[Crystal]
Thanks for this. We’d be remiss
to miss this chance occurrence
with expectancy
of being quite efficient
in sharing stories
together to further trust
in the thrust of this challenge.
Have some good chili
and willy-nilly we’re off
to a good, hot start.
[Johnathan]
Kevin threatened to shoot me
feigning his maliciousness.
[Crystal]
Oh? Dear, I’ve told you
to steer away from egging
on others to fight.
[Johnathan]
Quite the opposite because
he should know he needn’t show
just how tough he is
with true friends who will defend
to the very end.
[Marlo]
Taken aback by this act
to extract Crystal’s judgment
of one element
meant solely for Johnathan
shocked Kevin’s senses.
Immediately he flashed
back to William’s packed attack
with this unschooled truth
that it is for him to choose
or lose his beliefs
based upon his simple faith
that what is surmised as true
is certainly true
with the caveat that what’s
not known might be, too.
What Kevin certainly knew
was that more contradictions
flew around his sound
perceptions underscoring
bleak misconceptions.
Kevin placed all of his coins
joined in one vertical row.
Three. Where all could see
plainly that nurturing beamed
to command the scene.
Astonished, Johnathan rose
and chose to quickly expose
the unifying
standard flown at all greetings
and vital meetings.
[Kevin]
I’m never sure of my faith
or what to believe or trust.
Many will deceive
or adjust truth to bust doubt.
Is there nothing pure?
[Crystal]
Everything’s in constant flux
either developing well,
erratically,
poorly or simply ending.
My parents and I
surviving ambiguous
genitalia derived
our solace from
education about my
condition and what
could be or might be pursued
to dispel this confusion.
Luckily for me
my parents rebelled from forced
should-be-done(s) to see
possibilities for me
to decide how I would fly
either to be male
sporting pale blue or female
in wicked hot pink.
If you think it was easy,
blink and rethink that musing.
Sometimes I’d ware black;
other times pale blue dress slacks
in pink tennis shoes.
At times I would be confused.
I would wrestle on the team,
fish and hunt partridge,
but play with my new doll house
in my room at night.
My kind parents were aces;
helped me brace against tasteless,
disgraceful remarks
and ugly talk from unwise
children and adults
while I tried to feel the
best in my confused, young flesh.
I came to my choice
long before Johnathan spoke
and yoked my spirit
to the wondrous and playful,
insightful and commanding
soul that moves his life
like a knife to cut through crap
crusted on the good
present in each creation
but muddied and grimed through time.
[Johnathan]
She’s too kind with her
accolades that shade mishaps
that degrade the sale.
This ‘L’, ‘B’, ‘G’, ‘T’, ‘Q’, plus
rhetoric shakes and rattles
community groups
to fight fiercely with fear that
their integrity
will be irreparably
shattered well beyond repair.
All want their beliefs
to be universally
applied with strong force.
Of course, consequently, fear
fosters the short roster for
violent intent
bent on aiding self-defense.
Harmony’s worst curse
is immersed in the ancient
chicken-egg controversy.
Personality,
some say, rule the day before
affiliation
came to stay as hopeful rays
to accrue more to pursue
common goals to hold
many like souls together
to get whatever.
Now there are those who suppose
that affiliations school
personalities
to be compliant with the
strong will of the group.
Babies start, for the most part,
affiliated in their
biological
families or foster care
on rare occasions.
So affiliations drive
personalities to thrive
since families are
the first to influence us
to adjust to groups.
[Crystal]
But there are always bio-
chemicals and DNA
that play a strong role
in the toll paid by our
personalities.
[Kevin]
I am wondering, Crystal,
why you boldly told your most
private, secret truth
to an insignificant
uncouth soul like me.
[Marlo]
Looking first at Johnathan,
Crystal began to stare straight
at Kevin’s brown eyes
and set her green eyes to pierce
through to sear his soul.
[Crystal]
We chose you as our friend.
Your choice, to reciprocate.
[Johnathan]
Crystal’s parents were
not subservient to those
dominant figures
who sought to prevent any
disagreement of their truths
which really were not,
but beliefs of the elite
franchised minds inclined
to ignore educated
and inquisitive questions
raised from their concern
to learn some alternatives
to prescribed customs.
Consequently, Crystal grew
to choose her independence
over dependence.
Affiliation served her
personality.