Saturday, September 28, 2013

Born For Peace

Born for Peace

Some say human nature
makes us greedy for power
and prone to squabble and fight.
These men call themselves
'realists' and their rhetoric
rules the policies
of most nations
around the world.

Others say that people
are born friendly
and know only love
until they are taught to hate.
These men are said
to be dreamers and idealists.
I'm sure you know the names
of a few who are famous.

The truth, the truth
my friends, is plain to see
if you stop to examine the world
and take some time to think.

Look around, look around
my friends,
add up the number
of military personnel
on the planet and you'll find
there is only one soldier
for every one thousand
civilians around the globe.

If we weren't born with the instinct
to be friendly to one another
we couldn't be social creatures.
If we weren't naturally cooperative
with one another, we couldn't
acquiesce to form governments,
create companies,
or work together on big projects.
And don't forget,
for most of human history,
societies didn't even have police.

Look around my friend
do you shoot your way
to work every day?
And then shoot your way
home at night?
The vast majority
of people on Mother Earth
are busy all their lives with work,
friends and family
And out of all the thousands of years
people have been on the planet
only a small fraction
of that time has been spent
fighting wars.

Now, it's true we each
act out of self-interest,
but anyone who has
made it through a bit of life
understands that often what is best
for his own interest
is other peoples best interest

The truth my friends
is that men are born for peace
and most societies spend
most of their time at peace.
To say that men are naturally
born to fight one another
is a mistaken assumption
that flies in the face of the facts.

It is a sad irony
that in the modern world
the men who always
call us to arms
are never the ones who fight.

Dewey Dirks

Monday, September 23, 2013

Banana Republic

Banana Republic

You know it's looking bad
in your country
when the police start to appear
like the military, all spiffed up
with assault rifles, helmets,
and armored cars

You know it's looking bad
in your country
when both the parties
that run the place
have sold out to big money
and seven out of ten politicians
appear corrupt

You know it's looking bad
in your country
when the money
from big corporations
has more say
about who gets elected
than the voters do

You know it's looking bad
in your country
when the government
has lots of privacy
and people are detained
without due process
When deals are done
behind closed doors
and decisions are made
by secret courts

You know it's looking bad
in your country
when the government
can spy on you
all day long every day
but people who report
government misconduct
are hunted down
and tried for treason

It's looking more and more every day
like our country
has turned into a banana republic

But have hope,my friends
The times are changing
whether big money
wants them to or not
because two irresistible forces
are pushing back---

Global warming
will make governments
and companies
change what they're doing
soon enough
And don't tell anyone (it's a big secret)
but the human spirit
is re-awakening

No one can long fight
Mother Earth on the move
and you cannot oppress
the soul of humanity
for any length of time
once it begins
to shake off its slumber
and wake up

Dewey Dirks

Friday, September 20, 2013

Trumpets

Trumpets

While I was writing this morning
just before sunrise,
I stopped for a minute
to let my cat, Sam, in the front door.
As I opened the door,
a soft breeze beckoned me
to step outside.

The tree and grass in the yard
reflected the morning air
in deep shades of life giving green.
I looked up and the horizon shown
luminescent pale orange and white
as a high, pre-dawn mist
filled the eastern sky.

As the sun edged towards the skyline
two beautiful, vibrant blue sun rays
pierced the pale white sky
as if they were two trumpets
heralding a sunrise song
for the coming day .

Now, I don't know what
good fortune or troubles
the coming day might bring,
but right then nature filled me
with an intimate, unbounded joy.

I think life is often like that---
If you stop each day
for a moment or two
in your busy, busy life
and notice the wonder
that surrounds us all,
you'll find it easier
to remain at peace
despite whatever mayhem
might happen into your day
because you'll remember
you are one tiny piece
of a truly extraordinary
living miracle.

Like a favored child,
if you let her,
Earth will enclothe you, armor you,
and adorn you with a coat of beauty
to reflect your soul
and shine its way
through practically anything.

Dewey Dirks

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Four Swallows

Four Swallows

All creatures, big or tiny
that swim, crawl, sit
walk, slither, or fly
upon holy Mother Earth
follow paths of reincarnation
until they reach
the rare highlands, vast golden steppes
and deep oceans blue
to re-learn the compassion
that their spirits eternal
forever have known
Most creatures retire then
to once again know bliss and to rest
but a few innovative souls
return to live one long incarnation
lasting many thousands of years
wherein they teach the ways
of Mother Earth to those who come after
These we call
guardian angels, memes and muses

Long, long ago
four very wise swallows
two male and two female,
named Etta and Daim, Mika, and Till
led their species, teaching
their brothers and sisters
to become the friends
and benefactors of man
They were the first of their kind
to make the long journey each year
from breeding grounds
in the northern hemisphere
to winter feeding grounds
far to the south
They were also the first of their kind
to make their mud nests
in the roofs of human thatch huts

When these four passed on,
each in their turn
the Earth Mother granted them all
long, long lifetimes as muses
to the humans they so loved

Wise Etta chose the task
of teaching humans
how to see truth with their hearts
though for many humans,
this is very hard to learn

Her mate, brave and resourceful Daim
chose the task of teaching humans
to be curious and creative
even in the face of terrible hardship

Compassionate Mika chose the task
of teaching humans
how to reach deep into their souls
and love one another in a way
that never knows death

Her mate, joyous Till
chose the task of teaching humans
to laugh even in the darkest of times
therein finding strength sure and true
to overcome even the most dire adversity

Together, with the great dragon muses,
the cat muses, great and small,
and dog muses, gregarious and wise
who have chosen to nurture the spirits of men,
of Etta and Daim, Mika, and Till
many extraordinary adventures can be told
as they've wandered the world on fleet wing
century upon century
taking hundred year turns
flying first north and east
then south and west, each night quietly
whispering wisdom into human dreams
when minds sleep
and souls awaken

Dewey Dirks

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Peace Prevails

Peace Prevails

Life has never failed
to step up to the task
of teaching me
when I am ready to learn
One of the most fortunate
things I've happened to figure out
is that you need to study
the world around you each day
until you can see
the peace and quiet
that forever prevails in nature
amongst the
rattle and tatter
work-a-day business
around us all
that is modern human life

Dewey Dirks

Sunday, September 8, 2013

We All Know

We All Know

Anything that becomes too destructive
becomes self-destructive.
Respect everyone
including those who disagree with you.

The people of this earth
know better than our leaders
it's not right for humans
to kill each other
over little pieces of paper
and chunks of land

Greed is irrational
and breeds like a disease
Not proper for humans
to enslave each other
for the money it takes
to get a bigger house
and a nicer car.

The people of this earth
know better than our leaders
it's time to set things right
Time to create a better world

All our religions teach us to love each other
Our science gave us the internet
Now we all are talking to each other
Time to Occupy Earth
We all know
what we need to do

Our leaders are caught
in the last century
telling us to kill each other
but we all know it's no good
We all know
there are better things to do
We all have families to raise
children who need love
friends asking for time to spend
We all know everyone else
loves their children
just like we do
It's time, it's time
to build a better world
Time to Occupy Earth
Time to teach our leaders
how to be decent people
Time to Occupy Earth
and build a better world
We all know
what we need to do

Dewey Dirks

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Blue Sky Lightning

Blue Sky Lightning
(For Elaine)

Her name
sounds like a wildflower
Her voice is a rock and roll song
She's rare as blue sky lightning
There are no lies in her ocean
She's determined
as the rocky mountain rising sun
She's towed the heavy
Cinderella line
Blazed trails
across inner city swamps
and wandered the high country
where only heroes
and angels dare to tread
She's in the smile
on the faces of her children
She's the hope in their dreams
She drives the long desert road
in an old Ford hatchback
with Def Leppard on the radio
and an old dog and me by her side
Nothing is impossible in her try
No one ever forgets her face
She's blue sky lightning
with an endless summer
in her shine

Dewey Dirks