Brave new World

Life's Ambivalences

by Ivan Saldarriaga


Alright, alright, just line up against that wall there,
I haven't got all day.

the older gentlemen march in,
each resembling me to the point of eeriness,
they line up against the wall and jut out their chins bravely,
you can see all seven,
(how did it come down to you seven?)
the confident astronaut,
the major industry engineer,
the bitter copper,
author in shambles,
the timid photographer, still grasping his camera (Were you ever good with it? Not really, truth is, I'd just as soon quit)
the uptight librarian,
and the common thief, (how did you ever get caught up in this mix? Don't ask me, man, I'm just here to get my fix)
all resembling me to the point of eeriness.

Couldn't we talk about this for a second or two?
Do we really have to rush this so?
Just what did we do to even deserve this?

Quiet up now, what you did isn't on trial here! (But we didn't even get a fair trial!)
Now, stand tall, i'm about to choose my life! (Your life can be many things, though!)
The sooner this is over, the better! (There's no rush, this is your life we're talking about!)

raising my rifle to my shoulder, i set the sights on each along the wall,
stalling on one face and shuddering before i move to the next,
each looks so much like me,
i begin to lose stomach for this,

You don't have to do this you know!

Now, just be quiet!
Look around, every one else is almost done,
that guy next to me went at his options with a freakin machine gun,
no second thoughts,
no remorse!
just took out the ones he didn't want,
like pickin out skittles he didn't wanna eat.
I've already stalled much too long.

I lift the rifle back up to my shoulder,
muttering to myself,
Just choose a good life, just choose a good one damn it!
Their faces are too much like mine,
and none seem more content than the other.

Oh what the hell

I close my eyes,
i hear the loud gun roar six shots
I slowly open my eyes and try to brace myself for what I've chosen,

Are you done?

Did nobody get hit?

Na, you're pretty bad at this, you know. it's your fifth time lining us up and you've yet to take one of us out.

oh to hell with it, i can't make this choice, let's just go get something to drink

that's what we've been trying to tell your dumb ass

Just how the heck are you in this mix, again?

Dude, I'm still waiting for my fix.

Two Line Epic

by Ivan Saldarriaga

Every day we have our own epic battles to fight,
Like waking up and surrendering to the light.

Ablaze

by Ivan Saldarriaga

I feel your hand ontop of mine,
your smooth skin coolin' my warm body,
I let your soft hair fall on my cheek,
your weight on my chest,
yet I'm all alone


In my thoughts,
I yearn for more,
more life,
love,
acceptance,
but I only sigh,
realizing the little I will ever be allotted

My appetite for life never abates,
Hunger for it pursues me,
and ambushes even my most treasured moments
Never relenting,
Only expanding,
until...
all I have left...
is a blazing internal bonfire.

Left over Spices and Herbs

by Ivan Saldarriaga

I can picture myself hugging a Jasmine,
Jogging around town with a Holly,
Dancing the night away with a Strawberry,
But I just can't see much love for a Lovage.

I would play board games with a Ginger,
Cross the Mexican border to be with a Cinchona,
Read Damien in bed with a Damiana,
But only dull times loom for me and Dill.

I could see myself checkin out a "Rosehips",
getting in a barfight with a butch truckdriver named Mace, (thinking she was a man)
Meeting the beautiful Asian Mei Yen,
But I only predict pain with a Paprika.

Directions

Harry and Lisa on their way to Welles Isle

Harry (driving): I'm so excited about swimming today!
Lisa (looking out the window and yawning): Yeah.
Harry: It's such a great day for it, too. Right temperature, right...everything.
Lisa: Yeah.
Harry: Well, it should be somewhere around here.
Lisa: Do you want me to ask for directions? (looking around the dirt road they all of a sudden found themselves on, near a trailer park.)
Harry:Sure. I'll stop at the first person I come across.
Lisa: Look theres a UPS man getting into his truck, we can ask him.
Harry: Alright. (Pulling up close to the tall man, in the brown uniform.)
Lisa: Excuse me....Excuse me..
Harry: Maybe he can't hear you.
Lisa: Excuse ME!
UPSMan: Yes? (Looking at Lisa and Harry like they were Bonnie and Clyde)
Lisa: Do you know how to get to Welles Isle?
(With large frightened eyes, the UPS man simply shook his head no)
Harry (after driving off): Well that's pretty weird, wonder why he was so scared.
Lisa: Yeah, the guy's a UPS man, he has to meet new people all the time, I hope he isn't that scared when he's handing out his packages.
Harry: seriously, and plus, who'd be scared of an old couple driving around in a Toyota Camry?
Lisa: well, I guess keep your eye out for another person to ask.
Harry: Alright. I think I see someone down the road. (pulling up to a large man in a tank top, sponge washing his dark blue Cadillac with large chrome rims) There you go, ask this man.
Lisa: Excuse me, do you know how to get to Welles Isle?
Sketch Man: Welles Isle? Damn, that's....damn. Alright, first off, what you gotta do is turn around and go up this hill. Go as far as you can down this road. Then take a right. A right! Then go down that road until the first light, then take a right! Then you're gonna go up a really steep hill. At the top take a left, or a right, not too sure. But once you turn you'll go down the really steep hill and make a left. And I think you can park there. And walk to the foot path that leads to it. The foot path is going to be behind some bushes, but it should be fairly easy to spot. Me and my bros go there to pick up bitches sometimes.
Harry: Alright then. Lisa: Thanks, bye now.
***
Harry (After driving off): That sounded kinda complicated.
Lisa: Yeah, I was told it was really easy to get their.
Harry: Think we should ask this guy here?
Lisa: Yeah, hopefully he can explain it a little bit better.
Harry (Pulling up to a man in his forties, wearing a tight yellow T-shirt with the sleeves rolled up and short jean shorts. After gazing at the pink fanny pack, Harry shows signs that this might have been a bad idea): Excuse me, could you tell us how to get to Welles Isle?
JeanShortGuy: Welles Isle? Now let's see? Gosh. Well shit! I've just gone and done forgotten how to get there! How silly, I've lived here all my life. Now let me think for a while. (While he put one hand on his outwardly thrust hip and his other hand propped his chin, Harry and Lisa give each other a quizzical look.) Now let's see. Some people I think just park right here and walk on down to that cable bridge somewhere's over there. Can you see it? (Harry and Lisa look for the mentioned cable bridge but only see the vacant river.)
Harry: Yeah. sure do.
JeanShortGuy: Super. You could also go on up this road on here and take a right. At the light you can take a left, then continue on down that road until you get to the Sorry Charlie Club, at that point, you take a right. Oh wait, that's to get to Nelson Isle. I always get those two confused. Sorry, to get to Welles Isle, you'll have to go up this road and take a right. Then you could cross behind the capital building, oh damn! You used to be able to do that, I don't think you can any more. Well, if you continue on that street that you turn onto, then follow the signs you should be able to find it.
Lisa: Well thank you.
Harry: Yeah, we appreciate it.
***
Harry (After going up steep hills, taking rights at the first lights, looking for signs and not seeing one indication of Welles Isle): You know, we don't have to go to the river today. We could rent a DVD and watch it at home or something. Today's a pretty good day for a DVD. Don't you think so?
Lisa: Yeah. (looking out the window and yawning)
Harry: Do you know where the Blockbuster is?
Lisa: Not really, want me to ask someone?

Thought #5

by Ivan Saldarriaga

where do all those past flames go?
with passion and desire,
they once lit up my days.
now they're just distant memories,
memories reaching to me now and then,
with tenderness,
shyness,
coyly prickling my curiosity,
making me think, what if?

Are they extinguished forever,
never to be brought back to life,
like a used and disposed tissue?
Or instead, perhaps,
will they warm someone else's thoughts?
So full of enticing, frills, and comfort,
will they rekindle some other time?
Gracing us with its hopefull, desirous presence
like an extinguished star's light shining on
through lonely space,

Or is it spent forever,
without a marker or grave?
Only to be remembered now and then,
whenever thoughts happen to meander into the past,
and drift back into that solitary moment
of wishful expectation...