“We must learn to honor excellence in every socially accepted human activity, however humble the activity, and to scorn shoddiness, however exalted the activity. An excellent plumber is infinitely more admirable than an incompetent philosopher. The society that scorns excellence in plumbing because plumbing is a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy. Neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water”. – John W. Gardner, author and leader (8 Oct 1912-2002)
A new vampire feels invincible at night But it's quite the opposite in sunlight. Transformational in a flash of firsts, The provocations are felt in the thirst.
Vampires are the apex predators holding control, The keepers of life and death without souls. As we eat our steaks on the dinner plate, Taking lives is simply the vampiric fate.
Murder is a second language for some, Embraced as in the dreams of this kingdom. There is no guilt in its needful embrace, And the reading of minds is a trick in place.
Mundane as it is useful in reading one's prey, Food, sex, and home are all most will ever say. The vampire chases phantoms of its former self, And learns that some reading is not on the shelf.
There are new habits of need and want to form, And there are new patterns to which to conform. These are the habits of the creature of the night, Taking on new life and away from the daylight.
There is an exclusivity in using weakness to rise, But if you look close enough, it's in the eyes. Allowing what is intended as a hateful slight To become the call and response filling the night.
The master seeks to train the fledgling's appraisal. Hoping to skip a turnaround of fate's carousel. The world is seen through in terms of experience, Most of it is shameful in its naked deference.
What is true for one man is not always true When it comes to the second man's point of view. Evil, it seems, comes in patterns even in the night, The brutality of man's prejudice is never right.
As one learns the life of the New Orleans vampire, One learns of pleasure and burning with desire. There is a gravitation felt pulling one another in, This then is the sheer beginning of living in sin.
(c) October 7, 2025 Michael Doyle All Rights Reserved
We look back on yesterday's self, Like a new look of horror from our shelf, And as we turn from page to page We find more foolishness than wisdom from a sage.
Memory is a monster as the building groans. Six courses devoured, each on its own. Until at last the host makes his appearance And offers an apology in his greatest deference.
Two vampires enter a church post priest-icide, As at least one wished it were deicide. Serving gods is an honor of it own display, But in this pain the body passes its way.
Although the transition is the pain of dying, And the needs leave one's empty soul crying, One must never lap up the blood of the dead, For it will drag one down with the greatest dread.
Down into the depths of the lapdogs of Hell. There in the pitiful abyss where the Devil dwells. And from this position, one can never rise up, This is the price paid from the sacrificial cup.
The vampire's blood inside laughs in its control, A chuckle and a spark that teases at one's soul. It is more than too late for any resistance. The Vampire's joke laps with flames of persistence.
The restraint of the hunter becomes a new known art. Where each part of life's symphony plays its part. Everywhere looked, there is a new sense to favor, The choices to be had lead to a new life to savor.
The master teaches the student the art of the kill, Finding much humor where the student finds thrill. There is amusement to be had in the ways of haste, And that leads to problems of disposing of the waste.
The student feels agony wanting to find home, But the master knows the student will now walk alone. For once, one has turned into the bestial vampire impure The disease had is one that is at best difficult to cure.
(c) October 6, 20225 Michael Doyle All Rights Reserved
“When a comic becomes enamored with his own views and foists them off on the public in a polemic way, he loses not only his sense of humor but his value as a humorist.” – Johnny Carson
In our family's living sanctuary, The Bible serves as a special library. It teaches us how to live and to love, Instructed in conversation with Heaven above.
Each of us has our own interpretation Of what it is and isn't to be our contribution. Live or die, we live as we serve Giving and getting, under our God's will as we deserve.
Living faith is not a matter of precision. Each of us lives by our methods and decisions. Anchored as it is with a sense of unity, To prevent division and live in harmony.
The lessons of our living day Is that differences are something, okay. Disputable matters are not something to fight And wisdom allows us different paths within the light.
We walk our own path in our life's seasons, Each of us having our own set of reasons. There is no need for stolid conformity, Forced into being by a false need for uniformity.
We are to look to the Lord as our guide In all that we live and in what we decide. Living unto the Lord as one community, Still, we allow individuality in our holy family.
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light. This, then, is the true harmony that we know to be right. Doing life as we do to live as we love one another. Differences are normative in our sisters and brothers.
We are careful of these things that we speak, Judging not those who are the strong or the weak. But instead, allowing each to live in faith as we are. So long that is, as Jesus remains our North Star.
The challenges lived should not be made into complexity. We can be trained out of our traps and our simplicity. Faith will lift us into our days of salvation. The journey carries each of us to our heavenly destination.
Our patterns and practices are often due to proximity. Such is the way of living as a spread-out family. Drawing near to the table of our corrections, We bring God's family together with faithful intention.
God's Word signals what is commanded. If it isn't, it is not to be demanded. Let us lean in to the only solid proposition - That each of us is allowed multiple positions.
With grace, we are to lift up and encourage All around us so as to not discourage. In all the nonessentials, we are at liberty. These things are to be considered with charity.
Faith, not fear, shall guide our way, So that we might live better every day. It is God who has the final say. Love, not judgment, shall be in the words we say.
The Gospel is exacting and entirely exclusive, Though God's love for everyone is inclusive. Everyone will spend eternity somewhere, We want you to be in Heaven because we care.
Doctrine, not preferences, is what is right. Let's allow each other space within God's light. There are a multitude of allowable choices, And room enough for a choir of different voices.
(c) October 5, 2025 Michael Doyle All Rights Reserved
“Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.” – Mahatma Ghandi
“13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.” – Romans 14:13-18 NIV
Heading out of Australia to escape this Aussie winter. First stop Japan, then UK/Ireland and if work doesn't call me back, onto Chicago. I will make it up as I go along
ALOHA PROMISES FOREVER 