I’d Rather Have a Cup of Coffee

I’d rather have a cup of coffee with a transgender woman…. than with any extremist on the right, most likely she won’t even own a gun let alone an AR15….. she hates violence of any type,

and since she studies history, we could talk about the constitution…. “assault rifles are not in there…” she continues, “do you realize how long it takes to reload a musket?”

She’s getting her PhD next year, but she tears up, reaches for a tissue from her purse because children aren’t being taught about the pain of racism, “slavery really did happen…. we need to acknowledge our pain, so we can heal”…. I shake my head yes,

when I mention the radical left, she laughs saying, “I’m more of a John McCain myself…..you see how people assume?” …. She mentions the only radicals she knows are in a musty old basement on the east side of Brooklyn, university students writing their manifesto….. “by the way, they have no guns,” she quickly adds,

“I think people just want Grandma to have her electricity on, to have heat in the winter, and some decent food to eat…. instead of dog food out of a can…. is that so terrible?” No not at all, not even one bit, “that’s not radical…. that’s being human,” I add. “Exactly!” she says.

Yes, I’m sure I could have an amazing conversation with a transgender woman….. but not with an extremist, from the right.

What time does Starbucks close?

Writing and Image Copyright © 2022 rivers renewed

Transgender

Colorado? Her world tilted when she heard the news. She felt sick. Weeping, she looked out her window. No birds could encourage her this time, no matter how hard they tried.

What should she do? What could she do? Drive out there? Take a bus? People there needed to be held, needed to be seen. By someone that cared.

After washing the tears from her face, she noticed the sun beginning to set behind the apartments across the street. She went for her coat and hat, determined to find some of her fellow transgender friends downtown.

“Dear God…” was all she could say as she walked out the door. She would hold someone tonight, and they would cry together, whispering “I know…. I know….” giving each other just enough,

courage

to make it

another day.

P.S. Hate and violence towards the LGBTQ community is getting worse in our country. Black transgender women are the most murdered group of people in the United States.

I stand against hate, and I stand with the LBGTQ community in Colorado Springs. If you don’t like people that are different from you, including the transgender community, please consider not following.

Much of this hate and violence is from the far right, starting with rhetoric.

For the next couple of weeks I’ll be resharing works of fiction I’ve written about transgender women. And maybe Emma will stop by to protect us, by extending her wings.

Poetry, Narrative and Image © Copyright, 2022 rivers renewed

Emma on the Border

The French cuisine was exquisite along the border. Emma reached for her steak knife, cutting deeply

into the honey glazed chicken, as she was bathed in the soft glow of candlelight in a quiet corner of the café. The meal reminded her of a certain general who always wanted her, honey glazed

The plan worked.

show ‘em a little leg, have him caught in a web of a beautiful seduction, and before he could be her champion… she called forth the wolves,

he learned his deadly mistake as he quivered on the marble steps. She had towered over him

another Nazi leader decimated,

eliminated,

then fertilizing the moss covered soil that would one day carry Allied tanks.

Emma poured herself another glass of wine, smiling sardonically, looking at her reflection in the shine of her steak knife. Then she cut deeply again into the honey glazed chicken, while a wolf howled in the distance.

She would never be the victim of anyone.

It was 1941. Or was it?

Writing and Image © Copyright 2022 rivers renewed

Of the Poet’s Heart

Autumn’s frost deepening the crimson of maple leaves, yet

I wonder

of the poet’s heart,

are we only placed here to renew, clearly

we have a voice

as with summer crickets singing

their sweet songs,

yet locusts clattering of who knows what, droning

until summer’s ear no longer listens.

So instead of singing sweetly or droning endlessly

I write simply,

will we survive until next autumn?

I wonder, and an equation is formed like this:

CONSPIRACY THEORIES = HATE = VIOLENCE AND CRUELTY = FACISM =

DESTRUCTION.

Think it can’t happen in the United States? It already has.

Just ask Paul Pelosi.

VOTE.

Poetry and Image © Copyright, 2022 rivers renewed

P.S. Almost all political hate is from the right. The “both sides” theory is from the right wing attempting to defuse their blame. More than 90% is from Republicans, according to Liz Cheney.

Decisions

This is why many religious people voted for the EX-president.

In spite of what the news calls immorality and lying, they voted for him.

They wanted someone on their side, to appoint people that would reflect their views, to turn the tide against secular views of morality.

The problem though is that not everyone believes the way a conservative Christian does. We are a nation of many faiths, ethnic groups and viewpoints. Only 30% of our people wanted this decision.

I recently heard a pastor put it this way: We now have two different views of what Christianity is. One says our views are important, and you need to adhere to them too. The other says I have faith, I’m a Christian, but I don’t have the right to control you’re body. And I shouldn’t.

And if you want to adhere to the view of what our founding fathers thought, think again. Many were deists. I’ll let you look that up. Then of course there was slavery.

Normally the Supreme Court goes through a series of opinions and negotiates an outcome. That didn’t happen this time. Extremists on the court pushed the decision through simply because they had the raw power to do so. What does this remind you of? Democracy? No.

I’m hoping that in the future we as a people will make better decisions reflecting who we are, not who we were a hundred years ago. By this I mean not only in elections, but in the way our government is structured. That we can fix the parts that are broken.

That raw power will be limited, and radicalism will not be allowed to destroy us.

I wish you peace.

Writing and Image © Copyright 2022 rivers renewed

A Trans Woman and Her Friends

Nathan was still pulling on his shirt when his phone buzzed on his nightstand. Ally’s text said, “Can you meet me at the park at 10:00? We need to talk…”

“Sure.”

“Felicia will be joining us later…”

“Cool!”

When he got there Ally was pacing back and forth in front of the fountain, agitated. “What’s up?” He was concerned that he had done something wrong. “So many guys are hitting on me, and quite a few of them are freaks! I hate freaks!” Nathan jumped in, “I get it, do you still have your Instagram and TikTok accounts….?” She cut him off.

“That’s not what we need to talk about…..Nathan, are we dating?” He hesitated. “Well….to be honest at first I just wanted to talk, and then I wanted to be friends. God knows I could use a friend….”

“Ok, good.” She actually looked relieved. She continued with, “Honey I don’t think I can handle a relationship right now, with everything I’m going through.” Nathan shook his head with sympathy saying, “I understand.”

“But if you ever change your mind honey, let me know. You know I trust you. To be honest as I go through the transition….I’m going to change, and well….you know….you might actually like what you see!” She blushed and smiled at the same time. “What??” He was a bit dumbfounded.

“Hey guys!” Felicia walked up, neither of them had seen her coming. She said, “Guess who got promoted to Assistant Manager?” “No!” Both Ally and Nathan said it at the same time.

“Not only were Rick and his girlfriend fired….” Nathan jumped in with, “Wait the nitwit waitress was his girlfriend?” Felicia nodded yes. “Anyway, Mrs. Matthews closed the restaurant temporarily and held a press conference apologizing to the community. Before you two came in that day, Rick’s girlfriend refused to serve an African American couple!

“What?!! Unbelievable!” Both Ally and Nathan said the same thing at the same time. This time they looked at each other. What’s going on here?

With a knowing look on her face Felicia asked Ally if she could talk to Nathan privately. Ally walked a short distance away and sat on a park bench. Felicia leaned in with Nathan and said, “You may want to be just friends now, but one day as she goes through this process, you’re going to fall for her….. big time. Big….time!

Nathan’s eyes grew wide, and he thought…..Oh no!! Felicia continued, “Didn’t you just hear her? She trusts you and she’s waiting…..waiting for you!”

“Oh no!!” This time he said it out loud.

Writing and Image Copyright © 2021 rivers renewed

Note: If we see these friends again the title will be, Ally and Friends

Thank you for reading! Peace.

With a Trans Woman at the Vegan Place

She rushed in front of him to pull the door handle when they walked up to the restaurant. She opened the door saying, “This way sir!”. When she laughed her head went back, and he noticed she really did look like a woman when she did that. All he could think of to say was, “Funny lady…” They both smiled.

Once they were inside though the staring began. He had been going there for 2 years and had never seen anything like it. When they found a table, a young blondish woman walked over setting 2 menus on the table. She said nothing and walked away. And she was not smiling. The two of them looked at each other.

They were on a first name basis now, so she said, “Nathan what do you want from me?” He looked at her bewildered, saying nothing. “Nobody is nice to a Trans woman unless they want something…..so what do you want….? Her raised eyebrow told him more than her words.

“Oh God!” was all he could think of to say. “You think that??” He was stunned and hurt by her words. “I don’t want anything!” Ok that came out too loud. A couple of people turned to look at him. “Ally why would you think something like that?” She was quiet but her eyebrow lowered.

The same blond waitress came out to take their order a short time later, but she said nothing. She simply stood there silently, with a disgusted look on her face, holding her notepad and pencil. They did place their order and he was about to say something else when the waitress walked away silently.

Ok now he was hot. Ally could see it coming, and cautioned him, “Nathan don’t!” Too late. He pushed his chair back, stood up and declaring loudly said, “Hey wait a minute! Who do you think you are??” “Nathan please! Sit down!” Ally was beginning to panic while the whole restaurant was quietly watching them….” Yet he continued, “You can’t treat people that way!”

To be continued later today.

Writing and Image Copyright © 2021 rivers renewed

Memorial Day 2021

My father-in-law fought in World War II, and was there for the invasion of Normandy. Specifically he was on Omaha Beach and lived to tell about it. Later he fought in the Korean War.

My Dad was in the military too but due to his age he was in between the wars. They are both long since passed away.

It’s difficult to know sometimes what to write on days like today. It’s a solemn day, remembering all those who gave their lives fighting…..for our democracy.

For me personally, I thank God for them. I’m also grateful to come from a long line of fighting Nazis, and right wing extremism.

Wishing you peace today. Let’s remember….. to remember.

Writing and Image Copyright © 2021 rivers renewed

In Diversity There is Strength

In this age of racism and strife, I wanted to make a statement that all people are welcome here!

Regardless of your race, or where you are from, or your language, or religion, or if you have no religion,

you are welcome here. Unless you’re a bully! No bullies are allowed on this site. 

Diversity is a strength. We each have something important to contribute to our world.

I so appreciate all my readers!

Thank you so much!

      

Writing, and Image © Copyright 2020, ancient skies

Writer’s Wings

Even when I’m folding my wings I’m very aware

of the wordflow waiting…

phrases seeking

another river,

another poem

from within my heart.

      

I’m grieving like many of you over the deadly racism in the United States.

Do we have a right to criticize other nations? It’s a sin really from our very beginning.

And I also grieve for how the far-right is ripping us apart. Caring more for their assault rifles than they do for people.

Closer to home my wife needs further treatments for cancer. The last round was not enough.

There will be more aggressive, more invasive treatments and that means more horrible side effects.

And we had a cousin die recently…..from cancer. This was the cousin that had the big family gatherings every year…

for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We’ve eaten at their home many times. He was in his forties, married with children.

I’ve shared these things because I’ve had the wind knocked out of me like I wrote in yesterday’s poem.

No, I don’t feel a need to stop blogging. I still have plenty of wordflow…….somewhere, but I’m grieving.

I just need some restoration, with my wings folded.

     

Poetry, Writing and Image © Copyright 2020, ancient skies