by Patrick JenningsMar 22, 20163:41 pm

An Insidious Grip

I want to hurt
Because I have been hurt
I want to punish
Because I have been wronged
I want to bomb my enemies
Because they have stolen my peace

And the grip of violence
Grows ever tighter
Until the meager remains of love
Trickle from my cold, hateful body

A-maze-ing Laughter
By Yue Minjun
Vancouver
British Columbia, Canada, 2015

21Comment

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1

Sherry Lynn Felix on Mar 22, 2016 at 4:15 pm
Reply

Ouch. I feel your pain.

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- 2
  
  Patrick Jennings on Mar 22, 2016 at 9:53 pm
  Reply
  
  <smile> Thanks, Sherry. But not to worry.
  
  I often write poetry in a first-person voice. But it’s not always ‘my’ voice.
  
  This poem is from a point of view much more violent and angry than mine. Perhaps a terrorist’s, perhaps a bigot’s, perhaps a Presidential candidate’s, perhaps any one of us, even myself, on any particular day. I wish I could say I’ve eliminated the desire for violence from my day-to-day experience, but I can’t. However, I really can’t think of a good reason to carpet bomb a population.
  
  And yet the voice of this poem speaks to me. Reminds me of the place my moments of violent desires could take me should I follow them.
  
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3

Dancing Echoes on Mar 22, 2016 at 4:34 pm
Reply

Brussels…..
When will it end?

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- 4
  
  Patrick Jennings on Mar 22, 2016 at 9:58 pm
  Reply
  
  Only when we follow John Lennon’s imagination rather than that of anger and violence, rather than that of would-be leaders who sow fear in order to achieve an agenda of power and dominance.
  
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5

Miriam on Mar 22, 2016 at 4:46 pm
Reply

Ooh, hope the insidious grip eases.

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- 6
  
  Patrick Jennings on Mar 22, 2016 at 9:55 pm
  Reply
  
  I am human. I expect there will always be some amount of tug to it.
  
  But, see my response to Sherry’s comment for more on that.
  
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7

greenmackenzie on Mar 22, 2016 at 5:41 pm
Reply

Very apt for the world we find ourselves in today😁💕

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- 8
  
  Patrick Jennings on Mar 22, 2016 at 10:00 pm
  Reply
  
  Interestingly, that didn’t occur to me until I began reading these comments.
  
  Intuition and the unconscious… fascinating where they lead me when I listen to their voices.
  
  But, yes, all too apt.
  
  Thank you, Seonaid.
  
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  - 9
    
    greenmackenzie on Mar 23, 2016 at 12:26 am
    Reply
    
    Intuition and instinct are such powerful forces, lurking almost unseen and certainly unbidden….I would call them part. Of the unconscious…..drives which link us emotionally will the world around us….this is a beautiful example😊💕
    
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    - 10
      
      Patrick Jennings on Mar 23, 2016 at 9:24 am
      Reply
      
      I have been most fortunate with this blog. Rarely have I ban at a loss for words. I usually begin by scanning throughy catalog if photographs. At some point, on some image or another, words will begin to come. Sometimes no more than a single word. And I will know, from deep inside, more will come.
      
      From there it is primarily a matter of opening up, quieting the mind so it can hear the flood of words coming from whatever place the words come from. My mind only works so hard as to arrange the words as they intended to be arranged.
      
      It is very much a process of opening myself to the voice (s) within,allowing them to speak, and listening.
      
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      - 11
        
        greenmackenzie on Mar 23, 2016 at 1:33 pm
        Reply
        
        It sounds quite similar to my process….I’m always image driven….the words flow from the connection to the image😊💕
        
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        12
        
        Patrick Jennings on Mar 23, 2016 at 8:22 pm
        Reply
        
        <smile> The more I talk with other writers, the more I learn my process is not so unique — or unusual — as I once thought… which is quite delightful. =)
        
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        13
        
        greenmackenzie on Mar 24, 2016 at 12:57 am
        
        Oh I’m so happy to hear that….we all do it a little differently….but I guess there’s only so many ways and patterns which inspiration can flow through us😜💕
        
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        14
        
        Patrick Jennings on Mar 24, 2016 at 1:29 am
        
        There’s a wonderful anthology of creativity stories, edited by Brewster Ghiselin, titled: The Creative Process.
        
        It contains essays and stories written by luminaries from science to the arts including the likes of Einstein, Poincare and more. Fascinating.
        
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        15
        
        greenmackenzie on Mar 24, 2016 at 4:33 pm
        
        Sounds interesting Patrick…I’ll look it up on Amazon😊
        
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16

I of July on Mar 24, 2016 at 6:57 am
Reply

been a minute since I stopped by, schedule didn’t permit but I’m glad you’re still delivering the highest quality

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- 17
  
  Patrick Jennings on Mar 24, 2016 at 9:14 am
  Reply
  
  <smile> I know that limited time thing … haven’t had time or energy to visit my blog faves — like you — either. Thanks for taking even a minute to visit, Heath. And, just, thank you.
  
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  - 18
    
    I of July on Mar 24, 2016 at 9:15 am
    Reply
    
    I totally get you man, catch up soon buddie
    
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    - 19
      
      Patrick Jennings on Mar 24, 2016 at 9:17 am
      Reply
      
      Will do! End of April, life, time and energy will smooth out some. At least, for a little while.
      
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      - 20
        
        I of July on Mar 24, 2016 at 9:40 am
        Reply
        
        Lovely, I have no doubt you’ll be productive and it’ll be worthwhile. ’til then
        
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        21
        
        Patrick Jennings on Mar 24, 2016 at 10:12 am
        Reply
        
        Adieu, my friend. Thanks for visiting.
        
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