~ 65 ~
I have learned many things,
With experiences taught throughout my life.
And when I arrived at the age of 65...
With a belief I had achieved a wisdom.
And acknowledging my blessings,
Is this...
The only ignorance I am obligated to condone,
Is my own.
With a freedom to admit it or not.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Related quotes
Who is obligated?
Obligated to take care,
Obligated to spare,
Obligated to be awake,
Obligated to sacrifice,
Obligated to worry,
Obligated to keep smile,
Obligated for life,
Obligated for the name,
Obligated for giving birth,
Obligated for the initial,
Obligated with responsibilities.
What obligation do they have,
When they disown them?
What obligation do they have,
when they abandon them?
What obligation do they have,
when they torture them?
What obligation do they have,
when they walk over them?
What obligation do human have,
when they are alone?
poem by Veeraiyah Subbulakshmi

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Some Impatiently Must Review Lessons
We are human.
And everyone with a taste of experience,
Wishes to have the last word.
And those who seek it,
Get it.
With a lesson for them...
Questioned whether or not,
One has been learned.
Those wanting to comprehend,
Choose to listen.
With understanding as the condition.
Acknowledging a wisdom has been achieved.
Leaving those who get their last word,
Hearing what 'they' say...
And nothing else is perceived.
Some impatiently must review lessons...
Mistakenly thought taught.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Those Lessons Learned
Thank You for opening my eyes,
Early in life.
And developing an appreciation,
For those lessons learned...
As I sacrificed.
Reminiscing the wealth of my experiences,
Grew I did.
Although I admit,
I was a spoiled kid.
Going beyond what was expected of me,
I began to notice quickly...
The little things I'd asked for,
I made sure those chores done...
Were performed without throwing tantrums.
And my resentment then...
Was kept at a minimum with it concealed within.
Thank You for opening my eyes,
Early in life.
And developing an appreciation,
For those lessons learned...
As I sacrificed.
Reminiscing the wealth of my experiences,
Grew I did.
Although I admit,
I was a spoiled kid.
And I felt deserving to be awarded,
The attention...
From those tasks assigned I passed.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Ignorance...
If ignorance ruled the world then all poetic thought would die,
For ignorance drowns freedom of expression in rivers deep,
Creation is the nemesis that ignorance shall strive to banish,
Words of wisdom shall be strung up from the tallest trees,
Free thought cannot be allowed to corrupt the flock of fools,
All emotion and freedom of thought must be banished,
Conformity to the plan is the be all and end all,
Those who speak out shall see their words burned,
And Ignorance shall reign evermore...
Spread the love... The peace will follow...
Make a difference in this life... Think for yourself...
poem by Cosmic Dreamer

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Just A Few Of Those Experiences
There is nothing like maintaining one's beliefs.
With a faith sustained,
To one day see them realized.
And there is something inside,
That validates a pride kept through spells of weeping.
Some may call this arrogance.
Ego with a touch of self centeredness.
Or the favorite one many use...
With nothing else to say,
They may refer to this as 'luck'.
But one who holds onto a belief,
Through critique, crawling on knees...
And character assassination.
With a sacrificing of a reputation...
It is not with 'luck' that success is achieved.
Endurance.
Patience.
And the tolerance of ignorance,
Are but just a few of those experiences...
One sacrifices to achieve what is received.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Boys To Men
Growing up can be a pain
Youre not an man until you come of age
Weve given up our teenage years
In the effort to pursue our career
Who assumes responsibility
Of having to support our families
Whos protecting us from harm
Is there anyone around
That we can trust
So we search for answers to our questions
Looking for answers
No answers but were taught a lesson everytime
Through mistakes weve learned to gather wisdom
Lifes responsibility falls in our hands
Keep on learning
Keep on growing
cause wisdom helps us understand
Were maturing
Without knowing
These are the things that change boys to men
Oh the goals we set may exceed reality
Cause failurealways a possibility
Who can tell us that were wrong
Its up to us to figure out
What life is all about
So we search for answers to questions
Looking for the answers
No answers but were taught a lesson everytime
Through mistakes weve learned to gather wisdom
cause wisdom helps us see our responsibility.
song performed by by New Edition

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Knowledge Is There to Gain From This
It is difficult to escape the power held,
By those acknowledging a knowledge.
Once it is there and gets one wide awake...
All exits to get away from it,
Seem to be permanently closed.
There are no fences to jump,
Or keys to unlock gates.
Even the faking of not having it,
Is hard to do when ignorance approaches.
There have been cases,
In which attempts have been made...
To masquerade a wisdom,
For the sake of keeping peace.
Since all peace wishes to do is to live in it.
This can not be done.
It seems that ignorance becomes offended.
And conflicts begin!
The forces of ignorance struggle to win.
Leaving consequences for them to suffer!
And knowledge is there to gain from this.
But it is ignorance that is stubborn.
Wanting to prove without knowledge...
Alone it can exist in the spreading of its nonsense.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Finally...thank you
I finally did it,
I gained the courage,
The courage to move on,
Fear is no longer apart of me,
Because,
Life is too short to dwell,
If it’s not about me,
Then I can’t have you in it,
You taught me things,
Showed me right and wrong,
But,
You gave me pain,
I didn’t know what to do,
I thought,
Sometimes I still think,
That having you in my life,
Is what I need,
Only because I loved you,
My life is all I have,
So what will I do,
Continue to be strong,
Be grateful,
For the things I learned,
Forget the pain you gave me,
And not make the same mistakes,
Life is about learning,
Experiences,
Even though this process was painful,
I learned the most beautiful lesson,
To love me,
Before,
Loving another,
As I write,
Tears want to stream down my face,
But they can’t,
Only because these tears aren’t for sadness,
It’s happiness,
Happiness because I grew strong,
Happiness because I moved on,
And I’m doing my dreams,
On my own…
So all I can say is,
Thank you.
poem by Latoya Fleming

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From Their Point Of View
There will always be those who choose to see life,
From their point of view.
And not necessarily from their own experiences.
As many feeling entitled excuse themselves to do.
There will always be those who choose to see life,
And the struggles others endure...
From movies, widening TV screens,
Or binoculars used as they peer from behind trees...
To validate a faking of a wisdom often to be argued,
With the ones who have received their completed lessons...
Taught fresh from the trenches to prove with wounds,
They did not sit to observe someone else fighting their battles.
There will always be those who choose to see life,
From their point of view.
And not necessarily from their own experiences, either!
As many feeling entitled excuse themselves to do.
And others will volunteer as a sacrifice to feel as a duty,
To assist in securing freedoms for all as promised.
With a few who will come to assist in providing comfort,
Or express an appreciation and with respect...
To the ones who will always associate life,
With a feeling of mental and physical pain for their efforts.
And this is the view many refuse to acknowledge.
Since to do it they will have to admit a reality exists.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Most Genuine
When you have been called,
Every name there is.
And some of those names called...
'Sailors' have not yet been taught?
And agitation seems to roll off your back,
Quicker than a duck can quack?
You have arrived!
And...
'If' you can admit,
To hugging and kissing a tree...
Publicly?
There are few things in life,
You have not experienced.
And your smile reflected,
Appears most genuine.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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There Is A Purpose And Meaning
No one is obligated,
To shoulder another's burden.
Or protect them,
From a misinterpreted view of life.
We all are presented with challenges.
And beset with missions to accomplish.
There is a purpose and meaning,
For being who we are!
No one here has been created,
To do as they please and leave.
Our experiences should teach us that.
But many do not mature to achieve clarity.
Although seeking to be understood,
Seems to be a goal some choose...
To refuse a reality they have been specifically given!
There is a purpose and meaning,
For being who we are!
No one is obligated,
To shoulder another's burden.
Or be shown an escape route,
To glorify their pleasures!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Give and You Will Receive More
Enjoy your blessings!
Each and everyone.
Those to you that have arrived.
And many more to come.
None are disguised,
To try to identify.
If you have lived your life with opened eyes...
The presence of their existence is felt.
They should not have traumatized.
Or surprised.
They come to you,
As well as to someone else.
Acknowledge them with thankfulness.
Be grateful they are yours.
Undo yourself from selfishness.
Give and you will receive more.
Enjoy your blessings!
Each and everyone.
Those to you that have arrived.
And many more to come.
Acknowledge them with thankfulness.
Give and you will receive more.
Blessings given are to be shared!
If they were not...you would have been ignored.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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To Witness, Learn And Grow
I need not mention,
Those amongst the feeble...
Growing increasingly irritated,
By the light that shines...
Bright,
Upon their decreasing...
Places of darkness.
I need not mention,
To emphasis with wider eyes...
Freed from the limitation of manipulation,
How clear the horizon...
Appears in cloudless skies.
I am only obligated,
To witness, learn and grow.
And all that I know,
From my own experiences...
Needs less to be mentioned.
But more to become aware,
Of those blessings I have been given.
With a learning to express gratitude.
That's all I need to do.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Expatriated! With a Wish to Ease Into This Leisurely
Expatriated!
From continued thoughts of conflicting loyalties.
Feeling a need to escape from trivia.
And unchanged steadfast philosophies.
Fixed in frozen mindsets.
To fizzle correctness and burn sensibiliities.
Paraded by those who refuse to 'see' reality!
Or make attempts to move in that direction.
There is a growing need within me to release,
From nonstop debates that take place to feed...
On those who sacrifice to push forward from devisiveness.
With a discipline to keep my vision on that which pleases me!
A life to live...
Acknowledging my happiness.
With a wish to ease into it leisurely.
I believe in a deserved peace one recognizes and keeps.
Free from turmoil that brews,
As if this is what one should harvest...
With expectations for gloom to reap.
My deeds planted were for joy to bloom.
Not to excite to see weeds grow!
Nor to give them room in my mind to breed.
No!
I've learned to discriminate,
Between self inflicted ignorance...
And participating in repeated stupidity.
Lessons at first learned with difficulty.
But learned I did!
With an acceptance of isolating maturity.
A life to live acknowledging my happiness.
With a wish to ease into it leisurely...
Is as basic as I desire to get.
With no convincing what it is that pleases me.
Expatriated!
With a wish to ease into this leisurely.
That's it.
Requiring no BA, MA, BS or PhD degree!
This is the peace I seek for me.
And free of declaration...
Of who it is I 'should' or 'should not' be.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Getting Better
It's getting better all the time
I used to get mad at my school
The teachers who taught me weren't cool
Holding me down
Turning me round
Filling me up with your rules.
I've got to admit it's getting better,
It's getting better all the time
I've got to admit it's getting better,
It's getting better since you've been mine.
Me used to be angry young man
Me hiding me head in the sand
You gave me the word
I finally heard
I'm doing the best that I can
I admit it's getting better,
It's getting better all the time
I've got to admit it's getting better,
It's getting better since you've been mine.
Getting so much better all the time
It' getting better all the time, Better Better, Better
It' getting better all the time, Better Better, Better
I used to be cruel to my woman I beat her and
kept her apart from the things that she loved
Man, i was mean, but I'm changing my scene and I'm doing the best that I can.
I admit it's getting better,
It's getting better all the time
I've got to admit it's getting better,
It's getting better since you've been mine.
Getting so much better all the time
song performed by by Gomez

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I Do Admit This
I must admit,
I've gone through several personality shifts...
During my lifetime.
Finding those adjustments not so easy to take.
But glad that God took the time with me,
To make those growth periods...
Ones I now appreciate.
I must admit,
I've had great teachers.
Several I did not meet in classrooms either.
I've had close relationships with those,
Who taught me lessons to keep.
I must admit,
I miss my grandparents and parents.
Ex-wives and tight friends who in my life,
And in my mind....
Will always exist.
It seems those who were most interested in me,
Are gone.
And for some reason what they taught,
Has left me powerfully strong.
And I do admit this...
So much of their presence lives within me.
I feel them surrounding me constantly.
Whether this is memory or actual occurrence.
I must admit,
They've assisted in my endurance.
Leaving me to know I am blessed!
And admitting to myself,
What they have left has allowed my happiness.
I would not be able to live,
Without this admitted.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance.
quote by H.L. Mencken

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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You Left
India, it is u went
Friend
Three decades now
You've left
And what hav you achieved?
If not bread to live by
Tell me what have
You achieved dear friend?
.
As for me, your friehd
In Nigeria,
I have achieved nothing
Just freedom,
And life, to live by.
poem by Efe Benjamin

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Getting Better
Its getting better all the time
I used to get mad at my school
The teachers who taught me werent cool
Youre holding me down, turning me round
Filling me up with your rules
Ive got to admit its getting better
A little better all the time
I have to admit its getting better
Its getting better since youve been mine
Me used to be a angry young man
Me hiding me head in the sand
You gave me the word
I finally heard
Im doing the best that I can
Ive got to admit its getting better
A little better all the time
I have to admit its getting better
Its getting better since youve been mine
Getting so much better all the time
Its getting better all the time
Better, better, better
Its getting better all the time
Better, better, better
I used to be cruel to my woman
I beat her and kept her apart from the things that she loved
Man I was mean but Im changing my scene
And Im doing the best that I can
I admit its getting better
A little better all the time
Yes I admit its getting better
Its getting better since youve been mine
Getting so much better all the time
Its getting better all the time
Better, better, better
Its getting better all the time
Better, better, better
Getting so much better all the time
song performed by by Paul McCartney

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Unique and Cartoonish
She said 'things' I write about did not exist!
As if she knew my experiences...
And the affects they played on my mind!
Of course I've learned to have patience
With such ignorance.
I identified that immediately on my journey...
And was prepared to respond.
Moving on and feeling blessed...
I am no longer disturbed in rest,
Or protest misunderstandings!
Yet I do know how to remove nonsense
Off my path fast!
There is something about clarity I've learned to enjoy!
And he say-she say-they say mindless crap,
Has graduated my insight with a peace of mind I like!
I grew up with folks disputing truths
Reduced to gossiped innuendos!
Perhaps that is why my writings aren't believed,
As actual occurrences.
The dysfunctions are too unique and cartoonish in application!
However...
My impressions,
Sometimes suppressed by depressions!
And inflicted aggrevation from apartheid oppression...
Still existing in disguise as diversity wishes.
Were not created by Disney and a crew of animators!
Although I admit...
I became quite amused by the busloads of tourists!
And folks still think all that's needed in areas of my birth
Is a few peanuts to exist as they take snapshots...
To prove their 'liberal' sensibilities!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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