February 15, 2006


Man
by Benji

(i)

Beauty melts his thoughts
turning rays of light into shades of dark.

His hunger for beauty destroys the pleasure of life and love...
emptiness inevitably a result.

His heart and eyes rule his mind
greed overrides his soul ...
Bringing naught to humanity but the shallowness of selfishness.

He bows for self-satisfaction...
impatiently awaiting the false joy which fill his heart.

--------------------
(ii)

(Time has a way of painfully catching up,
Vowing vengeance and promising revenge)

(Tears fall from his tired eyes
like petals fall from a dying rose)


(His numbing mind feels like a frosty ice block
parked in the pathway of the sun yet refusing to defrost)

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The Flip Side

February 09, 2006


Heavy Thoughts
by Benji

Words are sometimes enough
(minerals crystallize over time)
to crush your dreams and bury your desires

When you drown in the distasteful hopes of others,
(sink in the quicksand, falling faster than you can contemplate)

you give them energy,
provide them with incentives to persist
(quickly ascend to the gates of their dreams,
climbing the dim colours of their imaginary rainbows
)

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The Flip Side

February 08, 2006


If
by Benji

If life ceases to be a journey
and the meaning once felt is lost in the scattered sands of time,
it is time to acknowledge the present and discover yourself and your new desires.

If your dreams are no longer laced with the brush of imagination
but rather with the tedious coating of grey, it is time to venture out into the vastness of the world and discover the mysterious personalities located in the outer woods of life.

If the love which fills your blood turns to acid hate
and your friends can no longer be found in the heart of the night,
it is time to taste the sparkle of patience and tolerance.

If you continue to feel the strength of your arms but the weakness of your mind, it is time to take one step backwards and two mind-sets forward.

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The Flip Side

December 03, 2005

Being invincible is not enough
by Benji

The cold pushes against me
and I brush it off –
pretending it doesn’t hurt
when it really stings.

The howling wind rushes past -
enveloping me as I stand in its way -
and I remind myself once again
not to break, not to lose hope.

A tear escapes from my eye –
and I try brush it off before anyone notices -
blinking, I pretend the bitter wind doesn’t hurt
when my bones really ache.

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The Flip Side

October 24, 2005



"Only those who will risk going too far
can possibly find out how far one can go."

T.S. Eliot
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Utopia, Dystopia
by Benji

I had strolled through the streets of time
with my eyes motioned downward.

I was fearful of the adversity
I would undeniably witness
and the citizens who would
undoubtedly judge my soul.

With my head tilted down
I triumphantly completed my quest.
I walked a thousand miles
and did not see one unkind act.

Somehow in my lonesome journey toward Utopia,
I had failed to recall the reasons of my travels.
I had seen naught but the fruitless sight of my worn out shoes.

Somehow in my journey towards Utopia,
I had missed all the beauty along the way.

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The Flip Side

October 07, 2005

Terror: The Aftermath
by Benji


Shock of Terror
Shakes city
Tears of globe


Dancing hand in hand along the coastline
Our wings radiated a golden bronze
Snowflakes splashed rainbow colours on our eyelids...
Our singing and laughing enough to keep the world revolving
A dreamlike prophecy of the years to come.

In a rapidly swift moment an unwavering force crashed our world,
Covered our humble wings with the dust of the earth,
a muddy brown that gives hope and dreams a coating of dimness and gloom.
A fierce beam of dimness and gloom broke through our world,
A flicker strong enough to leave the brave and bold pleading for dusk.

Each morning the golden rays
still press their way through the curtains,
and each night the moonlight
gracefully works itself into the room
and slithers its beam into our eyes
and there is no way we can rest or slumber.

Insomnia has a way of pressing
its claws deep into the mind
and awakening thoughts
which ought not be roused.

The weight of the dirt covering our wings
leaves us restless and our imagination
can no longer freely roam the streets.

Our wings have been battered,
our hearts remain bruised
and we can fly no more.

The Flip Side

September 25, 2005


Rainbow Eyes - (To T)
by Benji

Last night I saw your rainbow eyes
and they reminded me of what once was;
the times we shared…
the lives we led…
the passions which were mutual.

I do not know what changed
nor what was said
that made your rainbow eyes cry sadness.

I could not live to see those eyes,
the beauty of your essence, cry those tears
- and so I left -

Now my heart and mind are laced
with a feeling of regret,
an emotion which cannot be altered,
for you’ve moved on with another
and I’m still here
waiting for those rainbow eyes.

The Flip Side

August 28, 2005


A Woman of Virtue - To Mum
by Benji

Her pathway has been uneasy
and although it lies deep-rooted
in the four chambers of her heart,
she embraces the illumination of a thousand candles
in order for darkness not to enter her home.

She is elegant in her ways
and the strength she lacks from ailing health,
is made up twofold in the beauty of her smile.

Her soul has been warmed by sensitivity
and those who have been graced
by the radiance of her presence,
often leave feeling valued and understood.

Her kindness is everlasting
and as she walks through the streets of life,
it is as if she scatters golden rays of sunshine
into the weary hands of the jaded.

When the icy frost of sadness overcomes you,
you need not travel to distant villages in search of finding hope,
for hope is only moments away,
in the wisdom of her empathy.

The Wonder Years (Part 1)

July 22, 2005

The Angels of Love, Life and Hope
by Benji Raymond


There, just beyond the reach of the most graceful bird, lives the Angels of Love, Life and Hope. These three angels spend the little free time they have waiting and watching. They take great pleasure in the minute details that often go unseen by the majority of angels. From the highest of the clouds they sit and wander about the purpose of life. After a moment in silence, they almost always seem to unite with a familiar smile. This sure enough relates to the idea that they need not ponder about the principles and rationales of life that seem to plague the average human being. On the contrary, they understand all of this already.

The Angels of Love, Life and Hope are certainly no more significant than the many other angels. And yet, every now and then there continues to be the odd one or two envious angels that snicker about their work being effortless and trouble free. But by no means do these three entities acknowledge what they do as mere day-to-day errands. No, their purpose is far more profound than that.

These Angels are unbound by the constraints of time, and though their work appears to be unforced, they take great pride in the wonders of their service. But perhaps it is necessary to tell you about their work, since this is after all the reason why I am introducing you to them.

In a predictably unpredictable moment of time, a baby is born, and who might be better to welcome this new being into the world than the Angels of Love, Life and Hope. This child requires a message, a glimmer of hope that will assist it in its new life.

In this moment of time, the supernatural beings sit and smile since they can see what lies ahead of the child. They take note of the adversity that will almost certainly follow in the midst of the child’s footsteps but they only appear to recognize and appreciate the happiness, accomplishment and triumph.

The angels think for a moment and then the angel of love says: ”You will inevitably fall in love, and at times there will be rainbows in the valleys and at other moments there will be storms below the clouds. There will be times when you will agree with your partner, but undoubtedly there will be times when you will quarrel. Cherish both of these times; for love is a cycle. You will meet people like and dissimilar to yourself. You will laugh with them and cry with them, too. Time will appear to go quickly when spent with them. These people will care for you and love you.”

There remains a certain respect between each of the three angels and when the one angel finishes her message, there is a moment of silence. Although this moment is understandably a second or two in duration, it mysteriously appears to be far longer.

Then the angel of Life says:

”You will need to work hard in the many years ahead. Your dreams will not be easily achieved. Your goals will not be effortlessly reached. There will be tears shed in tough times. Nevertheless, there will also be tears when there is joy. Some days you will lack desire to carry on but these days will not last long; for darkness only appears until the light returns. On these days, work extra hard and smile even if there is no reason to smile, for each smile creates a new spark, a new smile in return.”

Then the angel of Hope says: ”Days may speed by as fast as light but may also go as slow as a snail trying to reach its far off destination. You must learn to love these days, the progressive ones and the rapid ones, for the sluggish days are the ones in which you will reflect and grow and on the swift days you will enjoy life but may consequently not spiritually gain.”

It is precisely after this sentence that the angels state in unison;
“Always remember that the sun will rise at dawn, that each day is a new day and that as long as morning sunshine continues to wake you from the core of your dreams, you must continue to have faith and hope.“

And with that last thought, the angels wave goodbye and disappear into the thin air and the newly born opens its eyelids ready to begin the life long journey of growth and discovery that awaits us all.

The Flip Side

Regret
by Benji

She entered the room
and a feast of light
encircled her smile.

Her beauty was remarkable
and I watched and waited,
trying to speak-
wanting to say something,
but how can my words ever express
what only the heart can understand

Words danced in my mind
but shyly stopped when
they reached my lips.

She left the room
and the morning light escaped with her.
All that remained with me
was an ocean of evening shadows.

The Flip Side