Since last year, I have had a front row seat to the inception of my friend Tony Mooreās AWAKE show ā which is PHENOMENAL!!! (In case you have not seen it, AWAKE will be performed and livestreamed at The Bedford on Wednesday, October 13th via Facebook Live.) In honour of Tony's birthday this year, one poem has been written to correspond with each song from the AWAKE album. Which includes: SIDE ONE 1. AWAKE 2. THE CLOCK HAS STARTED 3. LOVE, WE NEED YOU HERE 4. JUST ONE NIGHT 5. HOPIUM 6. DEAR LIFE 7. NOT NORMAL SIDE TWO 1. REMEMBER ME 2. CRAZY IN THE SHED 3. DARK WINTER 4. WHATāS THE POINT? 5. THE ONE PERCENT SOLUTION 6. WE ARE ONE 7. ASLEEP 8. LOVE, WE NEED YOU HERE (part 2) No, I am not yelling at you right now, when Tony writes his lyrics they are always in capital letters ā simply preserving the integrity of his process. Please note each inspired poem is listed in the order of the AWAKE album. And, of course the real reason I am here writing this pieceā¦ HAPPY BIRTHDAY TONY! X
My poetic companion of AWAKE!
Lack of sight
a bend of electric guitar strings
opens a journey in the abyss
of the human unknown
dark alleyways riddled with walls of music
can you see all the electric guitar tabs
they are real
the echo of Pinocchio comes to fruition
to exist ā sceptics sneer
when will the disenchantment be terminated
our optics remain residually closed
in absence of effort
to be able see
to be able to understand
to be able to explode with a passion
which supersedes any type of expression
wait, can you hear it?
the electric guitar as it revolts
against societies angst
at times it is essential
that optics be dug out
perhaps at which point
sight will genuinely exist
sdrawkcab, clock cogs
tick
tock
t
ic
k
t
o
c
k
tick
tick
tock
time
valuable
diminished
semblance of sense
resides no more ā the forward
momentum that once allowed
a trajectory of innovation
to enhance our globe
is now coated in bile, feces,
and vomit
there is no timekeeper
sense is truly
an abolished
state
Devilās Pitchfork
I donāt know when my labyrinth
turned into a three-way serpent tongue
cemented on hallowed ground
journeyās are infinite
earth holds its secrets
no one ever will be able to identify
the capacity and desire
for fueled love
nothing inauthentic
a concept to solidify
human void of isolation
spirits are bound to the earth
with conceptual ghost shackles
more potent than the metal
which purposefully traps
human flesh
in order to transcend
illumination ā the earth of pain
must be clenched in a tight fist
then released to the powers
terra firma which crumbles
in the core of an unaware palm
of the history immersion
of the truth revealed
in not only love
but also
a profound sense
of comprehension
I am!
who the f*ck are you to tell me
I do not belong in this moment
to live in a world where
naysayers offer condolences
imagination supersedes
shattered systems
chapters occur in the form
of not only books
but also with the concept of music
each bar offered includes
with it a story that could either
propel a life to desire
to fight harder
or one that decides to languish
in the melancholy
of being a ghost
already dead
I think not!
If hope was pixie dust, would you sniff it?
Complexity disguised in the appearance
of several key signatures & changes
not to mention triad concealed
time signatures
I imagine in my mind
the long piano compositions
I used to practice to prepare
for my grade 2 Royal Conservatory Exam
with more than one alteration
throughout a distinctive piece
of music
the ability to retain one or two key signatures
is doable. However, the implementation
of a myriad in one composition -- perplexes:
d, f, and e minor adore the taunt
from the f# major
the technical component
escalates appreciation
of a composition
that offers Hopium
in exchange for an iridescent
tomorrow
āDear Lifeā
I never protected you
in a fashion conducive
to prosperity
stifled by numerous individuals
a proper chance to acquisition
the honest essence of how
youāve constructed me
in a fashion similar to Swiss Cheese
riddled with holes ā each one
void of purpose
bit by bit
you ensconced me in your reality
the emergence of selected
cluster mind photographs
are taken over with an authentic
drop of reality ink, well, the ink
is nothing special only when tethered
to the expression of an individual
who seeks to spelunk the caverns
of a soft spongy surface
over time, you dear life
consumed me with rested
embers that appreciate
rebirth and redemption
when chances are offered
the past is of no consequence
only a chartered path forward
to consume each moment
not only with passion
also, the many faces
of verity
Nothing has ever been normal!
A world steeped in hidden locks & keys
is significantly not normal
advocates on this earth
desire to listen to the battlecries
of those who have genuinely suffered
the ability to endure, is one that defies
any bloody odds you wish to place
why the hell, do others, not know how to acknowledge
their own independence,
their own fire in the bellies
their own decisions
we reside in a world
where if you disagree with someone you are wrong
how the hell is that going to be of benefit
to any human
how are children supposed
to feast on illumination
when at every corner there is a MASSIVE
sized annoying Alice in Wonderland Walrus
that refuses to move
the judgment cast from said character
is one that should be left in the depths of an oubliette
so hidden in the earthās core
that is a concept that many feel
should be done to individuals who have done
nothing wrong but exist in a world where
they are not the norm
the word normal in its sense
is supposed to encapsulate comfort
it has not done so
the word normal has been utilised
as a crutch, throughout society to defy
and neglect individualism
to take each character that is unique
and morph them into the ideal
of what the options should be as opposed
to what they are
“Itās only love thatās manifestā¦”
epic affords humanity
moments of life-scape
sincerity where
i am allowed to remain
static for a micro second
the ability for the capacity
for time to be a reality
as beings of complex emotion
what will i offer for my higher purpose
the verity of all my ugly
and elegance
shatters frozen plasma
in the pattern of a crime scene
the reel in the projector
is not completely damaged
only worn
to come to terms
with who i am, the person
i desire to be, certain philosophies
follow me wherever i go
if i am to be honest
i have the tenacity
to advocate for those
who feel they are unable
to speak
negative consequences
of a voice that stands
against society's
vile standards
i know my impact
i donāt like to discuss it; because
for me if i stop to meander
on various thoughts
of how my universe
places my organic being
in various locations
for the greater good
iāll explode
nick once explained it
ā as being an instrument
there are plenty
of reasons why
energies
collide
the movement of spirits
who adhere to the questions
of why?
my reply
ā why not?
Bonkers in the oubliette!
one flew over the cuckoos nest insanity offers with it -- a micro portion of comfort does it matter? who marinates in the repetition offered with the same daily routine -- there is a madness that evokes the ability to go CRAZY regardless of circumstance at present this straight jacket that holds my hands in a position to disallow me to move that piece of hair that impacts my visual acuity falls down my left optic each time I attempt to be gnab (bang, out of order)
Onyx Pitch
hear that, the manner in which
the electric guitar oozes its notes
enough to transform a nauseous
system into a full adulterated
state of unusual calm
tranquility exists in moments
of soft relaxation
what if,
what if, everything we knew
simply did not exist
the dark cloud
most of humanity resides
offers a proposed component
to achieve pockets of time
riddled with moments
of elegance
the picturesque piece
of noir is one that conceals
iridescent illumination
at its core
comfort is typically
discouraged inside of spaces
riddled with shadows
ā¦stopā¦listenā¦
peace is induces
tears
Cognizant!
As it was explained to me
by my mentor
man + woman + birth + death = infinity
what was neglected to be mentioned
is that, it is never that simple
there are so many variations
that could be made inside
this specific mathematical equation
life is not as linear as we have learned
we are taught as children to supposedly
play nice ā however, do individuals
genuinely engage in that behaviour
or do they stockpile insults in the fashion
of a severely jealous dragon
when is enough, enough?
humans have been engaged
in war since the dawn of time
of course, it was, it is the easiest
way to reign ā one line
on a map does not distinguish
where humans are from
it only sets to increase
the devastation
of future generations
unless it is finally
dissolved
Upper crust, with crumb validity
The level of extreme poverty in some of the earthās curve is disgraceful ā at this very moment 6:48 am EST on October 7 there are human beings who live in a space where a water boiling advisory resides Water is one of the most important elements, it offers hydration for moments of extreme thirst a liquid grave is not the proper response there are infrastructures which offer equality in addition to equity Unfortunately it falls under the concept of idealistic bullsh*t perhaps in my lifetime the phoenix will rise at this point I fear it's doubtful
Ohana!
A blacksheep born into a family seeks to find their tribe would you believe the formation was held together every single night for a hundred plus days As I write this poem cool tears slowly hug my cheeks there is something so essential about connection especially if it transforms individuals toward the positive This propels my once suicidal essence to appreciate the various dimensions offered from a collection of personalities who gathered for so many reasons more than just being entertained
in between AWAKE & ASLEEP
humanity walks in between two modes
alert & comatose ā throughout those
moments battles & wars are lost
children are born & die
some adults carry the mantle
to battle the wo/men
who came before
insomnia strikes the clock
over stupidity ā maneuver
through a world that knows
nothing
wheatgrass cries crimson
plasma which infests
the tobacco
LOVE!!!
it is so easy to hate however, the path is usually a dead end, with a relentless brick wall would you not prefer a cerebral banquet a jubilation which showcases immense adoration I understand that in life there must be a balance to be able to genuinely be afforded the best possible human pathway inside of each of us there is a profound annihilation where choices must be made do we break ourselves into perfectly shattered shards or use elemental properties to bond those components together? Iād like the red pill please anything is better than being trapped in a residence of a broken world that wishes to conceal inconsistencies in lieu of questions Life has to be uncomfortable it is the only way to allow justice to prevail in a fashion that is conducive to finally flourish regardless of terrain
Please note Art Credit Ā© Tony Moore, Pete Edwards, and Mathematical Artist Teja KraÅ”ek.
CCIQ Press 