ZEN'S GARDEN

[Maharg67]

Mildly Blue Day

 

On a busy morning I get on the TransPerth bus, a public transportation bus, going from the outer suburb where I live in Perth, Western Australia. Sometimes I chat with people but even if I do it is only brief good mannered stuff. You know, talking about the weather and or how buses are so often late. Got to admit it the routine is enjoyable sometimes and boring at others but mostly it is just something that one does, that one quietly and unthinkingly endures.

 

Being a pensioner I place my discounted SmartRider card against a reader device, tagging on they call it, and find a seat. Always the bus goes to a transition station at a place where there is also a shopping complex. Sometimes the bus changes over to a number that I can ride further into the city so I don't get off but many times I have to change over at once to another bus or just wait for another bus.

 

Lots of aboriginal people where I live and African immigrants which makes life interesting. Security guards are there with tazers. Saw one screaming at a young black man once until the black guy reacted and the security guy had an excuse to zap him; he zapped him. Sometimes there is trouble but I have heard it was worse before I came along. Must be because of my good influence (yehhh right!).

 

Go into the city, not a big city with only a million or so folks that somehow manages to still feel like a big town at times, get off close to the CBD (Central Business District), go to the studio but on the way pause to buy a not so cheap take away coffee. Mildly flirt with a young woman behind the counter who is of course desirous of my short, fat, ugly poor self.

(Can't help it, those supermodels just keep on begging me to go out with them but I just have to refuse; I mean I have my reputation as a loser to protect!)

 

Studio means painting or doing 3D montage stuff. Creativity is sometimes stronger or weaker as is focus and sociability. Its good to get something strong happening but I am still newish to being an artist, an aspiring artist, and it's hit and miss. Results are mostly not satisfying to me even if others are pleased. Still, some items are pleasing even if only because they show my abilities have improved.

 

Running out of money! Used to do more shopping for luxuries like computer games, graphic novels, figurines but now I have to be more careful. I am far from alone from that even though Australia's economy rode out the big world economic troubles better than did those of many other countries.

 

Am still short, fat, ugly and poor so I should attract a young beautiful wealthy woman any day now who will take me away from all this!

(Yehhh right!)

 

 

Life goes on!

Edited April 21, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Walking Alone in a Smashed City

(Darwin after Cyclone Tracey, 1975)

 

Walked down the middle of a street that once was familiar with bustling folks and moving vehicles

 

But now it was empty but for me

 

Silent but for me and the noise of distant moving traffic

 

This place that I had known for many years since early childhood

and where friends had lived

 

This street that once held many normal houses where people lived

 

That now held ruined buildings where some had died

 

It shocked

 

It was more alien because it was familiar

 

It saddened

 

It taught me that nothing is permanent

and that nothing is to be taken for granted

and that it is best to live day by day

though that is a lesson that I have had to learn again.

 

 

[Maharg67]

Why even a cat may look at an Emperor!

 

Yet the cat may still go hungry!

 

 

 

The taste of honey dripped from her lips

as I kissed it away

with a passionate eagerness.

 

The night sky was half full of bright shining moon.

 

Even the noise from the freeway was romantic.

 

[Maharg67]

Went home one day?

 

Went home one day

 

But home was no longer home

 

Met old friends one day

 

But old friends were no longer friends

 

Beloved pets long in the grave

 

Old landmarks transformed

 

Family were strangers now

 

And one was just a sad reflection of old deep feelings

 

Went away again

 

And never returned!

[SubjectProphet]

Unknown location

US military plane

November 3rd, 2011

 

 

Coming home from Iran and Afghan is always a happy time. I get to see my wife, Sadi, and my mother and father. The planes seats were so squeezed tight, I felt like my appendix was going to explode.

 

"Cash, you happy about the promotion you got?" a man asked me. His real name was Chris, but his code name was Uncle.

 

"Very happy. I've come a long way for this," I replied. The expression on my face must've been priceless, because everyone in my squad chuckled whule everyone else squinted.

 

"I suppose I should start to call you Sarge," another man said. Gunnar, his code name.

 

"You better," I said. Literally too, I had to be harsh now.

 

 

 

Hours later, the plane landed at the DC airport, where it always did. We left the plane, and in a hanger, a bunch of people waited. Signs saying "Welcome home!" welcomed us. My wife and mother ran out to me and hugged me as I approached the hanger. I felt happy to be back in my home country with my family.

[Brittn]

There is a throbbing pain inside my chest,

shaking me to my core.

This new thunder rolls deep inside my head,

rocking my body to a restless rhythm.

Tears pour out of my eyes and down my cheeks

like drops of water in the driving rain; relentless.

 

 

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

 

 

I though I knew pain.

I thought I knew desperation.

I thought I knew isolation.

I thought I knew what I was going through.

 

But I had no clue.

 

I had no idea of complete lonesomeness.

I had no idea of what a hole in a heart felt like.

I had no idea until you were no longer mine.

I had no idea until you walked away leaving me in the cold.

 

The sad thing is, this has happened for years; and I had no idea.

Edited May 6, 2012 by Brittn

[Brittn]

Its Back

 

Why didn't you do what we asked?

Why didn't you do all this the first time?

Why wouldn't you let them help you?

You knew it was bad.

You knew it would come back.

So why didn't you?

 

Did you think at all?

Did you think about what would happen to me;

about my kids one day?

Did you think about your grand-kids?

Did you think of your sons?

Did you even think of your wife?

 

Why not?!

 

Well its back.

Just like we all knew.

And now its come to stay.

Till your very last day.

 

You asked how much time to fix.

But don't you know,

you cant fix anything that is already shattered.

You don't have time any more.

You took too long.

You were oblivious as to what was going on.

No, you weren't, you just weren't thinking.

 

The hourglass has fallen and broken.

Now were left to pick up all the pieces,

to gather as much sand as we can,

before the winds of time blow it all away.

[Maharg67]

There is a depthless sadness in me today, yesterday and perhaps tomorrow

which into I sink but never fully

ever floating suspended

unable to reach firm solid ground

of relief

of gladness

of bliss

but despite this

there will come a time

when I will

walk upon

solid ground

again

 

Days of Depression

Maharg67

[Maharg67]

To forgive is hard at times

When one's heart has been broken

as have profound promises

but to forgive is to

free oneself

and the one forgiven

giving greater chance for both

to change

to learn

to move on!

 

 

We would go down to the jetties on the central city side of the Swan River. That was back in the mid-1980s when I was about 25 years of age. We liked it there and though the relationship was becoming increasingly turbulent, we found some peace there. There was a kiosk of sorts, a place that sold tickets for private ferries and the ferry for the public ferries that went across the river to South Perth. Now in 2009 it is much built up but back then it was far from so.

 

I remember the pizza! We walked along with the pizza box but I carried it. I carried it wrong and the topping slid down to one side of the pizza so we had some very rich pizza slices and some very rich ones. Of all things to remember in a relationship, this memory is an odd one and yet it persists.

 

Pelicans on the river waters. Once we watched some pelicans so big, both ungainly and yet beautiful. Of course there were seagulls and pigeons begging for crumbs. Then there were the black swans with red beaks that are part of Perth life. I have seen even them on the Swan River that changes its mood of color from blue of summer to grey of winter and back again.

[mojodajojo]

Star Wars Haiku I've posted on the Galaxies Reborn site.

 

 

Black shell, midnight pitch—

Mechanized, immortalized;

Dead for many years.

 

Yoda had to say,

Being green, easy it's not.

Henson rolls over.

 

My dewback plods on.

Scorching, white, dreary, duty.

Where are those damn droids?

 

Blaster blisters burn.

Another Ion Rifle.

Smoking, Jawa robes.

 

Space is never warm.

Hoth is so much haunted ice.

Tatooine is home.