Flyin' Through the 'Verse

Good characterization has a large impact on the quality and enjoyment level of folklore and fiction. This is certainly true in popular science fiction T.V. shows and movies. For example, when the creator of the original Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry, created his space opera he made sure his three leading characters: Spock, Doctor McCoy, and Captain Kirk were well thought out and interacted with each other in interesting ways. This made the horribly done (at least by today’s standards) special effects and oftentimes-generic plots seem forgivable because of the way the three officers’ relationships evolved.
A few years ago, the creator and screenwriter of the hit T.V. shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, Joss Whedon, created a science fiction/western show that explored the relationships of a much larger group of characters. Firefly, as Whedon called this new show, is set in a future five hundred years in the future. Terra-formed worlds on the “core” make up a tyrannical dominating empire called the Alliance. (And yes, we actually do see evidence of tyranny in this Alliance, unlike an assumed tyranny like that of the Galactic Empire in the Star Wars canon.*) A resistance called the Browncoats rose up against this Alliance, and lost. The captain of the Firefly class ship, Serenity, Malcolm Reynolds, was one of these resistance fighters. This was the backdrop for the show Firefly. Unfortunately, this show was pulled from Fox after just a few episodes due to an out of order showing of these episodes and poor ratings.
Slowly, a fan base began to grow out of the ashes of this condemned show. Calling themselves Browncoats after the resistance fighters in their beloved show, these fanatics spread Firefly across the globe using the DVD boxed set as their main weapon. Eventually, the movie company Universal saw how the DVD was in the top ten DVD list on the online mega store, Amazon and decided to propose a movie deal with Joss Whedon. He began to film his blockbuster, Serenity, named after Mal’s firefly shaped ship. Opening in theaters on September 30, 2005 in the United States, the movie has so far made a disappointing 36 million dollars.
Soon to be released on December 20, 2005 in the United States as a DVD, Serenity will hopefully make double the amount it has already gained. If only people knew what quality science fiction they were missing, this movie would gain a lot more money. Even if you do not enjoy science fiction normally, this series and movie will have you enticed. As I have stated earlier, this is mainly due to the characters and interactions that occur between the characters. Mal, a usually dark and brooding type is very interesting, because unlike most protagonists in modern films and shows he does not always do the right thing. In fact, he, as well as the rest of his eight (I could argue nine) crewmates, are thieves, thugs, and criminals, so they are usually doing the wrong thing. (At least the Alliance is convinced that what they are doing is wrong.) This is not a black and white cast (the good guys, and the bad guys) many of the characters are in the grey area, like they would be. The dialogue from both Firefly and Serenity are what one would come to expect from Whedon, witty interjections, but often emotionally driven thought provoking lines. Both the beauty and the ugliness of humanity shows through the ‘Verse (universe), as the crew of Serenity battles barbarian men called Reavers. The problems of this ‘Verse are all started and overcome by humans, without the absurdity of other science fiction shows filled with aliens. That is what people find so drawing to this show, the relationships between humans and also the humanity shining out in the themes of this world, the fact that its still a very human story underneath all the “fairy dust”.

(*I am of the camp that the rebel alliance was a terrorist organization…but that’s another article ☺)

Fileo

Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: It ain't all buttons and charts little Albatross. You know what the first rule of flyin' is? Well I suppose you do, since you already know what I'm about to say.
River Tam: I do, but I like to hear you say it.
Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: Love. You can know all the math in the 'Verse, but take a boat in the air you don't love, she ain't keepin' up just as sure as the turning of worlds. Love keeps her up when she ought to fall down, tells ya she's hurtin' 'fore she keens, makes her home.
River Tam: Storm's getting worse.
Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: We'll pass through it soon enough.

Oтец

Dear Peeps,

Ok...this poem was an assignment for creative writing to get into the mind of a person different from yourself. The teacher told me to do it about a male, 22, who is a father out of wedlock...o and...he's also Eastern European. I think this poem kind of shows God's love for us...in a strange and abstract way....:)

God Bless
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Oтец

I sit on the couch
Watching the crib anxiously in the corner
The baby is for now silent
I can rest for a few moments at least

Thoughts turn back to when this all started
I can’t even remember everything that happened
It all fades in and out of my mind like an agile sea monster
When I left Moscow for college in Volgograd

That was the first time I had met her
That was before things had become out of control
We never realized it would have come to this
It was just a matter of time
We thought we were in love
Our impulses took over
Before we knew it

She was pregnant
She went through with it though
That was when my anxiety started

Fear of what I would do to support them
Circulated around in my head
Then he came into this world
A helpless bundle of drool and excrement
Grinning from a toothless milk hole

That was when she left
She said that she couldn’t cope
He was not her son
She left him with me

Now I sit here
In my empty apartment in downtown Volgograd
The television blares in the corner of my eye
Breaking news flashes on the screen
Images of a gym filled with children
A black-robed terrorist holds a gun
Bombs hooked around a school

The casualty count rises
Chechnya’s resistance movement is still alive
The TV’s sound blasts

A cry rises from the crib in the corner of the room
I cross over and look into the bed and its occupant
Picking up the infant
I look into his youthful blue eyes

I worry for the world he will be growing up in
Tumultuous rebellions and wars
He’ll need guidance and people guarding him

He’ll be safe…
I’ll make sure of that
His мать may have abandoned him
But I’m still here

His little pudgy hand grips mine
I cry for the little dead bodies on a distant gym floor
Their parents cry for them now
My сын will not go that way

He will be protected
I won’t let the villains in this world get to him
I’m his father…
Oтец

Supernatural

I’ve been looking,
I've been dreaming,
I’ve been thinking,
I’ve been searching,
I’ve been lost,
But now it doesn’t matter what was the cost,
Supernatural,
Supernatural,
I’ve found him,
Him,
Him,
Through him I find kin,
Supernatural,
Supernatural,
I hear them whisper in tongues,
Tongues,
Tongues,
They cry to him with righteous lungs,
Supernatural,
Supernatural,
Troubles of this world fade,
Fade,
Fade,
Our debts have been paid,
Supernatural,
Supernatural,
We will follow him to the end of days,
Days,
Days,
We are soaking in the Son’s rays,
Supernatural,
Supernatural,
Uberpowerful,
Uberpowerful,
We are truly made,
We are truly saved…
Supernatural!!!

She Hate Me

There’s nowhere but up from here,
My eyes have no more strength left for another tear,
I am now completely rejected,
I wonder if I am still even respected,
They hate me with an even deeper passion,
I am always talking to brick walls and crashin’,
Gossip thunders around,
Lies never cease to pound,
She feels I’m a threat,
Some shadowy Boba Fett,
So I gotta finally let her go,
But I every time I see her I feel I’m reading a morbid poem by Poe,
Her heart is with another,
While mine is stuck in the gutter,
She Hate Me,
And I gotta let her go,
She Hate Me,
Cuz every time I see her tears begin to flow,
She Hate Me,
I never thought I’d get this low,
You Hate Me,
And boy, does it blow…

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end"

Brothers,

So I did. I gave her that poem. Or atleast, a freind gave it to her for me. (Btw...this is the girl I vowed never to bother again :() So she apparently thinks that I know her entire schedule....and crap like that. (I think I told a freind that...its....true....) So she wants me to leave her alone...and it apparently really upset her. So much for making up. UGHHHH I don't know how to say this. I just need some...guidance...or prayer....or something.

I just wanna deal with God and just be a soldier for him in the war. But all I see down on this earth is girls and stupid fleeting teenage bullshit. I just wanna.....be walking in supernatural affairs....and not worried about.....stuff...and all this excess luggage and garbage. I also feel all alone at my school....and so...secluded...and stuck in this impenetrable bubble. It's just horrible.....I feel I have no true freinds in that school...I mean I know I do....but it's just so......cloaked in despair.....I feel very lost, confused and bemused. That's all I have to say about that.

God Bless
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Shame

should i tell her?

When you look at me,
My mind explodes into a stormy sea,
I can’t think,
You make my pride and ego shrink,
You make me ponder,
Hold my head low and wander,
Whenever I see your face,
I see how I’m a disgrace,
I finally know that you won’t forgive,
Until we cease to live,
You glare as I roll by,
When I’m near you my throat goes numb and dry,
I can’t tell you who I truly am,
Why I follow the lamb,
Why I lied,
The reason why I even tried,
When I see your faint fair form,
My whole world is torn,
When you glide past; my palms go all wet,
I begin to think of what I did and fret,
I shouldn’t even be writing this lament,
It’s not even God sent (I guess I’ll have to repent J),
When I am near you I cry to my ethereal Lord,
I play a song to him on my harp’s cord,
I still wonder why I was such a dick,
The clock on my life never ceases to tick,
I can’t stay in this place anymore,
I’m stepping through the door,
You don’t even care,
My heart begins to tear,
It’s only an adolescent crush,
But I see you and I’m only painting rainbows of brown with my brush,
I don’t know what to do,
In my head it’s like a zoo,
You hate my guts,
But you aren’t among the sluts,
You’re nice,
When you stare at me like that I feel like a mere garbage slice,
I’m ashamed of what I did,
I’m no longer a kid,
So I apologized,
But I never realized,
That you could never give me a second chance,
But I’m still thinking of a lost friend in my rants,
They say I shouldn’t care so much,
They say your just a snotty such and such,
But I see so much more,
I don’t know exactly; but it’s rocking me to my core,
Should I even show you this?
Or is your reaction just gonna throw me off the abyss?
I’m so frustrated with my actions,
My lusts; my plastic attractions,
Yeah; I’m the one that was plastic,
Even though many others can’t see through my sickness and spastic,
But you put up with me,
Even when I acted like I was three,
I’m trying to tell you why I can’t go up to you and talk,
Why I first stole your screen name and began to stalk,
Man, I wish I hadn’t written this ballad,
You probably think I’m the most pathetic lad,
It’s probably true too,
I haven’t thought any of this through,
Maybe you’ll still hate me after you’ve read,
The thought of that fills me with dread,
But I don’t know what else I could do,
This may seem like its outta the blue,
And it is,
But poetry is my biz,
So that’s why I rhyme,
Maybe it will make up for my crime,
I shouldn’t have even started,
You probably think I’m retarded,
I think I am,
I flirt like a battering ram,
I wish I could change the past,
But I’m praying the silence between us won’t last,
But every time I see you I feel my shame,
Cuz besides my lil sis, you’re the prettiest dame,
Accuse me of being a pervert,
Treat me like dirt,
But I will not stop liking you,
Even when your not part of my crew,
I’m sorry for the stalking,
Maybe we’ll meet on the other side, when I’m walking…

-Asshole

Authority

Down in the bog,
Being a big brother to my crew,
Trying to pull them through this high school slog,
They all askin' me what to do,
As if I'm a sage or wise man,
But really I'm just stuck in the same crappy loo,
O, Lord, I thank you though,
Before you I had no one to aide,
In me seeds of freinship you do sow,
I am your harpist,
I will be your phoenix beacon,
I will be your sword; and strive to be the sharpest,
I thank you, Lord,
From the depths of Mordor you pulled me,
All your love will begin to be poured.....

"I still haven't found what I'm looking for"

8 Mac

I sit here writin’ on my pad,
Melancholic and sad,
Watchin the passin’ females,
Their bitter farewells are painted on their fadin’ sails,
They don’t understand my way,
They just go by,
The eighth house on MacDonald drive,
Not even knowin’,
Not bothering in friendship sowin’,
So why should I care,
Who’s the next pair,
On the in crowd’s square,
I’m just the one in corner,
Seething as I rage in my own personal sauna,
So I’m strikin’ out on my own,
To the wayward winds I will be blown,
Acidic feelings pointed towards my life,
Screamin’ to God why it seems to be filled with such strife,
Why I can’t have what I think I want,
When even when the girl wants me; hellish damnation seems to daunt,
Other girls I want seem to just smile and taunt,
I lay on my bed in the darkest watch of the night,
While all my dreams seem to be out of sight,
When Satan tries to pull me down,
As all the rainbows I paint turn brown,
I just listen to music,
While demons try to twist the lyrics into a trick,
It’s like an endless rock ballad,
A psalm to my heavenly Dad,
Why do I even strive?
To stay in this dump; am I even truly alive?
I’m just waiting for college,
As I fortify myself behind a burning hedge,
Maybe it will be better there,
But I’ll always be different to them; square,
I’m just waitin’ for my Lord to come from the clouds,
So he can peel back these fleshy shrouds,
But I can’t see why he wants me here,
Satan just seems to mock my stagnation with a maniacal jeer,
I’ll wait on you, my lord,
But I’m getting stuck here; bored,
I pray to be an agent of the supernatural,
Burning banners of Baal,
Yelling a Christian war cry,
To combat the enemy’s lie,
As the drums hum into the dawn,
Until the son comes riding up to my lawn,
I’ll be so far from 8 Mac,
He’ll take me on his ethereal bus and there will be no looking back…


Btw....kinda based on Eminem's 8 Mile..btw...my address is 8 Macdonald Ave...if you didn't kno already...

Bound

Bound

All I see,
Is who I can’t be,
Watching from the distant shore,
Wishing I could soar,
Am I the broken chain?
Am I the one I should blame?
Rage is shrouding,
The room of my mind is crowding,
Under attack,
Cloaked in black,
Praying for change,
It’s like I’m deranged,
All I do is lament,
All I do is vent,
Even after I repent,
I go home and still transgress,
Satan makes me feel like I’m something less,
Self-built barriers,
Demonic harriers,
Asking where to go,
Which seeds to sow,
I look around me and see I’m not the same,
They look at me and say lame,
Behind my back,
Trying to derail my track,
Saying how I’m whack,
How I’m a pariah,
But really I’m just about to tire,
I can’t take anymore of their phony plastic,
Maybe I’ll do something brutally drastic,
Rage still a cage,
Burning flames on my page,
They say he’s just going through that age,
But he knows its so much more,
Something from deep within his core,
His heart; his temple is being rocked,
After too many of his peers have him blocked,
Lying alone in his bed,
Healing will take place they said,
All he feels right now is dead,
Does faith have enough street-cred?
What will happen on the thirty-first?
Will I continue to be cursed?...

Yahweh's Retort

Yahweh’s Retort

Satan spoke to me in the darkest watch of last night,
His deceptive words and lies tricked me to incite,
Rage at people I just want to love,
I forgot about forgiveness and the one above,
I screamed to my creator on his throne,
Why I was in my situation; seemingly alone,
But how could one so divine,
Be betrayed by those he had over to dine,
How could he understand,
How people have left me for a more fruitful land,
The devil gripped my heart,
And tore all that was good in me apart,
Then my God reminded me of the wizard sage,
Who was speaking to that hobbit around my own spiritual age,
That I must make good on the time that I have,
Even when it seems I can’t even walk that path,
Then I saw my king strung up on the cross,
I was able to remember the cost,
That my savior has been where I have been,
He has seen the travesties I have seen,
He, too, wondered if he was forsaken,
His intentions were also gravely mistaken,
He was there before,
And he knows that for him I could soar,
I want to truly understand his affection,
I want to see past the human infection,
Walking down the center of this town,
Teaching of blood shed on a thorny crown,
Preaching love of brothers,
Sending the hearts of the children back to their broken mothers,
I am beloved,
I have friends; forget what I said,
I pray for my lord’s mercy,
For his Agape I am thirsty,
He loves my every part,
For me he has such a big heart,
Even when I cry to him why I am forsaken,
Even when I feel like all my joy has been taken,
I no longer want to be the shadow boy,
I will show all the world the reason for my unabated joy,
Abba loves you I will cry on,
As that drumbeat heralds the coming of the new Zion...

"Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage"

ANGER

Green Thunder

Shadows swirl,
Defeated angels curl,
Scholarly stagnation,
Trampled elation,
Creeping depression,
Growing obsession,
Pained rage,
Bloody page,
Imprisonment,
God sent?
Dreaming of the stars,
Visions of electric guitars,
There is no spoon,
There is no more room,
Mounting hate,
Second chances are too late,
Hanging crosses,
Tyrannical bosses,
Am I living my own burial?
Searching for Ariel
Crying to the Lord,
I’m the one with the worst hand on the board,
I’ve been this way for years,
I’ve put up with the evil spirits’ jeers,
I’m not sure how longer I can take this rejection,
Longing, staring at my ugly reflection,
I can hear the voices,
The ones on each shoulder at every one of my choices,
All crying DISORDER!
I’m stuck in isolated Mordor,
All I can hear is the methodic drumming,
I have to dance to that constant thrumming,
Even though I can’t move,
I got a God to prove,
Even through my doubts,
So I can save all the heathen louts,
So….you know what?
I’m not gonna waste my emotions on you and turn into a raving nut,
I despise you people,
Let others pray to you on your fair steeple,
I’ll let you fester,
I’m no longer gonna pester,
Staring at the gravestone,
Gazing at my illuminated monitor; in the dark; all alone,
What have I got to live for?
A chance to rise from my chains and soar?
But every time I glance at the Holy Grail,
I don’t really believe, and I fail,
I stare at the ground,
And wonder if I’ve truly been found,
Away from the populous,
Living in the gutters of Metropolis,
Looking for a way out,
Encircled by doubt,
What would I do if I found a gun?
Trust me…. that day at my school would not be fun,
Watch them go to the fair one and bow,
As they pray to their gods and give them a fattened cow,
All this pain bottled up,
Overflowing in life’s cup,
Don’t know where to go with my life and this poem,
Not in the in crowd; don’t even know any of them,
I can’t even by taken away from here; beamed,
Running down the mountain I have dreamed,
Anger at the world,
My flag of rage unfurled,
Righteousness tainted,
Blood upon the walls will be painted,
Then they’ll know how it is to be dead,
Lying all alone, unable to move from their bed,
I lie there by myself while listening to rap,
Stagnant in life’s sweat and crap,
Always getting the girls you don’t want,
While the ones you do just smile at you and taunt,
It’s not fair,
Watching all the pairs,
By yourself,
Watching the formerly empty window shelf,
If I gain a fortune,
They’ll be on me before the next June,
It doesn’t truly matter,
But everyone else is allowed to flatter,
Not the cripple,
Not the cripple,
He’s all by himself in the corner,
Watching his life pass him by; the mourner,
His smile is broken,
Even when he is jokin’
He used to be glad,
Before he became melancholic and sad,
That was before he realized how it really is,
This is how they do it in the life biz,
Life’s not a fairy tale,
So I’m gonna raise my sad sail,
In my small boat,
In a storm without a coat,
I’m just a joke
I’ll just go smoke a tree like an average bloke,
Why should I try anyway?
I have to work three times as hard to get the same pay,
So why should I care?
I’m just the fat stupid teddy bear,
What are these visions of green lightning,
And blue dreams that are truly frightening,
What are they?
Who was really born on the thirtieth of May?
Will he burn the righteous with wood,
Or stand up for what is good,
He doesn’t know,
All he knows is teenage aggression and its makin’ him low,
He’s still a cripple,
He is still just as fickle,
But he’s angry,
And it won’t last,
Maybe they’ll hear with a violent gat blast…

All Hallows Eve

Dear Bros,

Our creative writing teacher told us to write something about Halloween. So I did, this really reflects my mood...how I feel really stagnent and alone at school. Anyway, enjoy......

God Bless
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All Hallows Eve

Come, minions of the night,
Take from those who strive to do right,
Dance to your heathen gods,
While you prostrate yourselves on our holy sods,
Follow the path of wrong,
Follow the night and her seductive song,
Sing your devil chants,
Stab the clean knights with your dark lance,
Cast your spell,
Dig yourself into hell,
Let all the children come and learn,
How to rape, pillage, and burn,
Let then treat and trick,
While hellish flames lick,
Raise up a temple to Baal,
As bright leaves rapidly fall,
Shadows is all I see,
Haunting images of a dead and blackened tree,
No more light,
As you demons stalk through the night…

Older Poems (from like two months ago)

Riddle

Muddled
Befuddled
Unknown,
Not quite sown,
Confused,
Bemused,
Misunderstood,
Standing where nobody else would,
Alone,
No one to phone,
Respected,
Rejected….

Harvest

High school walls,
Rampant Sauls,
Battle commencing,
No more recompensing,
Morality skewed,
Redemption’s chance renewed,
Lucifer’s nest,
Demonic spirits infest,
Lines drawn,
Faith’s dawn,
Sides taken,
Holy words mistaken,
Dwindling good,
Burning wood,
Flags raised,
Idols praised,
Battleground,
Souls to be found…

The Ballad of Pan

The Ballad of Pan

Even though at times I can be sad,
You, Lord, come to me and lift my spirits so I am glad,
I worship your worthy name,
Now the beast within me is finally at rest; tame,
For I have much to praise you for,
Even though it may seem to me that I am constantly at war,
I remember what was said about a baby boy, who would probably fade away by the time he was five,
But because of you, he’s still here, very much alive,
I thank you for all the people I have around,
How when that boy was sick his mother’s prayers did resound,
Even when that boy was near the gate of the dead,
His mother’s loving lullabies were still being said,
While the statue watched,
While Lucifer’s plans were botched,
Peter Pan, made of rock, stood outside,
A memento of how his creator to the hospice tithed,
I am thankful that I have a shadow like Pan,
One who knows that in all my dreams I ran,
You, my shadow, will not leave even when my sins never stop being piled,
I pray to be like Peter, that rock, that immortal child,
When you call my name, like a kid, I want to giggle,
I want no portion of the adult cynic left to wiggle,
Truly only children can see your face,
For they are the epitome of this; our human race,
Set in my heart your rightful tent,
Let me no longer lament,
My shadows only one that I am beside,
Even when everything is screwed up; seeming to have died,
I pray for you to always love me,
That I may forever be like a child; on your warm knee,
I want to lean on your shepherd’s cane,
As I walk beside you along the truest lane…

Jesus Burger

Dear Bros,

I was just reading John 6:35-47, where Jesus is telling some of the Jews about how he is the bread that fell from heaven. After reading this, God put this poem in my head, hope you guys enjoy it:

God Bless
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Jesus Burger

Jesus, you are the bread,
Your path is the one I choose to tread,
I want to lose myself in you,
I don’t want to be among those who are blue,
I want to dwell in your house,
Lying on your fuzzy lion’s back like a small mouse,
Like the shepherd king,
Among his sheep did sing,
Who played his melodious harp,
While gazing at the wondrous things you created; like the comically colorful carp,
He also had nobody to hear his psalms,
Your heavenly rye did come to him and bring calms,
You are the wheat that fell from heaven,
On my front porch as the clock struck seven,
I took a big bite of your spiritual nourishment,
As I realized that when I confessed my sins there would be no punishment,
After I realized that I had just gone to the drive-thru,
And had been birthed again; anew,
Picking up the Christ Mac,
I’m glad I don’t have to give any of my bucks back,
While the rest of the world is still gulping down their Gerber’s
I’ll be chomping on my Jesus Burger…

'Till Jesus Comes

‘Till Jesus Comes

Here I sit; broken hearted,
Came to play; the others all departed,
Shadows invade my corner and fester,
To others I am just a mere flea; one who will pester,
Sometimes my mind is filled with aggression,
I am caged in stifled progression,
I look through the bars,
Forced to bow to the beautifully clean tsars,
Far off in the distance I hear the drumbeat mounting,
Waiting for my day of budding; furiously counting,
I wake every morning,
To the sun’s early dawning,
I rest when the sky is red at night,
It is my; the psalmist’s delight,
I pray to the eternal,
For him to save me from the fiery infernal,
He hears my lonely lament,
He hears my cry for my faith in him to be like cement,
Not quite a Man,
Though not quite damned,
I sing a song happily,
Though slightly off key; and some will say quite crappily,
This little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine,
For the love I see around me I will rhyme,
So, this little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
‘Till Jesus Comes,
‘Till Jesus Comes,
‘Till Jesus Comes…

Brothers in Arms (Two Little Boys Edited)

Brothers in Arms
for john

Snow fell from the heavens, covering the wintry countryside in a thick blanket of purest white. Clouds cloaked the sky completely in a dull gray dome. A sleepy country village sat huddled against rolling hills. Its Tudor buildings clinging to each other like frightened children in the blizzard. Roofs seemed to be painted with the snow, icicles frozen in eternal falls dripped from their weathered tiles.
Two travelers trudged through the snow, heading for the village’s central tavern. The inn’s lights guided them, a lighthouse amidst a churning sea. Candles flickered from the frosted windows; projecting what little warmth they held to the blistering cold outside, as the taller of the two guided his diminutive companion through the less dense patches of snow. Nearing the door, the tall figure turned back to his friend, a benevolent smile on his youthful face.
“Here we are Dravin, in Gribble, right outside the Drunken Dragon Inn. Be cautious around here, I hear the Gribble Guard doesn’t have a very good sense of humor. I don’t want any little episode with you like we had in Lubton. Are we clear?” he said, a bemused look spreading across his face. Dravin, his three foot short companion, smiled awkwardly, his head slightly too big in proportion to the rest of his body.
“Aww…Joken, what did I do that was so bad in Lubton? I had a jolly time with that wench!”
“Yes...until her father discovered that poem you wrote for her. I think he probably must have been pretty distressed while he was reading about his daughter’s lips in such poetic and excruciating detail. You know that humans don’t take kindly to your Halfling kind!” replied Joken.
“Well…it would have worked if you hadn’t rushed me. That poem would have been safe, but I ran and it fell out of my pouch. Watch…one day I’ll find a human female that takes a fancy to midgets!”
“You shouldn’t call yourself that. Your kind is much more noble than mine. My kind is constantly warring, fighting, raping, stealing, plundering, and all manner of unseemly practices. Your kind have lived in peaceful existence with one another for millennia, just quietly farming.”
“I hate farming. The animals relieve themselves way too much than they should physically be able to. An’ when you eat them it takes four hours to chew on the bloody steak. The only good thing they had goin’ for them in Bumfluff Manor was the weed. Ok, fine, I’ll behave myself here. But if there are any blondes…” Dravin’s voice trailed off as he received a withering look from his human companion.
Pushing the rotting tavern door in, Joken and Dravin waltzed through the frame. A cavernous room greeted them. As Joken closed the door, a gush of wind blew in snow, sucking warmth from the tavern into the frigid night. As the door shut, the two friends looked around. The inn encircled them in an oval shape. A second level rose above the first; wooden barricades were built around this higher floor, and stopped drunkards from falling to the first floor. Wooden rafters hung over the two travelers’ snow flaked heads. All manor of human drank, danced, and reveled as Joken led Dravin through the convulsing crowd.
Reaching the oak bar, they faced the bartender. Dravin’s head just slightly rose above the counter, as he tried to crane his non-existent neck to regard the grisly barman. Joken pushed back his brown hair as he ordered Dragonmilk for he and Dravin.
“We don’t serve non-humans at the bar. You should clean your feet of dirt before you come.” Joken glared at the malicious bartender; rage bubbling up from a well deep within him. Shifting his cloak so the hilt of his broadsword just showed, Joken again asked the man for some drinks. The man hesitated for a moment, his grey eyes shifting uneasily. Deciding that he did not wish to aggravate the customer, the man passed over a couple of filled mugs.
“Alright, I’ll serve you. You’ll have to go in the back booths where all the dwarfs are. Shortie here will feel right at home.” he chuckled, as Dravin and Joken headed for the booths under the second floor’s walkway.
About a dozen tables consisted of the back booths. Most of the round tables were filled with gangs of dwarfs merrily drinking and singing. Their bushy beards appeared drenched in every form of alcohol ever conceived, as their armor clinked while they swayed in time to an old dwarf rhyme. A few slammed their hammers down on the wooden tables, a beat to sing along to:
‘Twas ten centuries ago this day, this day,
That down’ in the mines of ole’ they say, they say,
That the scalie Tinwing did pay, did pay,
For all he had done down ‘neath the clay, ‘neath the clay,
When the legions of fabled Pangard came to play, came to play,
The dragon did die to his dismay, his dismay,
And all the dwarfs in the ancient hall cried out, Horray! Horray!
Joken and Dravin wisely sat as far away from the dwarfs as possible, as the song ended with a brawl when a few teenage dwarfs had added a few rude lines of their own creation to the revered tune. Dravin watched his Dragonmilk burst into flames a few times, the flammable liquid gushing out of the tankard and scorching the table with its acidity.
Eyeing his sullen companion mischievously, Dravin took a huge swig of the dangerous substance, slamming the tankard back down with a shaking hand. Opening his mouth, the Halfling burped out a small fireball. Flames skidded across the abused surface of their table. The short-lived flames died out just before they reached Joken at the other side of the table. With his brown eyes glinting ruefully, Joken chugged his own Dragonmilk and slopped it back down on the protesting table. Opening his mouth, Joken burped, and a gigantic fireball spewed from his mouth. Dravin jumped, falling backwards over his chair, his rotund body seeming to bounce off the stone floor of the tavern. Joken’s fireball vanished in mid-air, unused to the cold temperature this far away from where it had been taken from its home in the udder of a jungle dragon.
Joken laughed uproariously as his friend groped for his chair that had fallen on top of him. Seating himself back down, the Halfling glared at his friend, and then began to sip the rest of his fiery milk in humbled silence.
Joken scanned the room, his eyes taking in the assorted humans that entertained themselves in the lighter and more comfortable areas of the tavern. A wench was stretched out among what looked like a whole contingent of some barbarous army; the men seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely. A singer sang in the center platform of the room, ignored by almost everyone in the musty tavern. All the other humans seemed not to notice the human that had accompanied the Halfling in.
Turning his attention back to Dravin, Joken smiled. He wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. His place was with Dravin, his loyal companion. If humankind didn’t want Dravin, Joken didn’t want humankind.
The entrance to the tavern was suddenly thrown open, several members of the Gribble guard strode in, their extravagant red capes billowing behind them. Joken automatically jumped up, his hardened battle instincts kicking in. Dravin looked up from his empty tankard, his blue eyes drunkenly watching the armored men march up to their table.
“We heard there was a Halfling infesting our humble village! Typical…its primitive mind couldn’t comprehend the signs all around Gribble that said NO HALFLINGS! You and your SHORT kind shouldn’t be permitted to breathe our air!” said the lead guard, his well kempt face sneering.
Before either of the companions could react, the dwarfs behind them ceased their arguing and sprinted to the guards, their beards bristling with indignation.
“Who…may we ask, are you calling SHORT? We are not short…we are vertically challenged…and I’ll have you be reminded that derogatory remarks to people under the height of four feet is not to be tolerated! You pink monkeys!” said the dwarf who was acting as leader. Turning to Joken and Dravin with a calm expression, the dwarf said:
“Alright, lads, that will suffice for racial slurs! I would advise that you two take out your weapons…assuming you have them, of course. I also advise that you chaps run far way from here…very far away…there is about to be a lot of blood, booze, and hopefully later babes! We’ll keep Gribble busy ‘till the sun comes up! Cheerio!”
No sooner had the words flowed from the dwarf’s mouth than Joken had unsheathed his broadsword and Dravin had brandished an uncountable number of lethal looking daggers. The Gribble guard had also reacted too, taking out their scimitars and waving them around as if to frighten off what they viewed as armored fur balls. The dwarfs leapt from their positions, causing the whole tavern to burst into a bar fight. Chairs were flung left and right as humans jumped at any excuse to rebel against their strict authorities. The dwarfs motioned for the two companions to run out the door. The fur balls banging large hammers on their helmeted skulls and the raucous human population distracted the Gribble guards. One guard caught sight of Dravin making his way through the tumultuous crowd. Aiming a miniature crossbow at the Halfling the guard smiled. Before he could pull the trigger however, Joken knocked the crossbow out of his hands, and ran him through with his broadsword, pushing the body into a crumpled heap on the floor.
Opening the tavern door quietly, the pair crept out into the blizzard. Shutting the door behind him, Dravin blew a big sigh of relief, as the noise of the ensuing bar fight filtered through the chipped door. Turning, he took Joken’s side. Whistling for the two ponies that had ridden them here, Joken and Dravin jumped on their small mounts. The two bolted into the dwindling light.
Riding a large pony, Joken struggled to keep his feet from dragging on the mounting snow. Watching Dravin drift off to sleep on the white pony trotting alongside him, Joken smiled inwardly. He watched his companion sleepily, almost not wanting to doze in fear of something happening to his friend. Dravin was all he had. Joken had felt a strong bond with Dravin almost immediately after meeting him, and they had made quick friends. Now, Joken knew that they would protect each other with their lives. They were truly brothers. Bonds like that were never severed. Joken watched his friend as his blue eyes closed. Dravin knew he would be safe with Joken close by. The night enveloped the duo, as the blizzard swirled around them unhampered…

Streetwise(edited version)

Dear Brothers and Sisters (sisters...yeah...I wish ;)),

Ok....I finally wrote down some of what occured when some of us went down to see Greg in New Paltz. Great stuff, as you will see. Ok...I'd like Cliff's and Greg's...and anyone else's input as what to take out and put into this work. It's not done yet, only first draft you see. I also cut down the amount of characters so there are only three of us even though there were more of us there. I have also changed the names and some of what people said around.....but don't worry....even the Dog's name is thought out to some extent. So tell me what you think, help me edit! I think its ok...but it could be alot better. BTW: If any of the material offends you...like how I described you....its not my fault :) Anyway, call me.....

God Bless
elscribe

David Blundell
Creative Writing

Streetwise

A midsummer breeze blew colorful banners around, giving the street side buildings they were hanging from a slightly more festive look. Early evening sunlight cast shadows on the cobbled streets of the busy town. Cars passed the sidewalk, seldom slowing to glimpse the multitude of pedestrians that seemed to crawl out of the cracked granite and slate. Roadside buildings rose high above street level, their balconied second floors overlooking the growing Saturday evening nightlife.
I followed Gabriel and Percy as they weaved their way through the convulsing crowd. I could tell they had done this sort of thing many times before. Intimidated by the street denizens that seemed to cling to steps near the sidewalk, I made sure as not to get too far behind my friends. I looked down at gothic complexions of many of the pedestrians, fearing they might stab me or shove a marijuana joint down my throat any second. Eyes glanced up at me, irises barely noticeable behind all the deep black or purple eye shadow. Smoke billowing out of a nearby restaurant permeated my nostrils, reminding me of a church barbecue a few years ago.
Percy suddenly stopped, his spectacled face turning to a corner café to the left of us.
-I’m hungry-
-You’re always hungry, Sir Percival of the Dinner Table- I said jokingly.
-Well guys, we can stop for a few donuts…seeing as how we’re not doing much- added Gabe, settling himself down on the concrete steps that led up to the café.
-I’ll bring the donuts out here…the inside looks kinda sketchy- I said, as I opened the chipped door. Paying for three jelly donuts was simple: within only five minutes the three of us were sitting on the stone steps gorging ourselves on the snacks.
A dog sniffed near us, its floppy ears bouncing up and down jovially as he attempted to snap at my donut. Too slow to react, I jumped out of the way only to see seemingly lethal fangs clamp down on the jelly goodness that had once been mine. This amused my two companions immensely as the dog’s owner came running up to his furry companion. The man, about fifty, sheepishly turned to my laughing friends and me.
-Sorry! Sorry! Bud here can get really friendly sometimes. Can I buy you another donut?-
-It’s ok…I thought something like this might happen in New Paltz, I had forgotten how crowded it can get on the street on a Saturday night- interjected Gabe.
-Oh…you guys from around here then? asked the man, who took a seat on the stone steps next to us.
-Well, I grew up here, but these guys live down in Westchester. We met at a church down there-
-This is Gabe and Dave, and I am Percival, very nice to meet you- added Percy, holding out his once tattooed arm.
-Hey, nice to meet you all. Samuel’s my name. I live a couple blocks from here. So you live in Westchester now, Gabe?- said the man, Samuel
-No…I moved to Kansas City almost a year ago. I had an opportunity over there.- replied Gabe. I was waiting with baited breath for the hammer to fall. I wondered how Samuel would react.
-…. God’s really doing a lot over there with me- The hammer fell. I could almost here its metaphorical clanging sound resound in my head. The man did not seem at all perturbed, to my astonishment.
-You guys really religious or something then?- replied the man, a more interested expression on his bearded face now.
-I wouldn’t call myself religious. I see it as more of a relationship with my God. Without all the trappings of religion that I believe separate one from their God.-
-That is a good way of putting it. All these people ask me my ‘religion’ and I’m never exactly sure what to say…but you just said it in a nutshell- I added.
-So…who is your God then?- Samuel said, trying to keep Bud from molesting a passing pigeon.
-The God of my forefathers: Yahweh, Abba….Jehovah-
-So…your…. Protestants then?- asked Samuel tentatively, obviously confused by Gabe’s answer.
-Again, not quite. We like to be called just plain Christians. We don’t go by the strict laws of some Protestant churches, all we follow is the Bible…Mere Christianity- added Percy, theatrically waving his arms around.
-Who is your God?- Gabe shot back, an inquisitive look on his well kempt face.
-Well, I come from a Jewish background, and I believe some of the beliefs that go along with that faith, but also…well…I don’t believe in God in the conventional sense. Don’t get me wrong, I do believe in God like my persecuted ancestors. They really did have a strong faith; during the Holocaust…my father and mother were put into concentration camps…but God came through for them. and they were able to survive and move out here. My belief that God is…. more of an omnipotent presence. Like, I believe he is everywhere. There’s a part of him in all of us. We all have God in us.-The warning bells began to sound off in my head. I realized this had some truth to it, but I could tell in the direction this was going, and I knew I would disagree with it. –Most people don’t know that, and it’s only a certain number of people that become enlightened like that. Enlightened ones like Mohammed, Buddha and-
-Jesus said there was only one way to truly find God. He said “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to my Father but through me”. That is the one of our core beliefs. He wasn’t enlightened- he didn’t have to be- he knew who he was. He knew that he had to do a task for the Lord. He knew that people needed something before the end times- Gabe softly but firmly said.
-Well, I didn’t know he said… I believe in the end times too. Only, I believe that the world will end when people lose their egos. Like all wars, conflicts, and most troubles in the world, is due to people and their big egos. I think that if people just gave up their egos they’d be enlightened…and I believe…truly find God…truly find themselves-
-Well, definitely people won’t have egos anymore after the end of the world- joked Percy, causing both Gabe and I to chuckle under our breath.
The sun had begun to slowly set during our conversation, as most pedestrians faded back into the growing night. Now too late for shadows, I could feel chills running up my back as the heat of the day left the street to steam in the coolness of night. The sidewalk was now all but vacated, as cars became few and far between on the road in front of us.
-Let’s pray for you, Samuel, would you mind that?- questioned Gabe, standing from his stone seat to stretch. Obviously taken aback at first by my friend’s proposition, Samuel agreed as we all bowed our heads in reverence to God, whatever that might be for us. Gabe began to pray.
-Lord, I ask you to come to Samuel. Let him know who you are. Let him know who he truly is. Show him how much you love him. This conversation we had here on the street was no coincidence. No, you brought him here, to us, for a reason. I thank you for bringing him here tonight. I know he has been searching. Let him no that he no longer has to search. His quest is finally over. Let him know your love. Your agape! Amen.” We all uttered hushed amen’s, even Samuel though a much more feeble amen than Gabe’s.
-…. Thank you guys. Have a good night. Interesting to hear what you had to say. Enjoy New Paltz!- said Samuel, taking Bud by the leash and leisurely walking down the street, obviously musing on what had just transpired.
-God Bless!- I called after him, as I saw Bud’s tail disappear behind the corner of the café.
-Do you think he’ll find out the truth?- I asked Gabe.
-Yea….he will. The Lord has a plan for him. A rebirthing started here tonight.- With that, we all stood up and began to walk back the way we had came, as the café disappeared behind us. The café’s sign hung above my head, so I chanced a glance at its wooden frame and stopped dead in astonishment. Ariel’s Coffee House was scruffily scrawled on it, and Percy and I exchanged shocked glances. Jerusalem! I could see him mouth even through the darkness. Even I knew that sometimes Ariel was used as an poetic name for Jerusalem, the holiest city on earth. Israel was where it was all going to end.
-I will show you greater works than these, it is written. Come, the night is young! - quoted Gabe, a smile spreading above his dark goatee. I smiled as I began to stroll along the street, gazing at the now twinkling stars above me. Hallelujah!

System Switch

System Switch

In 1991, an interviewer from the music magazine Rolling Stone asked rock/folk legend Bob Dylan if he was happy after all of his successes in the music industry. The aged singer replied, “Happy is a Yuppie Word”. This is the premise for the alternate-inspirational band Switchfoot’s newest album Nothing is Sound. This San Diego originated band came from a largely surfing culture, thus their name is a surfing term. To a surfer, when you switch your feet on your board, you have a new perspective on the wave, and have a slightly different way of surfing when your feet are switched. The band took this to show how they have a slightly different outlook on life than most bands and artists in the music industry. Responsible for earlier hits such as “Meant to Live, Dare You to Move, and the Beautiful Letdown”, this band has risen to incorporate a much broader audience. Recorded mainly on the road on their seemingly never ending tours, Nothing is Sound has a more improvised feel to most of their other albums such as Learning to Breathe, New Way to be Human and the Beautiful Letdown. The lead singer of Switchfoot, Jon Foreman, ran with this Dylan quote, even writing a song by the same name to have this new album revolve around this thoughtful statement. From this originating seed, an album grew. Attempting to debunk all the normal accepted values of our western American society, Switchfoot talks about how cookie cutter our society has become, from commercialization to the corruption of politicians in our day and age. Even though this usually progressive band attempts to progress their music to a more global level, I believe their music does not progress very much from when their last album, the Beautiful Letdown. While their lyrics may stray from Letdown, their vocals and instrumental portions still sound very similar to their previous album. A few songs progress their musical style, such as the vocal and acoustic Blues and edgy rock single Stars, however only Daisy comes close to their usual standard on this album. The things that make these songs stand out is oftentimes their lyrics, which talk about the members of Switchfoot and their spiritual lives, it is also created to make people think about their lives and introspect. The music, especially Politicians in this album, is also to make people think about the world that surround them and the ways in which they can improve it.
Another new rock album that discusses in their music the hypocrisy our society is System of a Down’s new album, Mezmerize. This heavier rock band’s previous album, Toxicity, also discussed this theme, however many believe Mezmerize does this to greater and more profound effect. Songs about the never-ending scandal slideshow that is the televised media song, Violent Pornography uses a gratuitous metaphor to get across System’s views on how the media has become sensationalist. Anti-war songs such as B.Y.O.B. and Sad Statue compliment the rest of the album, adding to the anti-societal gist of Mezmerize. Lost in Hollywood also adds to this theme, however it is more analyzing the Hollywood and music industry of our age and how it has the tendency to corrupt people, both artists and audiences.
Both these alternate-Rock bands add a slightly different slant to the normal boundaries of what rock has evolved into today. Though vastly different in vocal and instrumental styles, both offer a different view of life than many other bands on the modern music industry.