It's Only Ourselves We Deceive (Verse)

By Dee Newman

Whenever we try to constructively
Respond to feelings of regret and make
Amends by taking responsibility
For a past grievance, misdeed or mistake,
We begin to relieve conflict and pain,
Freeing our relationships of shame
By no longer attempting in vain
To hopelessly deflect or divert blame.
Though, love is the act of giving without
Expecting anything in return,
We cannot truly love others without,
First and foremost, loving ourselves in turn.
But, when we attempt to prove our self-worth
By pleasing others to find contentment,
We often arouse, provoke or give birth
To feelings of anger and resentment.
Those feelings do not identify us.
We are what we choose and refuse to do.
Regardless of how acrimonious
Those feelings may be or even how true,
They cannot, no matter how unkind,
Determine our self-worth and value.
Allowing feelings of shame to defined
Who we are, compels us to continue
Down the same old path towards a life of
Fear, despair, and compulsive self-loathing,
Alienating us from those we love.
Though we may hide in closets and clothing,
         Attempting to conceal whom we believe
         We are, it's only ourselves we deceive.

The Truth (Verse)

by Dee Newman

The Truth is often difficult to find,
For it’s not easily identified,
Recognized, understood or defined.
And, if found, not easily verified.
If the Truth be known, more often than not,
It’s stumbled upon in the dark without
Really ever knowing precisely what
Was sensed, beyond a reasonable doubt.
In reality, there is no such thing
As one Truth. There are many to be found.
Though, they are rarely, if ever, touching,
They are quite often intimately bound
Together in an extremely complex
And competitive relationship that
Ignores, challenges, reflects and rejects
The other as if in mortal combat.
         Without affection, compassion and grace,
         They will never be able to embrace.

Thomas M. Tamm (Political Verse)

By Dee Newman

Justice Department lawyer, Thomas Tamm,
On discovering that a highly classified
Bush Administration secret program
Managed by the NSA had defied
Federal statutes, reluctantly phoned
Two reporters at the New York Times
Informing them that the program had condoned
And committed a slew of federal crimes,
Violating both the Fourth Amendment
To the United States Constitution
And the FISA statute enacted to prevent
Agents of the government spying on
U.S. citizens without court orders.
When the New York Times, at last, authorized
The story to be published the reporters
And the paper won a Pulitzer Prize,
While Tamm became the target of a cruel
Federal Criminal Investigation
For breaching the Department’s rule
Of secrecy which the Administration
Had used to try and shield their criminal
Conduct. To silence and discredit him
They’ve used everything in their arsenal.
Though Tamm has suffered for exposing them,
History will view him as a laudable
Man for upholding his oath to defend
The Constitution at great personal
Risk. His persecutors have much to portend,
         For the Attorney General-Designate
         May hold in his hands their ultimate fate.

To learn more about Thomas Tamm and the Bush Administration’s domestic warrantless wiretapping read Michael Isikoff’s portrait of Tamm at Newsweek: http://www.newsweek.com/id/174601/output/print

Also watch the Rachel Maddow interview with Thomas Tamm:

Unanimous Bipartisan Report (Political Verse)

by Dee Newman

The Senate Armed Services Committee’s
Unanimous bipartisan report
On the administration’s policies
Concerning torture concludes: a consort
Of senior Bush officials and agents
Adopted procedures for the abuse
And torture of enemy combatants,
Authorizing such methods as the use
Of psychotropic drug therapy
To facilitate interrogations
Of detainees in U.S. custody,
Clearly, criminal law violations.
When photographs and other incidents
Of torture began to surface, a defense
Plan was devised to shield all the President’s
Men from the incriminating evidence.
To frustrate future judicial pursuits,
They launched a campaign to put the blame on
A small group of "undisciplined recruits"
Who, they maintained, were “acting on their own.”
The “aggressive techniques” they claim have kept
Us safe were found to be impediments
To our ability to intercept
And collect accurate intelligence,
         Strengthening the hand of our enemy
         And weakening our moral authority.

Political Verse: A Pure and Natural State

by Dee Newman

Those who strongly oppose gay marriage
Believe that homosexuality
Is merely a choice they must disparage
As a disgusting abnormality,
Condemned by God’s (alleged) biblical word.
Implicit in this belief is an inference
That sexuality is considered
By them to be a nurtured preference,
Rather than a pure and natural state.
My question is: what was the actual
Occasion, specific time and the date
They chose to be heterosexual,
         Denying some other proclivity
         For a more accepted identity?

If you did not see Mike Huckabee on the “Daily Show“ yesterday, watch Jon Stewart (graciously) confront him on gay marriage.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Mike Huckabee Pt. 2

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Odetta (Verse)

by Dee Newman

From coffeehouse to concert hall
Her powerful mahogany voice
And extraordinary lyrical
Style made us all reflect and rejoice.
With or without accompaniment
Her regal, charismatic presence
And unique sound was the embodiment
Of her integrity and essence.
Whether singing a smooth melodic line
Or wailing a mournful Blues refrain
That “little light” of hers sure did shine
To both educate and entertain.
         Now that she is no longer with us,
         It is time for our lives to bear witness.

Political Verse

A Bleak And Prophetic Report

By Dee Newman

A bleak report to the U. S. Congress
From The Department of Transportation
Announced the following lack of progress:
An increase in market penetration
By imports and a clear shift in buyer
Preference towards much smaller and more fuel-
Efficient cars and trucks will cause dyer
Ramifications to occur through all
Domestic auto companies. Reduced
Profits will persist, if quality, cost
Competitive vehicles aren’t produced
To prevent any further market loss.
         This prophetic report was actually
         Given to Congress in 1980.