The Rock Climbers
By Cal Wes Ubideer
I saw them climbing up the gray-white, rocky mountain hills,
like any mountain goats, where over all the sunlight spills,
so beautiful, so free, o, nature’s booty draped in green,
and up above a little pool of water, splashing, seen.
What were they doing at that height—rock climbers in that day?
“Because it’s there,” is likely what George Mallory would say.
Perhaps it put them in good shape, or clarified their minds.
Perhaps they simply climbed because it helped them to unwind.
Perhaps they felt humility, or testing limits, awed.
Perhaps for introspection, or perhaps they there found God.
The Man Practicing Qigong
By Brice U. Lawseed
I saw two Chinese soldiers wearing shades pick up a man,
who stood upright with dignity and of a healthy span.
When they showed up it looked like he was praticing qigong;
he seemed to be in good condition, sinewy and strong.
But later when I saw him, he’d been shoved into a chair,
that was a net some four feet high, suspended in the air.
bent over in a little room, in agony and pain,
they had been hitting him, o, over, under, and again.
But yet he kept his tolerance, that hale, hearty youth,
as if, though crumpled, he’d discovered passage to the truth.
The Daesh Terrorists (ISIS)
By Claude I. S. Weber
The Daesh terrorists responsible for the attacks
on Paris killed one-hundred-thirty people, o, alas,
for going to enjoy a match, some music, drink and food,
for going to enjoy themselves, the fun, the sweet, the good.
The deaths they brought to others—shooting and exploding vests—
they proudly wore, these mighty warriors, on their heartless chests.
Death’s emissaries do not love the beautiful or true;
they hate pure happiness and want to crush it from their view,
replacing it with misery, the ugly and the grim.
The World they envision is sadistic, harsh and dim.
The China Dream, Etc.
By Lu “Reed ABCs” Wei
Interestingly, Thomas Friedman suggestion in “The Economist” that China should have its own dream (compared to the American dream) back in 2012 has got him blacklisted by the CCP, because they are now commonly using the phrase, the China dream, and don’t want his article around, even though he was not the first to suggest it. Perhaps Friedman planted the idea in Chairman Xi Jinping’s head.
We should respect the rights of all the countries of the World
to choose the social systems that they want to have unfurled;
though not, of course, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, or old Tibet,
for China is unique and Xi Jinping can’t be upset.
It makes sense, too, the Saudi Royalty should be in charge,
for they know how to forge a kingdom powerful and large.
And North Korea’s prosperous and energetic land
should have supreme dictator Kim-Jong-un in full command.
And other than Mugabe, who could rule Zimbabwe well?
The single-party state will keep its people glad as hell.
Those Feet, Those Heads
By W. Israel Ebecud
Those feet that walked on Egypt’s land came back to Israel.
They left behind great pharaoh’s palaces and his Baäl.
They left the pyramids that rose in stone up from that sod.
They fled the pain and misery, forlorn, for hope, for God.
What city on a hill did they walk to? What was their prize?
What did they see up in those skies? What visions filled their eyes?
Where was their armour at? Where was their New Jerusalem?
Where were their bows and arrows when they really needed them?
Where were their spears and chariots that shined like precious gems—
Those heads that crossed that land uncrowned in dusty diadems.
Bruce Dale Wise is a poet living in Washington State who often writes under anagrammatic pseudonyms.
Featured Image: “Poet on a Mountain Top” by Shen Zhou.
China Dream… hilarious background story and perfect poem! Well done.
I apologize for coming to Mr. Marin’s comment over six years later. Although the poem is not “perfect”, the final line does have a dash of panache.
I would also like to thank Mr. Marin for his essay of 2014 “Two Journeys Via Sonnet by Bruce Dale Wise”. Its points are well taken.