Alice Rydel sent in two poems —a wonderful combination. She writes, “I have two below. The first, is another Otto Rene Castillo poem, Satisfaction. The second, is by an old dear friend, Lew Steinhardt, Dying.”
Satisfaction
— By Otto Rene Castillo
The most beautiful thing
for those who have fought a whole life
is to come to the end and say
we believed in people and life,
and life and the people
never let us down.
for those who have fought a whole life
is to come to the end and say
we believed in people and life,
and life and the people
never let us down.
*
Only in this way do men become men,
women become women,
fighting day and night
for people and for life.
women become women,
fighting day and night
for people and for life.
*
And when these lives come to an end
the people open their deepest rivers
and they enter those waters forever.
And so they become, distant fires, living,
creating the heart of example
the people open their deepest rivers
and they enter those waters forever.
And so they become, distant fires, living,
creating the heart of example
*
The most beautiful thing
for those who have fought a whole life
is to come to the end and say;
we believed in people and life,
and life and the people
never let us down.
for those who have fought a whole life
is to come to the end and say;
we believed in people and life,
and life and the people
never let us down.
**********
DYING
— By Lew Steinhart
“Dying”, an old word, yet new
“Dying” enters from stage left,
ready to exact revenge
ready to exact revenge
For years of not being taken seriously
For years of denial of mortality
For years of being disparaged
For years of villanization.
For years of denial of mortality
For years of being disparaged
For years of villanization.
“Dying” approaches me with sexy night attire and sexy voice
attempting to be sexy with me,
hoping for my love and understanding
Hoping to be welcomed
as a partner
for the trip to The End.
attempting to be sexy with me,
hoping for my love and understanding
Hoping to be welcomed
as a partner
for the trip to The End.
We manage some awkward dialogue at first
I quickly reject you,
I shudder at the thought of
such finality.
I quickly reject you,
I shudder at the thought of
such finality.
Such finality is beyond me.
I fight you with all of me.
You find openings and pierce my armour
And you show me your strength in battle.
I fight you with all of me.
You find openings and pierce my armour
And you show me your strength in battle.
Yet you also offer the peace sign
Hoping for collaboration.
An old revolutionary I am
Schooled by Fred Newman in the skills of performance and improvisation.
I have learned to take offers
And I have learned that History is the Final Residing Place
and that History is created with revolutionary activity.
Hoping for collaboration.
An old revolutionary I am
Schooled by Fred Newman in the skills of performance and improvisation.
I have learned to take offers
And I have learned that History is the Final Residing Place
and that History is created with revolutionary activity.
I find myself strangely open to this
And explore it with my health team, group and comrades
The old words take on new meaning in the process.
I am alive in new ways
And that will, as I grow, continue.
And explore it with my health team, group and comrades
The old words take on new meaning in the process.
I am alive in new ways
And that will, as I grow, continue.
END
Lovely poems and lovely combo.