"The Building of a Temple"

From the moment of our conception we begin constructing our legacy in life. We can picture it as the building of a temple, for we are sacred creations. Within us is the Divine just as we are with the Divine. It is our duty to build on a sturdy foundation and insure we do proper maintenance.

But we must be vigilant, for there is much in this life that can lead us astray. There are even those out there who seek to destroy the "temples" we are building but if our foundation is strong and we continue to build upon it, the towers will ascend to the heights. Construct a mighty fortress of wisdom and righteousness, then throw open the doors, so that those who seek truth may discover within...Blessed are the teachers for they give hope and guidance to a brighter future.

But give light only to those who tire of darkness, for many wish to believe in shadows rather than the realities that cast them and many create their own realities without regard to truth or consequences. Their minds are not receptive to wisdom and their response will be anger rather than acceptance. Though their foundations are weak and easily crumble, they choose to try tearing down anothers temple rather than rebuild their own.

Fools believe themselves to be wise, to possess truth. The wise man knows he is still a fool, for the wise man knows he is far from perfect and still lacks knowledge. The wise man never forgets he is incomplete and unless he can know ALL things, he understands that he can never be sure of anything. The fool accepts and looks no further, while the wise man continues to strive for the highest possible realms and then beyond. The wise man examines fully anything he discovers in order to fully comprehend. The fool sees only the surface, while the wise man digs to the depths to insure a sturdy foundation supports the premise.

It is our duty to continue building upon our own foundations and to insure the building blocks are sturdy enough to stand the tests of time. Be a shining example of structural integrity and when others look upon you, let them find no flaw.

"The Book of W.A.R. (When Anarchy Reigns)"

Imperfect palpatations pump pain in my veins/ venomous, vindictive adn violently insane/ A new breed of terror bubbling beneath/ Brilliantly psychotic, symphonic Anarchy/ Another architect for the agression in man/ Menacing, maniacal, Armeggedon I am/ Ripped from the headlines, evolution extract/ Mainstream media make way for my mental impact/ Crashing down like a comet from the heavens above/ Say your prayers, sinners, revolution has come/ Beneath the shadow of a Dragon with a lyrical bite/ Injecting my infection, granting spiritual sight.

Wide eyes...
Wide awake...
Forever more,
This is War!

Resurrect the brutal nation that brought us elevation/ A brand new infestation of rebellious inclination/ an heir to the throne, whom you've thrown before the swine/ Thus I bend all existence by the will of my mind/ Burn from the retinas institutional symbolism/ Single-minded suckers stuck in their schisms/ When injustice becomes law, rebellion is duty/ But we're quick to pull out guns and slow to start shooting/ And when bullets start flying, watch the sheep scatter/ The pride of a nation left hanging in tatters/ Remnants of our past becoming faded history/ Warped by politics and shaded memory.

Wide eyes...
Wide Awake...
Forever more
This is W.A.R.!

"Declaration of Independance"

Several days ago a guy came to me and told me about something known as "the American Sovereignty Act". According to him, it allows each of us to declare ourselves independant, self-governed entities. A nation in and of oneself.

He went on to say that we are all currently "straw men" owned by the United States. Our social security number is basically our bar code...the deed to our person. For the price of $250 and by declaring yourself a corporation you are no longer a subject of the United States, for you have "purchased" yourself back.

Now whether any of this is true, I am unsure. I don't have access to the necessary resources to investigate. I do know that our government has slowly been tipping the scales of power. What was once "by the people, for the people" has become "by the dollar, for the dollar". The more we head to the government's will, the less control the people possess adn Democracy is lost. We must think as individuals to create a united society and when injustice rules, we must stand up for what is right.

Remember, revolution has always led us to freedom and if we don't fight for what we believe in, those beliefs will be stripped from us.

No man owns me! I may be in prison but I am free to do as I choose. I choose a path of righteousness, not because it says somewhere that I have to but because it is my duty. My rights are not granted by a nation, they are mine by birth. and no one can take that from me. In the past I chose wrong doing because I was ignorant, thus I had to be muzzled like a dog. I gave power to others. Now that the veil has been lifted from my eyes, I take back that power. The government may rule the land but I rule myself. No one holds any power over me on this plane.

Abide by the laws of the land while in the land out of respect adn if they impose no burden. Fight only laws that are injust and illogical. Never let anyone rule you or what belongs to you and never try to dominate others. Live and let live! Declare yourselves a free people, pushing toward a brighter future.

"Prophecies of a Rebel"

I, "The Dragon Unleashed"
Beneath the flesh
Within the shadows...
...The Dragon lurks.

A beast without beginning
A fall without a rise

Patiently
he waits...

And the world shall know fury...
The world shall taste flames
A lyrical dragon
For the nuclear age.

Prepare the universe for a psychotic burst
Raw and uncut, like a gem in the earth
They say the sky turned black on the day of my birth
Dead on arrival, resurrected a curse
A mind interspersed with poetic fire
From the pen drips words set to inspire
A revolutionary shock like electrical wires
Sparks within a system of funeral pyres.

The growls within
Fracturing soul
Pushing me further
into Abyss....

But none shall contain.

"Here and Now"

I have been thinking about the past lately, how the days go by and when they're gone, they are gone for good, at least in all but memory. Looking back it seems so strange that we could have been there at that moment and now we are here in this one. We often take each moment for granted. Some of us spend so much time dwelling on what was, we miss what is or could be.

It is with this in mind I am struck by a realization. The present is our only reality. The past is no more and the future has yet to be shaped.

Who I am today is not the same as who I was yesterday and the person I will be tomorrow will be different in some way than the person I am today.

We are constantly evolving. Some changes are so small we don't notice them right away. Others have powerful impacts upon our lives. Regardless of the size of the changes, they occur all the time within us and without.

What this means is that we must live for each moment, experiencing all we can. Change is okay. Grow and become a better person for the future to come, because when tomorrow becomes today, you want to leave a good impression for the soon to be recorded past.

Do not be afraid to rise up and face the future. Do not regret the past. Empower the present and make each moment count for something.

"An Old Friend"

I met an old friend,
but has she changed now
Is she still into me,
or has it all gone down
I never forgot the way she touched me
My world came apart
and I'm still breaking.

Why'd you go away?
Did you think of me,
---While you were gone?

Please hold onto me,
I feel I'm slipping
A little further in need,
the scales are tipping.
I've lost all control, my breath escapes me
I'm in love once again, so inspirating

Why'd you go away?
Did you think of me,
---While you were gone?

Inside
I hide
My words
Inside
I die
For her

So reckless and wild,
I'll take my chances
An old friend to a child,
Yesterday's romances
Please hold onto me, I'm still shaking
Don't you let go again, recreate me.

Why'd you go away?
Did you think of me,
---While you were gone?

"In Honor Of..." (Part II)

After books, my second great love and probably the most influential factor in my life, was and is music.

Growing up my Mom, my Dad and My Step-Dad were always playing a variety of music. The styles ranged from Tchaikovsky, to Carly Simon, to Ozzy Osborne. Probably the most musically diverse was (and is) my Dad. I remember traveling all around the country with him and as we drove he would play all kinds of music. Much of it was from obscure bands or at least compared to the more "popular" music but I was exposed to the Police, R.E.M. and even Metallica through my Dad's collection.

At that time, music was only a part of the background. It was fun to sing along and try to decipher lyrics but its full impact didn't hit me until I was like 9 or 10...

I remember finding a copy of Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Bank by The Beatles in the floorboard of my Step-Dad's car. It was in those moments of my first listening that music reached into the depths of me and touched my soul. The album took me to new heights and pulled me down into heartache. Never had I experienced an emotional roller coaster like the one Lennon, McCarthy, Starr and Harrison took me on that day. It was the Beatles who made me fall in love with music.

From that point on the affair has only blossomed, the power of music never ceasing to incite my passions. While my tastes are diverse and I believe that music is music, each style unique and possessing the ability to speak to me in many different ways. I take pleasure from listening to Al Green, Guns'N'Roses and Dr. Dre. Johnny Cash inspires me as much as Korn or NOFX. Of course, I have my favorites so, if anyone cares here are my 10 favorite albums, 10 favorite songs and 10 favorite artists in no particular order. Maybe someone discovers something new or opens the door to something unexpected.

10 Favorite Albums:

* Radiohead - OK Computer
* Nirvana - In Utero
* Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
* Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral
* Alice in Chains - Dirt
* Deftones - White Pony
* Tool - Aenima
* Mudvayne - The End of All Things to Come
* The Beatles - Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band
* Sublime - 40oz. to Freedom

10 Favorite Songs:

* "Lithium" - Nirvana
* "Disamrm" - Smashing Pumpkins
* "Nutshell" - Alice in Chains
* "Landslide" - Fleetwood Mac
* "High & Dry" - Radiohead
* "Passenger" - Deftones
* "Changes" - David Bowie
* "Hurt" - Nine Inch Nails
* "My Life" - The Beatles
* "Tourniquet" - Marilyn Manson

10 Favorite Artists

* Nirvana
* Radiohead
* Alice in Chains
* Tool/ A Perfect Circle
* Deftones
* Smashing Pumpkins
* The Beatles
* Nine Inch Nails
* Jim Morrison/ The Doors
* Sublime