#JeSuisCharlie – poem by Paul O’Mahony

Guingamp's supporter hold signs reading "Je suis Charlie" (I am Charlie) to pay tribute to the victims of the Charlie Hebdo attack during the French L1 football match between Guingamp and Lens at the Roudourou stadium in Guingamp, western France, on January 10, 2015.  AFP PHOTO / FRED TANNEAU        (Photo credit should read FRED TANNEAU/AFP/Getty Images)
Guingamp’s supporter hold signs reading “Je suis Charlie” (I am Charlie) to pay tribute to the victims of the Charlie Hebdo attack during the French L1 football match between Guingamp and Lens at the Roudourou stadium in Guingamp, western France, on January 10, 2015. AFP PHOTO / FRED TANNEAU (Photo credit should read FRED TANNEAU/AFP/Getty Images)

Je Suis Charlie

A few minutes was enough

a smattering of bullets

a cascade of hate

rained down

out of a cloud

loaded with purpose

ammunition

attrition

a mission.

Twelves apostles of humour

twelve souls of freedom

twelve bodies.

In the name of Abraham

and all the shared scars

like wounds from a bloody god

J’accuse

7 January 2015

ThoughtForToday – 10 November 

  

Great experiences include 

the smell of freshly cut grass, 

the scent of newly baked bread, 

rain on a window pane, 

warm campfire, 

human touch and much more … 

Don’t forget good company. 

“Sing the song of the flight to life” – new poem by Paul O’Mahony

Sing the song of the flight to life.

Carry your soul in your old kit bag.

Carry your city with every breath.

Carry your loves well packed in tissue.

Carry your fears in a solid box of take-on luggage

Because you will Passover

‘Cause you’ll write your Tablets,

set fire to your gods, cross your river of flowing gold

Because you’ll promise your self

a land of silk and funny dreams

Dreams of immortality

Dreams of eternality

Dreams of sick transfusions that delight your progeny

I am your flight attendant

listening in depth to your vulnerability

cheerleading you on,

throwing high the baton

while you compose your ode to joy.

And

sing your flight to live the life of the travelling warrior,

to explore the way of the choir of pilots who chart their soul’s journey beyond the beyond.

Come intrepid one.

Come board your flight

You are on time,

in good time to be uplifted

into the symphony I have sketched for you

and you will bring to be

the melody of a soulful life

___________________

Notes: 

(1) This poem was inspired by AJ Leon, Melissa Leon & all misfits (plus all that love their mission to catalyse revolutionary change to our world).

(2) This poem was inspired by the songs of Walt Whitman & the great friends I’ve gained while live streaming “Leaves of Grass” via Periscope – saved on http://www.Katch.me/omaniblog

(3) A related poem is here

Appreciating others – Emerson to Whitman

If you can’t see the audioplayer below – Click here

ThoughtForToday – 7 November 

[photo screen shot from a scope by Kate @suntrine1)

__________________________________

Those shoes you’re wearing are exotic.

That accent you have is exotic.

Your toothpaste exotic.

Discarded cigarette butts exotic.

Weeds exotic.

Hummingbirds exotic.

Prayers exotic.

Farts exotic.

Mona Lisa exotic.

Yourself exotic

– to someone

Charles Bukowski – “Magical Mystery Tour

Charles Bukowski before he died
Charles Bukowski before he died

If you can’t see the player below, click here


Magical mystery tour

I am in this low-slung sports car
painted a deep, rich yellow
driving under an Italian sun.
I have a British accent.
I’m wearing dark shades
an expensive silk shirt.
there’s no dirt under my
fingernails.
the radio plays Vivaldi
and there are two women with
me
one with raven hair
the other a blonde.
they have small breasts and
beautiful legs
and they laugh at everything I
say.

as we drive up a steep road
the blonde squeezes my leg
and nestles closer
while raven hair
leans across and nibbles my
ear.

we stop for lunch at a quaint
rustic inn.
there is more laughter
before lunch
during lunch and after
lunch.

after lunch we will have a
flat tire on the other side of
the mountain
and the blonde will change the
tire
while
raven hair
photographs me
lighting my pipe
leaning against a tree
the perfect background
perfectly at peace
with
sunlight
flowers
clouds
birds
everywhere.

“Making love to my mother-in-law” – poem by Paul O’Mahony

If

you’re going to make love

to your mother-in-law

I have advice for you:

don’t do it on Christmas Day

with her husband

and

your wife

downstairs

in the kitchen

underneath…

(To be continued)

ThoughtForToday – 6 November 

Slugs have a lousy reputation.

I’m sure they’re good for something.

We all feeling sluggish some days.

Without being unkind to slugs,

let today be “Abolish Sluggishness Day”.

Maybe “Postpone Sluggishness Day”

would be kinder. 

Roger Overall – Cartooning – “the maker’s art”

Source: Roger Overall – Cartooning – “the maker’s art”

Roger Overall – Cartooning – “the maker’s art”


Welcome Roger Overall – my great friend & longtime collaborator. [I took the snaps on my iPhone6.]
Roger came to work in my kitchen & we recorded the audio while he did his best to start & complete a cartoon in 20 minutes. This is the story of the work. The phrase “the maker’s story” came up during our conversation.


  
  


  
  
  

______________________________

Note:

Thank you very much Roger.  I feel honoured to publish your work.  <img

You can contact Roger on Twitter @rogeroverall

ThoughtForToday – 5 November 

Incalculable.

It is impossible to know

the influence you have on others.

The full effect you have

in the world

cannot be known by you

or anyone.

Don’t underestimate yourself.

ThoughtForToday – 4 November 

  
Relief is 

one of the most powerful 

emotions. 

Feeling relief 

releases floodgates 

plus

a stream of positive energy flows 

– you are much better 

able to be your better self. 

Eh? 

ThoughtForToday – 3 November 

  

Ballast is

what’s needed

today

– every day –

except for 

the days

you want to list

flounder

capsize

sink.

Any chance you’d prefer an unballasted moment?

A wild risky experience.

Have you 9 lives?

Ballast you.

My ties and ballasts leave me, my elbows rest in sea-gaps 

(Walt Whitman)

“Rain” – by Lars Blichfeldt

Lars

I made the poem ‘Rain’ while I was thinking about some of the darker things in life.

Mental issues and how they can push anybody to the edge and sometimes even over the edge. Something I recognise from my own life.

My childhood was rather rough. Maybe because of that, I did a lot of crime and vandalism.

Luckily for me, I found a secret weapon to stop it before it got out of control. Drugs.. and many of them. I drugged my brain for 15 years trying to ignore my problems and feelings. But the brain does not easily forget. You can postpone and try to hide, but it will make you deal with it… one way or the other.

In my case, it just ‘turned on’ anxiety in my brain, and, if I did any kind of drugs, it would give me a panic attack.

Effective and without mercy.

It started five years ago, and I’m still fighting. No drugs – only words, a shrink and some good friends.

Most people can’t handle what they can’t see. We get 80% of our impressions thru our eyes, so expect a lot of people to avoid and ignore you.

But face it anyway… Fight it anyway. And when you get your first victory, keep that sweet little moment in mind when the next black cloud starts to rain..

_______________________________________________

Rain

When black clouds
rained upon me
I used to feel sorry for myself.

I looked at people around me
popping their one man umbrellas
saving themselves.

unable to see
unable to hear
the suddenly invisible wet people.

‘we learn for as long as we live’
Maybe so.

But I still get caught in the rain
I still get cold
Still haven’t learned
how to unfold my umbrella.

But I do not feel sorry for myself
Not anymore.

Bring on the rain
Bring on the cold
I eagerly await.

Await the return of the sun
await for its shield of warm clear light
to spread thru my cold wet body
for the return of my smile
and the end of my sighs.

ThoughtForToday – 2 November 

  

Death is certain

bound to be experienced

uncertain timing.

The best way

to keep death at bay

is to

breathe…

mindful of your breath

as it sings the song of your life. 

ThoughtForToday – 1 November 

The “scientific method”

sound & strong.

Predict an outcome

experiment

discover 

whether that happens.

The “trust method”

predict safety

experiment

experience 

whether that happens.

Make your trust method

sound & strong.  

ThoughtForToday – 29 October 

Your mental health

is your greatest possession.

By losing your wellbeing,

you learn how fragile it is.

By being a good friend

to someone who’s lost their health,

you appreciate this.

Live this mantra:

“Our health is our wealth”.

QED

(‘The very thing it was required to have shown’)

 

 

ThoughtForToday – 27 October 


I’m writing a book

the book of my life.

It’s a book which won’t appear in print

nor on the Internet.

Every act I do is a new letter

every move a phrase

every relationship a paragraph

every collaboration a story.

I hope it’ll be a best seller.