Category Archives: Poems

Drug War Won? 2015-136

DesertTo even mention “drug war” is acknowledging the past when we had a drug czar to oversee the so called war on drugs. Today, Meth labs abound, with different concocted drugs than ever before, and now marijuana being sold in stores in certain states. It is a different world now, and the war is not being fought, it is being lost to greed, power and the quest for so called happiness. The heroin epidemic that is raging now is horrible and getting worse. What is the answer; I do not know.

 

Drug War Won? 2015-136                  

 

His breathing continued in gasps with wheezing,

He realized he would have what he needed soon.

Earlier, a quick grab at an old ladies purse, flight,

Then an exchange behind a dumpster in an alley.

 

A cigarette dangled from lips, cracked and swollen,

Two sunken eyes, red rimmed and veined, searched.

The burning gut sensation, beckoning him to hurry,

Ah, behind the office building, good enough.

 

Hurry, his body pleaded, the craving screamed,

Alone, now, prepare, yes, Ohhh, so good.

A stupor, a glazed look as he settled in a heap,

Once again, the feeling of forgetfulness.

 

A bureaucrat sat in front of desk so clean,

Thinking the war on drugs was being won.

Not knowing the anguish below his very window,

Or taking heed of the reasons for the need.

 

Is reality so much a chore to live in a daily way,

Where a false set of hope is in a vial or pill

Which becomes a better way to deal with life

In a way that promises nothing

 

The cost for this artificial crutch is immense

That goes way beyond the monetary,

And affects so many besides oneself,

Bringing on a bitterness of life.

 

What IS the answer for this additive scourge

Which permeates life in the fullest?

When will it end, if there is an end

To life in a different way than now?

 

Den Betts

I am a Christian 2015-134

Posted in Statement by

                                         I am a Christian 2015-134

This is inspired by the atrocity in Oregon where the individual asked people about their religion before shooting them.

I am a Christian and not ashamed to say so. I cannot say I am “proud” of saying this, but I am happy that I am one and have to be thankful for being one.

What is a Christian? Like I said, I believe I am one and try to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, so, therefore, I believe I can say I am one.

I do not care if others are or are not Christians or feel they are but are not in reality. That is not for me to judge if they are so or not.

I will continue to expound on Christianity and what it means to me. What it means to others is their thinking and not mine.

I feel that following a God-man named Jesus is what I want to do. It means much to me and I tell others what I believe so they know how I feel, that’s all.

How others lead their lives is up to them, I cannot control what others do and only have control somewhat, on what I do.

What I do is not always the Christian way of doing things and that does bother me and affects my actions to a degree.

Living a life of a Christian is complex, sort of.  It involves following the teachings of Jesus of long ago and that is sometimes that is not easy at times. Many of His teachings are shown in the New Testament in the Gospels and that is what I would like to follow.

I said like. This means I do not always do so, as I stated before.

I would think many people say they are Christian, but are not really sure what it entails; just a thought.

I am involved in a mainstream religion, a Lutheran one, and find this religion is one that I can accept, even though the modern hierarchy has put out statements and messages of their beliefs that I do not completely agree with in concept. The founder, Martin Luther, had his reasons in his day for breaking away from the Catholic church, but that is a different account I will not go into right now.

I believe most religions somewhat try to control the thinking of their believers and that affects the way things are done by those religious believers.

In the past and even now, religion has been, somewhat, blamed for many deaths and destruction in mankind, as a general statement, but that fact is not something that determines a belief or not. I do not apologize about what happened 900 years or so ago during the Crusades, for instance. I did not cause them and was not part of those terrible happenings of then. I am a Christian today, trying to live the life that Jesus Christ of then, would want me to do now, today. Simple as that………

Therefore, many blame religion or a particular religion as the reason for things they feel are responsible for something, whereas many times it is the person of that religion that is at full fault for an action. This would apply to then, whenever that was, and now, today……….

I would believe that it is hard to convince someone that there is a God or even, was a Jesus Christ, whereas that person truly believes there is not one or ever was a God human names Jesus.

I also believe that it is impossible to PROVE there is a God, just as it is impossible to prove that there is not.

I am a Christian because of Jesus Christ, who was a man of peace and love. Christianity in its absolute form, is the same way, about peace and love. It is not based on things that some other religions adhere to, which shall not be named.

If any others reading this are NOT Christians, I am fine with that. So be it. Whatever floats your boat is good and I am happy for you. We just differ in our beliefs and that is OK. Again, so be it..

May Peace be with you.

Den Betts

Quotes Blaise Pascal #1 2015-133

Posted in Quotes, Statement by

Quotes   Blaise Pascal #1 2015-133 

“Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction”

“There are only two kinds of men: the righteous who think they are sinners and the sinners who think they are righteous.”                   Blaise Pascal 

How true, how true. Religion is a way of life for some and a way that is not of life. I say this because of the unmentionable young man in Oregon that killed people, apparently after asking them if they were religious.

I don’t think it mattered, what religion they were, just people that believed. How sad and terrible. I don’t know if the shooter was religious or not, but it does not matter either, he was a person doing evil things.      Den Betts

Beyond the Meaning 2015-130

Posted in Poems by

I tell my wife I love her all the time. You would think she would be tired of my doing so. Ha…. Not a chance. Anyhow, saying something and meaning it are two different things. My feelings of love towards her are more than words, more than just a saying. Beyond the meaning of love, means so very much, so very more than just the words “I love you”.

Beyond the Meaning 2015-130

To love a person beyond

The meaning of the word love

Past the words that normal

People say in an intimate way

Stating a depth of feeling

That struggles for infinity

For a closeness so near

That it melds into one

A love not experienced

My many mortal men

Directed toward a woman

At the essence of her aura

To say, “I love You Darling”

In a way not expressed

With a word of this world,

But beyond the meaning of love…

Den Betts

A Man 2015-129

Posted in Poems, Religious type by

Just how do we feel about those that are not of our kind or looks. It is so easy to be judgmental and turn away from those not like us. We do have much to learn about being more tolerant and forgiving to others that do not appear like us, or are different in many ways, such as faith, color, heritage, location of living, and so many other ways……..

A Man   2015-129

I saw a man as if in a dream,

His hair was long like a once called hippy.

The sandals he wore appeared as old as he,

The smell of sweat was in the air, not clean.

Looks are not true of a man and his beliefs,

But, only are signs of what and how things just are.

Should I criticize the longhaired or bare footed,

Or those that are not like me?

A man died for me once who was like this,

Would I judge him today like he was then?

Do I cast a verdict for those not like me,

The outside looks are not the inside thoughts.

The self-righteous man has much to learn,

From those that walk the ways of life.

Den Betts

Unsafe 2015-128

Posted in Contemplation, Poems by

This is in reality, a depressing poem that I wrote after seeing a stupid criminal incident on TV one night. Living in the country, I do NOT have a feeling of being unsafe, but then again, I am always aware, so in that respect, I am guarded in my environment of life. I feel sad for those that live in areas that are prone to people that do not care, or have learned not to care about others, but that is life itself……….

Unsafe            2015-128

A ride downtown, a trip to see a circus clown

Or overnight to hear a singer of renown

All at jeopardy in this current way of life.

No one really safe in or out of house

 

No true haven amid the turmoil and strife

Aware, aware is the key of survival today

To know where, and what you

Are with living more than just a play.

 

At risk to those that want and have not

Who look at life as nothing they got

Be safe, be sure of who and when

And where you ramble,

 

As life is short and not secure;

So take care it does not unravel

As you travel in the road of life.

Easy to say perhaps, but not to do…..

 

Den Betts

Question of Self 2015-126

Posted in Contemplation, Poems by

A beginning with “I” and an end with “I” with words in between. Written at a time where I was questioning my existence when comparing my life with what I wanted, but did not realize just what I had at the time. I wonder if we are truthful to ourselves or in reality are not just untruthful, but mislead ourselves from finding out who we are and exactly what our true selves are to others………..

Question of Self 2015-126

I

Seek-Truth

Look for Direction

Explore the Full Meaning of Living

What Does Existence Truly Mean

Find Some Scattered Segments Now Extant

Deny the Reality Thereof

Self-Deceive

I

 

Den Betts

Walk in the Fall 2015-125

Posted in Nature, Poems by

It is almost fall and I am ready to take a walk in the fall, since I do remember how wonderful it can be. I miss that, but do not miss the precursor to winter that fall brings; SNOW. I can remember one more thing; the smell of coalsmoke in the air from burning coal in furnaces, to heat the homes so long ago…

 

Walk in the Fall   2015-125

 

I walked through the blanket of fall flowers

The smell of wood smoke in the air.

 

The pumpkins were being carved by the little ones

And cider was being sold by the road

 

Leaves were falling, turned brown from green,

The trees becoming stark and black

 

The squirrels were storing their acorn nuts,

Preparing for the long winter nights

 

A football game to be looked at later

With popcorn or pretzels and beer

Maybe a telephone call to a son far away                                                                                       To say hello, on a fall splendid day

Meanwhile, high above, geese flew south, in formation

They’re honking a rebounding sound of excitement

 

Far off, cornstalks stood as pillars in the field

Below the ominous grey and rolling clouds

 

Another change of another year, before winter

As I walked through the field of wild flowers.

 

Den Betts

Why Again 2015-124

Posted in Contemplation, Poems by

I recently posted a blog called Why? It received somewhat of a good reaction, so I came out with another one, “Why Again” to expound a little further on the subject. The little boy is still asking, but still not getting the answers; I guess. Regardless, the same question comes up but will we hear what we want to hear sometime????

Why Again 2015-124

Why? The little boy asks,

For an answer to a simple question

Why, he asks, is the sky so blue,

Yet so black at night with stars

Why, for so many questions,

That come to a mind so young

I ask why too, but answers do not come,

For the many things in the world today

Why, for instance, do we accept the deaths

On highways due to drunks

Or drug induced horrors we see,

on TV and streets each day

Why do we condone the way

leaders do not lead

And why is there the killing done

in the name of religion too

Even those that do have not the real

Reasons of why they do…..

And yet, it’s not hard to understand,

The unanswered whys, I have

When we cannot even get along

With our neighbors for little things

The rage that occurs for simple reasons

That should not cause a stir

How can we expect nations to agree

And settle their differences with calm

To ask ‘Why Not ‘ for all these things

Is being naïve to a degree

But then again, I should know better

Den Betts

Awakening 2015-123

Posted in Contemplation, Poems by

Occasionally I will, on purpose, post a blog that may not make sense to some, but will to others. I hate calling them a challenge, but in essence they are exactly that. There is no prize, no reward, or even recognition if you understand, like or comment on this post. If you do not, that is ok, just humor me and continue to go on with life in your own way; which is ok too……….What scares me ,somewhat, is –I DO understand this one.

Awakening 2015-123

Stirring

The ability; taught from

a mothers creativity;

Nourished by life’s experiences

thoughts molded, reshaped over

again; held in reserve

 

Till

 

An occurrence by accident

creating a blankness in the mind

Evolving to an innocence

compared like dawn’s arrival

Sprung forth to freedom,

to scream at the world

A sharing to all, plus

reserved to part of the inner self

 

Questions

 

At first, not understanding

but then comprehensible with time

the reflections of ones own

and others of their deeds

From passing hours, arrives

the refinements; a process

of nature and time

exacting knowledge and compassion

as a by product of the process itself.

 

Known

 

Created by mothers milk and

remembered by the struggles of

survival, reborn by fate;

the Awakening continues

for eternity.

 

Den Betts