You have a choice

From time to time I'm inclined to write poetry, when the mood is right, or the emotion strong enough, I break into verse. I thought I would post a poem I wrote last year, after reading the paper and hearing of another death, which was just a footnote.

This is my poem, called You Have A Choice:

Think of how many people die

Without even a tear cried

No sorrow, no anguish

Think of those whose blood is shed

On empty streets

Desolate, their life one big defeat

Think of those

Who have no funeral bells

No coffin, no farewell

Think of the tortured

Dieing in agony

Their last breath a welcome relief

What tragedy to die alone

What tragedy to die without a home

To die without grace

No smile on your face

Think of those who die without a headline

Without even a column inch

No words of remembrance

Think of those who can’t grieve in peace

Without a body to see

Never put at ease

Think of all those souls laid to rest

Of all those who die each second,

Each minute

Of each day

For those who no-one cared for

Who lived lives no-one saw

For those who were poor in heart

And for the little ones who never even got a start

Think of how precious your life is

How delicate it can be

One second a flower

The next lost in the breeze

One minute afloat

The next lost at sea

One day a mighty oak

The next a fallen tree

Take the time to look

To care, to enjoy life before it’s no longer there

Take the time to give thanks for what you’ve got

Before you have not

Cherish every moment that brings you joy

And each one that doesn’t be grateful you’re alive

And that someone cares

That you’ll have a funeral

That you’ll die with grace

Because so many pass by

Without a tear, without a cry

So many whither like autumn leaves

So many pass dieing in their sleep

So many restless souls losing life

For those with bullet holes and knife wounds

Dead by violence

For those dead through silence

Unloved and uncared for

For those dead and no-one knows why

The facts never resolved

And their story never told

What of those ordered to be killed?

A life worth nothing to someone else

What of those left behind?

Every moment a memory

Every life a treasure

We were made to bring someone pleasure

We are not made to die without making a difference

Without having a voice

So in the way you live your life

YOU HAVE A CHOICE!

Why Blog?

There are some great blogs out there for instance a personal favourite is www.therebelution.com and most say a great deal more than I ever could.

So why should I blog?

I'm certainly not blogging because I feel I can contribute more than they can or because I disagree with them. I've decided to blog because, maybe just maybe my view might matter to someone, because maybe I could inform someone's opinion or offer a new way of thinking on an issue. If this blog manages to do nothing else, it at least offers an outlet what I feel and think and if that can be of benefit to someone then it is worthwhile.

As the blog title suggests the blog will cover whatever I am currently preoccupied with thinking about or whatever I' ve considered recently. I hope you enjoy, whoever you are, wherever you are.

Jon

US Elections

Watching the unfolding of the American elections, has been a fascinating and yet bewildering experience. Fascinating, for the closeness of the contest, with so many twists and turns at such an early stage. It seems bizarre to think this time next year, one of these candidates will be American President. The bewilderment comes from the complexities of the contest, the hype and media portrayal

It seems like every contest, caucus or primary or whatever they are called, there is a new comeback kid. It seems if you come second in a poll and then first, you've made a comeback. This seems a typical Americanism, surely any contest is like this, one person takes the lead, the other comes back, but its the sheer hype involved, pronouncing themselves “the comeback kid” before we even have got to “super Tuesday”.

The sad thing about the whole process, and this seems true of democracy as a whole, is that it only ever seems important to people, when the vote is so close. People seem to forget the premiss upon which democracy was founded, of those who fought and died for the right to vote. You need only look at Burma and similar countries to appreciate how good it is to have a say in who gets into government, but this seems so unappreciated.

Lastly I'll finish by casting my opinion on Barack Obama. He comes across as smart and savvy, he has obvious good media presence and is a good orator. I think that after the waiting America could finally have the man they want. That is unless they want a woman.