Dispense With Bravado, By Brian37 (AKA Brian James Rational Poet on FB, and @brianrrs37 on twitter).

Lori did not
Jump in front of the Rabbi
Because she had 6 pack abs 
Or a Glock to reply

The guy at 
The Waffle House
Who stopped the shooter
Was not armed himself

The three military
On the French train
Whom disarmed the terrorist
Not armed the same

If arm more 
Worked like they claimed
America would be
The safest nation

I am tired of Rambo
And Dirty Harry logic
Tea Party assholes
Think it's all figured out

If sell more
Were the solution
Then why are we not
The safest nation?

Another Synagogue
Another Church
Another school
More are hurt

Another theater 
Another workplace
Another spouse dead
Because of domestic abuse

Another suicide
Another kid
Got their hands
On a gun instead

Instead of sanity
In prevention
Instead of not handing 
Them out like candy

The NRA
And NSSF
And the industry
Are all about profits

"I Need A Hero" By Brian37 (AKA Brian James Rational Poet on FB, and @brianrrs37 on twitter).

Do we need heros
Like those who landed
On the beaches of Normandy?
Yes.

Do we need Lori
To jump in front 
Of a Rabbi
To save his life?

Do we need
Kendrick Castillo
To rush a shooter
Of course we do

But here is the problem
Far too many don't see
It should be a last resort
Not a default position

Heros are not Rambo
Not Wonder Woman
Or Superman
Not Jesus or Allah 

Not Vishnu, not Buddha
But more mundane
Those who do
Whom seek no fame

Those who foster
Empathy not cruelty
Those whom rather
Debate and educate

Yes we need
Our protectors
But not ones whom
Vilify others

We are one species
On one home
It would do humanity
Better to reduce

The need for heros
The reluctant ones
Are true heros
Not the gung ho

Not those
Who defend a party
Defend a religion
Or nationality

But a hero
Who seeks to promote
To avoid all violence
At all costs

I am not claiming
I could do
The things that a cop
Lifeguard or Military do

I am saying
We should seek to reduce
The need for conflict
Before we get to that point.

Hero's  should seek extinction
Not breed like rabbits
For one man's hero
Is another man's enemy

But all of us
In our entire history
Have always been
The very same species.

(May 8, 2019 at 9:16 pm)Brian37 Wrote: "I Need A Hero" By Brian37 (AKA Brian James Rational Poet on FB, and @brianrrs37 on twitter).

Do we need heros
Like those who landed
On the beaches of Normandy?
Yes.

Do we need Lori
To jump in front 
Of a Rabbi
To save his life?

Do we need
Kendrick Castillo
To rush a shooter
Of course we do

But here is the problem
Far too many don't see
It should be a last resort
Not a default position

Heros are not Rambo
Not Wonder Woman
Or Superman
Not Jesus or Allah 

Not Vishnu, not Buddha
But more mundane
Those who do
Whom seek no fame

Those who foster
Empathy not cruelty
Those whom rather
Debate and educate

Yes we need
Our protectors
But not ones whom
Vilify others

We are one species
On one home
It would do humanity
Better to reduce

The need for heros
The reluctant ones
Are true heros
Not the gung ho

Not those
Who defend a party
Defend a religion
Or nationality

But a hero
Who seeks to promote
To avoid all violence
At all costs

I am not claiming
I could do
The things that a cop
Lifeguard or Military do

I am saying
We should seek to reduce
The need for conflict
Before we get to that point.

Hero's  should seek extinction
Not breed like rabbits
For one man's hero
Is another man's enemy

But all of us
In our entire history
Have always been
The very same species.

You do understand that the title of the thread is 'Great Poetry', not 'Poetry Of Such Staggering Mediocrity That Anyone Should Be Ashamed To Claim It As Their Own', right?

Boru

(May 9, 2019 at 8:18 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote:

(May 8, 2019 at 9:16 pm)Brian37 Wrote: "I Need A Hero" By Brian37 (AKA Brian James Rational Poet on FB, and @brianrrs37 on twitter).

Do we need heros
Like those who landed
On the beaches of Normandy?
Yes.

Do we need Lori
To jump in front 
Of a Rabbi
To save his life?

Do we need
Kendrick Castillo
To rush a shooter
Of course we do

But here is the problem
Far too many don't see
It should be a last resort
Not a default position

Heros are not Rambo
Not Wonder Woman
Or Superman
Not Jesus or Allah 

Not Vishnu, not Buddha
But more mundane
Those who do
Whom seek no fame

Those who foster
Empathy not cruelty
Those whom rather
Debate and educate

Yes we need
Our protectors
But not ones whom
Vilify others

We are one species
On one home
It would do humanity
Better to reduce

The need for heros
The reluctant ones
Are true heros
Not the gung ho

Not those
Who defend a party
Defend a religion
Or nationality

But a hero
Who seeks to promote
To avoid all violence
At all costs

I am not claiming
I could do
The things that a cop
Lifeguard or Military do

I am saying
We should seek to reduce
The need for conflict
Before we get to that point.

Hero's  should seek extinction
Not breed like rabbits
For one man's hero
Is another man's enemy

But all of us
In our entire history
Have always been
The very same species.

You do understand that the title of the thread is 'Great Poetry', not 'Poetry Of Such Staggering Mediocrity That Anyone Should Be Ashamed To Claim It As Their Own', right?

Boru

Damn, you got me. I am sooooo hurt. Oh, great news, I ran out of fucks to give.

(May 9, 2019 at 8:22 am)Brian37 Wrote:

(May 9, 2019 at 8:18 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: You do understand that the title of the thread is 'Great Poetry', not 'Poetry Of Such Staggering Mediocrity That Anyone Should Be Ashamed To Claim It As Their Own', right?

Boru

Damn, you got me. I am sooooo hurt. Oh, great news, I ran out of fucks to give.

Seriously, though - you consider your poetry to be 'great'?

Boru

*waits expectantly for non-answer*

I OPENED A BOOK - Julia Donaldson

'I opened a book and in I strode.
Now nobody can find me.
I've left my chair, my house, my road,
My town and my world behind me.

I'm wearing the cloak, I've slipped on the ring,
I've swallowed the magic potion.
I've fought with a dragon, dined with a king
And dived in a bottomless ocean.

I opened a book and made some friends.
I shared their tears and laughter
And followed their road with its bumps and bends
To the happily ever after.

I finished my book and out I came.
The cloak can no longer hide me.
My chair and my house are just the same,
But I have a book inside me.'

Boru

(May 9, 2019 at 11:29 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote:

(May 9, 2019 at 8:22 am)Brian37 Wrote: Damn, you got me. I am sooooo hurt. Oh, great news, I ran out of fucks to give.

Seriously, though - you consider your poetry to be 'great'?

Boru

*waits expectantly for non-answer*

Again, I am sooooo crushed. I'll go throw myself off the Golden Gate bridge just for you. 

I don't need your permission or your approval.

(May 20, 2019 at 11:02 am)Brian37 Wrote:

(May 9, 2019 at 11:29 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: Seriously, though - you consider your poetry to be 'great'?

Boru

*waits expectantly for non-answer*

Again, I am sooooo crushed. I'll go throw myself off the Golden Gate bridge just for you. 

I don't need your permission or your approval.

Correct, you need neither.  I was just curious as to what standards by which you judge poetry (all poetry, not just yours).

No matter, you aren't going to answer.

Boru

(May 20, 2019 at 11:07 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote:

(May 20, 2019 at 11:02 am)Brian37 Wrote: Again, I am sooooo crushed. I'll go throw myself off the Golden Gate bridge just for you. 

I don't need your permission or your approval.

Correct, you need neither.  I was just curious as to what standards by which you judge poetry (all poetry, not just yours).

No matter, you aren't going to answer.

Boru

I am not playing your damned game.

As with all art, people like it or they don't.

I am not here to live my life for you. You are right, I am not going to answer because I don't give a shit about you trying to bait me.

Get your GPS fixed because the road to giving a fuck is not here.

(May 20, 2019 at 11:16 am)Brian37 Wrote:

(May 20, 2019 at 11:07 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: Correct, you need neither.  I was just curious as to what standards by which you judge poetry (all poetry, not just yours).

No matter, you aren't going to answer.

Boru

I am not playing your damned game.

As with all art, people like it or they don't.

I am not here to live my life for you. You are right, I am not going to answer because I don't give a shit about you trying to bait me.

Get your GPS fixed because the road to giving a fuck is not here.

Sorry you feel that way.

Boru