WICKED - A Poem: Who Causes the First Stirrings?

21
WICKED 

Rain on my feet creates a

cool sensation. A breeze

whispers under gun metal sky

lined with telephone wires

where birds offer songs

to wake the neighborhood. 

It is peaceful here on my lanai

before morning traffic

fills the boulevard

with restless thoughts.

Bloated, useless, wicked.

Hearts become heavy

under the burden. 

I wait out the feeling as skies

tinge with blue. Light sprays up

from the horizon, while tires

spin on pavement.

Birds perched on wires above

set the mood for the day.

Nature unfolds at its own pace.

 

I once read that birds perch on telephone wires in a musical pattern. The article also stated that a musician created a score from the birds’ positions and then played the music. I immediately went outside and took a photograph of several birds in formation on the telephone wires stretched along Kapiolani Blvd. They definitely reminded me of musical notes.

 

This poem reminds me of that scene, and it started me wondering just how much of my writing is influenced by memories of old photographs.

 

About the poem itself, I find myself drawn to the final three lines. Birds perched on high wires in the morning tend to appear lethargic, almost as though they are only just beginning to come alive; not so dissimilar to coffee drinkers savoring their first cup-a-joe. Then a noise or sudden gust sends the birds soaring, the starter-gun signal that the day has begun and the world is off and running.

 

Nature does unfold at its own pace, and the poem implies a gentle start to the day. But nature’s pace can at times be hectic. The wickedness of restless human thought may cause hearts to become heavy under the burden. But is it possible the atmosphere of nature has caused the first stirrings?

 

 

DEVIL'S GATE #FridayReview of Underwater #Adventure

DEVIL’S GATE by

Clive Cussler

and

Graham Brown

Devil’s Gate features protagonist Kurt Austin in an adventure classified as a “novel from the NUMA® files. Mr. Cussler has written over twenty Dirk Pitt thrillers, many of them set in underwater locations so familiar to the author. Now Dirk is Kurt Austin’s boss. 

The ongoing action and high level of tension maintained in Devil’s Gate gives the reader little incentive to set the book aside for any mundane reason such as eating, sleeping or performing one’s own career duties. 

The relationship between Kurt and his sidekick, Joe Zavala, is reminiscent of that between Dirk and Al. Ironically, they are serving to Dirk the same headaches he and Al once showered on Admiral Sandecker. This time, a million-dollar undersea vessel seems to be expendable. 

If you are a writer, looking for examples of keeping your protagonist’s situation ever worsening, this is an excellent model. Mr. Cussler and Mr. Brown have the ability to escalate danger and then find an impossible means of extracting the characters by the skin of their teeth without resorting to the use of a dreaded deus ex machina solution. Although it is at the expense of the reader’s nerves.

 

Next up for review:

The Messenger

by

Jan Burke

 

 

A POEM WITH NO PURPOSE . . . just fun

20

Rest

 

Why did the gecko cross the road?

 

Not every poem has deeper meaning, or even a purpose other than to entertain. While writing my collection of poems, many days I allowed my inner muse to determine which direction my emotions would take. A humorous muse took over this day, suggesting a word puzzle of sorts. The idea appealed, with this the result:

 

None for the weary, for some

it brings peace. Assurances promised

to put doubts at ease. 

Prosecutors and laurels,

in common with

minds,

Many laid to it in History’s time. 

Words will not make this

poem more explicit, but to complete the thought:

There’s even less for the wicked.

 

Children love word games, little puns or plays on words that make them laugh. Knock-Knock jokes, especially silly ones, tickle their fancy. 

“Knock, knock.”

Silence

“You’re supposed to ask the question, ‘Who’s there?’”

“Why?”

“No, who.”

“Who what?”

“No, just who.”

“Just who who?”

“Just ask the question!”

“Who’s there?”

“Yes.”

(By this time, the kids are rolling on the floor, laughing way too hard to continue.) 

Simple question/answer jokes are fun, too. Remember these?

“What’s black and white and red all over?” “An embarrassed zebra.”

“What is blue and smells like red paint?” “Blue paint.”

(I thought about this last one for days before I realized it really is funny! Guess I’m still a kid at heart.) 

Word games are good for the mind even for adults. Keeping the mind agile through your seventies, eighties, and nineties is an admirable goal. If you plan to live to be 104, as I do, it becomes imperative. Sudoku is my puzzle game of choice. I’m also hooked on solitaire games and have mastered Microsoft’s FreeCell so I “win” every time! 

Now, did you find seven aphorisms relating to the word “Rest” embedded in the above poem?

 

 

DAMNED IN PARADISE/THE MASSIE CASE #TrueCrime #Murder #Mystery

Damned In Paradise, A Nathan Heller Novel by Max Allan Collins is a fictional accounting of The Massie Case. Though no more or less dramatic than the true crime stories written about the case, it is easy reading, very true to “fact” as the facts are known and recorded, and includes an alternate suggestion for a possible outcome, also based on recorded fact. My time was well-spent reading this novel. 

 

Other stories relating the same researched details of the case include:

Rape In Paradise by Theon Wright, with intro by Glen Grant;

Something Terrible Has Happened by Peter Van Stingerland;

Local Story by John P. Rosa (copyright 2014) examines the events from

a new perspective raising questions involving universal awareness;

Hawai‘i’s Scandal by Cobey Black; and

Honor Killing by David Stannard. 

Finally, there is The Massie Case by Peter Packer and Bob Thomas copyrighted 1966 when information was released, though it had always been available. This true crime, uncensored story tells in detail the known facts and speculation of an alleged gang-rape in the Hawaii Territory in 1931-1932.

 

 

 

The authors used all information available to them and published their accounts of racial violence and murder, the actions of a husband and mother to avenge a hateful act, and the defense presented by a world-renowned attorney, Clarence Darrow. 

The Massie Case was released in 1966 along with two other books (Rape In Paradise by Theon Wright; Something Terrible Has Happened by Peter Van Stingerland;) relating the story in similar fashion. The words “notorious” “sensational” and “controversial” accurately describe events surrounding this series of tragedies, but the reader new to this tale may find their application unexpected and shifting. 

What did happen that late night in 1930s Waikiki? 

Was a young married Caucasian female raped multiple times? By a group of local boys? The ones she identified? What circumstances led up to whatever did happen, and why did someone else have to die before an uncomfortable peace was established? 

Whether you read the true crime stories or the novels, the facts shimmer and shift equally. And unless you have ice water in your veins, you will develop opinions and draw conclusions. The events that became known as “the Massie Case” is that kind of a case.

 

Next up for review:

Devil’s Gate

by

Clive Cussler

 

HISTORY OF LOVE: Looking to the Origin

First, let me wish everyone a belated Happy Valentine's Day. I hope you enjoyed a relaxing day, a fantastic meal with your favorite beverage (mine is still diet cola!) and a good movie. If you are far more active than me, you may have gone surfing, jogging, hiking, climbing, or golfing. More like me, back to the movie thing or reading or writing. Whatever your pleasure, passion, or mystery, I hope you found time to indulge.

While Valentine's Day has evolved into a celebration of love, the story of Valentine himself tells of learning to believe in something strongly enough to risk your life for that belief. One version of the story (there are always many, aren't there?) is here: http://www1.cbn.com/st-valentine-real-story


ANOTHER NEW BEGINNING
70 Poems for 70 Days

Poems #18 and #19

Today I am posting two poems from Another New Beginning. Poem #19, REVEALING A SOUL, seemed more uplifting than #18, RIVER OF MUD. Maybe the diverse emotions reflect the original and the evolved perceptions of St. Valentine's Day. To keep my posts of the poems in order, I am including both.

Neither poem appears to reflect the purpose of Valentine's Day. With photographs of pink hearts and red roses floating around on Twitter and Facebook and Google, there seems little room for thoughts of "Rivers of Mud" or even the more lighthearted "Revealing A Soul".

18

RIVER OF MUD

Walls fall

Houses crumble

Cars float downstream.

Winds howl

Skies blacken

Children cling to worried mothers’ skirts. 

Men nail boards

Across window panes

While roofs detach and concrete cracks.

Pack and drive to safety

Leave mementos

Bring water. 

She comes with fierce determination

Taking homes and claiming lives.

Anguished cries of man and nature

Die away

Revealing only tortured souls. 

 

While my thoughts were on Katrina’s destruction of New Orleans, these words can easily cover the devastation of many areas of life. 

“Walls fall Houses crumble” when a family is ripped apart by divorce or lingering illness. 

“Winds howl Skies blacken” during many dangerous weather conditions. This can also describe the inner turmoil of a person during a rape and the unending pain in years to follow. 

“Men nail boards” could refer to Christ’s crucifixion or even the slamming of a prison gate, figuratively being nailed shut behind a prisoner. 

Words can be interpreted in many ways. In the movie, I’M NOT HERE, a reporter says to a character representing Bob Dylan, “…some have questioned … whether or not you still care about people …”

The Bob Dylan character replies, “… we all have our own definitions of all those words. ‘Care…’ and ‘People…’”

“Well,” the reporter says, “I think we all know the definition of ‘people.’”

 

To which the Bob Dylan character says, “Yeah. Do we?” 

Is endless war the answer to the misunderstandings between nations? Between one nation? Is our world a true tower of babel with purpose misinterpreted for all? When ‘she - the river of mud - comes with fierce determination,’ will our answers - anguished cries - appease or anger before they die away? The river of mud, detached roofs, cracked concrete: What destruction will be revealed in the souls of man?

19

REVEALING A SOUL

 

The effort leaves her spent

filled with joy

Breathless.

She leans back

takes inventory, reveals

Satisfaction.

Dreamless, she sleeps,

gaining strength

Healing.

Preparing for what comes next

Already knowing, this child also

Will not give her rest.
 

 

 

The process of using the wording at the end of one poem to create the title of the next meant poems often took an unusual turn. As with many others, I had no idea where I was headed with this poem until most of the words had flowed onto the page. In this case, the effort exerted led to joy and satisfaction, and finally to a touch of humor.

This is for those who have given birth to a number of children. You know babies don’t give a mother much time to relax. Of course, she has already prepared herself for what lay ahead. She isn’t concerned about breast feeding and diaper changes. Or worrying needlessly about skinned knees or school detentions. She nervously looks ahead to the first weeks of dating, the temporary driver’s license, cigarettes hidden in the desk drawer (and other stuff, too!); everything that comes with adolescents developing into teenagers; on-and-on.

If that were the end of a mother’s worries, this would remain a simple, humorous poem. But the ambiguous on-and-on includes releasing your babies to the outside world without further hands-on influence over their daily thoughts, or their actions.

For now though, accept this poem’s originally intended tongue-in-cheek message. The reality of this newly-born child, sleeping so peacefully in its hospital bassinette, is that he or she will soon be capable of creating headaches with endless unanswerable questions; generating colorful drawings on the newly painted white kitchen wall; and displaying a stubborn streak you know with absolute certainty comes from your mother-in-law’s side of the family.

 

 

A VISIBLE DARKNESS by Michael Gregorio A Baltic #Thriller

A Visible Darkness by Michael Gregorio is likely to remain one of my favorite reads in 2015-2016.

Described as a “gothic historical thriller,” this novel offers interesting insight into the history of Prussia’s Baltic coast. I read it as part of my research for a genealogical novel I’m writing (and worked on during 2015 NaNoWriMo.) I discovered the title while searching for fact-based material on Prussia. Although I chose the book as an addition to the bibliography of source material for my project, its entertainment value was an added and pleasantly surprising bonus.

In the vein of a Hercule Poiret-type detective, Hanno Stiffenias is like a dog with a marrow-rich bone. He won’t let go until every last clue is sucked out of the murder case he is investigating. The colorful background information woven throughout enhances but doesn't distract from the story 

The plot includes an occupying French Army and a young woman’s mutilated body found near the Baltic seashore; and a subplot about Baltic amber. Murder, intrigue, and a luscious color keep the story moving forward at a fast pace, dragging the reader quite willingly to a final solution.

 

Next up for review:

 

Damned In Paradise-A Nathan Heller Novel by Max Allan Collins

and

The Massie Case by Peter Packer and Bob Thomas

 

 

NO KNACK poem #17 From Spark to Bursting Flame

17

No Knack

 

 

 

My Toastmasters speech

a dry run.

Tense, but eager

Using clear, concise tones.

Each word highlighting a point

on how the writing process

flows

from idea sparked,

to bursting flame,

generating a complete and published work. 

Then I swap the breezy artist’s cap

for one of entrepreneur –

and feel the constant drag

like wading through

a cooled pahoahoa lava flow, or

a river of mud.

 

I’ve stood on cooling lava flows when they were still quite warm to the touch. On the Big Island of Hawai‘i, Kilauea is known as the friendly volcano. It has been gently erupting since 1982. 

Walking on the surface of what once was over a thousand degrees of liquid fire, ancient material that flowed up from the center of the earth, is a bit eerie. Pahoahoa lava is smooth, rope-like in appearance. A’a flows are chunky, like oversized stucco. 

Once cooled, lava is rock hard. There is no “wading through” rock. That is my first impression of marketing, an impossible task required to sell a book. 

With my first novel, I had a degree of success. But after writing a second and third book, with research and editing, the publishing process seemed to overwhelm me. Marketing fell to the wayside while I returned to the fun part of being an author: writing. 

Easing back into the marketing arena again, I plan to replace the sense of constant drag with rhythmic rollercoaster action. With hard work, and luck, I look forward to building momentum. My goal is to continue moving forward, slowing at curves only long enough to give myself a breather before heading into the next run. 

If I can turn “no-knack” into no-lack of interested readers, even cooling lava flows won’t detour me from stepping into the overheated arena of marketing.

 

PAYING IT FORWARD: Author Terry Ambrose #MondayBlogs

 

 

When someone develops an idea that will benefit a good cause, and then spearheads the project from napkin notes to tangible product, a rousing "Thank You" is in order. In this case, the project was an idea to raise money for READ ALOUD AMERICA, an organization focused on "building families of lifetime readers."

The project involved an anthology of short stories set in Hawai'i, written by 10 authors who have close ties to Hawai'i. The person who conceived, developed, and brought to fruition the brilliant idea is Terry Ambrose. He gathered the authors, then the stories. He corralled a very willing editor, a book cover designer, and a layout artist. Terry coordinated the entire project right down to the strategic marketing.

Because of Terry's extraordinary efforts, Paradise Passion Murder became a reality, with all proceeds going directly to READ ALOUD AMERICA. The mission of this organization is:

Our Mission

Through the fun of reading and being read-to,
Read Aloud America promotes literacy, bonds families,
and builds communities of lifetime readers.

 

 (You can check it out here: http://www.readaloudamerica.org/ )

 

 

To Terry, MAHALO NUI LOA for your vision; for all your hard work to accomplish this goal;

for offering the opportunity to participate in a heartwarming and exceptionally worthwhile project to a wide-spread group of writers who then evolved into an aloha-filled group of friends.

 

For further information about author Terry Ambrose and the anthology project, please visit:

http://drusbookmusing.com/2016/01/30/tales-mystery-hawaii/

and

http://hbsauthorspotlight.blogspot.com/

 

 

The anthology is available at Amazon.com



PARADISE PASSION MURDER 10 Tales of Mystery From Hawaii