Paul Edgar Neilson Institute of Science.

Putting himself out there always felt false.

Like a needy child begging for attention.

So he didn’t.

In fact, he never did.

But all his paperwork he filed neatly and took comfort.

Then at an old, dignified, age he died.

POOF!

Like a flash in a pan.

And having no children or siblings,

and parent’s long since deceased,

his work was collected, studied, and praised.

Subsequently, a non-profit was established in his honor.

It was known as the

Paul Edgar Neilson Institute of Science.

Two weeks later Donald Trump was elected president.

Rallies were held in resistance.

The subway fare increased by a quarter.

And somewhere in Ohio, a child was born.

Oddly enough, when developed research

from the Institute was reported, twice,

sometimes three times a day, news networks

always chose the Institute’s name in full,

rather than the acronym.

While reporting rape allegations against Bill Cosby,

suicides over deportation and middle school bullying,

LGBTQ night club shootings and terrorist beheadings,

reporters, like grade school kids

just couldn’t bring themselves to say it with a straight face.

Plus, having to rectify the situation, each time

assuring there was no pun intended got tiresome.

Then much later, unannounced to the public, they knocked down the Institute.

POOF!

The reason being American’s no longer needed Science.

And in it’s place, built a grand hotel decorated in gold –

another Trump Tower.

That Kurt Cobain.

He had his finger on the pulse of a generation.

And another on the trigger of a shotgun.

Depending on who you believe,

a conspiracy theory won’t bring back the dead.

A corpse doesn’t lie, it sings.

It sings all the beautiful things it couldn’t see alive.

Through sentiment.

Remembrance.

And praise.

Shedding it’s form.

It becomes an idol.

He was a slick cat, that Kurt Cobain.

If he hadn’t wanted fame, Aberdeen would have gladly laid his grave.

And if not for boredom, then how could one know joy?

He was a slick cat, that Kurt Cobain.

A sly dog, indeed.

 

A Life Altering Depression that led to a Conscious Awareness of Choice.

If you lay in bed long enough,
eventually,
you understand that there’s no reason to leave.

When you don’t have the answers,
for the way you’re feeling,
you understand that it’s better to give them what they want to hear.

After you’ve made a decision,
hastily,
that feels like anything but,
all that’s left is to wait for the consequence.

If you hide yourself away long enough,
eventually,
you understand that the calls will stop coming.

And even if you had the answers,
for the way you’re feeling,
you understand they wouldn’t even make a difference to the big picture.

After you’ve checked the mail,
twice a day,
for what feels like months,
all that’s left is to accept the denial letter, denying you back, from where you fled.

They don’t want you anymore.
They won’t trust you anymore.

Do they love you?
Or.
Are they just putting up with more of your bullshit?

They want you to succeed.
Remember when they said, “remember us when you’re famous!”

Did they ever realize the pressure?
Or.
Weren’t they just trying to inspire you to believe your own self-worth?

If you lay in bed long enough,
eventually,
you understand that it’s difficult to be anywhere but.

When you still don’t have the answers,
for giving up on the plan,
you understand that maybe it’s better to give them truth instead of lies.

After your insecurity turns to shame,
and fear is watered down,
a fire begins to burn,
and all that’s left to do is coax it.

If you hide yourself away long enough,
eventually,
you understand that it’s your turn to make the calls.

And while contemplating the answers,
for the way that you’re feeling,
you understand that the big picture doesn’t give a damn either way.

After your shame turns to curiosity,
and fear fizzles out,
a flame can turn to wildfire,
and all that’s left to do is decide.

Will you get out of bed?
Or will you fake this grave till you make it?

Nobody cares, really.
Nobody, except the one’s you love.

Despair comes for us all,
but,
it doesn’t have to – always – be the present constant,
in fact,
no matter how hard you try to make it seem…

This is life.

There is choice.

This is not a heads or tails game.