Reflections

Reflections
by Manuel A. Luna-Murray

The courage to be or not to be
lies at the intersection between
the mirror and its reflection

Standing in the doorway of our own burning gaze
a shaft of light weaves together the thick layers of our skin
into a prism of feeling thoughts
colored by the memory of our experiences

tainted with the Kryptonian blood of revolution
flowing with a resolution to brightly shine
a light of reason— a dim bulb of inspiration.

Reflections on the many struggles faced by my broken people…

Reflections on the open door leading into my future…

Reflections of the evening rainbow splashing across the firmament…

Refractions of the scattered wisdom being rejected all around me…

Distractions in the myopic vision
of a body that lacks a soul
replace the palpitated cogitation of a soul that has a body
rather than a body that has a soul.

And so we slammin’ and jammin’
with all we got
mindful of all the tragedy
surrounding our inner reality

cause you and me we’re different from the crowd
cause while we may not shout
we always speak on what we’re all about.

So everyone is gonna know
that we’re warriors in this life
and soldiers filled with torment, grief, and strife
but we are the overcomers of a brand new generation
where the expression of my face is the reflection
of my soul purpose: the existence of my love.

So I groan and bemoan my low station in life
while knowing that my plight
while not the best, is aight

cause when it comes right down to it
I’m the leader of a new soul society
of consciousness, and confidence in myself
and all the rest.

Knowing that while not yet here
the best is still yet to come
as my people gather new strength
to face the journey that lies ahead

I stand back against the corner
at the intersection of history
where black brothas and sistahs
Hispanics, Asians, and Indians
unite together in power to embrace
our long-silenced voice
to let the world around us beware of our collective force.

For there is no choice in being a victim
which is what they all make us out to be

For to be or not to be
is the question of my suggestion
to accept us as we are
with no colors or shades of black

cause there ain’t no such thing as color:
black, white, yellow, and brown

but only the shades of truth
found in dark and light complexions.

As words flow from this pen
to speak about the darkness
that lies inside all of us
and acknowledge that all the nonsense
is nothing more than mere perception
that I’m better than you
or you’re better than me
because of social status and education
bottled labels, race, and immigration
when all we really need is a heart of love-filled integration.
Reflecting on the instigation
of this carefully-worded piece of inspiration—
the final product of my life’s courage and perspiration

for this truth is solid
neither liquid, gas, nor plasma
as it is but a single statement
of the power of mind over matter

to overcome any task
wearing true beauty and not a mask.

A mask of forged perceptions
tightly woven into our fabric
of lies and self-deception

leading us to believe
that we are merely a set of neuroses
easily medicated with pills and drug prescriptions
denying our inner man, woman, child, and human

but I won’t stand for any of this
cause I’m here to let ya’ll know
that you’ll never figure me out.

For I’m an infinite creature
trapped within a finite world
by other infinite creatures
that have confined themselves
to the finiteness of this world

of petty arguments, jealousies, and dramas of self-despair
instead of striving to reach the pinnacle

of a higher consciousness that lies outside this Universe.

So what a sad day it is when after all is said and done
instead of celebrating our excellence
we exalt the Gospel of Mediocrity

{Radio Announcer:}

The Gospel of Mediocrity brought to you
by the so-called wheel of human progress
known as the fractured American Dream
and all the –isms that have long since failed the world.
I hope this radio broadcast has raised your
conscious-awareness by making you uncomfortable
and causing you for once in your life to think
about something other than yourself and the beliefs
that you have merely accepted as a shortcut to achieving
the so-called greatness and satisfaction that makes you feel
all warm and fuzzy inside.

Thank you for listening to the sound of your conscience.
Have a nice day.

End of Transmission

Fin