By: Jason Zapata
What Hell I have dragged her through.
This devoted conscience bound in flesh.
Rescuing me from fires of fault and flaw,
The flames of my failures sear her.
Irrationally she remains by my side still.
Faithful in her belief I will someday honor
All the promises I have yet to fulfill.
I caress her lovely face.
She is my guardian angel,
My would-be saving grace.
By: Jason Zapata
As a man in Sana’a I heard their voices
The inhuman dialect flooded my mind
With images of a vast nameless city
Lying in the wastes of Roba El Khaliyeh
Minna Sundberg is a Finnish Artist. She’s been creating art every day since she was a teenager. Minna didn’t start out with the goal of being a professional artist. With some goading from her teachers, Ms. Sundberg pursued an education in art. She attended the Aalto University School of Art and Design in Helsinki. (more…)
The Girl Who Played With Fire is Stieg Larsson’s sequel to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. The story is an enthralling murder/mystery starring the series dynamic protagonist – Lisbeth Salander. In this installment Lisbeth is faced with a deadly enemy from her past named Zala and blamed for the murder of two Journalists. The murder victims were working with Mikael Blomkvist to expose perpetrators of Sweden’s sex trade. Blomkvist owes his life to Salander. He adamantly believes in her innocence – even as the country is inundated with headlines proclaiming her a psychotic killer. (more…)
Gregory Maguire’s Wicked is a victory in revisionist fictional writing. The novel is based on the origins of the Wicked Witch of the West. The author takes his time in establishing his interpretation of OZ. In wonderful detail we are told of the different races such as the Munchkin Landers, Quadlings, and Arjiki. Maguire even goes so far as to create a volatile political climate. The Wizard of Oz is portrayed as a cruel dictator determined to strip away the rights of Animals (not to be confused with animals). These are talking beasts who strive to be first class citizens. But the real fulcrum on which this story rests is the complicated character of Elphaba – who eventually becomes the infamous Wicked Witch of the West.
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I feel horrible but mildly triumphant. I’ve finally found a digital bookshelf which will work for blogger. Its called aNobii. I orignally intended to use Shelfari – but it just wasn’t compatible with anything I was trying to do. (more…)
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett is without a doubt one of the most impressive novels I’ve read in a long time. With the background of Medieval Europe, this period specific piece centers on the building of a cathedral in the sleepy village of Kingsbridge. The author does a marvelous job depicting medieval Europe. Readers see the squalor of the peasantry, the barbarity of armored men, and the machinations of the ruling class. The buildings come to life as well. Mr. Follett’s descriptions of the period specific architecture and buildings are very accurate. But what makes this epic so powerful is the cast of memorable characters whose often volatile interactions center on the cathedral’s construction.
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You think I’d be used to it by now. The initial impact of 2,000 pounds worth of steel and polymers colliding violently into the bumper of the car I was driving. It’s still scary. The force of the impact launched me forward as the seatbelt simultaneously restricted further to hold me in place. My head whipped roughly forward and the gray matter of my brain sloshed against sides of my skull while the car settled into place. Everything was foggy as my brain recovered form the lag caused by the collision. And then there was the dawning horror of realization. I’ve been in the third car accident of my life. Elapsed time? Four seconds.
By: Jason Zapata
The past unremittingly seeks dominion over me.
A struggle for sovereignty taking place behind,
The haunted windows that are my troubled eyes.
Bygone battles and conflict play out in my mind,
Locking swords against what I believe in now.
But which blade will shatter under the strain?
There is no answer to this question.
Nothing can be explained.
By Jason Zapata
Another would-be suitor is quick to depart
Due to false stewardship of your heart
I hate seeing this kingdom in neglect
When it deserves only honor and respect
Don’t be accustomed to frauds and liars
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