I’m trying to be.

Looking at the forest
not the trees.

looking at my life
as a brighter bulb
I can see.

Feeling the freedom of
unshackled chains…
free from brutality.

Not starving now, no, now I can eat.
Not letting sickness get the best of me.

Went golfing at a par three
a nice windy day
went
with my friend Tee, he got a birdy.
Meditated on the wind
and the color
green.

Not of money.
Not with envy.

Just the color of the trees.

Today I went to my dad’s house
to give him some food for him to eat.
It was my wife Lisa’s chicken chili
a little healthy treat, wee bit spicy for me.

So I brought my dad this chili
and we were watching T.V,

and Wheel of Fortune came on
now normally I would shudder at the Wheel
brings me back bad memories.
But today I smiled a bit, remembering.
Driving back I had a laugh,
thought to myself wish I shouted out Oddball Magazine!

Today I had a revelation
Yeah,
Those memories mean everything to me
Wish I could do it over
with less anxiety.
maybe I did choke on national TV
but I got to spin that wheel
And we went to LA
and Hollywood CA
and had a nice Italian meal at C & O Trattoria
on Venice Beach…

priceless memories for my family.

Earlier before I went and saw my dad
I was mowing the lawn
listening to Bob Marley,
I love his music
so full of beautiful melodies
with Tuff Gong behind the beat.
Peaceful songs about redemption
and revolution,
It makes me happy.

Reggae songs while mowing my lawn
The word of the day has got to be
“Beauty”.

But i titled this poem optimist
cause I’m trying to be.

I’m optimistic for my world and my country.
I’m optimistic for the health of my wife, my mom, my dad, my brother and sisters and all our family.
I’m optimistic about my faith and God and my spirituality.
I’m optimistic about the politics.
I’m optimistic we can flip this negativity to positivity.

And I know I change like the wind
and realize that, so while I have
this minute to speak
I charge forward like a battery
to the future

To borrow a line from Bob Marley

I’m
emancipated free
from mental slavery.

 

Jason Wright is the founder and Editor of Oddball Magazine. His column appears weekly.