Tuesday, December 1, 2015

"Time To Admit" by Stephen Jarrell Williams


Time To Admit

Something wrong
with all of us

time to admit

we can't stop
the suffering

too far gone
spin of our sins

web of machines
pressed to our flesh

underworld pulling strings

needing to look up
falling to our knees.

 

Published in Catapult To Mars- October 2011

Sunday, November 15, 2015

"Ego" by Stephen Jarrell Williams



EGO

None of us
saw
what the world was coming to

we had ideas and even visions
but
nothing like the slap and roar of the end

children no longer born
women no longer loved
sea and sky no longer blue

earth, wood, and stone
falling
on every man so full of himself.



Published in protestpoems.org- December 24, 2011

Monday, November 2, 2015

"You Shouldn't" by Stephen Jarrell Williams




You Shouldn’t

They say you shouldn’t
Antagonize the government
With their continuing expansion of the Patriot Act
Supplying sniper rifles to one-eyed Jacks

Marshall Law signs already printed up and stored
In vacant buildings outside of town and city

Row-after-row of thousands training
Strategically staged across the country
Containment forces with truck loads of body bags

NSA listening
Lists drawn
Odds are you’re on at least one page with an X

Easy now
Don’t panic

You use to think your body was God’s
But they’ll use it
After you’re shot and displayed like a ragdoll
Igniting you on TV

What a fire that will be
The news announcing nothing to worry about
Just a trash fire
Another trouble-maker dead

For everything is under control here at home
Smoke becoming our atmosphere.


Published in The Camel Saloon- January 2015
 

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

In The Morning by Stephen Jarrell Williams



 

In The Morning

We walk in a quiet march
under heavy clouds,
mist falling

mini pearls clinging to our coats.


The singing has ended for the night,

the song still in our minds,

our throats swore

by the meaning of the words.

Tomorrow we will be in the City of Cities,
all the world will hear.

We are some of the many

millions wanting

change in the kingdoms of government...


We move on,

our numbers blurring the sight of us...


Thunder rumbling in the distance,

countries beginning to bow.


Not enough bullets, or fire, or depravity

can weigh us down like the old days lying,

lying, so much lying...


We are no longer meek.

Our strength is our will

pushing down the walls with our flood of flesh.


In the mourning we will sing.  We will sing.
And they will listen.



Published in The Camel Saloon- January 2011

Thursday, December 25, 2014

The Grind by Stephen Jarrell Williams



 
The Grind

Losing
yourself
in the rush unwillingly

crowd carried
trying not to panic

another day

same
insane
world

coping
by pretending
this is how it is

finally
pushing
back

too late

bumping into something
you've felt
too many times

the grind
the irreversible grind.



Published in Catapult To Mars- February 2011

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Down And Out by Stephen Jarrell Williams

Out
on the rim

of the spinning city,

at home in my dizzy whirl,

licking my computer screen,

dust of many,

buzz of more, more, more...


All the toxic leaders

soaking in mega tubs,

my lifeblood keeping them afloat

with my fractured family

and bent self.


Southland weather promising fire

sticks burning like pretzels,

salt of the earth leaving a slight stain

down the middle of the street,

shame, shame, shame...


I don't want to die just yet,

wanting to squeeze it before the crash.


I wanted what others wanted,

lost sight of the everyday glow.


The system corrupting.

My toes in the stir.

Round and round,

we all fall

down.



Published in Shoots And Vines- December 2009

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

In A Dark Time by Stephen Jarrell Williams


In a dark time
within us and here,

we smooth ourselves over

with oil and gossip.


Beating our heels into the floor music,

paying more with less

awareness.


Whistling old songs

like they'll save us.


Give us that shot,

vaccine against swine

boiled in the underworld.


There's not enough

lighthouses to cast light over the dying sea.


The fires are burning California.


Where's the great Kennedy from yesterday?


Only Dylan still has a spark to share.


We should march for something...


We're in a vacuum of overpopulation,

soulless mass,

lost


in a dark time.




Published in protestpoems.org- September 2009

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Ravenous by Stephen Jarrell Williams

 Ravenous
 
Father of blood-red fields,
you must be weary.

Haven't you enough of the dead?

There's certainly enough wounded...

Is your thirst unending?

It must be.
Here comes the silver jets.
The black bombers.

Your will is solid.
Constant.  Ravenous.

Could you at least consider
the women and children
huddled in their homes?

You're ruthless, aren't you?

The explosions are your laughter.
The fires are your long fingertips
probing the corpse.





Published in The Dark Fiction Spotlight- January 2011

Published in Mirror Dance- June 2009

Published in Black Book Press *

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Sister Revolution by Stephen Jarrell Williams


SISTER REVOLUTION

They killed my sister.

Hung her
on the side of the road.

An example
not to tell,
when you see
how they pull our strings
from birth to premature death.

She was a good girl.

Changed her clothes behind the door
leading the revolution.

She's still alive in spirit.

Her voice sweet
as a lioness at their throats.

 

Published in Deuce Coupe- February 2010


Monday, September 3, 2012

In The Morning by Stephen Jarrell Williams


We walk in a quiet march
under heavy clouds,

mist falling

mini pearls clinging to our coats.


The singing has ended for the night,

the song still in our minds,

our throats swore

by the meaning of the words.

Tomorrow we will be in the City of Cities,
all the world will hear.

We are some of the many

millions wanting

change in the kingdoms of government...


We move on,

our numbers blurring the sight of us...


Thunder rumbling in the distance,

countries beginning to bow.


Not enough bullets, or fire, or depravity

can weigh us down like the old days lying,

lying, so much lying...


We are no longer meek.

Our strength is our will

pushing down the walls with our flood of flesh.


In the mourning we will sing.  We will sing.
And they will listen.



Published in The Camel Saloon- January 2011

Friday, August 3, 2012

Back to the Beginning by Stephen Jarrell Williams

 

We're in a slow tumble,
sleepy-eyed...

The whole country a quack,
paying now and forever.

They say it's our fault.
Maybe it is...

Thinking of the kids...
We deserve to be stepped on.

But I believe
we can shake ourselves out of this.

Changing those at the top
to the bottom.

Going back to the beginning,
common sense and hard work...

A friend to earth and sky and self.

 

Published in Word Catalyst Magazine- February 2010


Thursday, July 12, 2012

Lost In Iraq by Stephen Jarrell Williams

Never free
in the arms of the ice queen,

mopping the floor
with the back of your head,

you're grinning in ecstasy and pain,
humming that tomorrow will stay away.

You're flawed
with the war in your dreams,

your old outpost still
in the mountains of the penniless,

falling forever
into her eyes,

she keeps your stick swinging,
fingers cold,

unpromising,
multicolored in the spin of your room,

your uniforms in the closet
hanging above the sniffing rats,

they snuck in
nestled in her purse,

as she steals your nobility,
snuffs out your fire.




Published in Counterexample Poetics- 2009

Thursday, June 28, 2012

In A Dark Time by Stephen Jarrell Williams

In a dark time
within us and here,

we smooth ourselves over

with oil and gossip.


Beating our heels into the floor music,

paying more with less

awareness.


Whistling old songs

like they'll save us.


Give us that shot,

vaccine against swine

boiled in the underworld.


There's not enough

lighthouses to cast light over the dying sea.


The fires are burning California.


Where's the great Kennedy from yesterday?


Only Dylan still has a spark to share.


We should march for something...


We're in a vacuum of overpopulation,

soulless mass,

lost


in a dark time.




Published in protestpoems.org- September 2009

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Ego by Stephen Jarrell Williams


EGO

None of us
saw
what the world was coming to

we had ideas and even visions
but
nothing like the slap and roar of the end

children no longer born
women no longer loved
sea and sky no longer blue

earth, wood, and stone
falling
on every man so full of himself.


Published in protestpoems.org- December 24, 2011

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Throne Sitters by Stephen Jarrell Williams


Humanity
is
awakening

pushing
back

the downward
press

of the elite's fat asses.



Published in protestpoems.org- February 2011

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

No Man's Land by Stephen Jarrell Williams

You're shaking,
mumbling on


barren plain of smoldering

stumps,


distant city

smoking ruins,


river full

boiling ash,


burnt boots,

hanging rags,


coughing hoarse,

chewing blood,


you survived the blast,

doomsday bomb,


searching mile after mile,

no woman to touch,


no holy house,

no sacred word.




Published in protestpoems.org- October 2009

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Down And Out by Stephen Jarrell Williams

Out
on the rim

of the spinning city,

at home in my dizzy whirl,

licking my computer screen,

dust of many,

buzz of more, more, more...


All the toxic leaders

soaking in mega tubs,

my lifeblood keeping them afloat

with my fractured family

and bent self.


Southland weather promising fire

sticks burning like pretzels,

salt of the earth leaving a slight stain

down the middle of the street,

shame, shame, shame...


I don't want to die just yet,

wanting to squeeze it before the crash.


I wanted what others wanted,

lost sight of the everyday glow.


The system corrupting.

My toes in the stir.

Round and round,

we all fall

down.



Published in Shoots And Vines- December 2009