Stray Poetry

I have been working these few days, I have been hiding away in my wilderness of the wide world.

            I have often wondered why the vast majority of people are content to stay put in the little spot of Terra firma that they are placed upon. The earth is so incredibly vast and open it seems a sacrilege to ignore it’s immensity for the comfort of an armchair recliner.

            How far have you ventured abroad? How much of your life have you spent indoors in air conditioned monotony? My point is not to belittle your life or existence, but to open the doors of your mind to the wonder of it all. Even the woods and streams a few miles from your door can seem vast and unconquered- just ask anyone in Manhattan. So go out to the park, and stand in awe. Venture to the small patch of lawn you can call your own and get close, REALLY close. There is a whole world there; underfoot. 

-Ezra Hilyer

There are many airline passengers packing laptop/notebook computers these days; in airports designed before portable computer use became common, the few power outlets scattered about the terminals are quickly staked out. And unless you are quick on the draw or have an unusually overbearing personality; you may indeed find yourself quickly out of luck.

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            Lake Baikal is located in Siberia close to the Mongolian border; it is the world’s largest lake by volume; containing over 20% of the available surface fresh water on earth.  It is also by far the deepest lake in existence at 5,315’ (1,620 meters) if Baikal were to be drained, it would take all of the North American Great Lakes to fill the great hole in the earth’s crust.

            There are over thirty rocky islands on the lake and legend has it that the feared Mongolian Leader ‘Genghis Khan’ was born on the largest of them. Baikal is home to more endemic species of plant and animals than any other lake on the planet, including the worlds only fresh water seal; The Nerpa.

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The definition of the word lucid is absolute clarity and understanding. As if all the shadows have been cleared away and all that remains are facts. In average existence our minds are busy with the details and routines of everyday life; we often exist almost as machines. As if the conscious mind stays just behind the present, and reacts on delay.

            I used to work cutting tires for a disposal service; the job was repetitive in the extreme. Pick up a tire, throw it on the table, pull the lever for the ram, reverse the ram, rotate the tire 1/3^rd turn, and repeat, throw the cut piece and then rotate again, cut and throw. Then repeat the same process once again. In the mornings I would see my huge pile of tires to cut and it would seem an impossible task because my mind was too aware of time and of my own existence. But after the first 10 minutes I would begin to lose the present and become more detached from what I was doing. Time would then begin to move much more quickly and aside from interludes of clarity (or lucidity) I was just as unthinking as the machine I worked with.

            Much as sleep is an existence where the conscious mind loses it’s grip and in effect dies to time for a while, only to be re-joined again upon waking, so it was for me in working that repetitive job. All those hours were lost never to come again. And what did I gain for them? Nothing but a few dollars spent on bills and items long lost to memory.

            So I ask you, how many of your waking hours do you spend in lucidity? How much of your life have you really lived, not just existed?

            Think back on your life, what are the moments that stand out? The seconds or hours that have defined your life?

            Live in Lucidity.

-Ezra Hilyer

There is that which can not be understood; a sharply defined realm of the unknown. Our minds touch upon this secret only fleetingly. In a moment of self reflection and secretion, there can only be silence of the soul. When at this time the mind is free from any shadows of fear or lingering nightmare; then and only then can this be explored.

And the key turns slowly in the lock.

The gate slides open to frigid darkness and vibrant color, pigments of very thought. My heart leaps in my throat choking away the consciousness. With timid, faltering steps I cross the threshold and enter the silent chamber. Give me a way to capture this essence of life and return it to this world of horror and shame.

I shall shiver away the curtain of darkness that enshrouds our world. I will copy the keys and give them to all the gatekeepers and charge them to let all pass who desire entrance. When the last of our mindless shades have passed forever from the torrid darkness and into the color of thought, the gates will be shut, the keys all melted down to nothing and this realm returned to desolation with only myself; a lone sacrifice.

Guarding the void from habitation.

-Ezra Hilyer-

    There is a light in your eyes; I can not explain its source.

    Perhaps you can; has there ever been a moment that held you in sway? When you scarce could bear to move lest you break the sweet spell of silence. What ever it was that triggered that spark of thought/feeling I do not know for it will be different to each soul, but it must be there.

            Have you ever stopped in sorrow for a sight that passed something that triggered one small buried memory perhaps? Has ever your heart jumped a beat for one second of pure joy?             Sometimes upon waking from a sweet dream of peace I ponder what the future may hold.

    Can the hope and joy of being content and whole that seems so close within a sleeping dream come into reality? And could the whole of your existence be worth that short sweet moment?

-Ezra Hilyer

    Yesterday I shopped for a new flavor of tea (I was out) and I found a really nice blend of fruits, and Rose hips. I bought it mostly because I have lately had an obsession with rose hips. I tried to get some fresh last week, but they aren’t quite ripe yet, so I will have to wait a while to get them.

The tea that I selected, is a blend of rose hips, and mint, and orange-peel. Now that doesn’t really sound as good as it is, but I made myself a cup this morning, and I must say that it was fantastic!.

-Ezra Hilyer

I am surprised that I was unaware of this book for so many years. This book is considered the quintessential pieces of nature writing. Though the natural world is a great passion of mine, and in retrospect- some of the books I own reference The Outermost House- I never picked up a copy until a week ago.

The subject is unassuming, and simple: A year spent on the great beach of Cape Cod. The author indeed did not set out to write a book, but merely wanted to take a short two week vacation in his newly constructed beach house. This turned into a solitary adventure that would forever mark his literary career. Continue Reading »

A Fedora was once practically a required item for a man leaving the house. All manner of dress hats were once in vouge, now there are few who dare to wear them. I think that a top-hat is a fine thing to wear when dressed up, and think that we as a society have lost something with the advent of ‘casual all the time’ dress.

I proudly wear a Fedora!