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Bradley Thomas
Bradley Thomas has been writing poetry since 1977 and has two books of
poetry awaiting a publisher and currently a third in the works .He has
published on the ezines of Subtle Tea.com (2004, 2005, and 2006) and the
Black Hill Audubon Society (2003) websites.He has a poem published by
Sunpiper Press in the spiritual anthology "Whispers of Inspiration (2006), and
""The Colors of Life" by Watermark Press (2003).
Though We Were Blind
We put the last finishing touches on the mission statement/
Before the times and the ways of people began to diminish and fall away
Maybe there were too many holes to dam up
Not enough knowledge to mend the broken hearts
Too many tasks heaped upon us
That we could not see there was a murderer among us
For whatever reason, the cost of the work was high
So high we did not realize we were living on a moving continent
Destined for a finale that required a revelation from God
That the cause was already lost before we set hand to the plow
When our loved ones knew when to turn their backs to our situation
That could not rectify itself because its genesis was rooted in hell
We didn't know. No one said it was not working
They just left
Now I see it. We were set adrift by our forefathers
Those who did not love anything but themselve
Because of stupid ideologies about men, women, race and selfish sex
politics
One sided rights with a trick trigger that hurt the victim in need
They set us adrift on this floating continental laboratory
Giving us the illusion of self determination
But turning out to be self-destruction
The ones who left us saved themselves
They came to the ocean shores and shouted blasphemy against us
But it took them in death by storm
We remain, the few who realized what must be done
Among the eyes that were veiled, who would not change
Because we had to love them enough
To suffer our intrusion into their confusion
And bring out an enraged and closed mind
Pianissimo
Prying queries are brought to rest
The hand drops the pen
The turntable repeats silence through the needle
Stale bread covers my breakfast saucer
A climax has been reached. The mystery is in repose
I float, collecting the diamonds once hidden under the veil
Being careful not to fill my head with doubt
To keep clarity in darkness
Breathing frankincense through the soul
Perfection from abstinence
Travels with an open heart
In One Night
In one night of immense violence
Hurricane Katrina took what was left
Of the home of my teenage years
That held a past that did not need
Anymore of my attention
The October before
I was with my high school friends
At a thirty year graduation class reunion
I could not believe how time
Had done such a great work
Erasing, and changing people
No one was as I remembered them
But we were all happy to be who we were
Now, the thought of their safety
Clings to my bones like a frightened child
For the first time in my life
A real sense of presence of something
That can reorganize all priorities overnight
And make you see what we really are
Temporary, transitory, wind blown fluff
If you can see it
It's all subject to change
If you are tied to your stuff
Your accomplishments
Your dreams
A past
It goes into nothingness
All you have is your mind to take with you
If it is packed by faith
That is all that will be
And can be well
Blindness
Has covered the purpose of love in relationships
Manipulating only one to make it work
When all must work to make it right
Is like living only on one side of the emotion fence
In a world no bigger than your mind
The very place that was built to be free of barriers and divisions
Creating misunderstanding due to the lack of it
Failing to see where the direction the light goes
And contented to live in darkness
Because of being use to blindness
There should not be any fences at all
Face the light with open eyes
Take hold of the hand who does love you
Remove the scales from your eyes
And walk together
The first steps
In making it right
Distractions
Several dogs were in the neighbor's yard screaming yelps to each other/
A canine humbug at the breakfast hour
I rushed to the kitchen door to investigate the bother
But the leaves on the fall trees gave them ample cover
"That's dog business!" My wife says noticing my intense deflection of my
mood
"You are neither dog nor cat! Sit down and finish eating your food!"/
I couldn't see anyway. In a moment it was over
I sat back down wondering what it was about
The neighbor's dog sounded like it had gone through a rout
I gave thanks I was not a dog in that losing bout
The Breath of the Land
The wind speaks unseen
Gentle as blown wheat
It dances with each blade of grass across the field
As it hurries to its appointment
To the lake where I await its company
Circling eddies contours its travel
As it goes across the water
Quietly shifting the mists against the reeds
Poised on the bank, resting
As the setting sun shines its vivid colors
I hear the cascading call of the crickets
Blended with the very distant sound
Of a singular motored vehicle traveling the highway
Beauty's complement finally arrives
I breathe in the honeysuckled, green leaf scent
Carried down from the mouth of the hillside
The sweet air lingers around me
Embracing me, and speaks its being with barely a whisper
I am no longer alabaster
But a bloomed rose where I stand
Unfinished Labor
My work is done. But the work is not done
My focus of direction sways to the side
I seek the mark, trying to reach the one
Point of truth that will set fruitful logic in motion
My steps are slowing. My purpose is losing stride
My work is done. But the work is not done
Finding truth is freedom - my only son
From my passion. Fused with love as his bride
I seek the mark, trying to reach the one
On blocked avenues. I found none
Who could help remove the heavy stones of fallen pride
From broken dreams. My work is done. But the work is not done
Elderly gentlemen greet my eyes, but they shun
Me like an alien without standing. I am set aside
To work alone to reach the one
Destination without a guide of reason
To traverse around the traps. But in stride
I keep to my direction until my focus sways to the side
My work is done. But the work is not done
poetry awaiting a publisher and currently a third in the works .He has
published on the ezines of Subtle Tea.com (2004, 2005, and 2006) and the
Black Hill Audubon Society (2003) websites.He has a poem published by
Sunpiper Press in the spiritual anthology "Whispers of Inspiration (2006), and
""The Colors of Life" by Watermark Press (2003).
Though We Were Blind
We put the last finishing touches on the mission statement/
Before the times and the ways of people began to diminish and fall away
Maybe there were too many holes to dam up
Not enough knowledge to mend the broken hearts
Too many tasks heaped upon us
That we could not see there was a murderer among us
For whatever reason, the cost of the work was high
So high we did not realize we were living on a moving continent
Destined for a finale that required a revelation from God
That the cause was already lost before we set hand to the plow
When our loved ones knew when to turn their backs to our situation
That could not rectify itself because its genesis was rooted in hell
We didn't know. No one said it was not working
They just left
Now I see it. We were set adrift by our forefathers
Those who did not love anything but themselve
Because of stupid ideologies about men, women, race and selfish sex
politics
One sided rights with a trick trigger that hurt the victim in need
They set us adrift on this floating continental laboratory
Giving us the illusion of self determination
But turning out to be self-destruction
The ones who left us saved themselves
They came to the ocean shores and shouted blasphemy against us
But it took them in death by storm
We remain, the few who realized what must be done
Among the eyes that were veiled, who would not change
Because we had to love them enough
To suffer our intrusion into their confusion
And bring out an enraged and closed mind
Pianissimo
Prying queries are brought to rest
The hand drops the pen
The turntable repeats silence through the needle
Stale bread covers my breakfast saucer
A climax has been reached. The mystery is in repose
I float, collecting the diamonds once hidden under the veil
Being careful not to fill my head with doubt
To keep clarity in darkness
Breathing frankincense through the soul
Perfection from abstinence
Travels with an open heart
In One Night
In one night of immense violence
Hurricane Katrina took what was left
Of the home of my teenage years
That held a past that did not need
Anymore of my attention
The October before
I was with my high school friends
At a thirty year graduation class reunion
I could not believe how time
Had done such a great work
Erasing, and changing people
No one was as I remembered them
But we were all happy to be who we were
Now, the thought of their safety
Clings to my bones like a frightened child
For the first time in my life
A real sense of presence of something
That can reorganize all priorities overnight
And make you see what we really are
Temporary, transitory, wind blown fluff
If you can see it
It's all subject to change
If you are tied to your stuff
Your accomplishments
Your dreams
A past
It goes into nothingness
All you have is your mind to take with you
If it is packed by faith
That is all that will be
And can be well
Blindness
Has covered the purpose of love in relationships
Manipulating only one to make it work
When all must work to make it right
Is like living only on one side of the emotion fence
In a world no bigger than your mind
The very place that was built to be free of barriers and divisions
Creating misunderstanding due to the lack of it
Failing to see where the direction the light goes
And contented to live in darkness
Because of being use to blindness
There should not be any fences at all
Face the light with open eyes
Take hold of the hand who does love you
Remove the scales from your eyes
And walk together
The first steps
In making it right
Distractions
Several dogs were in the neighbor's yard screaming yelps to each other/
A canine humbug at the breakfast hour
I rushed to the kitchen door to investigate the bother
But the leaves on the fall trees gave them ample cover
"That's dog business!" My wife says noticing my intense deflection of my
mood
"You are neither dog nor cat! Sit down and finish eating your food!"/
I couldn't see anyway. In a moment it was over
I sat back down wondering what it was about
The neighbor's dog sounded like it had gone through a rout
I gave thanks I was not a dog in that losing bout
The Breath of the Land
The wind speaks unseen
Gentle as blown wheat
It dances with each blade of grass across the field
As it hurries to its appointment
To the lake where I await its company
Circling eddies contours its travel
As it goes across the water
Quietly shifting the mists against the reeds
Poised on the bank, resting
As the setting sun shines its vivid colors
I hear the cascading call of the crickets
Blended with the very distant sound
Of a singular motored vehicle traveling the highway
Beauty's complement finally arrives
I breathe in the honeysuckled, green leaf scent
Carried down from the mouth of the hillside
The sweet air lingers around me
Embracing me, and speaks its being with barely a whisper
I am no longer alabaster
But a bloomed rose where I stand
Unfinished Labor
My work is done. But the work is not done
My focus of direction sways to the side
I seek the mark, trying to reach the one
Point of truth that will set fruitful logic in motion
My steps are slowing. My purpose is losing stride
My work is done. But the work is not done
Finding truth is freedom - my only son
From my passion. Fused with love as his bride
I seek the mark, trying to reach the one
On blocked avenues. I found none
Who could help remove the heavy stones of fallen pride
From broken dreams. My work is done. But the work is not done
Elderly gentlemen greet my eyes, but they shun
Me like an alien without standing. I am set aside
To work alone to reach the one
Destination without a guide of reason
To traverse around the traps. But in stride
I keep to my direction until my focus sways to the side
My work is done. But the work is not done