be on the watch and Let the light in

[Lisa Walford]

this poem in my holiday gift to all of you. Charles Bukowski was a German-American poet wrote in the later half of the 20th century. His work depicted the down beat working class found in his adopted home town of Los Angeles; and the angst of the 60's rebellion. This poem could easily be applied to our current cultural dissonance, and speaks to a certain apprehension many of us feel in this century's upheaval. Yet, submission and complacency is the "death in life" that he refers to here. 

I am writing this post the day after the winter solstice. Let the light in! be on the watch. See you in 2024!       

The Laughing Heart

your life is your life

don't let it be clubbed into dank

submission.

be on the watch.

there are ways out.

there is a light somewhere.

it may not be much light but

it beats the darkness.

be on the watch.

the gods will offer you chances.

know them.

take them.

you can't beat death but

you can beat death in life, sometimes.

and the more often you learn to do it,

the more light there will be. 

your life is your life.

know it while you have it.

you are marvelous.

the gods wait to delight

in you.