Steve Haarman

CONTROLLED SOCIETY

Some wonder what the problem is regarding

The discord, destruction and death in this land of

The free peace loving people of all ethnicities and

Persuasions, who are willing to advance themselves

Through hard work and determination, while paying

Their taxes, and being responsible citizens

Then their difficult path is disrupted by a terrible virus

Causing lockdowns and unfair fiats “for the greater good”

They are aware of people dying by the thousands

Because of this Chinese Virus is bad enough in its own right

And then the untimely murder in Minneapolis, Minnesota

This terrible act opens the floodgates and

Gives license to “Black Lives Matter” and “Antifa”,

To begin anarchy across the country

Changing “peaceful protest” into

Assaults on the police, looting

Burning and destruction

Leaders in these liberal strongholds

Decide to defund the police

And the violence is intensified

Many shootings and deaths occur

Anarchy expands into new locations

Unhinged mobs exploit liberal cities

Whose policies are corrupt and gangs

Take over the streets at will

While politicians take over Boardrooms

The leftist are blaming those trying to control

While doing nothing to condemn the violence

They are happy and want disruption

This is the problem, to answer the original question

If their strategy works we are in serious trouble

Their effort to employ political, economic, and

Psychological influences across the land is

Trying to lead us into a Marxist society

We are not perfect, but do not deserve this

Stanski

July 29, 2020 ^

Life will diverge at times and

Then you have the choice

Which path should you take?

Where will you find your voice?

One appears to unravel

Like the road you’ve been on

You take the other and with a new map

Excitement lifts you, as though you’ve just won

Winning, though, is not something that happens

Just because you would like

You have to be willing to prepare for the trip

Or else you’re just another traveler on the “pike”

Travel reality or turn to fantasy

What you did you enjoyed at the time

When it’s over you miss what could have been

Feel like you’ve been left hanging on the line

You are one traveler and

Responsible for choosing your path well

You’re constantly wishing for the one not taken

Someone, I guess, has to ring your bell

Can’t always blame someone else

For taking your chance away

Don’t say you wanted it like it always was

After you decide to go the other way

Today is today and you have one life

There’s enough guilt and blame to go around

Get over yourself and think of others

Step-by-step, keep your feet on the ground

Stanski

July 28, 2020

 
You always hurt the ones who are near
Bluffing your way through your own fear
When it’s over and you see what you have done
You have to face the music:  there is no place to run
I didn’t mean a thing, I was only having fun
But you clipped someone’s wings and now they’re on the bum
 
What is the answer?  You’d better calm down
There is enough going on, we don’t need another clown
Now listen for wisdom; rededicate your goals
Let the life of frivolity be lived by other fools.
You can’t control them, but you can walk your own path
You’re looking for some order not some other person’s wrath
 
Appreciate the little things; listen for your call;
Be aware of life’s wonder; know that you might fall
Study what to do if that should be the case
You pick yourself up and get back in the race
 
Have respect for every soul:  they all have the face of God
Help out even when you’re struggling yourself
It’s a description of part of your job
Walk eagerly toward the goal you set
Avoid the negative energy
It’s the wrong kind to get
 
Oh yes, you’re sorry and now you know your way
You can make it up to all you’ve hurt; make it up day by day,
This is for you; you know who I mean
And it doesn’t matter if you’re a pirate, a pauper or a puppet,
A poet, a pawn or a king.
 
This life is full of mystery; things we’ll never understand
So do the things that bring joy and a life that can be grand
Many avoid the obvious and live just scratching the soil
It is depth we want and complications; it nourishes the soul
The path is what you are traveling so reach out and take His hand
Wondrous things are awaiting you and not requiring your plan
 
Stanski  
July 27, 2020 ^
 
 

It is said
that it isn't fair
To be on the phone
Everyday
Appealing for a favor
Which involves money
And when the appeal
Is responded to
In a positive way
The phone calls stop
 
Back to the appeal
The amount was unknown
And won’t be known
Until the product
In this case a truck
Is found
 
It can’t be any truck
But a new manual shift
Toyota Tundra
Each day the progress
Is reported in detail
Prices quoted were
Not in the ballpark
But through the roof
 
Another call
How about a good
Used truck with
Low mileage
And a manual shift
An automatic would
Be fine but a
Manual was preferred
 
Daily reports until
One is found, but
The price asked is
Close to that of a
New unused truck
It wasn’t driven much
Had been a dream of
A dying man who
Drove it just now and then
 
I say tell them your story
You are a survivor
Then make a reasonable
Offer they can’t refuse
I get another call and
The offer was accepted
 
Be sure and get a
Clear title and get
Insurance on it before
You drive it away
 
The necessary money
Was sent and
Everything was fine
The truck ran well
Was a nice color
Happiness prevailed
 
No more phone calls
The way of life
 
Stanski
July 26, 2020 ^
 

View Post

We all want to be right
Take our stance
Put up our defense
As if it really mattered
Who will ever know or care
We are foolish people
 
I look at a picture of
A girl from Haiti, who
Is suffering from malnutrition
It is a pitiful sight
It tears at my heart
And at my gut and I am
Left wondering why this exists
 
People and organizations
Donate money and food but
Dictators interrupt the flow
Of this essential help
The Haitians have air, but
No food or potable water
 
Hurricanes and earthquakes
Further escalate the problems
Which the poor citizens face
They are self-sufficient but
Without food and water are
Left to the fate that all poor
Controlled people face
 
Who can step up against tyranny?
One might suggest the United Nations
But they seemingly are on
The side of the dictators and
There is no concern stated by the media
People are too weak to revolt
Most turn to their religion
 
Their faith is beyond measure
They believe in God’s power
He will see them through this
They exclaim the assurance of this
We want to be part of the answer
Where does our money go?
Where do the resources go?
We lack the avenues to arrive
At the heart of the problem
Where is the food wasting?
Why is life such a dilemma?
 
I am aware of all the luxuries
We have in our country
The poorest have it better than
The rich did two hundred years ago
At the same time we are
Establishing new paradigms
 
That of living on the street and
Establishing tent cities
This starts slowly and is tolerated
But grows to the point of
Becoming the new normal
It is inconceivable and dangerous
But almost too late to change
 
It is similar in our public schools
Bad behavior is tolerated and
Foul language becomes the norm
And the hallways are dangerous to
The point that we need armed guards
Poor children at least receive a meal
Along with leftist indoctrination
It may be their only meal
 
The girl in the picture in 11 or 12
If she could she would choose
A tent city in which to survive
A school for water and food and
A chance for some sort of success
Indoctrination would not
Supersede her faith in the Creator
 
I see the advertisements for food
Delivered to your door along with
Free shakes with the first month
Offered at a discounted price
The Haitians have great hearts
Such an offer would be a myth
They would not trade it for
Their faith in God.  They take his
Right Hand and look for His Light
 
Stanski
July 25, 2020 ^

Handbooks
Outlooks
Hand-me-downs
One the town
Evening gown
Townhouse
Moonlight cruise
Scarlet bruise
Summer twist
Morning mist
Tonic and gin
Cardinal sin
Afternoon swim
Sandcastles
Cattle call
Name-brand jeans
New Orleans
Quid-pro-quo
Broadway show
Romantic glow
Mountains of snow
Himalaya
Hemingway
Wm. Faulkner
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Read a book
Kiss your cook
Tie-dye shirt
Saddle shoes
Sing the Blues
King-size Coke
Hot tub soak
Tub of lard
Mow the yard
Milk your cow
Hear and now
Abide in Me
Check for fleas
Close the door
Make s’mores
Swat the fly
Chicken fry
Loving sigh
Matinee
Afternoon play
Chamber music
Badminton net
Soccer ball
Mother loon call
Gentle fall
Jack and Jill
Nursery rhymes
Best of times
Big Parade
Play charades
Hopscotch
Johnny Walker Red
Make the bed
Blow the horn
You are reborn
 
Stanski
July 24, 2020 ^
 

Way back when you remember
The occasional hearse parked
Knowing what it meant was
Absorbed like a jelly sandwich

Time is not a trickster and
Over the years young and old
Are taken away and lost forever
Just a few lingering memories left

A classmate shot down in Korea
Flying a reconnaissance plane
He always dreamed of being
A pilot and wore the clothes
That gave him that look

His dream fulfilled at the cost
Of a broken-hearted mother

Mr. Warwick stopped shuffling by
We later discovered the reason why

Somehow we put things off and
It becomes too late to stop by
Just to say hello and how are you

The stomach sours because
We didn’t take the time, but
After all, there were many things
To do and you cannot possibly
Do them all and be one person

Now and then you read the paper
Or hear it from a friend that one
You knew and grew up with is gone

And even for yourself you wonder how
Long you have and in what condition
Will the world find you in

Everything changes and the things
You knew so well no longer exist
As you have remembered them

They are not yours anymore and
You have no say but know what
You would say if only you could, but
Then again what difference does it make?

You cannot go back to yesteryear
If you could you would probably
Make a rerun of what you have
Already forgotten and life goes on

You reflect and know you lived
It pretty well, still feeling like a kid
but knowing you are only kidding yourself
 
Stanski
July 22, 2020 ^

 
I knew a man, Rodriguez
Thought to be kind to him
Took him for a day of golfing
Knew he wasn’t very good
He said, “Karumba” after bad shots
That’s all I heard him say
For most of the day
Karumba, karumba
 
Finally finished
Took him home
He said, “Let’s do it again”
“Sounds good”, I said convincingly
Knowing it wasn’t going to happen
He is a priest, but
I don’t need that grief
 
Might be wrong
I need another song
In other words
Leaving town is for me
None too soon
Not going to turn the other cheek
Or explain my grief
 
Other pastures deserve a look
All through with lost-and-found
Can I be profound?
Good night Mrs. Calabash, and
So long, Rodriguez
Wherever you are and
Stay out of the woods
 
Stanski
July 22, 2020 ^

This is not poetic and
It is not amusing but
Sad how our media and
Politicians are indignant
About Russia offering
The Taliban bounty money
For every American soldier
Killed in Afghanistan
It is an unsubstantiated story
But goes on to blame the
Trump administration for
Not taking action
Toward Russia
 
The same reporters and
Politicians never raise a
Similar accusation against
Iran’s offering bounty to
The same Taliban to kill
American servicemen
They want to foil any of
Our efforts to influence
Afghanistan and also
Frustrate progress in
Armistice talks being
Conducted in Qatar
 
Iran wants to influence
The provinces adjacent to
Them and has hosted
The radical Taliban groups
The real issue however
Is why the U.S. media,
Reporters and politicians
Remain silent about it
Iran is the sponsor of
Terrorism in this region
Of the world and has been
Ever since 9/11
 
Will we every wake up?
The Bush administration
Began wars in Afghanistan
And in Iraq taking their
Eye off or Iran or ignoring
Them, while knowing
That evil existed there
The Obama administration
Returned billions in
Frozen assets to them
Along with $1.7 billion
In cash which was a
Return of $400 million
Plus interest given to
The U.S. for weapons by
The former Shah, but
Never delivered
 
All the money was delivered
To Iran which repaid debts
To China and others and
Still had enough to sponsor
The Taliban terrorists with
Deadly weapons including the
Improvised Explosive Device
Also called the IED
It goes on and on and we
Wonder what is wrong with
The world we live in
 
We are in a mess and
Whenever the President does
Something to protect our
Interests he is assailed by
This same media and these
Very politicians, who put
Their own interests in front
Of their love for this country
It is a sad commentary on
Those who should be proclaiming
The miscarriage of justice
Around the world
 
Will we ever learn?
The President is doing everything
He possibly can to strengthen
Our position around the world
Western European Countries
Protest his recommendations
But soon follow suit and the
Media banners the first and
Ignores the second
They have become compliant
And complacent as have we    

Stanski  
July 21, 2020 ^
 

My daughter says goodbye
It is 7:30 in the morning
She is off to work and my
Grandson is soon to follow
Soon they will have their
Own place and I will be alone
 
There was a time when my bride
And I had six active
Children going in all directions
Then one by one they peeled off
All heading to the mountains
West of the Mississippi River
 
I remember planting pine trees
With my oldest son and he
Wondered how long it would be
Until the trees were really tall
A good number of our years would
Be gone and we would wish them back
 
The last time I saw the trees they were
Smothering the driveway, although we
Had planted them in the middle of the
Lot in two staggered rows and I realized
That over thirty years had passed and
The trees had not been tended with alacrity
 
We were alone in the old manor for
Seven years before we sold it and moved
North to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
We traveled west once a year and they
Traveled east to visit us just as often
It was always good to be together again
 
We did our best not to be neglectful
Built a new house where the old one had been
And spent a lot of time landscaping and
Decorating, always enjoying the process
It all comes to an end eventually and when
The angels came for my bride I was alone
 
After a while I found a new friend and
We spent many happy times traveling to
The south and then the southwest and
Often just being together at home
Something happen, a head injury and life
Changed and our covenant to each other ended
 
It was a sad time packing all of her things
Into a moving truck and driving it downstate
Neighbors helped unpack and the empty truck was
Returned and I eventually drove home to the north
There are people around but the loneliness and loss
Have a long term effect as you wonder why this happens
 
It does happen though, just like seedlings grow into the sky
The old home has changed as different owners put
Their mark on the historic place which was Farm Gothic
The chicken coop I built when the original collapsed
Was painted barn red and had chickens and the big
Back room had animals barking and jumping
 
The outside looked like Spanish revival and the
Rock wall garden I had built had been neglected
It was no longer mine, but I could still hear the
Voices of our children as they played long ago
The euphoria I had felt in restoring the place
Vanished into a melancholy which will not soon go away
 
Time pushes on and the odds of continually living get smaller
I have lost the couple I bought my store from and
Two who befriended us and became our mentors
And so many that helped us along the way
Life goes on however and there is still much to do
There is no way you can just give up and lay down
 
Friends and new friends are there for you and you
For them and ideas are exchanged and acted upon
Disappointments are still commonplace, not because
I am particular but because others cannot see the big picture
You take your lumps and keep on taking the steps
Always with an eye open for someone who will be that one
 
Stanski
July 20, 2020^