SOMETHING UNTHINKABLE

Some people think
      it's easy to decide
      what species should live
& which should die but then
      they find something unthinkable
in a cockroach's nerves & brain
      that kills the most resistant germ
      & they aren't quite as sure

Oil bleeding on our screens
      in the Gulf of Mexico
      ought to wake a slight impression
Toxic sludge flooding the Danube River
      might stir something in our natures
Locally young elephant seal bodies
      are washing up on Pebble Beach
      & nobody knows the reason why

Maybe it is time for us to curb
      our incessant disaster flirting
      & remember our true love
Maybe the honey bees will show us how
      to make something besides a scene
before this sprawling civilization of ours
      winds up a white splash
      beneath a vulture's roost

Steve Toth

INVITATION TO BE IN

THE POETRY CITY MARATHON ANTHOLOGY



(IT'S TOTALLY FREE! NO FEE, NO COMMITMENTS,

NO ADVERTISING, NO SPAM, NO GIMMICKS:

PLEASE TELL OTHER PEOPLE.)



Dave Morice

email address: drabc26@...

website: iowacitypoetrymarathon.com

(for more info, see Wikipedia, facebook, myspace, amazon, and youtube.)



           Iowa City has been designated a City of Literature by UNESCO. The
University of Iowa Main Library has an exhibit of the literary life of the town.
As part of the exhibit, I am writing The Poetry City Marathon, a 10,000-page
poem. The poem is divided into 100 volumes of 100 pages each. The writing began
on the 4th of July, and will end on Halloween.

           The Poetry City Marathon is sponsored by Sackter House Media, a
non-profit organization for people with disabilities. It is a part of the Extend
the Dream Foundation.

           This is an open invitation to everybody of all ages, whether they are
seasoned poets, beginners, or people who have never written a poem before, to
participate in the marathon anthology. You don't have to live in Iowa City.
Volume 99 is going to contain the works that people send me. There is NO FEE to
be in the Poetry City Anthology. Unfortunately, there is no payment, either.
Please email me if you have any questions.



On the subject line of your email, put POETRY CITY ANTHOLOGY.



HOW TO PARTICIPATE

You simply email one or more poems arranged in the way you want them to appear
on the page. Please include your name with each poem. I intend to use all
submissions. There are no rejection slips in Poetry City.*



WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE

After the Poetry City Marathon ends on Halloween, I will email you an electronic
copy of the volume that your poem (s) appear in. Volumes will also be placed on
the website, iowacitypoetrymarathon.com.



DEADLINE



DEADLINE: HALLOWEEN, 2010. The deadline may be extended. The UI Main Library is
thinking about keeping the Iowa City: City of Literature exhibit up until the
last half of November, 2010.



VERY SIMPLE DIRECTIONS



1) REQUIRED: SEND (VIA EMAIL ONLY) AS MANY POEMS OF YOUR OWN AS YOU WANT. I plan
on using them all, as long as my computer can handle them.



2) REQUIRED: DO NOT NUMBER THE PAGES OR INCLUDE HEADERS OR FOOTERS OR SCANS.



3) REQUIRED: EMAIL AS A WORD.DOC ATTACHMENT ONLY. Very important. NO PDF, NO
JPG, NO ZIP FILES. My computer has problems with downloading most files. It
likes Word.doc files.



4) REQUIRED: PUT YOUR NAME ON THE SAME PAGE AS YOUR POEM.



5) OPTIONAL: PUT YOUR CITY AND STATE ON THE SAME PAGE AS YOUR POEM. Outside the
USA, include your COUNTRY, too.



6) OPTIONAL: START EACH POEM ON A NEW PAGE. If you prefer putting more than one
poem on a page, that is fine.



7) OPTIONAL: USE TIMES NEW ROMAN, 14-POINT TYPEFACE. This is the preferred
typeface for the anthology. Other typefaces may not work well on my computer.



8) OPTIONAL: YOU MAY WISH TO INCLUDE A COVER PAGE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU SEND A LOT
OF POEMS AND/OR YOU SEND POEMS FROM SCHOOL CLASS OR A WRITING GROUP.











ADDITIONAL INFORMATION



1) ANY TOPIC, ANY LENGTH, ANY KIND OF POETRY is welcome.



2) ENGLISH OR ANY OTHER LANGUAGE is welcome, as long as my computer can print
it.



2) IF MY COMPUTER CAN'T DOWNLOAD OR OTHERWISE WORK WITH YOUR FILE, I WILL RETURN
THE FILE, ANDYOU MAY TRY REFORMATTING IT AND SEND IT AGAIN.



3) UNPUBLISHED OR PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED POEMS—either are welcome. If previously
published, you may want to include name of publication and copyright info on the
same page as the poem, but this isn't necessary unless the publisher requires
that you do so.



4) YOU RETAIN THE COPYRIGHT TO YOUR WORK



5) YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WILL NOT BE GIVEN TO ANYONE.



6) THERE IS NO FEE FOR YOU TO BE A PART OF THIS MARATHON ANTHOLOGY.



7) ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE IS NO PAYMENT AVAILABLE FOR CONTRIBUTORS TO THE
ANTHOLOGY.



* 8) JUST TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE, I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO NOT USE A POEM FOR ANY
REASON, AND I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO END THE ANTHOLOGY AT ANY TIME.





















ABOUT THE ANTHOLOGY



In the Poetry City Marathon, all of the volumes are 100 pages long plus a cover
sheet. Volume 99 will be reserved for the anthology poems. If I receive more
than 100 pages of submissions, I will add volumes as they are needed, and they
will be numbered Volume 99.1, Volume 99.2, etc. When the anthology is over, each
volume will include an electronic List of Contributors to all the volumes, in
the order in which they appear in their respective volumes. There will be no
Table of Contents and no page numbers. Each contributor will receive a Word.doc
copy of the volume that their work appears in. You may make a printout if you
want. Regarding the copyright question, the volume cover will state the
following:



© Dave Morice, Halloween, 2010

All Rights Revert to the Original Authors

Published by Sackter House Media, Iowa City, IA

The true joy of every soul is in the realization of the divine Spirit, and the
absence of realization keeps the soul in despair.

                       Bowl of Saki, October 20, by Hazrat Inayat Khan

Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:

The true joy of every soul is the realization of the divine Spirit. Absence of
realization keeps the soul in despair. In the life of every poet, thinker,
artist or scientist there come moments when ideas or words are given to him;
they are given at that moment and at no other. This is the moment when
unconsciously the soul has an opportunity to breathe. Man does not usually allow
his soul to breathe; the portal is closed up in the life of the earth. Man
closes it by ignorance, he is absorbed in things of much less importance. So
when the door opens and the soul is able to breathe even one breath, it becomes
alive in that one single moment, and what comes out is beauty and joy making man
express himself in song or dance. So heavenly beauty comes on earth.

The things that catch man's mind are always living things. The poems of Rumi
which are called Masnavi, have lived for eight hundred years, they are living,
they bring joy and ecstasy whenever they are sung or recited. They are
everliving life, expressing an everlasting beauty. It is the power of God, and
for man ever to presume it possible to produce that by study is a mistake. It is
impossible. It is the power of God above which brings out the perfection of
beauty. Man can never make the soul dance, but he can make himself a fit
instrument for the expression of his soul.

NO DOUBT

What comes at no price
      can sometimes wind up costing
      way more than you can afford
Things make more sinister faces
      once you have
      a stake in the outcome
or develop the ability to express
      the forbidden within
      the context of the permissible

Both a guise & a disguise
       indiscreet & inappropriate
      speech can never be unsaid
Nothing is perfect
      Nothing important
      Think nothing of it
Say nothing about it
      Can't complain
      Nobody wants to listen

Like animals we signal our readiness
      in countless little ways
      I believe you when you say
you've been reading love poetry
      & now our love will go on
      as long as there's me & you
I try to think but nothing happens
      I have no doubt
      it comes from the nearness of you

Steve Toth

Love it, Steve. Were we separated at birth? :-)

Sharon 444

--- In VoicesOfThePhilosophersStone@yahoogroups.com, "Steve Toth"
<poetree1968@...> wrote:
>
> SOMETHING UNTHINKABLE
>
> Some people think
>      it's easy to decide
>      what species should live
> & which should die but then
>      they find something unthinkable
> in a cockroach's nerves & brain
>      that kills the most resistant germ
>      & they aren't quite as sure
>
> Oil bleeding on our screens
>      in the Gulf of Mexico
>      ought to wake a slight impression
> Toxic sludge flooding the Danube River
>      might stir something in our natures
> Locally young elephant seal bodies
>      are washing up on Pebble Beach
>      & nobody knows the reason why
>
> Maybe it is time for us to curb
>      our incessant disaster flirting
>      & remember our true love
> Maybe the honey bees will show us how
>      to make something besides a scene
> before this sprawling civilization of ours
>      winds up a white splash
>      beneath a vulture's roost
>
> Steve Toth
>

Well you know what they say, it's kind of like a wheel.  Here on earth we are on
the rim & separated but at the hub we come together.
Steve

--- In VoicesOfThePhilosophersStone@yahoogroups.com, "coronaborealis444"
<wdestiny44@...> wrote:
>
> Love it, Steve. Were we separated at birth? :-)
>
> Sharon 444
>
> --- In VoicesOfThePhilosophersStone@yahoogroups.com, "Steve Toth"
<poetree1968@> wrote:
> >
> > SOMETHING UNTHINKABLE
> >
> > Some people think
> >      it's easy to decide
> >      what species should live
> > & which should die but then
> >      they find something unthinkable
> > in a cockroach's nerves & brain
> >      that kills the most resistant germ
> >      & they aren't quite as sure
> >
> > Oil bleeding on our screens
> >      in the Gulf of Mexico
> >      ought to wake a slight impression
> > Toxic sludge flooding the Danube River
> >      might stir something in our natures
> > Locally young elephant seal bodies
> >      are washing up on Pebble Beach
> >      & nobody knows the reason why
> >
> > Maybe it is time for us to curb
> >      our incessant disaster flirting
> >      & remember our true love
> > Maybe the honey bees will show us how
> >      to make something besides a scene
> > before this sprawling civilization of ours
> >      winds up a white splash
> >      beneath a vulture's roost
> >
> > Steve Toth
> >
>

The spirit of feeling is lost when a sentiment is expressed in words. Do you
think a person who really loves need say, "I love you"? No, the word love cannot
express his feeling; it is too small in comparison to what love means to him who
truly loves. Yes, there is a beauty in words, as there is  beauty in flowers.
But the flowers may be called the angels of the earth. They live only in heaven;
on earth they appear for a moment and fade away. The feelings are like angels.
The one who lives in his feelings lives in heaven, and when he puts them into
words he drops down on the earth. And however beautiful his imagination and his
choice of words, he turns angels into flowers.

Silence is taught in every school of the inner cult.

From The Teachings Of
HAZRAT INAYAT KHAN

Selected & Arranged By
HAZRAT PIR VILAYAT INAYAT KHAN

THE KING

Most male Anna's hummingbirds
have reddish or pinkish violet feathers
running from their throats
to the top of their heads
but here is one with feathers
that look yellow under clouds
but shine golden in the sun
like a crown on the crown of his head
So we call him the king

When we step out
the king rushes up
to the blue & purple delphiniums
not an arm's length away
He takes his time working up
& down tasting each blossom
in each flower cluster
while beating his wings
much louder than usual

Then when he is good & ready
flies to his favorite perch
on the second bare branch
where he can see everything
We might be his only subjects
all the other birds we see
put up some kind of fight
He likes a generous kick
of nectar in the morning

Because of rapid metabolism
a hummingbird could burn
all its energy & starve to death
while getting a good night's sleep
So they slow down their breathing
& heart beats while allowing
their temperatures to drop
They trust themselves to wake
out of it when the time comes

Steve Toth

SCOTCH BROOM

Scotch broom is
      an invasive non-native plant
      that occupies much of
the vacant area around town
      So I was surprised to see
      the familiar yellows flowers

blooming in the garden department
      of the local discount mart
      when you could take a walk
across the street & obtain
      all you desire
      with a shovel for free

On the bus ride home I tell the story
      The driver says he once helped
      for days to clear an infested lot
but the next year
      you couldn't tell the difference
      Forget about the roots?

No we dug them all up
      That's what took so long
      but we didn't get all the seeds
What will they be selling next
      a passenger wonders aloud
      poison oak?

Steve Toth

UNDER MY BREATH

Under my breath
      life is a team sport
      & any existence a collaboration
Instrument of love living only for
      the joy of shedding your larval
      coating to begin air breathing
I haven't looked this way for a while
      So who will be the highest
      bidder this time?
I see you're reading
      poetry again & this
      is just the beginning

Under my breath
      dwells the land beyond the rubble
where an endless searching for fresh grass
      mingles with a pervasive smell of fear
      & an instinct to stay close
You have decided to destroy the world
      before anyone else can
What once provided for you
      has now become a symbol
      of your limitations
Why doesn't it seem to matter more?
      Still think you're awake?

Under my breath
      hopeless shadows in love with the sun
A nod is as good as a wink
      Time to fly or die
      Time to get going or get eaten
Are you the one in charge of this morning?
      Only the earth itself
      can be driving us so deeply
There is a certain power
      in telling the truth--any truth
You see there are no bystanders in poetry
      You're either a drummer or a dancer

Steve Toth

Love this poem, Ed.

Blessings,
Sharon 444

LIKE YOU

like a bee up a bear's nose
like a wanted man
living on borrowed time
like dancing in a frying pan
like I can't tear my eyes away
like you are an exception

like without you I'm a dog
chasing my own tail
like my hind end is moving
as fast as my mouth
like with you we're catching fire
like we love everything wild

like a baby zebra still trying
to nurse from a dead mother
like whatever you need me
whenever you need me
like the last time
you were understood

Steve Toth

NATURE LOVER 2

I've got winds
      that can swirl the whole sky
      & I'm not afraid to use them
I've got volcanoes to be blowing
      shadows in the air any day now
I've got tidal surges that will
      clean up your streets in a hurry
I've got quakes to leave you
      nothing to hold & even
      the floor will come in waves

I've got landslides
      to topple your busy traffic
      I have a wild imagination too
& if I get tired of regular rainstorms
      I can drop some fish
or frogs or lima beans
      on you instead
What songs should danger sing?
      I've got powers
      I haven't used yet

I've got a million ways
      to make you tremble
      & that borrowed body
you're so fond of
      wearing every day
well you're going to be
      paying it all back with interest
& don't forget the life story
      of every atom that goes with it
      Now tell me who do you love?

Steve Toth

A poem that can touch your heart and make you chuckle...is my cup of tea. Love
this
poem, Steve,

Sharon 444

--- In VoicesOfThePhilosophersStone@yahoogroups.com, "Steve Toth"
<poetree1968@...> wrote:

THE HUNT

How do you catch & devour
      an animal that's faster than you are?
Patiently the wolves
      search for weaklings or young
      they can separate from their mothers

Panic is on the wolves' side
      a tactic to get them running
& maybe make them make a mistake
      If a calf can keep its footing
      it can outrun the fastest wolf

As they approach their prey
     they peel off singly
forming a line against escape
      moving in silence
      they take up their positions

Now is when using their senses
      is life & death for both predator & prey
The lead wolf is closing in but turns back
     The pack has made a kill
     & is calling the rest to dinner

Steve Toth

HEAT SEEKER

Well I'm a heat seeker baby
      but I can't find
      the warmth in you
Said I'm a heat seeker baby
      but I can't find
      the warmth in you
You sputter like a copperhead
      pumping venom
      into a shoe

Well it takes one
      to know one & honey
      that's how I know you
Said it takes one
      to know one & honey
      that's how I know you
With every word
     & every letter
     another judgment is due

Well wash your mouth out
      with language then flush
      your mind with language too
Said wash your mouth out
      with language then flush
      your mind with language too
& if you get stuck fuming
      just drop a line when
      you are through

Steve Toth