The Sufi Question

Love, why not ask for wine to cure your thirst?
Do you not sit in blistering sun, craving cool liquors kiss?

Ahh, you wish to know the price?
Then best I leave for death to take.

For surely this bliss is worth the world,
If only for a single kiss...

`Justin Travis Howard 2009

Child of the Alla'din

Oh, Child of the Alla'din
Why do you sit weeping?

Is love so sweet,
You can not utter its name?

Oh, Child of the Alla'din
Why do you sit with sand brushed upon your knees?

Do the sands speak in secret tongues?
Each one hold a great potential love?

Oh, Child of the Alla'din
Why is the air so fragrant near you?

Do orange blossoms grace your head,
Preparing you for the Lover's touch?

Oh, Child of the Alla'din
Why is there ink upon your fingers?

Is that the book with pages so cracked,
a volume where you write your hidden thoughts?

Oh, Child of the Alla'din
Why does your ear glisten so?

A pearl, so simple, so true,
Does it act as a symbol of your love?

Oh, Child of the Alla'din
Come listen, the hearts true prayer.

Oh, Child of the Alla'din
Know how god smiles with you upon his mighty knee.

Oh, Child of the Alla'din
As your heart whispers secrets of faraway,
God will cradle you from birth to grave.

Oh, Child of the Alla'din
Learn now the secret of thy heart,
and from this fate do not depart.

Oh, Child of the Alla'din
Of whom the Fey say
"Come play with us on this eternal summer day."

Oh, Child of the Alla'din
Seek your Beloved, your God,
Know that thy are as star upon the earth.

So purity may stay your course.

By,
Justin Travis Howard '09

To Bradford, an intimate friend who knows the ways of my heart.

Oh the places I go - Thoughts on the nature of writing.

Last night I sat down to write a fun, yet informative piece on basic safety tips that Gay Travelers should follow as they wander the world. What ended up getting written was something of an emotional journey for me, as I ended up writing about two random attacks on Gays that are very clearly Hate Crimes. I have to admit what got me was not the so much the attacks, themselves, no what got me was the brutal nature behind them.

One man was attacked from behind and beaten until he lost consciousness and left there bleeding, at least he survived.

These people who go out looking for victims are in reality hunting. Meaning they have dehumanized their victims to such a point that in their minds it is ok to hurt or kill their 'prey'.

As a Buddhist I believe that humans are at their core 'good' and that given a chance they will do the 'right thing'. But I must admit that senseless, random attacks like this cast doubt in my mind as the so-called 'good' nature of humanity.

Getting back to the topic at hand, I wanted to say that as a writer there are moments where I think I will be creating one story, but a completely different one comes forth. As I write I find that there are stories, and then there are the stories that need to be told, that takes you and uses you to give them a voice, a written presence.

Here is the article came forth - Let me know your thoughts.
http://www.examiner.com/x-1784-San-Diego-Gay-Travel-Examiner~y2009m10d28-Gay-Travel--Tips-for-Staying-Safe