Sitting at the outskirts of the Milky Way
surfing the fine edges
bold, larger than life
as if we were able to imaging
standing on the rim of the spinning top;
No traction, no purchase,
holding on by mere balance
making it so,
holding on to their humanity
by a force of will alone
Buffeted, spinning
riding the chaos, the tempest
caught in the maelstrom
of arguments, of power,
yanked, twisted, turning,
holding on for dear life;
Wanting only to listen
to advocate for wisdom
for peace in this moment
not greater conflict
Warring factions swinging
bombs flying, Molotov cocktails hurled
battle lives hardened,
in the midst of the conflagration
standing in center of the storm,
the fire of passion, objectives;
The switchbacks of conversations
out of focused, confusion
some picking rocky outcrops
finding no common ground
Is this the model
what we desire
our way of empathy
picking sides, choices,
hearing divergent voices
caught in that middle
but not valuing their feelings;
The push and the pull
wanting to calm the waters
but the oil is on fire, ablaze
---
edited February 9, 2016
on the rim of the spinning top – v5
(merging edits to version 4 and version 3)
edited January 15, 2016
on the rim of the spinning top – v4
(editing version 2)
edited November 2, 2015
riding the tempest – v5
(editing version 3)
edited December 4, 2014
riding the tempest – v4
(editing version 2)
Edited December 24, 2013
“riding the tempest – v3”
Edited November 9, 2013
“riding the tempest – v2”
edited April 18, 2014
“on the rim of the spinning top – v3”
(editing version 1 again)
Edited April 12, 2013
“on the rim of the spinning top – v2”
Edited April 12, 2013
“on the rim of the spinning top”
Edited April 12, 2013
“riding the tempest”
Edited April 12, 2013
“standing in the crucible – v2”
edited April 12, 2013
“standing in the crucible”
edited April 12, 2013
“In the middle of conflict – v2”
April 12, 2013
“In the middle of conflict”
edited April 17, 2014
Amygdala hijack – v3
(editing original again)
Edited September 1, 2013
Amygdala hijack – v2
June 15, 2012
Amygdala hijack
&
Amygdala hijack - wikipedia
&
Edited September 1, 2013
“Memory is a fiction – v5”
(editing version 2)
Edited August 14, 2013
“Memory is a fiction – v4”
Edited December 2012
“Memory is a fiction – v3”
Edited November 30, 2012
“Memory is a fiction – v2”
June 20, 2012
“Memory is a fiction”
see
Chapter Two of book ,
A General Theory of Love
entitled “Kits, Cats, Sacks, and Uncertainty”
with Gene Wolfe quote
&
written after attending
and beginning to read the handouts from
NH Bar Continuing Legal Education seminar
“PRACTICAL NEURO-LITERACY”
Where Divorce Practice,
Neuroscience, and Legal
Conflict Resolution Intersect
with Pauline H. Tesler
June 14, 2012
&
triune brain
&
mirror neurons
&
Amygdala hijack - wikipedia
&
subliminal persuasion
priming
video – “Derren Brown - Mind Control”
&
It Takes a Village
&
It Takes a Family
All of my poems,
photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002,
2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015,
2016. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for
usage. See all 40,970+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com
Poetry Where You Live.
