POEMS  1992 - 1999

by John WorldPeace

Copyright 1970-2002 by John WorldPeace
Houston, Texas USA

All rights reserved.

To Kay WorldPeace

The beautiful peaceful harmony
flows through my infinite soul;
the harmony of two loving eyes,
the peace of a kindred soul

Love that is more than love,
beauty that is beyond all words,
softness that is all caressing,
knowing that touches God.

Multiple dimensions produce our light,
time and space envelope our essence
permeating All-That-Is. We caress and be
in everlasting moments, we love.

There is nothing that we do not know,
nothing that knows us not;
everything of which we are all;
one heart, one soul, one life, one love

It matters not what I write or draw.
It matters not what you read or see.
Look inside your heart, close your eyes,
experience the light.  Know my love.

John WorldPeace
921002

---

What is a man's life
but a unique string of days,
a chain of events,
one at a time?

What is woman but a
manifestation of the
All That Is?

What is life but living?

What is God but
thinking?

What is the meaning of life
other than moment to moment?

What is the purpose of life
but the experience?

From whence do we come
and to where do we go?

We have come from no where
and we have no where to go.

Here and now is all-there-is

John WorldPeace
5:23pm
921130

---

 

 

 

 

 

Bosnia: July 15, 1995

The refugees of a religious war
travel crowded roads
carrying all they own
in shaking hands.

A young mother
rests with baby on lap
and tearful son by her
side.

My sons are men
but in this boy
resides the pain of
his helpless father.

He cries my tears
as other fathers
in victory cheer
and smile at the
backs of human pain.

Happy are the victors' sons
who play childhood games
on the blood soaked ground
of their fathers shame.

All sons are sons
and fathers are fathers to all.
The whole world is not big enough
to contain the burden of pain
of one devastated child.

John WorldPeace
950715
0736

---

I walk the stepping stones
of one life.
With each step
a new manifestation
of this reality.

With each step
something is added,
something is lost.

From above,
I watch the steps
of the holy man; I

Crying tears of letting go:
experiencing the pain,
yet moving along

John WorldPeace 950805 1320

---

Awakening

As I ride the waves of high technology,
the physical backbone of the awakening consciousness
of the coming metamorphosis of time and space,
I catch myself looking from the perspective of "out there"
at the perfect beauty of this blue marble spinning and
circumnavigating the fiery ball of our radiant sun.

From the swirling dust of exploding creation,
congealed this tiny spherical island within the galactic whole.
The fiery sun tossed and turned and spun the perfect
spheres that traverse the beginningless, endless circular paths.

Through the living dust of endless space traveled this
tiny island embracing and nurturing anything that would
grow upon its ever changing surface.

Slowly, ever so slowly, humanity crawled from the
muddy mist, crawled form the primordial dust,
from the genes of ever complexing cells,
from the intangible oneness,
from the demi-gods and gods
and God and the Infinite Potential.

Now we begin to open the eyes we thought were already awake.
Now we begin to see what we could never imagine.
Now we stand naked like Adam and Eve
in the garden where we thought we knew and understood.
We look down at our hands and feet
and the wonder of our human form.
We feel the infinite light penetrate our fleshy shell
and begin to hear the coming light as the veil of our
childhood is drawn back and the universe welcomes
us into what we could not know.

And as this glorious moment fast approaches,
I begin to cry at all the love that comes
despite all that I have done.

My eyes begin to open.
Where I was blind, I begin to see.
Where I thought I knew all things,
I understand I knew nothing at all.
Where I thought I was alone,
I feel the infinite touch of everyone.

I feel the love that comes from starving children,
I feel the love that comes from those killed by my vicarious acts
and harmed by my careless words.
I feel the naked love from the pain that never stopped as I
traveled my self engrossed way within the darkness that
I perceived as light.

John WorldPeace
970504
5:12 pm

---

Nothing
Stacks of human flesh and bone,
packed and pushed, bruised and beaten,
no more than fish in a net,
transported to somewhere, nowhere,
anywhere but here.

Rebels with their blood letting guns,
villagers with their knives of steel
pierce and slash the flesh and bone
of just so much useless humanity.

Who are these people?
Why are they here?
Why don't they go home?
What have they done?

Who knows? Who cares?
What does it have to do with me?
They are not my kin or clan or race or
of my country or religion either.

Just a note on the evening news;
80,000 human beings.
Just a paragraph or two
between ads for cars and clothes.

I can't smell their fear
through the sanitized television screen.

The light changes green,
the school bells ring,
the church bells toll,
another day begins.
Tonight is pizza night.

John WorldPeace
970506

---

Cycles

The dark soil lays in the peaceful valley;
season by season nourishing the green grass
that manifests the white rice of life.

Soldier men supported by the businessmen of religion
stalk the valley end to end killing in the name of
Krishna and Muhammed.

The peasant folk, living there because they always have,
go about their human chores and work;
raising children, caring for parents,
resigned to the senseless war that makes this paradise
a living hell.

Fifty years of unproductive war and who knows
how many fifty's more.
This has now become a place where grandsons are
sent after being prepared by fathers and grandfathers
who fired at other fathers and grandfathers
across the fertile valley.

How much rice nourished on human blood spilled in the valley
is being eaten around the world?

One day, all the human beings will be gone,
soldiers and farmers, parents and children,
and peace will return to the valley.

No one will remember the soldiers then.
There will be no one to remember the religious causes.
Only the dark soil, in natural apathy, will possess the
vibrations of the senseless murderings.

John WorldPeace
970510
5:50

Strange People

What a strange people are
these Jews and Muslims.
From the same blood of Abraham they
have come;
from the same earth, the same God.
And yet something evil has been embedded
in their hearts.
A hell being that demands they kill each
other for the dirt of their God cursed land.

The intransigent hatred,
the horrendous insatiable craving for blood,
the apathy regarding the future of their children.

Two groups of children from the same father
forever locked together in their murderous insanity.

The world looks on.
Children pray.
And God looks down.

John WorldPeace
970511

Can't we act as if Jesus were already here?

The rolling hills and valleys, oceans,
mountains and plains rotate endlessly
to bask in the light of the sun and
rest in the shadows of the moon.

Each moment awakens and rests
millions of human beings as the earth turns.

If, upon rising, we could focus on the ever present sun,
and leave our shields of race, religion and nation
on the floor next to our beds;
If we could just for one day refuse to prepare
for battle and determine to live in peace
for twenty-four hours;
to acknowledge our parents and children
and allow ourselves to touch our wives and husbands
without the barriers that all shields impose;

If we could just enjoy twenty-four hours one moment at a time
and believe that peace is possible;

If we could just make that commitment,
I am assured and convinced that all sorts of peaceful and loving events
would be set in motion,
all sorts and manners of coincidences would manifest,
the number and depth of which no one can really
dream or fathom.

Can't we act as if Jesus were already here?

John WorldPeace
970823

Religion

What is it about religion
that lifts one up and then shackles
both hands and feet?
What is it about religion
that advocates love for all
and then defines all as "less" than everyone?
What is it about religion
that ministers of great power and wealth
revere the poor and penniless
life of Jesus and Buddha?
What is it about religion
that impassions men to kill
in the name of God?
What is it about religion
that condones the subjugation of women?
What is it about religion that
fosters the fear of death?
What is it about religion that promises peace
but delivers hatred, prejudice and war?

John WorldPeace
970823

Drifting away
more each day
the other world beckons
and I cannot ignore the call.

Sailing on the finite seas
navigating the infinite heavens,
Daily I go
walking two realities
to and fro.

Fighting the silly battles
peacing in the Infinite Oneness
unable to focus,
experiencing all.

Come back.
Come back.
Pick up the battle axe
Pick up the shield.
Fight.  Fight.

John WorldPeace
7:50am
971104
Waiting on a hearing in the 113th

There is a time and place for all things.
The Universe is expanding, as telescopes see so far.
The biologist are unravelng our DNA.
What drives the chemicals?
The inert chemicals,
What energy is this?

A smiling God
personalized, yet Infinite
drives all things to be.

The magnificent Infinite space
where all things come to be
and melt away again
and again.

The tremendous peace
disconnects my nerves.
And I fight to perform
my routine tasks
in this hard cold
reality.

John WorldPeace
8:00 am
971104
Waiting on a hearing in the 113th

Death

The wind blows
through the trees.

Who can say
why some fall down
and some
remain standing?

John WorldPeace
5:05 pm
980109

Sailing the Cosmic Sea

The sea of life spins
and within all that lives.

Through the endless
ocean of worlds
this island makes
its way.

One small life
beats its tiny heart
a hair out of rhythm

and all is seen.

Holding on to this place
as peace beckons from
out there.

The road has been long
and the long path
rolls over the horizon
in this linear land

Yet form the top of the world
in the shadow of the earth,
I am so much more
experiencing the pain of
being so much less.

John WorldPeace
6:20 am
980207

With two feet
       each in two worlds
             life goes on here
                   with transparent
                         knowing of
                               there.

Silence and peace
       permeates all that is -
             the absence of worry
                   and fretting,
                         fear and desire.

Breathing in,
       I remember.
             Exhaling, I see

Each moment is precious;
       coming like tidal waves,
             changing,
                   moving and changing.

I release my desire.
       I joy in the moment
             finding peace in the
                   chaos and confusion
                         to which my
                               body is attuned.

John WorldPeace
7:40 am
980515

The air turns cool
       and the clouds overcast the sky.

The seasons have come
       and gone fifty times
             but in my mind
                   nothing has changed.

Many have gone away
       not to return
             as they were;

              not to be seen again tomorrow.

But the land remains.
       The ageless dirt still blows dust
             and the sons of hawks I knew
                   still hunt on the wind.

The water trickles down the creek,
       the big rock holds firm.

             I begin to blow into the wind.
                   Away,
                         I prepare to go.

John WorldPeace
1:24 pm
981124

I walk the jungle path
    in peace
        meditating on the
            dynamic beauty.

I think of peace
    but never forget
        where I am.

In this place
    many creatures
        would like to
            eat my body
                and lick up my 
                    blood.

There is no security
    in such a place as this
        and there is no place
            but this place: the jungle.

So on my walk,
    I carry my
        spear and knife
            to give the sting of death
                to those that
                    would kill me
                        or harm me in the attempt.

John Worldpeace
990516
6:31 am

My bags are packed
       but with me they'll never go.

I am ready,
       working, living;
             detached even as I
                   hold those I love

I move about my daily
       tasks of tolerable routines;
             avoiding boredom
                   at every moment.

Yet all the while I am aware
       that I am pacing
             up and down on
                   the platform of life,

       waiting for the train
             that always comes
                   at the end
                         of each journey.

John WorldPeace
990525
7:58 am

The peaceful valley of
       milk and honey
             glows from just
                   ahead.

Their arrows and stones
       and lightening bolts
             strike my body
                   but I move on.

       Everyone knows
             that victory soon
                   comes.

       Everyone knows
             the golden baton
                   is about to spark
                         then shine.

At this point
       I am alone.
             I storm the many;
                   I, the one.

Just a bit farther now
       a few more ticks on the clock
             and I will be within reach
                   and then I will strike
                         the ancient seal.

John WorldPeace
990617
4:00 pm

The battle intensifies
       as the armies of darkness
             and confusion
                   attempt to organize
                         in response to the
                               random trumpet
                                     blasts.

The dense fog
       of confused energy
             attempts to choke me off
                   but I refuse to die
                         and shirk quitting.

The final barrier
       is beneath my feet
             and the enemies
                   frantically gather
                         on the raised horizon.

I have stepped out
       from the ranks-
             away from
                   friends and family.

I move toward the top of the rise
       horror is in all their faces and in all their eyes.

John WorldPeace
990625

I wear the weather
       about me.

In times of potential victories
       over mortal foes
             the sky clouds up
                   and thunder booms
                         as lightning strikes.

The tiny sparks
       of my electrical brain
             manifest the thunder
                   lightning and rain
                         outside.

Parallel universes
       synchronize
             and my ears hear
                   and my eyes see

the battle electric
       which I always win.

John WorldPeace
990719
8:05 am

The morning breaks
       and the radio comes on
             as I return from that
                   distant shore
                         where all things
                               are possible
                                     and more vivid.

I return to the door
       from which I departed,
            entering the heavy skin
                   of this reality,
                         feeling the pulsing blood
                               coursing through
                                     torso and limbs.

The time approaches when
       I will not return to
             this body;
                   but shall none-the-less
                         return through an adjacent door
                               where another body
                                     is being prepared.

Yet I wonder-
       through how many doors do I pass
             in a night?
                   How many doors are there?

John WorldPeace
990719
8:00 am

Through Portals

In the middle of the night
I awake, heart racing,
wondering if it is time
to leave.

No pain, no panic
just experiencing and
wondering if it is time.

The wife retrieves my pills
which I take and
silently return to my
vigil.

The heart slows down.
The crisis passes
and I return to sleep.

All is well in the morning
and we leave for Austin
and children and grandchildren

All is well;
no further scares
and we return home
on Halloween evening.

Monday morning comes;
back to work,
back to reality,
back to business.

It is All Saints Day
and I feel as if the 
new millennium
began last night.

John WorldPeace
991101
9:15am

The Candlestick

Four wax skulls on a
candlestick sit 
on top of the bookshelf
in a small glass holder.

I pass by
considering that today 
is All Saints Day

Then I hear a sliding movement
and the tinkle of glass breaking.

I look but see nothing.
A minute passes and I see
the candlestick and holder
broken and smashed
on weights of iron
on the floor next 
to the bookcase.

I know it was the ghosts or angels.
I know how they work
They want their presence
acknowledged -
and this message
heard.

John WorldPeace
991101
916am

Little Bright Eyes (Emily)

Little bright eyes
and smiling face 
traveling the room
on shaky new legs.

The world is a curious place
and joy is all around
the awakening of 
a child.

You are the archetype memory
of all things new,
of all beginnings in
all places and things

My heart is happy
in your joy.
My thoughts are young
in your exploration.

For the rest of my life
you will day to day
because 51 year old memories
of my life
at your age.

John WorldPeace
991031
7:32am

I awaken with my heart racing;
no pain but only anticipation

Is this the beginning of a close at hand end?
Am I about to die?
Is the returning home about to begin?

I feel no pain
but it is strange for my heart to race.
I am not breathless.

I lay very still.
My love brings the medicine which I take. 
My body begins to shake as the
cold hand of death
touches my soul.

There is a calling here,
a chance to leave this hard and loving reality.
But for now I only have to
quietly say I am not yet
ready to leave.

Moments pass and my heart settles down;
still no pain,
possibly because my soul has
ever so slightly disengaged.

For now my plea to stay
has been granted:
the end has been postponed

All those who would joy in my death
turn away in disappointment.
Those who will miss me
are glad.

I know the peace of the light
is only a heart beat away
yet I have just begun
to step deeply on 
the effacing sands.

My labor is my joy.
My labor,  the answer to my curiosity;
my labor; my worth.

The crisis passes.
My soul returns.
I think of how peaceful death will be
if I can leave after my 
wait is done.

John WorldPeace
991031
8:47am

The daily hours 
pass as tasks
manifest demanding attention.

And in between 
conversation of friend 
and family 
and thoughts of 
pleasure and 
possible pain,

each moment 
demands attention
and if not challenged
flows pleasantly by.

The days pass in
relative peace
if good and bad
are not distinguished.

John WorldPeace
111899
1:36 PM

Old Age

The years have gone
when I was son and brother
husband and father.

The days of youth
and middle age
and old age too.

Now I sit here in
this old red rocker
that has been my 
friend most of 
that youthful road.

Rocking back and forth now,
family gone or grown;
apathetic -
I remember

I remember what I can
-what my feeble mind allows.

I have outlived all I know
and made the mistakes
of not looking ahead.

John WorldPeace
112599
6:12 Am
Thanksgiving Day

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