The Soul of A Man

The soul of a man,

the deep abyss that swallows you whole.

The place of secrets,

hidden riches and mysteries,

where longings and passion intimately meet.

The soul of a man,

the cradle of inspiration,

and oceans of bustling emotions.

Who holds the key to this place?

The soul of man,

divinely placed where no average person can peak,

peak into a realm where his inner child,

and the man he longs to be, meet.

This is the place every woman wants to explore.

“Off limits,”

This is the sign you will see,

when you venture into the soul of a man.

He is dying to take you there,

but careful never to let just anyone explore the most delicate part of his being.

Where the mind, spirit and heart collide,

it is the place where his feelings and emotions reside.

Oh, the soul of a man.

The fragrant aroma of creation,

can you ponder the contemplation of God,

when He created the soul of a man.

It is not his outward demeanor,

His style or the amount of money that sparks a woman’s true interest in him,

it is the pieces delicately woven together in his soul,

that inspire her,

and cause her heart to flutter with desire,

to know him,

to care for him,

to truly love him with all of her being,

to be within the depths of his soul,

Swim along with the currents of his dreams.

He becomes her only desire when the currents collide and she realizes that the depth of his soul is a warm and safe place to be.

The soul of a man,

that cultivates the richness of love that overflows from him to all those he meets.

This is the place where love initiates,

dreams are birthed,

and rivers of beauty flow.

Oh, the soul of a man.

Oh, the wonders there.

If only we could find out who holds the key,

that unlocks this place of splendor.

That would be a glorious thing,

To venture there,

But there is no return.

Like Pandora’s box,

you never know what awaits you,

when you enter into the realm of the soul of a man.

Written by Erin Lamb

8 December 2005

From "Oatcakes" (A Zine) by Jeffrey Snodgrass

I first went to the space when I was seventeen. Some friends and I were just messing around. We never expected to find what we did. The machine--there's no way we ever could've predicted that, none at all. What we did do was look around, played the tourist, and half wondered how anyone could have built a place like that, and why. The why part was the biggest thing in my mind. We had a reason for what we did. That much should be obvious. What we didn't know, of course, was that the evil of the place would change our lives in unexpected ways. What do you mean by evil? Oh, a presence, a kind of brute force. So not an intelligence? No, most certainly not, not an intelligence. I can tell you for a fact, and I do mean a fact, I saw the thing. What did it look like? A bubble, an orb of energy. Were you frightened? Not at the time: I was with my friends. But later, at home, yes. How much later? A few days, not many. I woke up in the middle of the night and there it was, an orb at the foot of my bed. I see.
I'm thinking of different ways to look at the space. At how it captures light. A vast shadow creeps across the concrete floor. I wait for the penumbra to engulf me. I cannot describe my sense of hope. All I find is a rusty pair of pliers. And a screw.
I don't see why you're so interested in that old place. I asked my grandfather your question. He said many men used to work in that factory. And even some women. That they built airplane engines during the war. He says it's been closed a long time. He says to forget it.

Hips by Jeffrey Snodgrass

His eyes flicked up and down her body. Hips too wide. And with that he summarily dismissed her as a possibility, as an option, as a human being. She no longer held any potential as a human, one endowed with a unique personality, a self, personhood. And so it happens every day, over and over again without relief. The looking, the asking, the denial.

Ghost by Jeffrey Snodgrass

"I really don't think there's much mystery in what you're saying. In fact, I don't believe a word coming out of your mouth. And why should I? Imagine, spirits. What kind of nonsense is that? Really, it's all too much."

"Look, I told you, I took a picture and there was an apparition in it. Why would I make something like that up?"

"Why wouldn't you? Really, it's all too much."

"You already said that."

"Well, it's true. What did the apparition look like?"

"A smiling man."

"And what leads you to believe that he was an apparition?"

"He's standing about 6 inches off the ground and his arms fade into darkness."

"What were you taking a picture of?"

"My wife and her cousins sitting beside a campfire and here's this curious fellow watching them. I posted the picture on the Internet, just in case you don't believe me; I can give you the URL."

"That won't be necessary."

A Good Man

A good man,

tells the truth,

even if it makes him look bad.

A good man,

knows that treating people the way he wants to be treated,

is the only way to go.

A good man,

Protects,

Provides,

and cares for those he loves.

A good man,

Does not cheat on his wife,

or his girlfriend,

even when the opportunity is right in front of him.

A good man,

does not use women,

or abuse women,

or treat them as objects to be traded and misused.

A good man,

does not take advantage of people he oversees.

He is careful to use the words “I love you,” very prudently.

knowing that love is not just a feeling,

but a choice,

that requires sacrifice.

A good man is careful to fulfill all his obligations.

A good man is careful not to burn bridges,

Someday he may need to cross them.

A good man,

Is trustworthy,

and noble.

He uses his words wisely.

He thinks of others,

not just himself.

A good man,

goes after what he desires in life,

even if he’s scared.

A good man,

Does not allow his ego,

or his attractions to dictate his life.

He honors and values every person.

A good man,

listens,

observes,

and seeks a challenge in every area of his life.

He seeks to grow,

and grow others as well.

A good man,

knows how to be a friend,

as well as a lover.

A good man,

does not hide,

but confronts life head on,

picking his battles wisely.

He allows wisdom to guide his steps.

A good man,

does not let the sun go down on his anger.

A good man honors God,

and upholds the highest of integrity.

Unfortunately, a good man is hard to find,

However, there are quite a few of them hanging around,

Who daily continue to inspire, challenge and enlarge the lives of everyone they meet....

Written by Erin Lamb

28 October 2005

From _Oculus_

How do you like it now, now that we have you cornered? Things are about to get strange. Are you ready? I am asking you a question. Which end is up? Down is no longer an out. This whole mess has turned topsy-turvey. I can see spiders on the bathroom ceiling. And cobwebs. They catch the roaches. This is no environment for raising children, none at all. Everything that I have told you is true, believe it or not. I am breaking into new territory and my mind is unstable but you understand. I know you do so don't play dumb with me now. I've got a thing that you don't understand, a shiny object that I keep all to myself. I'm poor so shiny objects make me feel clean. I wear it around my neck and the string chafes against a mole. I am easily misunderstood. You yourself do not understand me nor should you try. What I am is complicated, complex, beyond your wildest fathomings. I am expansive to the utmost degree and as miniscule as a pea. Come see for yourself. I am large within a tiny box. You think you would know me but the reality is something completely different. We are a disinfranchised nation, one at rest. We have every reason to assume some background knowledge. Most people are quite literate, they just pretend to be stupid. It's a strategy that works. I'm writing the way I talk. Do you feel the honesty? I would claim to be sincere but then you might doubt me. I am a living anachronism, multifaceted and complex. But I've already said as much.