Wow, we really do love going around calling each other racists. How we use it as a tool to beat each other over the head and point the judgemental finger.My Substrata is Weakened
bygone cracks lay deep
occasionally finding sunlight
to be hidden, pasted over
with deflections, denial
till anew, they reappear
ended, they’ll never be
but healed, scars, stigma
stitched, held by
threads of creativity
an open heart, and
truth, always truth
© 2013 by DC Lessoway
Aging…
as we age
how the outlook changes
towards life, loss
perhaps learned patience
contains the once youthful furor
perhaps cycles of at-hand experience
frames a pallet mottled with joy, grief
perhaps we choose, conscious or no
to pause, watch, maybe make sense of
the spectacle of the unworldly
with a smile of woe, perhaps recollection
© 2013 by DC Lessoway
Canada Day 2013
my dear Canada, our home on native land
how true our hearts are to this beautiful north
we in the west, look to the east in worry
as we graded, stand, for what is gloriously free
a toe dipped in Cape Spear, or Tofino
from tundra’d glory of Cape Columbia
to southern bijou of Middle Island
then…
on my sleeve I bleed, my eyes weep
to hear fingers pointed, anger expressed
at each other, no matter recent
or forever denizen
or silly down-putting of those
successful in all points of the earth
prefer I do, the once peacekeeper’d stance
how it made me proud
of my country, my Canada
no matter, love you, I do
© 2013 by DC Lessoway
Aboriginal Day
first a human being I be
fragile this flesh and bone
of thought, intention, exertion
sustenance and atmosphere
driving mechanisms
of composite chemicals and uproar
then Metis coalesces my blood
upon my shoulder, since birth
a braided sash of
red, blue, white, green and black
finally finds the sun, my heart
hidden, too too long
finally a citizen of
proud Canadian foundry
of unrefined magnificence
fills my veins strong
a forest, prairie, mountainous peace
brings the earth to my feet, my soul
© 2013 by DC Lessoway
The customer is always right
Working in retail sucks. Someone I know works retail and far too often has to suffer the whims of the nincompoop.
“The customer is always right.”
Whomever coined that phrase I’d like to wallop. At time the customer is a brinkin’ idiot, and often. Maybe it is a sense of privilege. The functional, day-to-day idea of privilege is one’s prerogative to follow one’s wants and needs to a fulfillment, or betterment of one’s life. Makes sense. Yet the human trait to “take advantage” of the situation often goes askew when the customer lords their “right” over the minimum wage worker just because. And I say “just because” because being mean is a choice. Yeah you could be having a shitty day, lost your job, had your car stolen, broke your big toe. All understandable. But to choose to take it out of everyone around you is a sign of deeper issues, flaws you need to deal with, or to state it simply: you’ve been shit on and you want to shit on others to make yourself feel better. Some of the kindest people I know are those who’ve experienced the worst. Being mean has no justification. Period.
Then there is the customer who shows up at closing or bangs on the door five minutes after closing expecting to get in. To that idiot I’d like to state the following: “At and after closing, the employees lives automatically become their own.”
I’ve been waiting for my friend to finish work and some idiot (in a suit costing more than most pay for rent) comes up expecting wide open doors (after the clearly posted closing time). I voiced my feelings about this (ie. the employees lives noted above), expecting a debate on the merits of customer service, but only was “sniffed at” and the customer walked back to the Bentley and drove off.
Thus the customer (well human being in general) I loth most is that who takes on an air of “I’m better than you for the simple fact that I have money.” No, that doesn’t make you better when you treat others as slaves. That firmly places your moral compass into the realm of a 19th century plantation owner.
Then there is the customer who is patient, always says “thank you” and is always ready with a kind word. Yes they all can’t be this person, but how they bring a fresh breeze wiping the tirades of the idiot off the day’s emotional balance sheet.
Yeah, working retail… ug.
© 2013 by DC Lessoway
chock full of moments
moments
some, you wake up, sweating from
some, you shudder, grateful
you made it, having escaped, dark places
then comes those beautiful
consistently stemming from
beautiful thought, action
a stranger’s benevolent gesture
a smile on a stormy day
collection of such moments
and lessons therein extracted
fashion an essence
color truths, the crux
of who we are
© 2013 by DC Lessoway
I am fearful
all mediums tell me
outside, there, shadows
could be, would be terrorists
stranger danger
but the government’s on it
more prisons
more rules
all to ensue freedom!
no matter silly quibbling
of elected officials
I know the right
side I am on
the others
are just wrong!
isn’t it nice
I don’t have to
think for myself!
besides
War is Peace
Freedom is Slavery
Ignorance is Strength
© 2013 by DC Lessoway
Unvarnished Spirituality
expounded by words
is not where the spirit has voice
ensconced in an edifice
is not where the spirit dwells
enmeshed in a group or organization
is not where the spirit finds leadership
exhibited by ritual
is not where the spirit parades
exclusive to the individual
is where the spirit arises
enfolded in the heart
is where the spirit abides
engaging faithful humility
is where the spirit thrives
encouraging compassionate action
is where the spirit takes flight
© 2013 by DC Lessoway
Shared Birdsong
Have a read of the top social networks (surprised that My Space was still on any such list and actually above Google+!).
My networks of choice are Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and obviously Wordpress for my blog. As many others I started on My Space (was up to 18K followers!) but deleted that account years ago as I quickly found out that of 18K only a handful were on-line at any one time.
As Facebook approaches one billion (though who actually use Facebook is another matter) and Twitter approaches 500 million (read this analysis about Twitter that is well, not surprising), it makes one to want to post every change in one’s private weather. How many times I’ve stopped myself from posting the smallest moments as I strive to keep it to generalities or uber-important life events. Let’s be honest, it doesn’t always workout that way, but I try.
As for the other top sites such Pinterest , or Google+? I find Pinterest a place for the overzealous who have nothing to do but look at and list things that will empty their bank account and fill any remaining space left in their garage. While I do have a Google+ account, it’s only because it’s required as I have a You Tube channel.
Twitter and LinkedIn are what I would call “at a distance” sites as one could have a hundred Twitter accounts about a hundred things without any being real; well, the same thing could be said about all social media sites really. LinkedIn is less social and more about business (see boring), need I add to that?
Mind you Twitter is what we could call a “true” social network as you can talk to anyone at anytime. I remember one time I was in a coffee shop but who walks in but Simon Peg, I was hyperventilating! So I was already following him so I tweeted him and while he didn’t respond, he sat next to me! I know, wouldn’t happen again in a million, but it was great to meet him! I got a picture with him too!
An undeniable indicator of how Twitter is far an above a “truer” social network would be how quickly social awareness campaigns flare up. With Facebook, someone has to create a “page”, and you have to attract people to “like” it, etc. For Twitter you simply put a “#” before a word and boom, instant campaign!
Facebook is a different animal altogether. It perpetuates the high school clique, is full of pseudo firewalls and brimming with users harboring a false sense of privacy and proprietary. I say this because I have to laugh every time there is “outrage” at how Facebook has yet again change its privacy settings. It’s not fully understood that it’s the Internet, anyone, anywhere can see you if you have any social networking account at anytime. Google yourself and you’ll see. No amount of blocking and rigorous privacy settings can protect you. If you don’t want your info out there, get offline and seek a cave!
© 2012 by DC Lessoway
