I'm like a pencil;
sometimes sharp,
most days
well-rounded,
other times
dull or
occasionally
broken.
Still I write.
j.g. lewis
is a writer/photographer in Toronto.
Month: June 2023
Transitional phase, retrograde emotions
takeover, if even you admit the passage of time.
At the cusp of solstice, as nightfall sets
you recognize dreams, goals and observations
far away as that shooting star.
There should be more, you see, though
there rarely is. Uncanny as it seems.
Make do with what you have.
Indecisive introspection, lift the veil, a resurrection
commonplace among uncommon minds seeking,
believing, inadvertent acknowledgement of
personal place and power. Casually stated,
surely underrated, this seasonal shift
gives way to a sky full of wonder. Eyes open.
It will not be dark for long.
Bottom of the night, seldom do we realize
what has occurred in those mysterious fragmented
moments leading to the break of dawn.
An impervious passive state, all
five senses diminish enough to permit expansive
thoughts of nothingness. Introspective perception
offers expediency to immediate needs.
If little else but hope, gladly seize the moment.
Daylight heals those inclined to darkness, for a time.
Self-care required, self-love permitted,
it may take awhile to find your axis. Look
across the universe when given this fleeting chance.
Personal place or power, claim all
you can breathe in. It settles where it belongs.
Honour the internal light; solstice provides a glance.
© 2023 j.g. lewis
Posted on June 20, 2023 by j.g.lewisLeave a comment
The street bin around the corner from my condo has become symbolic of the city I am living in: one hot stinking mess.
Stuffed to overcapacity with recyclables and refuse, with tiny bags of dog shit and garbage spilling onto the street, this particular bin is like many I pass by throughout Toronto’s downtown. Some are even in worse shape — damaged and beyond repair — broken; like this city.
We are now in the midst of a by-election for city mayor. Democracy will serve up a new leader in less than one week.
During his tenure, our previous mayor managed to sweep so much under the carpet, hide away secrets and sins, until an apparent $454-million budget shortfall came to light as he was leaving office.
Our new mayor must immediately deal with the budgetary crunch and do what the previous mayor and existing council were obviously not doing.
Garbage collection and traffic gridlock (too far gone now to even call it congestion) are as superficial as a beleaguered public transit system and the homeless and helpless camped out in city parks.
Too much has been ignored for too long in Canada’s largest city.
The new mayor will have the difficult task of increasing the revenue base, eliminating useless (or senseless) spending, and addressing potential cuts to public services.
None of these requirements can be taken lightly.
The street bin in my neighbourhood is an example. You can see how people made an earnest attempt to divide their waste into designated categories until it became impossible to do so.
This should serve as a reminder to the new mayor (and existing city council) that residents will use city services for the intended purposes, but those services must be maintained.
There must be a will to do so or this city will continue to look as bad as it is.
06/20/2023 j.g.l.
Posted on June 19, 2023 by j.g.lewisLeave a comment
Neither the number of steps you take or the length of each stride will truly capture the distance you are prepared to go.
Intentions cannot be measured in the same manner as progress. Variables will differ.
Progress is marked by miles or minutes (perhaps down to the minutia). An intention itself is more of a variable than a path, yet its guidance (or lack thereof) will have a dramatic effect on actions or accomplishments.
If you have an intention without a destination, it is a path only you can determine.
It begins with the steps you do or do not take.
06/19/2023 j.g.l.
