Measure Up

I watched them come

Measuring tapes in hand

Microscopes

And little notes

Trying to determine

The perfect fit

As the rest stood

On pedestals

Of acheivements

And failures

(But we don't mention those)

A showcase

Who would place?

And who would lose

Would they choose

The one on the left

Or the one on the right?

The one with the past

Or the one who got past

Their strict system

But if you missed em

Consider yourself lucky

Until the next round.

Write

Hundreds of blank pages. Fresh pens. Now... What to write?
My brain is just exploding... Thoughts, emotions, ideas, but somehow, there might as well be an ocean between my brain and hand. For all of my attempts, I still have nothing to show. I want write something that would cause someone to think... To question... To wonder... To dream. But I feel stuck. The thought of sitting and writing intimidates me.
I found a quote that aptly describes what I am experiencing...

"Writing is easy. All you do is stare at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead."

Better keep some band aids handy... This could get messy...

Diving

The water below

Swirls into a whirlpool

Chaos and confusion

How could I possibly dive

And still come out alive

I've always wanted to try

Spread my arms out wide

And leap into the madness

Make sense of mystery

And piece together history

But am I prepared

For the next step

Into the future

Where everything is muddled

I am truly troubled

By that which I don't know

But today

I have to show myself

I can be free

Be brave

And dive into the sea

So I jump

Soar

And fall

Diving into the cool rushing waters

I will not falter

Rain

Sometimes I wonder about the raindrops
Why they fall so fast and hard
What is the rush?
What's their hurry?
No matter their speed
The world ends up wet
Slick and slippery
Everything becomes a challenge in the rain
Everything becomes a pain
Rainboots, raincoat, and umbrellas
What a hassle
And when it's raining
Sometimes we forget
That after rain
After a thunderstorm
The world starts to shine
It's revived
It comes alive
So instead of staying inside
When the sky turns grey
Why don't we run outside
Why don't we get a little wet
After all
A little water never hurt anyone.

Computer

Technology's finest
The crowning glory
But let me tell you a story:
Girl buys computer
Computer works and then dies
Girl needs to buy new computer
Girl cries.
For being a time saving device
You could have given me some advice
That for however much I spend
That's how much I'll depend
On your functionality
And if I get back to reality
I will see all the mistakes I made with you
But what can I do?
Off to B&H Superstore
So after spending once
I can spend some more

Truism

Feathers

Pajamas hidden
Under colored skirts
(I wonder which
Is more offensive...)
Cuz the bird who tries
To fly the coop
The one who defies
Is not wont to return.
The murder of
Black feathered ravens
Don't look lightly
At the bird
Who doesn't fulfill
"Birds of a feather
Flock together"
Who is this stranger
Bringing us danger
Unwanted attention
That begs for intervention
But this little birdie
Sings.a different tune
To us, it sounds
Rather off-tune
And clearly she is off her rocker
So we better knock her
Or else

Rare

There is you

There is me

There is 7 billions others

One in a thousand

One in a hundred

One in ten

One in one

You

Me

Individuals

Unique

Rare

You are not like the rest

You are the best

You are you

What more can you do

Than to improve upon you

And stop trying to be someone else

After all

There is no one like you

So why try to be like another?

Chance

What's in a name

That would make us think

That would give us this day

To dance, eat and drink?

What time of celebration

Would force us to recall

When a vicious tyrant

Would rise and then fall?

Was it really all just chance

The luck of the draw

Like who gets the short one

When we pick straws?

It couldn't be the case

Because the odds were never in our favor

But a deeper look at near-destruction

And we see how we could never waver.

And what about now

When times are so precarious

Can we simply just laugh

And think it all so hilarious

It certainly isn't random

There is a divine plan, you see

And that plan guides us now

To an infinite victory.

Bonkers

I suppose I should be thrilled

Utterly overjoyed

Because this means

That I am one step closer

But I am just getting morose-r

Still trying to find

My own kind of crazy

The bonkers that's best for me

Whoever that may be

The one with muchness

Or maybe just madness

That will create blissfulness

Or even happiness

It may be a dream

But I am not sleeping

And even though I have yet to remember

From the first time

I'd happily fall down this hole again

If only to know

Where I'll end up in the end.

Take Me Away

Take me away

Take me back to the day

When it didn't matter

What I wore

Or what was the score

We were winners

And losers all the same

No one was a player

Even if it was all just a game

Somehow we didn't care

If we were here or there

Cuz anywhere

Was where we were meant to be

We could sing

We could dance

We could enchant and entrance

There were no masks

We didn't have to be asked twice

To be anything but ourselves

It was easy to roll and rumble

In dirt and glitter, we would tumble

The world was our playground

Spinning us around and around

These days, it's all lies and pretend

And I wonder

When will it all end?

Party

Invitation sealed and sent
Preparations barely made a dent
In being prepared for this
The crowd pulsates
The bodies reverberate
Free flowing alcohol
Taking its toll
On the victims it drinks under the table
Cuz none of us have ever been able
To outdrink that glass
And so we pass
Like shooting stars in the night
Without will to fight
Surrendered to the monster
Who brought us here
To be slaughtered
For the next meal
That he plans to serve
Unless one can rise
She, who defies
Can returns us to our homes
Before the clock strikes twelve
And we turn into the selves
We never wanted to be
But now we can see
Hope was never lost
No matter the cost
We have risen again
To rewrite the end
That was sealed in blood
But we broke through
We returned to you
We chose to remain true

Alternate

Sometimes I wonder if we are all strangers, inhabitants of our own realities that surround us, and occasionally interact with the islands if others.

I can be surrounded by a sea of people and still feel all alone.

And then I am sitting in class, and I am convinced of this. Are my questions really so off base? Do I really not make sense? Can I really not understand how people can behave the way they do? Are we complicated beings? Or just confused?

My language is the same as yours but my meaning and definitions seem to come from another planet.

The hour is late, the caffeine is great and I hear a spaceship calling my name.

Farewell.

Superbowl: Follow Up Post

After my angry rant from yesterday, my faith has been restored. Sheppin nachas at the "hometown team" for displaying an unbelievable devotion to what's TRULY important. This makes me proud to be a Jew.

http://matzav.com/baltimore-wins-900-fathers-and-sons-make-kiddush-hashem-on-superbowl-night

Superbowl

I see no reason to celebrate in the victory, or madness of the Sueprbowl. Does that make me a bad person?

Or does it mean that I realize there are more important things to celebrate than a bunch of brawny guys falling on top of each other as they try to get a dumb ball across a field?

I don't mean to be a party pooper, but honestly, why is it in any business of anyone what color I wear on game day? You are entitled to your opinions about the (idiocy of the) game, but I will not fall into the trap of considering these men idols or heroes. Let them use their strength to rebuild broken homes. Let them use their wealth for those less fortunate.

I understand the merit of an outlet to relax and wind down, but the level to which we worship these men just nauseates me.

This is my rant. You can hate it all you want (or agree) but that's what I have to say.

Out of My Mind

"I feel inner peace when I am out of my mind."

Watch me as I try
To keep in line
All the little pieces
That are starting to fall out of place.
All this order
Is out of order
My mind tries to organize
I wonder when I will realize
That chaos breeds confusion
And I am filled with this delusion
That I will be able to hold myself together
When everything explodes all over
It's like fireworks in the sky
All recorded by my mind's eye
A million snapshots
With no system
I must've missed them
As they flew by
And I waved them into the sky
I watch the show
The little images glow
Lights my brain on fire
Ignites a wire
Burning heat
Forever on repeat
Among all these lights and sounds
I have found
An inner peace.

Freak Storm

All around

Explosions sounds

Flames in the air

Smoke in the sky

And somewhere hidden

A small girl lets out a cry

No one hears

And no one cares

Til she is dragged on stage

She is left to the pointing ridicules

And the unending stares

Just a freak

On display for show

But wouldn't you know

She always tried

She never wanted to cry

She would have died

To prove that she wants to be good

To do as she should

But no one gave her a chance

They wouldn't let her dance

So now she lies

In chains she cries

Her tears turn to blood

And she watches the fire

As it consumes her cage

But even a raging inferno

Can't calm her rage

Through the heat

She breaks free

The Race

The gun goes off
The race begins
Two strides
And I am already winded
Nauseous and weak
Where are the cups of Gatorade?
I need a break
I need to sit
I am just too tired
Before I know it
Three hours have passed
And I am only three miles in
Can I simply
Start again
Back to the beginning
Amidst the chaos
Of a new day
A new journey
This time I prepared
This time I am ready
I trained
And stretched
Carbo-loaded
The whole nine yards
So I could run this race
My marathon of growth
The gun goes off
I get to start again
And this time
I'll make it to the end.

Daven for Danielle

I met Danielle this summer in camp. Despite being paralyzed on one side of her body, Danielle exuded an energy that was so vibrant and bright. She took everything in stride, was never without a smile, or without a crazy colorful wig. To say she lit up a room when she entered would not be an understatement. Daniella, even though she was suffering, was full of life.
But now Danielle is hanging on for dear life. She is currently on life support and the doctors want to take her off. The video below is the news story about her current situation.

But a life is infinite. Danielle's life is infinite. To take her off life support would be the cruelest thing, and as Orthodox Jews, this decision must be fought.
Here is a picture of Danielle in camp.

Please daven for Danielle to have a COMPLETE refua- Danielle Chaya bas Aviva

Go Away!

Trapped and cornered
No way out
Can't scream
Can't shout
If I confess
What a mess
Don't feel clean
Don't feel safe
Broken walls
Endless halls
I can't escape
I can't breathe
No words
No answers
Just questions
And confusion
What delusions
Led me here
Too near
Too close
Go away
Stay away
It's not ok
I'm not ok.
Just GO AWAY!