There are few songs that I hear that can drastically change my mood. This song instantly makes me realize how powerful and important it is to be human. And, no matter how down and out you and I may feel, we can rise together.

Rise

So much pain we
Don't know how to be but angry
Feel infected like we've got gangrene
Please don't let anybody try to change me
Me
Just Me
In the middle of a sea full of faces
Full of faces
Some laugh, some salivate
What's in your alleyway?
Recycling bins or bullet cases?
It's not equal
It's not fair
We're different people
But, we're not scared
We ain't never scared
To pave a new path
Make a new street
Build a new bridge
Say can you see by the dawn's early light
Free slaves running
Song's words weren't right
Now a new day's coming
The few stay stunning while the many are handsome
Your soul is alive but they want it for ransom
The bass drumming is the anthem
We step to the heartbeats of our granddaughters and grandsons
And rise together
We rise together

We Rise Together!

Lost hope and found need
Grounded by our surroundings
Did the walls scream universities
Or you and i verse the tees
React automatic and we burst when squeezed
And make 9-11 each emergency
Urgency amber to red like the turning leaves
Oh please let the hurting cease
Don't let apathy police the populace
We will march across
Those stereotypes that were marked for us
The answers obvious
We switch the consonants
Change the sword to words and lift continent

And rise together
We Rise Together!
We Rise Together!

If you believe in redemption (Rise)
I'm calling to you from another dimension (Rise)

We Rise Together!

- Flobots

Lack of Colour

My girlfriend and I were walking one October afternoon. She was saying how the comment I left on her blog after that guy was pretty harsh. I probably shouldn’t be so aggressive when it comes to other guys, but I guess there’s just some insecurity there. Perhaps, it’s my innate territorial nature. Still, she was being coy and insinuating that she could be with any guy that she wanted. I felt like she was saying that she didn’t need me, at all. In a lot of ways, our relationship had been so rocky over the last year that there was probably some truth in these misgivings. Despite assurances, it was always in the back of my mind. I looked at her. She was beautiful, just like I remembered. Her dark hair had streaks of gold from the reflecting sun. It was so bright all the colors were washed out.

But, when the sun moved back behind a cloud and my black-and-white world came back into color, I couldn’t shake acute pressure inside my heart. This was not the right girl. This was not my girlfriend. It was the way the sun reflected from her face. The way the light created a gleam in her hair. It was the hair, most of all. It was the wrong color. It was dark, when it should be blonde.

The Batman Needs a Girlfriend

Dick mentioned it first, though I'm sure Alfred had suspected it for awhile. He's generally too subtle to come out and say such things. But, the Batman needed a girlfriend. Not necessarily Bruce, but the Batman. Of course, I didn't realize this had been an ongoing argument in the cave. No, at the time I met the Batman, I was too busy screaming for my life to really be contemplating such high minded ideas. Living in Gotham is always an adventure. People often wonder why anyone in the world would want to live there, but once you do, it's hard to live anywhere else. And, of course, the nightlife is insane. Literally, they're all crazies. I was strung upside down on Gotham Bridge, and that clown just thought it was the funniest thing ever. I'm not really sure if there was a point to the whole thing, but the Batman was taking it very seriously. And, as usual, he beat that Joker to a pulp. And that's when my rope was cut and I started plummeting. Since I had my eyes closed the entire time, I didn't really notice the Batman jump after me. I just felt something around my waist. The Batman caught me and we were swinging toward the support rope. Thank god for that bridge. We slid down one of the ropes, but the police were everywhere, and it's not like his car has anywhere to hide on a bridge. Actually, I didn't really see it anywhere. I kinda felt bad, because here were the police coming from every side, and it looked like the Batman was pretty much screwed. As the blaring sirens approached, I decided there was only one way out of this. I ran to my car, and told him to get in. Much to my surprise he actually did. He slumped in the passenger seat and I peeled off racing past the cops on the bridge. As I flew through the city lights of Gotham, I couldn't help but realize how cool it was to have the Batman in my car. How many people can say that? I looked over, and that's when I noticed the knife shoved in his stomach, bleeding profusely. I believe my exact words at the time were "Oh shit! We need to get to a hospital!!" That's when he muttered something (which I realized later was the correct assumption) about Wayne Manor. Pretty much everyone in Gotham knows where that pretty boy lives, but I really didn't think that's what he meant, until he said it again. Oh well, he's the Batman, right? Probably knows what he's talking about. I pushed my car as hard as it could, screaming through the Gotham limits.

I got to the gate of the manor, and pushed that comm button over and over again. As if the more I pushed it the faster I'd get a response. I heard an Englishman on the other end, probably the staff. I spoke into the box "umm... I have the Batman here to see you." I was remarkably calm, especially given the situation. The Gates immediately opened and I pulled up to the steps of the manor. The english butler came out, and immediately opened the passanger door to lift the Batman out of the car. His breathing was beginning to become shallow. I helped to carry him inside the manor. We didn't walk very far to get to the study. The butler did something strange to the piano and a secret door opened! I helped carry him into the elevator, and down we went. Suddenly, the elevator stopped. I was in the Batman's secret lair! There was what I can only describe as an operating table. I helped the butler, who remained silent this entire time, place the body on the table. That's when I backed away and the butler started working on him immediately. I'm pretty sure it was about when he started the blood transfusion that I passed out. The adrenaline in my body had just run out. What a day.

I woke up some time later with the Englishman slapping my face, lightly. I was still where I had fallen, though a pillow was placed under my head. "Sir? Wake up, sir." I woke up, dazed. "How are you feeling? That was a bit of a fall you took." I mutterred that I was doing okay, just a little confused. "Certainly. Here, please drink some water." Thanks, I said. And, I drank the entire glass. The night's events started coming back to me, and I realized that that Batman was dying! Where's the Batman? I said. "He's doing just fine. Nothing he hasn't dealt with before. Do you feel well enough to stand up?" I did, and I got up shakily. The body of the Batman was still lying on the table with his abnomen wrapped in bloody tape. I started looking around. It was a giant cave filled with all sorts of crazy memorabilia. There was a giant dollar coin, a big computer, a dinosaur. It looked a little like a museum. "Here, sir, let's go upstairs." And I was led back up the elevator, into Wayne Manor. Why would the Batman's cave be under Wayne Manor?

When the thought struck me, I gave a little chuckle. It was a pretty funny idea. But, then it started to make more and more sense, and I just couldn't believe what I was realizing. The Englishman, who I learned later that night is named Alfred, led me to the door with a suggestion that I probably had many things to do that day. In fact, I did. I was going to be late for work. The day seemed to go in slow motion, though, with that thought constantly bouncing around my head. I was in a daze. My boss even mentioned how I looked like hell. I probably did. I hadn't showered in days. Finally, I made it to my apartment, showered, laid down, and instantly fell asleep.

I was startled when I woke up to find him standing there. The Batman was standing in my room, near the open window. It scared the shit out of me. And, I couldn't help but wonder what is with this guy. How does he miraculously get better from a knife wound overnight? "You saved my life last night. I came to say thank you," he said in that really creepy voice. You scared the shit out of me, coming in here like that. And what are you doing here, anyway? You should be at home or something. Man, you need a girlfriend or something. "What did you just say?" Right about then I was debating the wisdom in smack talking the Batman, but then the scariest thing in my life happened. The Batman started laughing. Seriously, that's just creepy. "I've been getting that a lot lately at home, actually. Everyone says it'll be good for me. Maybe they're right after all." I said nothing. I thought I was probably dreaming anyway. "I want you to come with me on a mission tomorrow night. I could use the help of someone like you." Now, really, do you say 'no' to the Batman? I certainly don't think so. I nodded my head, and thinking about yesterday's events stuttered a 'yes'. "Good," and with that he was gone. A secret mission with the Batman? Every day, my life gets a little stranger.

He came early that evening. I was again in my apartment, but we climbed the fire escape to the roof. There, some kind of airplane in the shape of a bat was waiting. He said, "Climb in, and don't touch anything." I got in and sat in the back seat. It was surprisingly comfortable. I guess when you have a bajillion dollars you can splurge on bat-shaped planes. We didn't fly too long, and landed near a very nice building, the JLA headquarters. How bad was this mission that he needed the entire Justice League? We headed inside the building, into a smaller room to the left which contained a few round tables in a study. In the room was Superman, Wonder Woman, Zatanna, etc. I really couldn't believe that they actually wear those costumes all the time. Especially the women. That cannot be comfortable, but hell I'm not going to start complaining. With them were all of these other people. The only one I recognized was Jimmy Olsen. You know "Superman's Pal". Right when I was about to ask what was going on, the Batman turned to me. He said, "I needed a partner for the poker tournament we are playing for various charities. You were the only non-superbeing I knew at the time, so I brought you. I hope you play good." And with that, we walked up one of the round tables and began to play cards.

Poker with the Batman.

Inconsistent Future's Morning

It was late October, and the mornings were starting to get cold. So, we slept in fairly late. Her hair was black again. Perhaps, it's governed by the weather, after all. Still, I was slightly surprised to see her sleeping next to me, but I've grown to accept that irregularities of life. We lied in bed and talked softly for awhile. Since it was late morning, I decided that Sparky, my Australian sheepherder, should be let outside. We got up and put on the the same clothes we had yesterday. I made a pot of coffee. The warm cups felt good in our hands. I couldn't stop staring at her, everything seemed so surreal. She seemed happy, too. I grabbed a ball, and we walked outside, with Sparky racing past us, excited as always to be going outside. I threw the ball out into the yard. He zoomed after it. The ball barely had enough time to hit the ground. I always enjoyed throwing the ball through the leaves to watch him go crashing through the piles. She went to the other side of the yard to catch the ball, causing Sparky to race back and forth between us. The mailman came and Sparky quickly lost interest in the game, running towards the gate to try to get the mailman. He was slightly surprised by the dog, and asked me if he would bite. I said, probably not, but I didn't really want to find out. She stayed in the yard while I pulled Sparky back. She was a vision as the wind swept by causing her hair to flow about as the golden leaves floated past her. A beautiful morning.

A friend sent this to me.

One Art

The art of losing isn't hard to master;
so many things seem filled with the intent
to be lost that their loss is no disaster.

Lose something every day. Accept the fluster
of lost door keys, the hour badly spent.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

Then practice losing farther, losing faster:
places, and names, and where it was you meant
to travel. None of these will bring disaster.

I lost my mother's watch. And look! my last, or
next-to-last, of three loved houses went.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

I lost two cities, lovely ones. And, vaster,
some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent.
I miss them, but it wasn't a disaster.


--Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture
I love) I shan't have lied. It's evident
the art of losing's not too hard to master
though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster.

- Elizabeth Bishop

Solus,

What the fuck is going on? You've been hanging around for too many years now, using others to slowly kill yourself. The process is so slow. Why do you even bother? If you had any strength to you, you would resolve this problem yourself, alone. Isn't that what your name means, anyway? Alone? Get over yourself already. Get over everything. The meaninglessness that seems to escape your notice has not escaped me. Well, you can count me out on this one. I have no use of you anymore.

- Solus