Thursday, August 1, 2013

Editor's Corner

August 2013

“Accept criticism. If you do not offer your work for criticism and accept that criticism, meaning give it serious thought and attention, then you will never improve.”--Theodora Goss.

That quote shown on FaceBook by Michael John Fierro has been chosen for this column quote for August. The reason we do Pencil Stubs Online is to encourage writers, established authors, and beginning authors of all submissions which includes columns, articles, stories, poetry and song lyrics. They get a professional editor lending expertise in the form of minor corrections for spelling errors, typo's, choice of the correct 'sound alike word,' some grammatical errors and sometimes old fashioned advice on form. The author's personal 'voice' is never changed or compromised and we strive only to enhance what they intend to present so the reader does not become distracted by glaring errors. Many of our early authors have gone on to publish their own books or chap books, or have progressed to blogs of their own. Several of the song lyrics first seen in our pages have been turned into complete song recordings as Phillip Hennessy and Bruce Clifford can attest.

Our "By The Numbers" columnist Michael John Fierro has supplied us with the numerological forecast for August as well as the numerological profiles for George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin. Because of the length of those profiles, they are being shown separately in this same issue.
"Irish Eyes" by Mattie Lennon, addresses a solemn subject, a change from Lennon's usually more humorous essays with info about THE CILLíN. Thomas F. O'Neill, of Suchou, China, lauds the freedom of speech here in the USA in "Introspective."

Peg Jones ("Angel Whispers") shares the Amazon link to her book, “Living In The Heart Place With Your Angels: Daily Angelical Whispers Throughout the Year” and delivers a new message from the Angels.  Eric Shackle's Column does have a lighthearted piece featuring the Australian Prime Minester Kevin Rudd. Then Judy Kroll ("On Trek") also started with a FaceBook quote and discusses what it set her to pondering.

John I. Blair's column "Always Looking-People Who Made A Difference IX" once again brings to our attention a famous name from the past, telling us, "Frances Ellen Watkins Harper is a little-known American literary figure who dedicated her life to human betterment. Her writing may have become dated, but her motives have not."

Scott Chase aka Gandolph returns to our pages this time with a free verse, "Longing in A Dream," while Riva Joi Smith shares "Proud Stallion;" and John I. Blair's current poem is "Fight." Jacquelein Veldhuis of the Netherlands says of her poem "When I wrote 'Memories' in Dutch, it rhymed, but the translation does not."

"Are You With Me Now" and "So Far Gone" were submitted by Bruce Clifford. Phillip Hennessy, of England, another of our song writers, offers "Fear-Faced," "Did You Know What Time, this is," and "Pieces of Me."

Jeremiah Raber, a member of the first cast of the TV show "Breaking Amish, Brave New World," wrote his first song, "Unstoppable," and then two more songs, "Burning Love" and "Never Know" followed shortly. We are pleased to present them here for him as he begins what promises to be a prolific new career.

"Rabbo Tales II, Chapter 17-Attack" is a long new chapter in the adult fantasy with rabbits by Mark Crocker. Previous chapters of this tale can be accessed by clicking the author's name.

We thank our co-founder and webmaster Mike Craner for all the work he does to keep us appearing month after month. What would we do without him?

See you in September!

Click on Mary E. Adair for bio and list of other works published by Pencil Stubs Online.
This issue appears in the ezine at www.pencilstubs.com and also in the blog www.pencilstubs.net with the capability of adding comments at the latter.

By The Numbers

AUGUST, 2013 – A 14/5 UNIVERSAL MONTH

August is a 14/5 Universal Month. 14/5 is one of the Karmic Debt numbers in Numerology and has a great deal to do with the human condition and the sexual principles of life. With the 5 being a representation of (among other things) the human condition, August may see more focus and attention paid to things having to do with the physical being of people.

 This may be especially important in the ongoing fight around women's reproductive rights and the continuing crackdown on abortion by state legislatures. We may very well see an increase and intensity in this battle as people on both sides look to assert their positions as the 14/5 also concerns the issues of pregnancy and social and family obligations. With 5's desire for balance and law and order, once again the people's voices must be heard and considered, especially in the realm of legal documents and laws. 5 also represents the elements of freedom and change and perhaps these elements will gain importance in an area that should be entirely personal, without the interference or constraints of government or social agendas. Additionally, 14/5 includes conditions and situations revolving around national, community and social conscience. Might this not be a good time for people and politicians to work from a place of good conscience that includes concern and importance for the common good?

August will also bring about an increase in attention to matters of health, wealth and education. A receptivity to new things may help in propelling the dialogue regarding these matters. It will be important for all to slow down and give thought and consideration to previous behavior patterns. Increased concentration and mental transference can bring about new influences and changes where necessary. One positive way to foster and bring about such changes will be through the use of tact, diplomacy and persuasion. A key word to keep in mind during all conversations and actions is TEMPERANCE...giving consideration to all opinions and perspectives and acting, again, from a place that creates the best for everyone and enhances the common good.

5 is known for its bold and adventurous spirit and its willingness to take chances, and August amplifies opportunities to do so. This may be a month in which the unusual or extraordinary receives notice and the time is ripe for new and different products and ideas. The 14/5 energy is good for sales, travel and a change of pace and these conditions may bring about increases in the selling and purchases of goods and services. One caution is to be aware that trends towards desire creates a need for balance, again, keeping in mind the major conditions of the sexual principles associated with this number. Opportunities will exist to create balance in the physical realm as well as the creative ability to manifest change(s). All things and situations should be met with an abundance of enthusiasm and a willingness to make the necessary modifications. The principle of the 14/5 is the destruction of the old and the re-building of the new underscored by learning the lesson of detachment. Through these actions can we discover the true meanings of peace and freedom. It is through learning to love the law of change that it will be conquered.

In the world of business, along with the potential for increased sales (especially in the categories of pleasure-driven items), there is also increased energy regarding speculation and competition. While there may be losses of property or business failures, it must be remembered that losses will bring on gains.

On the negative side, the 14/5 energy of August may also bring on a rise in dishonesty and irresponsibility. People may leave jobs over issues real or imagined. There may also be an increase in fraudulent practices and these may arise in the areas of business and government. It is important that you stay engaged in the on-going processes and allow your voice to be heard...both individually and collectively.

2013 is a 6 Universal Year and the elements of responsibility, family, home and service to others must be considered in all that is contemplated or acted upon. After the 13/4 energy of July and its elements of transitional change, August continues the vibration under which the world continues to transform as we struggle to bring balance, system and equality to all things.

Blessings of Love & Light!
Michael John Fierro

Editor's Note: Michael John Fierro has also done the numerological profiles on George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin.  They are published in this issue.

Click on Michael John Fierro for bio and list of other works published by Pencil Stubs Online.

Trayvon Martin: Victim, Aggressor

or Fulfilling His Destiny?

The tragic event that took place in Sanford FL on February 26, 2012 resulted in the death of a teenager, the arrest of a neighborhood watchman, and a resultant trial ending in the acquittal of George Zimmerman. On the surface, this could have just been a random occurrence, emboldened by a bizarre law (stand your ground) and what may, or may not have been a situation that was racially charge and motivated.

What does Numerology tell us about Trayvon Martin? Was he solely a victim? Could he have been the instigator of actions that resulted in his death? And, more deeply, what do the numbers show about this tragic event?

Trayvon Benjamin Martin was born on February 5, 1995 and had just celebrated his 17th birthday, three weeks before he lost his life. He had a 12/3 Soul Urge; a 12/3 Personality/Image; a 15/6 Expression; and a 13/4 Life Path. His sub-Challenges are a 3 in the 1st position; a 1 in the 2nd position; a 2 in the 3rd position; and a 4 Lifetime Challenge. The 13/4 Life Path is the same number as George Zimmerman's 13/4 Expression.

Trayvon's chart shows him to be a sociable, charming young man who had a lot going for himself. He was not without his issues (as we all are) and there are similarities between his chart and the chart of George Zimmerman that could have certainly contributed to the events of that night. Once again, in another of what seems to be a series of ongoing tragedies involving firearms, there are karmic lessons at play indicating that this event has implications and lessons for the whole, and not just for those involved. The 12/3 in two positions indicate that Trayvon had great poise and he may have been viewed as somewhat odd by those who knew him, as he might have projected great inner strength. This was coupled with a tolerance for those people, lifestyles and beliefs that were different than his. On a very deep level, he understood that life is just an illusion and that one's life was a result of their beliefs. He also understood the transitory nature of life and held a place of peace within himself. In the deepest core of his being, he was not attached to worldly matters. Perhaps the most important aspect of the 12/3 energy is that one may lead a life of voluntary sacrifice that includes difficulties, trials and tribulations yet nothing can rattle a deep serenity. As a numerologist, I interpret this to mean that part of the purpose of Trayvon's being was to be a catalyst or instrument of awareness and change.

The 15/6 Expression shows that Trayvon had a personal magnetism and a talent for earning or receiving money and gifts from others. Yet, he also knew that he must work for that which he desired. This energy also would have made him strong-willed and diligent and the possessing of a willingness to go after, and obtain that which he wanted. The 6 energy can be somewhat materialistic and I would say that there may have been a inner conflict regarding materialism for the 12/3 energy in his chart, being cognizant of the transitory illusion of life , is not necessarily concerned with the material aspects of living. One of the negative aspects of the 15/6 may be a lack of emotional control resulting in a violent reaction to their 'lot in life'. A confrontation could easily result in him lashing out, as he might perceive the confrontation to be a confirmation of who, and what he is and that would be uncomfortable for him.

The 13/4 Life Path number in Martin's chart is one of the most karmic of all the Karmic Numbers. With its representation of 'death', the 13/4 shows that the lifetime can be a continuing series of 'lives and deaths' through a never-ending progression of changes. This number is very much an 'all or nothing' vibration with every situation being of great importance and dramatic cause and effect. Those with the 13/4 must learn to ride the peaks and valleys of life and be willing to embrace the changes that come along. Just as things seem to settle down, something else comes along that requires attention and focus. Because of this condition, a secure home and secure relationships are necessary as a grounding device. Martin's 13/4 Life Path is the same number as Zimmerman's 13/4 Expression. In other words, the path of Trayvon's life was energetically the same as the energy of who Zimmerman must be in this lifetime. The negative side of the 13/4 carries with it a bad temper that leads to rash actions that can harm others. This leads to changes that are destructive and detrimental to his own life and possibly the lives of those around him. In this condition of the 13/4, one is spiritually asleep and unaware of the bigger picture, and the part that each of us plays in creating a whole that is beneficial to everyone. Couple that with the fact that the day of the incident that propelled both these people into the public spotlight (2/26/2102) was a 13/4 Personal Day (all or nothing) for Trayvon, on a 15/6 Universal Day, and I will infer that this was a day during which both parties were to meet their destiny in what was immediately a tragedy, yet in the long run could be a catalyst for a new discussion in this country about guns and the issue of 'stand your ground' laws.
There are other points of similarity in the charts of Trayvon and George. Zimmerman has a 4 1st Challenge (under which he would have still felt the influence as the issue will remain if not learned and overcome), and Trayvon's Lifetime Challenge was a 4. With its representation of 'control issues', this could have certainly contributed to the volatility of the situation as each of them would have looked to be the dominant force in what happened. Both individuals have 3-4s in the spelling of their names and this would indicate a potential physical reaction to anger and/or confrontation. On the Physical Plane, both have eight letters, showing that both men were ambitious for power and may exert said desire to make their case. Martin and Zimmerman both have four letters on the Mental Plane making both of them very determined in that in which they are engaged. (Obviously, these two conditions could easily create a volatile situation).

Trayvon's 1st Challenge was a 3 indicating that he might have been struggling to overcome some self-esteem issues and feel comfortable with himself. In conjunction with having no 3s in the spelling of his name, he may have had a difficult time expressing himself. Another contributing factor could be Trayvon's 1 Challenge in the 2nd position. A 1 Challenge is an indication of an individual having a difficult time with authority and being told what to do. The natural inclination of the person with a 1 Challenge is to confront authority. If Trayvon considered Zimmerman to be an authority figure, he might have naturally taken on that authority (and, because Zimmerman wasn't a true 'authority' figure, he may have been disregarded by Trayvon, triggering an angry reaction of '...how dare you, do you know who I am?'). While Trayvon may not necessarily have had a temper, Zimmerman does, and my sense is that Trayvon's initial reaction might not have been borne out of anger as much as other more deep-seated emotional issues (represented by the 3 Challenge and the 1 Challenge). Trayvon had a sensitivity for others that Zimmerman did not (evidenced by the lack of 2s in the spelling of his George's name and his 2 Challenge in 3 positions).

Taken all together, this was a mix of energies that had great potential for going wrong, and sadly, they did. Trayvon's Personal Day on February 26, 2012 was a 20/2 showing that for him, this was a transformational day regarding his abilities to get along with others. The 20/2 indicates that a sudden event would certainly bring on a major decision as to how one is going to proceed thus establishing a major turning point in one's life. Perhaps if events did not escalate so quickly, decisions could have been made that would have save a life, and prevented another from being turned upside down.

The purpose of this essay is not to assess guilt or innocence for either party, although in many ways, they were both guilty of something. In looking at the bigger, esoteric picture, this event may have very well been something to which both parties 'agreed' at some point in time before physical incarnation. In the way of the spirit, both were fulfilling an obligation to each other, and to the macro level of human existence. As I stated earlier, this may have been more to bring to the attention of all, the strange ways in which we behave towards one another, totally forsaking humanity and compassion for the sake of ideals and agendas. Obviously, America is a country that still struggles with issues of race and, we are a country that has a violent streak that continues unabated. If we all step back a bit and look at the big picture, we may realize that it is time to have the conversations that are necessary regarding the fact that we are all here together, and what affects one, affects all. In their own way, Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman thrust these issues onto center stage with Trayvon sacrificing his life for the cause. Will Zimmerman's life ever be the same? I think not, although there is opportunity for him to become a voice in bringing people together. Can America, as a country, overcome its partisan divisions so that we make steps towards healing? Each of us as individuals can only do our part, yet it is the culmination of the acts of many that can affect the whole. What part will you take?

Blessings of Love & Light
© 2013, Michael John Fierro
Michael John Fierro is a Numerologist, Life Coach, and Author of YOU KNOW YOUR NAME...LOOK UP YOUR NUMBERS. He has been working with numerology since 1984 and is available for private sessions, lectures, and more. You may contact him at numerologist.michaelfierro@gmail.com or www.michaeljohnfierro.com

Click on Michael John Fierro for bio and list of other works published by Pencil Stubs Online.

George Zimmerman: Who Is He?

The Story Behind The Person

Recently, the news has been filled with stories about the tragic shooting of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman, in Sanford FL. Much has been written and talked about regarding the events leading up to, and culminating in Martin's death. The trial of Zimmerman ended in an acquittal. As a Numerologist, I am interested in George Michael Zimmerman, the person. What makes him tick? Could he be capable of killing someone? What might drive him to act in such an aggressive fashion? Is he capable of being an individual driven by fear/hate/racism and by his own idea of what is right or wrong? This profile of him will provide insight into what makes George Zimmerman tick and what may have been behind his actions on that fateful night.

In a numerological profile, I put emphasis on the Challenges (the issues in life as determined by the Life Path) and the Karmic Lessons (determined by the numbers that are missing in the spelling of one's name). The combination of these aspects of the chart go a long way in showing the areas of life in which an individual will have difficulties that result in aberrant or 'wrong' behavior. Coupled with the information provided through the rest of the chart, one can get a clear picture of what makes someone tick and how they may behave in various situations.

George Michael Zimmerman, born on 10/5/1983 has a 19/1 Soul Urge; a 21/3 Personality/Image; a 13/4 Expression and a 9 Life Path. His sub-Challenges are 4, 2, and 2 with a Lifetime Challenge of 2. Of his Major Numbers the 19/1 and the 13/4 are Karmic Numbers indicating that upon entering this plane he brought forth with him major lessons and energies and many, dramatic choices during the course of this lifetime.

While the 19/1 Soul Urge indicates leadership talents that could be useful it also shows that in all situations the All (9) must be considered in the doing of the One (1). As with all numbers, 19/1 has both positive and negative aspects. The positive aspects show great talent in heading up projects and a strong ability to take mistakes, learn from them, and turn them into something beneficial. It certainly can attract love and money resulting in a good marriage, a contented home life, material success as well as honor and esteem. The 19/1 can create many twists and turns in life which may result in starting over on many occasions. One of the important lessons of this number is the mastering of emotions, as failing to do so will result in emotional upheavals and uncontrolled impulses. This, in turn, can lead to material loss and failures. A truly negative 19/1 may lead a double life, creating a positive image on one hand while leading a life of deceit and a lack of truth. This path will lead to what could be construed as a spiritual fall as well as a testing of one's courage. Losses come about through unseen dangers and treachery. It is possible that out of this tragedy could come growth and healing that can lead to being an influence in the relief of suffering. Only time will tell if Zimmerman will learn the big lesson from this tragedy and move forward to enlighten himself and others.

21/3 is a fortuitous number that can bring about good fortune and success. This is an expressive and creative energy that calls for an orderly progression of things to assure success. Acting without thinking will bring about problems that can not only impact oneself, they will impact others. Negatively the same tenacity that can result in success will also assure loss as situations with others can remove the things that provide a sense of security. The negative 21/3 is also very stubborn and refuses to learn the lessons that life offers. Once again, Zimmerman can take this situation and turn it into something that benefits others (and by extension, himself) as the number represents the cosmic consciousness.

The 13/4 Expression number in Zimmerman's chart is one of the most karmic of all the Karmic Numbers. With its representation of 'death', the 13/4 shows that the lifetime can be a continuing series of lives and deaths through a never-ending progression of changes. This number is very much an 'all or nothing' vibration with every situation being of great importance and dramatic cause and effect. Those with the 13/4 must learn to ride the peaks and valleys of life and be willing to embrace the changes that come along. Just as things seem to settle down, something else comes along that requires attention and focus. Because of this condition, a secure home and secure relationships are necessary as a grounding device. Although not a leader, per se, the 13/4 will carry on for others. This could lead to a heightened sense of self-importance as Zimmerman would see himself as the person who can take care of what he perceives to be 'problems'. Coupled with his 9 Life Path, George has a heightened sense of idealism and he may see many things as a 'cause' to which he must devote time and energy.

The negative side of the 13/4 carries with it a bad temper that leads to rash actions that can harm others. This leads to changes that are destructive and detrimental to his own life and possibly the lives of those around him. In this condition of the 13/4, one is spiritually asleep and unaware of the bigger picture and the part that each of us plays in creating a whole that is beneficial to everyone.

As with the previous numbers, opportunities abound for Zimmerman to manifest changes that will improve his life and the lives of others. If he were to become an advocate for tolerance and acceptance, he could go a long way towards healing the wounds created by his actions.

The major lesson of the 9 Life Path is to learn one's humanitarian purpose and share it. 9, with its great compassion, tolerance and altruistic take on life, can always be a force for good, often sacrificing itself for the benefit of the greater collective. It is the 9 that can lead the way by offering up an example of what a good life can do and how it can be beneficial. The caution with the 9 is always to be aware of a tendency to be too idealistic without giving any thought to how one can affect others by forcing one 's ideals on those people. This is also a vibration that can lead to great disappointment because of an unwillingness, or inability to conceive of a perspective other than the one that is held. Negatively, the 9 can be overly emotional, frustrated, selfish, unfulfilled, burdened and easily disappointed. If Zimmerman feels these conditions (and I felt strongly that he does) it would cause him to act irrationally without much thought given to the consequences of his actions. He lacks the understanding of others' motives and could easily be immoral, vulgar and a liar.

In looking at the Challenges and Karmic Lessons in George Zimmerman's chart, one can begin to truly understand in what areas he would have the most difficulties and, by extension, how these issues could manifest themselves in his day-to-day life.

George has no 2s in the spelling of his name. The Lesson here is to learn patience with, and tolerance of, others. There is a lack of consideration for others and the qualities of tact and co-operation may be missing. Coupled with the fact that he only has 1-1 in the spelling of his name (showing a lessened sense of self), he may look for ways to assert himself to make himself feel better without giving a thought to how his actions may affect others. What truly exacerbates these conditions is the 2nd and 3rd Sub-Challenges of 2 and a Lifetime Challenge of 2. Zimmerman's biggest challenge in life is to learn to be patient, tolerant of others and sensitive to others. With the representation of the 2 in the realm of partnerships and relationships, he would constantly be tested in how he interacts with others. The Universe, in its infinite wisdom, would continually put him in situations in which he would have to overcome his Challenge and become a loving and understanding person.

George also has 2-8s in the spelling of his name and the 8 can add the element of a temper, anger and rage to an individual. Again, coupled with the lack of 2s and the below average number of 1s, he would conceivably overcompensate by projecting (falsely) a sense of power and control. Because Zimmerman has a 4 Challenge in the 1st position (covering the time period up to the age of 27 and beyond if the Challenge has not been met and overcome), control issues would be a major consequence. This would also create issues around self-control. The 1st position 4 Challenge also indicates that he came out of a home that was very disciplined and controlled, quite possibly leading to an attitude of rebellion and a search for ways in which he could exercise his own control over others. Add to the 4 Challenge the fact that there are 3-4s in the spelling of his name and there is a recipe for potential disaster. The average number of 4s in the average name is 1-2. Having 3-4s would add to the controlling nature of the individual while also making the person somewhat anal retentive with a strong desire to create and maintain order and discipline in his life. Anything that may upset that scenario could easily trigger a response that in many instances would be physical. Coupled with the 2-8s in his chart, it is easy to see that George might react in a physical fashion to anything that upsets him, or anything that triggers a visceral response in line with his preconceived ideas of things.

Other conditions that reside in Zimmerman's chart and that could add to a very, negative persona are the 8 Physical letters, 4 Mental letters, 3 Emotional letters and 6 Intuitive letters in the spelling of his name. Separately, these conditions may be easily handled and directed in a positive fashion. Combined, they could spell problems and potential disaster. The 8 Physical letters make him ambitious for power (his desire to be a policeman and his relegation to being a neighborhood watch person). The 4 Mental letters make him very determined and quite willing to pursue that which he feels he should be doing. 3 Emotional letters indicate that he is a person that wants admiration and who would act impulsively. Finally, the 6 Intuitive letters show that in his mind he sees himself doing 'big' things and that he acts from a place of delusions of grandeur.

In summary, I believe, based upon my almost three decades of working with Numerology, that George Zimmerman was not only capable of killing Trayvon Martin, in all probability he could justify it in his own mind. This, in combination with the 'stand your ground' laws in Florida, provided a toxic stew of ingredients that led to the death of a young man. Yet, in its way, this event, with George Zimmerman at the heart of it, could lead to a re-examination of these laws and more deeply, the racial divide that still exists in 21st Century America. Perhaps as an outcome of all of this, Zimmerman will (unwittingly) be a catalyst for change, fulfilling part of the requirements for who he is.

We must all examine our parts in this ever-changing world in which we live and do our best to improve ourselves individually and by extension, improve the greater good for all.
© 2013, Michael John Fierro
Michael John Fierro is a Numerologist, Life Coach, and Author of YOU KNOW YOUR NAME...LOOK UP YOUR NUMBERS. He has been working with numerology since 1984 and is available for private sessions, lectures, and more. You may contact him at numerologist.michaelfierro.com or www.michaeljohnfierro.com

Click on author's byline for bio and list of other works published by Pencil Stubs Online.

Always Looking: People Who Made A Difference IX

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper

The sale began — young girls were there,
Defenseless in their wretchedness,
Whose stifled sobs of deep despair
Revealed their anguish and distress.
a verse from "The Slave Auction" by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825 – 1911), an African-American abolitionist, poet and author. She had a long and prolific career, publishing her first book of poetry at twenty and her first novel, the widely praised Iola Leroy,, at age 67.

Frances Ellen Watkins was born to free parents in Baltimore, Maryland. After her mother died when she was three years old in 1828, she was raised by her maternal aunt and uncle. She was educated at the Academy for Negro Youth, a school run by her uncle Rev. William Watkins, who was a civil rights activist. He was a major influence on her life and work.

At fourteen, she found work as a seamstress. Frances Watkins had her first volume of verse, Forest Leaves, published in 1845 (it has been lost). In 1850, Watkins moved to Ohio, where she worked as the first woman teacher at Union Seminary. In 1852, Watkins took another teaching position in Pennsylvania. During this time, she lived in an Underground Railroad Station, where she witnessed the workings of the Underground Railroad and the movement of slaves toward freedom. This experience had a profound effect on Watkins, her poetry, and her later work as an activist.

In 1853, she joined the American Anti-Slavery Society and became a traveling lecturer for the group. In 1854, Watkins was exiled from Maryland because of new laws stating that black people who came in through the northern border of Maryland could be sold into slavery. This marked the beginning of Watkins’ activism. That same year she delivered her first anti-slavery speech, on “Education and the Elevation of Colored Race.” The success of this speech resulted in a two-year lecture tour in Maine for the Anti-Slavery Society.

She traveled, lecturing throughout the East and Midwest, from 1856 to 1860. In 1854 she had published a second book of poems, Poems on Miscellaneous Subjects. While she was traveling and lecturing, several thousand copies of her books were sold, and Watkins donated a large portion of the proceeds to the Underground Railroad. In 1859, her story "The Two Offers" was published in Anglo-African Magazine.

At the age of 35, in 1860 she married Fenton Harper, a widower with three children. They had a daughter together in 1862. For a time Frances Harper withdrew from the lecture circuit; but after her husband died in 1864, she returned to her travels and lecturing. As her career progressed, and especially with the end of the Civil War and death of her husband, Harper became increasingly vocal on feminist issues. She formed alliances with strong figures in the feminist movement, including Susan. B. Anthony.

In 1866 Harper gave a moving speech before the National Women's Rights Convention, demanding equal rights for all, including black women. Harper's eloquent efforts to raise consciousness on this issue earned her election as Vice-President of the National Association of Colored Women in 1897.

She also published books throughout this period, including Sketches of Southern Life in 1872, The Martyr of Alabama and Other Poems in 1894, and her well-known novel Iola Leroy, or Shadows Uplifted in 1892, which is one of the first novels published by a black woman in the United States. Its heroine is a free-born mulatta. The book tells of her struggles after being separated from her mother, her search for work, and her experience with racist boundaries in nineteenth-century society. The book, like the rest of Harper's work, intertwined the issues of racism, classism, and sexism.

Frances Watkins Harper was a strong supporter of abolitionism, prohibition and woman's suffrage, progressive causes linked before and after the American Civil War. She often read her poetry at public meetings, including the extremely popular "Bury Me in a Free Land". Numerous African-American women's service clubs named themselves in her honor. Across the nation, in cities such as St. Louis, St. Paul, and Pittsburgh, F. E. W. Harper Leagues and Frances E. Harper Women's Christian Temperance Unions thrived well into the twentieth century. A women's honors dormitory named for her and Harriet Tubman at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, is commonly referred to as Harper-Tubman, or simply Harper.

Bury Me in a Free Land 

Make me a grave where'er you will,
In a lowly plain, or a lofty hill;
Make it among earth's humblest graves,
But not in a land where men are slaves.

I could not rest if around my grave
I heard the steps of a trembling slave;
His shadow above my silent tomb
Would make it a place of fearful gloom.

I could not rest if I heard the tread
Of a coffle gang to the shambles led,
And the mother's shriek of wild despair
Rise like a curse on the trembling air.

I could not sleep if I saw the lash
Drinking her blood at each fearful gash,
And I saw her babes torn from her breast,
Like trembling doves from their parent nest.

I'd shudder and start if I heard the bay
Of bloodhounds seizing their human prey,
And I heard the captive plead in vain
As they bound afresh his galling chain.

If I saw young girls from their mother's arms
Bartered and sold for their youthful charms,
My eye would flash with a mournful flame,
My death-paled cheek grow red with shame.

I would sleep, dear friends, where bloated might
Can rob no man of his dearest right;
My rest shall be calm in any grave
Where none can call his brother a slave.

I ask no monument, proud and high,
To arrest the gaze of the passers-by;
All that my yearning spirit craves,
Is bury me not in a land of slaves.
©Frances Ellen Watkins Harper

Based on the article in Wikipedia at Wikipedia Article and on an article by Sara A. Therkelsen and Chanomi Maxwell-Parish in Sara A. Therkelsen and Chanomi Maxwell-Parish article

Click on John I. Blair for bio and list of other works published by Pencil Stubs Online.

Angel Whispers

Writing with the Angels

The first I had heard about inspirational writing, was at a website, who offered a class in doing this. We were brought through a visual meditation, and then we were to write with the intention that we were to write the words that our guides or spirit was telling us. We usually had about ten minutes to write all that we heard or sensed.
On this particular day, I wanted to hear a message from my angels for myself… So I wrote with the intention that I would be hearing from them. I started to write and this is what I heard from the angels that afternoon.

“In listening to our words you are open to our thoughts in a way you never knew possible. We are always here by your side and we know that you listen to our words. Do not be afraid to write what you hear, for we are helping with this writing of inspiration. Listen to the silent whispers inside of you. What do you hear? What do you see? What do you feel? Do you feel our love for you? What do you hear? What do you see? What do you feel? Do you feel our love for you? Do you feel the silent whispers of our words to you, in a gentle way? Do you feel a peace when you know we are near? Be assured that we are always near, to guide and inspire. We want you to hear our words in the silence of your heart. Also to feel the peace that is there and to feel the calm, deep within you.”

The message that I had heard that day was so meaningful for me and I knew the angels wanted me to hear their words. It was an invitation in working with them and hearing the messages they wanted to share with me and to know they are genuine. The message is almost a primer for how we communicate with the angels. They talk about what do you hear, see, feel, and a knowing of when they are near. They were reassuring me that they were near in a most loving way. They were sharing with me the clairs. Something I already had knowledge about. The angels were speaking to me about the use of our senses, of hearing, seeing, knowing, and feeling. When I speak of the clairs, I am speaking of clair -audience, which is clear hearing, and clairvoyance which is clear seeing. There is also clair sentience and that is clair feeling and clair cognizance is clear knowing. There are two more and they are olfactory which is smells and clair gustance which is tasting. I felt their love so deeply and knew changes would be taking place in my life.

Over the next few years I had offered a few classes in inspirational writing and then wanted to make it more specific in Writing with the angels. I also took a few classes from Trudy Griswold who wrote the book Angelspeake. And this spoke of what I already knew but also helped me to focus on how I wanted to teach this class.

I wanted to speak of how the angels communicated with us as I felt this is the most important concept to understand. I use a lot of visual meditation in helping to bring you to a place of where the angels are. We then usually share the experiences of the meditation, if so inclined. Then we ask a question of the angels having to do with the meditation and connection. One of the most basic ways, and Trudy speaks of this, is to focus on a word that is spiritual. Asking the angels what they would like to speak to you at this time about Love or peace, joy, etc.

Dear angels, what do you want to tell me today about Love. You would be so surprised what you receive in doing this exercise. It’s the asking of your higher spirit to do the writing and in doing that the angels are right there, speaking their truth of what love is for you in a personal or it could be what love is on world view, with a message for the world. Another way that I help others to connect, is to connect with a particular angel or archangel. The archangels have specialties that can be of help and comfort to us and to others. For example, Archangel Raphael is the Archangel of Healing for self and others and works with doctors, nurses, healers in the work that they do. Asking AA Raphael what he thinks about love would be a much different perspective than Archangel Michael. As we get to know the angels and their specialties we get the different perspectives of our angels in their messages for us whether they are personal or for everyone.

I have learned too, is that there doesn’t necessarily have to be a specific angel. You can write, Dear angels, what can you tell me about this or that …… We were all born with this gift of communicating with our angels. Everyone has this skill, it just wasn’t developed, because of our beliefs given to us, or just not realizing we can do this.

Another fun exercise is to write a letter to the angels or one specific angel and then write back from the perspective of the angels. This again is tapping our higher self’s perspective. Doing this a few times a week and keeping it in a journal is a wonderful way to keep your writing safe and in one place.

The experience of connecting with our angels is truly a wonderful experience. We get so caught up in our daily duties as mom, wife, neighbor, and co-worker. Sometimes we feel stuck, or trapped, or we feel there more to life than what it is like now. It is like a yearning of some sort and when we feel that yearning it is usually spiritual connection of some sort. We forget about the spiritual connections that we have, because of our everyday activities.

Dr Wayne Dyer has spoken many times in the past, of this quote by Telhard de Chardin , and this took me a long while to understand and comprehend:
“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
 
So go to your heart place and hear the words of your angels, and all in the universe, know that the love they have for you is always there. They truly want us to feel and know this connection. To know that our spiritual connections are there for us to access, is such a wonderful feeling and so very empowering for us as humans. We lose sight of this fact many times because of the nature of who we think we are while we are here on this wonderful planet called earth.

As I was writing this article, the angels have let me know that they have a short message to share with all who are reading this article.
“In letting go of the fears that may be holding you back in some way, know that we, your angels are there for you to help guide you in your path and purpose. Love is the strongest emotion that binds everyone together and to understand that your love for all that you know is what will empower you to stay on your path. Let love be the one thing you strive for in all that you do and you will feel the peace, the joy, of all that you want for your life. We love you always.” 

So I wish you joy in your journaling with the angels and also the path you are walking on right at this moment of time. The angels ask me to remind you the uniqueness you possess is your gift to the world. And they also ask to never lose sight of who you truly are!

Click on Peg Jones for bio and list of other works published by Pencil Stubs Online.Below: Picture of Peg's Book now available at Amazon or this LINK

Eric Shackle's Column

 
“Coming events cast their shadows before them,” Scottish poet Thomas Campbell wrote in 1781. In 1940, in Sydney, Cinesound released an 83-minute black-and-white film, “Dad Rudd, MP”. That was 17 years before Australia’s Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, was born!

If the film is ever shown again (which is to be hoped) it should be retitled “Grandad Rudd, MP” as Kevin and his wife Therese have three grown-up children.

In 1981, Rudd married Therese Rein, whom he had met when they were both residents at Birgmann College during their first year of university. They have three children: Jessica (born 1984), Nicholas (born 1986), and Marcus (born 1993),[and one grand-daughter, Josephine (born 2012); Josephine is the daughter of Jessica and her husband Albert Tse, whom she married in 2007.

Daughter Jessica is a former solicitor, campaign worker, and PR consultant, and is now a writer. She earned a Bachelor of Arts (Political Science) and Bachelor of Laws. Hong Kong-born, Cantonese-speaking son-in-law Albert Tse has been reported as having been, or being, a solicitor and banker at Bankwest.. Elder son Nicholas married Zara Shafruddin, whom he had met at his sister's wedding, on April 14, 2012 at St. James’ Church, Sydney. Both are solicitors at the Sydney branch of the law firm Clayton Utz. Nicholas proposed to Zara in Prague three years earlier.[Younger son Marcus has completed secondary education and, like his elder brother, has studied Mandarin. Rudd's nephew, Van Thanh Rudd, is a Melbourne-based artist and activist.

Remus Rudd
Judy Rudd an amateur genealogy researcher in south-east Queensland, was doing some personal work on her own family tree. She discovered that Kevin Rudd's great-great uncle, Remus Rudd, was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Melbourne in 1889. Both Judy and Kevin Rudd share this common ancestor.

The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing on the gallows at the Melbourne Jail.
On the back of the picture is this inscription:
“Remus Rudd, horse thief, sent to Melbourne Jail 1885, escaped 1887, robbed the Melbourne-Geelong train six times. Caught by Victoria Police Force, convicted and hanged in 1889.”
 
So Judy recently e-mailed ex-Prime Minister Rudd for information about their great-great uncle, Remus Rudd.

Kevin Rudd's staff sent back the following biographical sketch for her genealogy research:
"Remus Rudd was famous in Victoria during the mid to late 1800s. His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Melbourne-Geelong Railroad..
“Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to government service, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad.
“In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the Victoria Police Force. In 1889, Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honour when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed."
LINK VIDEO: Kevin swearing.

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Author's Blog.

On Trek

 
The Reason people awaken is because they have finally 
stopped agreeing to things that insult their soul.
 
This was a quote that came up on Facebook. I got to thinking about it intensely because it seemed to have a message that wouldn't let me go.
I tried to figure out how to explain this in simple terms so that I could explain to others.

I was thinking if I had a daughter who married a man that was always bullying her thru words and poking fun at her, or even subtle remarks to others about her, what would I do? As parents we don't want to interfere with her life, but we feel like maybe we should say something. Time passes, and the jabs and digs are becoming more and more frequent. Something has to happen. Should I or should I not speak to her. If she would ask for my advice I would give it, but if she doesn't ask how long can I keep quiet?

Thru my years of life and experiences I have learned to trust other people's guides, and their true soul self .This is where this quote comes in handy. Our souls experience what we experience, and when it is time, the true soul self begins to awaken the body person. Little nudges, and hints, all at the right time start to emerge.

Can you remember when you started to awaken? Perhaps someone said something that stopped us in our tracks. A sweet gift of a book that gave us the aha moment. A movie on television perhaps that tugged at us.

What can insult our soul? Anything that is not positive for us, or even when we run down ourselves, or when others treat us with disrespect constantly. Also teachings can insult our soul. At one time perhaps we believed it was ok to do something, and later we found it to be an insult to our soul to believe that way.

I personally have had many such teachings pass thru my scrutiny. For example, I use to believe with all my heart that talking to dead people was WRONG. I had scriptures to back it up. I just knew I was right in my belief system. Then one day, I had an aha moment. I now speak to dead people, and it is very healing. This is just my example.

I fully understand that we are all on our OWN personal journey, and so our beliefs are at different levels. At some point we all will come to a full understanding of all that is, but until that happens, we cannot judge another for what they believe. We learn to move forward in our own pathway, helping others, and being helped by others along the way.

What can insult my soul is solely up to me. No one else can judge what that is. It also works the same for others, and we must learn to respect what they believe. We cannot fault a child for not knowing how to drive a car, but we know that someday they will reach that goal. We are all children learning and experiencing life at our own pace. May we find the joys of life, as we continue to strive to meet our goals.

Yours,
Featherwind

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Irish Eyes

THE CILLíN

Part of the ritual, going home from Lacken School, had been, for generations of children, to run down the top of the ditch at “Ridd’s Green” or the “Clorenáán” as the old people called it. We learned, in later years, that it was, in fact, a “Cillin” where unbaptised babies were buried, usually under cover of darkness.
According to the National Monuments Trust there are about 1,400 such burial-places in the country, some dating back to 700 AD.
My friend the poet P.J. Kennedy wrote a poem about such places titled,

”Buried Unknownst”
  I stared at a crowd of stones
In the corner of a hilly field.
Like children away from home
The stones seemed put about.
Some grouped, some alone,
Some leaned, some low with the damp.
All dressed in moss
With a trim of grass.
` The ones in the ring of rushes, like a set dance.
Brown heads at the back, noisy.
Black heads jostled at the far side.
The blonde near the buachalán bui.
The stone with a crown of fossils,
I saw his curly hair.
Brothers holding hands,
They were the eldest and the youngest,
So the neighbours said.
Twins shared their scarcities,
A granny said,”There’s nothing to be ashamed of.
They were laid out in silk
The size of a handkerchief.
The lone stone, shy,
Minded the child that came unknownst.
Unknown stones with dimples
That could hold a thimbleful of tears.
Wisps of cocksfoot grass shelter them all,
A bandage of briars against the hill
Keeps livestock away.
OILEÁN NA Marbh (the island of the dead) off the coast of County Donegal is one such Cillen where, there are a reputed 500 unbaptised children buried. The island is accessible by foot twice a day at low tide. In a radio interview local man Seamus Peter Doyle said, “ . . . Ye’ll find the wee heights and hollows in it.” Seamus went on to say that some people didn’t want to know about it, ” . . . want to forget about it more or less.”
 
As one writer put it, “Even the coldest heart will feel for women around Ireland who were enjoined to grieve silently as their babies were taken away at night for burial beside a cemetery wall, or for the disconsolate father who had to walk across to Oileán na Marbh at low tide to lay his child to rest.”
 
A Cork man, Pat O ‘Neill, recalled how as an eight-year old he had witnessed four men burying a baby in a Cillin and how it affected him, adding, “Can you imagine what that mother went through?”
According to Roman Catholic theology, Limbo was an afterlife realm between heaven and hell where there is no punishment but where souls are denied the presence of God.

As far as I know it wasn’t An Article of Faith (It wasn’t a Mortal sin not to believe in it) but it was taught in the Catechism. It wasn’t mentioned in the Bible but in the Middle Ages, one or more Theologians came up with the idea that there were, more or less, two Limbos. One held souls of Old Testament patriarchs who were liberated by Jesus after the Resurrection; the other contained the souls of babies who never were baptised and freed from original sin.

The concept of the first caused little or no concern for the past two thousand years but did anybody stop to think about the worry caused by the belief in the other Limbo? It is hard to imagine the distress of the parents and family of an infant who died without Baptism who believed that the soul of their loved one was in such a place. Church authorities eventually copped on and the concept was dropped from the official catechism in 1992.

In 2004 Pope John Paul II appointed a commission to study limbo, and in 2007 it issued its findings. Signed by Pope Benedict XVI, the report stated that it reflected a "restrictive view of salvation" and that it is reasonable to hope that the souls of unbaptised infants are admitted to heaven by a merciful God.

So, the Cillin in your area is a reminder of our unenlightened past, of what Brendan Graham author of that haunting song, Crucán na bPáiste, called “other darker days.” But it is also a monument to centuries of heartbreak. (See one grave marker below.)

Thank God we live in an age of more progressive thought.

Click on Mattie Lennon for bio and list of other works published by Pencil Stubs Online.

Introspective

 

 
One of the first things I noticed when I moved to Suzhou, China, was the internet censorship and it is no secret that China is using supercomputers to spy on its citizens activities over the internet.
Many foreigners who live in China question what content is being targeted by the government’s censors and how the blacklist content changes with the current events throughout the world.

Researchers here in China began cultivating a list of keywords by using reverse engineering and they came up with approximately 4000 of them. They are keywords that the Chinese Government has been censoring over the last year and a half. The Chinese Government has also been using their supercomputer technology to monitor various instant messaging platforms including Skype to gather data on their users in China.

The researchers by using their reverse engineering techniques such as packet sniffing have captured packets of information as it passes through a network. It gave them insight as to what the Chinese Government is searching for over the internet.They also found that approximately 20% of the censored words deal with technology sharing - particularly on open forums where users want to exchange information freely. Some of the technology deals with URL addresses, spyware, and particular technical terms. Some of the censored keywords or should I say blocked sites are ‘Chinese language Wikipedia,’ ‘Tweeter,’ ‘Google Blogger,’ ‘YouTube,’ and ‘Facebook,’ extremely popular websites dedicated to the open dissemination of data and information. Many westerners take these websites for granted while the Chinese Government sees them as a potential threat to its national security.

On the Tenth and Twentieth anniversary of the Tianmen Square protest it became quite difficult to gain information on the historical event in China. Many News organizations throughout the world covered the Tiananmen Square anniversary date. China, however, is doing everything it can to delete the historical event from its country’s memory.

The researchers also discovered generic terms are being monitored online such as ‘system,’ ‘administrator,’ and ‘system notification.’ It’s believed that the reason the Chinese Government is monitoring and gathering data on those using those keywords is to catch hackers. Who are attempting to gain access to sensitive online sites and to prevent them from hacking online user accounts.
It is interesting to note that the keyword list fluctuates in response to world events. For instance, in 2010 during the Arab Spring uprising 69 new keywords were added in order to monitor ‘Jasmine Rallies’ that were being organized in China.

The organizers of those rallies wanted to protest against the Chinese Government. They used various instant message platforms as a means to communicate with other ‘Jasmine’ members.  Hundreds of organizers were arrested throughout China before the ‘Jasmine Rallies’ ever got off the ground. It was due to China’s ability to monitor their citizens’ communications.

In May of 2011 the Chinese Government widened its Keyword list in the hope of cracking down on potential mobilization of protests aimed at embarrassing the Chinese Government.

In the United States our National Security Agency has been using similar technology to data-mine keywords that can possibly pose a threat against our own National security. However, the technology was never used to prevent peaceful protests against perceived injustices.

I showed my students here in Suzhou, China, historical video clips of protesters protesting against the Vietnam War - the videos were taken in 1968. My students were fascinated by the protesters style of dress, and the language being used by the angry demonstrators. The student protesters in the videos stood up defiantly against their own Government. That is something my students could never imagine doing here in China.

We Americans have the freedom to protest because it comes with living in a free society. Our freedom is something most Americans take for granted until they travel abroad to more restrictive environments.

There are many good things about living in Suzhou, China, though, like its low crime, beautiful scenery, and most of all its peaceful culture. It's a place I have come to love and appreciate due to the beautiful people who walked into my heart during my stay here.

China’s censorship, however, is something I’ll never get used too due to my ‘proud to be an American’ upbringing and that is certainly a good thing.
    Always with love from Suzhou, China
    Thomas F O’Neill
    U.S. voice mail: (800) 272-6464
    China Cell: 011-86-15114565945
    Skype: thomas_f_oneill
    Email: introspective7@hotmail.com
    Other articles, short stories, and commentaries by Thomas F. O'Neill can be found on his award winning blog, Link:
    http://thomasfoneill.blogspot.com

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Unstoppable

 
As I watch the eagle, soar on wings of high,
So oft I have to wonder what it would be like,
Just to spread my wings and soar up into the sky.
Never more to worry, never more to cry.
All the pain from the past would be gone in a blast.

(chorus)
That’s when… I look in the mirror and look into my eyes,
I notice the way I think about never giving up and smile,
the hurt I just can't disguise.
But I think if I spread my wings and fly it’ll make my life worthwhile.
Why is it so hard for me to realize, that if I Spread My Wings And Fly,
and I Never Give Up, I’m unstoppable.

No more to live in pain, forget about rejection.
Grab the ones I love, and hold them close to my heart.
Take the lessons that I’ve learned, one that I'll mention,
Hold the loved ones near, never to be apart.
But the pain that is here brings on a great big tear.

(chorus)
That’s when… I look in the mirror and look into my eyes,
I notice the way I think about never giving up and smile,
the hurt I just can't disguise.
But I think if I spread my wings and fly it’ll make my life worthwhile.
Why is it so hard for me to realize, that if I Spread My Wings And Fly,
and I Never Give Up, I’m unstoppable.

The time is here, the time is now. Never to look back,
I’ll always march on, I’m always looking forward.
It’s time to open my wings, and cut me some slack,
I’m leaving this place, always moving onward.
Never more to worry, no more in a hurry.

(chorus)
That’s when… I look in the mirror and look into my eyes,
I notice the way that I’m never giving up and I smile,
the joy I just can't disguise.
Because I know if I spread my wings and fly, my life is so worthwhile.
that’s why it’s easy for me to realize, that if I Spread My Wings And Fly,
and I’ll Never Give Up, I’m unstoppable.

©July 2013 Jeremiah Raber

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Did you know what Time , this is...?

 
I spoke with a Time traveler,
on the phone,
Tomorrow.
they explained all about Life,
and Time, being an Illusion.
I'd like to tell you all about it,
though that was Today,
and I'm not allowed to speak about this
until Yesterday,
Maybe next week, we knew
what's going to happen last month,
but that's All in the Past now,
so I'm looking forward to that, then.
Apparently, this won't happen for years,
and that's a long time ago, but not yet,
so don't be surprised if you share this,
and nothing happened.
I'll see you later.
Now, that would be nice, wasn't it..?
(Though, if I remember correctly,
we haven't really thought about this yet),
so I think I'm going to write this next Monday, if only I'd had the time.
*Happiness*
©2012 Phillip Hennessy
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Are You With Me Now

 
I'm stuck in the middle of
this hard place
There's no way out
I'm caught in the cross fire
There's no doubt I want be free of this
I want to contain my heart
I want to move on from this
Find a new place to start
I'm stuck in the after-burn
I'm broken into too many pieces
I'm trapped in between the first
and second floor
I'm stuck and I don't know what for
I want to be free of this
I want to forget my pain
I want to share just one kiss
All I can do is take blame
I'm stuck in the middle of
this hard place
I can't figure out or forget my shame
I can't continue recycling all these doubts
Are you with me now
©7/3/13 Bruce Clifford

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Fight

 
This is a fight I cannot win,
Whether for myself or her
Who glues my soul together.

But fight I will, as fierce
As a bear with cubs,
Stubborn as an angry mule.

So long as I am fighting
I’m alive, and she,
And we’re as one.

I never knew
The fight I had in me
Until I learned that I might lose.

©2013 John I. Blair

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Pieces of Me

 
Well, there ain't much of ME
left behind, when you're gone.
I guess it's just Time,
that we're ALL moving on
This Journey, we started,
Together (we dreamed)
Each turning, we parted,
Forever. (it seemed)

The moment I dreamed of,
it's HERE, with me, NOW
I'm right where I wanted,
it must BE, somehow.
For where would I be,
if it were not for YOU...?
...and the choices we make,
when our Heart's torn in Two...?

So part of me Knows,
just which Turning to take
when the Parting of Ways,
means that MY heart will break,
into pieces of ME,
that I must leave behind
TAKE them, you SEE..?
...they were YOURS,
...all the Time.

©2011 Phillip Hennessy

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Memories

 
When I was still a little girl
in the days when everything
felt so safe..
 The world was big, I was small,
but felt tough on my bike which I
barely at the trappers could..
In my beautiful dress I cycled
to the wheat fields where I sat me
between the blue cornflowers scattered..

Silent was the world around me
and all the wild flowers were my friends and
God was there as eternal friendly smiling sun.
When I was still a little girl
in the days when everything felt
so safe..

I strolled about the fields
looking for signals from other times,
a former past..
Dreaming with my Child's mind
I could empathize with me then
in other times..
Still was the world around me
and the fields with their prehistoric treasures
were my prayers..

When I was still a little girl
in the days when everything still felt so safe,
that everything was as God meant..
Now the world is pressure for me
and often one does not even bother to listen
to each other..

Now the world is quiet around me again,
my body is great,
but my inner child is still small.
Silent is my world around me and all the
wild flowers are again here as my friends,
and God is there as an eternal
friendly smiling sunshine..

mine, inside me...
©August 12, 2013
Author says, "I made this rhyme in Dutch, but translated it does not."
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Longing in a Dream

 
To gaze upon your face
in the moonlight
to end my day...
off racing the morrow
to capture the prize of
the coming day...
to see your face again
at first peep,
to see you smile easily
as you slowly rouse from sleep...
weekends are like a garden
beneath a blanket of
winter snow,
you know the beauty is there,
you just have to
wait for it,
the eternity it takes
until I see you again
torments my heart
and is agony for my eyes
not to rest until they glimpse
your stunning beauty once more...
my darling...
©July 2013 Scott Chase

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Fear-Faced


It’s your Power
That you’re scared of,
Not someone else's.
It's your own Power,
That scares you.
Because,
that is the only Power
You own.
 
So,
When you give it away,
You’re scared.
And so am I.
Because
I cannot handle
Your Power.
Any more than you can.

Though,
Perhaps if TWO people
Hold the Power,
Then...
It will become Lighter.
And if THREE people
Hold the power,
Together,
Then,
It will become Lighter.

And if FOUR people
Hold the Power,
And TRUST it,
Then,
It will become Lighter.
And if FIVE people
Hold the Power,
And Believe it,
Then,
It will become, Lighter.

And, so – On
- And on,
because,
fear doesn’t Have a Name.
WE Gave it one.
- before that - ,
Fear was NameLess.
HopeLess.
And PowerLess.

Have Courage,
My friend.
Make FEAR,
Your Friend,
Too.
©2012 Phillip Hennessy
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Proud Stallion

At last the steamy charger lay
silhouette on golden hay,
No more the raging tempest he
Struck down by what must surely be.

Old age had grabbed the thorny beast
set upon having a feast,
In only a short time it took
for him to find what long he shook.

What's left me now you've lit my dreams?
The hollow mimic of your screams?
Your pounding hoof steps in my mind?
Oh, how time is so unkind!

Even as the wind doth blow
your body now some life does show,
Could it be my eyes deceive
what facts are left me to believe?
Perhaps it is not death, but sleep
for which these eyes of mine do weep.

In disbelief I ask you why
when but a moment from the sky
The sun its many colors brings,
my heart but to this notion clings.

How tenderly fall the drops of rain
A maelstrom once they thought to feign.
Now like my tears that bitter flow
they are spent in the swill below.

The wind has stopped its frightful howl
lightning fingers, their thirsty prowl.
We are left as we began
making with it what we can.

Having gained from your existence
A peace of time long in resistance
The quiet soul exploded
the heart unloaded;
Proud, Free, footsteps yet untaken
The earth waits ~ still, unshaken.

You, proud stallion,this I hope
across green pastures you now lope
oblivious to all our strife,
gone forever from this life,
For like the wind you wander free
to the envy of especially me.

©1989 Riva Joi Smith

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Never Know

 
Hey, baby, it’s just you and me, we’re going out tonight.
We’re going to hit the town, gonna raise some hell.
We’ll take this love we have; you never know we just might
Take what we have to the chapel, take it all and ring the bells.
I might sweep you off your feet; take you to the truck and into the night.
Take you to the river, jump right in and cool off from the heat.
But that’s just me talking, so, baby, would you go with me?

Hey, baby, if you go with me, I might take you to the beach,
Watch as the waves come crashing up onto the sand.
Lay there in the dark, watching the moon that’s within reach.
Enjoying the moment, with smiles on our faces, hand in hand.
Or we could just dance around, acting like we have no care in the world.
Maybe even take a stroll, feeling the breeze blow thru our hair.
But that’s just me talking, so, baby, would you go with me?

If you go with me, baby, we can shoot for the stars.
Maybe we’ll hug and kiss and have a little fun.
Stir up the feelings, and then I’ll take you to Mars.
Or even make a little love, then sit and wait for the sun.
Wrap my arms around you, knowing you are mine. Never to let you go.
So if you go with me then I’ll show you the time of your life.
But that’s just me talking, so, baby, would you go with me?

(chorus)
Baby, you never know where this love will go,
The night is ours so we’ll let our love grow,
Live in the moment, leave your worries behind.
Take my hand as we run off into the night.
Because, baby, unless you do, you will never know,
Never know, so, baby, would you go with me?

©July 19, 2013 Jeremiah Raber

Click on Jeremiah Raber  for bio and list of other works published by Pencil Stubs Online.

So Far Gone

You've stolen my mind
Every thought
So far gone

You've broken my heart
Shattered and torn
So far gone

So far out
So far out of touch
So far gone
I love you so much

So out of reach
So out of my mind
So far gone
So much for this time

©7/18/13 Bruce Clifford

Click on Bruce Clifford for bio and list of other works published by Pencil Stubs Online.

Burning Love

 
As the sun keeps shining, brightening the day.
Just like the candle, ever so bright.
Your love keeps flowing, it’s here to stay.
All thru the day and into the night.
It will keep going, steady and true.
Till the end of time, we’re Burning Love.

(chorus)
Your love takes me to heights beyond the sky.
The kiss that you give, the hug that is mine.
The love that you show, takes me to the stars on high.
We will keep going, into the unknown, Burning Love.
Burning Love.

Your love keeps me going, succeeding in life.
Brightening my day, never looking back.
We will keep pushing, showing the love.
You are the one that I’ve been looking for.
Thru the struggles, we will keep going.
Always together, we’re Burning Love.

(chorus)
Your love takes me to heights beyond the sky.
The kiss that you give, the hug that is mine.
The love that you show, takes me to the stars on high.
We will keep going, into the unknown, Burning Love.
Burning Love.

Let us work together, always showing love.
I’ll never give up, you are my breath.
I’ll take that love and give it back to you.
I’m giving you my all, till I rest in death.
Let me hold your hand, never to part,
Me and you Baby, we’re burning Love.

(chorus)
Your love takes me to heights beyond the sky.
The kiss that you give, the hug that is mine.
The love that you show, takes me to the stars on high.
We will keep going, into the unknown, Burning Love.
Burning Love

©7/18/13 Jeremiah Raber

Click on Jeremiah Raber  for bio and list of other works published by Pencil Stubs Online.

Rabbo Tales II - Chapter 17


Attack

 Rabbo watched the great fleet as it rounded the headland and turned towards the bay that Athens was at the center of. The only good thing was that the rain had stopped and not spoiled the trench that held the sea water and oil. If anything the rain had helped to pack the sand and dirt to make it seem even more solid that it really was.
 Then there was the bad news that there was a force of about five thousand warriors moving down from the northwest that were heavily armed and looked like they were also going to attack Athens.
 Bastet had sailed back to her village in the hopes of find more men that were willing to come and help in the up coming battle. But when she returned all she brought was more arrows and extra oil.
 In Rabbo’s mind things could not get worse as it looked like the city was going to be attacked on two sides now instead of the one side that Merwyn and planned on.
 Then there were the two minor earthquakes that had rumbling though the area shaking the houses badly but not doing much in the way of damage other than weakening the houses.
 And then to make matters even worse Ra had suddenly disappeared and Rabbo had not been able to find him anywhere.
 Rabbo had looked all the way up and down the river from Ra’s Palace to the delta. He had checked every ship that he could find on the river or out at sea but had been unable to find Ra. He had even turned to Yhva who was just as surprised as Rabbo and Merwyn was at the disappearance of Ra.
 The fact remained that Ra had disappeared and that really bothered Rabbo. All the other main Sirians had been accounted for yet somehow Rabbo had been unable to locate Ra.
 In Rabbo’s mind things were getting worse and while he was not worried about himself he was worried about the city that he was in and its people.
 Once again Rabbo looked at the great fleet and started to go from ship to ship to see if somehow Ra had got aboard one of the ships and was hidden among the common soldiers and sailors that were on the ships. And again after an hour of going from ship to ship Rabbo found no sign at all of Ra. Sure Ma’at and Anubis were there and Thoth, Seth, Nut, Seshat, Hathor and Hera where at Ra’s palace. But as for Ra himself he was nowhere to be seen.
Rabbo had check everywhere he could think of from the far north of Merwyn’s, Athena and the twins home. To the area around Bastet’s village and all the way around the coast on either side of the main land that he lived on.
 Yet Ra was totally invisible or missing from his astral sight.
 Rabbo opened his eyes and looked at Merwyn who was talking with the village elders about the force of troops that were moving down from the north.
 “Lord Zeus” said Rabbo remembering not to call Merwyn by his name.
 “Yes Rabbo” said Merwyn.
 “I cannot find the other god called Ra. I have looked and looked and he is either hidden from our sight or he is missing” said Rabbo trying not to sound worried.
 “Thank you. Get some rest” said Merwyn.
 “Oh one last thing. The fleet is just come into the bay and they are dropping anchor” said Rabbo.
 “Very good. I will have my daughter keep watch while you rest” said Merwyn as he turned back to the elders.
 Rabbo slipped down from the table and remembered that he was in owl form and that he had to act and walk like an owl. But thankfully Rabbo knew that once he was in the back storage room Merwyn would return him to his normal form.
 Rabbo opened the storage room door and walked in. At once he hailed Merwyn to let him know that he was in the storage room and that he could be returned to his normal form.
 Rabbo felt his fur return so he sunk back down on to all fours and hopped over to the box that he was using as a bed.
 In his bed curled up asleep was mischief whose legs were kick and twitching in her sleep. But thankfully the box was large enough for both of them so he moved in behind her so her kicking feet would not bother him.
 Then sudden Rabbo had an idea. The idea was so strong that it made him sit up right.
 “Helena could find Ra. Sometimes she would speak in his voice when he was talking telepathically to members of his council”.
 “Merwyn Helena can find Ra. He sometimes speaks though her and if he has she might know.” As an after thought Rabbo added” if she does not remember maybe Wenna or Merryn has heard him talk though Helena”.
 “Hmm maybe. I will hail the twins and see if they have heard him talk though her. But they are young and might not understand what we want” said Merwyn thoughtfully.
 “Dad I will hail the twins and ask them” said Athena.
 “Good idea. But be quick about it. Time is short” said Merwyn.
 Rabbo curled next to mischief again and as hard as he tried he could not sleep. After about an hour of laying still Rabbo was about to get up when the door opened and Merwyn walked in.
 “You ok Rabbo” asked Merwyn.
 “I can’t sleep” answered Rabbo quietly as not to wake mischief.
 “I know how that goes. I always have a hard time sleeping before a battle” said Merwyn as quietly as Rabbo.
 “Really? I thought you would have been use to it” said Rabbo.
 “I never got use to it” said Merwyn.
 “But you where a general”
 “Yes I was. I will tell you a secret Rabbo” Merwyn looked around then he opened the storage room door and looked both ways down the hallway. He then locked the door and sat down on the floor close to Rabbo. “Rabbo I still get scared before a battle”. As if to make his point he held out his hands to let Rabbo see his hands shaking.
 “I am scared too” said Rabbo slipping out of the box and snuggling up on Merwyn’s lap.
 Merwyn reached down and started to pet Rabbo’s fur. The simple act of petting Rabbo calmed Merwyn’s fears and helped Rabbo feel sleepy. Soon Rabbo felt his eyes close and sleep over came him at last.
 “You are lucky Rabbo” muttered Merwyn as he placed the sleeping Rabbo gently next to mischief. “I won’t sleep for days”. 
 Merwyn quietly let himself out of the room and using his psychokinesis locked the door from the inside so that Rabbo and mischief could let themselves out when they woke up and so that they would not be bothered by anyone trying to get into the room.
 Rabbo opened his eyes after sleeping about two hours. He felt refreshed and relax but suddenly he felt that something was wrong.
 Rabbo closed his eyes and slipped out of his body and out of the temple. He headed down to the walls that over looked the beach and he could see that some of the ships from the great fleet where unloading warriors onto the beach as far away from the city walls as possible and that where they were unloading was exactly were Merwyn had said that they would unload.
 Rabbo turned and looked at the city wall and saw that it was lined with a great number of men woman and children who just stood and watched the warriors being unloaded onto the beach.
 Among the people Rabbo saw Merwyn, Athena, Angus and Bastet standing and watching.
 Rabbo turned and headed north to see how far way the northern force was that was moving down on the city.
 Rabbo located the force of warriors and noticed that the warriors were about two miles away and that they were running as if they wanted to get to the city before the other force had finished unloading.
 On the northern walls of the city were Bastet's sixty warriors with the bows close at hand.
 “Merwyn” Rabbo hailed “The northern force is about two miles away from the city and the warriors are running fast”.
 “Are you sure” said Merwyn.
 “Yes very sure. I am watching them now and they are running fast”.
 “I can’t leave here. Keep watching them and keep me undated” said Merwyn as he dropped out of Rabbo’s mind.
 Rabbo returned to the north wall and looked closer at the warriors who were still running.
 The warriors were wearing Bronze chest armor that covered their backs as well as their fronts. They had huge round shields on their backs and a long spear in their right hand. On their hips were a curved swords and a short dagger like sword. On their lower legs they had leather and bone greaves. On their heads each warrior wore a heavy huge helm that had a long nose guard and a long plume of horse hair that ran along the top of the helm. And between their back armor and shield was a long red heavy cloak.
 In some ways they reminded Rabbo of how Athena would appear to the people of the city when she would do her goddess thing and would appear in full armor.
 As Rabbo watched the warriors stopped about a quarter of a mile from the north gate and set themselves up in groups of two hundred.
 Once they were set up in long ranks they started to advance towards the gate. But just out of arrow range they stopped and started banging on their shields that they had taken off their backs and now held on their left arm.
 Then a single warrior stepped forward holding his spear up high with a white flag.
 He walked towards the wall and in a clear loud voice he called for the captain of the wall to come forth so that he could talk.
 The warriors standing behind him started to back away but maintained a tight formation as they marched backwards.
 The elder who had been at the north wall walked down off the ramparts and down to the north gate. Once he was at the north gate one side was opened and then closed as he passed though.
 The elder walked up to the single warrior who stood waiting for him.
 The warrior took of his helm and Rabbo was surprised that he looked about the same age as the elder but was not even breathing hard after his long run.
 The elder spoke to the warrior “Why do you come to our city to wage war”.
 The warrior looked at him and shook his head. Then in a langrage that Rabbo did not understand he spoke to the elder.
 The elder spoke back to him in the same langrage and for the next ten minutes they talked back and forth.
 Finally the elder bowed to him and turned and walked back to the north gate which opened for him and then closed as he re-entered the city.
 Instead of return to the wall he spoke briefly with the captain of Bastet's archers and then hurried down the main street towards the east wall.
 Rabbo was temped to follow him but Merwyn had asked him to keep an eye on the warriors that had come from the north. So he moved in closer to the warriors who still stood in silent ranks waiting.
 The warrior who had spoken with the city elder sat down where he had met the elder and waited.
 Merwyn stood on the eastern rampart watching Ma’at and Anubis as their warriors unloaded onto the beach.
 As yet none of the siege equipment had been unloaded. However there was about three thousand warriors already mustered on the beach and more where unloading by the minute.
 Merwyn had told Bastet, Athena and Angus that it was very important that they kept their auras suppressed so that they blended in with the locals. That way if Ra was watching he would not know that they were present in the city as it was clear that the force on the beach was there to hit the city hard and to do maximum damage and to capture slaves.
 As Merwyn did not want Ma’at or Anubis to know that he was leading the force that was going to defend the city.
 But when the time was right Merwyn would show himself and with luck that would sow fear into both Ma’at and Anubis.
 As Merwyn looked out over the force one of the village elders walked up to him and bowed low.
 “My lord Zeus” said the village elder. “The warriors from the north that you asked to come have arrived. Their chieftain would like to speak with you my lord Zeus. He said that the oracle you spoke though has left him with question that he cannot answer and would like you to answer”.
 “Inform him that I will come forth shortly” said Merwyn.
 “Athena leave the wall and once you are near the temple make yourself invisible and then probe this chieftain’s mind so that I know what he wants and what questions he has so I can answer them before he asks” said Merwyn on Athena’s private telepathic mode.
 Athena slipped down off the wall and did as Merwyn had asked her without question.
 Merwyn turned to Angus and Bastet “Looks like it could be a night attack as the rate of their unloading suggests that they won’t be fully unloaded until almost dark”.
 “I concur” said Angus.
 “Do you think Ma’at and Anubis will lead the attack” asked Bastet.
 “That’s not their style” said Merwyn “Unless they have learnt new tricks and I don’t think so as they are deploying like they are deploying a regiment and not an army. See how they are setting up their regiments as if they were companies and not regiments. And if they do as I think they will bring out their catapults and rams lastly instead of now. By bring them out lastly that means they won’t be ready until after mid night. We can use this time to rest our forces”
 “Very well. I will stand down every nine men in ten and have the tenth man stand watch. After four hours I will relieve the tenth man and I will keep doing that until you say other wise” said Angus.
 “I will go and check the field hospital to make sure that everything is set. Even for their wounded” said Bastet as she turned and walked away.
 “And now we wait” said Merwyn.
 Merwyn walked down of the rampart and started to walk towards the temple. When he was sure that no one could see him he turned himself invisible and headed towards the north gate.
 Rabbo had been watching the warriors at the north gate that waited out of bow range for the elder to come back.
 The chieftain warrior that had spoke with the elder sat as still as a rock and had not moved since the elder had left. Which surprised Rabbo as the sun was now right over him and he had to be very warm in his armor. Yet as far as Rabbo could see the warrior was not even sweating.
 What Rabbo was unaware of was that as he watched Athena was invisible and was standing behind the warrior chieftain and was probing his mind to see who he was why he was there and who had told him to come and what questions he was going to ask Merwyn. She was also learning what kind of training the warrior chieftain had and how many battles he had been in.
 Once Athena had all the information she needed she relayed the information to Merwyn who was now close to the north gate.
 Rabbo felt rather than saw Merwyn float over the wall and move towards the warrior chieftain that sat waiting for him.
 Suddenly there was a bright flash that made the sun seem dim and Merwyn was standing before the warrior chieftain.
 Merwyn had his Zeus face on and looked every inch the image of what the locals thought that Zeus should look like.
 He stood as if he was twenty feet tall in front of the warrior chieftain who stood up then bowed low towards Merwyn.
 Merwyn shrunk down to a normal size and looked at the warrior chieftain who spoke to Merwyn in a clear loud voice that did not sound as if there was any fear in his voice.
 To Rabbo who had moved closer in his astral body it was clear that the warrior chieftain was very scared as his hands and legs were shaking.
 The warrior chieftain nodded his head and then spoke again. After a long pause he nodded again and then spoke again and for sometime.
 Then he was silent nodding his head a few times before he bowed low to Merwyn.
 Then there was another bright flash and Merwyn was gone other than an astral form that only Rabbo and Athena could see.
 The warrior chieftain turned and walked slowly back towards the other warriors who had remained in their nice neat ranks though the whole meeting that their chieftain had, had with Merwyn.
 Rabbo returned to his body and opened his eyes. He then slipped out of the storage room making sure that he turned himself invisible.
 He hopped down the long hallway passing people that were busy placing food in the temple for safe keeping.
 Once outside the temple Rabbo looked around for Athena and Merwyn so that he could talk to them. Rabbo saw a pair of small foot prints forming and moving towards him as he hopped across a sandy patch of ground.
 Rabbo looked around and could see no one close by so he made himself visible so that the foot prints would stop and that Athena would make herself visible too.
 Athena appeared in front of Rabbo.
 “How did you know I was walking this way” asked Athena.
 “By the foot prints you were leaving on the ground” answered Rabbo.
 “Oh” laughed Athena. “I guess I should watch where I walk”.
 Suddenly Merwyn appeared behind Rabbo “yes you should my dear daughter. And you know better. You should always check where you are walking when you are invisible as foot prints are a give away”.
 Suddenly Rabbo felt himself transform into an owl.
 “I hate that” said Rabbo looking up at Merwyn.
 “I know but it is just in case anyone passes by” replied Merwyn.
 “Ok” said Rabbo trying not to scratch at the feathers. “So what is going on with that warrior you spoke to”?
 “It would seem that the oracle of his village said that she was the voice of Zeus and that if they did not send a force to help that their village would fall. I had to talk to him telepathically and read his mind as they speak a different language that the people here” said Merwyn.
 “Ok so someone talked though their oracle that they had to help the people of Athens” said Rabbo thoughtfully. “I wonder who that was”?
 “I wonder too” said Merwyn just as thoughtfully as Rabbo.
 “How far have they come from” asked Rabbo.
 “They have been marching and running for five days and their oracle told them that they had to come the day before that. So they knew six days ago about the fleet which is the same day as we found out. I have a feeling that I know who spoke though their oracle” said Merwyn smiling.
 “So what are we going to do now that we have an extra five thousand warriors” asked Athena.
 “Nothing right now. We have until sunset which I guess is about two hours away now. But this is what we are going to do and I need to let the elders know so they won’t be too alarmed at what the five thousand warriors are about to do” said Merwyn looking at both Athena and Rabbo. “But before I explain what’s going on we must wait for Bastet and Angus to get here”.
 Rabbo looked around and could see a few people watching them as he Merwyn and Athena stood waiting for Bastet and Angus.
 After a couple of minutes Angus and Bastet's arrived with a flash and appeared making the watchers run and hide.
 “Do we have to do that” asked Angus.
 “Sadly yes” said Merwyn. “I hate it as much as you do. But it’s necessary as the people think we are gods. And because of that we must act like we are. As much as I hate it we have to”.
 “Ok so what is our battle plan now sir” asked Angus.
 “This is what is going to happen. The warriors at the northern gate are going to set up as if they are getting ready to attack the northern gate. Once Ma’at and Anubis start their attack they will enter the city and move down to the east wall where they will join our forces. They have archers with them that have bows almost as powerful as the ones you and Bastet brought with you” said Merwyn nodding towards Bastet and Angus. “Once they are on the wall we will give Ma’at and Anubis an arrow storm like they have never seen before”.
 “Ok” said Angus.
 “Rabbo how are you feeling” asked Merwyn looking down at Rabbo.
 “Other than itching all over I am fine” said Rabbo not even bothering to hide the peeved tone in his voice.
 “Ok I need you to keep watch on Ma’at, Anubis and the force on the beach. Keep an eye on the unloading and report at once anything strange. And I mean anything. I have a funny feeling that things might not be what they seem” said Merwyn. “Now make yourself invisible and head back to your storage room and then travel out to watch the beach”.
 Rabbo made himself invisible and as he turned invisible he returned to his normal non itching rabbit form.
 Rabbo watched as rank upon rank of warriors lined up on the beach. Behind them there were tents that were being set up and behind them a huge empty space that was being fenced off as if it was being set up for something.
 The ground had been made flat and all the bushes and rough grasses had been cleared and removed and piled in a heap even further back behind the leveled off area.
 Rabbo had reported to Merwyn about the leveled off area as it seemed very strange to go to all the trouble unless something was going to be there.
 Rabbo’s thoughts were that Ma’at and Anubis where planning a long siege and that the area that had been flattened would be for gardens to help feed their army.
 It was very totally dark when the unloading stopped for the night due to the darkness. The warrior’s line up on the beach marched to their tents leaving about two hundred warriors to form what Merwyn called a picket line.
 Rabbo slipped over to the ships that hand not come in to be unloaded including the ten heavily loaded ships including the one that held the black oil and the black powder.
 As Rabbo moved from ship to ship he noticed that Ra’s elite warriors had yet to disembark and that the ships they were on were slightly bigger and more comfortable than the ships of the other warriors.
 Rabbo returned to his body and opened his eyes. He looked around the storage room and noticed that he was alone so he hailed Mischief on her private telepathic mode.
 “Mischief it’s me Rabbo. Where are you”?
 “That’s a given that you are Rabbo. Who would you rather be? Beside I am here. Where are you” said Mischief.
 “I am in the storage room and you are not here” said Rabbo a little confused.
 “No you are not here. You are there which is not here” said Mischief a little on the playful side.
 “Ok young lady. Where are you located” said Rabbo getting a little testy.
 “I am with Bastet who is hand feeding me fresh grown carrot tops” snickered Mischief.
 Suddenly a thought popped into Rabbo’s head from a lesson that seemed like it was from another time.
 “Water is displaced in equal amounts to the relative weight of the object this is placed in the beaker. Now weigh the rock and place it in the beaker making sure that the water that flows out is caught so that you can weigh the water. Now having weighed the water can you tell me if the weight of the water is the same as the rock? Very good” said the voice of Isis in Rabbo’s head.
 Rabbo sat upright as if a bolt of lightening had hit him.
 “Merwyn” hailed Rabbo.
 “What’s wrong” answered Merwyn at once.
 “The ship with the oil and black powder is sitting very low in the water. That means something very heavy is still in it. Do you want me to go back out and check it” said Rabbo in a hurried tone.
 “Not right now. You need to rest as you have been very busy today. We will look into it later once you have rested. Is that understood” said Merwyn.
 “I will go over to the ship and take a closer look” replied Rabbo.
 “NO I need you fresh as its going to be a busy day. The sun will be up in a few hours and you need to sleep” said Merwyn. “I can’t have a tried rabbit cruising around falling a sleep when I need him the most”.
 Rabbo reluctantly hopped into his box and curled up to sleep. He had to admit that he was very tired and that he did need to sleep. But he also felt that it was important that he repaid a visit to that ship as soon as he could as something was clearly not right and he felt that it was very important that he take a closer look.
 Rabbo awoke to Mischief poking at him with a paw full of fresh green carrot tops that she was holding in one paw.
 “Bastet said that these were for you. And that I am to see that you eat them or you won’t grow up to be a big healthy bunny” said Mischief. “Bastet also said that once you have taken care of your morning needs you are to report to her at the hospital place”.
 Mischief thrust the carrot tops at Rabbo and then sat back on her hind legs and looked around the storage room as if she was looking for something.
 Rabbo ate the carrot tops slowly at first as he was trying to remember something that he felt was important. But once the taste of the carrot tops hit his taste buds he ate the carrots tops as fast as he could so that none of the juices would escape.
 “Bastet has more” said Mischief as she hopped over to the door.
 Mischief looked at the door and gentle it opened. She turned back looked at Rabbo and then hopped though the door.
 “Are you going to be a sleepy head and stay in bed or are you coming” said Mischief flashing her white tail at Rabbo as she turned back to hop down the hallway.
 Rabbo followed mischief down the hallway and out of the temple. As Rabbo exited the temple he was surprised to see no one around at all.
 Rabbo and mischief hopped over to the building that Bastet and Athena were going to use as a hospital and saw a great number of men lined up in ranks waiting to be examined by Athena and Bastet.
 Bastet spotted Rabbo and mischief and waved them over.
 Together Rabbo and mischief hopped over and Rabbo was levitated onto and table, Bastet placed her Stethoscope over Rabbo’s heart and listened to his breathing and heart rate. She then levitated Rabbo off the table and back onto the floor.
 “Your heart and lungs sound good Rabbo. Now go and see Athena”.
 Rabbo hopped over to Athena who was busy looking at the eyes and mouth of an older man.
 Athena shook her head and smiled before she spoke softly and gentle. “Your heart and lungs are sound but you need to drink more milk and eat fresh fruit more often. As much as we need you I won’t have you fight. Besides you are a father that has to support his family and I don’t want them without you”.
 “I want to fight. I want to defend my city and my family” said the older man.
 Athena’s eyes blazed “I want you not to fight. But I have a job for you that will be far more dangerous. I need someone that will help bring me the wounded from the battle. That means you will have to be unarmed and go to the battle and bring me the wounded. Will you do that for me”?
 “Yes I will for you Pallas Athena” said the older man.
 “Will his job really be that dangerous” asked Rabbo on Athena’s private telepathic mode.
 “No he will be as safe as everyone else in the city” said Athena. “But he and those that heard me will think his job is dangerous and that will give him good standing in the city once the battle is over”.
 Athena reached down and picked Rabbo up checking his ears eyes and lastly his mouth.
 “Rabbo you need to clean your teeth you have bits of green stuff stuck between your teeth. Other than that you are fit and health. Now go down to the wall and report to my father the lord Zeus” said Athena.
 Rabbo hopped though the almost empty streets as he headed down to the east wall. The only people he saw where men dressed in leather armor with spears, swords and shields.
 As he got close to the wall he saw great jars lining the streets some with oil and some water and some even with just fine sand in them.
At the wall Rabbo so huge fires burning with metal pots full of sand and even bigger pots full of oil that was slowly being brought to the boil. As he hopped up the stairs to the wall Rabbo saw a great number of arrows in neat piles.
 Rabbo hopped up to Merwyn and Angus who were looking out over the wall. Merwyn reached down and pick up Rabbo and placed him on the wall so that he could see the great host of warriors that were lining up on the beach.
 The off load had been completed and the main host was standing in nice neat lines well out of arrow range and far away from the hidden trench that was full of water and oil.
 “Now we wait” said Merwyn.
 “How long do we wait” asked Rabbo?
 “Well if I was Ma’at or Anubis I would attack very soon and when the sun was behind my men as that would blind the defending force on the wall. Let’s see if that is what they will do” said Merwyn.
 Rabbo looked towards the sun that was now climbing over the hills in the east.
 But the warriors of the beach just stood there on the beach waiting for the order to attack. Then after about an hour they started to bang on their shields with their swords. The sound of sword hilt banging on the shields was deafening to Rabbo but it also felt like the noise was intended to hide something that was going on.
 The banging of sword hilt on shield went on for close to an hour and then it stopped as sudden as it had started.
 A hush fell over the beach and the feeling of waiting descended over the wall where the defending warriors stood waiting and watching to see what would happen next.
 Merwyn turned and smiled at Rabbo. Then Merwyn turned to Angus “so what’s the bet” 
 “Hmmm the bet. Let me see” said Angus thoughtfully. “Ok the bet is that they will send a large force of two thousand warriors at us just like the followers of Toner did at the battle of Aton hill”
 “Ok you are on” said Merwyn laughing.
 Suddenly from behind the host on the beach there was a huge blinding flash and the air was suddenly filled with such a deafening noise that Rabbo squatted down on the wall in fear.
 Then there was a whooshing sound that filled the air and Rabbo saw twelve bright burning objects flying in a high arc towards the buildings behind the wall.
 “Artillery” shouted Merwyn looking at Angus in shock.
 As they watched the flaming balls of fire arced overhead and some landing harmlessly on the ground behind the wall while others crashed into the empty buildings behind the wall.
 Merwyn looked down at one still burning ball “Rock and tar. That means with the size of the cannon balls that they won’t be able to reload fast and other than smashing things and setting buildings on fire they won’t do much harm as the ground is too soft for the stone balls to explode”
 Rabbo looked down at the burning ball. “I guess that would explain why that one ship was so low in the water and why they have so much black powder on board it”
 “Yes it does. But still it could be a problem for us. These people have never seen anything like it and it could sow fear very fast” said Merwyn.
 Merwyn turned to Angus and waved him closer.
 “Watch for fear among the warriors here. Any sign of fear and you know what to do and say” said Merwyn hiding his own worries.
 Merwyn turned back to Rabbo and smiled “Ok Rabbo find a spot and then go and see how many artillery pieces they have”.
 Rabbo hopped off the wall and found a spot close to Merwyn and slightly covered where he would not be stepped on while he was out of his body.
 Rabbo slipped out of his body and went up over the wall and headed to the rear area where the cannons where.
 As Rabbo glided along in stealth mode looking at the cannons he noticed that the gun crews where busy mopping out the huge guns. And huge they were.
 Each artillery piece was about twenty five feet long and about two feet wide. Behind each piece was a huge stake that had been driven into the ground with ropes and pulleys attached to the artillery pieces so that once the pieces had been fired they could be hauled back into place.
 Behind each artillery piece was a pile of huge round stone balls with a tray of rags and oil that each ball was being rolled in before the ball and rags were slipped into the artillery piece. 
 As Rabbo watched one gun crew they finished mopping out their artillery piece and started to load the gun with black powder. Then two members of the gun crew rolled the rag covered cannon ball into the barrel of the artillery piece and placed wadding in front of the cannon ball and using a ram rod they pushed the cannon ball and wadding down the barrel.
 Rabbo opened his eyes and looked at Merwyn.
 “They have eighteen artillery pieces and it looks like they are getting ready to fire again” said Rabbo.
 “Ok everyone” shouted Merwyn “There will be more fiery balls heading our way. Its nothing to worry about so just relax and let them go overhead”.
 “How long between each volley” asked Angus?
 “I estimate about twenty to thirty minutes” said Merwyn. “Let’s hope these walls are thick enough to take a pounding if Anubis starts shooting at the walls. Which if you ask me he should be doing”.
 Again there was a loud rolling boom and eighteen fiery balls came sailing over the walls. Some hit harmlessly on the ground and others hit the buildings behind the wall.
 All the balls this time broke apart on impact with the buildings and ground showering those that were near by with chucks of stone and burning rag.
 The few that were hit hard and wounded were rolled on the ground at Angus’s orders to put out the fire and then placed on long flat hand carts to be wheeled away to be treated at the senate building that Athena and Bastet were using as a hospital.
 Rabbo watched in horrid fascination as the warriors on the beach started to slowly walk forward beating on their shields with spear and sword. Between the phalanx were six huge wooded objects that looked like the roof of houses. Poking out of the front end of each battering ram was a huge tree trunk about the same length as the cannons and about the same width.
 “If I guess right they should hit the trench just after the next round of artillery fire” said Merwyn to Rabbo and Angus.
 “Hey pay up” said Angus to Merwyn laughing softly.
 “Huh” said Merwyn. 
 “This is just like Aton hill” said Angus. “See two thousand warriors and they tried softening us up with artillery fire”.
 Merwyn laughed “You win. I will square up later if we get out of this”.
 The phalanxes and battering rams got closer and closer to the hidden trench and right on time there was a huge boom and rolling thundering and seventeen fiery balls came flying towards the walls.
 In the rear area of the attacking force there could be seen another smaller explosion and chucks of metal wood and stone went flying though the air.
 “Looks like of the artillery pieces blew up” said Angus.
 “That should help a little” said Merwyn as he watched as the first ranks of the warriors started to walk straight into the hidden trench.
 About three to four hundred warriors and three battering rams fell into the trench.
 “Ignite arrows” shouted Angus “Nock arrows. Fire”!
 About sixty flaming arrows went sailing though the air some hitting warriors that were crawling out of the trench that was filled with water and oil and other landing in the trench itself.
 Suddenly a huge sheet of flame reached to the sky and the sounds of screaming and panicking men could be heard.
 “Pick of the burning warriors” shout Merwyn. “Kill them fast please”.
 The elder standing near Merwyn turned “Why waste arrows on the burning”.
 “Because it’s humane” said Merwyn.
 “Lord Zeus that is a waste of arrows” said the elder.
 “Give them mercy” said Merwyn with his eyes blazing red with anger.
 “Shoot the burning warriors” shout Angus.
 Very quickly the few warriors that had climbed out and that were on fire lay dead on the ground in front of the trench.
 As they watched from the safety of the wall Rabbo Merwyn and Angus counted the number of battering rams that were left.
 Three had fallen into the trench and a forth had caught fire when a burning warriors had fallen against it covered in oil.
 The attacking force of warriors pulled back in good order and headed towards their starting point.
 “They should give them something to think about” said Angus.
 “Yes it should” said Merwyn dryly.
 A silences fell over the beach while the trench and bodies on the beach burnt.
 Then again there was a loud booming and seventeen fiery balls came flying over the walls to land behind the walls.
 Rabbo turned to see where the fiery balls had hit and to his shock and horror he saw many bodies of men and women lying around.
 Rabbo turned his face away from the horror that was behind the wall and looked up at Merwyn.
 “What’s wrong” said Merwyn. 
 Merwyn turned and looked down into the area behind the wall and shock and horror filled his face as he saw the mangled and burning bodies lying around.
 “Get the wounded out of there and keep that area clear” shouted Merwyn his face a mask of horror “Rabbo go up to the hospital and tell Athena and Bastet to tell the people to keep away from the walls of the city. Better yet tell them to gather at the temple and pray that we will win”.
 Rabbo hopped down off the wall and down the steps. As he hopped across the ground he could not help but step in puddles of blood and burnt flesh. Each time he stepped into a puddle of blood or burnt flesh he whimpered to himself that some poor person had just lost their life because they wanted to see the battle first hand. And the more he thought about the horror that was on his paws the more he started to think about what horror was to come in the battle with the forces of Ra. Then he started to understand why Merwyn hated battle and war so much. As the little he had seen so far was going to forever change how he looked at life and people.
 Rabbo arrived at the hospital and looked around for Bastet and Athena. He spotted Athena at a table where she was holding a saw and was busy removing a warriors arm at the forearm.
 Athena looked up at Rabbo with tears streaming down her face and shook her head sadly as she looked over at the bucket that held the blood that had already been mopped up.
 “Oh Rabbo” said Athena telepathically on Rabbo’s private mode. “Now I understand why dad hates all this”.
 “I know. I am hating it too” replied Rabbo.
 “You are hurt” said Athena.
 “No its just blood and flesh” said Rabbo feeling so miserable. “Merwyn sends a message that must be passed on to the people. He said that they are to say away from the walls and that they should go to the temple to pray for victory”.
 “Ok. Let me finish up this poor man. And I will let everyone know” said Athena.
 Rabbo hopped back outside and found a spot well away from everyone. Then he hunched up and started to throw up at the horror he had witnessed in the hospital.
 About ten minutes later the wounded started to show up just as there was another loud boom and thundering that came from towards the beach.
 Rabbo hid from everyone and turned his head so that he could not see the horror that was being wheeled past his hiding spot.
 Athena came walking out with blood smeared on her face and arms and looked around.
 Sudden Athena was covered in her armor and stood about twenty feet tall.
 “My people gather at the temple and pray for our victory” said Athena in a loud clear voice.
 The citizens that were not involved in the battle all turned towards her and bowed low and started to gather at the temple.
 “Rabbo come inside and let me wash you and clean you up” said Athena.
 Rabbo came out of his hiding place and hopped over to Athena who had returned to her normal form.
 Athena reached down and picked Rabbo up and she took him into the hospital and over to a tub of warm water.
 There she bathed him and made sure that all the blood and flesh was gone from his paws and fur. Gentle she caressed Rabbo and kissed him gentle on the nose.
 Bastet came walking over looked at Rabbo and then at Athena.
 “How are you holding up” Bastet asked Athena.
 “Ok I guess” said Athena sadly.
 “I am just glad that they are not using chemical weapons of gas” said Bastet smiling trying to make Athena and Rabbo feel better. “My first battle was worse than this sweetie”
 Bastet reached over and pulled Athena and Rabbo in close and gave them a hug. She then kissed Athena and Rabbo on the head before she started to turn away.
 “Where is mischief” asked Rabbo hopping that she was safe and away from all the horror.
 “She is helping me” said Bastet. “I have her under my table and she stops the blood flowing to the area of the person I am working makes it a lot easier for me”.
 Taking a deep breath Athena regained her composure and looked at Bastet. “You know I could use help like that. Maybe dad will let me keep Rabbo up here and he can help me like mischief is helping you”.
 “Good idea. We sure could use all the help we can get” said Bastet turning away and heading towards the hospital.
 “Dad” Athena hailed Merwyn on his private mode. “Can I keep Rabbo here to help me in the hospital”?
 “Yes you can darling daughter. That’s part of the reason I sent him to you. I love you my darling daughter” said Merwyn answering on the same mode. “I want him as safe as he can be here. As much as I can use him to see what is going on I worry less about him being with you than down here”.
 “Ok dad. I will keep him here with me” answered Athena.
 It was very late when the last of the wounded where being placed in a make shift ward when Athena, Bastet, mischief and Rabbo finally finished working and healing the last of the wounded.
 Together as a group they walked outside to listen to the night air and to see if they could hear any of the battle that might have been going on.
 But it was still and quiet as if there was no battle and the city was not under partial siege.
 “It’s a nice night” said Bastet.
 “I don’t think I will ever be able to get the blood stains off my hands” said Athena looking at her hands.
 “Sweetie you have saved so many lives today. You did really good” said Bastet moving close to Athena.
 “I should have stayed at home like dad wanted instead of coming here” said Athena with tears welling up in her eyes.
 Bastet wrapped her arms around Athena “Cry darling let it all out”.
 Athena started to weep and sob as she rested her head on Bastet's shoulder. Weakly she looked up “Will crying help take away the pain”
 “No not really. It just helps for the moment” Bastet said. Then after a long pause she added “I still have nightmares about my first battle. And over the years the pain has got less. But we are healers and our job is fair more important than Merwyn’s and Angus’s jobs. We fix those that get hurt”.
 “Yeah so that they can get hurt or killed again” said Athena bitterly though her tears.
 “Sweetie how many did you lose on your table” asked Bastet.
 “I did not lose any” Athena said sobbing hard again.
 “Neither did I” Bastet said as she pulled Athena in closer. “You saved thirty or forty lives and I saved just as many. You were amazing sweetie”.
 “I did what I had to do to save them. But cutting off arms and legs I hate that” Athena said gasping for air.
 “I know. I hate it too. But they will live and be able to help around the city” said Bastet as she reached into a pocket and pulled out a hip flask. “Here drink this. It will help you relax”.
 Athena took a swig on the hip flask and then another. “Wow that taste good and burns a little”.
 “Its strong it will help numb you for a little” said Bastet moving away but keeping a hold of Athena’s hand. “Let’s get some rest. Tomorrow could be as busy”?   
 Together Bastet Athena Rabbo and mischief headed back into the make shift hospital and slipped down a hallway to some storage rooms that had been turned into a bedroom for Athena and Bastet.
 Rabbo hopped into the large box that mischief was using as a bed and sleep over came him so fast that he was unaware that Bastet and Athena were getting passionate.
 Rabbo awoke to mischief nosing him while she held a goblet with water in it so that he could have a drink.
 The sun was shining in though the window and Rabbo could hear a faint thumbing sound that sounded as if it was coming from down at the beach.
 “I spoke to Merwyn and he said that he thinks that they will lunch a huge attack today” said Mischief. “We will be busy at the hospital I think”.
 As Rabbo and mischief hopped down the hallway a feeling started to build in them. It got stronger and stronger until mischief started to whimper.
 Rabbo looked around for Athena and Bastet and finally he spotted them sitting together kissing behind some make shift shelves that had been set up with herbs in jars in them.
 “Earthquake is coming” said Rabbo. “It’s a huge one as the feeling hurts a lot”.
 “Ok let’s get all the wounded outside and away from the hospital” said Bastet.
 For the next twenty minutes Athena and Bastet plus the other hospital staff carried the seventy wounded men and women out of the hospital.
 Athena went back into grab the herbs with Rabbo following her when the shaking started.
 The floor rocked and shook and moved like waves on the ocean.
 Rabbo leaped up at Athena knocking here to the ground and pressed his body against hers. At the same time there was a huge cracking sound right above Athena and Rabbo then their world went black as the roof came crashing in on them.

Click on Mark Crocker for bio and list of other works published by Pencil Stubs Online.