Inspired Word in the East Village NYC

Me..reading some of my work at Mike Geffner's Inspired Word Open Mic in New York...

if

If you do
because you have to
but don't want to...
give
because it's expected
but you can't afford it...
go
even though you would rather be
someplace else...
then, don't.
Forced behavior that's not from the heart
is like violence
and rape of the soul
that gives rise to bastard children of resentment
from the seeds of iniquity
planted in the womb of hatred
spreading like a disease that pollutes the land
and carries death to its residents like the waters of Katrina.
So if you have to...
don't want to...
can't...
or won't...
please don't.

R.S.V.P.

after 20 years away from you  i find that i have missed...

absolutely nothing

should i be surprised that the world i left still revolves around

the same meaningless mindless activity

but let’s get past all of that

since we last walked out of those iron gates never to look back

with big plans of becoming the next leaders of the modern world

a revolutionary takeover

or to at least have a street named after our firstborn in winter

i wonder what would have happened if the plans we made really came to fruition

and were more than just talk to impress whomever we thought was passing by listening to us rant and rave

when all they were really doing was taking the short cut to the water fountain... 

now hear this  

20 years later it’s all starting to look the same

time has passed although much has changed

with life slightly balding and turning gray around the edges

things didn’t exactly turn out the way any of us expected

and so after 20 years of absentia

i am certain that i have missed absolutely nothing