Born to Be Bad

Born to Be Bad

Looking back, within and around the curve

Photo by Harley-Davidson on Unsplash

One’s definition of bad might reflect the teenage years needing more power or excitement screaming crotch-rockets, bullied and taunted by others — tempted by mischievousness and adolescence, not giving a shit. Learning to walk — baby-steps, to running from the cops, like monkeys — climbing every telephone pole we possibly could.

Drag racing-redlining
burying the needle — full throttles
to jumping in the cockpit
of an abandoned dump truck
joy ride down the excavated road.

 

Sneaking out in the darkest of nights
meeting up at appointed spots
to breaking in the local church
merely to play a few games of hoops.

 

Time to grow up, they say
settle down
tie the knot and have a couple of littles.

 

Work hard-play later
never comes and bones raw-blood dripping back to earth.

 

It is time — this world is gone — turning the page.

Inward journey — self-reflecting time of necessary extinguishing flames of the burnt up candle of both ends, unable to keep the pace. Three-year-old little pleading for daddy to return home — to a place of eternal happiness and peace, something had to give.

Self-evaluation — taking stock
market crashing all-around
the globe tearing itself apart
whilst inner heart song calling
to self — foreign tongue
not yet translated frequencies of such.

 

Sitting with the pain of old
days numbered — painting
in and out of the boundary waters
cleansing steps kissing the ground.

 

Calling the bluff of a Master Artist
not seen by mortals — morsels
of truth, accepted the challenge.

 

Pain too great — weighted down
sloth-like movement
feverishly dwelling of lack has gone.

 

Deeper understanding — one cannot change the next
but their own.

 

It is time — this world is gone — turning the page.

Lacing up with atrocious blackened leather— ten eyelets screaming fuck off — yet born of yin and yang, energetic beings are we.Contemplating the meaning of true self — bad whilst remaining true to heart songs vibratory message cleansing the ground we walk upon.

The five, four, three, two, one of it — still to be determined, next chapter — stanzas written in the starry skies, translating, transmuting, simultaneously interacting with all there is. Henceforth walking in the winds of time itself, breathing life into the cosmos, co-mingling interactions in and out of realities — forever bad to the bone.

~Ani Po


How does one define bad, contemplating the places I have been before? J.D. Harms asks us to write about being bad, but I have already done the extreme. Looking back, self-reflecting, seeing what lay ahead — a new definition of bad presents itself. Bad to the bone — remaining kind in an unkind world, filtering out words and morsels that no longer feed my soul.

Thank you Jesse and the whole Scrittura family for this Saturday morning prompt.


Here is another reply, worthy of your attention, thank you Dana Sanford for this gem.


Much gratitude for those who take time to read, ponder, and allow the inner workings of self to come forward. Grateful for the feedback, love shared, and more importantly, the Dance with Inspiration. Deep Peace.

Joseph Lieungh

Photo by Javardh on Unsplash

Turning Back the Clock to a Time of Suffering


Know Thyself Heal Thyself

Turning Back the Clock to a Time of Suffering

Planting seeds of change in the hearts of many

Photo by Sabine Ojeil on Unsplash

Reading another, listening to messages from the collective triggered deeper thought of self-reflection and the steps leading to this point in time. Heavy as the sounds, tremors and ground-breaking snaps as our steps veer off onto trails with fewer visitors than typical touristy traps.

Turning back the clocks, the hourglass of time, to a moment where a five-year-old drops wisdom of the ages, center stage and into our laps — dead in our tracks, self-evaluation of who and what we are to do in this lifetime. A glimpse of self-gratitude, inner joy, as if one has just found a pot of gold.

Sharing the wealth with a father figure of old school thought, not met on similar battlefields of thought-provoking peace — planting our seeds. What does one say to the one who says, “I feel sorry for you, taking guidance from a child?”

Deep pause — more self-reflecting tones singing through, “I feel it takes courage to address the innocence of this child, redirecting our steps into brighter days — in hopes of painting a better picture for future generations.” Not met with assurance, quite the opposing force at hand, “what are you trying to say? I am not going to change who I am. Not now, not ever.”

Sighing with great sadness, heavy this heart song squelching tone of another, knowing I have struck the magical cord — within self and healing of past, present and future. “What is the difference between a thirty-five-year-old who listens to his five-year-old, taking guidance on how to better his world and the thirty-five-year-old battling in a conversation with a seventy-year-old of what feels right?”

“The difference, one is willing to admit fault, vulnerable and scared of what others may think — whilst staying the course as to what feels right versus what is told to be so. What better a man who listens to his child, altering steps for brighter days?”

Deepest gratitude for the lessons of undoing, past or present participle showing a devote conviction of bettering self and all our encounters. Even greater is the gratitude for the strength of the innocent stepping forward to challenge the old ways, giving opportunity for inner knowing of what comes next.

~Ani Po


Inspired by John O’Neill for his thought-provoking piece:


Laying heavy on my mind this morning about my journey. Heavy in the sense of finding peace within my actions and steps for brighter days ahead. Art Bram discusses our superpower tools and how we engage with those around us, whether friends, acquaintances, or in my case, family. Tap into those superpowers!


Much gratitude for those who take time to read, ponder, and allow the inner workings of self to come forward. Grateful for the feedback, love shared, and more importantly, the Dance with Inspiration. Deep Peace.

Joseph Lieungh

Photo by Javardh on Unsplash