Money and truth seldom go hand in hand Mark Boyle said as in his book The Way Home And I mused how much is paid Everyday that we get to hear And how ‘good news’ stories rarely appear
Because bad news controls? Fills us full of fear? Makes us look to government Like a loving parent? To ask “but how can we do this? Help us oh please” As we beg on our knees For a solution But is it possible without the pollution Of BS in the media There’s be way less fear And we’d be empowered Able to make strides Of progress In our own fields Fulfil our own needs
For what is the point Of knowing half the thing that we do Disaster here, terrible things there If we can go Be of service it’s one thing But to shiver and sit in fear it’s quite another
Mostly I feel it leads to overwhelm And I’m always chatting to clients Suggesting they take a break And assess “is it a mistake?” A choice I can make Or do I want To constantly consume Without filter or room to process All around the world, all the mess
Especially when you look at the quote Where we started out Money and truth seldom go hand in hand Is it time we take a stand? Demand Some honesty? But how to begin How to get in? Perhaps to boycott To stop Buying, watching, sharing So we don’t buy in To it all
Money and truth seldom go hand in hand If we make a stand We are starting the change And we never can know What’s at the end of the chains But one foot In front of the other Is steady progress And we’ll get on another Path to move on From this one we’re on And who knows Where that may lead
We can examine at each step “is it paid?” For if it is it’s likely you see That it may not truth, it may be More likely lies to profit To line someone’s pocket So be discerning And heed the warning Money and truth seldom go hand in hand.
Now
A politician’s wet dream They’re like the cats who got the cream A nation transfixed With reports and statistics The battle with small pox wasn’t won How they said it was done But does anyone know that Or do they take it as fact? Because someone said it on TV So it must be True.
Superiority
How is it that we Have some kind of superiority complex Over everything else here on earth?
It’s not like we use our intelligence To care, to nourish and create Or at least that is On a larger scale Plenty do but the overriding force Is to use, to abuse and to coerce
Get what you can Chuck away the rest Keep going and you might be A billionaire like the rest Exploit, explode or implode Keep on hoarding What more can you store? Can you be the first to space In this crazy, enormously expensive race?
Don’t you think it’s funny That community service Is seen as a punishment Often done by those without much money? Surely we should all be sent To be of service to our communities?
Would that not be a better way to please? Than segregation, jealousy and exploitation As far as I can see, this way leads to dis-ease Dis-ease in community Reflected in ourself For how many of us Have sub-optimal health?
And whilst current times have used the line “It’s for everyone you need stay inside” It’s not, as many quote That ‘everyone is in the same boat’ Boats there may be But some are in cruise liners Whilst others barely float In a rickety, leaking sailing boat
There’s a veneer of community And yes, many have come together In streets, in towns, in villages But the bigger picture ain’t so clever Closing of small shops in little towns Many have permanently shut down And like the stickers say: “If masks work why did small businesses have to close And if they don’t work then why are we still wearing them?”
Is there an answer Or just another challenge To find the truth Does it matter?
For whilst we continue to exploit There are folk Like Will Tully Who’s a bit of a hero for me He highlights the similarity Of what we’ve done Forever to animals Is now being done To us as humans
The control The manipulation The herding To our station
How do we stop And say “I want out” Maybe awareness Is a way to start?
To live gently, In harmony with nature Could be a way to go Is it too late though?
I don’t know But I do think Humans have been blessed with Optimism when they think
Their way out of trouble And there may be a struggle But impossible? Who knows til you try And since we all know We are all going to die Let’s give it a go You never know If we can create Something amazing here Something with far less fear
For ourselves For animals Without cages And separation Together In communities A celebration Of possibility And joy Living with ease Everyone Under the sun
Convenience comes at a price
Convenience comes at a price And whilst it might be nice To change over the TV Whilst you’re sat on the settee
But what’s the price? And is it really nice Or is it that with the hidden cost Even more gets lost?
Walking over to turn over the channels Whilst you’re at it potter, sort the washing And fold up the flannels No flannels no more? Tissues now!
Another convenience delight As washable and reusable says goodnight! And the bins fully laden Get put out on a Wednesday night
Studies show convenience food Eaten often, lowers your mood Diet drinks laced with aspartame Don’t do anything great for your mane
Hair loss is one potential cost here And whilst they might look cheap on the shelf The side effects make them quite dear In terms of your health
So convenience they say comes at a price Will you be bought Or is it you never thought About the hidden costs What gets lost And is the price Really so nice?
Today I caught the bait
Today I caught the bait Which was, to be honest A bit of a mistake A lapse in thinking Preceded by a tough morning And when I found You slagging me off Again I’d had enough
So yes, today I caught the bait But a friend who was there at the time Passed on this advice Be like the grey rock All seeing, non-doing No reaction, be boring I like that idea And will play with it more
For I am getting tired Of trying to fix it Getting painted as a misfit As if it is me Who is off my tree
Perhaps after all we are all a bit crazy I certainly think it’s possible But the shouting insults from the car The videoing, purposeful Hitting our plants with the bag Are not reactions I would have To anyone No matter what they had done
So whilst my mouth I wished I hadn’t opened Perhaps I shouldn’t have spoken
I Have Had Enough
I don’t have to live with you
I don’t have to live with you A powerful realisation Coming through from Moments of meditation
In running last nights argument Around my head I remembered when you said I can’t live with this
And I’ve been so tired So very tired Of trying to look positive In front of you Pretend like you don’t bother me
Be strong Get more resilient Then yesterday, energy spent I snapped
But this morning I realised I don’t have to live with you Inside my head And what a relief that brought
Because it is fair to say I’ve carried you around Rehashed the things You’ve said to others When I’ve been around
The Paddington glare The words thrown out Here and there And the marching up and down the street Calling me a bitch, thinking it’s neat
But that realisation From my meditation Brought peace And clarity Home to me
For however you behave I don’t have to live with you I can let you go free And just be me However I choose to be
On Parenting
Sometimes you feel Or it could just be me That you’ve a handle on things It’s definitely how I feel …for a split second at least
Then the game changes The next level begins The challenges beckon And you jump in
Because there isn’t really a choice So crack on you do The mists of the past Dissolve away for you
As you enter the next level It’s not always easy I’ve no idea how to negotiate The new path, it feels crazy
And sometimes I’m reluctant But you always go on Parenting, ever changing Territory - it’s really amazing
And as I’ve got that stage Know to respond, how to be The rug is pulled And I’m back in the deep sea
Floundering, choking And yes, still smiling But sometimes the challenge It’s really frightening
Because I have this idea you see That I need to be perfect To do it just right And I can beat myself up Night after night
Because I failed here Could have done better there If I had any wisdom I’d share It with you here
I can only try Heart-centred is my way Listening to my gut And asking advice Because chatting to others feels right
They’re walking the path too It’s not only you So remember your friends Because a hug and a smile Often can mend
An awkward day And so you might say It’s not gone well I know your intent
Is of the best And I know sometimes It feels like a test There are no losers or winners No comparison here And nothing to fear
The best we can do Is love and be there As they climb along Stair after stair
Butterfly in your hand
How can you care and still let go? The umbilical cord doesn’t bend and break It stretches and grows
Time changes everything And like the butterfly in your hand You can’t imprison it inside Never allowing it to take flight
But open your fingers Stretch out your hand It’ll be back Landing lightly Every time Changing slightly
It’s hard to let go When you’ve watched them grow Guided, comforted Mended hurt knees Stings from bees
And now new challenges Boys, girls, schooling Relationships, heartbreak Doing well, making ‘mistakes’
Perhaps steep learning curves As they swerve from drama To endless drama Without stopping to breathe
Trusting feels harder Tension can grow But ultimately We need to let them go
With much love in our hearts And sometimes pain in our chests Knowing that we’ve Done our best