My Nightmare Side of Life Quotes

The Nightmare Side of Life Quotes

17/06/11Why take the drugs when you can live here & have a bad trip anytime you like? The only side effects are insanity with a bad attitude. No boredom, but it comes with a big price tag - you'll never know what is reality ever was... if there even IS a reality, one that seems never to go away. Welcome to the nightmare time. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

15/09/10Do we ever in this life know why things turn out as they do? Some of what we think of as our worst flaws saves us much grief while some of our best strengths don't help when we think they should. Still, all works together for us in ways we don't always see. Nothing is as it appears. So, I say relax more, enjoy, & work with whatever happens. Might as well smile, too. It's free. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

21/01/11Brave smiles to hide the tears ripping a living heart asunder. Such sad eyes. Why can I not reach you with my hands? You are so far. But, I can reach you with my heart. Can I move mountains to love you? Will it be enough? So many mountains need a very big heart. I can & I must try. Love & Life demand it. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

22/01/11Decades later she still heard the terrified screams, smelt the blood. The words "she talked" burned, locked her in an extreme-still silence. No visible sign of emotion was safe. Ultra-sweet compliance was her defiance & survival. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw, Baby Tears

25/01/11Moment by moment I am training myself to respect all of me as a whole & worthwhile person. I am learning to turn scared into sacred. I am learning that I really am who I am, & who I am is exactly who I was meant to be. I am learning this is the same for all my relations in creation. AND, it is a joy. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

26/01/11I hated my body until I realized it was how I heard, saw, tasted, felt, smelt, & experienced life. Without my humble body functioning despite all it goes thru, I would not be here. I could not love, laugh, think, or enjoy all I have so far. So, I am learning to love & bless my body. It's about time. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

12/03/11So, are we all to live in The City of Embers as surviving mutant ninja humans, considering all the radiation from so many sources upon us? Dr. Strangelove had it easy, you know. We have to stop worrying & learn to love the meltdown. *macabre humor for disaster management* ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

15/03/11Japanese people are NOT the enemy or to be hated, vilified, or shown condemnation for the horrors they are facing now. They do NOT deserve this disaster. They need compassion, help, & support from the rest of us who also inhabit this planet. We are ALL human. All of us need kindness. None of us are truly "righteous." We are in this together, folk. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

15/03/11The people, dead or surviving, of the many disasters - from "natural" or war-made causes - do not deserve the horrors or our condemnation. Folk, smugness does not protect us from horror(s) happening to us, too. We are human on this planet together. We need each other badly.. always have... maybe now we will learn this in reality please. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

01/04/11Radiation is safe. Toxic sludge is good for you. Poisoned primal ooze on your beach is clean. I'm from the gov't., & I'm here to help you. I think I hear Orwell rolling in his grave with envy on these slogans somehow. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

10/05/11Weeping inwardly while outwardly unsually still. Big eyes, sad. Laughing, loving, but mostly silent. Drawing. Writing. Music. Books. Smiling. Except the eyes. Watching. Knowing. Secrets, dark, deep. Silent. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

09/06/11So often wannabes, charlatans, frauds of all kinds do hitch onto a cause to make a name, money, power, etc. It is one of the despicable things about our species. Trouble is... too many of our species will fall for the fake "messiahs" without much thinking or checking involved. :( ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

© 2010, 2011, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw.

A Homeless Man in Baltimore

A Homeless Man in Baltimore

I used to have a home, a wife, some kids,

A job, even the occasional friend.

Then I was downsized—

A fancy word for canned…now I live from cans—

   To eat, to sleep, and tonight to stay warm.

It’s so cold in this city this winter.

God, I’m numbed out of my mind.

All I want to do is stay alive.

ã28 December 1996, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw.

Love’s Crumbs

Love’s Crumbs

She runs as if from danger,

Running with no time to spare.

She’s running as from a stranger fate than she has found there

In her isolated little room

Where her phone is her only source

Of life ouside her lonely tomb…

Draining of life force…

She’s too sad to sit and weep;

She’s too numb to feel;

She’d prefer to eat and sleep…

Upon her lips a seal—

You don’t miss what you’ve never had, do you?

She wonders.

She’s not had much share of joy…

She sighs, thinks she’s bad…
Her eyes are sad yet full

Of life…

She’d give her all for a crumb of love

And swear it’s the best she’d ever had…

She walks through life not knowing

Her own beauty or her power

Has a lovely way of showing

Her as a rare and beautiful flower.

ã12 November 1998, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw.

Double Joy

Double Joy

In your eyes I see projected fierceness,

I see fire, and I see pain.

Behind that I see a little girl afraid and full of shame.

Who could have hurt you so deeply to leave such nasty wounds?

   My heart cries out to you—

   I’ve been there, too.

   I’ve known trauma, terror, and shame.

But I’ve also learned that in sharing another’s sorrows

Out of friendship and with true heart

Halves the pain and begins the circle of healing.

   So, may I come alongside you

   As a friend and a trusted sister,

   As one wounded, too?

One day we’ll share great joy,

And I’ve found shared joy doubles the joy.

So, for the joy set before us,

May we walk the sacred path together.

ã15 December 1993, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw.

Harsh Forgivings

Harsh Forgivings

Life is like the ocean…

Its vastness is fluidly changing

Second to second

Even when calm;

The harshness affords little mercy,

But the depths hide many sins.

ã14 April 1998, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw.

Recovery

Recovery

Pain, how I hate you,

You excruciating fiend,

Who causes me to cry out with the agony

Of a tortured mind and heart

That tears and ruins my body

And destroys my very soul.

You’ve made my life as miserable

As you possibly could…

But, you failed.

I live. I cry.

I breathe. I sigh.

I think. I try.

I love. Oh, my!

Pain, you gave all you could,

And you still try to wear me down,

But you might as well give up

Because I will banish you one day to hell…

You cannot ruin my spirit—

I will overcome!

I am a survivor, and I will fight you…

And the battle’s just begun!

ã17 January 1993, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw.

OK, But Don’t Tell Me I’m Going to Like It!

OK, But Don’t Tell Me I’m Going to Like It!

What do you do when you’re all alone

And it strikes?

You cannot scream loud enough,

Or get numb enough,

Or run fast enough,

Or sleep deep enough

To escape again.

And you know escape is not even the answer.

But how do you welcome torment,

Embrace agony,

Beckon to torture,

Entreat misery,

Cohabit with trauma,

Flirt with devastation?

And damn it all! That’s the only way out.

ã31 October 1992, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw.

Instinctively Led

Instinctively Led

With hope as the anchor for my soul

As I feel so tossed and torn,

With steady course before me set,

I walk though weak and worn.

Others tread similar paths

Even though I feel alone.

I know my anchor will continue to hold

Even though I feel cut to the bone.

Confused and clear, numb and pained,

Trauma upon trauma relived,

Agonized hauntings my memories come

To make my whole life sieved.

Yet deep in my heart I hear the voice

Of God speaking to my spirit,

Telling me exactly which way I should go,

And, thankfully, my spirit can hear it.

ã22 October 1992, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw.

Crash! Went the Facade

Crash! Went the Facade

A fantasy kingdom,

A life built on lies,

A house made of cards.

A heart in disguise,

A roof full of holes…

I now realize

As memory returns

A shocking surprise

I’ve known all along—

Right before my eyes!

Never put together—

Now the truth will arise

In my heart in my mind,

As I know of assurance

What I greatly despise

Was done to me;

My memory denies

I’ve made it up—

Now the truth for the lies…

Will set me free???

Oh, God! For the lies!

Ó17 January 1993, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw.

And the Child Cries

And the Child Cries

Guilty! Branded!

Declared unclean!

Pariah! Scum!

What does it mean?

To be shunned,

To be outcast,

Outside, unwanted…

How long will this last?

Hurting so deeply,

Yet feeling numb,

And being too smart

Just to play dumb.

Aching and empty

Yet trying to hope,

Fears, hurt, anger,

Trying to cope.

Yet what have I done

To be treated this way?

It must be quite horrible

Because no one will say.

ã23 October 1992, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw.