Love Life: Live Love

Life is like a movie
but the only button we can press is play
with a never ending plot as far out as the depths of space
some days i want to shout cut
forfeit it all and step away
living in doubt when forced to analyze this mess i've made
sitting in sorrow contemplating things that i'm too stressed to say
i'll go to bed tomorrow, but then awake in yesterday
still tired as hell waiting for the twist of fate
hoping when i get there i won't realize that i've missed the train
it's hard to listen to intuition when it whispers like drips of rain
brain blistering in pain since the day ichose to live this way
but out of darkness comes light and light can be everlasting
like the spark that ignites a flame devastation builds understanding
what doesn't kill you only makes you ponder
it's the hard times in life that make each of us stronger
that little bit of inspiration that keeps you going even longer
better believe me if life was easy it would only be getting harder.

Untitled

In a multi-spectrum of color
I fade to grey
Too complex for one hue
I assume attributes of each shade
My palette is rich in tones most won't perceive
My heart is a paintbrush
Watch as it steadily bleeds
Color me confused
Staining the canvas in disbelief
Misinterpreting the patterns while I keep repeating history
I've got a waste basket that's full of crumpled leaves
Torn from a notebook worn around the edges just like me
Hold up I'm so shook, but I try my hardest
Regardless of how bad of an artist I might be
I got a pocket full of hope and a head full of dreams
And I know if I keep pushing on
One day they'll be achieved

The Upside of Down

    Imagine you are lost at sea. Your boat has capsized, and you are now floating on a life preserver.  After three nauseating days on the cerulean abyss your only desire is land. To your amazement you float upon an enormous island paradise. The island is full of animal life, running water, edible plants, and suitable shelter materials. Being the most remote place in the world it has an abundance of resources that could last a lifetime.

    All is well except for your desire to get off the island and back home. A month has gone by, and you are really getting tired of being stuck on this island, so, bored to near death you decide to explore. Along your journey you stumble upon a large cave opening. You fashion yourself a torch and proceed inside. The cave goes very deep with many different passages, and soon you find yourself just as lost, hungry, and vulnerable as you were on the open water. Nothing at this point sounds better than being back at your camp.
   
    Why is it that as human beings we rarely appreciate what we have until it is gone? We experience many emotional highs, but these quickly fade as our desire, ever striving, craves for more stimulation.

    Many people live their life in such a manner that, if it were a movie, they would constantly be pressing fast forward. Often we look towards tomorrow for satisfaction and oversee the treasure today offers. Alternatively, some are too busy living in the past to see what lies in their path. These are the roadblocks keeping us from realizing the amazing gift we have been given: The present. It can be difficult to understand how negative experiences can have positive effects in our lives, but no matter what undesirable situations we may encounter we should always be thankful for the present moment.
   
    Lets go back to the ocean, before your boat had capsized. What was the reason you decided to gallivant across sea? Maybe you were frustrated with work, school, or home and decided to take off and clear your head. What do you think the positive outcome of your boat sinking and becoming lost at sea might be? Could it be that you now want nothing more than to be home? The place that, until recently, you wanted nothing to do with. It is in times of hardship that we begin appreciating what is normally taken for granted. What better way to discover what we want than learning what we don’t want?

    Anything worth having is worth toiling over, and it is the times when we are put to the test that we realize exactly what it is we are fighting for.

    Many people have a hard time overcoming adverse situations and feel hurt or angry as a result. Too often we fall prey to our own insecurities and feel as if we are at a disadvantage, yet we fail to realize that we’ve already endured what ever horrible problems we feel squandered by. We should look at bad experiences as obstacles we have overcome and allow them to uplift us instead of drag us down.
   
    The great Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu wrote: “Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” This quote is a testament to the fact that we should not dwell on negative experiences. If you are content with what you have then you will not suffer the pain of loss. How can you be a victim if nothing is lacking?

    We will all face obstacles which are extremely difficult, but the key is to accept that these are aspects of life that cannot be changed. Suffering happens, and to oppose it is to suffer exponentially. We must stay vigilant to ensure we always remain conscious of our thoughts, words, and actions; to always remember where we came from and what we have achieved.

    In the words of Gautama Buddha, “We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world.”

Forgive. Never forget.

Freedom Isn't Free Trade

    Nothing in the universe is more magnificent and awe inspiring than Earth. Over seventeen billion miles of space have been explored, yet Earth is vastly unique compared the rest of our solar system. This is because Earth has the perfect balance of conditions to make sustaining life possible. Upon this large chunk of space rock exists a vast ecosystem of fauna, flora, and other natural resources. Since our genesis humans beings have been discovering new ways of improving our livelihood which include the construction of tools, improved farming methods, and innovative utilities. Since the industrial revolution started in the mid 1700’s Earth has seen a giant rise in production, and with this came the rise of trade. Free trade is the process in which global markets are integrated so that all countries may trade openly; a process which I believe could be a vital part of our survival if enacted properly. However, free trade typically benefits wealthy businessmen and shoves the producer on the back burner. What we need is a system of fair trade where the producer is not only being compensated fairly but also has basic safety standards and quality of life.

    Whether you are aware or not, every aspect of our lives can be linked to globalization. A majority of goods in America are produced elsewhere and imported into this country. Many of the delicious produce items that we consume regularly are grown outside of the US. The ability for people to trade their goods globally is wonderful, and there are many reasons why we should pursue globalization, but without the proper checks and balances it is a recipe for disaster. One thing that it seems people forget to realize is that Globalization is not a new concept. There have been international trade routes in existence for thousands of years, yet within the last century legislation has been passed that changes the way we do business.

    The North American Free Trade Agreement, drafted in 1992 during George H.W. Bush’s administration, but finalized and signed into effect during president Clinton’s first term, is a treaty intended to dissolve trade barriers between the United States, Canada, and Mexico.  Proponents of the negotiation claim that it improves overall gross domestic product for all three nations, creates more job availability, increased exports, and increased transparency through nations. On the other side of the fence are those who oppose the legislation claiming that it supports corporate expansion, limits environmental regulations, and promotes outsourcing which in turn diminishes employment rates. Since the signing of this bill Americans have seen a rampant loss of employment due to the level of industrial jobs shipped to Mexico which in turn has played a role in the foreclosure crisis.

    The modern rules that delegate how trading occurs in the global market are overseen by the World Trade Organization. The WTO is an international organization whose aim is to supervise and liberalize trade on a global level. Their goal is to “help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business.” Their mission statement sounds like a great way to make some positive change in the world, but like the old adage goes you can’t judge a book by its cover. There is a dire need for all of the outcomes that the WTO aspires towards, but these goals are not being accomplished. Yes, import/export sales numbers are at an all time high with many countries in the tens of trillions in sales, but there still exists an obscene balance of power that prolongs global injustices such as poverty, illness, and starvation. They expand and conquer under the guise of humanitarian efforts all the while hundreds of thousands of mothers watch their children starve to death everyday. With such high profit margins you would think it would be quite simple to help impoverished nations, but there is a grotesque abuse of power going on by the corporate elite.

    In dissolving trade barriers between nations it allows for jobs to be outsourced to low income countries who will do the work for a small fraction of the original cost. This has had some very undesirable outcomes, not only at home, but specifically to the citizens of these poor nations. Many of these countries have no existing labor regulations, so working conditions can be very unsafe, workers are not compensated fairly, and environmental standards are not being upheld.

    To get a better understanding of the inequalities of free trade we will take a look at the coffee industry. Seventy five percent of coffee in the world market is produced by small scale farms. The average coffee farmer earns fifty cents per pound for their goods. These farmers don’t have efficient machinery to harvest their crops; they bend over and pick them by hand. They do not have vehicles to drive around fifty pound bags of coffee, but a lucky few do own an emaciated burro. These people are being paid pennies for goods that sell in the US upwards of nine dollars per pound.

    Many Americans complain of the rampant increase in illegal aliens, but they fail to see the fact that hundreds of thousands of workers are displaced every year, and they flee to America in hopes of finding a prosperous way of life. It wasn’t but a few hundred years ago that Europeans started swarming to America in hopes to escape their rich oppressors. It took a revolution, but they stood up for their rights and won. It is time for the citizens of this world to take the power back from those who place themselves in high accord. We need to establish a system of fair trade wherein people will be fairly compensated for their efforts, basic safety needs will be upheld, and workers will have unalienable rights. The current system we have only furthers our global crisis and it needs to be reformed before we all lose our livelihoods.

    “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?”
-Yeshua Ben Yosef

AlphaZeta Poeta

Aspiring to
Be a better version of me
Confused at the way things never are what they appear to be
Dismal
Enigma
Forgetfully thinking nothingness abundantly
Grams of weed the only thing that sets me free
Hope floats but here I sink, lost at sea
I am
Juxtaposed between hellish fiends and divinity
Knowing that I know not
Limits are like skateboards, I push them with ease
Morbid thoughts the consequence of
Numbing yourself with substances
Once the fun begins you'd rather die than ever quit
Persistence the only ally in a world of enemies
Quiet contemplation has got me thinkin that
Reality is just a messed up dream
Something's got to give before I
Tear at the seams, overwhelmed by the
Ubiquitous impostors posing as kings
Vainglorious bastards
Whimsically tugging emotional strings
Xenophobic tendencies start to invade
Yesterday's gone, but one thing will remain
Zetetic me