Some poems, prayers, and stories from a dude just trying to find his way to heaven.

  • Growing

     The shell is firm, surrounded by protective earth
 All that is above the surface seeks to destroy that which is hidden within
 It is safe to remain inside this dirt
  
 But if there is a breakthrough, the bursting will be painful
 All that comes forth will be slow and vulnerable
 Alas, I cannot give the growth

  • Withering

     Upon a lonesome tree
 Clung a lonesome leaf
  
 All others had fallen
 Decomposed and become rotten
  
 Despite the winter wind
 Despite the stem that had grown thin
  
 This leaf ever held on
 When all but he were gone
  
 To many, the tree seemed dead
 Lifeless with no more life to spread
  
 But this leaf testified
 Some sap of life remained inside
  
 He endured a jaded January
 He held out a frigid February
  
 But in March a storm roared 
 And his stem was torn
  
 Still, a few fibers held him
 Though he knew his outlook to be grim
  
 Soon he would fall
 The last of all
  
 But then, from behind, he felt the soft push of a bud
  
 The tree whispered, "Go on; well done."
  

  • The Dark Wood Part 1

    The knight collapsed onto the moss that lined forest floor. Steel rattled as he began to undo the straps that held his bent armor about his dying body. He first dropped his helmet enabling him to see more clearly. Still his long dark hair fell about his face in matted, bloody locks. In the background he could hear the ongoing sound of battle. The rumbling of drums. The blast of trumpets. The shrill neighing of warhorses. The crash of steel. The rallying cries of false courage. The screams of suffering souls. The pockets of silence forming on the spaces of the field where death alone had claimed mastery. The sounds were all too familiar, like the tune of a poor minstrel. He had fought unnumbered battles for his land. Now, in a wood of some unknown land, he would be forgotten.

    He removed his breast plate. As he did so, a storm of emotions swelled within him. Anger at the greed of his people. Confusion as to what war could ever hope to accomplish. Sorrow for his fallen men. Death was all they had trained for; both how to give and to receive. Despair for the futility of all his fighting. He felt all within, though he felt love for nothing.

    The knight cast aside his greaves and gauntlets. His now unguarded limbs rested without their weary weight. Still, the knight held his sword and shield. Though he believed his fight to be thoroughly finished, through compulsion of some sense of ingrained training or imbedded virtue, he held on.

    The sun set under a wall of red clouds. Through the trees, the knight watched the battle come to a close. He could not make out a victor. A handful of men could be seen wearily walking in different directions. No one claimed the field.

    The knight felt as though he could see a faint light slowly growing in luster behind him. “Perhaps there is something beyond death,” he thought before he fell asleep into a darkness from which he never expected to return. But then, perhaps hours or days or ages later, a gentle hand awakened him.

  • A Curious Study on the Nature of Enjoyment

    *A Dialogue between two officers*

    “Evening, sarge. I got here quick as I could. What have we… Oh! Goodness! I was told that it was bad, but… I could never have imagined this!”

    “Yes, and you never get used to the smell. Thankfully he has already pleaded guilty. We’re only here to do a final walk through before they destroy everything.”

    “How many do you think there are?”

    “There must be at least a hundred dogs in here, but he said that he had over five hundred since he moved here!”

    “Five hundred! He’s only been here three months!… What would make a man do such a thing?!”

    “You won’t believe this, but his plea was ‘love.’”

    “‘Love’?! Love wouldn’t do this!”

    “He said that he only studied to be a veterinarian, so he could figure out why people loved dogs so much.”

    “This is anything but love. This is obsession! No, worse. It’s utter insanity! I didn’t know humans were capable of such horror. Five hundred dogs dissected with his blade?!”

    “I know; it’s awful. Unfortunately, it is all too common though. Our line of work sees the worst of people. I’ll never forget his final words to the court. Chilled me to the bone they did. He said, ‘I alone was brave enough to follow my joy to any length and at any expense. Others do the same and are praised for it. Everyone does to some extent, but few will pay the cost for what they really want. Deep within everyone’s heart is an ever evolving scheme to have our darkest pleasures gratified. At any given moment, we all know exactly how to get what we want. Even if we do not act, the perverse longing is still there. At least I acted on it and did not remain in bondage to this synthetic system of moral slavery. Maybe killing puppies is nowhere near the dark desires pulsing through each beat of your hearts.’”

    “God, help us!”

  • Soul Swells

    The waves of the soul are mysterious in their passing
At times lapping
At times crashing
    There are storms and mighty swells
All is fell
All is unwell
    Still some great body above must direct the tides
One by which the soul abides
One beyond mortal skies
    Great One, who still loves my heart;
Love my heart till it is still

  • The Wolf Who Cried Boy

    The wolf caught a scent on the breeze which made hunger explode within. It was the scent of young flesh. Silently he stalked between the trunks of the spruce trees he knew so well. He passed the bones of a previous meal. This would be far from his first victim.

    Soon the wolf heard the sound of the stream. He was near the village which had often provided his previous meals. The wolf slowed and listened. He heard a shrill, youthful noise burst through the air. To the owner, it was giggle of innocent joy. To the wolf, it was an invitation to feast.

    The wolf crept to the edge of the trees which lined the stream. There he saw a small boy, no older than two winters. The boy was splashing in the little stream. The wolf salivated. He knew exactly how he would acquire his next meal; the young were so simple to ensnare.

    The wolf placed himself behind a bush. He then let out a beautiful, soft, short, high noted call from his from his throat.

    The boy’s curiosity overtook him. He walked cautiously toward the bushes; though, his caution would not save him. He walked straight towards the jaws of death. He could not help doing so; it was his nature.

    The boy was within ten feet of the wolf. Hunger and the desire for blood overcame the wolf. He leapt over the bush, flying through the air, jaws aimed straight at the boys throat. A fierce force of hunger hurtled at human innocence. He could not help doing so; it was his nature.

    The blade of a spear slammed through the wolf’s throat and severed his spine as the wolf was hurtled back into the bush.

    The father ran to the boy who was otherwise fine beside a small, single scratch. The boy was crying from the pain. The boy had never saw the wolf; he had only felt the scratch and heard the scary sound of the body crashing through the bush. The father picked up and comforted his child; it was his nature to do so.

  • Brighter

    Still, away from my faint sight

    Shining, shimmering, burning bright

    Shaping the universe in immense might

    Beautiful and beyond remains the light

    For the light defines the darkness

  • Dimmed

    I saw the sun set beneath the darkening sky

    It was then I thought all a lie

    Color softly faded from mind and eye

    There in the dark, alone stood I.

    Why must the light leave?

  • How to Use Social Media According to a Snobby Millennial Who No Longer Uses Social Media

    Social Media is a great tool. Through social media, you can quantify how many people care about any and every single thing that happens to you. Inversely, you can completely affirm other people with a simple click instead of an actual message of encouragement. If you want to go a step further in your ego-stroking, through social media you are allowed to do so through a public comment (which shows the world how invested you are the other person) or a private DM (which allows you the opportunity to be as aggressively passive as you want). Both of these outlets are much preferable these days to awkward, forced in-person encounters. What’s more, with the implementation of multiple reactions to posts, you can clearly express yourself without hesitating on whether or not to “like” the fact that Still-Sick-Sally’s arm itches, and it might be fatal according to her attached article.

    I could go on and on (like a comment section “resolving” gun control) about the just how great social media is. This post, however, is written to inform users of social media on some “do’s” and “don’t’s” regarding social media. Who knows; maybe it will be in the terms of use someday. (This is satire, sarcasm, a jest, but serious).

    General

    Post once a week and likes will peak.

    Post multiple times a day, followers go away. (Unless you’re famous for some reason.)

    If your post is an opinion, it generally doesn’t need to be given.

    Being direct has great effect.

    No one cares what you have to say.

    Grammar

    When writing a post, ask yourself, “Are these words spelled correctly? Are the words in an order that is coherent? Is this sentence a question? If so, is there a question mark at the end? Does the ending of the verb match the noun it is associated with? Do I know how to type? If yes, am I typing correctly?” A further point: if a word has red underlining, that means it is misspelled and needs to be corrected. If the majority of your words are underlined in red, delete your post.

    (A side note to all grammarians on social media: thank you so much for all that you do to ensure everyone’s posts are sensible. Without your endless comments, nobody would understand anybody.)

    Formatting

    There are a lot of ads in the world. Most people in the world do not avidly read ads. If your post looks like an ad (as most do when you perform a simple “share” without contributing anything original to the post) it probably will not be read that much.

    Cute Animals

    If people are into that kind of thing, they are more than likely already following the page from which the post you just shared came from. To put things simply, no one cares what you share. They have either already seen it or do not want to see it. You’re just being annoying.

    Cooking and Crafts

    If you’re not on Pinterest, do not share it.

    Your Own Children

    Children are a sensitive topic. The easiest thing to do is just to assume everyone in the world thinks that your child is ugly, and the more you post them the more they will be bullied later in life. If something majorly important is happening in the life of your child, then you may post it. If you’re child did something so cute that it would make Simon Cowell break down in to a puddle of tears, then you can post it.

    (A further note of advice, if not many people liked your post the first time then even less are going to care when you do a time hop.)

    Your Relationship

    If you just started a relationship, feel free to share. However, if this is the fifteenth relationship you have had this month or if you are under the age of eighteen no one cares until there’s a ring.

    Politics

    Just shut up.

    In the Event You Are Bored

    If you are bored and all your friend and family are too busy to talk, you’re not at work, all the responsibilities life has placed on you are fulfilled, all the trash in your neighborhood is picked up, you’ve read every book in the world, you’ve wrestled through life’s mystifying riddles, and have expended all available calories in your body: STILL DO NOT POST ABOUT IT.

    (This includes you savvy people with your “question of the day”.)

    In the Event You Are Upset

    If there is something that really upsets you there are options outside of posting on social media. My suggestion is to start a blog and rant your little heart out.

    Thanks for the read! Please share, like, subscribe, and tell a friend! Thaaaaaaaaanks 🙂

    (Also, don’t do that either if you manage your own page. Just stop.)

  • Treading the Roar of Many Waters

    Death has hunted you since light first pierced your eye;

    your mother’s heart was broken as you struggled to cry.

    Dark turned your skin for dark was your lot

    And then ever darkening was our growing thought.

    The fierce “roar of many waters” surrounded you;

    Unknown if you would live to see “His mercies made new”.

    He guarantees none the promise of tomorrow;

    No agreed pact that you may live and grow

    The truth is you nearly died and our hearts felts as if they had.

    Forgotten was all that was once bright and glad.

    Then a thought, not original,

    though eternal:

    “Christ is good. Christ will work all things for good.”

     

    (Written in reflection of my son’s hospitalization following his birth).