Ditch the ads, upload images and much more - upgrade today from 5.95/month!
Read • Contests • Groups • Learn • Forums • Store • Help
 

Sour and Sweet Fruit

Fruit Tree of Good and Evil
or Tree of Life
And the AIDS plague
that brings continual strife

"Holy" guards, you deny the sheath
you fill the graves
for johnny's "apple" seeds
dangerous when delivered by bare blades

Magnum XL for the Washington Monument
Phallic empire symbol of the West
Deny gay rights, ignore the quilt, and doom to death
As God's patience you continually test

If only Mobile Army Hospital units spread
across Africa faster than disease
and medicine the norm, project RED
coffers overflowing, please

Transactional sex unnecessary
when all basic needs are met
and an AIDS orphan born of extreme poverty
deserves more than just a malaria net

poison blood, stem of tree
branch of medical research, stem cell
medicinal cocktail, vaccine, cure we plea
as we weep upon the toll of another bell

On the tree of good and evil
we had a little bite and became a self-righteous beast
for the answer all along was extinguish the flame
blocking immortal tree of life by flooding with true love feast

Author notes

First Contest sponsor, you have my sincerest condolences and prayers winging your way for you to know the comfort of God's love wrapping around you like a quilt and inner peace of knowing you are still loved even in your partner's death...I'm so saddened by your tragic loss, and the loss of so many...rev. jayne, the BackporchPhilosopher

Second Contest sponsor, know that wearing pearls, having a tatoo or piercings, or wearing are gold ring are all sins in the Bible. Yet there are no laws to discriminate against those with pierced ears or for selling pearls, or to arrest every person in a church pew with a gold wedding ring. There are 12 passages in the Bible regarding same sex relationships, some of which are more dealing with pedophiles and prostitution...but there are thousands regarding poverty, as those living in extreme poverty are now dying in enormous numbers not knowing they are HIV positive until reaching full blown AIDS, then lacking adequate medical care. We have lost our way..."Love the Lord God with all thy heart, love thy neighbor as thyself, there is no other commandment as important as these, and these are equally important." Its about the Agape, not the Eros. Religion is a choice; love is not a choice, it is a commandment. I live in a state that has strictly outlawed gay marriage, and I am an ordained minister who could spend up to a year in jail for performing an "illegal union," which I consider a Constitutional violation of the free exercise of my religion, to be forbidden to santify a union which I may believe was destined by God.

A contest entry

Have you signed up for Amnesty International's Action network? Have you googled Macy's and searched Peace Baskets?

    : , Your review:

    Comment Suggestion: What is your your first impression?
    • Line numbers  • Invite them to read
    : no Cost: 0 free left 0 points, You have (?)

Comments

  • kedoconnor
    January 29

    Edit | Reply

    moving and strong

    i love the reference to the guarded gate of the tree of life. there were two trees the bible said, one of life and one of eternal life and knowledge. the irony is that as our knowledge increases it is misplaced. it is not given to those most in need but rather used to destroy. in the interem the religous fanatics including our former president stand in the way of just and noble research that could save the millions suffering. we would sooner detinate a smart bomb delivered by stupid people.
    i am deeply moved by this peice and if you have friend or yourself with hiv i condone your bravery in this struggle as it is more brutal than any battlefield.
    kevin o'connor/ui'connabhair


  • lordoftherings gold member
    January 24

    Edit | Reply
    There is a lot of history written through metaphors and similes. One will need to study the poem closely to make all the connections but starting out with the Tree of Life is just the beginning.

    As I was watching the inarguration of Prresident Obama I was reminded of three US Presidents i fought in the White House over AIDS policies as a Canadian. They were in order Ronald Reagan, would could not even utter the word; George Bush Sr, and George Bush Jr. I remember walking along Pennsylvania Avenue the year of the Quilt displays as an International Representative for the Names Project and standing at Lincoln Memorial the eve of the Candlelight March. I say this, because as I watched the President and First Lady do their walk to their new home, I was reminded of his speech two years ago that helped propel him to the office that he now holds where halfway through his speech he never faltered in mentioning the AIDS pandemic now plaguing not only his country but the wolrd. It's been awhile since I heard a US President utter these words and I don't think it will be the last time we hear them during his Presidency.


    Thank yopu for contributing to this contest.

    Gregg


  • peregrin
    December 13, 2008
    Edit | Reply
    Yeah, this is brilliant.
    Thank you so much for writing..
    ;p
    Gwen

    • Backporchphilosopher gold member
      December 13, 2008
      Edit | Reply

      Thanks! Enjoyed reading the winners...

      Would love your feedback on my other entry into the International AIDS contest now going on, as I still have time to revise before contest closes! Peace. Thanks for considering my entry.