DUST JACKET PROJECT

“Shut up and die”recalling a statement his mother never knew he hearduttered through...

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:49:47 -0500

“Shut up and die”
recalling a statement his mother never knew he heard
uttered through clenched baby teeth to a room full of strangers
“I want to live with my mother”
an even split of joy and anguish
hateful eyes never wavering between the two
“Don’t be scared”
What a crock of shit
says a child’s voice in his own mind”
You’re safe now”
how can this be true
when the ground no longer takes any weight
“I don’t want your name”
your legacy dies with you, old man
you dug your own grave
“Life goes on”
easy to say
when you’re not trembling with a razor
“Turn to prayer”
there is no god

Create

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:10:01 -0500

Create

Photo

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 11:48:24 -0500

6:59AM; the bus arrived. Finally! Nervously, I guided Gabi on to the bus and found ourselves a seat...

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 12:22:45 -0500

6:59AM; the bus arrived. Finally!

Nervously, I guided Gabi on to the bus and found ourselves a seat at the front. A faint smile sketched across my face as I watched the trees race by. The trees caused my mind to wander and I thought about how mine and Gabi’s life used to be.

I recalled how two years ago, Gabi and I lived in the Avenues. It’s a part of Salt Lake known for the Victorian houses and giant Oak trees. The trees branches reach out across the streets as if to embrace each other with us in the middle. It was beautiful. I especially loved it when it rained.

Mine and Gabi’s favorite thing to do was go on walks in the rain. For me, it was about being cleansed; reaching up towards the sky and letting it wash away all of your worries. For Gabi, it was about the drama and being impulsive. Many times, we wrapped ourselves in raincoats, rain boots and headed out in search of being in the moment. Gabi would jump in every rain puddle she could find. The trees provided shelter when we needed to catch our breath, then we would run off in search of more puddles.

The bus came to a sharp stop, bringing me back to reality. The dissonance of life then versus now rang sharply in my head. Back then life seemed so predictable. This summer, the events that unfolded would not have been predicted by anyone. There was now a new variable in my life; another person to regulate my fate.

Walking Dead

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:17:26 -0500

Mirages in the desert become my reality

Echoes from this concrete, ricochet insanity

A bucket of curses I’ll pour on your head

A boulder of granite may welcome your death

An ellipsis from my slumber awakens me to fear

The people I’ve hurt unknowingly, the lives I’ve degraded slowly

A quicksand of grey matter sieves through my brain

It’s a bleak recollection down memory lane

I’ll despise my being for this uncontrolled foolishness

I’ll never forgive, my mental unruliness

Is my body, walking dead?

The darkness of my mind drinks the fountain of my youth

If you unlocked your mind, you could heal me with the truth

Photo

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:02:36 -0500

Every Morning (i squeeze the juice from one lemon and add...

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:31:35 -0500

Every Morning (i squeeze the juice from one lemon and add some shaved ginger to a drop of honey in a mug of hot water)

Up All Night...Again

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:08:56 -0500

up all night…again
collected on the couch, talking
soaking in moments thirstily
like sand just beyond the tide

the three of us are not rich, or in love
but we do know how to keep moments gently in our hands like
birds, pinning wings against sleek bodies—
feeling their silky urgency press into our palms

we crawled out through the window, just before the sunrise
to sit on the scratchy shingles above the garage
we drank green tea, and laughed for no good reason
and felt good about life, knowing—no matter what
we would always know how to calm the frantic pulse of things and
take the time to watch pale color spread among the clouds
like too-good secrets among friends

our hearts, like those held songbirds sat,
perched on rooftop mornings.
as we opened our hands
time slowly stretched its wings and
with a graceful hop
lifted up

This is a photo of me before I left to japan for two years as a...

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:48:00 -0500

This is a photo of me before I left to japan for two years as a missionary. The two flags behind me are both japanese flags, one is flown during times of war, and one is flown during times of peace. I felt this accurately represented how I felt about serving my mission. I felt peace from the gospel and the teachings of my religion, but I had a inner conflict about if I had a responsibility to share that to others, or if it was a personal decision that shouldn’t be pressed onto others.

Sage Old Man I was twelve years old when I took this photo and...

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:09:46 -0500

Sage Old Man

I was twelve years old when I took this photo and it was a quick and simple shot; but something about the picture (I don’t know what really) captured a part of my soul. This is the photo that began my love affair with photography.

Photo

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:20:08 -0500

Velvet Wings

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:19:45 -0500

Velvet Wings

I HAVE NO REASON, I HAVE NO RYHME

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:03:21 -0500

Compiling, smilin
Knowing full well I’m misunderstood

No matter the words I use
I tend to inflict the bruise
That they tell me is turned on myself

Rhyming, timing
Keeping the beat to the others

Dreaming of the days
Hoping for other ways
To explain this misplaced stream of thoughts

Who says it has to be like this?
Who says ignorance is bliss?
Who says? Who says?
Well I’m not too sure, that this is the path that was meant to be pure

Dreaming, scheming
Trying to align my hopes with his

Wondering what will shape up to be
This life or something like it is free
But do I know how to subscribe?

Who says it has to be like this?
Who says ignorance is bliss?
Who says? Who says?
Well I’m not too sure, that this is the path that was meant to be pure

Well I’m not too sure, that this is the path that was meant to be pure
I’m not too sure…

Photo

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:39:39 -0500

And So She Danced

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:40:07 -0500

And So She Danced

The Silent Children

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:38:00 -0500

We hear their cries,
their words and dreams,
Yet nothing changes,
Or so it seems.

The children are hurting
The mothers, they cry
There is no one nearby that can help
And they want to know why.

why are their cries silent
to the ears of the west
why do their dreams fade
when we can offer them the best.

the best hope for these children
it comes from you and me
so open up your wallets
and take the time to see.

the dreams of the silent children
who are suffering so bad
lets give them some comfort
and some things they never had.

like love, care and support
from a stranger they’ll never know
you may not believe it
but it can really help them grow.

to know someone they never met
cares and supports their choices
gives them something to inspire to
and makes them use their voices.

for far too long
they have sat silent
living with war, displacement and fear of abduction
in an area that is just so violent.

for the children of Uganda
life has been so unfair
so we all need to take a stand
and make sure that change comes there.

lets show them that we’re here for them
lets show them that we care
lets show them that the world is listening
and lets help end their despair.

I urge you to open your eyes
And see them through your heart
Donate some of your hard earned cash
And give these kids a head start.

Dance is your pulse, your heartbeat, your breathing. It’s...

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:59:49 -0500

Dance is your pulse, your heartbeat, your breathing. It’s the rhythym of your life. Its the expression in time and movement, in happiness, joy, sadness and envy. -Jaques D’Amboise

atanga rain

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:19:23 -0500

atanga rain

shared experiences

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:20:47 -0500

shared experiences

This is a photo of my taxi on the way to the airport, he was...

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:47:52 -0500

This is a photo of my taxi on the way to the airport, he was crying as he told me about his journey with God