083/365

Busy days, yearning for more...

-VQ 

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            ‘Haiku’s’

Let’s keep it simple 
Love me or leave me alone 
My heart needs a home 

Affection missing 
Attention by the boatload
Internal conflict

Lonely nights are cold 
Wrap me tightly in your arms
Share with me your warmth 

To be so open 
Is vulnerability 
Brace for an attack 

082/365

On building writing skills. Toning it down to turn it up...

-VQ

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I was told that my writing is overly complicated; an adjective I’m all too familiar with. I wouldn’t describe myself as anything less than. I guess the problem with complexity in writing is that it makes the point hard to grasp. The editor in me wanted to go back and change ‘hard to grasp’ to unfathomable, but for this piece I will not do so. Old habits die hard. The problem is I don’t speak using fancy words that your average person may not understand, so I have no idea why I resort to them when I’m creating. I’m hoping that by exploring this tendency I can find a way to change it and make strides with my efforts to become a better writer.

Coincidentally, I can’t stand unclear communication. I prefer people use precise concise language when talking to me instead of making me jump through hoops to comprehend what they are saying. On the other hand, repetition annoys me so hearing and seeing the same words over and over again causes me to clock out mentally. Typically, the words that tend to be repeated are the simple ones, which is why I try to avoid their use altogether. I have to learn how to not be an extremist with such things. I suppose I can be clear, convey complex ideas, AND make them easily understood using commonly used terms. Practice makes perfect after all.

So, let me give it a go. If I’m feeling “fancy” I might describe an accident like…

081/365

Sometimes getting punched in the face just feels better...

-VQ

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Sticks and stones break bones, but words they shatter spirits

Bones they tend to mend, an insult indelible once you hear it

Destroying confidence with a comment; cutting down character

Making a mockery of targets and reducing them to caricatures

Insecurities used to belittle, turning cool kids to laughing-stocks

Ridicule inflicting wounds so deep it sends the body into shock

Defamation assassinating morale, pettiness poking holes in pride

Popping pills to try and cope but from this kind of pain you cannot hide

080/365

Fed up and no longer accepting anything less than what is deserved...

-VQ

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If your speech or writing is indecipherable, you are dismissed

If you’re words do not coincide with your actions, you are dismissed

If you are not able to own your mistakes, which we all make, you are dismissed

If you are more prideful than you have things to be proud of, you are dismissed

If all you care about are material things which hold no real value, you are dismissed

If you abuse any power or authority you have over others, you are dismissed

If you are unkind to mankind or animal-kind, you are dismissed

If you are a habitual liar, ole story-telling ass, you are dismissed

If you enjoy “fronting” for the cameras and you are not a paid actor/actress, you are dismissed

If you live with your momma and do not contribute to the household in any way, you are dismissed

If you cannot return favors, especially when plenty are done for you, you are dismissed

If you are unapologetically ungrateful, you are dismissed

If you do not possess adequate communication skills, you are dismissed

If you cannot say what you mean and mean what you say, you are dismissed

If you are someone who does not support my dreams, you are dismissed

If you fail to express how you really feel just to keep me around, you are dismissed

If you lack the ambition and drive to set and reach goals, you are dismissed

If you lack loyalty and respect, you are dismissed

If you cannot sufficiently manage your income to suit your lifestyle, you are dismissed

If you cannot or will not compromise because you’re stubborn/selfish, you are dismissed

If you do not love yourself and are therefore unable to love in return, you are dismissed

If you find that you meet any of the abovementioned criteria for dismissal, then I kindly ask that you prevent yourself from even attempting to enter my life as I will not so kindly initiate your exit.

079/365

Closure. Closure.
A girl like me needs closure I
 beg for the exposure
to someone who needs it too
I feel as we get older
there’s no sense for forced composure
No nonsense approach gets bolder
No holding back to shoulder through

Say it. Just say it.
Relay facts and fucking face it I
 much rather be complacent
shunning lies than missing truth

Communicate to build relations
requires trust, requires patience
If you lack the dedication
then you’ll proudly get the boot

Embrace it, don’t fake it
Don’t deny and don’t displace it
Don’t replace- eradicate it
Accept the parts that make you, you

If indeed you are a dog
Do bark but don’t roll over
Let us go for a walk,
Let us have us a talk,
Duke it out, to gain some closure

078/365

Renege, rescind, resign...

-VQ

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Feelings fade to darkness

Tucked neatly back in place

Back in their boxes they go

Unwanted, unwelcomed, unreciprocated

Poor things

It’s not their fault they faced rejection

They’ve done nothing wrong

Except maybe show themselves too soon

To the wrong suitors

Unworthy of their greatness

Whispered words of reassurance

And the compassion of self-love

In the meantime, will be enough

To keep them warm in the shadows

Where they wait patiently

To shine

077/365

Be free...

-VQ

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True liberation is the separation of self and state. The moment one detaches from societal standards and aligns themselves with their own moral compass, is the very instant that inner peace is achieved, and the pursuit of happiness can commence. After all, how can one really be happy if you’re busy chasing after things that other people have defined as important? Only you can make that determination. Only you know what is in your heart and mind. Only you can set the stage for how you want your life to be.

Release yourselves from the chains of modern day oppression by jumping out of the rat race. Set your own pace; run a marathon for your dreams and bring them to fruition. Stop allowing governing entities dictate how, when, and why you should do things especially if you do not agree on their benefits. If you find college, for example, to be useless and pointless then prospectively it will be because subjectively it holds no value to you. Maybe you’re a pretty competent and well-connected individual who much rather save their money and use it to build a business instead. That is perfectly fine. There is nothing wrong with carving your own path. Do not let society shame you for making your own way.

Simply put, DO YOU. Because at the end of the day when all is said and done, and you are lying in your bed awake at night, the only person you must answer to is YOU. Make you happy. Set you free.

076/365

Take a break before you break....

-VQ
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Mental breakdowns. In need of a tune-up, oil change, some basic TLC. Check engine light is on and blinking but no one’s checking. Pushing past limitations with no hesitation knowing damn well I should be pulled over on the side of the road somewhere waiting for Triple A to save me. I just can’t afford to stop right now. The repairs might cost me more than I’m willing to pay, yet if I continue on like this a malfunction is bound to happen. It’s only a matter of time before the gas will run empty, battery depleted, tires bald from burning out – hydroplaning – spinning wheels on asphalt going nowhere fast. Blasting the music to drown the sounds of system failure. Ignoring the shuddering underneath the hood, turning the tunes up to block out the mechanical whines of a faulty mechanism.

I have the number in my phone, but I fail to call for help believing I’ll be cheated by scammers only looking for a come up from my misfortune. So, I keep on driving. Vehicle swerving on the road unsteady in its pace telling myself I’ll make it. Putting myself and others in danger with my brokenness having convinced myself that trudging on is strength. If only I would stop to address it and fix it, lives could be saved but like a steady downpour on my withered windshield it’s hard to see past my rage. I’m doing 80 down a one-way now lost in the tempo of one of my favorite tapes that when a passerby decides to cross my path I make a mistake and forget how to brake.

075/365

Happy Birthday to my Muirn Beatha Dan – Sabre B. I love you forever...

-VQ

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The law of the universe, motion, and karma state that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The initiation of my birth into this universe sparked an explosion of epic proportions. God himself was taken aback. How do I counteract this magic? He asked. How do I give her balance so that she doesn’t implode or self-destruct? He reached down into the star strewn abyss for clarity enjoying the peace that he felt when rolling the solar system around in his divine hands. He picked up the sun, its rays igniting at his tender touch and unraveled a single strand of sunshine for the taking. He smiled at the beam of light its brightness sparking a most brilliant plan.

Nearby Mercury illuminated the sky offering its magic for the making. Cutting a small incision into the planet’s surface he dipped the ray into its iron-rich liquid core soaking the strand giving it an iridescent shine. Happy with his progress he turned to mother Earth; one of his most prized possessions. Digging into the fresh soil, using the elements to manifest his creation. He took his time with this one, preening and perfecting until it was flawless. He knew precisely what it would take for it to be great. He whispered wisdom in its ears, fueled its spirit with the strength of warriors, and filled its heart with the love of the cosmos. Then on the 15th day of the 9th month, he kissed the sleeping figure on the forehead breathing life into its vessel.

 Another monumental eruption as mountains were moved to make way for this magnificent being’s delivery. God’s creatures rejoiced at the sound of the arrival, flowers bloomed in anticipation of feminine greatness. Somewhere the infant me stirred, a sudden warmth enveloping my body giving me a strange sense of calm. Her presence in the world immediately impacting my existence. The volatile volcanoes in my psyche going dormant the moment that magic was released for the day that my soul sister was born, I was finally complete.

074/365

Done....

-VQ

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You can count on me says everyone ever. But when it’s time to redeem the offer they simply don’t deliver. People often talk just to hear themselves speak. Weak characters happily patronizing the meek. Leaking empty words with no validity unconcerned about where they land. Jaded from grasping air when reaching for helping hands. No one really gives a fuck that’s the harsh reality. Pegging your paranoia on possible insanity. Preaching blood ties to cover up lies when feigning for favors. Offering IOU’s and I’ll pay you back later’s. God as a witness family links don’t mean shit when it comes to business. Selling you dreams for a quick buck then questioning your distrust. Well guess what?

Remove me from your speed dial, the connection isn’t worth it. The number you have reached is no longer in service.  Don’t depend on me to be there consider me a ghost. For all the times you failed me when I needed you the most. No time for pretenses of dependability, the instability disturbing my tranquility. I’d much rather be alone, left to my own devices, than fronting for the camera trying to mask my vices. Too busy trying to cheat people to see my loyalty is priceless. A person of their word, like me, is rare but I’m done with all the niceness. I only play fair until I fail to care, and I’m there, can you tell? When they ask me how I fare with fakeness tell them, I, ‘farewell’.   

073/365

Business for dummies...

-VQ

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Sally sells seashells down by the seashore? What kind of fool is Sally? Surely, she did not study economics and the concept of supply and demand. How hot of a commodity could seashells be by a seashore? What is stopping the potential customer from simply gathering their own seashells for the free? What separates Sally’s shells from other simpletons selling the same? Sally needs to up her game. With a business what matters most is location, location, location. Sally must have missed the memo or else she’d have set up shop in a different destination. Sally must be impatient. Money moves made in haste are often a waste.

Someone should school Sally on how to increase sales. Maybe that Peter Piper with his pickled peppers can show her a thing or two about profits and pay scales. Maybe Peter can throw a dog a bone and give ole Sally here a loan to upscale her business venture. Teach her how to cut expenditures and utilize some creativity with her merchandise. Find a niche’ to up her price. Where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked, you ask? Sold to the highest bidder and then he’s off to the next task. Picking more peppers while Sally struggles to sell her simple seashells right next to the seashore she stole them from.

 Sad, sad Sally.

072/365

Cut-throat

Don’t provoke

the monster in me

Don’t poke

at insecurities

My rebuttal will

be savage

Impulsivity a habit

Slice you open

spilling guts before

you manage to panic

Blood fueling the rage

A taste unleashing

the animal from its cage

A brute beyond reason

giving credence to the

wretched Devil within

Tricking victims with love

while lusting for sin

071/365

9-11: bless our angels in heaven...

-VQ

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Flaming birds in the sky plummet

Plowing into steel at great velocity

An atrocity of epic proportions

Snatching souls from broken bodies

Burnt out of existence

From ashes to dust

Tears left to rust

Nothing left but memories

Remembering the massacre

But forgetting the cause

Distorted truths

Misdirected anger

Aimed at false targets

Placating the people

Fallacies of foreign terrorism

The real source of turmoil

Treason by our leaders

On our very own soil

070/365

Anxiety
A slowly creeping beast
Feasting on insecurities
Engorging on self-doubt
Consuming rationality
Until it’s much bigger than me
Overwhelmingly massive
Erratic
Sporadic attacks
Pushing me back
Frozen in place by fear
Stagnant
Heart racing, endless pacing
Profusely sweating
Pointless regretting
Ripped nails and hair
Stale air
Trying to escape the panic
Can’t manage
Too choked to cope
Loss of common sense
Nervousness and angst
The wariness intense
An endless cycle of battling
Invisible demons
No one else but me can see

069/365

Nothing more disappointing than wasted time at a failed connection...

-VQ

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Defeated

Emotions depleted

Convictions conceded

My hearts had enough

I give up

Rejected

Denial expected

Dejection erected

Defenses a must

Weapon up

Busted

Connection disrupted

Affections corrupted

Promises rust

There’s no trust

Retreating

Looks are deceiving

Words are misleading

Stuck in a rut

Out of luck

068/365

Heart pounding fervently in his chest, he hyperventilates, puffs of frost billowing out and dangling in the icy air before him. The impossibility of this whole ordeal is tremendous, yet here he is, standing in a winter wasteland surrounded by incontestable hideousness holding a small velvet box filled to the brim with hope. He dared not shout or express his uncontrollable joy for fear of attracting attention and having his dreams literally ripped out of his hands. Instead, he clicks the tiny golden clasp shut and slips the box into his yearning pockets.

Time teases and taunts him; the walk home more drawn-out and exhausting than usual. Despite the chilly wind his hands are clammy when he shoves them into his overcoat putting his mind at ease every time his trembling fingers brush against the soft velvet exterior. Absentmindedly he glances down at Rupert who in response to the sudden, but much wanted attention, slightly cocks his head and whines. The man laughs out loud and pats his head silently thanking Rupert for his…

067/365

Simmer down

Dim your shimmer

Your light is blinding

Shining through shade

Illuminating the space

Your presence is brilliant

Bold, bright, and vivid

Smile beaming

Skin gleaming

Glowing and resilient

Radiating magnificence

Burning the reflection

Of your sparkle

Into desirous eyes

Like fireflies

066/365

The American judicial system is a sham...there is no justice for all, only for the pale and the privileged. 

-VQ 

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The system tried to try a man for no crime committed
Offered him plea bargains of less time if he admitted
To contrived statements derived by big wigs
Proposing 5-year sentences, hoping for a big bid
Condescendence in their tones as they told him it was lenient
That debating their decision could mean 10 -- oh how convenient
When he refused they flipped the script;
Using the pen to rewrite the deal
Take 5 years’ probation instead they said,
It’s not in your best interest to appeal
If you take it to trial young man surely you will lose
Just take the daily observation it’s a safer move
We’ll sit and wait patiently for you to trip and slip up
Hit you with the handcuffs when we catch a dirty cup
Your options are limited sir, you’re definitely facing jail
I suggest you take the offers coz we’re not discussing bail
Rejection of their influence and reliance in his faith
Again, he denied the propositions not falling for the bait
How about 2 years then? They plotted, and they pleaded
Promising him compassion if only he conceded
An intelligent black man unmoved by the bullies
Said “take my ass to trial, I know my rights well and fully”
Lawyer up they recommended, spend all your hard-earned money
You’re never going to win this battle acting like a dummy
He responded with confidence, “my own knowledge is enough”I
f I lose I’ll accept the consequences, straight called them on their bluff
The day in court has come, all prayers have been sent
Is his persistence of innocence something to repent?
Fortunately, you see, this brave man he walks off free…
Unlike thousands of other brothers in cages less fortunate than he

065/365

V' for....

-VQ

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Visceral verbiage seeking vengeance on victims in vain

Volcanic vibes dissolving flesh; venom vomit rain

Vicious vernacular violating vows of peace

Vampire raving for veins validating the beast

Volatile, violent, of very little patience

Vulture devouring vermin decaying on pavement

064/365

A Haiku for when dreams come true...

-VQ

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Visions of winning

Premonitions of wishes

Brought to fruition