From: Misti<BR>
Date: 2 March 2001<P>

I am guilty of using offensive words in some of my poems. I am guilty of writing about lust, one-night stands, masochism and various other aspects of my horribly flawed humanity. However, I'd like to point out that I was born and bred Baptist (sigh) and am familiar with the King James Bible and the steps to salvation and the Ten Commandments and the definition of love given in 1st Corinthians. Right now my faith is very shaky but that doesn't stop me from praying and attending church with my mom and step-dad. Despite years of brainwashing and nightmares about the Rapture and the Bottomless Pit and condemnation from so-called Christians who boast clean, pristine slates, I have gleaned this truth that I hold to be self-evident: if there is indeed a God, I believe that he is a god of love and not a god of thunderbolts and hell fire. <BR>
"i found god in myself and i loved her, i loved her<BR>
fiercely"<BR>
~from *For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Was Enuf* by a brilliant poet whose name I won't even try to spell...I'll find my book and come back later and name her because she deserves that.<BR>
<BR>
yes, I have found god in myself and I love her fiercely. For all my problems and shortcomings, I embrace my ugliness and beauty and am not ashamed of my honesty and "dirty" words. If I had lived among the Puritans, it is certain that I would have been burned at the stake. "And so it goes."<BR>
~Kurt Vonnegut<BR>
<BR>
...weird thought: if lust is evil, what are "pure" people like the Promise Keepers thinking of when they're having sex? I've always thought lust is kind of necessary for sex, even if it is with someone you love and cherish.
<HR>
From: Misti<BR>
Date: 2 March 2001<P>

Her name is Ntozake Shange and she is damn good. Reading *For Colored Girls* gives me chills.
<HR>
From: B.K.<BR>
Date: 2 March 2001<P>

I swear there is a ghost in the machine..lol I cut and pasted this from word. Changing nothing either time and the first time it says smoochies, the next smooches. Howd that happen? LOL <BR>
<BR>
gardenguru; I think we're just tired of this gloomy winter and needing a good spring tonic...lol<BR>
<BR>
Joey: Darlin, rave on, just try not to be too jealous of her friends and dutiful sounds too much like obey but thats just my opinion..lol Reminds me of an old song called 'Keep Your Biscuits In The Oven and Your Buns In the Bed,' written by Kinky Friedman. He writes mystery novels now.<BR>
<BR>
bk
<HR>
From: B.K. again<BR>
Date: 2 March 2001<P>

Misti; Stop defending yourself woman, you are fine just the<BR>
way you are. E-gads, don't let them play you like a fiddle jig. <BR>
<BR>
In my opinion religion is a very private thing and not something displayed for show or to tell people how to act or not on a page.  <BR>
<BR>
Lisa; Where you been woman, you have been sorely missed around here. 'The Angel You Asked For,' was beautiful. <BR>
<BR>
Jack; Where are you???? <BR>
<BR>
Dark Angel; Stop making me cry, LOL, 'fish dreams' was so wonderful.<BR>
<BR>
bk 
<HR>
From: Chris<BR>
Date: 2 March 2001<P>

B.K.~<BR>
<BR>
Like your recent subs--and your sense of humor. <BR>
<BR>
Oh! To Texans, Freddy Fender is ONLY one who ever sang that song. Ha! You need spring? Come to East Texas. We have more spring than we know what to do with. Hit 80 last week. I'm spoiled now. I can never go back to the Northeast.<BR>
<BR>
Regarding the 'debate', spare me the Bible-talk. I think the Buddhists & Hindus & Muslims & animists & pagans & wiccans & sun-worshippers out there know something about love too... The Bible is not the ONLY book.<BR>
<BR>
Besides all that, the whole spectrum of humanity belongs in poetry--from Hell to Heaven & back again. Or so it seems to me.<BR>
<BR>
Michael~<BR>
<BR>
Your newest subs were great. You never fail to make Misti and I laugh. You're amazing, man... Keep writing!
<HR>
From: B.K.<BR>
Date: 2 March 2001<P>

Chris; Amen Chris, went to bed thinking the very same thing only I could see the old Saturday Night Live episodes of  The Church Lady dancing back and forth in front of her pulpit looking down her narrow nose. I think that a lot of great minds had the same ideas about love and forgiveness.<BR>
<BR>
I bet Texas in Springtime would be lovely, might just have to mosey on down one of these days. Spring is about our best season here in Tennessee. My dream though, is April or May perhaps in Paris..sigh, one of these years. <BR>
<BR>
Joey; I woke up with the same thinking about the Church Lady and knew I had to apologize to you...LOL I like your funny poems, forgive me, I have been a bit strung out on caffene lately, and you remind me of someone I have been waging a war with for three years now. He's an obsessed eagle scout with a touch of hitler...LOL who needs a stepford wife..LOL Me, I'm just a sassy mouth woman that he would like to reprogram the memory chip in...LOL<BR>
<BR>
bk 
<HR>
Date: 2 March 2001<P>

I remember ine time reading a poem by Aaron 'Cloudy' I think it was...what ever happened to that person, they were really great.<BR>

<HR>
From: HAREM<BR>
Date: 2 March 2001<P>

To Charlotte,<BR>
<BR>
Thanks for the voice of support... Much appreciated....<BR>
<BR>
***
<HR>
From: Dark Angel<BR>
Date: 2 March 2001<P>

To: Harem<BR>
<BR>
Thank you for your kind remarks.  I am writing from an older notebook and am glad that these submissions have found acceptance here.  With the permission of the group, I will continue.
<HR>
From: kevin urenda<BR>
Date: 2 March 2001<P>

(still lurking in the shadows)<BR>
<BR>
felt compelled to make following comments:<BR>
<BR>
Dee-<BR>
"Day 15" gave me a lot of cause for reflection (later this month I will have an anniversary).  Prone as I am to self-reproach, I still have few regrets.  It was heartening to see you have few regrets as well...   (BIG HUG)<BR>
<BR>
scqueen-<BR>
"Simple" caught me at the just the right moment.  It evoked powerful sensory images for me...  What a lovely slice of life.<BR>
<BR>
Lisa-<BR>
There is a quality to "The Angel That You Asked For" that brings the mystical down to earth.  And it is not the imagery you open the poem with.  Very human and therefore most loveable, this angel...  The lines "holding wide her arms to welcome you / to the home you miss, or lost, / or never knew" hit me right in the heart.  That is the kind of angel this reader has always asked for...  Wonderfully done...<BR>
<BR>
k
<HR>
From: Ali<BR>
Date: 2 March 2001<P>

Dark Angel~ Your writing just keeps getting better and better! Keep writing!<BR>
<BR>
Gala~ 'The Angel That You Asked For' was breath-taking...You are so very amazing...<BR>
<BR>
Harem~ Your poetry is continuously beautiful!<BR>
<BR>
scqueen~ I love 'Simple'! I always look forward to reading your writing!<BR>
<BR>
Love and sunsets, Ali<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>

<HR>
From: scqueen<BR>
Date: 2 March 2001<P>

Why thank you, Kevin and Ali. Such nice compliments :-)
<HR>
From: Calissa aka Midnight Whispers<BR>
Date: 2 March 2001<P>

Hi! Kinda new. Was looking for Charles Cripps and saw an echo of his work from long ago. I submitted in something I hope you folks like. Oh and, if any of you know Mr. Cripps. Please let him know I am looking for him. Thanks.<BR>
<BR>
Lil ole me.<BR>
Midnight<BR>
<BR>
"Those nights when the music is playin' you and you dont have any control over it cause your a million miles away."<BR>
-Edwin McCain
<HR>
From: Galadrial<BR>
Date: 2 March 2001<P>

My thanks Kev, Bk, Ali----<BR>
<BR>
               Some of us are a lot more comfortable with being thought an angel...Goddesses are too darned moody.<BR>
<BR>
               <BR>
And Dark Angel---<BR>
<BR>
          Well color me both flattered and tickled...I have not been "bumped" in a great while, and started to fear I was losing my touch....thank you, sir.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>

<HR>
From: TheDubalPoet<BR>
Date: 2 March 2001<P>

Misti, yes there are many kids that are brought up in a church.  And unfortunately they have grown up to somehow choose to live the way they would want to.  You have heard of the love, and you have heard the wrath, yet does it even cross your thoughts that the Lord may even weep over you? I know that even my heart burdens over the words you speak.  You have a treasure before you in mercy and grace.  He has so much to give you, yet why do you decline his offering?  Do you despise the Lord?  Do you beleiver he's even there?  But it would be wiser for you to not believe in God then to humor the thoughts that you could possibly be a God.  People.. God gave sex, and it's for this reason that sex isn't a "dirty" word.  Sex is a wonderful gift from God that believe it or not, can be used to worship him.  Seem farfetched huh?  Well that is exactly what sex is to God, the celebrating with that special someone for what God has given.  It is beautiful when it's kept in marriage.  Yet, when it escapes outside of marriage it turns to a disgusting putrid smell to the nostrils of God.  It's precious value devoured by the selfish desires of man. It is now turned lust.  You see God never wanted the world to end up this way.  He had made a perfect world for man to live in with no pain, sorrow, or death.  But God being a Holy God can have nothing to do with sin, and when man sinned against God (Adam and Eve), man had to die, because sin had now entered man, and that is what kills man, it's sin.  We all have a sin nature.  We all do bad, but God has a greater love and forgiveness than man.  He sent his son to die for a sacrafice for our sins.  Through the blood he shed on the cross we can have our sins forgiven for free.  It's not what we do, but what he has done on the cross that saves us.  You can come find true love, peace, and hope in this amazing God if you recieve him into your life and ask for forgivness.  Mankind will continue sinning, and in this cold desolate world you will die and after that you will no longer be rememberd.  But you too can have an everlasting life in heaven if you choose to come and accept Jesus Christ as your personal saviour.  He will accept you no matter who you are or where you have been.  God loves and forgives.  This all is written in the Word of God. The Bible
<HR>
From: Galadrial<BR>
Date: 2 March 2001<P>

<BR>
<BR>
Kirk?<BR>
<BR>
I think this conversation had gone pretty far afield...<BR>
this is not theology, and while I respect many opinions and beliefs, this is crowding the concept or free expression and becoming an inquisition of sorts.<BR>
<BR>
I suggest that Dubal ask Misti if she cares to discourse on beliefs in private. If not...harassing her here is simply offensive.
<HR>
From: terry<BR>
Date: 2 March 2001<P>

<BR>
Dubal,<BR>
<BR>
You are entitled to your opinion....but there is also a verse that says you should pluck the beam from your own eye before worrying about the splinter in your neighbor's.<BR>
<BR>
I'm sorry you have had your heart broken (or at least it appears such from reading the poetry posts) but, this is an open forum on love, and the Board is to discuss the poetry posted here along with connected issues. Many might find your comments inappropriate in this forum, as would you if you consider it.<BR>
<BR>
Best wishes,<BR>
terry<BR>
<BR>

<HR>
From: B.K.<BR>
Date: 2 March 2001<P>

The Church Lady is at it again...LOL 
<HR>
From: terry<BR>
Date: 2 March 2001<P>

ps.<BR>
<BR>
Misti is one of the long term regulars on this Board.....so like many others here, if you attack her, you are in effect attacking us all. I for one will stand behind my friends here, and will defend any who come under any attack from any source.<BR>
<BR>
t.
<HR>
From: Megs<BR>
Date: 2 March 2001<P>

*Ugh*  I come here so infrequently.  Does anyone even remember me?  LOL.  Whatever...<BR>
anyways so I tried my keyboard at purging and such.  The first one- "Far Away..." just SUCKS format wise.  Why? I dunno...please forgive!!!<BR>
<BR>
the "religious" debate amuses me a bit.  Misti you is ALWAYS stirring up somethin'  I swear.  <BR>
<BR>
There are a hundred or so good new works/authors...I am so far behind to name one would be unfair.<BR>
<BR>
Peace and Love.
<HR>
From: Galadrial<BR>
Date: 2 March 2001<P>

<BR>
<BR>
Megs Honey---Get back here!<BR>
<BR>
Fairy god mom has peeps---but no address to send them to!<BR>
<BR>

<HR>