Superstition

There is no heaven,
There is no hell
And those fanatics
Know it well.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Rich and Poor

When only rich
And poor prevail
And middle classes fail,
Then, just around the bend
Democracy and liberty
Are at an end.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

I Love Thee

I love thee more
Than I can ever say,
My life, my world is precious
Since you came my way,
I love thee steadfast
Till my dying day,
And if there be
A heaven or a hell,
Together there, forever,
We will dwell...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Letter from Iraq

Sit, my love, 'neath the maple tree,
Where we first made love,
And think of me,
Thus, in my mind's eye,
In Iraq together we'd be
For I will dream of thee
Till I return some day - maybe?

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Credit Card Theft

Through computers on the Internet
Hackers steal credit card information,
Goods purchased with the cards
Are shipped to the Nigerian nation
Where a ring of thieves
Sells them worldwide
For full profit remuneration,
Enjoying a rich life
Of luxurious recreation.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Impeachment

They're dying
In Iraq each day
But the Big Cheese
Must have his way,
The country wants
The troops returned
But he wants them to stay.

Let us impeach this chap
Before this 'comedy' of errors
Turns into a tragic play.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

We Pretend...

We pretend that the illusions
of our dreams are the realities
of our lives and thus some of us
live in a cocoon of happy
self-delusion in a never-never land
to escape the stark scene
of an unbearable existence...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Freedom

Don't render unto Caesar
Freedoms - not in his domain,
A woman's right to choose,
Big Brother watching you,
From these he must abstain,
Let Caesar not impinge
Upon the rights of the free
Or to a bitter end
Will come democracy.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

A Little Loving

A little loving,
Joy and laughter
Before you enter
The hereafter,
Just have a happy time
And life can be sublime...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Life is a Mess

Frankly speaking,
I must confess,
From gooey sperms
And eggs
To blood and sex,
The start of life
Is quite a mess,
The whining children,
The nagging wife,
A crummy job
Make for a nasty life,
Till you come
Around the bend,
Close to the end,
Then, stroke and cancer
Eat your flesh away,
And then they bury you
One sunny day
To let the maggots
Have with you their way.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

The Chief

From his smirk at executions
To using wars as a solution,
With lives of others
He carelessly takes a chance,
For human life
He has no reverence.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Chance and Will

Though unfulfilled
Are our dreams,
Faltering into
Unsuccessful schemes,
We still dare hope
That chance and will
May help us cope.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

The Media

For the media
I have no reverence
Except for their honesty
In reflecting
Our decadence.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Europe's Future

In Europe
They killed all the Jews,
And many
Enjoyed the news,
Then opened the gate
To turn the continent
Into a Moslem State,
Won't take very long
Till Europeans suffer
Their Jewish brothers' fate
And, frankly speaking,
Their impending blight
Serves them just right.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Verdun 1916 - Iraq 2007

My grandfather fought
In the battle of Verdun
Where 550.000 died,
Killed by bombs
And the gun,
Since then, 1916
Is long forgotten,
Bodies turned to dust,
Bones all rotten,
Still, even now,
Young soldiers
Die in Iraq every day
In an other futile war,
A nightmare which
Never goes away.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Reality?

I've come to the conclusion
That the reality of this world
Is just a sense illusion,
The real world of nuclei,
Protons, electrons and strings
We never, ever see,
The microcosm of existence
Is an undiscovered mystery
Leaving us to live in wonder
And ignorant bliss
In a world which seems
But never really is...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Fanatics

'Kill the infidel!',
Crazed imams yell
And turn the world into
A suicide bombers' hell,
While they persist
To pray to phantom gods
Who don't exist.

Let us in turn all shout:
'Throw those phony,
Fanatic preachers out!'

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Ads

We sell the sizzle,
Not the steak,
That's how ads
Get their break.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

From Hitler's 'Mein Kampf'

People are usually rather dull,
There's not too much
Reasoning in their skull,
The frequent repetition of a lie
Will be accepted as truth,
They'll never ask why.

Seems the big chief
Read the book
And successfully
Found his nook.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Curiosity

Nothing matters,
No one cares,
Yet, everyone stares
At what one does,
Has, is or wears,
Without any worry
How one fares,
It's neither love
Nor animosity,
Not even interest,
Just curiosity.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Dark Mood

I crave the silence
Of the 'not to be',
I'm tired of this world,
My life and me,
I see a universe
Of decadence and misery,
Only the merciful
Oblivion of death
Can set me free...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Pleasure-Pain Principle

We love those
Who give us pleasure,
We hate the ones
Who give us pain,
For love turns to hate
When loved in vain,
If you're not sure,
It's better to abstain...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

To Sidney

We were the lucky ones
Who got away,
Escaped the Holocaust,
As refugees we landed
In the good old USA,
Always good friends
From youthful folly
Till life's adventure ends,
And if there be
A heaven or a hell,
As friends, together
There again we'd dwell...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Alone

With infinite sadness
I think of my loved ones,
Long ago - passed on,
Family gatherings
I've lovingly known,
Friends and family,
Now - all gone,
Except for sweet memories
I'm now all alone...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Drunk

Went to the gin mill today,
On the way home
I lost my way,
Came home late,
Wife asked:
'Where did you stay?'
Said I:
'Had to work late today.'
'You're drunk',
She cried out loud
And with all my possessions
She threw me out.
Went back to the gin mill
To drink some more
And now I sleep in front
Of my former home's door.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Talk with the Devil

My guru asked me:
"What have you done,
Where have you been?"
I answered:
"I've been to hell,
The devil I've seen,
He smiled at me
With forked tongue
And wagged his tail,
Fiery and long,
And said to me:
'In hell you belong,
You led your country
Down the drain,
Had young boys killed
In Iraq - in vain,
As president you were
Never selected
But had yourself
Fraudulently elected,
You may just as well
Spend your time in hell.'
I plead my ignorance
In my defense
And asked for
One more chance,
But the devil said: 'Never,
When you leave this world,
You'll be in hell forever!' "

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

May and Jay

Got me a tiger by the tail,
A hot potato,
A real macho male,
A lover boy
Who cannot fail,
To love's seventh heaven
We were bound to sail,
But when time came
For serious play,
My dreams collapsed,
My man Jay was gay,
Yet, not lost was the day,
The girls and I
Love shopping with Jay.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Smithy of my Soul

Within the smithy of my soul
Lies the collective
Consciousness of my race
With all its charms, tragedies,
Vindictiveness and grace,
Making all intelligent
And emotional selections
According to inherent
Selective perceptions,
Though it seems
Baffling and perverse
That such a tiny brain
Can span the universe,
And yet, despite all our
Assets, we persist
To pray to gods
Which don't exist,
Perchance, it may make sense
- to speculate:
Are we this universe's
Only god-like intelligence?

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

America

America,
A melting pot of nations,
Colors and religions
Molded into a coherent unity,
A powerful united nation
Of the people, by the people,
For the people,
Where science, art, music
And literature flourish,
Respected and envied
By the entire world,
A great and strong society
Which defeated all
Ill-intensioned isms and nations
Who ever defied our democracy
And will soon squash those
Suicidal camel herders
In the Middle East.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Old Maid's Tale

I waited for my prince
To come along,
To wine me and dine me
With flowers and song,
I waited and waited
But my prince
Never came along.

I'm now an old maid
But I still hope and wait
For my prince to come along,
Even without flowers or song.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Union Labor - Outsourced

Once upon a time,
I worked in a factory,
Supported my wife,
Children and me
In a decent lifestyle,
In a good home,
Proper and worthwhile,
Till my work was outsourced
To China and Mexico,
Paid me two weeks
And let me go.

I now work for minimum wage
And live in a slummy trailer cage,
No future, no health care, no money,
We've reached the poverty stage,
But the big shots have it made
With their profits from 'free trade'.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Misfit

At executions,
He never grants a pardon,
Just stands by and smirks,
Pardons his cronies though
And gives them all the perks,
The US public he considers
Just a bunch of jerks,
This misfit surely has his quirks,
A chap who's really for the birds.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Hot Babe

Her passion fruit kisses
Raise my desire,
Her touch electrifies me
Like a live wire,
Her libido burns
Like a roaring fire,
And though she is
Only a lady for hire,
In her sweet arms
I'd gladly expire...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

My Grandfather

Always a very wise man,
Joyful with laughter,
Escaped many a disaster,
Taught me lots of
Marvelous things
About the sky, the earth,
In stories he is a master,
Told me, just by listening,
I'll learn faster...

AJ Ladinsky
Copyright 2007 AJ Ladinsky

Lost God

My god died in Auschwitz
Long, long ago,
He burned in the ovens'
Fiery glow,
He went up in smoke
High up in the sky
With all my dear ones
Who had to die,
Six million - now gone,
But no one knows why,
And often I look at clouds,
Way - way up high,
And see god's chosen people
As dust drifting by,
They send me a message
That god is a lie,
There is nothing below
And nothing above,
And heaven is found
Not in hate - but in love...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Decadence

A decadent society
Has no middle class life,
Only the very rich
And the poor survive.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Dysfunctional

Advances in science
And technology
In a dysfunctional society
Result in nuclear weapons,
Conflicts, wars and misery.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Theocracy

Fundamentalist theocrats
Shape dictatorial monopolies
And often destroy freedom,
Putting an end to democracies.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

MAD

Atom bomb production
Will sooner or later result in
Mutually assured destruction.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Eulogy for Beverly

A soul set to music
Has moved on,
The world is diminished
Because she's gone
But her heritage
Will never be undone
For her sweet song
Will linger on and on...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Presidential Pardon

If we don't pardon this guy,
He's liable to talk
And we'll go to prison,
So, let him walk.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Beverly Sills

A bubbling personality
With great vitality,
A magnificent voice,
A connoisseur's choice,
She played a great part
Supporting music and art,
Though she is gone,
Fine memories of her
Will forever go on...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Specialization

In the world's nations
They segment occupations
Into specializations
Where ignoramuses
Know more and more
About less and less
Where no one
Understands the whole
And thus creates a mess,
For work too much divided
Is in the end poorly decided
Since all in life is interconnected
And must in an overall
Fashion be detected.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Hitler in Vienna - March 1938

"Want to see Hitler?"
Asked Hans M., my Hitler Youth friend.
"Sure, why not, but don't tell my mom.
She'll kill me if she finds out."
"I'll bring you a Hitler Youth uniform
And see you in the morning", said Hans.

I'm in line with the Hitler Youth contingent.
Thousands are fanatically cheering.
A million frenzied Austrians
Welcome their beloved Fuhrer.
Flags are waving and Stuka dive bombers are
Flying overhead. Bands are playing marches.
Tanks and army units are lining the streets.
Waffen SS, their black steel helmets gleaming
In the sun, are saluting the Fuhrer, and Hitler
Speaks: "Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Fuhrer!"
The crowds go absolutely wild with enthusiasm.

I'm overcome with euphoria, an unbelievable high.
I'm on a mountain top. I'm flying through the skies.
But suddenly I realize - what am I doing here
With those idiots - I am a Jew!

Generations later, the Americans cheer Bush
And his theocratic stance and constant wars.
I see him leading America into the abyss
And I think those foolish mortals never learn...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Bloomberg for President!

We need to throw out
Those fat cats,
Republicans and Democrats,
Let's get some independent chaps
And change the White House resident,
Elect Bloomberg for President,
We'll see some action
And less talk,
It's time those grafters
Took a walk.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Tragedy

All lives are tragedies
For they invariably end
In death with miseries...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Keeping up...

Keeping up with Jones, next door,
Can be a most tedious chore,
But one can't have interferences
With keeping up appearances,
Even if one does go broke,
One must keep up
With next door's bloke,
Raise the debit,
Live on credit,
Till you're bankrupt
And have had it...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz

Wonder...

Often do I wonder
What lies in regions yonder
And in rhyme and verse
I dream about the universe,
A place so strange,
It seems perverse,
What secrets does it hold,
Will they ever unfold,
Empty spaces, icy, cold,
Its burning galaxies
Keeping balances,
Stars exploding,
Planets eroding
And the blue planet, earth,
What are its function,
What are their worth,
With its human minds and souls,
And the question arises,
How important are our roles,
Are we really more or less
The universe's consciousness,
Perchance, we are the gods
We always wonder about
Or only maggots
Cleaning a dying planet out...

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2007 Alfred Charasz