Happy Birthday to
The actor Michael Biehn
Among the most intense
To hit the silver screen
Whether stomping xenomorphs
Or kicking Arnie’s steel
Or shooting up Earp’s Tombstone
This three-time Navy Seal
Is an all-time great
Of movies and TV
So Happy Birthday Hicks
Be sure to stay frosty!
Semantics
How many times have you tried
To get across a thought
Only to have semantics
Make it all for naught?
An idea about this or that
With heart in the right place
Only to have someone come
And your whole point debase?
Because they focused on one word
And chose to interpret
The meaning so that it would not
From their POV fit
I’m talking about simple words
Like love or hate or wealth
Ego, pride, humility
Forgiveness, joy and health
Semantics study meaning of
A solitary word
It focuses on just one piece
While whole idea’s unheard
It doesn’t make much sense to me
To zone in on one term
To argue over something whose
Definition’s firm
To lose the point one’s trying to make
To not capture the gist
To not let go and infer so
The idea isn’t missed
When semantics rear their head
This phrase I do anoint:
“What word would you like me to
Employ to make my point?
Since your definition of
The word that I have used
Is different from my own and
Has left you all confused
Tell me what word I should say
So we can move along
So I can get my point across
And you don’t get me wrong”
Usually that’s met with quite
A look of sheer confusion
Followed by a look that shows
They’ve come to one conclusion
That nitpicking on just one word
Distracts from something bigger
And my concession to oblige
Their ego pulls a trigger
That semantics are something
That don’t serve any good
An exercise in ego which
Distracts from thoughts that could
Enlighten or inspire or
Improve a state of mind
All because one can’t infer
How one word is defined
Miro
Busy
Sorry, I don’t have the time
To talk to you today
I’m too busy with my life
To hear what you’ve to say
I’ve got this thing to do right now
And it can’t wait a sec
But maybe if things do ease up
Can I get a raincheck?
Not sure when that will be though
This thing is so high stakes
I’m so invested and full-blast
I can’t put on the brakes
I wish I could put it on hold
And ask what’s new with you
But you have to understand
My spare moments are few
I’ve barely got the time to eat
Or make a change of clothes
Or watch the playoff game tonight
Or other favourite shows
Sorry, I wish I could help
There’s so much going on
I’m so tied up in my affairs
I’m just a bit withdrawn
With what is going on around
The world outside of me
Hopefully I’ll have time to
Open my eyes and see
That the greatest purpose in
Life is to serve others
Maybe once things calm a bit
I’ll have time for my brothers
I’ll tell you what, this thing I’ve got
Could hold on just a bit
It’s not the end of the world if
We take the time to sit
And now that I think twice about
This other thing I’ve got
It won’t take as much time as I
Thought that it would allot
And since there’s times I’m really bored
And have nothing to do
I’d feel like such a hypocrite
To have no time for you
When I stop and ponder how
The word “busy” is used
I realize I’m just asking
Myself to be excused
For only having time for me
And my selfish affairs
It’s not a word that’s ever used
By anyone who cares
So strike what I said earlier
I’m not busy at all
My stuff can wait ‘till later on
I’ve got time for your call
It’s funny how despite how busy
Every day would seem
I didn’t realize that time’s
Passing was not extreme
There’s always moments to step back
From our busy day’s work
Service is the one job that
We shouldn’t ever shirk
Miro
Diva
I had the chance the other day
To shoot a video
The team that came together has
Left me with quite a glow
Actors, singers and the crew
Worked very hard that day
Everyone came to have fun
But one came just for pay
We had the misfortune to have
A Diva on the set
This spoiled brat acted as if
We all owed her a debt
But since I always like to have
An attitude to show
I’m thankful for the things I have
I thought I’d let her know
I’m thankful for the work she’s made
For me when editing
The hours it will take to make
This Diva look something
Like an actress with talent
But it will take much cutting
Her lack of personality
And skill is very jutting
I could forgive the attitude
If she just brought the goods
Unfortunately she stunk worse than
Some bear crap in the woods
Thanks for acting like you didn’t
Want to be on set
For acting like a brat because
You almost broke a sweat
Thanks for not wanting to shoot
The scene we wrote for you
For walking out as “Action!” called
And holding up the crew
Thanks for not seeing how hard
The dancers worked all day
Burning feet on scorching ground
And no complaints to say
Thanks for having no idea
Of what acting entails
For breaking character to check
The status of your nails
Thanks for booking one more gig
Later that same night
And making our schedule
Incredibly tight
So tight that we didn’t have
Time to sit and eat
Rushing the entire day
While you took time to tweet
And what I’m really grateful for
Was how you dragged your ass
For those final shots in which
You showed so little class
As time ticked away so fast
I thought you’d get in gear
But the less time that we had
The heavier your rear
And when I thanked you for your time
And all of your “hard” work
Thanks for being such a cold
Pretentious stuck-up jerk
When I told you how you screwed
The crew with plans you made
Thanks for your selfish response
Of “I gotta get paid”
It’s probably quite obvious
I’m being sarcastic
I’m actually not thankful for
Your Diva-licious schtick
But there is in fact one thing
I am quite grateful for
The inspiration to write this
And spread your Diva lore
To other folks who come across
Your “beautiful” headshot
The camera may show off your looks
But one thing was not caught
Your awful, selfish attitude
That you just cannot hide
Good luck with seeing how many
Others let it slide
~Miro
Fuel
Everything that moves you forward
Requires a type of fuel
Car or boat or plain or train
Or horse or mare or mule
Depending on what gas you use
Affects how smooth the ride
Quality of fuel controls
The engine deep inside
The same goes for your body and
The food that you put in
Deep fried fuel from fast food joints
Will lead to much chagrin
The engine struggles to keep up
When all it’s got is junk
To run on, soon you’ll realize
Your step will lose its spunk
And just as garbage slows the legs
It does so with the mind
One begins to grow when they
Absorb wisdom they find
If you only fuel your brain
With sports or shows that bore
With shallow things that have no depth
You’re poisoning your core
The mind becomes conditioned to
Accepting unleaded
And premium with all its kick
Becomes something dreaded
Concepts like a higher power
And spirituality
Are too high in octane and with
The mind do not agree
It lurches and rattles and shakes
Because it’s used to gas
That doesn’t require it have
To get up off its ass
But if you start to fuel your tank
With wisdom from our sages
If you read the writings of
The wise men through the ages
If you’re fueled by teachings from
Philosophers and scholars
Instead of an athletic goon
Who body checks and hollers
(“Oh no, he didn’t take a shot
And my beloved game!”
You’re thinking now but don’t let that
Blind you from poem’s aim)
If you pay attention to
The things that monks have said
If you take to heart what Christ
Taught even as he bled
Your tolerance of that octane
That used to be too much
Begins to grow and soon you’ll be
Able to pop the clutch
That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy
Unleaded anymore
You can continue watching shows
And sports that you adore
Just keep in mind to moderate
The grade of fuel you burn
If unleaded’s all you guzzle
There won’t be much to learn
But if from time to time you splurge
And pump some premium
You’ll be amazed at what your mind
And body can become
Miro
Edge
X’s on our hands reveal
The tribe of the Straight Edge
No drugs, no drink, no smoking too
Is in our daily pledge
We wear the X because we can’t
Display how we abstain
From all the screwed up substances
That will degrade your brain
A drinker puts bottle to lips
To show they love the booze
Liquid courage to relax
And wash away their blues
Smokers light a cigarette
That hangs off of their lip
To say “I know my lungs are black
And I don’t give a flip”
The drug user has many ways
To show their ecstasy
Needle marks and reddened eyes
Are signs of all their glee
But what about the Straight Edger
Who has no way of showing
All the things they believe in
And no one ever knowing
That’s why we choose to wear the X
On backs of all our hands
It symbolizes discipline
That our lifestyle commands
And if these words do come across
As somewhat condescending
That’s not the message most of us
Are actually intending
True, there are a few young ones
Who think it’s all a fight
Their pious attitude only
Manages to incite
But most of us do understand
That discipline’s no use
If you can’t control yourself
From giving out abuse
To those who choose to turn blind eyes
To poisons they put in
Themselves, all in a vain attempt
To gain a lasting grin
Control is what the Edge desire
And won’t give it away
Control of health, control of mind
Control of things we say
No hangover next morning
And no regrets about
What we may have done last night
Before we did black out
The courage to face any fears
Without a needed crutch
To not be trapped in inhibition’s
Terrifying clutch
And if that comes across to those
Who smoke and drink and use
As us saying that we are better
Then have fun with those views
But for the Edge the truth is known
About what X’s mean
Personal development
And always living clean
X
Passion vs Prick
There was a guy who liked to bark
And shout at everyone
When it came to being rude
He wouldn’t be outdone
“That’s just his way,” folks would defend
“He’s just so passionate”
So treating everyone like dirt
Was something they’d permit
But passion doesn’t come from where
Impatience and hate lays
Disrespect and egotism
Aren’t traits it displays
Just because one’s passionate
Does not give an excuse
To ridicule a helping hand
And let the insults loose
So one day this passionate guy
Who always was so crass
Got too passionate and made
Himself look like an ass
He flailed his arms around and screamed
And threw a hissy fit
Until even his biggest fan
Had to fully admit
“That guy’s a prick! How could we be
So blind to all his antics?
We’ve pandered to his attitude
With well-meaning semantics
But now we see it doesn’t matter
How much he does care
It doesn’t matter if he’s got
Talent that is so rare
He’s just a prick, and that does not
Give him the right to be
Snide and brash and cynical
And scream like a banshee!”
And so this passionate prick’s crew
Began to dissipate
And he was left to be alone
With passion and with hate
His creative despondency
His pessimistic skill
His talent, vision, and genius
But no help to fulfill
‘Cause no one wants to work with pricks
Who only disrespect
Passion only goes so far
If ego isn’t checked
Miro
Modern Day Warriors
Some years ago I watched a film
Starring Nick Nolte
In this film, “I am a warrior!”
Was old Nick’s decree
It made me laugh ‘cause in this film
Nick didn’t play a knight
He didn’t brandish sword and shield
And hordes he did not fight
He wore a shirt with blue collar
And owned a gas station
Pumping gas was not a warrior’s
Chosen vocation!
But as he spoke throughout the tale
I soon did come to find
That Nick’s boast was not that absurd
Instead, it was my mind
My notions which were pre-conceived
Had closed my mind too much
Nick’s lessons of courage and strength
Began to deeply touch
Calmness and a heart of peace
Along with warrior’s spirit
I realized my image of
Old knights no longer fit
The tale taught me to look deeper
Than what is on the surface
There’s more to warriors than steel
Armor in which they’d dress
More than just what year it is
They’ve lived past Gothic times
Long after feudal Japan
And classic poets rhymes
I saw a warrior pushing her
Baby in a small carriage
While holding many groceries
Not once did she disparage
Another warrior plays a song
On his beat up guitar
Just as happy on the street
As if he played a bar
A warrior pumps some gas into
A car on a hot day
He swelters but still smiles and waves
As patron drives away
A warrior turns his siren on
And flashes police lights
He’s off to risk himself again
Not unlike olden knights
An old warrior lies in his bed
With IV tubes plugged in
Despite his pain and little time
He manages a grin
Because his grandson holds his hand
And starts to cry for him
“It’s okay,” he says with strength
Even as his lights dim
Our pre-conceived notions must be
Identified and quelled
Silly stereotypes blind us
From values still upheld
Warriors and samurai
And paladin’s still walk
Among us even though they don’t
Wear chainmail on their frock
Next time you see a busker
Or single mom with child
Or someone with a dreary job
That still waved and then smiled
Will see you the warriors
That live in modern day?
Or is that just a knight in search
Of fierce dragons to slay?
Miro
Defining Moment
I had a conversation with
A person recently
Come to think of it, I’ve had
This chit chat with many
The topic begins when the subject
Chooses to lash out
About something that’s raised their ire
Provoking them to pout
They bitch and moan and vent and cry
About how life’s not fair
They posture and they threaten that
No more abuse they’ll bare
They spout out negativity
And warn the world at large
That even though they’ll give what’s got
Somehow they’re still in charge
And there’s a few friends who will pander
Saying, “Right on, man!”
Encouraging their rigidness
Instead of love they can
Show to those who don’t know better
And haven’t got enough
But I’ll admit, love’s not so easy
When you’re acting tough
Instead of feeding their ego
And saying, “Spread the hate!”
I like to chime in with something
That reflects their current state
I read a book by Dan Millman
Called “Peaceful Warrior”
His teachings have opened my eyes
And made my spirit stir
Dan writes that we are not the past
We’re not our accolades
And not things that we hope to be
For those are just charades
The only thing we truly are
Is this very moment
This moment’s what defines you as
A light or a lament
The response I get from those who whine
Is usually the same
“Don’t worry, normally I am
Optimistic!” they exclaim
“Anyone who knows me knows
That I’m an upbeat person!”
They get defensive and upset
While “upbeat” mood does worsen
I like to keep in mind whenever
Something starts to irk
The writings of the Peaceful Warrior
To stop that hate knee-jerk
“We are this moment,” I recall
And let go of the past
Forget about the good will and
Good karma I’ve amassed
Let go of what I hope to be
Of goals not yet achieved
Of the saint that I could be
Whenever I am peeved
And focus on the man I am
At this moment in time
I am exactly how I deal
With this immoral crime
It motivates me to keep calm
And keep an open mind
To make me strong against their scorn
And to my ego, blind
The reaction’s always similar
From those who whine and cry
They take it far too personal
And storm out yelling “BYE!”
But just as in the Peaceful Warrior
When old Soc taught young Dan
After ego’s cooled itself
The seed’s sprouting began
The idea that past accolades
Don’t absolve us from right now
Begins to make more sense and grow
Into a constant vow
To always be defined by how
We deal with this moment
So are you one who’s positive
Or one who likes to vent?
Miro
Hey Idiot, May I Have Your Full Attention?
I’ve noticed something recently
A funny little trend
How attention comes to full
When we’re called to defend
Usually it’s quite a task
To get someone’s attention
Seems a message goes unheard
Unless we’re paid a mention
But when the ego is at stake
When our pride’s on the line
Participate in the discussion
We surely incline
Full attention focuses
On something that before
Would have been glossed over and
Dismissed as just a bore
But when our own opinion comes
Under another’s fire
Seems that topic’s one that won’t
Be all that quick to tire
And sometimes if things get heated
And the insults fly
It’s funny how we suddenly
Have much time to reply
If someone pays a compliment
It may just go unheard
Or get a “thnx” because there’s no
Time to type the whole word
But when a person calls us out
We can’t resist the bait
All the things we’re busy with
Suddenly can wait
And all day is set aside
To stand up for our pride
“How dare a person disagree?”
The ego says so snide
And doesn’t that just seem a little
Selfish and conceited?
To only care about something
When we’ve been poorly treated?
Dedicating time and focus
To bantering all day
All in a desperate attempt
To get the final say
How ‘bout letting go and having
No retort at all?
Focusing on peace and calm
Instead of on the brawl?
Keeping ego in its place
And not allowing it
To control our schedules
And to provoke a fit
So what if someone disagrees
And even goes so far
To disrespect us by saying
We’re stupid or bizarre?
That palpitation that we feel
Stirring deep in our chest
Is nothing more than ego’s way
Of saying “I protest!”
The idiot in all of this
Is not the insulter
It’s not the one who disagrees
Or hurls at us a slur
It’s our ego that puts us
Ahead of everything
The one that can’t take differing
Opinions and the sting
Of a harmless little barb
That means so very little
Ego’s sensitive to strife
And staggeringly brittle
I’d rather focus my attention
On positivity
Depriving my attention from
All those who don’t agree
Saying “thanks” instead of “thnx”
To those who take the time
To say they enjoyed my attempt
To inspire them with rhyme
~Miro
