Malignant chaos’ sufferance globally grows;
Chronicling an age of brutality, suppression imposed;
Religion, ethnicity, skin colour given cause to diminish, abuse;
Repetitively spoken with indifference, nightly, by mainstream News.
Political factions volley reason for remedy course to chart;
Pulling the strings of humanity’s ailing, callusing heart;
Hope; a candle lit to a darkened room, looms bright,
Yet, is easily snuffed, its flame doused by hysteria and fright.
The battle between goodness and evil, thought to be ancient foe,
Yet, deeper into a darkening chasm of hate seems the current flow;
Modernity; period of intellect able to overcome these incessant storms,
Renders without precedent; historical antecedent to this expected norm.
The hammered wedge of divineness that grows increasingly wide;
Bought by differing nationalism, theology, moral beliefs and pride;
Need be diffused by reason of intellect, compassion and compromise to succeed
So, the collective of humanity can finally cauterize this gaping wound’s bleed.
Performing naked, fully exposed;
Before fledgling artists awaiting the next pose;
Possibly curious to how, with no clothes,
Save for the socks that cover ugly toes,
How is it, this profession, one chose.
Frankly speaking, being naked, a must;
Truth to this doing amounts to no fuss;
Simply put, it is a matter of trust
That, as aspiring young artists, void of lust,
Focus is the image to paper, with charcoal dust.
Ultimately, left to the life-model to diffuse,
To be the centre, the inspirational muse,
Ideally wanting to vary provocative views;
Challenges what form of pose to peruse;
That stimulate creativeness; beauty to infuse.
In the end, it is a matter of mutual respect:
The artist to give, the life model to get;
For combined their energies are there to beget
Truth; beauty of the human form is not a threat;
A reality Artists provide the world, to never forget.
You are invited to preview my latest addition of self-published books titled: NAYKD POETry; a provocative collection of poems and prose reflective of the sexual renascence presently being enjoyed especially within the Lesbian and Gay communities around the world. Though graphic by its nature, sexual expression of this form is not meant to be exploitive but rather, robustly exhilarating for the libido and fertile to the imagination, dwelling on the lustfully erotic.
As the new Liberal government under Prime Minister Trudeau proceeds to process 25000 refugees from the scourge of war in the Middle East, more and more Canadians are voicing their concern that the effort will only serve to import radical terrorist to Canadian shores. The opinions voiced by way of comments to News articles addressing the concern has illustrated the true nature of some Canadians in the form of intolerance and cloaked discrimination. To illustrate my sentiments in reaction to these comments I offer up the following:
The wedge of divisiveness, driven down by the hammer of intolerance, wielded by a growing body of ignorance, radicalized to be indifferent toward suffering and blind to their selfish, self-serving, greedy protectionist posturing directed toward those made less fortunate by the destructive forces unleashed, sanctioned and supported by the wedge of divisiveness, driven down by the hammer of intolerance, wielded by a growing body of ignorance, radicalized to be indifferent toward suffering and blind to their selfish, self-serving, greedy protectionist posturing directed toward those made less fortunate by the destructive forces unleashed, sanctioned and supported by the wedge of divisiveness, driven down by the hammer of intolerance, wielded by a growing body of ignorance, radicalized to be indifferent toward suffering and blind to their selfish, self-serving, greedy protectionist posturing directed toward those made less fortunate by the destructive forces unleashed, sanctioned and supported by the wedge of divisiveness, driven down by the hammer of intolerance, wielded by a growing body of ignorance, radicalized to be indifferent toward suffering and blind to their selfish, self-serving, greedy protectionist posturing directed toward those made less fortunate by the destructive forces unleashed, sanctioned and supported by the….
Crimson red dressed, I ply the fading light
In service of a trade that gives some fright;
Made to give purchase of wanton pleasure;
To quell sexual tastes only but few, do treasure.
Johns-of-the night, deviance inclined,
Who seek and know well how to find;
To pay for what cannot be easily bought:
To be treated badly; what is most sought.
Unrepentant, I give to what is desired;
Their brutal demands, why I’m hired;
Whips, chains, shackles all part, of course;
Without mercy, inflicted, with pleasure given force.
Their screams, shouts and, whimpers plead
Not to stop their punishment, even to bleed;
Unrelenting, feelings of harshness deemed cruel;
Yields for me emotions; a struggle’s duel.
Simply put: mine is to service, to abide;
Demanding truth to civility, to conveniently hide;
For though this profession, by some to disdain;
Sought purely for fortune, not the glib of fame.
All society’s demographic find it all the rage,
Internet channels to express love and, or enrage;
A wireless medium for most to digitally engage,
Even religious faiths have now found its electronic stage.
Only two decades since its incipient birth,
Already in the of billions of dollars its worth;
From e-commerce to wood-fires in virtual hearths
But, for some practitioners; a growing, addictive curse.
The abundance of pornography, some would make claim,
Is the root to the medium’s spontaneous, rapid rise to fame;
Arguably, but then, just the same,
The Internet is forever and, forever it will remain.
Technological advancement conjoined with social networks,
Text messaging and, video connectedness the availing quirk;
That’s eroded boundaries between personal time and work;
365, 24-7 communication: for some a detriment, others a perk.
Regardless of how one views this 21st Century technological craze,
Its tentacle global reach makes definite it is not a passing phase;
But what has yet to be determined are its full implications as societies age,
Will it prove a healthy benefit or, a plague that has just begun to contage?
Let’s be gloriously optimistic and suggest that war of any definition comes to a sudden and abrupt end tomorrow. What would be the outcome?
Face it, like any organism of which conflict is no different, it must be fed, it needs replenishment as do all organisms. It digests and expels. Well, in war, things get destroyed, blown up, etc.. Therefore it creates a need; the necessity of a supply-chain to replenish that which has been lost or expended.
So where does this material come from? Who manufactures these specialized tools of conflict?
It does not take a leap of faith to suggest that ONLY developed nations of the world have the manufacturing and technological capacity to produce the diverse and robust cornucopia of military hardware to meet the insatiable digest of war in all its diverse forms of conflagration.
The challenges the proposition of ending militarism through the ending of development and procurement of military hardware in all its configurations spanning from nuclear to hand-held guns and their bullets has been duly addressed by the Department of Disarmament of the United Nations by its 1989 report titled: Study on the Economic and Social Consequences of the Arms Race and Military Expenditures. It was prepared `in response to mandates of the General Assembly, on the economic and social consequences of the arms race’. It is a comprehensive examination of the socio-political and economic impacts the arms race has for both developed and developing nations.
The findings of the report on such a complex matter are not easily summarized in this essay and therefore for those truly interested seek out the report to be found here: UN Report
However, of the many, the following conclusion effectively conveys the intent of this essay:
‘164. The complex relationship between disarmament, development and security has been thoroughly explored in the Final Document of the International Conference On the Relationship between Disarmament and Development, as follows:
“Security is an overriding priority for all nations. It is also fundamental for both disarmament and development. Security consists of not only military, but also political, economic, social, humanitarian and human rights and ecological aspects. Enhanced security can, On the one hand, create conditions conducive to disarmament and, on the other, provide the environment and confidence for the successful pursuit of development. The development process, by overcoming non-military threats to security and contributing to a more stable and sustainable international system, can enhance security and thereby promote arms reduction and disarmament. Disarmament would enhance security both directly and indirectly. A process of disarmament that provides for undiminished security at progressively lower levels of armaments could allow additional resources to be devoted to addressing non-military challenges to security, and thus result in enhanced overall security.” ‘
This conclusion leads to the obvious question: Why is this recommendation not constructively pursue?
Unfortunately, part of the answer resides in the same report which also concludes:
“172. The present study shows that military expenditures have extensive social and economic consequences. Economic effects are most pronounced in leading military spenders, and in particular in those areas of their economies which are dominated by modern science and technology, which is a key factor in the present arms race.”
Since the invasion and conflict in Afghanistan and Iraq commencing in 2003 and now predominates most of the Middle East and North Africa, the style of war has dramatically altered from `field war’ as was fought in the Second World War and even Vietnam to some extent; to an `urban war’. Urban wars are fought amidst civilians often held as shields by terrorist elements. In this latter situation, the enemy combatant is often difficult to differentiate from their civil surroundings making the instance of innocent lives, collateral casualties to the conflict.
This all said what seems to be overshadowed is the fact that whether an organized battalion of trained, professional military personnel or `ragamuffin’ informal, untrained terrorist groups; they all demand a steady flow of material and armament to sustain their position in battle.
At present the terrorist groups such as Al Quida and its cohort: ISIS, ISIL, IS (Islamic State) pose formidable resistance to western allied nations’ attempts to end their brutal assault and advancement leaving the slaughter of countless innocent citizens in the wake of their push and capture of territory throughout Iraq and in Syria.
What is difficult to understand, as evidenced by nightly media reports of the conflict, are the parades of ISIS combatants (terrorists) in lines of Toyota pickup trucks, at times in the hundreds. Too, the thousands of their kind equally attired in black uniforms armed with similar weapons. Though this organization is defined as a terrorist organization, they appear by all accounts, to be organized, military army battalions.
So who is supplying them and why are these chains of supply NOT the first line of attack by western allies? By cutting off the chain of supply and starving the enemy into defeat.
This brings the discussion full circle forcing the question: Do the powers-that-be who reap the DIRECT financial benefit derived from the expenditures of military conflict in any of its conflagrations, desirous to see the end of such conflict and, the assured decline of their future prosperity in `blood money’?
It is difficult to conceive of individuals who are willing to see innocent lives lost both in the theatre of battle or far removed, such as has just happened in Paris, for the sake of power of position and politic derived by enrichment through production and sale of arms and technology but, history clearly speaks to this being the case.
Again to quote the UN report on disarmament: “The ending of the arms race and the achievement of real disarmament are tasks of primary importance and urgency. To meet this historic challenge is in the political and economic interests of all the nations and peoples of the world as well as in the interests of ensuring their genuine security and peaceful Future.”
The report published in 1989, it is now 2015: what is the true and real impediment to this becoming a reality any time soon?
Are we, the common Peoples of this world who cry,
Ponds to those whom sit on true power of high,
Source to the strings to what does unfold,
Devious, detached to what scourge they behold?
The birth to this historical era of fright and death,
Were it a forethought or spontaneous plan,
Either way, it has taken on a life that flourishes,
Fed by the rancour of unyielding, insatiable foes.
Unrelenting, seems the flow of blood spawned by hate,
Instigated in defence of distorted, theocratic ideology
Yet, questionable to the camouflage cover it provides
Scrupulously; the truth to reason and purpose it hides.
If this be rai·son d’ê·tre to those whom look down,
What they serve to accomplish is more blood soaked ground;
For the illness of mind that is now ravenously being unleashed,
Finds service of comfort to Faith, the more of their enemy to defeat.
Borderless, this trauma seems likely to find its course,
Opposition to its viral spread made more difficult to source,
Like a pandemic virus inoculation of remedy taking time to find,
All the while, liberty of life and freedoms obliged to decline.
The darkest of clouds bought by the unrest has yet to manifest,
To be avoided, those of righteous standing must come to the test;
Knowing full well the cause to what incites this scourge to unfold,
In service to humanity; they must come forth, let the truth finally be told.
A decade and a half into this 21st century futurist of past generations would be greatly disappointed at the extent to which the mire of economic hardship and conflict of war conflates around the globe and, showing little sign of changing course.
A break in the clouds of darkness that envelopes this present era of humanity may, especially for those of us who reside here in Canada, pose a glimmer of hope reflected and encapsulated in the phrase: “Sunny ways my friends. Sunny ways.”
This phrase attributed to Sir Wilfrid Laurier was re-iterated by Justin Trudeau first when addressing campaign supporters following his October 19th, 2015 defeat of Conservatives and Prime Minister Stephen Harper. And, repeated again following his November 4th, 2015 formal swearing in as the 23rd Prime Minister of Canada.
Given that Prime Minister Trudeau’s electoral platform found its success on the promise to bring forth a sea of change to that experienced under the ten year reign of defeated government of Stephen Harper, it seemed a very appropriate and fitting way to communicate to all Canadians and, to the world, in much the same fashion as was Laurier’s intent, that a change of attitude will be forthcoming promising fair, equitable and transparent governance by Canada’s newly elected Cabinet. To make the point evidently clear not only was the swearing-in ceremony at the Governor-General’s residence of Rideau Hall open to general public and broader media, the newly appointed thirty-member Cabinet is comprised equitably of men and women as was promised in Trudeau’s election campaign. Note too after much speculation; each appointee regardless of gender is highly qualified to meet the rigors and obligations of their Ministry portfolio to which they are sworn to uphold.
As Canada and Canadians wait anxiously for the first seating of its new Parliament on December 4th, 2015; the majority of House of Common seats occupied by Trudeau’s Cabinet and Liberal Members of Parliament, the first test to his ability to meet his promise of critical change will be the final legislative outcome of files initiated under the Harper government such as the Security Bill C-51 and the Trans-Pacific Partnership international trade agreement. Both files will be critically watched as they undergo Parliamentary review to render their ratification subject to modification or possibly, be fully repealed especially in the case of Bill C-51. Other significant planks of the Liberal election platform such as legalization of marijuana, opening Canada’s borders to Syrian refugees to name but a few additional critical pieces of new legislation and processes promised will be closely scrutinized for their outcomes.
So what makes the successful election of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, predicated on a platform of `Change’, translated into a swelling of pride and hope for better times significant?
Since the election of President Obama in 2008 and re-election in 2012, many citizens of the United States feel let down, disappointed at the lack of change originally promised during Obama’s 2008 electoral campaign echoed in the campaign slogan: `Yes we Can. O, yes we can’. This failed-state can be attributed primarily to an intransigent, Republican-held, Congress and Senate and, somewhat docile Democratic membership when attempting to fulfil the promises that got a Democratic President elected. Though Obama’s promise to bring health-care to several millions of uninsured Americans has been fulfilled through the passing of the Affordable Care Act a.k.a. Obama Care, it remains under attack by Republicans pursuing nomination as their presidential candidate for the upcoming November 2016 presidential elections. Not to mention the inability to close Guantanamo; end the wars in the Middle East; and, make significant strides in restricting emissions and their effects on climate change.
Fuelled by Democratic President Obama’s apparent failure to fulfil his electoral mandate, beginning in the early months of 2015, continuing to the time of this writing, a field of individual elected and non-seated Republican members, at one point numbering as high as fifteen, have committed to pursuing the Republican presidential nominee to run against the Democratic presidential nominee candidate in the November 2016 election.
In the ensuing months of 2015 several candidates have withdrawn for lack of critical financial or base support. However, those that remain, especially the front runners such as Ben Carson and Donald Trump appear to be gaining their support by they who reflect the worse of the American ethos. The spectre of racial and religious divisiveness centred on historical White-on-Black issues only to be further inflamed by hateful rhetoric directed at Hispanics of Mexican descent and increasingly, due to the conflicts the United States is embroiled in the Middle East, those of Muslim-Islamic faith are confronting a form of Islamophobe broaching persecution and attacks. Compounding this racially, inflammatory state-of-affairs is the significant financial inequity spawned from the 2007-08 global financial collapse from which the United States is only marginally recovered. A recovery that has yielded an even greater class divide with significant growth in profits for the one-percent.
Prior to the successful election of Prime Minister Trudeau, the state-of-affairs under the Harper government had Canada headed in the same direction as that presently occurring in the United States. The tight-lipped, media controlling Harper government seemed to take its legislative playbook from the doctrines of the Tea Party, the extreme right-wing segment that comprises and dominates the policy arm of the Republican Party. His government’s sweeping passage of monster omnibus budget bills crammed with secretive legislation and significant changes to standing legislation, muzzling of scientist and public employees, etc all serving to put a cold chill in the backs of many Canadians.
The final straw came with blatant divisive rhetoric around the treatment of new immigrants especially those of the Muslim faith, a staple factor in the defeat of Harper’s 2015 re-election campaign.
There is little doubt that the same `Messiah-complex’ bestowed Obama following his first election presides over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau however, we can only put our faith and hope that he is capable and able to fulfil his stated goals and promises; to prove to the rest of the World, real change is possible that can lead to “Sunny ways my friends. Sunny ways!”
naykdpoet 