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The Pirate With The Golden Gun
By 4 La Mer (Ebb und Flow) 5 C411in' De Sh1ps to P0r7. 6 Le Morte: A Cold Morning. 7 Cold 8 Mi Oscurita 9-10 Venus in A Mortal World 11 Written In Sand 12 To The Beautiful Miss Fortune 13 Words of A Dead Lover 14 Certainty in The Sun 15-16 Pirate Queen 17 Crosshatched-Commentary From the desk of A Cosmic Pirate
(Works first published in Humboldt State University Women's Resource Center "The Matrix")
Colour De LibertĂŠ Diaspora De L'AngĂŠlique
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2013 edition: Not-So-Silent Witness Courier New Miss Fortune Aerial Typeface General Lonely Heart Palatino Linotype Between 2011 (when this collection was first assembled) and now, my interaction with literature has expanded tremendously. I have explored the works of Jackie Kay, John Agard, Linton Kwasi Johnson, and Una Marson. The effect that these artists have had on my approaches to writing have, at this point, yet to unfold. I do hope that their influence has, if nothing else, enriched my style and made my own writing as enjoyable as theirs. The major revisions and edits that appear within this collection, as opposed to the 2011 edition, are the varied fonts (used to better illustrate the multiple voices that appear); the addition of "Le Morte: A Cold Morning" (the photo is from the Paris catacombs; and the usage of "1337" speak. As a matter of social/cultural relevancy, "leet" speak or simply 1337 is reflective of an age that is well engaged with technology--consider digital social networks, smart phones and microcomputer if you will. Leet appears most prominently in the piece "Pirate Queen," an homage to the perseverance of the my elder generadion. Lastly, the title fonts are of my own pen, a labor of intense love. I do hope that you enjoy reading this collection, laugh a little and share this with your special friends, families and Loved ones. Oceans D'Amore Michael Ray De Los Angeles -3-
By de shores of Almizry und Woe General Lonely Heart waz defeated; A sad songe was played inside de Heart home-Disbelief in the cold act completed. General Lonely Heart should have retreat'd; Oft pride fools de best, oft pride does treezon. (Heart gasped, him resources were deplet'd, But far too late came de voice of Reason). Could he have liv'd for just one more seazon? Only Fate doth knoe-- he built de pyre, De one which held Heart de lonely seaman. (To de west ashes soared from de warm fire). De world spins on, and is unforgiving; Heart, another victim of fearless living.
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(Ebb) La mer: the sea, It has consumed mountains-It has consumed me. I lay wasted on this unknown shore (For I was intoxicated by your beauty). Of Idolatry I am guilty (Because I saw divinity in only your eyes) But you my dear are an arsonist, For the fires which rage Through the valleys and peaks of my heart, Were started by your hands.
(Flow) Allow me to remove this arrow Which has been buried deep in my heart; By moonlight and star shine, May this mercury ocean wash away the blood. This moment is quite eternal (Even if you are not), So allow me to make peace (Lest you should not rise again).
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C411in' De Sh1ps to P0r7. -6-
Le Morte: A Cold Morning. -7-
Even morning is cold without your touch, I feel my body tremble. Thoughts of you keep me warm, Like a fire in cold December. Still, a dream of you Is simply a dying ember.
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Mi Oscurita La Bella en la noche Me han capturado tus ojos. Posiblamente ya estoy sordo Porque solamente oigo tu voz, La simfonía de tus palabras Pueden hacer los angelitos llorar. Mi Oscurita La muerte me tuvo de la lengua Y la luna me hypnotisó, Pero ya entiendo porque La luna brilla en la noche, Ella brilla de celosa Por tu radiante belleza La luna jala las olas de orilla Tratando de capturar un pedaso de tu essensia. Aunque luna y estrella tiene la atención del mundo, Tú, tienies la mía Y eso, Ellas no la tenien. He hablado a Afrodita, Cúpido y Eros Y cada uno de ellos Me dijo que no podían comparar. Elusiva Oscurita ¿Por qué debo esconderme? La inspiración que me despiertas
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Es más radiente que el sol Quemando las palabras directamente al la página Con todo el odio y la furia Del final de nuestros dias Porque amor es amor Y tú y yo estamos exsistiendo Si tú me quieres Por ser un organismo que siente, Entonces Te devuelvo los mismos sentimientos.
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I have fall'n for her, she is lovely, The way that she moves upon the sea breeze. Still, I wunder could she fall for me? We sit upon Earth with Melancholy, (Beneath the darkness of the old oak trees). I have fall'n for her, she is lovely. Drawn closer, she a flower, I a bee; The ways her curves move, oh my how they tease. (Still, I wunder could she fall for me)? Her scent fills the air with nothing but glee-Sweet intoxication--how it doth please. (I have fall'n for her, she is lovely). ` My thoughts are of she(so flowing and free, For one catches "not-love" through jealousies); Still, I wunder could she fall for me? Of all the bright stars in the galaxy You are she which brought Egypt to its knees. (I have fall'n for her, she is lovely Still, I wunder could she fall for me)?
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These Restless messages writt'n in sand Are wash'd away by unforgiving waves (As I lay here, brok'n, with bleeding hands My soul waits for me inside of the grave). She speaks to me through her cold frigid tears Waitin' for a diamond I’ll never give, But it seems, my words fall on her deaf ears (She dreams of a life we can never live). So plead and beseech if you feel the need, Then exile those dreams into the sea-Stand triumphant with eyes free of defeat, It will be then that you and I can be. I love you (with all my sense of being), But mi darkling, don’t ask me for a ring.
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. You thought I sent you roses, And I could even speak, You thanked me oh so kindly; And you said that I was sweet Once I could finally open My twisted little jaw I did declare to my dear Ms. Fortune That the roses were not from moi. (Tokens of my devotion Do not lie inside a rose But instead inside a kiss One that she shall never again know).
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I
want
to
forget you, To awakewhilestilldreaming And have the errs of these past evenings Get lost in the hazymorning sun. (Don’t think that I regret you But you need to move on The light is burning through the curtains And my eyes are adjusting to this pain) The common ground we thought we had Is as solid as brokenglass We may have co-existed at a point in time-But this is not it, G o o d bye.
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(Rise) So there I sat, Waiting for the sun-Hoping to be blinded by his rays-And so there I sat, upon the tomb Of Livingston Travestae . I knew Inside my head And in my burning heart That surely If the sun did rise, Then surely the world would be alright. The night had consum'd my love, I was here and she was gone. So there I sat and wait'd for the sun. So there I sat (Unsure of the moment before me Could the mountains crumble, Or would the sky first consume me)? A million possibilities were floating about , All of them depended on The orb of the east rising above the clouds.
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(Shine) The first rays of light Peered through the darkness, (Like bits of rain drops Falling from earth, upwards).
The sun’s rays were etch'd into my gaze. The evening’s mishaps, proved not the end of days. Thus the sun rose, bringing the day anew As my fluttering heart Did bid that evenin's dilemma adieu...
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R o m a n c e i s d e a d Qu3 V1va Qu3 V1va Qu3 V1va la ev0luc1on *L0ng l1ve de p1rat3s w1th d golden guns (Dey seen 7he mercury wars und Dey fearlessly strive on. De millennium p1rat3s R one und one b31ngs: De m1llennium p1rat3s Dey R what dey dream. (((Sometimes the maps of the heart are misread, Out of fear of limitless potential. Sometimes we sail blindly questing for treasure, questing for pleasure))). W1th1n dis l1f3 Take what ye may But remember “Nothing gold can stay� C4rp3 N0ct3m amor-1gnus 4uru177 pr0b4t m1ser1a v1ros
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*Crosshatched Commentary from A Cosmic Pirate*
(First Published in Humboldt State University Women's Resource Center's "The Matrix, Spring 2013") Diaspora De L'Angélique. We came from Arizona, from Mexico, from Los Angeles…? Our names forgotten, our past rewritten our hearts still beating. We moved, then settled, on mediocrity; erasing our warrior ancestry. Spilt bloods, captured in oil, celebrated with hallow planks of redwood desire, Here too are the remnants of genocide; Oh look how they smile. I crossed rivers, bridges and borders from La Mirada to the Avenues; I slept while gunshots wept And helicopters screamed ownership of Father Sky’s Face. Yes, I jumped fences, through barbed wired only to find more metal twisted in my pathway.
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Now I walk barefoot, I released the shackles of yesterday. Looking back, I see the trail of blood sweat and tears I have left. Looking forwards I see* the trail of tears that still flows before me. We came, from Arizona, from Mexico, from Los Angeles our names forgotten our past rewritten our hearts still beating.
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Colour De Liberté “Me not no Oxford don Me a simple Immigrant” - John AgardDis skin, dis skin, dis skin I am in it bin wit me tru’ tick ‘nd tin— From spit on face To belly on chalk ‘tain’d concrete. Dis skin It no e’ver change colour: It no ‘ever bleach’d Dem say, (yes, dem say) “you too dark. w’o left y’u in oven?” Say I, “528 degrees just right; Skin no ‘cause no problem Skin no ‘cause no strife— ‘cept from ‘ou who say “you too dark, Jah left you in oven.” O but Dis skin, dis skin, dis skin I am in,€ Is beautiful like C o c o n u t, Like djembe… Like dundun… Dis skin, dis skin I am in. Skin mine no tell nig’gar story, no. Skin mine no wetback story, no; It not story of every “multiethnic ghetto child living C a l I f o r n I a” No. No. No.
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Skin mine only tell my story What skin yours say? It beautiful like kenkeni? Like Dundunba? Like Cherymoya? How skin yours sing for you?
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About From chalk on concrete to beat boxing on side streets, I am, je suis, yo soy Michael Ray De Los Angeles. As a peaceful warrior from the golden state I have overcome the challenges of life through a dedication to arts such as dance, photography, poetry and theatre. Life's experiences have taught me compassion and perseverance, and as a student of life I seek to expand and share my knowledge. In short, art is a transformative process and it can be used to communicate with the subconscious mental process. During my time at Humboldt State University, I have served as the Poetry Division Editor for the Toyon Literary Journal (2012-2013) and have published photography, art and poetry within the Women’s Resource Center’s The Matrix. As a member of the Humboldt Circus, participated in multiple show cases (“So Many Colors” in Spring of 2012 and “One Continuous Lick in Fall of 2012 and Carnival of the Mind Spring 2013).
Keep in Touch: MichaelRayDeLosAngeles.org MichaelRay@LoraxCommunity.org www. youtube.com/vampyrohtechnix -22-
A CH1LDR3N 0F DE MATR1X PR0DUC710N. La Casa Comunal Press 2010, 2013. --------Humboldt; Chico; Route 99, California -23-