A Sparrow's Thoughts.... (Number Five)
god doesnt live in 'holy books',
in doctrines, in denominations,
in churches, in certain countries,
in the color of skin, in the form
of government....
she lives in the faces of the children
that you bombed, in the frail bodies
of the families you left to starve,
in the raging silence of the young
man who hangs himself because he's
been discriminated against...
if we say it's not our concern,
that we are not personally responsible,
then we are liars!
and not worthy to speak of god!
poem by Eric Cockrell

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Freedom Doesnt
freedom doesnt starve it's children,
freedom doesnt sell it's people into slavery.
freedom doesnt see skin color,
doesnt always speak english.
freedom doesnt have one religion.
freedom doesnt choose sexual preference.
freedom doesnt regulate love.
freedom doesnt trade joblessness for profit.
freedom doesnt take your home.
freedom doesnt create reservations, slums,
and low rent trailer parks.
freedom doesnt ban books.
freedom doesnt invade and conquer.
freedom doesnt trade blood for oil.
freedom doesnt imprison those it cannot use.
freedom doesnt live by the lie.
freedom doesnt have different levels of justice,
depending on how much money you have.
freedom doesnt abandon it's elderly.
freedom doesnt turn away the sick.
freedom doesnt kill in the name of god.
freedom doesnt lie about the past.
damn it to hell!
this doesnt smell like freedom!
poem by Eric Cockrell

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Truth And Justice... (Part Five)
the facts that we've allowed
people around the world in
famine struck countries to
starve to death...
that the countries we do
business with imprison their
own people for speaking out
for justice...
that we send our young men
off to fight unholy wars, and
then bring them home to no
jobs and no homes...
that we dont teach our own children
respect....
that our system of justice is
bought and sold...
that we still judge human beings
by skin color and sex...
that we condemn our young people
to poverty and drugs...
are unforgivable!
poem by Eric Cockrell

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On The Road To Gethsemane
on the road to Gethsemane...
i pass burned out buildings,
farm lands scorched by the bombing.
i pass the skeleton bodies
of young children who starved.
i pass the unmarked graves,
of young boys sent to war.
i pass the flag of the liars,
and the tents of mourning.
i pass vacant factories,
and houses left empty.
i pass through cocaine streets,
where all flesh is for sale.
i pass the unemployed masses,
and their desperate eyes.
i pass the baby born unwanted,
and the prison's stink.
i pass empty churches,
and hollow ringing bells.
i pass families broken,
and peoples enslaved.
i pass the moral guns of prejudice,
rank with immorality!
i pass the crippled, the sick,
and those desperately alone...
these tears of blood
are human tears,
this cross we all bear!
poem by Eric Cockrell

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Posting Pictures
i'm going to quit writing poetry,
and start taking pictures...
pictures of the homeless,
the jobless, the hungry,
the war victims, drug victims,
crime victims, victims of oppressive
regimes, beaten, imprisoned, threatened...
starting right here!
the elderly left to die in want,
those left to live on the street,
families sleeping in cars,
parents burying their children...
smoke stacks smoking,
nuclear disasters, oil spills,
mountains being mined,
timber being cut...
lonely people walking alone!
small children crying...
lovers left in the cold...
empty churches full of people.
i'm going to post these pictures in color
for all the world to see,
post them in dead silence...
maybe then someone will hear,
hear, and offer a hand!
poem by Eric Cockrell

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We Are The Same
I present to you a woman
who wishes she were not
judged by the color of her
skin and the clothes she wears.
Why must I because I’m
different be a target to
your insults and your
ignorance. I am human
like you.
So I talk with a slang and
dance different, some of you
dance just like me.
Yeah, our skin color is different,
but we are the same.
Like you I want respect
I deserve respect. I do not
want to be stereotyped
because of my Friday nights
outfit and I do not want to be
discriminated against when
I’m working and you see
me wearing pants that show
off my round butt or my top
that show my breast when I
bend over to give you your
dinner.
We are God’s creation and God’s
children once at heaven’s gate
there will be no color because
love, respect, and acceptance
has no color.
poem by Gero Lorna

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We Are The Same
I present to you a woman
who wishes she were not
judged by the color of her
skin and the clothes she wears.
Why must I because I’m
different be a target to
your insults and your
ignorance. I am human
like you.
So I talk with a slang and
dance different some of you
dance just like me.
Yeah our skin color is different,
but we are the same.
Like you I want respect
I deserve respect. I do not
want to be stereotyped
because of my Friday nights
outfit. I do not want to be
discriminated against when
I’m working and you see
me wearing pants that show
off my round butt or my top
that show my breast when I
bend over to give you your
dinner.
We are God’s creation and God’s
children once at heaven’s gate
there will be no color because
love, respect, and acceptance
has no color.
poem by Lorna Gero

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Speak... Or Else Be Silent!
if you must speak,
speak not of distance or seperation!
speak without claiming identity,
without shouting, 'self'!
speak without grasping,
clawing, and holding.
keep your judgements to yourself!
i dont need to know the color of your god,
or what war you say he was born during.
i am more refugee than disciple,
i will not follow!
speak not of streets of gold
where angels play harps!
let us speak of these streets...
hard and raw, struggling and fighting,
dimly lit, stinking of urine.
littered with the trash of human lives.
speak of the exploding flash we call moment,
and the kingdom of heaven
that sweats and bleeds!
speak of the cries of the children!
speak of hunger and poverty,
injustices, and the cry for equality!
speak of the god that inhabits
the bodies of the lost and oppressed,
their faces etched by human cruelty...
scarred by apathy and indifference.
speak the truth!
bark like a dog,
meow like a cat,
chirp like a sparrow,
beat rhythm with your wings!
speak living words....
or else be silent!
poem by Eric Cockrell

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In Every Way!
how many people are blind?
how many people are deaf?
how many by choice?
perhaps you still have jobs,
homes, food to eat, medical care.
perhaps you have investments,
a way to retire....
perhaps your family is happy,
and well taken care of...
i hope so for you!
millions of people hurting,
millions in need...
millions of children hungry,
millions who cant get an education.
millions enslaved by poverty,
millions left alone....
people with faces and names.
all of these are normal people.
whatever their language, their religion,
their sexual orientation.
all of these are people just like you.
and many of these have families,
just like you!
is it their fault they're victims?
perhaps they've worked their whole lives.
male, female, young, old.....
all people,
with mothers and fathers....
all people....
and no, America is not free.
the news we watch is tainted.
the truth is hidden from us.
killing people around the world
does not make us free....
books are being banned and burned,
prejudice and discrimination are rampant.
we have forgotten we are responsible for each other,
we have forgotten we are all immigrants here.
there are no illegal people,
all people are just people.
freedom demands equality,
in every way!
poem by Eric Cockrell

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This Temple!
the walls of this temple,
so soft and plush,
made from the skin stripped
from the bodies
of the dead and conquered.
gold plated offering plates
made of the tiny hands
of the ones we let starve.
prayers hang, like the broken necks
of those we executed for color.
scriptures lost, like the children,
to a place no one reads...
the organ pumps, oil rigs regurgitating,
the Wall Street priests perform
like circus monkeys in hell....
the god of the dollar waits for no one,
the register rings, redemption,
food crumbs falling from the faces
of blackened souls without identity!
poem by Eric Cockrell

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Remove the word war out of mind and dictionary
Me and mine in man
Created hate and boundaries
Converted them into countries
Filled
Cast, color, creed and religion
In the minds of people
To possess more and more
Became the ultimate goal
Wars resulted
Killing the innocent
In the name of god,
Land and authority
Became passion of many
Innocent men, women
And children died
Millions wounded
Many lived without limbs
Throughout their lives
Families broke
Lives displaced
For the ego of few
New arms invented
New methods of killing
Designed
Madness continues
From many ages
Leaders talk about humanity
But act like demons
Let the madness end
Throws the arms in the sea
Live like humans
Remove the word war
Out of mind and dictionary
Let the goal be
Love and humanity
Irrespective of
Color, religion or country
poem by Nirantar Dr.Rajendra Tela

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Just like families must live within their budgets, the Federal Government must live within its means. We have passed appropriations bills that have been fiscally responsible while recognizing our national priorities.
quote by Dennis Hastert

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Our Level Of Responsibility!
our level of responsibility
far deeper than our occasional
stabs at compassion, and truth...
when we sit down to eat, and eat
far more than we need, and throw
the leftovers out... we are
responsible fot the hungry!
when we go to sleep at night, in
houses too big and too plush, we
are responsible for the homeless...
when we drive our SUV's around for
no reason at all, burning excess
gas, we are responsible for the
oil spills...
when we vote people in office,
whose agenda is profit at all costs,
we are responsible for countries
invaded...
when we turn our backs and walk away,
or stick our heads in the sand, we are
responsible for the loss of human rights...
when we allow the banning of books, and
legislation against free speech, we are
responsible for ignorance, and allow
ourselves to be enslaved!
responsible, every thought, every intent,
every action!
poem by Eric Cockrell

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Why Should Not Old Men Be Mad?
WHY should not old men be mad?
Some have known a likely lad
That had a sound fly-fisher's wrist
Turn to a drunken journalist;
A girl that knew all Dante once
Live to bear children to a dunce;
A Helen of social welfare dream,
Climb on a wagonette to scream.
Some think it a matter of course that chance
Should starve good men and bad advance,
That if their neighbours figured plain,
As though upon a lighted screen,
No single story would they find
Of an unbroken happy mind,
A finish worthy of the start.
Young men know nothing of this sort,
Observant old men know it well;
And when they know what old books tell
And that no better can be had,
Know why an old man should be mad.
poem by William Butler Yeats

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What Is Beautiful
What is beautiful?
Children playing together not concerned with the color of their skin
Watching a child’s creativity in playing with an imaginary friend
Every child that we see playing happily and smiling
God’s gift of a child is life’s most precious blessing
This is beautiful!
What is beautiful?
Watching our kids growing up during adolescence
Discover who they are; the need to “fit in” is present
They may find that during this time, life is quite stressful
Yet, they’re finding new friends and this feels wonderful
This is beautiful!
What is beautiful?
Teenagers that becomes so excited in going on their first date
Parents reminiscing this moment; a lost feeling that was great
Both the joy and nervousness as a teen experience a first kiss
A first kiss is an unforgettable moment; the feeling of bliss
This is beautiful!
What is beautiful?
Watching teenagers emerging into young men and women
They’re bodies are maturing; their emotions are growing
They are about to leave to begin working or go on to college
They will learn more about life and gain much knowledge
This is beautiful!
What is beautiful?
Men and women during the prime of their lives
From healthy bodies outside to wonderful spirits inside
From men’s masculinities to a women’s soft, silky skin
Their hearts are filled with love and compassion within
This is beautiful!
What is beautiful?
From the appearance across the sky from the setting sun
To a couple’s minds, souls, and hearts uniting as one
From the wonderful beauty in the wings of a white dove
To the warmth and the feeling of love and to be loved
This is beautiful!
What is beautiful?
We grow older; wrinkles are now showing on our face
Yet within, the same love shines through with every embrace
The beauty of our once young faces is still present in our hearts within
Life’s utmost beauty; loving the times spent with our families and friends
This is beautiful!
poem by David Hall

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O My Soul...
where have you gone,
o my soul...
where have you gone?
are you lost in the tears
of a thousand faces
blackened by hunger?
in the cries of the dying?
of the homeless?
in the defiant feet
of those standing in line?
the unemployment line?
the soup line?
the line just outside
the prison walls?
in the lover left desperate,
who takes his own life?
in the students beaten,
who stood up for freedom?
in the young man hated,
for the color of his skin?
in the young woman sold
on the lonesome street corner?
in the windowless offices
where lives and deaths are decided?
in the hole behind the gun,
eyes hard as steel?
in the bare apartment,
where the children are cold and hungry?
on the corner, 'neath the bridge,
in the back of the car?
where have you gone,
o my soul...
where have you gone?
poem by Eric Cockrell

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Love Doesnt Live Here
I wake up each day
Want to sleep that day away
I catch a train
In the rush hour rain
Some people are talkin to me
I dont care what they say
cos I know
Love doesnt live here now youve gone away
Love doesnt live here but Im left to stay
And I thought it was me and you who gave it all
Yes I thought it was me and you who couldnt fall
But its all over now
Over now
Friends on the phone
Life is good. life goes on
But I spend my days
In a heart broken haze
Of movies and lonely tunes
Every song seems to be about you
Oh oh
Love doesnt live here since you went away
Love doesnt live here but I m left to stay
And I thought you and me we were the chosen ones
Yes I thought you and me we sailed into the sun
But its gone. its over now
Do you ever think about it?
Do you want to talk about it with me?
Love doesnt live here since you went away
Love doesnt live here but I m left to stay
And I thought it was me and you who had it all
Yes I thought it was me and you who stood so tall
But its all over now
Yes its all over now
Over now
Its all over now
Love doesnt live here
song performed by by Belinda Carlisle

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Every Color!
'prepare for war with Iran,
with the Islamic Republic'...
God! what irresponsible,
ignorant asses!
when are we going to understand
that you cant go around killing
everyone you dont understand?
no God picked us out to save the world
from color, and other religious views!
democracy does not divide and conquer!
we are not the 'chosen people'!
every human being is responsible
to and for every other human being!
we're not here to kill each other,
but to learn how to live with each other.
dammit, we need each other!
diversity is like the rainbow,
one color doesnt run the show!
but every color is needed!
poem by Eric Cockrell

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Policy
Policies are like murders upon this humanity,
How did we call them liars when all of them pray?
For when the distress nears we engage in sin also,
Finding a new deed is like committing deception.
The reality of a day is upon us with a sinful air,
Let us commemorate the days so young in our lives.
Then old age is realised, forming wetness in the air,
So we understand the air as we speak, the weak one.
Old age is like a proud knowledge merely to live,
We are alive now as we speak, in communion with the Lord.
poem by Naveed Akram

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Speak With Kindness (Or Do Not Speak At All)
speak with kindness,
or do not speak at all.
speak not of judgement,
you are not the judge.
speak not of salvation,
let your living be your scriptures.
speak not of scriptures,
let your actions be your holy book.
speak not as apostle or teacher,
speak as a human being.
speak not of god,
then god will speak through you!
speak not as a man,
for you are woman too.
speak not with hateful malice,
for love does not work that way.
speak not as a prophet or seer,
speak as compassion made flesh.
speak not of morality,
speak of connection.
speak not of authority,
the tree and the leaf have just as much.
speak not of holiness,
for all that lives be holy.
speak with kindness...
or do not speak at all!
poem by Eric Cockrell

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Skin
Skin discloses unrealized dreams:
people moved with desires,
thinking about children they never had,
the books they never wrote,
the world they hoped to change.
Skin tells secrets:
it cracks like desert ground;
it uncovers the trails of life,
telling how long you have been here.
White skin,
black skin,
brown skin...
speak loud.
And when it is covered,
it itches.
poem by Buxton Shippy

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