Why Do I Speak Out?

More than once, I have taken heat for my willingness to take a stand against people who harm others within the online community. There are those who have stated that I start drama, and seek fights. I have been accused of intolerance to viewpoints that differ from my own.

My issue is a simple one. In the offline world, it would not be right to allow an assailant to rape a woman, and do nothing about it. Or see a store being robbed and decide it is someone else's problem. Or a man being gunned down in the street.

In all of those instances, it is the civic duty, the ethical duty to stand forth as at least a witness, if not to intervene to try and prevent the crime from taking place. Doing nothing effectively makes the bystander an accomplice in the crime.

Although the online realm is a non-corporeal world, I argue that the civic and ethical duties of the offline world carry over. Correspondingly, it is not right to stand by and not react in some way.

We teach our children that it is not right to let bullying take place unopposed. The digital realm is rife with such bullying. It makes sense that our lack of tolerance for bullying would extend online, in social media, for instance.

The act of catfishing people online is as dangerous as any form of offline imposture. Consider the phisher who seeks information for identity theft through social engineering. Or the con man/blackmailer who coaxes information from a vulnerable person, in order to gain influence and/or sexual favors from them. Both of these are acts of rape that are no less heinous than physical rape.

None of these things I would want to happen to myself, or any I care about. By extension, if I don't want these crimes to happen to those I care for, it is logical I would not want them to happen to anyone.

Because victimization of people is Everyone's Problem, I get involved. I speak against it. I report it to authorities when I can prove it. I speak out, warning of people who harm others.

By my understanding of both ethics and morality, this is the right thing to do.

(C) Tortured Cyclone 2016

Improvisational Harmonies - Sneak Preview #2 - "Danzig Tryptych"

I:

Mothers,

keep your daughters from me,

for I will lie to them,

I will seduce them

with promises of pleasure

and romance,

and when I'm done with them,

when their innocence is gone,

and I'm bored with them,

I'll leave them behind

without a second thought.

II:

Mothers,

guide your sons away,

lest my words they heed,

and my lessons they obey,

to abandon conscience and love

for cruelty and lust,

and should they follow me,

they will be driven forth to ravage,

or to bleed out, savaged

by my cruel fangs.

III:

Mothers,

most of all, stay away from me,

for I will teach you the lessons

of madness and passionate extremity,

driving you to forget everything

as I make you feel alive again,

only to leave you for another

plaything, returning

when I grow tired of her,

to twist you even further.

Inspired by “Mother” by Danzig

(c) Tortured Cyclone 2015, 2016

Losing My Religion - Sneak Preview #4 - "Forbidden Things"

Your touch,

forbidden me

by so many things,

still, a man

can dream,

can't he?

(c) Tortured Cyclone 2014, 2016

Sneak Preview - Foreword of "Improvisational Harmonies"

Recently, in the writing community that I have been a part of the last three years, online, there has been a lot of controversy related to plagiarism. There have been claims of not only pure theft of words, but also the theft of less-quantifiable concepts.

Poetic theme. Phraseology. Rhythm. Core poetic image.

Mind you, the online world is rife with writing based off of, or inspired by, another's ideas. The poetic community I am a part of uses writing prompts to inspire many writers to stretch themselves. Oftentimes, those prompts are used verbatim by the participants of the prompt. Poets get involved in wordplay of varying levels of intimacy, which usually builds upon the writing of someone else in a Poem-trail.

This cross-pollination of ideas, the common font of inspiration, leads to a lot of writing that is very similar. Much of that writing could be interpreted as plagiarism, if the broadest definition of the term is applied.

And that says nothing of outside influences...

As a writer, I prefer to write with music playing, as it stirs my creativity, and has also served as a wellspring of inspiration to me. Many of my poems have a piece of music as a jumping-off point.

So, I decided to bring together several of my poems into this collection. Inspired by music. In homage to that music.

Not plagiarism. Improvisational harmonies.

You Stayed, You Gave, You Loved

For my wife...

When I said,
"Let's leave the world
you and I know,"
you didn't complain,
though I couldn't explain
the journey we were starting.
Instead of listening
to your doubts and fears,
you gave me your trust.

When I insisted
that love was more complex
than the single-minded focus
on one other being,
though you didn't understand,
it wasn't how you planned.
By my side you still stayed.

When every cell
cried out to you to say farewell,
you chose the harder path.
You picked the eye
of a savage hurricane
of paradoxical passion,
and believed in our love.

Now, looking back,
I see the heights we've climbed,
and realize without you
I'd have fallen far behind.
Because you stayed,
you gave,
you loved,
I soar to the heights.

Losing My Religion - Sneak Preview #3 - "Knots"

In the hands

of my sanctuary,

each knot tied

becomes a chain broken,

each one a worry

given up,

a weight I don't

have to carry

because I am Your captive,

bound by love,

held in place

to please Your eyes,

to sate Your flesh,

to use

or not

as You see fit,

to await

Your will.

To be free

from everything else.

For now,

only You matter.

(c) Tortured Cyclone 2014, 2016

Losing My Religion Sneak Preview #2 - "Devotional"

This piece was inspired by the Depeche Mode song, "Surrender"

Devotional

An infidel, kneeling in prayer,

to the only deity he's sure is there,

doomed to be a burnt offering

to passion's goddess,

a sacrifice in your holy bed,

prepared to be broken,

my world reshaped in your hallowed name,

wholly surrendered to your flame.

Burn me,

consume me,

with tenderness

subsume me,

grant release through ecstasy's grace,

and stamp your visage in God's place,

through the faithless door then send me,

to a cruel world bent to end me,

my fate writ like a lottery token.

My heart,

my soul,

they are your tokens

of my devotion.