Not Sustainable

Not Sustainable

Our culture tells us

we will find happiness in life

if only we get a good job,

support our military and the cops,

buy all the next big things,

and drink the right beer

but more and more of us,

as time goes on,

realize the deal

is neck-deep in bullshit.

The TV markets things

like cars, toothpaste and cellphones

to us by trying to punch our buttons,

---talking about things

that really matter in life,

like love, companionship, kindness,

and creativity, while showing us video

of Cadillac cars, AT&T phones, or the sort

of fancy houses surround by big green lawns

only a few of us could ever afford.

Life in our culture can never be fulfilling

so long as it's controlled by companies

and institutions that value your money

more than your life and who try to turn

the truly important things in life

into nothing but excuses to buy more shit.

Build your home on top

a cesspool of pure bullshit

and into the muck it's sure to sink.

Times will change as more people

realize our cultures picture

of how things should be is as artificial as the

latest movie's flying monkey special effects.

This much is clear---

if we don't change our culture,

Nature will change it for us,

because societies caught

in the grip of corporate profit margins

are not sustainable,

doing great harm to their own citizens,

and to the world around us all.

Dewey Dirks

Glob Glue

Glob Glue

Every time day-to-day

troubles try to pull

me away from you,

sweet Nature

brings me a few memories

that make me feel anew

the lifeline between us

where sadness, and joy,

and our souls intertwine

to make a bond

beyond life and death

that can never be broken.

Once, a wise man

called it 'The bridge

across forever.”

You and I, very happy

to see the fun in all things,

stuck our tongues

out at each other,

and called it “Glob glue”

Dewey Dirks

Echos and Reflections

Echos and Reflections

The past and the future

are walls we each build

around ourselves trying

to keep warm, dry and happy.

Now, all men are short

when compared to time

and so our only roof

is always Natures own sky.

Talking to the past behind us

we hear only an echo

of where we are right now.

On the wall ahead of us

we put a mirror.

Looking to the future,

once again we only see

a reflection of what

our hopes and fears

are right now.

We plan for the future

based on the echos

we hear from the past

forgetting that the only

time we ever really have

long or short,

is right here and now.

The walls we've built

won't keep out stormy weather

but we all ought to know

beyond trouble forever follows

good times because the sky

is filled with starlight

on clear nights,

and we can always find sunshine

when comes passing

the blue sky day.

Take care that you don't

spend so much time

looking at reflections

and hearing echos

that you forget to notice

today because that's

the only place

you and the sky

ever really are.

Remember that

if you allow yourself,

you can touch paradise

even in the worst of storms

and if you obsess too much

with echos and reflections

you'll miss knowing joy

even on the brightest of days.

Dewey Dirks

Publishing News

Hi folks, I have a few bits of news today. First, I'm happy and honored to tell you the same Occupy Wall Street that published me a few days ago has posted up another couple of poems I've written. Here is the link: http://www.occupywallstreet-byplatlee.info/clear-water-river-and-wanderer/

The second bit of news today is that a blog called “Our Poetry Corner,” has posted up a piece of mine. I've appeared in so many anthologies and on so many sites now, I can hardly keep track of them all. Here is the link to Our Poetry Corner: http://ourpoetrycorner.wordpress.com/2014/04/14/ten-years-to-loveby-author-dewey-dirks/

Finally, one of my readers has translated one of my poems into Greek and made a video poem of it. My work seems to flow very well in Greek :) Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dW-QsySBkc

I'm very grateful to all of these websites and people for posting up my work. Thank you all very much. D.D.

Purpose

Purpose

I don't believe life

has a single purpose

to which we all

have to aspire.

Nature has gifted us all

with the right to choose

our own purpose.

You can do with your life

whatever your heart

and mind desire.

Personally, I've always

made my relationships,

the pursuit of knowledge,

and using my creativity

the things for which

I strive most.

I think I've chosen pretty well

because one of the things

I've learned along the way

is that how deeply you love

those near to you

and all the world around

seem to matter more and more

to you as you grow older.

I've noticed as well that

those who spend

their lives creating

with their minds, hearts and hands

seem to be more satisfied

as the years roll on.

I've also noticed

over the years

you never see someone

at the end of their days

who says, “Well, to hell

with all my lousy kids

and my five marriages,

I'll die in peace because

I made a boat load of money

and I owned a Mercedes Benz.”

Dewey Dirks

Wildflower Free

Hi folks, I'm happy to tell you that my newest book, “Wildflower,” is available for free for a very limited time Be sure to drop on by Amazon.com and pick up a copy. You definitely won't be disappointed. You'll have to hurry as the promotion won't last long. Here is the link:  Wlidflower on Amazon.com

Clear Water River and Wanderer

Wanderer

I've been asking questions

all my life.

'Been wandering

since I was a kid.

I've climbed the highest

mountains I could find.

Rode fast and low

on the straightest desert roads

all alone moving one hundred miles

in an hours time.

Read the words of great souls

deep into many nights.

Talked to people crazier

than peach orchard squirrels.

Talked to people common as dirt.

Talked long, watching the sunrise

scores of times, with someone

as rare as a winged forest cat.

Talked to the wisest of men.

Crashed and been burned

more than once

only to stand again.

I've learned

and I've learned some more

until I knew

next to nothing again.

Rest easy traveler.

All roads lead to where

you want to be

when you're not sure

where you are going

and only remember

where you've been.

All you gotta know

is how to love

like you did

when you were five.

All you gotta be

is satisfied.

All you gotta do

is look at the world

through the eyes

of the child

you have always been.

Dewey Dirks

Clear Water River

Don't be fooled,

time is not the tick-tocking of a clock,

but rather the empty spaces in-between.

It doesn't wander its path

with precision cut,

sharp-edged marching steps,

nor does it only move slowly when you

are impatient and quickly when you

are enjoying yourself.

Reach deep inside

and touch time with your soul

where it meanders naturally

as the now-quick, now-slow

clear water river through

which we all swim.

There, it will move very

fast to help you

over steep, rocky mountain sides

and through rough patches in the road.

There, it will slow way, way down,

edging along drawn out long,

smooth and very quiet

to let you savor the moments

spent all alone at the kitchen table

or with your lover and best friend.

Find these and you'll

remember time

as you knew it

when you were a child.

Like so many truths, my friend,

time is relative and moves

to the colored rhythm of your soul.

Dewey Dirks