The Holstee Manifesto

Jazz so streetwise, angels must be wearing All-Stars!

If you have never heard of this songstress, I wonder what you have been reading, and what you have been listening to. Her name, Esperanza Spalding, should say it all. Honestly, I think she was perfectly named for stardom!

I first heard of her, in all truth(ness) when she won a Grammy Award earlier in the year, beating both Justin Beiber and Drake for the top spot. What awed me, was that she was a contemporary jazz musician. First question was, what happened? Then how did she do that? Then who voted for her, for in all honesty, nobody really knows who she is.

Well, she was about to prove me wrong, because after that all music lovers were introduced to the singing sensation; and bassist, electric guitarist, electric voiced - angel voiced (gosh I am running out of ways to say this) singer that was her!

So I got my hands on her two albums, Junjo and the self titled Esperanza. I tell you, music has never been the same! Go on, take a listen, you might just agree with me...

Just a word...

"Those who stare at the past

have their backs turned towards the future"

Lorna Moodley

Widow Without

by

Tash Reddy

Love Lies Bleeding

Restore Me.

pic courtesy of: Bulumko Nyamezele

Four Seasons

Have you noticed the similarities between your life and the earth's four seasons?

Well today I did.
Take a moment and break down the occurencies of the seasons; summer, autumn, winter, spring.
See how it all relates to the patterns in your life?

It inspired the notion that nothing in life stays as it is forever. The life cycle is meant to be as is, and as much as one can learn from their mistakes, the cycle is bound to reach full circle, and start all over again.

It teaches me that I must not be comfortable in my life seasons, but I must accept them. I must not dwell in their pain, nor over-indulge in their beauty, for these are seasonal. There will be rains to fill my rivers and steer me to deeper seas, but with this comes knowledge and understanding. There will be full blooms of flowers and endless sunshine, but with this comes discovery and enlightment. There will be faded memories and things I collected I will no longer possess, but with this new memories are created, and deeper treasures to collect found. There will be seemingly unending pain, loss, failure, bad health, heartache, confusion, but with this, the dawn of happiness will loom in the horizon.

Live in the seasons life has created for you!
In each, a beauty exists.

pic courtesy of: OnutzaC

Serinity Prayer

God grant me the Serenity

to accept the things that I cannot change;

Courage to change the things that I can;

and the Wisdom to know the difference.

Give me the courage to Love with an open heart.

I want to Love with an open heart.

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

Taking, as He did, this sinful world;

as it is, not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right

if I surrender to His will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this Life;

and supremely happy with Him

Forever in the next.

Amen

Reinhold Niebuhr (1892 - 1971)

Compositions of a Broken Winged Angel

I enclosed myself in-between my pretty broken wings, the cracks of my soul escaping between the crumbling pieces. Trying to be intact so my wounds could be healed and my soul returned to me. Nothing cuts deep as loss, for with loss you also loose love. I opened my heart for all humanity to see, two faced as it told stories of joy and pain.

I made room for mankind and a seed was planted on unfertile grounds, depriving it of growth for no man could water this seed. I took a step, de-planted the seed for the rain dancer had escaped to the hills, to hide from her fruitless pursuits to nourish the lands. Dry soil, dry soul, even my tears could not further your growth.

Then you came to me one night, as an angel whose wings I had plucked. You whispered in my ear 'I now reside in your soul, my pretty shattered wings will forever be inked on your back. My breath is now one with your shadow'. I looked into the universe above, shed tears that never touched the ground and said a prayer for you. The answer drifted, You are me, I am you.

I pointed my pen to the moon, and it gave me starts to guide my steps. I filled the air thick with the scent of ink, and the wind whispered my name. I summoned the heat of the sun and it glazed my skin with with wings of fire to lift me out of Lucifer's lair.

I kissed the universe and light years away a galaxy was born. I transcended gravity-less into space, and the heavens became my pedestal. I gave God my hand and the angels belowed in melodies that wrote on the devils skin. I looked destiny in the eye, and fate became my third I.

Writings of your name sit invisibly on my walls. My screams, calling out your name for I need refuge are muffled out by pride. Day in, day out, the mornings call out your name. Night in, night out, I hear your voice speaking in toungues and cease to listen. Your confused face at the beatings I subject you to haunt my twisted dreams. The questions you silently ask me, masked by your grace and care towards me. I confuse myself as I love you, yet hate you for you read my mind and feed on my thoughts. I sink and shy away everyday as you become my souls carrier and my hearts keeper. And in the madness I yearn for you kiss, to write my wrongs and make everything all write.

I write of a soul.
I write of a man.
I write of a mind.
I write of a heart.
I write of a dream.

I write because pens make way to hearts and ink never fades. I refuse to speak for voices are forgotten and humans cease to listen. I open up my heart for all mankind to see... And take a bow as mankind looks at me with wonder.