it sure as hell is entertaining to watch ya try. Well, folks do like entertainment.

From R.I. P. Here Lies Half-Ass Apology

I'm not surprised at its demise. Yeah TV's filled with legal series' and reality shows of women coming unglued and threatening to sue each other, sponsored strategic pushes against litigation, and everyday people are buying into both sides. But there was a time when we knew what we knew- regardless of the information spoon-fed to us, and by now we should be able to take some things for granted concerning those closest to us: friendship, family, community, faith, kindness- stuff like that! What's the use if you cannot at least take some things for granted MOST of the time? How is it ok to go about life hurting loved ones without as little as an apology? In the real world, it doesn't take long to realize how we rely on everyone everyday to do the best we can, and we manage to come through most of the time.

If you like this let me know, 

More on Poem 9: Wailing for the Good Old Days

Poem 9: Wailing for the Good Old Days

...my 9th publicly shared poem was drafted and released on Love Mekanism Project yesterday, and if you Subscribe or Follow there using the options displayed on the right of the screen (or on the bottom on your mobile phone), you caught all versions of it from rough, but if you also "Like" to subscribe and follow on facebook, you get this little breakdown:

"Wailing for the Good Old Days" is set in the 1920s-early 30's period, often called roaring 20's for the great prosperity enjoyed after WW1 and the also Harlem Renaissance period- known for it's art, jazz and swing music, and poetry that captured the time. 

It's about being in a moment- a peaceful joyous peak between valleys. A man and woman are caught in a sweaty good time- not daring to look forward or backward-from facebook.com/lovemekanism

Deleted Paragraphs and Notes:

The 1920's decade of prosperity was held WWI and WWII as bookends though the poem did mention what the couple hoped to forget as they danced the night way, the staggering death toll of WW1 at 37 million humans at a time when the world carried only an estimated 2 billion people compared to 7 billion today. We also know that 60M individuals WW2, but even these weren't the bad old days. 

After centuries upon centuries in a seemingly relentless history of violence that has blanketed the entire world, it seems that the if we define "good ol" as a time of World Peace, that must be in the future. But what's wrong with loving the good ol days? Perhaps under more "suitable leadership" or before we could watch events unfold. I do recall seeing fury erupt during the Boston tragedy as everyone was ready to string up the culprit!--that is until we saw a kid on a gurney with his guts exposed--suddenly jail-time worked, and we were just glad it was over.
 Speaking of... I cannot imagine that we would have the stomach for the good 'ol days; no one does because we are civilized human beings. The Americans who wanted to work in a dangerous place died, and it broke our hearts. Some even called for impeachment for it. Did I mention that Thirty-seven 37 million people- individuals died in WW1-- 60 million in WW2, and that was the good war! But since then how many world genocides, bombings, wars, cults, murders, etc. Maybe it's not about the peace but solely about the prosperity. 

This is capitalism, and why not measure by the capital. One thing's for sure, the good old days weren't the Great Depression when the state of Mississippi was put up for auction. Recently, we were downgraded a point by the people who approved the banking companies that failed. When exactly where these good ol' days again? Which blip in time? This blog isn't to bash bankers, war, or promote any agenda but to to explain the context of a non-political work of art and to provoke thought.

I'm not even suggesting that anyone is prosecuted for trading fake money and investment in essentially a ponzi, scheme to get homeowner payments or but to do it or keep quiet. I can't imagine anyone wants the draft, but there is a lot of commentary on the technology being used to prevent loss 10s of millions of individuals in war. It is impossible not recognize the power the average American person yields each day with our many choices- a historically unprecedented standard of living. I'd rather have world peace, but now we can see it all unfold on television and on the internet as it seems too rare when our attention spans are just so short.

When are the good old days? I am convinced a beautiful blip in time- a lovely valley between two unyielding peaks.

Thanks for reading more on Poem 9, my 9th publicly shared poem entitled "Wailing for the Good Old Days"-lovemeka

(open and unedited)

More: A Poetic Excerpt

More!

by Meka 

"Yesterday, I shared what I aspire or admire in poetry these days, and now I want it back…the inspiration that consumes you now… Today, I want more–to crawl the walls of followers– artists for what I might feature today… the liberation of words, visuals, and sound– poetry transferred from crimped damp paper over slippery keys through clearly blurred vision 

I want simplicity forced out through desperately hoarse channels– beautiful music- cracking all the wrong words in all the wrong ways as these wrongs somehow make it alright and– relax… it’s perfect sense…it doesn’t work while you’re tense…more! More unpolished–barely poetry, more melody, more art–just more freaky-lookin-how-the-hell-is-this-beauty? 

It just is…something of that which comes from the raw unfamiliar places that span the emotions of human energy conduction– synaptic heat…spirit…muscle contractions…off beat and on rhythm though it looks so simple." -lovemeka from  Independence Day Challenge 

Fulfilled Act Out Challenge: What's Clearly Bothering Me

And there I was... I had waited all week just to record the sinplest video in the world... I hadn't slept. Take 7. All others had a thing- shaking, open mouth... no words-technical difficulty.. I had never seen me for for so many minutes. It was uncomfortable and even painful at times. Age-- not a lot but enough, frailty, my hair... My nails...this shirt... This lighting, this shirt. This chair, this monologue, my voice..my acting...but this shirt. -lovemeka

Love Mekanism Project