SIDEWAYS EIGHT PROJECTS

Trigger Alert: Mention of Rape

(victimized) (power) (control) (legacy) (grace)

~ Graceful Survivors ~

.

Searching, for the right words to describe rape tastefully,

but there is no way to make brute force, complete and utter disregard for another soul’s well-being, and absence of respect for someone else’s body and choices ~ graceful.

Brute force can be graceful in the context of the home run in baseball, the slam dunk in basketball, the ace in tennis, and other things about things.

Complete and utter disregard for another soul’s well being is not graceful.

Absence of respect for someone else’s body and choices is not graceful.

Love is graceful, and love cannot be forced, subdued, or controlled.

Imagine the greatest place, with the most amazing people,

doing the most wonderful things, involving the most excellent aspects, and elevated topics of discussion.

Look for it. Close your eyes if you have to, and imagine

how awe inspiring this, it, we could be.

Now, dare if you will, to climb a little higher.

Stand on the shoulders of that imaginative self and try to see,

If you will, even better that’s imaginable.

Now imagine there’s someone who has the key to let you go there.

They’ll let you borrow the key and make a copy if you like.

They’ll even pay for the copy.

They don’t want money, control, a future favor,

looking the other way in the face of wickedness, prestige, or fame.

They just want you to accept the key as a gift.

That is gracious. That is grace. Forgiving a debt is grace.

And, sad to say for the perpetrators of these heinous acts,

for these mind fucks and body pirates,

the victims who carry these deeds with them were, in those moments,

and continue to be in life, more gracious, filled with grace if you please,

experiencing the depth of love and torment simultaneously.

They, we, you, are more gracious.

Those who owe unpayable debts of emotion, those who live with stamps of darkness upon their hearts, and fields of black lilies being constantly uprooted within their toxic nerves of rust, those should be given no reverence. Those should be pitied. Those should be turned away from.

While those who have received unjust punishment, unjust torture, acts of brutality

and ultimate war porn violence, and yet have been strong enough to break those vicious cycles, love anyway, choose life anyway;

Those are the beautiful and graceful among us.

It is they who should be revered.

They who should be esteemed.

They who should be held in a higher regard.

It is they who are in control.

It is they who are in charge.

They who remind us of sacrifice, humility, poise, patience,

and enduring love.

It is they who are filled with grace.

It is they who teach us about love.

.

.

#triggeralert #grace #victims #victimized #survivors #legacy #power #control #crime #emotion #metoo

Today

is my absolute favorite holiday.

But,

not for the reason,

or reasons you might think.

Today,

I celebrate my dependence.

I was dependent,

when I was first conceived,

upon a mother who wouldn’t

smoke or drink,

but who would provide

a steady perch,

for me to land on,

and a safe nest

for me to be in.

I was dependent,

when I was first born,

upon those around me,

for food, water, shelter, clothing,

love, and cartoons.

I was dependent,

when I was first growing,

upon teachers, coaches, relatives,

friends, and leaders,

to aid in my growth. I needed them

to help mold and hold me.

I needed them to help scold me,

and bring me back into the fold see.

Their every action and thought

would embolden me

into being the adult

I am today.

Now that I am grown,

I am dependent upon

the powers that be

to help aid in my safety

and basic amenities.

I am dependent upon

musicians, storytellers,

and other poets

to aid in my inspiration.

I’m dependent upon liberties and freedoms I have been granted, of which countless others do not have the luxury of possession, to be able to share such things.

I am dependent upon

my partner to help me

process and endure

life’s pitfalls and hurdles.

I am dependent upon family

for a sense of tradition

and belonging.

I am dependent

upon friends and coworkers

for aid in task and goal completion.

I am dependent upon

my vehicle to get me to work,

food to nurture my muscles and bones,

water to assist my brain amongst other things,

shelter to keep me safe from the elements,

dogs, and other creatures like them,

to teach me about unconditional love,

and God,

for not only the breath I continue to draw,

but, also, everything else

that is listed above,

and a zillion other things,

I am probably forgetting

right now,

which I was privileged enough

to take for granted,

at the time

I benefited from it,

while unaware

of how blessed I was,

and continue to be.

Thank you everyone.

Thank you God.

Thank you.

Today, I celebrate my dependence,

and fireworks.

.

.

#fourthofjuly #independenceday #independence #dependence #dependenceday #fireworks #4thofjuly #poetry #poet #poetsofinstagram #poetrycommunity #poetryisnotdead #writing #writers #storytellers #holidays #dayoff #celebration #gratitude #thankful #sidewayseightprojects

I just finished watching #hannahgadsby and her poignant, vulnerable, heartfelt, thought provoking special #nanette. I laughed. I cried. My perspective was broadened, and my heart grew.

I was immediately inspired to write.

.

.

.

So you’re different?

How are you different?

No, really, please tell me your story, don’t just try to make me laugh. It’s fine if you want to go before me, or if we switch the order and I go first. But I already know my story, and I want to know yours. And, I get the sense that I want you to be part of my story.

I want to share laughter with you.

I want to ease tension with you.

I want to speak about the hereafter with you.

I want to gain comprehension with you.

I want words like tenacity, grit, authenticity, sacred, honesty, and presence

to have imbued the walls with connection, purpose, and love,

before we can even start talking.

So you’re different?

How are you different?

No, really, I need to know because I want you to be part of my story.

.

#hannahgadsbynanette #stories #movement #special #welcome #laughter #tension #anger #love #acceptance #connection #comedy #purpose #power #belong #tasmania #stage #selfdeprecation #testimony #netflix #trauma #joy #selfactualization #writer #healing

When I cannot close my eyes and sleep, I wonder if I am awake in someone else’s dream. Only through the rich connection with others can I be truly conscious. Only through sacrifice of self am I remotely capable of gaining anything lasting, sacred, and permanent. These dreams that I wish I could be having presently are perhaps the foundation of another’s purpose. The sleep that I am missing could be the veritable framework for another’s destiny. The rest I so desperately need could be healing the bones of the one who will lead the uprising. The rigidity with which my mind refuses to stop is perhaps matched by knowing that somewhere, right now, at this very moment, there is one in a comatose state. That one will soon awake and arise, and love more deeply, teach more soundly, feel more extremely, and breathe more easily than I ever could have.

.

.

.

.

.

#photography #instapics #photographersofig #pictures #artistic #creative #creation #writersofig #writerswrite #writersofinstagram #writinglife #wordgasm #words #selfpublishing #sidewayseightprojects

#poet #poets #poem #poems #poetry #poetsofinstagram #poetsofig #poetrycommunity #poetryisnotdead #poemsofinstagram #dailypoems #micropoems #poetrydaily #poetry_addicts #poemsporn

.

.

.

.

.

#photography #instapics #photographersofig #pictures #artistic #creative #creation #writersofig #writerswrite #writersofinstagram #writinglife #wordgasm #words #selfpublishing #sidewayseightprojects

#poet #poets #poem #poems #poetry #poetsofinstagram #poetsofig #poetrycommunity #poetryisnotdead #poemsofinstagram #dailypoems #micropoems #poetrydaily #poetry_addicts #poemsporn

It is not that the son’s light has faded and grown dim, rather it is always trying to shine through our brokenness. Through our multiplicity of color and jagged edges. Through our tears and cries for help. Through the grace that we give each other, and the forgiveness that we allow ourselves, through the mosaic of experiences that bring about a repentant heart. Through our trials. The light is always shining. The light is always seeking. The shine is always grinding, finding, and reminding us that this world may appear dark, dreary, and diminished somehow. This has been a test of the emergency broadcast system. We are not of this world. We are in it, searching out the light that shines through.

.

.

.

.

.

#photography #instapics #photographersofig #pictures #artistic #creative #creation #writersofig #writerswrite #writersofinstagram #writinglife #wordgasm #words #selfpublishing #sidewayseightprojects

#poet #poets #poem #poems #poetry #poetsofinstagram #poetsofig #poetrycommunity #poetryisnotdead #poemsofinstagram #dailypoems #micropoems #poetrydaily #poetry_addicts #poemsporn

Mural, mural on the wall,

who is the most beautiful of them all?

Only twenty four hours to completely depict what the story is about, much less than that now until we find out.

.

#24hourmuralmarathon #circuscircus #jdarraghart #jamiedarraghart #reno #renoisrad #renoasfuck #biggestlittlecity #renocreatives #biggestlittleartscity #morearteverywhere #sparks #nevada #homemeansnevada #destinationnevada #travelnevada #silverstate #battleborn #RenoRising

There are many reflections of self, if we are willing to ask honest enough questions, to view the world through the prism of another’s eyes.

.

.

.

.

.

#photography #instapics #photographersofig #pictures #artistic #creative #creation #writersofig #writerswrite #writersofinstagram #writinglife #wordgasm #words #selfpublishing #sidewayseightprojects

#poet #poets #poem #poems #poetry #poetsofinstagram #poetsofig #poetrycommunity #poetryisnotdead #poemsofinstagram #dailypoems #micropoems #poetrydaily #poetry_addicts #poemsporn

With darkness conspiring in the world, the starkness of the wiring of the globe that is hurled, through time and space, and rhyme and facing lights that climb up towards the darkness. They tell us that there is still beauty. There are families together staring in wonder. Couples walk on trails under lanterns and stars. This mixture of color suits me, and the local crowd who came in droves of cars. Such thought went in, such decorative bliss came out. I was an imaginative child again for an evening. Thank you for going on this journey with me.

.

.

.

.

.

#photography #instapics #photographersofig #pictures #artistic #creative #creation #writersofig #writerswrite #writersofinstagram #writinglife #wordgasm #words #selfpublishing #sidewayseightprojects

#poet #poets #poem #poems #poetry #poetsofinstagram #poetsofig #poetrycommunity #poetryisnotdead #poemsofinstagram #dailypoems #micropoems #poetrydaily #poetry_addicts #poemsporn

So many lovely humans gathered today in the Biggest Little City for families, for asylum seekers, for refugees, for solidarity, and for children all over the world. Individuals spoke out, and their voices were far from alone.

.

.

.

#familiesbelongtogether #march #asylumseekers #lovetrumpshate #biggestlittlecity #voice #vote