Back to the Beat

Back to the Beat

So many times have I feed lines onto paper,
mixing metaphors like hard drinks that intoxicate.
How many times have I spoke of waking,
breathing, living, and understanding?
But in verse, I’ve fought so hard within myself,
that I forgot the beat.
I forgot the pulse of this world and the tragedies
that scrape us along un-leveled sidewalks like leaves,
lifting us up only to let us plummet to the man made plains below.
I’ve shared my awakening, and poetic stance, but did I stretch my ideas out
or feed parchment with anything that would last longer than a moment
of passionate theories and thought which I’ve written.
Political entities speak of change then jump on bullet trains to nowhere.
They break promises like breaking bread and see no difference in doing either.
On Sunday the blood of the Father is forgotten and varying bottles are held
in deep embrace as if these particular lovers will return their tight embrace.
I forgot to gather on the streets,and in the pubs,
and on top of overturned soap boxes.
I forgot to get angry, and fight back, and to gather together an army of minds to start change, create change, to be change.
As I sit here reading the voices of the past,
I remember that I too have so much I’d like to say, and do,and write of, until my lead hits erasure or my pen runs dry, or that my computer runs out of memory.
I need to find my own beat, to my own song, to share in my life time.
I want to live big, fight hard, and Love deeply
until minds and paper and heart are filled
so we never forget
and the beat goes on.....


Richard Nedervelt