reason from reality (a poem)

Sometimes I find myself 
Stuck in place 
Unsure if I should continue 
Writing these words 
What difference do they make 
In a world gone mad 
How can my nonsense exist 
Alongside an overwhelming reality 
Full of psychopaths 
Repeating history 
Vilifying the press and detractors 
Getting rid of so-called undesirables 
Taking over other countries 
While I sit helpless 
Escaping into a world of my creation 
A lurid wonderland 
Where I’d rather live 
And maybe that’s the reason 
To keep going 
To keep writing 
Because someone out there 
May need a break from reality  
Need to escape with me 
Into my weird written world 
For a little while at least 
~~~~~~~~~~~~
2026, John L. Harmon 

Freak Out, 
JLH 

P.S.  related poems… 

Fear of Past Tomorrows 

On the eve…

Part III 

Part III (a poem)

What will I feel 
If the unthinkable 
Becomes reality 
Crimson death balloons 
Detonating before our eyes 
Will there be pain 
As my atoms go nuclear 
Turning inside out 
Incinerate into nothing 
Will my final thought 
Be one of release 
I didn’t vote for him 
Not the first tine 
Nor the second 
Definitely not the third 
The blood of others 
On other hands 
I did what I could 
To prevent the 
Narcissistic 
Delusional  
Bigoted 
Self-righteous 
Hypocrite 
From gaining power again.
Maybe my last thought 
My last feeling 
As my disintegrating body 
Becomes a shadow  
Silently screaming 
On the wall 
Should be of 
Blind rage 
Rage against those 
Who wanted this 
Wanted him in office 
Knowing he was unstable 
Shoving his first chosen 
Right-hand man 
Under a bus 
For not illegally 
Calling him winner 
Now no one wins 
Maybe not even 
The only kind 
Of people
Other than himself 
He cares about 
Rich  
White 
Straight 
Christian  
Men  
But with your vote 
You wanted that too 
To cleanse the country 
Of anyone 
Identifying as a 
Race  
Sexuality 
Religion 
Gender 
Different than you 
You knew how he 
Hated
Other 
Humans  
Who didn’t fit into 
His homogenized mold 
When you voted 
This time around 
So don’t play dumb 
In our final hour 
Will you rejoice  
With your last 
Holier than thou 
Atomic breath 
Give thanks to 
Your elected 
Lord and Savior 
For making 
The upcoming  
Post-apocalyptic  
Wasteland 
Great again 
____________
2025, John L. Harmon 

This poem is an expression of my fear and anger over current events.  

Freak Out, 
JLH 

Fear of Past Tomorrows (a poem)

Shadows of yesteryear 
reverberate through time  
pounding on the door 
official act demands 
lay your undesirables 
on the unclean floor 
round them up 
rejected  
for the alleged safety 
and greatness of all 
once friends 
and neighbors 
loved ones you chose  
to sanctimoniously vilify 
turn against 
dragged away 
disappeared  
from your 
hateful 
homogenized 
nevermore 

~~~~~~~~~~~~
2024, John L. Harmon 

Freak Out, 
JLH 
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Other poems from this author…

channel freakboy: THUNDARR THE BARBARIAN (1980-1981)

"Lords of Light!" - Thundarr

I was often terrified by the idea of the end of the world as a child.  I would hear the volunteer fire department siren and was certain that nuclear war had begun, or at the very least a tornado was coming, which also terrified me.  On top of those destructive forces, I was also seriously worried that an asteroid or comet would crash into the Earth.  So, it's no wonder that the ominous opening credits of THUNDARR THE BARBARIAN fascinated and horrified me on Saturday mornings.  

The year, 1994. From out of space comes a runaway planet, hurtling between the Earth and the moon, unleashing cosmic destruction. Man's civilization is cast in ruin. Two thousand years later, Earth is reborn. A strange new world rises from the old. A world of savagery, super-science, and sorcery. But one man bursts his bonds to fight for justice. With his companions, Ookla the Mok and Princess Ariel, he pits his strength, his courage, and his fabulous Sunsword against the forces of evil.  He is Thundarr, the Barbarian! 

I'm sure I spilled my Quisp cereal and wet my Aquaman Underoos the first time I experienced the animated end of the world.  Seeing the runaway planet cracking the moon like an egg and apparently disrupting the Earth's atmosphere was my nightmare come true!  Then add the huge tidal wave, erupting volcanoes and jagged rocks suddenly jutting up through the ground and I was properly traumatized...but hooked.  I enjoyed watching Thundarr, Ariel and Ookla as they traveled on horseback through the remnants of our decimated civilization, freeing humanity from the clutches of evil.  

Thundarr waving his Sunsword around.

Now, with older and allegedly wiser eyes, I still enjoyed the trio's adventures.  Sure, Thundarr is not going to win any 21st  Century sensitivity awards, but he is a barbarian.  Yes, Ariel should use her sorcery powers more often to save people, but she's the most intelligent of the trio.  Of course, Ookla is like a Wookie on steroids, but he may be the fuzzy heart of the series. As for the plot, it's a mixture of CONAN THE BARBARIAN (obviously), STAR WARS (his fabulous Sunsword), and PLANET OF THE APES (the 1974 live-action TV series because they travel around helping others).  

Ariel, Thundarr and Ookla almost literally streak into action! 

I was disappointed there wasn't an actual first episode showing how Thundarr, Ariel and Ookla met.  However, there was plenty to entertain and intrigue along the way.  For example, the runaway planet appears to have caused a massive continental shift.  There is now an ocean near where South Dakota was located and our heroes travel to what was once England from what was once the US on horseback.  Maybe an animated remake needs to happen to fully explore the altered landscape and flesh out the characters a bit more.

The trio ponder what exactly is a Mok.

In conclusion, THUNDARR THE BARBARIAN may not be perfect, but I'm happy for this trip down Saturday morning lane.  Oh, and I still felt tense during the opening credits, but I did not spill my 21st Century bowl of Quisp cereal or wet my orange underwear. 

Thank you for reading or listening to my half-blind words.

Freak Out, 

JLH 

P.S. Solve this Saturday morning mystery...

http://freakboyzone.blogspot.com/2021/02/channel-freakboy-captain-caveman-and.html 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

New Month! 

New Eye! 

New Interview!

https://thejlhcollective.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-collective-eye-march-2021.html 

Backwards Blogging Tricks (September 2020 in Hindsight)

Well, I thought I was going to end this blog again.  Not directly because of my vision loss this time but because the crappy new Google Blogger interface finally took permanent hold. This update caused me intense frustration.

I literally can no longer blog on my iPad 2.  In fact, I can't even check stats or my reading list anymore.  When I go to Blogger, I am directed to a page shaming me for having such antiquated technology.  It tells me i need to download a new browser, which is hilarious because when I tried, none of the big browsers were compatible with my iPad 2.  The sketchy, unfamiliar names were downloadable but wouldn't let me blog either. 

What's a freakboy to do?

Well, wallow in self-pity for a bit and then use my wits.  I strapped on the mask, kept the hand sanitizer handy (which I hate using) and sat down at one of the library computers.  The good news is I could blog.  The bad news was that the preview of my post looked like crap.  I typed the post on my tablet and emailed everything to myself.  Then I copied and pasted my words onto my blog and there were suddenly no lines between paragraphs and no spaces between sentences. 

I wanted to give up because there was no way I would go back through and add lines and spaces  without losing what's left of my mind.  Yet, I didn't give up.  I fought my way back to this blog in 2017 and I couldn't just let it go.  After much crying and cursing, I finally located the compose button that set my post up just like I originally typed it.  So, I blogged about a book about the film VALLEY OF THE DOLLS, which seemed appropriate since I nearly ended up on my knees in an alleyway shouting into the air,  "Freakboy!  Freakboy!"

https://freakboyzone.blogspot.com/2020/09/booking-freakboy-dolls-dolls-dolls-by.html  

Still, I hate being tethered to the library computers again, especially after the last several months.  I fully blogged via my tablet from mid-March until earlier in September.  It feels like I've taken a huge step backwards.  Then I worry about an increase of COVID-19 cases causeing a second lockdown, thus closing the library again.  Yes, I'm being selfish, but blogging really helped me from falling into complete despair this year.  However, I know I'll deal with that eventuality when it comes and sparkle, freakboy sparkle.  I could try blogging on my phone but that thought scares me more than a second wave. 

That's been my September.  I didn't create a video for The FreakOptic Files, but that's ok.  Quality over quantity, right?*

Be well.  

Stay safe.

Catch you in October, thankfully.

Thank you for reading or listening to my half-blind words.  

Freak Out, 

JLH 

P.S. *I'll let you decide...

http://freakoptics.blogspot.com/ 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There will be a Collective Eye in October, thanks to the library computers.  It may be late in opening, or maybe not.  We shall see.  Until then, here is one more glance at September.....

https://thejlhcollective.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-collective-eye-september-2020.html 

Sweltering Blurry Summer (August 2020 in Hindsight)

It's been a hot month.

Creatively, I can't complain.  I've spent the month writing something, anything, each day.  Some words may become part of this blog but most will be relegated to the digital paper archive.  This is my soul.

I've blogged a few times this month, but I expect each post will be my last.  So far Ive been able to use the old "Legacy" Blogger interface but irreversible change is looming.  I stopped practicing on the new interface when I inadvertently reverted a number of posts to drafts.  I managed to fix this potentially devastating mishap, but that was it.  I will wait and see if I can still blog when the new interface permanently takes its crappy, confusing hold.  This is my worry.

I also managed to release a video for The FreakOptic Files after a dry spell in July.  It's another installment in my riveting, never-ending Laundry Day series.  Creatively, I love my LD series.  Statistically, they are some of my least viewed videos.  Clearly, I don't give a crap what the mainstream public wants. This is my truth. 

Personally, I'm trying to remain calm as my country heads toward oblivion, no matter who wins the November U.S. Election.  The losing side, whichever side it is, will cry foul and unprecedented chaos will erupt.  This is my fear.

Throw in the continuing pandemic for added good-time fun.  The number of COVID-19 cases have been minimal in my county in Nebraska and are technically still low in comparison.  However those numbers have grown more rapidly in August.  From March to July there were only 43 cases.  This month has, as of this writing, added 30 more.  This is my paranoia. 

Thankfully, my cats convinced me to start a band (John and the Pussycats) to escape my worry, fear and paranoia for awhile.  This is my heart. 

Thank you for reading or listening to my half-blind words. 

See you in September. 

Hopefully.

Freak Out, 

JLH 

P.S. Another reader ordered a copy of DARK EXCURSIONS.  Maybe my 2020 will go down as the year of Dinkel. ❤️

http://thejlhcollective.blogspot.com/2018/03/dark-excursions.html