an exile in
his own mind
by Roberto
Lavidez
one cannot
act without
soiling
one’s hand
the influence
of the
unconscious
mind
in building up
images
assuming
all forms
and adopting
all accents
reveling
in myths
and vain
illusions
the wild
gothic force
of unreason
joined to
a dawning
sense of
disparity
and isolation
quenching
that light
in what is
to man
darkness
an exile
in his
own mind
that man
cannot
avoid one
inconvenience
without
incurring
another
bowing to
no measure
of rationality
morality
or mercy
the similitude
of the
thoughts
and passions
of one man
to the
thoughts
and passions
of another
impeded by
a curious
combination
of racialism
and fear
entering
on an
endless
cycle
in which
cynicism
and violence
encouraged
one another
men in
great numbers
died
not out
of thirst
but because
of poisoned
water
all steeped
in history
and zeitgeist
culminating
in the excesses
of building
a globe
generating
a never-ending
passion to
the death
if it were
a prophecy
it was
a false
prophecy
imitating
a past
that was
supposed
to be
condemned
without
the necessity
of the
intervention
of any
extrinsic force
without
the constant
talk of the
possibility
of bloodshed
the barbarians
at the gate
would all
disappear
into the
censor's
black box
in which
all else
is contained
©robertolavidez2014
dig this
by Roberto Lavidez
there weren't
a lot of words
only ugly
memories
from the past
caught in
the paradox
of having
the capacity
to argue
against
the essence
dwelling on
metamorphosis
at the transitional
most abhorrent
moment
recognizing
the desperate
need for us all
to treat
each other
with dignity
the only limiting
factor is human
imagination
in the face of
extraordinary
pressure
and conflict
many stereotypes
are reinforced
and burning
secrets revealed
as people are
searching
for more
obscure things
rescued from
their present
state of
ignorance
superstition
and helplessness
we are compelled
to face with
sober senses
the real
conditions
of life
ethics and
politics are
inextricably
intertwined
on all sides
we have to dig
into ourselves
into our state
of nature myths
which could
change the
way we think
we have to
ask ourselves
which do we
keep
and which
do we let
melt away
into air
if we can
confront
our own
memories
and expunge
the feelings of
contamination
out of
miscalculations
misunderstandings
and mutual
suspicions
the culture
had been
geared toward
turning people
into expendable
casualties
creating a
class of people
who are
permanently
disenfranchised
we have
to keep
digging
dig really deep
into ourselves
and remember
that we’re
in this
dignity
business
for the
long
haul
©robertolavidez2014
the god of writing
by Roberto Lavidez
to expose
and confront
malevolent
powers
to be freed
from the
molestation
of evils which
otherwise
await us
to throw
a great light
upon a very
dark subject
however
disfigured
by exaggeration
and inaccuracy
the world
is beyond
the subject
unknown
uncertain
unclear
to throw
into the scales
left to linger
in a state
filled with
foreboding
too delicate
a matter
to set down
in black
and white
the manifestation
of the sky
surrounded
by objects
hanging
in space
the interdependence
the indivisibility
of rights
exhibiting
a notable
ambiguity
wittily
worded
that anger
was barely
perceptible
faced with
the apathy
of the masses
all resting on
the unspoken
and sometimes
heavily
emphasized
the reason
so many
atrocities
could take
place
no mind
would have
contented
itself with an
unfathomable
incomprehensible
mystery
during
the season
of damp
and fog
grasped as
a reminiscence
of something
concrete
offsetting
universality
with historical
relativism
hungering
after proofs
of immortality
only the god
of writing
gaining
complete
dominance
within society
knows how
to put
an end
to a way
of life
that leaves
nobody
unscathed
unless he
himself
behaves
like an
imbecile
inviting
martyrdom
©robertolavidez2014
occupied
misreadings
by Roberto Lavidez
there were
many errors
of translation
and numerous
misreadings
and some fairly
definite
conclusions
present
themselves
almost unsought
these things
don’t disappear
they are
reformulated
and reinterpreted
in ways
in which
it is adopted
on aggressive
mission
holy wars
primitivism
and the like
produced
through
cultural
discourses
and vast
networks
of social
relationships
perhaps in
remembering
perhaps in
irony
writing
histories
without
analogy
without
parallel
in the
ongoing
drama of
investing life
without
a purpose
without
a direction
without
common
understanding
this is the
crux
of the
matter
allowing us
to praise
the great
dead
as if they
were still
alive
intoxicating
them with
the miasma
of their
primitive
hatred
sending into
paroxysms
of godlessness
a world
of war
sickness
hunger
and pain
the great men
of the past
had too often
been disruptive
no other
path of action
would be
appropriate
for they were
precisely
the features
a hoaxer
would eliminate
the exclusionist
view that
there was
only one
truth
about the
inner nature
of the world
temporarily
breaking
the hold of
a suffocating
sun
unexamined
uncriticized
uninspected
evidence free
argument
resting on
nothing
more than
speculation
the lack
of respect
the quick
judgement
we make of
each other
coming back
again to the
same old cycle
occupation
evictions
and violence
whether as
hero
clown
or fiend
to shed faith
is to embrace
the logic
of the occupier
©robertolavidez2014
