The Secret in the Mirror

By Alberto Rios

The mirror is dirty from the detritus of dailiness—
I look in the mirror and am freckled.

A week out from being cleaned, maybe two, maybe more,
The Milky Way shows itself in the secret silver,

This star chart in my own bathroom,
Aglow not in darkness but with the lights on,

Everything suddenly so clear.
It is not smear I am looking at, but galaxies.

It is not toothpaste and water spots—
When I look in the mirror, it is writing and numbers,

Musical notes, 1s and 0s, Morse-like codes, runes.
I am looking over into the other side,

And over there, whoever they are, it turns out
They look a lot like me.  Like me, but freckled

Self-imposed rules I live by

                                                   By Mory Keita 

  An avid reader of this blog( RingWatcher034) suggested that I make a post about my self-improvement. Bellow, is an unordered list of self-imposed rules I try to follow as much as possible. I shall elaborate on each of them in coming posts. What self-imposed rules do you live by? Comment bellow!

1. Be humble and respectful
2. Show love and appreciation(especially to those close to you.)
3. Always smile for it doesn’t cost a dime
4. Be calm and patient
5. Avoid envy,instead set, focus and work on your own goals
6. Do not lie (unless it benefits the person who’s being lied to)
7. Be firm and equitable in matters of justice
8. Do not rush in decision making
9. Embody the change you seek to see around you
10. Embrace change and diversity
11. Learn from your cradle to your grave
12. Read a lot (preferably on different topics)
13. Avoid idleness, waste and extravagance at all cost
14. Be confident
15. Share your knowledge
16. Be kind and gentle
17. Always do good and expect nothing in return
18. Avoid short-term thinking
19. Accept constructive criticism
20. Avoid cowardice and ambiguity
21. Travel as much as possible
22. Talk to people for it is the best way to learn
23. Regularly question yourself for that is the key to self-improvement
24. Think first and then speak
25. Do to other as you would have them do you to
26. Put the greater good ahead
27. Your body is a temple, take care of it.
28. Most importantly, be happy!

Self-imposed rules I live by

Page 347

                                          
                                                            By Mory Keita

             I hate boring stuffs though I am a boring guy.

 Guess I should hate myself.

I got bored and picked up a book to read, 678 pages long, and well packed.

The story was typical, boy falling for girl. I like those stories.

The boy did everything boys do to get girls attention in romance novels.

You know how it rolls. It was a coup de foudre the first time they met.

Then on page 347, the girl died.

I closed the book and found the writer’s email.

I wrote to her,

“Dear Ms. J.

 I‘ve read part of your novel and thus far I have hated everything I liked about it. Your writing is lyrical, your plot is catchy but I could not get over page 347.

The death of the girl pained me a lot. The boy worked hard to get her love and finally when he got it, the girl died. I guess you tried to mimic somehow Romeo and Juliette but Shakespeare ‘Killed’ those two at the end of the play. You killed yours at the middle, right when the reader hopes pours like water from a fountain. I do not know why you killed the girl on page 347, maybe she will return to the boy in her ghostly form or reincarnate in another girl. That is all fine but I will never be able to finish your novel after the girl’s death on page 347.

 This is no criticism of your craft (you are actually the first author I have ever emailed) your story is good but you could have ‘killed’ the girl a bit later. You could have allowed the boys efforts to come to fruition.

Best regards,

               

                Mory ”

                Ms. J replied two days later (I did not think she would pay attention my email.)

                “

                Dear Mory,

               I am glad you sent me this interesting email. Thank you for reading my novel.

Your inability to read past page 347 tells me a lot about you.  Hypothetically speaking, if you were the boy you would have been stuck there after her death. Your problem is not the book it about your emotional state…

                J”

                I leaned from reading a book something that I may have never learned about myself. Till this day I haven’t been able to read past page 347.

Page 347

I am still here

Hello everyone,
        It has been about three months I have not updated the blog. Many of you may have worried. I just  want to let everyone know that i am still around.  The good news is I will shortly Begin  posting you  poems and many things we share in the Blogsphere.
     Mory

I am still here

Modern Othello

By Mory Keita

I pictured myself at her feet, holding her hands,

Quixotically asking with admirable élan,

“Would you take me for a husband, O dear Desdemona?”

Oh! she looks at me, one hand on her breasts,

Somehow happy, an indiscernible joy,

And Somehow with pity and she replies tottering,

“O charming Othello, perhaps with a diamond ring.”           

Have chivalrous customs lost their worth?

O diamond, heavenly crystal of delight,

Treasure of kings and Muse of modern men,

Why must thou interfere with my love and happiness?

O princess Desdemona, what dost thou wish?

If thou want power, I shall grant to thee my kingdom,

If thou wish other riches,I shall provide them unto you:

Golden Tapestries from the land of the Arabs,

Furs from the wondrous country of Mongolia,

Potteries from Nubia and all Africa and Asia,

Woolen garments from cashmere,

And bibliothèques of knowledge from the Jew;

Or if thou wish, I shall conquer everything beneath the horizon,

Or I shall ordain Moors to build a golden temple in thou name.

And she replies with  soft melodic tunes,

 “O noble Othello, my heart cherishes a diamond ring,”

O Diamond, how did thou corrupt my Desdemona’s eyes?

I have offered her all riches dear to women’s heart.

 I look into her eyes, seeking an answer and say,

“Now, O sweet Desdemona, why dost thou refuse all?”

Again I ask, “Is thou love of diamonds greater than thou love for me,”

And she replies, “No my dear, diamonds are untamed by time, so will our love.”

Modern Othello

I have seen all and none.

 By Mory keita

A singing bird perched on a tree,

A furious beast hurling its fury,

A burning arrow striking a corpse,

I have seen all and none.

I sit emotionless, faceless like a puppet,

Observing the moving hand of the clock,

“Damn it, too slow” my patience boils,

My thought wanders aimlessly in the seven heavens.

I cry of ecstasy, dance and jump of pain.

I chuckle and sing of rage to this unruly slow clock.

I roar my fury like a robust lion as I see slaughters;

Each tick-tock brings back memories.

These barren memories flux through my intoxicated mind;

My speech is flame, my sight is horror.

Blind, heartless savage, why dost thou speak to me?

I am the death, you fear, waiting at the corner,

I am a viper, calm as aggressive,

I am a bloodsucking mosquito,

 --Sucking the last drops of your miserable existence.

Patience, love, misery, fertility and life,

I have seen all and none.

I have seen wars in Iraq,Afghanistan and Somalia.

I have seen a people ravaged by war and famine.

I have experienced cruelty from Nazis, Slurs from ignorant folks.

I have seen terrorists plotting against peace.

I have seen all and none.

Why dost thou hate me?

I am Jew, Muslim, Christian and Buddhist.

I am Marxist, capitalist and communist.

I am black, white, Asian and Native American.

There is no mirror in my heart,

My vision is colorless, thus I do not discriminate.

Why dost thou wish to divide?

I have seen all and none.

I have seen patriots dying to preserve freedom and liberty,

I have seen selfless teachers willing to help at any moment.

I have seen mothers consoling their children, prophets of peace and love.

I have seen tenders eyes second to none.

Hatred, greed and stereotypes, do not approach my heart;

Do not corrupt my sight.

I have seen all and none.