Monday, March 28, 2016

30 Poems in 30 Days

I am involved in an  exercise to write thirty poems in thirty days. I will be posting my poems here. I hope you enjoy my creative experience.  Be sure to leave thoughts and comments.  John "FeatherLeaf" Kaniecki 

Links to purchase my books

Poet to The Poor Information
Murmurings of a Mad Man Information.
A Day's Weather Information

Here we go.

Next Stop The Crematory

by John Kaniecki  24/30

Full of science
Full of reason
No defiance
Tis but the final season
As the body aches
Blistering in pain
The mind awakes
No words to explain
A sad goodbye
Back to the dust
Loved ones cry
No God to trust
Life lived to the best
The brave atheist
End of story
Next stop the crematory 

She Came

by John Kaniecki   23/30

She came
With rags and tears
Wading in raging waters of fears
Crying
Tears flowing like rain
Crying
Unable to refrain
Falling at the Master's feet
Silent, suddenly sweet
Her sins
Knowing each by name
Her sins
No longer to claim
For on the cross of glory
Precious blood flowed free
In death, life
In giving, receiving
A miracle
In believing
With rags and tears
She came
Never to be the same 

A Glorious Song

by John Kaniecki  22/30


Singing a glorious song
Drenched in praise
Singing a glorious song
All of our days
A song of joy
A song of sorrow
A song with promise
Of a better tomorrow
So lift up your voice
And rejoice
Cry from your heart
With a spirit sincere
For God will never part
So have no fear
Though you enter the grave
God shall save
For you will rise from dust
If God is your trust
In heaven's home
You belong
God fully known
In a glorious song
Without beginning or end
Which none can comprehend
Sing in strong
A glorious song 

Gospel Train

by John Kaniecki    21/30

There is a train steaming down the track
Ain't no pain in dreaming if you don't look back
Tomorrow is certain the Promised Land
All sorrow and hurtin' you shall understand
Catch the train cause you can afford the fee
Catch the train don't you know the ride is free
We'll be singing as we fade into glory
Always bringing the great gospel story
Let me tell you sister
There ain't no stopping this train
Let me tell you brother
We ain't a riding in vain
We don't care
About your race, country of skin
We don't care
We'll give you a helping hand in
We'll even say a prayer
To help you overcome your sin
Don't you hear that mighty whistle blowing
I want  you to be confident in knowing
That gospel train it is always on time
Go on and claim it say 'it is mine'
So get down on your knees
And cry out to God Almighty
He'll hear your pleas
And He'll set you free
The gospel train it'll never stop
Till it reaches Zion's top
So come on catch the ride
Gospel train can't be denied 

Stevie Nicks

by John Kaniecki 20/30

You were the woman
From a dream
You were the woman
Who made me scream
And between
Coming and going
There was no knowing
The scene
so, so, so serene

I will ride the white horse
I will sail the seven rivers
I will wrestle the ocean
I will fight with Love's force
With utmost devotion

So long lady stardust
It was only lust
Your sins have been forgiven
Mother of Heaven

Fair Thee Well

by John Kaniecki 19/30

I promised to always be there
To hold you
And to care
I promised love sincere
To protect you
From every fear
I promised so much
To be gentle
When we touch

I have upheld my part
I never left you
It is true
You live in my heart
But you have forgotten me
I am but a memory
So fair thee well
You have earned your hell

Leroy Passed On

by John Kaniecki 18/30

Leroy walked his final step
Momma cried
And the children wept
Leroy went on home
At least that's our prayer
I can't be sure
Cause I've never been there
But one thing I know for sure
Leroy ain't here no more
Leroy is gone
Leroy passed on
Perhaps on heaven's shore
I'll see Leroy once more
A hope to hope upon
Leroy passed on

Soul Brother

by John Kaniecki 17/30

Soul brother
Remember me
I'm the one
Who raped your mother
I'm the one
Who called you boy
I stole the blues
To make rock and roll
I've got news
I'm still in control

You'll never see me
Down in the hood
You'll never see me
Is that understood

I am the general
Standing behind the ranks
I am the businessman
Running the banks
I am the man in blue
With his gun pointed at you
You won't know my hate
Until it's too late

Soul brother
Take my advice
To me hatred
Is sacred
I feed off the rage
It turns me on
You want to turn the page
Show some real Love
And I'll be gone

Soul brother
Understand
You are also
In my command
For none can claim
That they are without sin
Uplift my name
And I always win


Hometown Hero

by John Kaniecki  16/30

He was the hometown hero
In a village of losers
Really liked his blow
Hung out with the boozers
And I was the one with the greatest sin
Cause I was infested with hatred
Without and within
But somewhere in my journey
Walking under a dark, dismal, gray sky
It occurred to me
That everything I learned was a lie
And the hometown hero
Could not conceive
Cause no matter how you count the cost
The numbers add up to zero
And in the asylums I found
Answers to the secrets most profound
Superiority is but an illusion
And most of life is futile confusion
That money is simply a paper green
And all our theories of war obscene
And so the hometown hero
Plays the local bars
Smiling, singing, strumming guitars
One day I might come by to say hello
Cause tomorrow is uncertain
You just never know
So raise the glass
And let the past pass
As we give a toast
To our hometown hero
In whom we still boast 

 Those Walls of Hatred

by John Kaniecki 15/30

This poem is my prayer
This poem is my plea
God I wonder
If you care for me

Sorry for the doubt
I'll try to refrain
But all about
Are walls of endless pain

Walls that confine
Walls that shout
Walls that define
Keeping Love out

Oh Lord can you hear?
Listen to my call
If you are there
Tear down the walls

The Song Of The Martyrs

by John Kaniecki 14/30

The song of the martyrs
Are laced with fire
While the good man barters
Faith for desire
And I fall upon my wicked knees
To pray
Crying in anxious pleas
For strength to get through today
And in your silence
Your anguish is heard
And in your silence
I mourn every word
Crucified on the cruel cross
Of some fabricated reality
Counting the cost
Until you are numbered as a fatality

The bass drum keep the beat
As our blood cleanses the street
The song of victory
Is the song of defeat
For in order for one to win
Another must lose
Righteousness or sin
That is for you to chose
Just remember
Before you surrender
Long after you are gone
The song goes on 

A Poet's Prayer

by John Kaniecki 13/30

Well the winter wind it blew
And somehow I just knew
That the times were due for a turn
Cause when you work for pay
Day after day after day
You just seem to learn
It's an instinct
A second sense if you will
Something you learn to trust
To tell love from lust
Or a kiss from a lie
And I was feeling bitterly cold
And I was feeling bitterly old
And I couldn't understand why
To be born a fool
And then to live and die
With unimaginable promise
Settling for this

I'm hoping for spring
I'm hoping for a better thing
A blessing from the Divine
Not just for me and mine
But something to find
For all of mankind

So I gazed to the heavens cloudy and gray
And I wondered who listened
When the starving children pray
Still I have to say
I have hope for a better day
An end to the winter's wicked white
An end to the endless fight

And the missiles are aimed to kill
And the missiles are aimed to kill
And the missiles are aimed to kill
Still....

Propaganda Poem

by John Kaniecki 12/30

Everybody give glory
To the official story
Those who died on nine eleven
Went straight to heaven
On this I must insist
Except for each terrorist
This is the only way to feel
Never mind
That you find
Temperatures too low to melt steel

One plane, two plane
One tower, two tower
Building Seven as well
It's insane
To question those in power
It is the Highway to Hell
In the awful aftermath
Deny basic math
Can't you see
One plus one equals three

Wave the flag
Boast and brag
Go on the attack
Invade Iraq
But don't bitch and moan
Cause we left Saudi Arabia alone

This poem is propaganda
So I declare
You'll lose all your rights
From guns to Miranda
So beware

In Remembrance Of A Beloved Son

by John Kaniecki 11/30

No words for Ron
Now that his son has passed on
Nothing to say
What good are words anyway?

There exists the tragic loss
And the inevitable cross
So I write this poem of sympathy
Between Ron and me
To express
I have offered a prayer
And that I care
God bless

Perhaps these words shall last into eternity
And forever will be his memory 

Modern Poetry Magazine's Solicitation

by John Kaniecki 10/30

Poems wanted
Our tastes are eclectic
Send us your best work
We are avant-garde
So ahead of our time
Words lose all meaning

Abstractly vague poems
Decipherable only to the authors
Is our specialty
Talent is ambiguous
As a Rorschach Test

I am happy to publish
Anyone who will publish me
And if you have a degree
Who am I to deny your talent
After all you know
How many PhD's Tesla had

Our contests are outright scams
If the winner ain't rigged
Well then we always stand
To make a tidy profit

I am misunderstood
Which explains a lot
If you happen to display
Real talent
Perhaps rhythm and rhyme
Or some clever imagery
You will be deemed
A threat

In the end
We will reject you
With an anonymous email
Telling you art is highly subjective
And not to be discouraged
And please resubmit
So we can repeat
The same sadistic experience

Jazz At The Montclair Library

by John Kaniecki 9/30

They only play Jazz
Cause they can't handle the blues
And I am composing this poem
Walking in the freezing drizzle
I won't use the word rain
Despite that
Vain, pain, and remain, all rhyme

So you all must understand
That eternity has done a flip
A psychedelic trip
While I must never forget
The tea pot is on the fire
It's not tea I desire
Rather to poor the boiling water
To unclog my bathroom drain
And yes that too rhymes with rain
And poor drizzle
Only can fizzle

I had a nice cupcake
Chocolate with green icing on top
They were dispensed after the ensemble
Perhaps to avoid an early
Exodus
Yes I was reading my Bible
And talking to Gerard
I like reading my Bible
I realize life ain't too hard
Like playing jazz
A lot of sophistication
And endless hours of dedication
Just to be misunderstood
And if you're really good
Well then...

I just poured the boiling water down the
sink
It cured my ills at least I
think
So.. tap...out...right....rhythm

Love Lost

by John Kaniecki 8/30

Grains of sand, coarse petals of rain
The color red laughing immersed in pain
A lethal leather tongue lapping love
A sacrifice
At any price
Is never twice
A puff of smoke whispers forgotten
Blacker than night my only true love begotten
Marry me, marry me, marry me
Your love was a deluge of anarchy
Liberty is not freedom
One finds sin binds crueler than steel
Wake up, wake up, this is real
I wonder, down under
Darkness seething thunder
And the lightening
A flash of every righteous reality revealing
Only a momentary feeling
As the waves lap upon the eternal shore
Once more
Dark as before 

From Engineering Student To Novice Poet A True Story

by John Kaniecki 7/30

Perhaps it was the harsh doctrines of science choking me
Two brutal hands of logic and reason
Or rather the poetic fire ignited
As my heart burst into a blazing beacon
Either way came the insanity

I was lost
Longing for anathema
The sum of my existence
Uniform boxes
Defined by complex, intricate, equations
I did not spill these containers
Rather
I detonated a billion and three neutron bombs

Free as the essence of liberty
Oh sweetest nectar of impossibility
Poisoning my tart reality
Crushing waters of the lightlessness
Of the deepest ocean depths
Crumbled me to my knees
Devastated
My mind stripped barren as a bark less tree
Gnawed by savagery
Inflicted in the asylum
With repeated lethal injections of Thorazine
But I had kissed the Promised Land
For my liberation
I would pay the ultimate toll
I was riding on the New York subway on January nights
Simply to stay warm
One and one is not three
One and one is me 

Love Letters Written In Mania

by John Kaniecki 6/30

Why rebuke flaming words of passion?
As if my letters had teeth
To bite your tenderness underneath
Hate is cold and vile
Sold and sterile
The dark, dead moon on a frigid winter's night

What then is love?
The savage furies that I am thinking of?
They are the shocking pinks of fashion
Painted on pants
Slow, sensual, sexual, dance
Rhythmic racing raging romance
The elegance of style
Ending in a satisfactory smile

Was it all in vain?
Strewn ashes but remain
And I
At this very instant
Eternally still in time
Momentarily sane
Plead guilty to the crime
Of reckless, boundless, affection
But need I mention
For my tender heart's protection
I have moved on
And like other ancient, forbidden, mysteries
Gone

Do you still possess
My chaotic poetic mess
Of the love I once dared to profess?
I refuse to take a guess
For that is the double edge sword of the blues
Either way, I lose 



Endurance

by John Kaniecki 5/30

On Mount Hope's summit pondering
I behold with my eyes
A City of Truth
Ivory White Towers, void of lies
Streets of gold
So the journey begins
The story of life laced with sins
Wandering, wondering
Down in the dark depths of the valley of woe
Uncertain, confused, which way to go?
Cruel creatures calling to compromise
Demons deceitfully dark donning angelic disguise
In the soft song of the wind blowing
A frail, faint, beautiful sound
Somehow mysteriously knowing
A secret truth profound
If you keep to the task
And you never surrender
All that you ask
God shall render

Youth's strength shall fade in days
A family there will be to raise
Trials, temptations, torments, testing
Days upon days without resting
Finally to awaken intimate to grays
And whom shall win God's praise?

Money and mammon a hindering weight
To your shame are the wages of hate
All you gave so shall you receive
Trust in the Word, believe
For the length you walk the trail
Shall not make you prevail
Rather the one the Lord will bless
Is the pilgrim who did his best
Who despite evil vile circumstance

Ran the race with endurance


The Slaughter Of Loreal Tsingine

by John Kaniecki 4/30

Most citizens do not know
Or heard of the Navajo
All tribes slandered
Into the convenient box of 'Injun'
All peoples slandered
By this injustice done

Apparently somebody stole a case of beer
Losing money America's worst fear
A casual call to the police
From the convenience store
Agony, a declaration of war
Here's the description they release
Native American woman
Gray sweatpants, white top
Native American woman
This reckless anarchy must stop
For if we don't put them in their place
By mercy and God's grace
The Great Spirit will bless their race
And all these lands shall be returned
And the pale face spurned

So what went down?
A police man came
Loreal didn't want to be arrested
And who would?
The charges she contested
The nameless cop makes a claim
Scissors the woman drew
Upon the man in blue

One shot
Perhaps from surprise
Two shots
Well that'll stop her cries
But five shots
YES FIVE SHOTS I said
Until she was good and dead

So long my dear daughter
Like the buffalo they did slaughter
As their crimes amount
More then we can count
It is up for us, those still sane
To make sure
Our sister did not die in vain

And the authorities will not even release a name
To tell us who was to blame
Cowards with no shame
Cowboys and 'Injuns' their sadistic game

Loreal Tsingine you sought no fame
For those you loved
Whom I am thinking of
Life will never be the same
I pray their misery
And this poetry
Will ignite a mighty flame
So to the whole world will proclaim
We are sick of this racist war
NO MORE!!!



A Poem For Peace- A Mother's Words

(Dedicated to Cindy Sheehan and the memory of her beloved son Casey)

by John Kaniecki 3/30

What have you done
To my darling young one
To my precious son
Whose life had just begun

Why?
I need no answer
From you sir
All you speak is a lie
And even that you deny

Generals, politicians, laugh
There is no draft
But as the empty belly aches
Minds make mistakes
Three hots and a cot
So many of life's miseries forgot
Until you deploy
To kill and destroy
For they assume control
Of body and soul

Casey
I long to see your face
To hold you in an endless embrace
But you were stolen from me in youth
And so I am obliged to speak the truth

I lament
I cry
I weep and wail
But I shall never repent
For many more shall suffer and die
If my mission I fail

So in the solitude of my sorrow
I dream of a better tomorrow
Where soldiers fight no more
And war
Is but a sad memory
Of a forgotten history

And so I must raise my voice
For I have no other choice
For if I am silent
It speaks consent
And nothing do I deplore more
Then war
So shall I never cease
Until we achieve peace

And Casey this
Is my solemn promise
Momma loves you still
And momma always will
Feelings mothers share
Everywhere
Oh Almighty God hear this prayer

Help us if you care


Precious

(Dedicated to Tatyana and Sophie ages five and four)

by John Kaniecki 2/30

Precious
Sweetly pure
Eyes alive saying so much more
Oblivious
To hate and death and war
Why?
Why do angels have to cry?
While demons of foulest sin-
Always to win!!?!

I believe
As you live
As you take and give
So shall you receive
For life is not the accumulation of gold
Rather
Our story to be told
And as Heaven and Earth
Rebirth with fervent heat
On the other side
So shall we meet
Once more
To bow before God's son
To answer for all that we have done
Of that precious
I am sure


A Day @ The Poet's Cafe

by John Kaniecki 1/30

"WHAT DO YOU WANT!!??!!"
Rosie is far from nosy
Serving as waitress at the restaurant
Chewing Bazooka bubble gum with a smile
Her raw radiance
Tightly fitting finely filled uniform
Compensates for her lack of style
Her glossy red cheeks speak abundantly
Strawberry Blossom -  exactly
My eyes tip toe over the menu
"I'm not sure"
"I've never been here before"
"Perhaps an extended metaphor?"
Rosie smiles savage and cunning
Sultry, sexually stunning
"Take it from me"
"Try a simile"
"The taste is nice"
"At an excellent price"
Confounded by a vague reference
Like a ship lost upon the sea
"Oh my" I cry suddenly
It's the worst thing to say
At the Poet's Cafe
A corny cliché
So dead the corpse is but dust
Embarrassed like cuddling lovers discovered in lust
I surrender sorrowfully

Poet To The Poor -Beyond The Poetry

Poet To The Poor- Beyond The Poetry

          Before one can solve a problem one must find a solution. This is of course a mental endeavor. One can only share a vision when one can articulate it. That is to express a thought into words so that it can be shared and conveyed to another. That is why education is so important. To learn from those who walked our way in the past and to have the means to learn from one another. We must be able to talk the talk or we can never walk the walk.
          I defy the logical view of life. I am not saying that life is not logical. Rather I am emphasizing that there is something more. There is an intangible that exists. A 'spirit' to humanity if you will. There is something that makes a certain combination of musical notes pleasurable to the ear. There is something in the right coordination of colors and brush strokes that thrills the heart. There is something in words, when cleverly written that inspire the soul to action.
          Poet To The Poor, Poems Of Hope For The Bottom One Percent is a book of poetry with a mission. It is one that will infuse the reader with a zeal of revolutionary desire to change the world. For the common man has many heroes. Some, Jesus Christ, Langston Hughes, Pete Seeger, Fred Hampton, Mumia Abu Jamal, Joe Hill and Mother Jones are recognizable names. (And if you don't know them you should investigate them!!) But there are many more. Unknown almost anonymous faces from my life who have bravely struggled in their daily existence.
          For you see society is created from the whole. Though the rich man dominates, the world is certainly not is. As Chief Joseph taught the indigenous lesson, 'nobody can own the land'. In the same way 'nobody can own the truth'. There in lies the beauty of Poet To The Poor. It speaks of those truths, present, past and future that the bankers and their ilk would like for us to forget. It presents ideas that have the potential of changing the world.

The Mistress Money

By John Kaniecki

She’s a sultry siren singing her song
A temptress with a taunting desire
Men blindly serve her doing all wrong
Cold as ice hot as hell fire
Money, that’s her name
Evil is her favorite game
She seems to be a mighty power
Her servants kill, destroy and devour
But she is simply a piece of paper
Free your mind you shall escape her
Money, that’s her name
Greed it is to blame
Don’t fall in love with Mistress Money
Don’t make her your sweet honey
She’ll give you a thrill
All the while setting you up for the kill
She laughs when nothings funny
That’s Mistress Money

          Poet to the Poor is a journey. It will take you places that you never even knew existed. Important places where you can gather strength and learn wisdom. It is a work in the greater context of the left. It draws from our diversity but unifies us in our purpose. To make the world a better place for all people to live in.
          Above all it is written for the disenfranchised. For the poor fellow who is down and out on his luck. Hope is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. You can kill a man but you can't kill an idea. If you can get a man to believe that there is something good coming down the line than wonderful things will happen. Not only will they survive but they will work towards a brighter future. Hope never surrenders.

          Please support the cause by purchasing "Poet To The Poor, Poems Of Hope For The Bottom On Percent". The Kindle edition can bought for less than two dollars. For less than a cup of coffee you can get something the will warm your heart. And if you are kind enough to purchase my book of poetry then please give a review on Amazon. At a certain point I hope that Poet To The Poor will become a loud voice in the never ending struggle against oppression for liberation of all. The revolution will always survive it is up to us to make it thrive.

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Friday, March 25, 2016

Why Are We Standing On The Corner?

WHY ARE WE STANDING ON THE CORNER ?

Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me.

We are against the war.  The war is a bad thing which destroys and ruins the lives of many.  Our young men and women are sent into harms way; some to come back in coffins, some to come back disabled never to be the same, some come back psychologically damaged.  The best way to support the troops is to bring them back home.

Also there is a great toll on the people of Iraq.  Over a hundred thousand
Citizens have died.  These people have never done anything to hurt the
United States.  They are just innocent civilians who unfortunately got in the
way. These were human beings just like you.  Mothers, children, babies,
Grand parents. The country of Iraq lies in ruins.  War is not working.

We cannot change the past no matter how much we would like to.  The war
is a reality we cannot uninvade Iraq.  But we can change the future. There is
talk about America invading Iran.  WE DO NOT WANT MORE WAR.
 We have had more than enough death, destruction and suffering from this
war. Don’t forget all the resources wasted that could have been better used.

George Bush and his government have problems with Iran.  These are legitimate problems over terrorism and nuclear weapons.  Yet the Bush administration refuses to talk to the other side.  This is insanity.  Give peace a chance. 

We must take action.  We must avoid another war.  That is why we stand on the corner.  We stand for people of all walks of life and people of all religions and beliefs.  We stand because we know this war is morally wrong.  We stand because we do not want to see one more innocent person die.  We stand because we care and we want peace.


We know from the reactions of those who pass by that the majority is in full support.  Yet there are only a dozen of us on the corner.  Don’t you care about the evil being done in the name of all Americans? Don’t you want to right the wrong?  If there were five hundred of us people would notice.  Do not be silent in the face of evil.  Stand with us on the corner and make your voice heard.