Social engineering
dressed up
in the drag
of state religion
A trick of the tail
that sting of tradition
Taboos and hoodoos
male and female
two sides of the one
multifaceted coin
Far too many
a lost penny
spent in a storm
Spurned and torn
for just being born
In the face
of much hatred
violence and abuse
many have taken
the final recourse
of least resistance
long before
their rightful time
When did being true
to the real you
become such a crime
Are we not
captives all
to the random
vagaries of biology
and the deepest mysteries
of human psychology?
Love divine
requires a bit more
than impassive tolerance
Isn’t it high time
to move past all this
heterodyne interference
from the self-righteous
aggressively religious
stuck in a rut
over the book of Leviticus?
When it comes
to the letter of the law
Jesus Christ alone
is the complete fulfilment
There is now
a whole new testament
with a message loud and clear
… true freedom
for each and every one of us
A love letter heaven sent
at a celestial price
paid in full on our behalf

“God is love, and all who
live in love live in God,
and God lives in them.”
~ John the Evangelist

wonderful, stirring ode to acceptance, David and to the marvellous vagaries of genetics !!!!
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Thank you, John π Sadly, as
a Mutant Ninja Power Ranger
I know all about the vagaries
of alien genetics πͺπ½π
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Golly gosh David… alien genetics? You are knowledgable. Do they offer the course at the University of Melbourne? A DAG? (Doctor of Alien Genetics) Go nicely on the wall with your MNPR degree. (Mutant Ninja……)
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It’s definitely high time to move past it.
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Unfortunately, Bojana,
the dead hand of the past
still holds on till it’s last gasp.
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Shhh, I’m daydreaming. Don’t spoil it. I’m not often optimistic.
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Perhaps if we keep that respirator
away from the Ghost of the Past π€
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Everything counts.
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You’d think it would be such a simple thing, to just accept people as they are.
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From Moscow to Jakarta π
it’s back to the future π
without a Gay Mardi Gras ππ«
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π
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I love this, David. Especially these lines:
Are we not
captives all
to the random
vagaries of biology
and the deepest mysteries
of human psychology?
And beyond our biology,
underneath it all, we’re the
same — souls in a body suspended
in space finding our way
back to Love and each other. β₯.
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Thank you muchly, Niki πΉβ€οΈ
I do have to use my imagination
to even catch a glimpse of the
persecution many have had to
endure, all in the name of tribal
fertility. An ancient imperative
wrapped up in religion.
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This is such a great song. Perfect lyrics too. And we’ll keep on remembering: “You’re too strong not to keep on keeping on…” Even if it doesn’t always feel that way. β₯.
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I really have no understanding,
but that shouldn’t stop one from
speaking out when something
is wrong β Keep on keepin’ on π
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Amen. =) β₯.
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The opening lines drew me in. This is brilliant DavidβΊοΈ
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Thanks for being drawn, Christine π
and your positive comment is worthy
of song πΆ π
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Divine and Jesus appearing in the same context, sweet! Remember Pink Flamingos?
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Loved that movie π¦©
At the time it was so far out there,
like an Andy Warhol, and with very
much the same production values π
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… well spotted ποΈ
Multiple Michael’s tribute to Divine.
He’s also done some great portraits
of John Waters π
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Brilliant. Well said.
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Thank you π
This one has been building
up for a while.
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One we all need to hear, and especially we in the church!
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Love your neighbour βοΈ
even when they bat
for the other team ππ
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its awesome
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Thank you, Mu Tan-Man ππ
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βGod is love, and all who
live in love live in God,
and God lives in them.β
May we all live that. β€
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When it comes to throwing
the first stone, anyone who’s
squeaky clean might find
themselves all on their own π
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Good one π₯°π―
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Thank you muchly, Ashi πππ
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The insanity continues. The right wing is pretty much all about death. Death of ideas, freedom, and being who you are. Terrified little minds wanting to rule the world. Scary. Reallllly scary. Great poem.
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Merci beaucoup ππ
Yes, tyrants oppress. That’s what
tyrants, and bullies, do best.
It would seem that those who grasp
for worldly power have no spiritual
principles.
“For we wrestle not against flesh
and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers
of the darkness of this world, against
spiritual wickedness in high places.”
~ Paul of Tarsus
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Powerful words and message, David. With how fast time flies, you’d think we’d be past all the hatred. I thought at one time things were progressing. Now it seems we’ve been pushed back decades. It’s so sad that people can’t accept others as they are. And if they don’t like something, then walk the other way. It’s really very simple. But hatred’s grip is too strong for many where their actions follow. We can’t lose hope though…
~ Lauren π
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Thanks Lauren π π π
It does seem that intolerance and
prejudice is a cultural thing, spurred
on by religions that claim to be all
about brotherly love. I once spent
some time in Papua New Guinea
where an effeminate male was
regarded as a gift from the gods,
having combined some of the
better attributes of both genders
(i.e; strength βοΈ and intelligence βοΈ)
To a young traveller, from a rather
homophobic culture, it was a bit of a
shock. Seeing real loving acceptance
in action … not just in slogans.
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God is love
I don’t know how so many people get ot wrong. Well said, David.
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Thanks Basilike π
It’s unbelievable that in the year
2021, when the West seems to be
undoing some ancient wrongs,
there’s still a big time pandemic
of persecution going on.
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One step forward, ten steps backwards…
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nice work David… love is God, God is love you delivered it well! π
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Much appreciated, Cindy ππ βοΈ
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pleasure David!β£οΈβ£οΈβ£οΈ
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a lost penny
spent in a storm….
Love it!
Thanks for writing
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My pleasure.
Some things should never
have to be written.
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True π
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Love this β€
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Thank you muchly, Yashi πβ€οΈ
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Is that picture at the top a photo of Uncle Ernie in his younger days, David?
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A very close resemblance, Chris, but
its none other than Uncle Ernie’s drag
apprentice, Divine. An easy mistake to
make. Back in the early 60’s, Harris
Glenn Milstead got his first big break
as Uncle Ernie’s hairdresser whilst
touring Greenwich Village with his
drag show extravaganza, ‘Blowing In
The Wind’. Uncle Ernie then went on to
teach this young hairdresser the art of
female impersonation. The rest is drag
history. John Waters later claimed that
he discovered Divine, but it was really
dear old Uncle Ernie π
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Beautifully written David, I admire your bravery in giving testimony so brilliantly and try to do the same but not in such glorious colors. What a beautiful testimony to your belief in Our Lord. Thank you my friend. Love you guys, Joni xoxoxoxo
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Thank you exceedingly, Joni πβ€οΈ
To plagiarise Neil Young …
From the fundamentalist pulpit
I’ve seen the legalese
flowing with such ease
and the damage done
A bit of bigotry in everyone
Only God’s love can truly overcome
Every suicide is like a settin’ sun
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What great lyrics! I saw him in Lexington, KY so long ago. Your writing is very thoughtful, provocative and truly makes one take notice of many things. I love that you have a very different style and that you express your faith so beautifully.
Gun deaths and suicides are really up this summer. Not surprising. Our world is a mess. I am grateful for my faith which I have had since I was a very little child. Thanks for sharing these beautiful lyrics too my friend. On a side note I actually got to see Cat Stevens a little over two years ago, Jan. Of 2019. He almost didnβt make it into the US for this event. He sounded exactly the same. Sending my love to you both and my appreciation for your work my friend. β€οΈπ€π¦πJoni
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I have an Uncle Ernie (lives in Texas somewhere) anyways maybe thats where I got it from???!!! ; )πΏπΏππ Good stuff!!!
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Thanks Cara π
Uncle Ernie really should be in the
Who’s Who of pop culture icons.
Sadly, he is generally overlooked
for being so far ahead of his time.
Some might say Uncle Ernie was
so far ahead that he ended up way
behind the times π€
Yet, even the Who were moved to
write a song about him πΆ π
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Yes, yes, YES!!! YES. This says it all. You brought tears to my eyes with:
“Spurned and torn
for just being born”
It’s crazy universes beyond ridiculous that judging anyone on such RIDICULOUS levels is happening ANHYWHERE.
I experienced a very teeny, minor yet exceedingly profound breakthrough in my own little journey on this planet.
It sincerely doesn’t matter to me what anyone’s religious/spiritual/atheistic/agnostic dance with God or the Universe is. It’s simply none of my business. HOWEVER….I live in the Bible belt of the deep South of the United States. It’s FAR more progressive than one would figure, but I have a VERY dear, golden-hearted friend who is a born-again-rolling on-the -floor-speaking-in-tongues-I’ve-got-to-save-You Christian. She is well aware that if a Christian, a Hindu, a Buddhist, and a Native American had a baby it would be me. She proselytizes me (and everyone within earshot) now and again. I tune her out. I Love her. I get that that’s her duty regarding the path she’s chosen. I’m going to Hell. She loves me and HAS to try now and again to bring me to her ways. Whatever. ANYWAY!!!!! That set up was important because:
We are both having some hair issues as we age. We were having a good laugh about it recently and I told her I’d found some FANTASTIC products and advice from Jonathon Van Ness….who You may or may not know is on the new ‘Queer Eye’ series. I’ve been crazy in love with everything about him for years!!! HE ROCKS and always gifts such JOY!!! AND….his hair products are insanely FANTASTIC!!!! I’m stunned. The best I’ve ever tried and I’ve tried everything hippy trippy natural on my hair! My friend’s not homophobic but lumps ANYTHING in the LGBIQ+ community as going to hell. I figure that puts me in great company! π€£ ANYWAY…..I recommended Jonathan’s products to her. About a week later I saw her. She had a funny smile on her face. The conversation was:
Her: I ordered Jonathan’s products.
Me: Cool beans!!! You’ll love them!
Her: I was looking over his website.
Me: Great!
Pause.
Her: Do You know he wears mini skirts?!!!
Me: YES!!!! He’s fantastic!!! I want to marry him!!!
AND SHE LAUGHED!!!!
Her: I ordered them anyway. (And she shook her head and very sweetly smiled!!!!!!)
Me: YAY!!!!
That’s HUGE!!! I’d say more than half of the people here seriously wouldn’t care less and AREN’T homophobic or judgemental or ANYTHING You’d expect in the Deep South….but even one die hard kindof judgemental person giving way….a little…..in my mind is a miracle!!!!
Apologies for the length but I blame You as this post captured my heart, set my mind to reeling and it landed on that experience which still makes me smile!!! THANK YOU, Sir David!!!!!!!! Cheers, Huge hugs, and ROCK ON!!! π€ππ!!!
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The story of your friend, and hair
products π is well worth the telling
… and reading, Katy.
The ‘Book’ tells me that God is love,
and Jesus tells us not to judge, yet
these medicine show fire & brimstone
hucksters often stoke up nothing but
old testimental hatred?! (“God’s love
is unconditional, unless you happen to
be homosexual!”). My reading of the
Good Book π is that treating people
as objects to be greedily exploited,
violated, disrespected, used, and
abused, was not cool with God;
“Behold, this was the sin of your
sister Sodom: she and her daughters
(outlying cities) had arrogance,
abundant food, and careless ease, but
she did not help the poor and needy.”
~ Ezekiel 16:49
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