<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499</id><updated>2012-02-16T04:18:41.234-08:00</updated><category term='sleep'/><category term='rain'/><category term='summer'/><category term='existence'/><category term='dreams'/><category term='people'/><category term='butterfly'/><category term='Music'/><category term='poetry'/><category term='nature'/><category term='physics'/><category term='birds'/><category term='Spirituality'/><category term='beauty'/><category term='philosophy'/><category term='love'/><title type='text'>The Electric Peanut</title><subtitle type='html'>Poetry and prose from a Beatnik born in the wrong era</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>29</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-8573689167712823924</id><published>2008-01-17T00:48:00.002-08:00</published><updated>2008-01-17T00:49:33.434-08:00</updated><title type='text'>The Immortal Breath</title><content type='html'>//1//&lt;br /&gt;the immortal breath&lt;br /&gt;a shiver of trees&lt;br /&gt;to bend&lt;br /&gt;and bow&lt;br /&gt;then stand with ease&lt;br /&gt;in grace return&lt;br /&gt;to embrace the sun&lt;br /&gt;gentle and strong&lt;br /&gt;separate and one&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;//2//&lt;br /&gt;the breeze is&lt;br /&gt;God's awakening&lt;br /&gt;breath of peace&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-8573689167712823924?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/8573689167712823924/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=8573689167712823924' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/8573689167712823924'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/8573689167712823924'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2008/01/immortal-breath.html' title='The Immortal Breath'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-6531806341024158239</id><published>2008-01-17T00:48:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2008-01-17T00:48:18.257-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Wake Up</title><content type='html'>wake up!&lt;br /&gt;the wind whispers&lt;br /&gt;it screams as a hurricane&lt;br /&gt;it tears as a tornado&lt;br /&gt;a message washed up&lt;br /&gt;by tidal wave on a wrecked beach&lt;br /&gt;all over it transmits&lt;br /&gt;in the only language it knows&lt;br /&gt;the dialect is destruction&lt;br /&gt;it speaks for us&lt;br /&gt;from the depths&lt;br /&gt;we are tired of this&lt;br /&gt;it's time for something new&lt;br /&gt;wake up and create!&lt;br /&gt;from the wake of devastation&lt;br /&gt;in the ruin of desolation&lt;br /&gt;comes the breath of creation&lt;br /&gt;do not fear the reaper&lt;br /&gt;nor scorn the messenger&lt;br /&gt;the storm is a letter&lt;br /&gt;that few hear&lt;br /&gt;whipping up gusts that twist our guts&lt;br /&gt;violently it falls on deaf ears&lt;br /&gt;our pain is a howl&lt;br /&gt;wake up! it says&lt;br /&gt;i am calling&lt;br /&gt;answer yourselves&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-6531806341024158239?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/6531806341024158239/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=6531806341024158239' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/6531806341024158239'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/6531806341024158239'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2008/01/wake-up.html' title='Wake Up'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-118418006445728049</id><published>2008-01-17T00:46:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2008-01-17T00:46:59.349-08:00</updated><title type='text'>There Are Two Of Us</title><content type='html'>there are two of us&lt;br /&gt;voice and echo&lt;br /&gt;but which is true&lt;br /&gt;i do not know&lt;br /&gt;my twin and i&lt;br /&gt;sharing a single mind&lt;br /&gt;a battle of wits&lt;br /&gt;a silent verbal spar&lt;br /&gt;endless repartee&lt;br /&gt;unceasing contradiction torn&lt;br /&gt;ripped apart in finer moments&lt;br /&gt;sisters in paradox&lt;br /&gt;seeking the same&lt;br /&gt;but in battle opposed&lt;br /&gt;rarely to look one another&lt;br /&gt;square in the eye&lt;br /&gt;which is the voice&lt;br /&gt;and which the echo?&lt;br /&gt;which the first&lt;br /&gt;and which the scion?&lt;br /&gt;there are two of us&lt;br /&gt;i know not which am i&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-118418006445728049?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/118418006445728049/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=118418006445728049' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/118418006445728049'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/118418006445728049'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2008/01/there-are-two-of-us.html' title='There Are Two Of Us'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-6946665082483485094</id><published>2008-01-17T00:45:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-01-17T00:46:12.445-08:00</updated><title type='text'>I Give Myself</title><content type='html'>revel in my sorrows&lt;br /&gt;so that i may behold the guts of the world&lt;br /&gt;to spill them forth&lt;br /&gt;diurnal death at the hand of a pen&lt;br /&gt;sharpened like a metal nib&lt;br /&gt;i give myself to the red tide&lt;br /&gt;seeping sepia&lt;br /&gt;this daedal paradox&lt;br /&gt;akin to morning glory&lt;br /&gt;i swell and bloom and bleed&lt;br /&gt;then fade and furl&lt;br /&gt;by sunset gone&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-6946665082483485094?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/6946665082483485094/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=6946665082483485094' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/6946665082483485094'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/6946665082483485094'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2008/01/i-give-myself.html' title='I Give Myself'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-7574963955432392256</id><published>2008-01-17T00:44:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-01-17T00:45:07.327-08:00</updated><title type='text'>We Who Cannot Love</title><content type='html'>the corona of a tear&lt;br /&gt;rips apart the pool&lt;br /&gt;entranced by our nemesis&lt;br /&gt;we who cannot love&lt;br /&gt;our corpses bloom&lt;br /&gt;leaving flowers on graves&lt;br /&gt;the bell of daffodil echoes&lt;br /&gt;it tolls silently for thee&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-7574963955432392256?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/7574963955432392256/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=7574963955432392256' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/7574963955432392256'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/7574963955432392256'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2008/01/we-who-cannot-love.html' title='We Who Cannot Love'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-8607097451062131816</id><published>2008-01-17T00:41:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-01-17T00:42:38.637-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Untitled</title><content type='html'>and you see me&lt;br /&gt;in your spectral gaze&lt;br /&gt;fluid yet fixed in your snare&lt;br /&gt;always graceful&lt;br /&gt;even in downfall&lt;br /&gt;for i am no dimension&lt;br /&gt;but time&lt;br /&gt;where you see&lt;br /&gt;distorted&lt;br /&gt;hollows filled&lt;br /&gt;i am not me&lt;br /&gt;but a construct&lt;br /&gt;edited in type&lt;br /&gt;whittled down&lt;br /&gt;exalted there&lt;br /&gt;so that you may catch a glimpse&lt;br /&gt;fleeting&lt;br /&gt;stranded in your butterfly net&lt;br /&gt;and for that moment you possess me&lt;br /&gt;to think of me as you wish&lt;br /&gt;but i am elsewhere&lt;br /&gt;you never really had me&lt;br /&gt;but only what i let you see&lt;br /&gt;which could be all lies&lt;br /&gt;but at the very least&lt;br /&gt;an artful illusion&lt;br /&gt;polished rough from dull stone&lt;br /&gt;smoothed off edges&lt;br /&gt;i could not let you see me bare&lt;br /&gt;so knowing this&lt;br /&gt;read me as you dare&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-8607097451062131816?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/8607097451062131816/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=8607097451062131816' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/8607097451062131816'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/8607097451062131816'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2008/01/untitled_17.html' title='Untitled'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-4032593909698013470</id><published>2008-01-17T00:31:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-01-17T00:41:43.102-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Untitled</title><content type='html'>thank you Emily&lt;br /&gt;i too dwell in possibility&lt;br /&gt;my muse a will o' wisp&lt;br /&gt;that ghostly fire of fools&lt;br /&gt;flickering over twilight water&lt;br /&gt;still like this mind&lt;br /&gt;begging to be disturbed&lt;br /&gt;as i am led astray&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-4032593909698013470?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/4032593909698013470/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=4032593909698013470' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/4032593909698013470'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/4032593909698013470'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2008/01/thank-you-emily.html' title='Untitled'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-5765698526542184226</id><published>2008-01-17T00:29:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-01-17T00:30:56.990-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Untitled</title><content type='html'>idling gracefully&lt;br /&gt;with nimble step&lt;br /&gt;and spirit free&lt;br /&gt;much like a child with arms outstretched like butterfly wings&lt;br /&gt;meandering by a bubbling stream&lt;br /&gt;but i am no child&lt;br /&gt;my stream is of traffic&lt;br /&gt;stalled not by rocks&lt;br /&gt;but jutting lights&lt;br /&gt;glowing emerald, garnet, ruby&lt;br /&gt;i am alight in my own fancy&lt;br /&gt;wrapped in a peace&lt;br /&gt;that could slip away so easily&lt;br /&gt;as if yanked by unseen hands&lt;br /&gt;my eyes dart sidewards&lt;br /&gt;for no reason but to steal of the world&lt;br /&gt;to suck it into my glory&lt;br /&gt;four eyes return my gaze&lt;br /&gt;my world pulls away from me&lt;br /&gt;as edges rush in&lt;br /&gt;a sly "Hello" breaks in&lt;br /&gt;and my voice echoes back&lt;br /&gt;a lie&lt;br /&gt;not truly greeting but cool dismissal&lt;br /&gt;"Nice glasses.  They look good on you.&lt;br /&gt;And Gucci too."&lt;br /&gt;"Thank you"&lt;br /&gt;my reply laced with condescension&lt;br /&gt;for men who think they can win you on a street corner&lt;br /&gt;men who don't really see you&lt;br /&gt;i care not for you&lt;br /&gt;pitiful gnats&lt;br /&gt;yet i pity you not&lt;br /&gt;foolish men&lt;br /&gt;you don't know what i want&lt;br /&gt;you care only for skin&lt;br /&gt;curvature&lt;br /&gt;rushing blood&lt;br /&gt;hollow spaces waiting to be filled&lt;br /&gt;you think one thing&lt;br /&gt;and want only for it&lt;br /&gt;should i deign to descend with kind regards&lt;br /&gt;when you want to take from me&lt;br /&gt;what is not yours&lt;br /&gt;what i would not give you&lt;br /&gt;walk on by through separation of time&lt;br /&gt;not looking back&lt;br /&gt;but paths, such tricky paths, they cross&lt;br /&gt;goodbye at threshold of a train station bathroom&lt;br /&gt;i wave as not to appear snobbish&lt;br /&gt;though what would it matter among strangers&lt;br /&gt;for you possess nothing but an image&lt;br /&gt;of flesh over bone&lt;br /&gt;goodbye indeed&lt;br /&gt;goodbye childish liberty&lt;br /&gt;goodbye freedom&lt;br /&gt;the world has ways you can't escape&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-5765698526542184226?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/5765698526542184226/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=5765698526542184226' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/5765698526542184226'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/5765698526542184226'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2008/01/untitled.html' title='Untitled'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-3157866967726053624</id><published>2007-04-16T20:18:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-04-16T20:21:18.798-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The Great Butcher</title><content type='html'>Suffocating inside this boring drone,&lt;br /&gt;Drowning,&lt;br /&gt;Jaded.&lt;br /&gt;The terror of disappearing&lt;br /&gt;As one of them&lt;br /&gt;Jolts me.&lt;br /&gt;This fearful march,&lt;br /&gt;No leader but the crowd.&lt;br /&gt;I am watching myself dissolve.&lt;br /&gt;An absence of self,&lt;br /&gt;I bear the mark.&lt;br /&gt;Stamped at birth,&lt;br /&gt;Invisible brand,&lt;br /&gt;Herded to the Great Butcher&lt;br /&gt;Who stands unmerciless,&lt;br /&gt;Cleaver bloodied by my blind brothers.&lt;br /&gt;We dream of sweeter pastures&lt;br /&gt;As we bide our time.&lt;br /&gt;The gate stands open&lt;br /&gt;But dumb and frightened&lt;br /&gt;We pass by with&lt;br /&gt;Nought&lt;br /&gt;But a fleeting glance.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-3157866967726053624?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/3157866967726053624/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=3157866967726053624' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/3157866967726053624'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/3157866967726053624'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2007/04/great-butcher.html' title='The Great Butcher'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-5004651027825158216</id><published>2007-04-16T20:14:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-04-16T20:17:37.902-07:00</updated><title type='text'>A Series of Haikus</title><content type='html'>I am a tiger&lt;br /&gt;Hidden in cloak of lambs wool&lt;br /&gt;My roar is a bleat&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Disturbance of time&lt;br /&gt;Prods its absurd hot poker&lt;br /&gt;Relativity&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RiQ70W0JC4I/AAAAAAAAAvM/a0MWqxqxFrQ/s1600-h/insideclock.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RiQ70W0JC4I/AAAAAAAAAvM/a0MWqxqxFrQ/s400/insideclock.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054230452480052098" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My own drummer beats&lt;br /&gt;In places I dare not go&lt;br /&gt;But I watch in hope -&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I will chase him down&lt;br /&gt;And march bravely beside him&lt;br /&gt;We will not look back&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-5004651027825158216?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/5004651027825158216/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=5004651027825158216' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/5004651027825158216'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/5004651027825158216'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2007/04/series-of-haikus.html' title='A Series of Haikus'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RiQ70W0JC4I/AAAAAAAAAvM/a0MWqxqxFrQ/s72-c/insideclock.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-6374328846848554833</id><published>2007-04-16T20:12:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2007-04-16T20:12:54.315-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Roadkill</title><content type='html'>oh panic&lt;br /&gt;frozen&lt;br /&gt;i am the small rodent&lt;br /&gt;caught in the headlights&lt;br /&gt;of my ambition&lt;br /&gt;roadkill&lt;br /&gt;it will plough me over&lt;br /&gt;if i do not hail it down&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-6374328846848554833?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/6374328846848554833/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=6374328846848554833' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/6374328846848554833'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/6374328846848554833'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2007/04/roadkill.html' title='Roadkill'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-6126117982617983518</id><published>2007-04-16T20:10:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-04-16T20:11:47.320-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Here Is My Grave</title><content type='html'>here is my grave&lt;br /&gt;overgrown&lt;br /&gt;inscription worn off&lt;br /&gt;they shall not speak my name again&lt;br /&gt;nor remember my deeds&lt;br /&gt;i walked among them&lt;br /&gt;dead before i was gone&lt;br /&gt;my only legacy&lt;br /&gt;in repose&lt;br /&gt;forgotten&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-6126117982617983518?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/6126117982617983518/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=6126117982617983518' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/6126117982617983518'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/6126117982617983518'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2007/04/here-is-my-grave.html' title='Here Is My Grave'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-5618381657547771127</id><published>2007-04-16T20:04:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-04-16T20:10:22.181-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Untitled</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;I don't even know where this came from.  I just spat it out one day.  And for the life of me I cannot think of a title that would do it justice, nor can I be bothered with capitals or punctuation.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;those great monoliths&lt;br /&gt;sprung up&lt;br /&gt;hideous mirages&lt;br /&gt;borne of a thirst we never knew we had&lt;br /&gt;until we saw it&lt;br /&gt;shimmering, beckoning&lt;br /&gt;a haze of desirous glory&lt;br /&gt;displaced livestock moan&lt;br /&gt;as they are shipped off&lt;br /&gt;and axed into the Golden Arches&lt;br /&gt;they longed for home&lt;br /&gt;and they return now&lt;br /&gt;their legacy in a brown paper bag&lt;br /&gt;downed and rotting&lt;br /&gt;in stinking bovine acid&lt;br /&gt;churned, excreted&lt;br /&gt;jiggling in giggling bellies of chubby toddlers&lt;br /&gt;grasping for plastic junk&lt;br /&gt;that is worth more&lt;br /&gt;than the hands that built it&lt;br /&gt;... so they say&lt;br /&gt;this temple of gleaming marble and fluorescence&lt;br /&gt;inside you forget the day&lt;br /&gt;time is irrelevant&lt;br /&gt;that hole in your pockets&lt;br /&gt;don't worry, you'll soon have a spare&lt;br /&gt;nothing ages here&lt;br /&gt;every soul leaves a piece of itself behind&lt;br /&gt;but they are swept up overnight&lt;br /&gt;added up&lt;br /&gt;little posts by doors count them&lt;br /&gt;while faceless suits and ties chuckle&lt;br /&gt;rub their hands together&lt;br /&gt;they salivate, teeth chomping&lt;br /&gt;humanoid machines&lt;br /&gt;every day is the Sabbath&lt;br /&gt;come fill your empty soul&lt;br /&gt;worn down&lt;br /&gt;buy a new one&lt;br /&gt;but always come back&lt;br /&gt;cheated,&lt;br /&gt;sold a dud&lt;br /&gt;forget where you put it?&lt;br /&gt;oh well, who really needs one?&lt;br /&gt;it's not what you really came for&lt;br /&gt;it's not how you get ahead&lt;br /&gt;join the ranks as they march to the beat&lt;br /&gt;of someone else's drum&lt;br /&gt;beating out of time&lt;br /&gt;but some rhythm is better than none&lt;br /&gt;parks used to be our solace&lt;br /&gt;now we waste away idly&lt;br /&gt;oh, don't look so accused&lt;br /&gt;it is the truth&lt;br /&gt;i know.  i am there too.&lt;br /&gt;watching myself, watching you&lt;br /&gt;Marx stands by, shaking his head&lt;br /&gt;he sighs at his own ignorance&lt;br /&gt;over a world that did not collapse&lt;br /&gt;it needs no support but envy and the American dream&lt;br /&gt;the escaped old man sits in his hut&lt;br /&gt;but he is lonely on the fringe&lt;br /&gt;divorced from the mechanical heart of his fallen comrades&lt;br /&gt;hypodermic civilization&lt;br /&gt;hopeless addicts&lt;br /&gt;this is it&lt;br /&gt;it has swallowed us&lt;br /&gt;it can spit you out&lt;br /&gt;momentarily, you can find fault&lt;br /&gt;but it is not afraid of regurgitation&lt;br /&gt;a vile creature&lt;br /&gt;but such a pretty face&lt;br /&gt;and seductive smile&lt;br /&gt;she talks behind your back&lt;br /&gt;you're never good enough&lt;br /&gt;but you love to impress her&lt;br /&gt;caught up in her wake&lt;br /&gt;money is our deity&lt;br /&gt;don't pretend it's not&lt;br /&gt;you go to church on Sunday&lt;br /&gt;but where are you when you're not?&lt;br /&gt;do your sons and daughters remember&lt;br /&gt;the late night kisses,&lt;br /&gt;post-bed times whispers&lt;br /&gt;melancholy lullabies deaf in their ears&lt;br /&gt;tales of excuses and "it's for the best"&lt;br /&gt;as you swallow your guilt&lt;br /&gt;promise to change as your turn down the sheets&lt;br /&gt;but back in the corporate grind&lt;br /&gt;come morning, it dripped back in with your coffee&lt;br /&gt;that wipes back the sleep fuzz&lt;br /&gt;false energy&lt;br /&gt;false mind&lt;br /&gt;it's not your own&lt;br /&gt;that was sold with an invisible gavel crash&lt;br /&gt;pulled from the block&lt;br /&gt;slave to a faceless master&lt;br /&gt;you don't dream anymore&lt;br /&gt;ah, but i, ever the foolish hypocrite&lt;br /&gt;i don't detest it&lt;br /&gt;intoxicated i creep from one corner of the earth to another corner&lt;br /&gt;only to find they look the same&lt;br /&gt;and i don't care&lt;br /&gt;i have my latte and a comfortable place to call my home&lt;br /&gt;One Nation under *god&lt;br /&gt;land of the free market capitalism&lt;br /&gt;and once home of the Braves&lt;br /&gt;built on a graveyard&lt;br /&gt;it's ghosts forgotten&lt;br /&gt;and the real God cries in the souls of all men&lt;br /&gt;only to be lost again&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-5618381657547771127?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/5618381657547771127/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=5618381657547771127' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/5618381657547771127'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/5618381657547771127'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2007/04/untitled.html' title='Untitled'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-5770886372429320001</id><published>2007-04-16T19:59:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-04-16T20:03:50.121-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Music'/><title type='text'>The Sound Of Fear Is A G</title><content type='html'>I read once&lt;br /&gt;The sound of fear is a G,&lt;br /&gt;Strong and quivering.&lt;br /&gt;Press our indented fingers into strings&lt;br /&gt;Until they bleed.&lt;br /&gt;Broken callouses&lt;br /&gt;As I strum out the tune of my existence.&lt;br /&gt;I have no other repertoire.&lt;br /&gt;I forgot the songs of my youth.&lt;br /&gt;I tear at steel,&lt;br /&gt;Helpless,&lt;br /&gt;Until in the dead of night&lt;br /&gt;The strings give way,&lt;br /&gt;As if plucked violently by invisible hands.&lt;br /&gt;Horrible, piercing, haunting;&lt;br /&gt;One by one they go in the darkness.&lt;br /&gt;Suddenly, unexpected&lt;br /&gt;Cracking like fatal thunder&lt;br /&gt;Echoing through my torturous dirge&lt;br /&gt;Unrestful slumber&lt;br /&gt;I play, my instrument breaking down&lt;br /&gt;Until I can play no more&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RiQ4fW0JC3I/AAAAAAAAAvE/NQ3x6n5tNyk/s1600-h/guitar+macro_frets.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RiQ4fW0JC3I/AAAAAAAAAvE/NQ3x6n5tNyk/s400/guitar+macro_frets.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054226793167915890" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-5770886372429320001?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/5770886372429320001/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=5770886372429320001' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/5770886372429320001'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/5770886372429320001'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2007/04/sound-of-fear-is-g.html' title='The Sound Of Fear Is A G'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RiQ4fW0JC3I/AAAAAAAAAvE/NQ3x6n5tNyk/s72-c/guitar+macro_frets.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-5181783208611184443</id><published>2007-04-16T19:54:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-04-16T19:58:56.390-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Spirituality'/><title type='text'>Delirium</title><content type='html'>We fell from Grace&lt;br /&gt;When we stopped listening&lt;br /&gt;Mistaken,&lt;br /&gt;We thought we could make it on our own.&lt;br /&gt;Turned our back,&lt;br /&gt;Abandoned faith&lt;br /&gt;To taste knowledge without guidance.&lt;br /&gt;Poisoned by unbridled ecstasy of forbidden fruit&lt;br /&gt;We grow bitter.&lt;br /&gt;Give up your dangerous addiction,&lt;br /&gt;This plague of thought&lt;br /&gt;To return to the garden.&lt;br /&gt;To embrace what was never truly lost,&lt;br /&gt;But what faded from sight&lt;br /&gt;In the delirium&lt;br /&gt;Of a juice we could not handle.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RiQ3u20JC2I/AAAAAAAAAu8/uF5fPkcxkC8/s1600-h/edenapple.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RiQ3u20JC2I/AAAAAAAAAu8/uF5fPkcxkC8/s400/edenapple.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054225959944260450" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-5181783208611184443?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/5181783208611184443/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=5181783208611184443' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/5181783208611184443'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/5181783208611184443'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2007/04/delirium.html' title='Delirium'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RiQ3u20JC2I/AAAAAAAAAu8/uF5fPkcxkC8/s72-c/edenapple.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-6955906531191279860</id><published>2007-04-16T19:50:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-04-16T19:53:29.173-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Spirituality'/><title type='text'>My Best Friend Is Faceless</title><content type='html'>My best friend is faceless,&lt;br /&gt;Though he wears many masks.&lt;br /&gt;His voice is silent&lt;br /&gt;Yet its volume,&lt;br /&gt;Unparalleled&lt;br /&gt;It echoes through&lt;br /&gt;The rocks, the trees, the breeze;&lt;br /&gt;Through steroes,&lt;br /&gt;Cacaphony of children.&lt;br /&gt;He is the sun and the shadow,&lt;br /&gt;An expert at hide and seek,&lt;br /&gt;Hidden yet right in front of your face.&lt;br /&gt;He is never quiet&lt;br /&gt;But we barely listen&lt;br /&gt;Still&lt;br /&gt;He is there&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-6955906531191279860?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/6955906531191279860/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=6955906531191279860' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/6955906531191279860'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/6955906531191279860'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2007/04/my-best-friend-is-faceless.html' title='My Best Friend Is Faceless'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-7558691073568099057</id><published>2007-04-16T19:48:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-04-16T19:50:13.749-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Changeling</title><content type='html'>dim reminiscence of a haggard mind&lt;br /&gt;drunk on a future&lt;br /&gt;tasted too much&lt;br /&gt;fell from the curb&lt;br /&gt;a gutteral lament&lt;br /&gt;he dreams through salt and snot&lt;br /&gt;the tide that pulls him&lt;br /&gt;the puke of his own wretchedness&lt;br /&gt;he can't stand anymore&lt;br /&gt;outgrew that creaking bicycle&lt;br /&gt;he used to soar&lt;br /&gt;his crutch is a borrowed cane&lt;br /&gt;in debt&lt;br /&gt;he took it out against the price of his innocence&lt;br /&gt;the pure - coveted and mocked,&lt;br /&gt;beat down and bruised,&lt;br /&gt;snatched from cradles&lt;br /&gt;changeling babies&lt;br /&gt;pushed through the veil&lt;br /&gt;stumbling in a world&lt;br /&gt;abandoned&lt;br /&gt;reckless&lt;br /&gt;they pick their poison&lt;br /&gt;and mourn a sorrow&lt;br /&gt;an absence they cannot name&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-7558691073568099057?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/7558691073568099057/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=7558691073568099057' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/7558691073568099057'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/7558691073568099057'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2007/04/changeling.html' title='Changeling'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-9029075764513389414</id><published>2007-04-16T19:29:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-04-16T19:47:54.253-07:00</updated><title type='text'>What Would You See?</title><content type='html'>If you would read me like&lt;br /&gt;A Gypsy's cards&lt;br /&gt;Turn me over in your palms&lt;br /&gt;What would my fortune be?&lt;br /&gt;The Hanged Man&lt;br /&gt;With a fate of Death&lt;br /&gt;Resignation -&lt;br /&gt;It took my last breath.&lt;br /&gt;If you were gifted with hieromancy&lt;br /&gt;Tell me please, what you'd foresee?&lt;br /&gt;My entrails ragged, bloodied and weak&lt;br /&gt;Gravely, you would drag them from me.&lt;br /&gt;If you were a surgeon&lt;br /&gt;And would crack my chest&lt;br /&gt;You'd find a wounded heart&lt;br /&gt;Irregular - it forgot its quest,&lt;br /&gt;Lost in a rhythm&lt;br /&gt;That only brings hurt.&lt;br /&gt;From uncommitted shallow lungs&lt;br /&gt;Comes black tar spewing&lt;br /&gt;As darkness comes.&lt;br /&gt;If you were anybody&lt;br /&gt;What would you see?&lt;br /&gt;And can you say&lt;br /&gt;There is hope for me?&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-9029075764513389414?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/9029075764513389414/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=9029075764513389414' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/9029075764513389414'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/9029075764513389414'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2007/04/what-would-you-see.html' title='What Would You See?'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-2190812403635500937</id><published>2007-02-18T15:12:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-02-18T15:15:51.382-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='love'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='poetry'/><title type='text'>Love Is A Serpent</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjeFVxFQvI/AAAAAAAAAcw/HViig7KIUv4/s1600-h/snake.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjeFVxFQvI/AAAAAAAAAcw/HViig7KIUv4/s320/snake.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033016766910251762" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Love is a serpent&lt;br /&gt;That squeezes and swallows you whole&lt;br /&gt;Nothing is safe when saturated with its venom&lt;br /&gt;As fangs sink deep into flesh&lt;br /&gt;And penetrate veins which give strength&lt;br /&gt;To a heart which may bleed or swell&lt;br /&gt;Depending on a fate which one cannot know&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-2190812403635500937?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/2190812403635500937/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=2190812403635500937' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/2190812403635500937'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/2190812403635500937'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2007/02/love-is-serpent.html' title='Love Is A Serpent'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjeFVxFQvI/AAAAAAAAAcw/HViig7KIUv4/s72-c/snake.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-5873197456183540934</id><published>2007-02-18T15:09:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-02-18T15:12:21.276-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='poetry'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='existence'/><title type='text'>I Am Here</title><content type='html'>I am &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;here&lt;/span&gt;, right &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;now&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But I do not know where here is&lt;br /&gt;I am &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;somewhere&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Which could be &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;nowhere&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Or &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;everywhere&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I am &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;here&lt;/span&gt;, right &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;now&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Are you?&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-5873197456183540934?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/5873197456183540934/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=5873197456183540934' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/5873197456183540934'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/5873197456183540934'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2007/02/i-am-here.html' title='I Am Here'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-7014866555480726691</id><published>2007-02-18T14:59:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-02-18T15:08:55.238-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='poetry'/><title type='text'>Choke</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjccVxFQuI/AAAAAAAAAck/dyuhppjnpfc/s1600-h/throat.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjccVxFQuI/AAAAAAAAAck/dyuhppjnpfc/s320/throat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033014963023987426" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Today my tongue felt most unnatural&lt;br /&gt;Fat and numb&lt;br /&gt;Hard up against my teeth&lt;br /&gt;Swollen and trapped&lt;br /&gt;Like it did not belong any longer&lt;br /&gt;In its pearl and flesh cavern&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My throat seems to swell&lt;br /&gt;And I fear asphyxiation&lt;br /&gt;That I might choke&lt;br /&gt;By means of swallowing&lt;br /&gt;My own blessed instrument&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I may gasp as&lt;br /&gt;My passage for air is blocked&lt;br /&gt;From where does this strange affliction arise&lt;br /&gt;And why do I bestow upon it such attention&lt;br /&gt;Am I so afraid of this?&lt;br /&gt;Or do I tempt it?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;How do I free myself from this?&lt;br /&gt;Does a warning lie herein?&lt;br /&gt;Speak now or &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;forever&lt;/span&gt; hold your peace&lt;br /&gt;Alas, I cannot&lt;br /&gt;I shall tempt fate&lt;br /&gt;Let it do what it will&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-7014866555480726691?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/7014866555480726691/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=7014866555480726691' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/7014866555480726691'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/7014866555480726691'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2007/02/choke.html' title='Choke'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjccVxFQuI/AAAAAAAAAck/dyuhppjnpfc/s72-c/throat.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-8436479895477364356</id><published>2007-02-18T14:46:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-02-18T14:54:26.833-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='love'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='poetry'/><title type='text'>Desire</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjZEVxFQtI/AAAAAAAAAcY/ftGj3W2RRQY/s1600-h/blueflame.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjZEVxFQtI/AAAAAAAAAcY/ftGj3W2RRQY/s320/blueflame.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033011252172243666" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My thoughts are naked&lt;br /&gt;As a blue flame&lt;br /&gt;Clandestine&lt;br /&gt;I lay awake plotting my confession&lt;br /&gt;In darkness as red digits&lt;br /&gt;Measure the hours tick over&lt;br /&gt;Desire does not care for sleep&lt;br /&gt;For in sleep it lives uninhibited&lt;br /&gt;By reason and repression&lt;br /&gt;Dream is desire burning&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-8436479895477364356?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/8436479895477364356/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=8436479895477364356' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/8436479895477364356'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/8436479895477364356'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2007/02/desire.html' title='Desire'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjZEVxFQtI/AAAAAAAAAcY/ftGj3W2RRQY/s72-c/blueflame.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-4711175095849543180</id><published>2007-02-18T14:41:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-02-18T14:44:15.907-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='people'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='beauty'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='poetry'/><title type='text'>Imitation Of Life</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjWPlxFQsI/AAAAAAAAAcM/VU-A07YlPrw/s1600-h/magazines.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjWPlxFQsI/AAAAAAAAAcM/VU-A07YlPrw/s320/magazines.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033008146910888642" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The modern Lolita’s hail to the thief&lt;br /&gt;Of the idols of the glossy weeklies&lt;br /&gt;Souls slip into the great divide&lt;br /&gt;Between desire and reality&lt;br /&gt;Of things that they can never be&lt;br /&gt;Just a copy of a product&lt;br /&gt;A cheap knockoff in chain-store tank tops&lt;br /&gt;And &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"&gt;faux&lt;/span&gt; diamond drops&lt;br /&gt;This is the new age tragedy&lt;br /&gt;Underage slaves to a machine&lt;br /&gt;They have been in the pockets of&lt;br /&gt;Since separation from the womb&lt;br /&gt;Lost herds parade through air-conditioned markets&lt;br /&gt;Dressed in this seasons must-haves&lt;br /&gt;Fashion is an elusive state&lt;br /&gt;You are not ahead until someone emulates&lt;br /&gt;Imitation is the best form of deception&lt;br /&gt;One more day of fooling and faking your worth&lt;br /&gt;They say: Play the part and you will be somebody&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-4711175095849543180?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/4711175095849543180/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=4711175095849543180' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/4711175095849543180'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/4711175095849543180'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2007/02/imitation-of-life.html' title='Imitation Of Life'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjWPlxFQsI/AAAAAAAAAcM/VU-A07YlPrw/s72-c/magazines.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-1539694539963471584</id><published>2007-02-18T14:27:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-02-18T14:31:37.877-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='philosophy'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='physics'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='poetry'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='existence'/><title type='text'>Unravelling</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjTQVxFQrI/AAAAAAAAAcA/Se7budLhiKs/s1600-h/unravel.gif"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjTQVxFQrI/AAAAAAAAAcA/Se7budLhiKs/s320/unravel.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033004861260907186" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I feel like I am pulling apart my reality&lt;br /&gt;It is unraveling like a sweater&lt;br /&gt;Being ripped apart&lt;br /&gt;Such a weak fabric this existence&lt;br /&gt;Full of holes&lt;br /&gt;We all slip through the gaps&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-1539694539963471584?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/1539694539963471584/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=1539694539963471584' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/1539694539963471584'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/1539694539963471584'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2007/02/unravelling.html' title='Unravelling'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjTQVxFQrI/AAAAAAAAAcA/Se7budLhiKs/s72-c/unravel.gif' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-85865091869583897</id><published>2007-02-18T14:22:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-02-18T14:58:46.941-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='people'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='philosophy'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='physics'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='poetry'/><title type='text'>The Greek Statue</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjSeVxFQqI/AAAAAAAAAb0/aaZ-oY8N9EQ/s1600-h/greekhead.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjSeVxFQqI/AAAAAAAAAb0/aaZ-oY8N9EQ/s320/greekhead.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033004002267447970" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Out of sync with this world&lt;br /&gt;As if I might pulsate out of existence&lt;br /&gt;I see the lecturer&lt;br /&gt;A Greek statue&lt;br /&gt;Rendered gray with antiquity&lt;br /&gt;Sculptured still forever&lt;br /&gt;His features molded&lt;br /&gt;Aging in decay&lt;br /&gt;From the battering element of the air&lt;br /&gt;His head rests on his fist&lt;br /&gt;As he ponders the paradoxes of time&lt;br /&gt;The low rumbling chords of the orator&lt;br /&gt;Echo in monotone over tiers of ears&lt;br /&gt;Awaiting answers that cannot be found&lt;br /&gt;For the wisest of men know&lt;br /&gt;That he who admits he does not know&lt;br /&gt;Is the wisest of them all&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-85865091869583897?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/85865091869583897/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=85865091869583897' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/85865091869583897'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/85865091869583897'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2007/02/greek-statue.html' title='The Greek Statue'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjSeVxFQqI/AAAAAAAAAb0/aaZ-oY8N9EQ/s72-c/greekhead.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-6873162266995522268</id><published>2007-02-18T14:08:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-02-18T14:59:04.122-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='people'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='beauty'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='poetry'/><title type='text'>The Idol and the Martyr</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjQZVxFQpI/AAAAAAAAAbo/xDIhe_JZWjY/s1600-h/girlmirror.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjQZVxFQpI/AAAAAAAAAbo/xDIhe_JZWjY/s320/girlmirror.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033001717344846482" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She makes an idol of herself&lt;br /&gt;One who wavers in mirage and myth&lt;br /&gt;Shackled and trapped by her own vanity&lt;br /&gt;She bows to worship at the throne&lt;br /&gt;Every day she makes the sacrifice&lt;br /&gt;She is the lamb to the slaughter&lt;br /&gt;But her prayers are never answered&lt;br /&gt;For her idol is lifeless, a shadow&lt;br /&gt;Only becoming&lt;br /&gt;It rules her life&lt;br /&gt;Yet yields no real power&lt;br /&gt;She is hungry for salvation&lt;br /&gt;But will find no solace&lt;br /&gt;In the face of a hollow god&lt;br /&gt;With dedication she performs her sacred rites&lt;br /&gt;And stands tall against non-believers&lt;br /&gt;She will fight to the death&lt;br /&gt;Only to die a martyr&lt;br /&gt;For a cause that never mattered&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-6873162266995522268?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/6873162266995522268/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=6873162266995522268' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/6873162266995522268'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/6873162266995522268'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2007/02/idol-and-martyr.html' title='The Idol and the Martyr'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjQZVxFQpI/AAAAAAAAAbo/xDIhe_JZWjY/s72-c/girlmirror.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-8914336339239294728</id><published>2007-02-18T13:58:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-02-18T14:07:56.974-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='nature'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='summer'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='butterfly'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='poetry'/><title type='text'>Butterflies</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjN21xFQoI/AAAAAAAAAbc/7rSTXknX9O4/s1600-h/butterflies.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjN21xFQoI/AAAAAAAAAbc/7rSTXknX9O4/s320/butterflies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5032998925616104066" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Butterflies hatching from their chrysalises&lt;br /&gt;Eager for a spring not yet blossomed&lt;br /&gt;Spreading their restless clumsy wings&lt;br /&gt;They flutter in the brief Indian summer&lt;br /&gt;Only to catch the chill of stolen innocence&lt;br /&gt;Born free before their time&lt;br /&gt;Ravaged by the hands of winter&lt;br /&gt;Which gravitates to the garden masquerade&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-8914336339239294728?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/8914336339239294728/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=8914336339239294728' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/8914336339239294728'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/8914336339239294728'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2007/02/butterflies_18.html' title='Butterflies'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjN21xFQoI/AAAAAAAAAbc/7rSTXknX9O4/s72-c/butterflies.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-942690295954954913</id><published>2007-02-18T13:54:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-02-18T14:59:31.693-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='people'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='rain'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='poetry'/><title type='text'>Rain</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjLRlxFQmI/AAAAAAAAAbA/fXjO5DuFB8k/s1600-h/walkinginrain.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjLRlxFQmI/AAAAAAAAAbA/fXjO5DuFB8k/s320/walkinginrain.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5032996086642721378" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I watched as the world flooded&lt;br /&gt;As it tried to drown itself&lt;br /&gt;Waves of rain moving through the air&lt;br /&gt;Such a great deluge&lt;br /&gt;I wondered if it could wash us all clean&lt;br /&gt;But the people they just run indoors&lt;br /&gt;And hide under giant black umbrellas&lt;br /&gt;They wipe their windshields clean&lt;br /&gt;And shake droplets from well-groomed manes&lt;br /&gt;They wraps their thick cloaks around them&lt;br /&gt;So afraid of change&lt;br /&gt;To take it all in&lt;br /&gt;Me?&lt;br /&gt;I would like to walk in the rain&lt;br /&gt;But there is a hollow solitude&lt;br /&gt;Of facing it all alone&lt;br /&gt;So I’ll stay inside&lt;br /&gt;One more time&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-942690295954954913?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/942690295954954913/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=942690295954954913' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/942690295954954913'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/942690295954954913'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2007/02/rain.html' title='Rain'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjLRlxFQmI/AAAAAAAAAbA/fXjO5DuFB8k/s72-c/walkinginrain.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23210499.post-4551648229735737735</id><published>2007-02-17T22:59:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-02-18T13:48:41.731-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='dreams'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='birds'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='nature'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='sleep'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='poetry'/><title type='text'>The Pious Sparrows</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjJpVxFQlI/AAAAAAAAAa0/LbtJ9e-WuOU/s1600-h/sparrows.Jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjJpVxFQlI/AAAAAAAAAa0/LbtJ9e-WuOU/s320/sparrows.Jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5032994295641358930" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Birds congregate in their rising wooden pews&lt;br /&gt;As they sing their praises skyward&lt;br /&gt;To yet another rising sun&lt;br /&gt;They have woken with the dawn&lt;br /&gt;To worship the light that breaks the shadowed heavens&lt;br /&gt;Every night they wait with baited breaths&lt;br /&gt;Hoping the darkness will end&lt;br /&gt;They arise to chirp, thankful for another day&lt;br /&gt;Of daily scraps of bread and wiggly worms to pull from emerald fields&lt;br /&gt;The pious sparrows wake the weary,&lt;br /&gt;Shuttered and blinded to the horizon ablaze&lt;br /&gt;They roll over, groaning for just one more hour without disturbance&lt;br /&gt;From man or creature&lt;br /&gt;Eyes gummed with sleep&lt;br /&gt;He mocks the day as most unnatural&lt;br /&gt;Curse these birds that sing in worship&lt;br /&gt;They wish of night and dreams&lt;br /&gt;Unfettered by boundaries and rules&lt;br /&gt;A king of their minds&lt;br /&gt;They grasp helplessly at the path inward&lt;br /&gt;Birds take to the air in nature’s golden glory&lt;br /&gt;While men only fly in the land of illusion&lt;br /&gt;But day will come to pierce and deflate fantasy&lt;br /&gt;Until the day when man will wake no more&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/23210499-4551648229735737735?l=aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/feeds/4551648229735737735/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=23210499&amp;postID=4551648229735737735' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/4551648229735737735'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/23210499/posts/default/4551648229735737735'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://aizuraphoenix.blogspot.com/2007/02/pious-sparrows.html' title='The Pious Sparrows'/><author><name>Lauren</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/17687525665112885124</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bZ7IvIZAyyY/RdjJpVxFQlI/AAAAAAAAAa0/LbtJ9e-WuOU/s72-c/sparrows.Jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>
