Paradise Isn't What It Seems.

by Poet on the Piano   Jul 24, 2013


Put down your drink, whatever it is, set it aside.
I know you seek comfort now but will you be
the voice to cease these feelings controlling you?

Another tale of fiction, another portal to a fantasy
world where you are re-named, regaining the relief
your wounds never allowed.

I agree, we need those self-reflective moments
where isolation from society and the sensationalized
media heals our anxieties...
but we can't journey there and expect to stay.
There will be no solution, no truth to anything we do
if we scream ignorant words with no meaning,
knowledge, factual base, morality and heart
to listen to the people who founded this land.

We can handle a little bit at a time before we
need a relaxed breath, a break to recompose
our thoughts. This is why we are human...
and if we don't engage ourselves, the world
will advance possibly more hollow than before
and we will have no substance to defend.

We can't defend what we don't know.
Yes, we have values and morals but if we can't
justify and say, this isn't just my opinion,
look at what the leaders aren't telling us.
We need to read the information for ourselves,
annotate, learn, question, highlight.

Don't coax yourselves into believing happiness
comes from coloring books of dreamlands,
becoming lost in novels you've always admired
for their take on unreality. Indulge yourself
once in a while, but don't further feed your fears.
You can conquer the evil doubts.
Stop listening to music that addresses your dreams
and be the one to proudly move towards them
with sweat and determination.

You may have fits of passion and then leave
the day with weariness, but keep the fire.
Cast out anger and instead have inspiration
radiating off your skin so that others may see
there can be change, the truth can be known
and not blindly told.

It is all of our faults if we agree without inquiring
because some laws America should have in the open.
Why were and are they continued to be placed
between deceitful shadows?

We are simply to blame for choosing who
will be our greatest downfall.
America isn't free, freedom isn't free unless
we work until our veins show we're trying and
we cry out because of callouses we are developing.
Life is hard but it should never be handed
down to us.
We can always climb out of the deepest well,
nothing is ever bottomless. We will not continue
to descend anymore and be led by corruption
that defines what goes against our humanity,
natural law, ethics, our very souls.

-
Palm trees, ocean waves your only company...
you don't really want to live here, do you?

-
So this is hugely politically based/inspired.

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Latest Comments

  • 11 years ago

    by Chelsey

    *sigh...I'm on my phone and cant leave a huge comment like I'd normally try to...but I have to say I love this and as much as I agree with it, I'm disappointed because I feel like those of us who see things this way dont really have a voice. We can write, we can rally, we can complain....but the government doesnt give 2 sh**s. What its going to take is some education on our systems, because people vote for our leader...the only time we have a say is every 4 yrs and once people start becoming educated on whats truly going on and stop voting for people for race, for handouts, then maybe we'll see a change...but unfortunately there is not enough knowledgable people here to pick the right leader. If we keep putting morons in office, what we saw now will keep getting worse.....

    Smart people dont always make smart decisions, but if enough of us do, maybe we'll see a change in this nation. We need the knowledgable, brave individuals to rise up.

  • 11 years ago

    by Piogga

    Great title. Drew me in like a moth to candle flames, and I didn't mind my wings getting singed; sometimes it's better to walk. You had a strong voice throughout the entire piece and I wholly appreciate that in poetry. Lately I'm more into literal poems vs. abstract ones.. This may have been based more on politics but it also speaks of power and justice, and how the former's abused and there's an incredible lack of the latter. We've discussed different views in my politics class. It's different in various countries but there's always avoidance. There's so much in this poem that hit me hard and I had to read this over again. It's very moving and the passion's evident, and I love that the most.

    The way you started it immediately caught my attention, as though the title wasn't enough.

    "look at what the leaders aren't telling us."
    This reminded me of what my mentor told me once--about how we should listen instead to what people are NOT saying. Having said that, I think the first two words should be: listen to? It seems more apt that way, I think.

    The parts about finding happiness/satisfaction/contentment in books and music made me smile because I do that so many times.
    Consequently, I agree with everything you've stated. It's a powerful piece.

  • 11 years ago

    by Tara Kay

    I don't understand politics and those of another country than my own don't make much sense to me either...I've never really been into politics but I'm not oblivious to the fact that there are problems in countries, including my own.

    So I can't comment on what I may or may not see when I read this piece and as we all have different opinions of which we are entitled, again it falls out of my way to comment on issues that may arise.

    However, I commend you on writing this piece for it is gutsy to stand up and voice your opinions, and express them in poetry...and you always have an eloquent pen, if somewhat intriguing...

    MaryAnne, you amaze me, and I admire you
    x

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