Tag Archives: life

Inquiring Minds, Poetry Work

All the Happy that Comes

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Happy is never
a permanent state of
mind.
More often than not
it isn’t there.
But it is there
at times.
Oh, most assuredly it
is there.
I feel it
smiling along side
a character in a book, or
lifted by that actor or actress
in a poignantly profound scene.
A hug from across a room by a
friend with just their eyes alone.
To be seen, truly seen when
I speak my words aloud
or write them down
for a stranger I have
never known.
Often times I am melancholy,
weighted, and in disarray
But a shared laugh or smile brings
me back home to me
in all the electric intimacy
life brings,
and I glow inside,
lightened and floating in
the midst of that connection.
Accomplishments, with mountains
climbed, my nature nourished
on the struggles conquered
and obstacles surmounted
that I never thought
would come to pass.
I’ve realized the Happy Comes
when I reach for it,
inviting it in to come
stay for just a bit
until it decides
to leave
and having faith it will
always be right around
the way
waiting to say
hello again.

by Philip Wardlow 2019

Inquiring Minds, Poetry Work

Paper Airplane

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Need to catch that paper airplane
to the next place,
ride the updrafts
of the four winds
where ever they may carry
I just gotta go
don’t you see?

My tickets been punched
my seat is waiting
for me and
it ain’t free
I’ve saved
a lot for this trip
down to the last penny.

So don’t trip
telling me I got to stay
when you’ve already traveled
so far away
from me.

Not much time,
they’re calling my name
through the intercom
Sun’s dipping
down to the horizon
and they don’t
wait for no one.

So let me catch that
paper airplane and be
about my way.
And you may hear
from me one day
or maybe you won’t
That’s never easy
to say.

But I’ve got a flight
to make that’s gonna
take me far,
whether through desolation or
an adventure
its all the same
along as it’s away from here.

I’ve got a destiny
with the sky tonight
and ain’t nobody
taking that from me

By Philip Wardlow 2019

Inquiring Minds, Poetry Work

I dream

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I dream of dumping
the sadness
at the curb for the
trash man to collect
I dream of punching a wall
until my
knuckles bleed out
all the hurt
collected in my
heart that
I can never define.

I dream of jumping into cold, cold water
and finding the funny
in the deepness of life
Laughing at redeemptive jokes
over and over
of life sagas played
out by man.
Being seen and not being seen
being alone to think
or sharing a moment
with another that
sees life exactly as
I do.
I dream of communicating a thought
in it’s entirety by
just sending it to
someone.
Going home through time and
seeing my father
hearing his voice,
knowing his face
again.
Laughing with my brothers
cooking with my mother
I dream of a
peace to finally
find the me
that resides
within.

by Philip Wardlow 2019

Inquiring Minds, Poetry Work

Happy Happens

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I can’t make you happy
and you can’t make me.
Happy happens
independently
Stop missing the moments
when you could have
noticed.
And I’ll stop missing
my own.
But by my side
is where I want you
cuz happiness
is always better
shared.
And your smile, your laugh,
your touch
compliments
and fits
like a neat little
puzzle piece
into my
very soul.

by Philip Wardlow 2019

Inquiring Minds, Poetry Work

Outside the Something

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7.7 Billion
and counting
Of them all,
tell me,
am I Outside or
in?
Cuz, I feel like
something’s wrong
when the Outside
feels like my home
when the Something got their groups
cliques, committees, each
of them knowing the others
favorite songs.
Something to call theirs
and theirs alone.
Right or wrong
they got theirs
and theirs are,
mad strong
numbering in
the thousands, hundreds, tens
I’m not even looking for all
that
hell I’ll take just three
like minded souls
similar to me
I am betting nothing
can beat such intimacy
but I’m
Outside the Something
and it
feels fucking
lonely.

by Philip Wardlow 2019

Inquiring Minds, Poetry Work

My Muse beckons

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My Muse,
she sits upon
yon shore, across dark waters flowing,
serene and smiling with invitation,
red hair blowing
in the same direction
as the wide deep river
does go.

I find I lack the courage
to traverse such a feat, for fears
take hold of the mortal
man in me.

This side is good,
she whispers from across the waves,
full of life, stars, and wonderment.
Won’t you come over
for I know you will enjoy it too,
It’s where your soul will thrive
and come alive
as I sit by your side on the
riverbank of life,
exalting in all that
there is.

I look away,
avoiding her gaze
The river is strong and a
torrent of a task to cross
and nature has created a coward of me.

Oh, but her sweet whispers reach
my ears, speaking of mysteries,
of love, of magic and mischief.
The core of my being
smiles inside
at the bright,
light of potential
in those whisperings
of all that could
be.

So I turn to her
my red, red Muse
and smile as I dive in.
Cold water clutching,
I surface
stroke after stroke,
kicking and fighting
I beat the water with
a fury, setting
up a rhythm it cannot
ignore.

All the while I hear,
pulling
her words.
That wonderful self
never ceasing
until I reach the
far shore
Tired,
but alive,
fears cast
aside
as I fall
into my Muses
loving
embrace.

by Philip Wardlow 2019

Inquiring Minds

Why doesn’t God give a sign to those who keep asking for a sign in order to believe?

2 Comments

 

Reasons why:

1. He/She/It  Doesn’t exist

2. He/She/It Doesn’t give a damn

3. He/She/It is  not as omniscient as you think,  so  can’t hear you praying cuz He/She/It is busy doing something else in The Universe

4. He/She/It  can’t affect your life even if He/She/It wanted to

5.  He/She/It does give signs but you cant or won’t see them

6. Some nefarious or non-nefarious entity has locked him/her/it  in some strange dimensional prison where He/She/It has no way to affect  the Universe

7. Perhaps giving you no sign at all was part of the plan in the first place.

8. Perhaps He/She/It is dreaming all this up, you, me, the Universe and will wake up, making  us all go poof!

9. Perhaps I am God giving you a sign RIGHT now, telling you to stop looking for outside courage and hope but instead find it in yourself and in others and sincerely strive for change and by just trying it is enough, win or lose,  in the limited life you have left on this blue ball called Earth traveling at over 70,000 miles/hr through space, spinning and spinning…and to  just try to fucking enjoy it the best your can ,  Good or bad.

 

 

 

by Philip Wardlow 2019

Inquiring Minds, Poetry Work

The Day

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The sun is shining
yet,
I woke up today to clouds and rain
I woke to a dismal day
but now the sun is shining
and I can’t find a thing that causes me to complain
because I woke up today
and it was drip dripping so I went back in
and closed the door
tight.
But later when I looked back out
the sun was shining
and I couldn’t shove
the smile from my face.
by Philip Wardlow 2018
Stories and Story Excerpts

Unprovoked

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I had a kid once who came up to me when I was about 11yrs old,  and out of nowhere hit me across the jaw…. totally unprovoked…I didn’t know him at all and then he ran away.

I was stunned but I wasn’t mad…I instinctively knew there was something more to the story..

So I approached this kid cautiously and asked him why he hit me… Apparently this kid was new to the school and someone who looked a lot like me had bullied him really bad, and I think, took something from him earlier…

I told him I wasn’t that person and that you should go tell a teacher about it… he apologized and later his younger brother of all things was in the same class as me and we became friends.

I think he was scared, angry and lashing out… They had just moved from another city… they were at a strange school …didn’t have any friends… it was a more urban school (rougher) than they were used to and I think they were just trying to figure it all out…

I could have chosen to escalate the incident but I didn’t …and that means everything sometimes in life in regards to trying to relate and get along with your fellow man.

by Philip Wardlow 2018

Inquiring Minds, Poetry Work

Contentment

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Contentment, they say,
is synonymous with happiness,
satisfaction, fulfillment
and more;
more words of
peaceful denouement leading to seeming
roads of blissful ends.

Perhaps and perhaps not.
At the most I would pluck
“satisfaction” from that pile
of useless defining words that they
try to ascribe
to life
of whats and what nots.

Satisfaction at knowing
you tried your best,
and still failed at it all
in the end,
satisfaction that you don’t
give a damn to fight that
fight anymore
no matter how much they implore
that you should.

That you smile in satisfaction
at the day that greets you,
whether the weather
is bleak and cold
or
sunny and warm.
You appreciate the day
for just being the day
Here, now and forever
more.

by Philip Wardlow 2018