Uplift

Will the world uplift?
When we lose The Grift
Any chance it'll heal the rift?
Between the right and the left

I'm a little biased
Hoping for a better us
Like seriously dude
It's terribly skewed

I used to think I was apolitical
Until we reached situation, critical
So from here on out
Without a doubt

I'll make sure I speak
When Fascism leaks

Head-Smashed-In Bike Go Bump

Last thing remembered:
lending parent's friend's kid red and black BMX, 
getting on Dad's old blue ten speed with red saddlebags
Lowering seat to reach pedals
Pretty cool, grown-up

Nothing after tho 
Probably cruised around hood, 
doing jumps off curbs, popping wheelies
 
Woke up in the ER 
Couldn't move. 
Head pain.  Down side too.
Funny little stainless steel
kidney shaped bowl

Light hurt.  
Harsh fluorescent iridescent irritation

Limbs, slowly starting to work 
Reaching up, touching temple
Fingers, drawn back sticky

Mom was there. 
Crying? Maybe a happy gasp?

Tried to sit up
WoOzy
Puked on self
Kidney bowl pushed under chin
Mom's hand on head
Soft murmurs

"Mom, where are your shoes?"
She laughed. 
No time she said
No time.
Straight into the ambulance

Went home that day
Nothing broken
(Except brain)
Trip to the Kootenies next
8 hour drive
Slept in bed, back of van

Grandparent's cabin    
Repeatedly ran into furniture
Joked about my clumsiness

Heard about The Crash then
Hit car going 80 on 80th ave
Frantically pedaling backwards

No brakes
No brakes.

Bounced off hood
Caterwauling: ARooOooA, ArOoooA
Mom ran 4 blocks in socks
Dad's bike, badly bent
Me too

~~

Summer ended
Changed schools
French immersion
Missed my friends
Hated it

Went on strike
Failed everything except math
(Couldn't do that to math)

Detention desk at principal's office
Spurned Bescherelle transcription task
One hour sentence, then, phone call from Mom

Big trouble waiting at home

Didn't go

Rode shiny new silver ten speed down road
Next suburb over
Slept in shed with bike while lighting crashed

Three days in library reading Charlie Brown
Only ate gum
Upgraded bedroom to newspaper bin

Flat tire
Walking past police station
"Shouldn't you be in school?"
Then, recognized

Questions 
So many questions 
Just wanted to go home

On the news
Mom and brother crying
Hugs
Joked she had shoes this time
Laughter

~~

Dented noggin demarcated entry to teens
Explains terrible baseball skills

Looking back now, can better see 
long shadow cast by The Crash

Can't rub dirt on it, 
but can understand, 
and, 
forgive.

Superstition

Okay now seriously, which one of you said “Thank God 2020’s over, 2021 couldn’t be any worse!”

Well, I’ve tried the 2021 seven day trial and I’d like to return it. Anyone know how?

I think that’s the simplest form of superstition. The “Don’t mention the goalie has a shutout or the other team will score kind.” Baseball players are famous for the vodoo-esque lengths the go through to either keep their luck going, or, change their luck, players even going so far as to sacrifice chickens!

For me though, I don’t give a cluck. I’m just not what I’d consider a superstitious person. I mean, yes, I’ve seen a few eerie coincidences in my life, but I just chalk that up to the nature of probability without attributing causality to it.

Once Upon a Time

Once upon a time, things were just fine.

Before man's terror, 
Species extinction fervor
Mega-fauna all gone-a
Pointy sticks and fire
Meat to our heart's desire

Agriculture and language came 
With more of the same
A dearth of mirth 
As bodies hit the earth

The inception of religion 
Caused even more division
But lo and behold a glint of shiny gold
Some precepts and beliefs gave relief
A few vegetarians 
Were murder contrarian

Animal husbandry 
Was telling, you see
Flocks and herds 
Of domesticated animals and birds
We could conserve, 
With a certain amount of verve
If they were tasty, we wouldn't wasty

That's more or less where we are
Killing the planet with fossil fueled cars
The real secret, 
(And I hope you don't keep it)
Well it's those industry titans 
For who nature's bones whiten
The rich are a bitch, 
A plague with death as a wage.
Of course we're not blameless
With our consumption so shameless

Once upon a time, things were just fine.
What are YOU gonna do about it?

Past, Present, Future

I’ve got unfinished business with 2020. I fell off the writing wagon after the
Longest Night (who wouldn’t blame me, it was dark!) so I’ve decided this particular prompt best captures the zeitgeist of this liminal time/space continuum. Or roughly put, some minor reflection with some New Year’s resolutions (Goals, woot!)

TL;DR  
Past - Take the lessons, but leave the bad after addressing what is solve-able.
Present - Exist, enjoy.  Seek balance in all.  Accept the unexpected.
Future - Keep on eye on it, but don't get lost in what might be's.

Actually now that I see that I’m pretty happy with it and feel it’ll set a nice course for the new year. Yaay 2021!

Longest Night

Longest Night or shortest day
Who's really the one to say?
It's the solstice with the mostest
When our moods are at their lowest

Beset by dark we chase it away
Lights and carbs while carols play
Food comas and credit card debt
Christian co-option of Saturn's Fete

Gather with friends and fill our cups
Just the thing to keep spirits up
The best part is the laughter
Janus beckons shortly after

Gifts

It’s Christmas time!  Loot, woo hoo!

But, not really, it truly is better to give than receive. Just to try and pick out the best possible, perfect fit for someone.  That I quite like, to see the look on their face and realize you guessed right…

However that’s nothing like the look on my own face.

See, I’m kind of hard to buy for.. mostly because if I need / want something I simply get it. Due to this propensity, I’ve instituted a little rule where if I buy any non-essential crap in November or December I wrap it up and put it under the tree. Helps keep the tree from seeming so sparse, and, helps build some anticipation / excitement for the mundane act of consuming.

Now, the fun look on my face is when I forget what I got myself and am pleasantly surprised.