Original Poem: A response to Mr. Floyd, "Pounding these Emotional Walls"

     Once again, I pulled another poem from my vault, it focuses on a response to Pink Floyd's emotional rocker, "Hey You".  Since I was a kid, I've been a huge fan of Pink Floyd, as this band was passed down from my older brother Juan, who's always had great taste in music, especially rock. From an early age, He introduced me to Queen, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Bad Company, UFO and of course, Rush! This particular Pink Floyd song, has always clung to my heart, because it asks more questions than supplies answers and it asks us to examine ourselves. The lyrics expose our limitations as humans and the ways we harm ourselves and society. "Pounding these Emotional Walls", focuses on the questions asked in the song and tries to supply some answers, 30 or so years later, in my understanding of my world. Hope you enjoy this piece, please comment!- Rafael Andrade Garza, 2013 (c).

Pounding these Emotional Walls


Hello Mr. Floyd, I felt the cold
Living lonely, hearts fold
Will you echo again?
Hey you, I'm tapping these walls
With sticky situations and numb expressions
I felt the cold
Hey there, there's only diminishing light out here
And only wet candle wicks inside

Hello there, out here on my own
I'm fully clothed but my heart is exposed
I reach for you
Hey there, I cup my hand to sound
It's just that there's no cell phone around
I reach for you
But, these stones are more than two can carry
Without a destination for home, my heart is wary

But we're living in reality
And no visible walls in wi-fi,
As you can see,
No matter how hard we try
We can never escape
Our thinly disguised government veils

Hey there, I'm at your block
Resisting to what I'm told
What can I do from here?
Between accepted curtains of separations
And these so-called right conservative reparations
Hey you, it seems like there's no hope from here
Hearts fall like walls in a crumbling emotional veneer

(power…twin towers)
(bricks…bones)
 hearts alone

 © Rafael Andrade Garza, Oct. 13, 2006.

photo courtesy of www.tumblr.com

Poem: Caterpillar Star

Today, I dug up another poem from the vault. This poem centers on soul searching and finding out who you are as a person. It's also about leaving friends and your past behind. It's an emotional piece about self-discovery. Thanks for reading-Rafael Andrade Garza.

Caterpillar Star

A new story begins
and takes residence
under the wrinkled avenues
of my brown eyes
where memories form
tier by tier
sometimes, dried-in years
I no longer fear
of, what the past might bring
I'm an old apartment
renovated for rent
You came to see the lay-out
and were surprised
to find my heart inside
over-looking a busy street
searching for understanding
again, and again
Today, I feel consumed
in the nebula of love
and, I'm lost in its interstellar dust
I'm enjoying its mystery
and, as I cascade and fall
into the mass of million eyes
I crash and collide
into the same starry-eyed characters
with the same stories
but, different names
It all sounds so nostalgic to me
It feels as though I'm dreaming awake
As I thaw out of my old self,
I sink back into the Earth
I sometimes get lost
searching to find my street
Since, everyone in my old neighborhood
has moved away
I have remained;
Because, once I had a good excuse
Now, I just wait to fade away.

© Rafael Andrade Garza, 2005.

photo courtesy of Wikipedia.com

Poem: Workmanship

I wrote this poem sometime back and it came together rather easily for me. The idea for this piece came to me while watching a diamond commercial on tv. The sound was muted but the message was clear as to intricate process of the diamond cutter process. It led me to compare of how we must also be the work of a higher God and that we are fashioned with purpose.  Hope you enjoy the poem. Thanks for reading-Rafael Andrade Garza.

Workmanship

I've never investigated the steps
a diamond maker makes
but, I do know that he has to cut
the perfect shape
the right light that shines
a task that few have chiseled
just like the almighty creator
who fashioned us after his image
but, our voice is our voice
and our steps are signaled by outlines
drawing our paths in this life
so, careful to the cut
pressure and time
a perfect life is made
so, it shines
testament to the handy work
proof to the labor
an act of love.

(c) Rafael Andrade Garza, May 10, 2012.

photo courtesy of shutterstock.com
 



Original Poem: Take Me

Today's poem was written rather recently and it came about in a drunken stupor. Or let's say the words were flowing nicely after a few beers. As with the majority of my  poems, it's an emotional, matter of fact poem, that center's on a man's character and the way he views his world. I hope you enjoy this piece! Thanks for reading it...


Take Me

take me as I am
there is no other version
or perfect self
take me for what I say
even if the over-cast sky
produces no rain
take me for what I do
even though I say do as I say
don't do as I do
take me for my actions
and not my constant retractions
you know I'm not perfect
I'm percolating through all the hurt
misinformation and the dirt
it's almost sunrise
and I'm almost out of excuses
take me
in the clouded morning
as fact,
whatever it is I come up with
in my night's calculations
When the sun comes up
believe I said it shines
If my road is riddled with obstacles
imagine them as diamonds
tender to the cut
take me at my word
as a man,
when I say I'll be there
rain or shine
my word is my only currency
in this recovering economy
take me as a friend
or hardened angel
for advice and counsel
one that will pay a visit
or make a timely phone call
take me
with you
wherever you go
even if it's hell or high water
take me there
I work best when pain comes in large doses
my heart is filled with roses
I'll be the one sorting sinners and saints
pitchfork in hand,
negotiating with God
for our way
back to heaven.

(c) Rafael Andrade Garza, April 11, 2013.