poem

Daddy wanted beer bad
Mom parked in the wrong parking lot
On purpose
Daddy said he scrapped his balls on the guard rail
Daddy said it was worth it
And that the Fourth of July is for only
If you are alive

M. Taggart

Sent from my iPhone

Truth in Blood – A Poem

There is truth in blood.

Words go unseen with a hiss from the tongue-
What an interesting way
Blood runs
Watch the eyes first, the face will soon follow-
No longer behind words hidden in the wind

Copyright 2017 -M. Taggart

I Love My Country

In the heat of many passions it’s possible to forget to remember what’s good. In all times there are wars and divides splitting peoples of every country. That does not make all peoples of each country bad people. And it’s my belief that people ought not hide their love for their country, nor their flag, for fear of the bad. I’m thankful for the ground I walk on and I hope others are as well. No matter where they call home.

You don’t need permission to love your country. Photo credit google images.

December 19, 2010.  Connecticut River, Sunderland MA.  A man decides where to launch. It’s his birthday and he chooses to celebrate with the river.  Notice the skull in the rock.

Icy steps in Wilcox park. Westerly, Rhode Island.  Always walk on.

Hunting in Northern Maine. The area is large. You best bring proper gear.

Typical New England drive after new snow fall. Hills of Connecticut.

A couple takes a moment to enjoy a bottle of red while tucked away near the edge  of the property at Jonathan Edwards Winery. North Stonington, CT.

The tree awaits a friend to sit at its base and read. Gill, MA. My home town.

Old concrete steps leading into a salt water inlet. Westerly, RI.

There are only so many steps we will take. Find your country.  Enjoy it best you can.

You might also enjoy my self published short story found via the amazon link below.  Cheers.  -M. Taggart

I recorded a mirror

Earlier I recorded a mirror.  The sound of a hushed one came. -M. Taggart

Cadence – a poem

Let us not-
We’re in a fine cadence-
To awaken is most unkind-

To Judge a Color

But I haven’t a color. I’m invisible.
They need you to mark your color. Here, on this document.
I don’t wish to do that. I’m invisible.
But, you aren’t, I see you fine and you’re here.
Why do they want to mark my color?
Because they wish to judge.
Why would they judge a color?

They were taught to do so.
By who?
I’m not sure.
I don’t understand.
They were taught to judge in a space with benches.
Are the benches upset with us?
No.

There’s a box here. On this document. It wants to know if I’m African American, Latino, or White. Where are the other colors and peoples?
Don’t worry about that.
But they are missing? Are they also invisible?

Hemingway

“Be careful, he said to himself, it is all very well for you to write simply and the simpler the better. But do not start to think so damned simply. Know how complicated it is and then state it simply.” – Hemingway, The Garden of Eden.

Hemingway. This author is my favorite author. This book was published after his death. I read this and thought, yet again he was ahead of his time, and still teaching.

Accidental Politics- An Apology

To the two military personnel that stood, at attention, ready and saluting our President, I’m sorry.

It’s my personal opinion that many in our society have lost the ability to admit when we’re wrong.  That accepting responsibility by simply saying, ‘We messed up,’ is refreshing and creates character along with loyalty.  Instead, many of us focus on how to cover our tracks.  Creating shields of indifference which clouds agendas and cripples truth. Making it difficult to understanding what to believe in, with heart and soul.  So, while it’s unlikely that you’ll receive an apology from where it ought to come from, I’ll take a shot at doing it for them.

I’d like to apologize because you are both unnamed and yet we know you so well.  I’d like to shake your hands, and tell you face-to-face, how incredibly important you are and that you are not unrecognized.  We see you.  We see your posture, it’s perfect and unflinching.  And, as you stand at attention, doing your duty and executing protocol, we see leadership exuding from you.

I’ve felt sadness and have stopped looking to our country’s leaders for hope.  This has happened withing the past number of years.  But, when I saw both of you, holding your position, with focus and dignity, I felt it.  I realized that our strength as a country can be seen within you.  I need not look at the President for leadership, I can simply look at you and my fellow Americans all around me.

Like many, my focus fell on what I found to be the most important issue. Both of you.  While many of us watched the indifference take place, you lived it.

I wondered what you were thinking?  I wanted to know how long you’d been standing at attention, waiting.  Five minutes, five hours?  Were you excited?  Was this the first time your Commander-in-Chief saluted you?  Do you have families? If so, are you deploying, or are you back from deployment and now able to stay out of harms way?  Are you wondering if anyone noticed, or cared?  Did you feel let down?  Did your morale dip slightly?  I’ve often thought that morale is much like a company’s brand.  Everything matters.

I hoped that you knew that I was wondering these things.  I hope you know that we all wonder these things.  We see you.  And as I mentioned above, though we do not know you personally, you are incredibly important to us and you are not unrecognized.

I hope you accept this apology.  It’s not coming from military personnel, but from an average citizen of the United States of America; one who loves his country very much and was concerned enough to make sure that at least one hand, of apology, was held out.  And please know, there are many more, just like me.

Thank you for inspiring me.  Thank you for inspiring us.

Sincerely,

M. Taggart

If anyone reading this has the ability to put this apology in front of a network that can help this letter find it’s true home, please help in that process.  Thank you in advance.