The Crusades Cycle

The Crusades Cycle

Incendiary planes captive missiles
Revengeful hate's bloody epistles,
Received betrayals, exploitative lies,
Perceived redemption in bitter guise...

The innocent get to pay;
The innocent get to cry;
The innocent, who had no say,
Are the first to get to die.

Holy lands, holy wars,
Fundamentalist ignores
All is sacred--all not part,
A living being--each beating heart.

The innocent get to pay;
The innocent get to cry;
The innocent, who had no say,
Are the first to get to die.

How many Crusades to get on top?
The murderer's game will not stop
Until the world is fully dead--
Then the silence rules instead...

The innocent get to pay;
The innocent get to cry;
The innocent, who had no say,
Are the first to get to die.

The blood cries out
From the grounds where spent...
Now silent shout
To loved ones sent....

The innocent made to pay;
The innocent made to cry;
The innocent, who had no say,
Were the first who got to die.

Copyright 2001, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw. All rights reserved.

Quotes Reflecting My Vision, My Dream

Visionary Quotes

28/11/10
Women, men, children, animals, plants, our mother earth, in other words all life are NOT commodities. All deserve dignity & respect. It starts with our attitudes, beliefs, thoughts, & actions. Simply put: the power to change this starts in ourselves. Let's do it, people - for all of us. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

06/09/10
Let's not return to some olden time that is more myth than reality. Let's move forward to a time of respect & acceptance of ALL as worthy of dignity & right treatment. An equality of worth, value, & appreciation, not dependent on outward visible signs of color, size, age, gender, etc. but on inner things like heart, mind, soul, spirit. I am a dreamer. Dream with me please. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

27/10/10
If you want to learn a culture, a language, a people, or anything for that matter, the best way is as a lover, in my humble opinion. Love what or whom you are exploring-- treasure, cherish, accept, & have fun. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

09/12/10
If we teach our young that it is horrible to be ___ (fill in the blank-- girl, woman, any part of the female body, any pejorative term for sex, gay, etc.,) what are we teaching ourselves?! This is hatred and the basis for violence. Wise up. Learn kindness. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

13/12/10
May I always have the courage to choose love & kindness when faced with a choice between following the rules and being kind/loving. May I have the courage to choose & to accept the consequences of that choice with graciousness. And, where I lack wisdom or knowledge, may I seek those but still choose love/kindness. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

17/12/10
So I spread out my dreams before me as a map to my heart's vision, trembling at my audacity as much as my excitement. Afraid? Yes. But more afraid not to live wild & free, untamed by this mad desire to embrace impossible hope & more impossible love. To burn brightly. To love deeply. To be the dream. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

18/12/10

Music & art are languages of heart & soul, using sounds, sights, spaces, & silences beyond mere intellect, able to bring smiles or tears to join hearts together in ways nothing else can. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

18/12/10
I refuse only to march to the beat of a different drummer. I prefer minuet-ing to a harpsichord, polka-ing to an accordian, waltzing to a cello, or whatever suits my fancy. Why be limited only to marches or drums? ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

25/12/10
While much about a person can be learned from what is posted on a wall over a period of time, it still is not sufficient info to know that person or their own personal practices/ beliefs. Getting to know someone takes a lot of time, effort, & attention. Even an eternity is too short to know someone truly, even yourself. Meanwhile, ask, dialogue, & love. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

09/01/11
Guard your heart for out of it come the issues of life (from Bible, Proverbs 4:23; Qu'ran 28:32) - Our attitudes, thoughts, even our "subterranean" thoughts color how we see, hear, act, react, & are also treated in this world. Change your thoughts/attitudes, & it is like magic. Try it, & see for yourself. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

29/01/11
Every day we need to talk with someone very different from ourselves-- of a different gender, religion, culture, country, ethnicity, intelligence, ability, etc. & know this is another life worthy & valuable same as we are... & Learn to communicate & appreciate all around us. Life is waiting to share joy with us in place of fears or hatreds. We can do it. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

30/01/11
There are no "throw away" people, irrespective of the current problems or difficulties faced. Each has a story, gifts, feelings, observations, & usefulness. All have value, deserving respect & dignity, & if that cannot be given, then do no harm--just stay away quietly. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

01/02/11
Communication takes all of me to hear, to understand, to listen, & to know another's words, meanings, subtle clues, backstories, feelings- both surface & multi-layered depths, & intentions. It is a lot like dancing, singing in harmony, or making love. It requires all of me. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

03/02/11
Showing love, compassion, kindness, peace, tolerance for differences, goodness, cheerfulness, etc. all are peace work. Sharing joy is too. Listening, really listening with heart & soul begins the journey. Dancing to Life & singing to Love. Please join in. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

04/02/11
Yes, I believe men & women can be friends. It is not that difficult. Just see the other person as another human being. The differences - whether religious, ethnic, size, ability, intelligence, etc. - are to enjoy & explore. Respect & willingness to learn go a long way in any potential relationship. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

13/02/11
Respect, dignity, kindness, hope, & love given will return to you. It might not be when you think you want or need it. It might never come from where it was expected. But, they will return to you many times over. They first come from within you & spread to cover your world. So, give exceedingly generously. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

17/01/11
As rough as my life can be often, it is still one full of privilege compared to so many in our world; therefore, I want my life to speak out & up for those who must focus only on finding food, water, safe shelter, & basic survival. May I never forget those who cannot help themselves. May I never fail to remind you of them, too. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

17/01/11
Do you realize you are truly loved? If not, let me remind you then because you are a valuable person, precious beyond belief, and treasured. Oh, and I am not the only one who thinks so. *hug* ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

31/03/11
Moral imagination, feeling with you, magical locomotion to allow a break-through. Real listening is magnetic, a revolutionary force, accepting & forgiving - a dynamic course. Empathy - seeing with your eyes, hearing with your ears - my heart goes with yours. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

31/03/11
May I be a strong woman & a woman of strength. If I must choose between the two, may I be a woman of strength for that will get me through everything life will bring my way. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

12/04/11
Empathy & imagination are powerfully revolutionary, of course. Change comes from hearts & minds won by hearing then feeling the stories of others. So, I want to tell stories in every way available to me. Stories to stir spirits. Stories to bring laughter, tears, & that silent witness of knowing that here is another, not an other. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

22/04/11
Reach out to someone, something, some place new to you & new to your way of being, and allow yourself to learn, to enjoy, & to explore. Allow yourself to make mistakes along the way as you explore, too. Smile. Laugh. Cry even. But, reach out. Small steps by small steps. There is a whole world around you waiting to meet you. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

01/05/11
It is a privilege to see other perspectives, other ways of being, & other beliefs/practices. It is a blessing to be allowed to participate. But, it wisdom to have the wonder, the curiosity, & the courage to accept, to want to learn, to love, to celebrate, & to share. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

04/05/11
May I ever be able to feel the depth of thankfulness in my heart which has no tongue but shines throughout my life. Let me dwell upon the honorable, the kind, the pure. Then may my tongue speak from the overflow of the goodness of heart. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

05/05/11

Now is all I have. Each precious moment by moment. Each breathe, each thought, each word, each feeling... experienced now. A gift. Rare. Unrepeatable as is. All I am. Now. I choose to share me with you with all I have. Now. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

05/05/11
Anything ever loved is never gone or lost. It merely changes form. But, it is still there. Sometimes hiding in a comfy but almost forgotten corner of the heart. But love is still there, holding you up, a part of who we are & who we become. Love just is. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

05/05/11
It has been said that there is no greater love than to give up one's life for the loved one, but I think an even greater one is to live despite all & still show love, esp. when it is the most difficult & least merited thing to do. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

06/05/11
Beauty, sexiness, desirability, respectability, dignity, value, & all the other attributes given to humans belong to us all. ALL. There is no one way that is alone worthy of love, respect, & admiration. Being alive is beauty itself no matter the size, shape, color, ability, health, gender, outwardliness, etc. ALL are beautiful. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

09/05/11
Even the tiniest of motions - emotional, mental, or physical - is the beginning of the journey. Each tiny motion adds to the previous motion(s.) Even what seems like a fall or a backtrack is still part of the journey. So, keep breathing & keep keeping on. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

27/05/11
A more equal playing field has many people deeply afraid & coming up with all manner of repressive rules, regs, etc. If we are all of equal worth, then those who have relied on privilege instead of skills, connections, etc. will find the grounds shifting beneath the feet as the "enemy." Can we help those frightened souls to grow or not? ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

06/06/11
YES! Black, Latino, Arab, Asian, fat, tall, short, old, young, middle aged, ill, disabled, healthy, dying, ALL... ALL life, ALL humans, ALL are good enough. ALL are worthy of respect, dignity, love, life! ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

06/06/11
The wisest thing to listen to is what we present to others - in words, actions, silences, our presence, our absence, what we are reaching out with, our reactions... these paint the picture of who we really are for all to see. It is wise to watch over a longer period of time to see the growth, the patterns, the trajectory, etc. Then we can begin to know ourselves. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

08/06/11
We humans throw away some of the best treasures when we throw away each other & see another human or another life as worth less. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

09/06/11

Every person, every living being deserves love & respect... dignity, acceptance, belonging, safety... adequate food, water, shelter, survival needs... Let us all live, dream, work for that time for all. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

09/06/11
It is one of the hardest things we do... to stand up for ourselves and for others... especially when we have faced and still face such horrendous hatred, hostility, & outright opposition from almost every corner, including those wretched internal tapes that have played so long within us that we are unworthy and despised. But, we do it despite our trembling and fears because it would mean our own deaths as well as the deaths of the majority of humans on our beautiful planet if we remain silent. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

09/06/11
And when the weakest, meekest, most defenseless among us is taken care of and protected, all of us are also protected. It only takes a moment to go from able to disabled. One accident. One attack. One catastrophe. One illness. We are all vulnerable. So, we all need to be caring about these issues and those already needing the tools to live. Learn now. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

© 2010, 2011, 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.

Hard Facts Harder Faced

Hard Facts Harder Faced

Who said our soldiers could not be psychos?

Who said we always are saints?

Where is it written we do the right thing

And never show evil or taint?

War is hell, lest we forget it,

And crimes of war even much more…

Can we train a human to kill, not to feel,

Without evil allowed in that door?

Rape is a tool and an agent of war.

So is massacre, torture, mayhem.

Even a good man can snap to a monster

And live only to slay ‘em.

None of us are guiltless, much to our pain,

But we are trapped in this way,

If ever we forget the humanity of victims

From Coshocton to Mai Lai.

© Copyright, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw, 2000.

All rights reserved.

The Real Within

The Real Within

Protection that is only without

Cannot protect the within,

For what is without can be taken away,

But what is within remains.

In death we cannot take the without.

Only our realness within will go.

ã19 December 1993, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw.

To Be Fully Aware

To Be Fully Aware

Pensively searching, questioning within,

Analyzing, sifting, scanning without stop

The whole of my life—and not just what appears

On the surface…

The eyes of my heart,

The heart of my soul,

My very essence,

My spirit…

Watches,

Searches,

Seeks,

And knows

Far more than I dare accept now,

But if I opened myself to all my perceptions

And lived by my real convictions,

Would I be happier, wholer?

Or would I be more threatening, threatened?

ã19 December 1993, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw.

A New Awakening to an Old Knowing

A New Awakening to an Old Knowing

God, I thought I knew you.

I thought I really did,

But when I really needed you,

Your face from me you hid.

As I searched for you and struggled

In the death roll of great pain,

What I thought I knew and had known before

Went racing through my brain.

Shattered, broken, shaken…

Something held me from long before,

Planted deep within my spirit—

Some supposed forgotten lore.

A deep voice sang in my ears again—

My heartbeat—the drum beat same,

“Look up, my child, and see the stars,

And know from whence you came.”

ã3 December 1993, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw.

Un-Mazing of Being

Un-Mazing of Being

That forbidden pleasure-terror curiosity

Hunting the Truth—

If ever mystical creature quested

Perchance be discovered, known—

The best of fantasies—

The worst of tragedies—

Thrilled to pursue

Ecstasy of mystery—

Be it ever unknown—

ã22 February 1995, 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.

What Fought For

What Fought For

Soldier, consider why you fight,

Why you march into the endless night

That could fall on you even if you live?

Soldier, what to you seems right

With war within your sight

That calls you your life and all to give?

The price paid is not just from you,

Those left behind and love you, too,

Pay your sacrificial price.

Is it for glory or what you think true?

Is it to protect that defends what you do…

And alone…will it suffice?

© Copyright, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw, 2000.

All rights reserved.

The Gnawing Need

The Gnawing Need

Most of the time the flag could be waved,

The positive, polite phrases spotted,

Dogma adhered to…

Marching rank in file…

But in those quiet times,

Alone,

Questions would challenge…

Taunt and trouble

The well-fixed smiles

And assurances.

Damn!

Why couldn’t everything be sure?

Why must everything have more sides than one?

Deny the doubts, the fears,

The “other” facts…

But does it help the sleep at night?

No.

Damn again!!

Some people can drown the churning

In drink, drugs or other poison…

But why must it be

Anguish

To think

And to feel?

To need to know.

© Copyright, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw, 2000.

All rights reserved.

Hard Facts Harder Faced

Hard Facts Harder Faced

Who said our soldiers could not be psychos?
Who said we always are saints?
Where is it written we do the right thing
And never show evil or taint?

War is hell, lest we forget it,
And crimes of war even much more…
Can we train a human to kill, not to feel,
Without evil allowed in that door?

Rape is a tool and an agent of war.
So is massacre, torture, mayhem.
Even a good man can snap to a monster
And live only to slay ‘em.

None of us are guiltless, much to our pain,
But we are trapped in this way,
If ever we forget the humanity of victims
From Coshocton to Mai Lai.

© Copyright, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw, 2000.
All rights reserved.

Who Determines Human?

Who Determines Human?

What makes difference too very different
To be considered human?
Does one particular type of person
Have only that special numen?

Does the phrase “not like us”
Have to equal “deserve to die?”
Can someone very different
Still basically be like you or I?

Many wars have been fought,
Many millions be killed,
These questions stay unanswered
And our hatreds remain unstilled.

© Copyright, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw, 2000.
All rights reserved.