Paradise Cafe Discussions - A Place For Bible Research And Christian Encouragement

...Now,

Do these "creative expressions" have to be, shall we say "upbeat" in nature?

I certainly realize 'vulgarity' is off limits, as is its cousin, 'ugliness'; however, I do have a few, shall we say, poetic expressions that were inspired certainly under the Idolotrous (may God forgive me) shackles of WT Orthodoxy that do indeed show the mind under a curtain of, shall we say, religious darkness.

Would these be, say, proper, dear moderator/facilitator?



Prop-tryin' to keep it real-Min

Well, I shall begin; although this was posted on that "other board", it may merit a rebirth here, so that more may partake, as it were.  My poetic moniker is "Wynston Smyth" by the way.


Meet Me at the Book Burning

Meet  me at the book burning
I’ll be dressed in Black
I like to watch the flames at night
And hear the bindings crack

We’ll all join in the revelry
And shout aloud with praise
With torch we’ll light the library
And set our thoughts ablaze

The righteous cry for purity
Their will shall be done
Is it you or is it me
The Witch Hunt has begun

A tilted head a side ways glance
Questioned loyalty
And even given half the chance
They’d be rid of me

Guilt is foreordained
No need to inquire
So short the candles flaxen wick
From flame to raging fire

Meet me at the book burning
I’ll be bleeding red
With fire lit at my binded feet
And book hung round my head

Wynston Smyth 2004

The Martyr

The year
is 1537
and I'm huddled in
the corner of a cottage
in Paris

Down the cobbled streets
There are soliders looking
for me
cause I got the book
they don't want me to have

cause I got the book
they done want me to have

The Year
is 1543
and in Madrid
I finally found some peace

I open up the book
and learn about the true God
and then his ways
are made manifest to me

and then his ways
are made manifest to me

and I start to tell it out...

The year
is 1547
and on the stake
I pray to God in Heaven

In Rome they captured me
and at my feet they've laid the wood
and around my neck
is were they hung the book

and around my neck
is were they hung the book

And they light the fire...
As I start to pray:

"Oh Jehovah God,
I say let your will be done
cause I won't deny
you or your Son.
No matter what
men can do
They can't stop me
from loving you,
so I gladly lay
my life in your hands
so I gladly lay
my life in your hands
so I gladly lay my
spirit in
your
hands

Wynston Smyth 1989

This was also on that "other board", but it was at the end so, some may not have seen it (some may not have cared to see it, thats ok too).


Fears

Creeping Spider
Prickly Black
Colored features
On his back
My body frozen
Statuesque
Protracted fangs
In my flesh

Growing up
Children taunt
Shy frailties
My Father wrought
Inadequete
A constant thought
Weakened spirit
Still distraught

Suspicious Man
Dark attache
On building roof
Heart of day
Simple device
He detonates
Nuclear terror
Death awaits

SMASH the spider
LOVE tHyself
PRAY to GOD.

Wynston Smyth 2004

Well hello my br. propmin ... :hibye:

Speaking for myself ... :giverose:

Life is not always pretty ... and it is bound to come out in our self expressional works ... some may read it and relate ... and then may be helped ...

IMHO ...:giverose: I think if we keep things in balance by not going TOOOO far over the top ... such things should be ok ...

In this instance the board members should be able to 'monitor' themselves in light of what we know would be a reflection of our Christian principles ... and our being able to stay within the guidelines that would reflect on the freedom we have in Christ ...

I can't help but think that not all of the poetry written in God's Word is 'pretty' ... some of it speaks about their depression, anger, fear, confusion and such ...

Our God and his Son know our deepest darkest and lightest feelings ... and don't think badly of us IMHO or they wouldn't have 'allowed' such expressions to be written down for us to learn from and know that they empathize with us ... remembering we are dust ...

One of my mottos in almost all aspects of my life ... well pretty much all ...:blush: is what would Jesus do, think, say about, ... that kind of thinking ... it seems to work for me ... maybe that is all you need too ...:love:

What do you think ... sound good ...?:love::blush:

Lots of love ... Your sis ... :giverose::friends:

I feel compelled to unload this.

I was going through a very difficult time back in Nov 2005, three nights no sleep, feeling worthless before God (I was still in the WTBTS), because whatever I did wasn't good enough.  Have you ever had that ominous dark blue; its not a cloud, its as if its a giant thick cape hovering right above your head and shoulders and body.  It never quite touches you, yet you percieve that it is very, very, heavy; just like a mass of something waiting to cover you.

This is what constantly feeling that you are not good enough for God feels like.

Well, in the dead of the night on 11-3-05, I picked up a pen and this is what came forth in a flurry.

I hope maybe; somebeody will "get it".  If not, thats ok, too.


The Plague

Public square Sundays
a cough and a hack
throwing tomatoes
at drunks on the rack

City Gates left open
for Black Hooded Rats
a coffin Makers Dream.

--------------------------------

Barnyard Angst

Grey suited sweat hogs
repeating a rhyme
to poor bleating sheep
getting sheared all the time

An Angry young Chicken
Turns into a Mime
Will he try to crow?

-------------------------------

Parcel Postman

A Postal Inspector
runs house to house
retrieving the mail
He had once handed out

In light rain, thick mud
Snow all about
He's feigning Sanity

--------------------------------

Hopeless

Once pink and perfect
a Liver was fine
Now scabbed and scarred
because of the mind

If Heaven was watching
It turned a blind eye
Dont pick-up the phone

___________________________


Red Robes

And when the Oceans were
drained below ground
There was beneath them
no Hell to be found

Men with agendas in Robes
Had gone out
To Commandeer the Train

____________________________

So there it is; from the night of 11-3-05, for those who are interested, or at least for posterity.

pm.

Dear PropMan,

I find nothing wrong with dark poetry at all, for even our laments are songs of praise to the Creator/Artist Extraordinaire.

Besides, when one is in the pit, at his lowest, he can only look up.

Your first poem reminded me of Farenheit 451.  It was great.  Your second poem, about martyrs, was really touching.  It was dark, but I thought it was an important message, that needed to be said. The spider one was most excellent. Very chilling.

Your poems from your "dark night", you will have to explain a little to me.  I thought the scheme was intriguing, and the words scandalous.  But I lacked insight into their meaning, and would appreciate any assitance as to their intent.

Much love,
from one poet to another,
Sis Micah:funnyface:

for CaliHavoc; the interpretation:

The Plague >-------    
Have you ever noticed in congregations that men spend hours and hours from the platform nagging on ticky-tack issues, such as "mustaches" or "skirt length", or buying "2-door cars"?                   ("Throwing tomatoes at drunks on the rack")

Yet the poorest in the hall will be told to "keep warm and well fed", or a KH will allow a predator in its midst.  I know of one case where a "brother" was disellowshipped three times for stealing wives             in the congregation. ("City gates where open / to Black Hooded Rats")
      
In short; gnat straining and camel gulping to sometimes a deadly degree.



Barnyard Angst >---     I hated it when Co's or especially DO's would visit and tell everyone how poorly they where doing."Not enough service time, meeting attendance is low; why in other countries they walk 20 miles in hip deep mud just for a 45 min book study, whats your excuse? And on and on and on. (Grey Suited Sweat hogs repeating a ryme) It made me angry, very angry; I wanted to go home and          die at times, simply because I felt it didn't matter what I did it wasn't good enough for God.  But what could I say? (An Angry young Chicken/ turned into a mime/ will he try to crow?)



Parcel Postman >---     I pioneered for two years.  I feel now that it was pointless, useless energy spent, even though I studied with two people who are still JW's 15 years later (and they won't talk to me now); much like a mailman trying to retrieve mail already handed out, how more useless can it get?

Hopeless>------------   If I wasn't good enough for God why not drink.  Heavily.  Then blame God for not caring (if Heaven was watching/ it turned a blind eye), yet not ask for help (Don’t pick up the phone).

Red Robes>---------     When I learned "the truth" I devoured it; I read nearly every book from the late 50's on.  Hell was                not hot, great! (I checked and "There was no hell to be found").  Two yeas later I was nearly killed in a train wreck out in field service.

Crescent Moon pt.2

The great agitations of the Sea
Was long foretold and by decree
The many moral violations and blasphemy
In the sight of Heavenly Hosts and Gods great Divinity.

As ignorant masses on earth debated
Claiming their uncivil rights so Violated
The witless crowds were myopically fixated
On absurd concerns Demon created

As empty suits were cashing in
On lewd pursuits and liberal spin
The so easily corrupted hearts of Men
Were leading us all merrily to Oblivion

The seas apparent indifference
Surpassed only by their ignorance
Allowed their enemy circumstance
And thru open gates gained entrance

On Western faces shock and surprise
As mushroom clouds began to rise
Above the cities and thru the skies---
The Piper is paid; and off he flies…

Wynston Smyth 2004

Oh my Dear!

Your words have such a deep dark beauty...:hug:

The darkness lightens and our eyes adjust to the beauty...

love
Lynn

Great stuff, Prop.

Anyone ever hear of this dark poem?

Let the day perish wherein I was born,
and the night which said,
`A man-child is conceived.'
Let that day be darkness!
May God above not seek it,
nor light shine upon it.
Let gloom and deep darkness claim it.
Let clouds dwell upon it;
let the blackness of the day terrify it.
That night -- let thick darkness seize it!
let it not rejoice among the days of the year,
let it not come into the number of the months.
Yea, let that night be barren;
let no joyful cry be heard in it.
Let those curse it who curse the day,
who are skilled to rouse up Levi'athan.
Let the stars of its dawn be dark;
let it hope for light, but have none,
nor see the eyelids of the morning;
because it did not shut the doors of my mother's womb,
nor hide trouble from my eyes.
Why did I not die at birth,
come forth from the womb and expire?
Why did the knees receive me?
Or why the breasts, that I should suck?
For then I should have lain down and been quiet;
I should have slept; then I should have been at rest,
with kings and counselors of the earth
who rebuilt ruins for themselves,
or with princes who had gold,
who filled their houses with silver.
Or why was I not as a hidden untimely birth,
as infants that never see the light?
There the wicked cease from troubling,
and there the weary are at rest.
There the prisoners are at ease together;
they hear not the voice of the taskmaster.
The small and the great are there,
and the slave is free from his master.
Why is light given to him that is in misery,
and life to the bitter in soul,
who long for death, but it comes not,
and dig for it more than for hid treasures;
who rejoice exceedingly,
and are glad, when they find the grave?
Why is light given to a man whose way is hid,
whom God has hedged in?
For my sighing comes as my bread,
and my groanings are poured out like water.
For the thing that I fear comes upon me,
and what I dread befalls me.
I am not at ease, nor am I quiet;
I have no rest; but trouble comes.

Hi All:friends:
Yes, Donbodo, it's from Job chapter three, and there are so many more dark words throughout that book. Some things never change, do they?
Christian love and peace to all.
Sister Grateful.