Ode to a Homeless Vet: Lost and Forgotten

 

[Verse]

Wandering streets with no place to call home

Faded camo a ghost of where I've roamed

Dog tags clang in rhythm like a sorrowful song

People whisper soldier just move along

[Verse 2]

Once fought battles now fight for a meal

Cold nights remind me of wounds that won’t heal

Cardboard pillow beneath the sky so vast

Memories of comrades they haunt me from the past

[Chorus]

Lost and forgotten hear my silent plea

Just searching for a shred of humanity

Invisible soldier in the city's cruel light

Dreams are my solace in the dead of night

[Verse 3]

Silver stars fade under neon despair

Hollow smiles say they don’t really care

War’s over but the battle never ends

Broken spirit no home to defend

[Bridge]

Broken promises echo in my mind

Grateful for the brave but where’s mine

Carved in stone but living flesh ignored

Silent tears fall on this sidewalk floor

[Chorus]

Lost and forgotten hear my silent plea

Just searching for a shred of humanity

Invisible soldier in the city's cruel light

Dreams are my solace in the dead of night

Lyrics inspired by an Aurora Family in Mourning: We Ain't Got Nothing

   So - I'm home with a fever. I can't type when I have a fever. 

I tuned into the Aurora study session and council meeting. I thought about heading down there to use my hypnosis skills to calm the conservatives, but spreading germs is definitely not cool.

The City Council is like a dysfunctional family, for sure.
I made a deal with myself that if they allowed the Lewis family to speak, I wouldn't write anything about it. Unfortunately,did not let four people speak. Our new City Attorney is rude. 

Sigh...

It's not my place to speak on behalf of the family. They're handling things really well. I can support them, but I can't speak for them.

The city is going to have to pay up because of their lack of empathy. The city attorney who inspired the name of my bass (Charlie) made some rude and false comments in an online forum. His writing style gave him away. Some things never change. I can't find the comments now, but I'll remember to take screenshots next time. A colleague actually called him out in the comments, which helped reveal his identity.

The City messed up, and they know it. They're trying to scare the family into not asking for much money. But I have a feeling the family wants more than just money - they want to see some real change in policy.

The truth is, money can't bring back what's truly priceless.

These are the lyrics so far.  

Working Title: We Ain't Got Nothing 

(Verse 1)
In the shadows where we stand,
Silent cries fall like grains.
Hope's a fading photograph,
Lost beneath the weight of chains.
Dreams of freedom in the air,
And yet the streetlights flicker dim.

(Pre-Chorus)
Young lives taken, fading fast,
Echoes of their voices call.
Injustice lingers like a ghost,
Underneath this heavy pall.

(Chorus)
We ain't got nothing if we don't have justice,
A song of sorrow, a haunting trust.
We cling to dreams that feel so rusted,
Each heartbeat counting, feeling crushed.

(Verse 2)
Tears like rivers carve the earth,
Mothers weep for sons they’ve lost.
Every night we live with fear,
Counting screams, we bear the cost.
Searching for the light to shine,
Amidst the shadows and the pain.

(Pre-Chorus)
Young lives taken, fading fast,
Echoes of their voices call.
Injustice lingers like a ghost,
Underneath this heavy pall.

(Chorus)
We ain't got nothing if we don't have justice,
A song of sorrow, a haunting trust.
We cling to dreams that feel so rusted,
Each heartbeat counting, feeling crushed.

(Bridge)
Where is the love that binds us whole?
Why do we fear the hands we hold?
Voices rising, hearts ignited,
Together we stand, never folded.

(Outro)
In the shadows where we stand,
Silent cries fall like grains.
Hope will echo in the night,
Until we break these heavy chains.
We ain't got nothing if we don't have justice,
Our voices strong, a bond that’s just.

The Soundcloud page has been created.  Working on the studio. 

Love, 

S. 

**I had an idea fourteen years ago to help address the problem but I was told to shut up by the people in charge.  I still think this "trigger-happy" behavior is related to PTSD. No one wants to look at that.  That could help everyone.  

Maybe I should just research it and get it published. 

P.S.  It looks like the Dept. of Justice was on it during the Trump years.  They didn't have a lot to research to cite at the time of this article. 

https://cops.usdoj.gov/html/dispatch/05-2018/PTSD.html

Contempt of Cop Creates Activists: Song Inspired by Englewood Activist

Today I wish bureaucrats understood that abuses create activists. 

I was born out of the fiery pits of injustice, sparked by the heinous act of my sister being raped in a foster home. From there, my life has been a rollercoaster of eye-opening moments - from being a Mormon rule follower dodging Denver cops on the hunt for drugs, to witnessing Englewood cops turning a blind eye to human trafficking. Not to mention the scandalous schemes of pharmaceutical companies pushing teachers to diagnose ADHD for a kickback, and even a Tax Audit Supervisor at the City of Aurora targeting my then-husband for simply being a bit on the chubby side.

My kids have turned into little detectives, collecting all my old paper trails and stashing them away in the basement like buried treasure. They've filled up an entire bookcase with my past grievances, while my more recent battles are safely stored in the cloud.

But hey, I could write a novel about the past 37 years of me getting riled up and fighting back. Because let's face it, life is just better when those government goons start behaving themselves.

There are countless other women that I've encountered who have been wronged by the system. One thing's for sure - women are not ones to sit back and let injustice slide.  Let the games begin!

Knock it off. 

Love, 

S. 




 [Verse]

Stood tall against the blue

Her words they ripped right through

Hands cuffed for speaking true

She knew she'd fight it too

[Verse 2]

Her heart ignited blaze

Through unjust nights and days

Defiant eyes ablaze

She set the world awaze

[Chorus]

Freedom on fire

She’s our voice

The shunned choir

Breaking bars of the liar

Watch her rise higher higher

[Verse 3]

They locked her in defeat

But she marched to the beat

Of liberty's heartbeat

Never saw her retreat

[Bridge]

From courtroom to the streets

She rallied for our needs

Injustice she defeats

A warrior of deeds

[Chorus]

Freedom on fire

She’s our voice

The shunned choir

Breaking bars of the liar

Watch her rise higher higher

Researching Censorship by City Councils Across the Front Range - Englewood is Horrible

 

Sorry....I caught another project at the end of the recording.  I keep doing that.  I'll fix it on the videos I post to Rumble or YouTube. 

Well....maybe music is the only way to be heard and to get the youth involved. 

I got lost in watching YouTube videos of other City Councils across Colorado.  I'm seeing a pattern. 

The mayor of Englewood,  Othonial Sierra*, is apparently throwing people out of city council meetings for talking about homelessness. 

I actually cried after seeing that. 

It's been awhile since I was in Englewood doing outreach.  

I remember pissing off one of their city council members when I mentioned that a senior housing project had doubled the rent in 2011 (or was it 2012) and I ran into senior after senior at the park with nowhere to go. We had a falling out over that so I gave up on trying to help her. 

Englewood used to be important to me.  I spent the first ten years of my life living with my grandparents near Fox and Dartmouth. 

I may have to expand any artistic expression project across the Metro Area at this point.  The First Amendment is under attack. 

Right now, I'm doing a pro and con list of the project.  Taking this on will, hopefully, scare the crud out of bully politicians attacking free speech and bring more young voices into politics. 

Young people have passion and energy. We need young voices. 

I hope they create their own art, music, and blogs. 

I hope they go viral. 

Not sure I can see a downside, except I'll have to dust the recording studio to kick off the project.  I was up until the wee hours of the morning talking to musicians.  Some are interested, others are too busy. 

Or the politicians can get a clue and stop acting like kings and queens, start listening to the people and showing a little respect and decorum to the populace. 

This is the United States of America. 

Please remember that. 

Love ya, 

S.  

P.S. AI songs are in the public domain until someone changes them or if one has a paid subscription. Have at it.  This one is about my experience as a therapist helping homeless people who can't get money for medication because they have to pay stupid fines to the government. 

You can't get ahead when governments are nickel and diming you. 

Lyrics: 

[Verse]

Sitting in my chair, clients share despair,

Politicians cold as winter, hearts threadbare,

Homeless punished, no compassion in the air,

Fines stack up, no place to lay, it’s unfair.

[Chorus]

Streets of Englewood, ain't no good,

Politicians stacking fines like firewood,

Tears in the therapist’s book, misunderstood,

Trying to fix a world that’s tight with a crook.

[Verse 2]

Late at night, shelters full, nowhere to hide,

Council’s verdict cold, empathy denied,

Therapists fighting battles from the inside,

Against a system where justice went to die.

[Chorus]

Streets of Englewood, ain't no good,

Politicians stacking fines like firewood,

Tears in the therapist’s book, misunderstood,

Trying to fix a world that’s tight with a crook.

[Verse 3]

Minds break like glass on pavement’s edge,

Dreams sold cheap, crushed under sledge,

Gavel pounds down, reality's pledge,

Therapists picking pieces off ledge.

[Bridge]

Sunrise brings no hope, shadows remain,

Englewood’s streets echo, hollow with pain,

Therapists scribble, trying to sustain,

Life’s balance in a world gone insane.

*don't want to presume pronouns so I used the Mayor's full name.  I hate it when the Democrats call me a dude.  Forgive me for not using Ms. or Mr.

**If I find more obnoxious council videos, I'll get a song put up about it.  I think my next song will be about verbal assault on an officer.  It appears that this is the real reason the person was thrown out of the Englewood council meeting. They're trying to make verbal assault against a city employee a thing. 

I'm not sure if that's true.  I read it on a blog from someone who appears to kiss arse of leaders (perhaps a city employee?). 

Verbal assault on an officer shouldn't be a thing.  

I had no idea there was so much material!  This is shocking. 

I'll keep looking. 

Hugs, 

S. 

Fear of the Badge: Shame, a Fearful Mayor, and Censorship In Aurora (with edit)

Wow....this song got 4  hits the moment it was rendered; must be a hot-button topic.  

It would seem to be that City leadership is experiencing shame due to the senseless murder of a young black man.  

Today, I am grateful for the beauty of truth.

I'm not quite sure how to handle it just yet.

Picture this: me, educating a police officer on the history of gangs in Aurora. Back in the summer of 1993, we had a bit of a gang situation going on. I was living on the Denver-Aurora border at the time, fully immersed in my life as a music student. My apartment was practically a shrine to my beloved bass - I ate, slept, and breathed music.

Ah, the memories of those good times...except for the fact that gangs were causing chaos, with cars and kids getting shot at left and right. Aurora had to beef up its police force to combat the issue. 

So, when I hear Donald Trump going on about gangs in Aurora, my mind immediately goes back to that tumultuous summer. It seems like the real problem now is a lack of effective policing and troublemakers running amok without consequences.

And then, I learned today that the Aurora police are struggling to recruit officers due to a breakdown in community trust. No wonder they're not always quick to respond to calls, if they respond at all.

It seems to me that maybe Mike Coffman and his crew should rethink some of their policies that stifle free speech. I had a chat with a city councilwoman about how they used to handle public comments back in the day - they actually asked for names and addresses! People who did NOT live in Aurora were not allowed to speak. An idea could be, when people want to address the council over the phone,  perhaps you can take their name, address, and phone number and call them back when it's their turn to speak. It may be wise to send someone to check on them if they threaten a council member or another party.* People tend to be more polite when they know we can identify them.

Because let's face it, if people aren't given a platform to speak, they'll find other ways to make themselves heard. And trust me, things could get messy if they have to get creative.

Sending hugs and sass,

S.

*Edit: When I say threat, I'm talking about stuff like "I'll kill you" or "I'll shoot you" or "I'll maim you" - not "I'll write a song about you and post it online" or "I'll give you a mean look" or "I'll audit you if you try to start a garage band in Aurora" (which is pretty ridiculous because I think code enforcement would be the bigger issue there). I have to clarify this because what politicians are labeling as threats and hate speech really aren't. I've actually had a librarian and a teacher threaten to kill me - like, seriously. The librarian didn't like my idea of creating a special district for library funds instead of using the general fund (which basically steals their money). And the science teacher got mad because I called the USA a republic instead of a democracy (I mean, he's a science teacher - he can teach me not to blow up the house, but I get why he doesn't teach Social Science). Most people were like pufferfish - annoying but harmless. Security cameras are definitely a good idea.

I probably should have warned my city council person that the police don't take action even if you've been hurt by the perpetrators.  Our first priority has to be for our own safety and well-being.  

This is why I'm pro 2A but that's another story for another day. 


Lyrics 

[Verse]

Shadows creeping lights ain't bright

Phones in hand but not tonight

Sirens blare in sleepless streets

Justice lost in dark retreats

[Verse 2]

Uniforms they carry weight

Trust eroded by the hate

Hands held high but hearts sunk low

Living in the fear we know

[Chorus]

Who do we call when the danger's near

Blue and red lights they spark the fear

Do we stay silent let screams go unheard

Trust in the badge's just absurd

[Verse 3]

Names forgotten in the fray

Lives cut short in light of day

Tears they fall like heavy rain

City drowning in its pain

[Bridge]

Eyes wide open truth in sight

Yet our voices silenced tight

Broken systems hard to mend

Wonder when this hate will end

[Chorus]

Who do we call when the danger's near

Blue and red lights they spark the fear

Do we stay silent let screams go unheard

Trust in the badge's just absurd

Songs For My Granddaughter (lyrics at the end of the post)

 Custodial Interference from the Perspective of a child not allowed to visit with the other parent:  

A Message From Grandma: 

Lyrics: Invisible Chains 

[Verse]

Little heart is aching heavy with the rain

Punished just for loving whispering your name

Mother's voice a shadow locked away in chains

Loneliness digs deeper deeper are the pains

[Verse 2]

Grandma's arms are empty silence in the halls

Pictures of her laughter hanging on the walls

Hopes that she can hear me echo in the night

Every time I reach out fades into the light

[Chorus]

Invisible chains holding me tight can't break free

Every word spoken feels like a distant memory

They try to tear us apart like we're not meant to be

But I see you in my dreams mama won't you come for me

[Verse 3]

Silent cries in darkness whispers of despair

Echoes of your laughter floating through the air

Someone's got the power carving out the scars

But your love feels closer even from afar

[Bridge]

Wish upon a star

A child broken torn apart

Eyes that once were glowing now a shattered heart

Dreams of better days are turning into mist

All the love we're missing every hug we missed

[Chorus]

Invisible chains holding me tight can't break free

Every word spoken feels like a distant memory

They try to tear us apart like we're not meant to be

But I see you in my dreams mama won't you come for me

Lyrics: Whispers of Love 

[Verse]

They've drawn lines between our hearts

Painted walls to keep us apart

But through shadows hear my voice

In this silence we have no choice

[Verse 2]

Mama's love is a gentle sea

Though you're far you can always see

Grandma's dreams float on every breeze

You'll find her whispers in the trees

[Chorus]

So when the night closes in tight

Feel their love as it takes flight

Through the stars and moonlight gleam

Your heart's a beacon in their dream

[Verse 3]

No words but love still makes its way

Through the clouds into your day

Every tear a path it clears

Warm reminders through the years

[Bridge]

Here's a secret held so dear

You are treasured never fear

In their hearts your name's engraved

Little star you are so brave

[Chorus]

So when the night closes in tight

Feel their love as it takes flight

Through the stars and moonlight gleam

Your heart's a beacon in their dream

Electric Cars and Non-Responsive Professionals = Disaster

 I'm having too much fun with this AI stuff (lyrics below). 
Please forgive the elecro beat following the song (it's another version of the same project). 

Today I'm thankful that I'm poor. 

I have chosen to take on low-paying jobs to assist the community. However, I am reconsidering my career path. I thought I was making a difference by taking a financial hit but seeing the sheer number of homeless in the community, I'm realizing that I'm fighting a losing battle.  I still can't do what I need to do. 

Sigh...

Tonight, as I was driving home around 9:00 p.m., I came across a disabled car at I-225 and Parker Road. It was pitch black outside, and a homeless man was trying to direct traffic around the disabled vehicle. The hazards were on, but they looked strange. I pulled up behind the car and turned on my hazards. I asked the man if he needed help and offered to stay until assistance arrived. He told me that the vehicle belonged to an older woman and explained that it was an electric car. That had to be scary. I couldn't imagine waiting, in the dark, for the lights to go out. So, I sat there, waving my hand above my car to guide traffic around the scene. Luckily, my car is so big that I felt safe from any potential accidents.

As I watched the lights on the electric car fade, I wondered if the police would show up and if I would get in trouble for being there. Eventually, a tow truck arrived, but no cops ever showed up. I never really expected them to come. The Aurora and Denver Police Departments are notorious for not answering calls. It makes me think that this is a tactic to justify a future tax increase by claiming a lack of funding. I hope people aren't gullible enough to fall for that.

While waiting, my thoughts moved to other things that were irritating me. 

On a different note, I might have to sell my bass guitars, Charlie (Fender Precision) and Siegfred (Peavey T40), to cover legal expenses. They are my only source of comfort. Slap bass keeps me from running for office cuz it helps me get my angries out. But I need $8,000, so the saxophones might have to go as well. It's a tough situation.

Why do I need the money? Well...

Texas judges seem to make orders but forget to sign off on them, which has led to my granddaughter to be legally remanded back to Colorado after being kidnapped by her dad. Her father is refusing to send her back because of the missing signature. On top of that, a Fort Worth Licensed Professional Counselor saw my granddaughter for just one counseling appointment and claimed she tried to kill herself without providing any further information or follow-up. I don't even know if child protective services was called. I know the child's mother was NOT contacted. 

It's frustrating to deal with professionals who don't take their responsibilities seriously. The counselor didn't even have the correct license number listed, making it difficult for me to track her down. I'm considering filing a regulatory complaint and hiring a lawyer to sort out this mess.

Therapists need to understand the impact of their words and actions. Simply stating that a child is stressed at home isn't enough when there are deeper issues at play. In this case, the father's behavior is causing unnecessary stress for everyone involved, especially my granddaughter.

It's clear that the current situation isn't working, and I wish the professionals involved had listened to my recommendations. The counselor in Texas even got her license number wrong in the letter she wrote, which shows a lack of attention to detail.

I'm considering reaching out to a friend who does clinical supervision in Texas who can provide guidance on how to proceed with filing a complaint. It's important to advocate for children in these situations and ensure they receive the care they need.

I hope the lawyers can resolve this quickly. If necessary, I'm willing to sell my basses to cover any legal fees. Kids shouldn't have to suffer because of bureaucratic mistakes.

Love, 

S. 

Highway Blues: 

[Verse]

Neon lights are fading quick

Highway rolling under dark

Batteries gone it's playing tricks

Left me stranded no more spark

[Verse 2]

Stars above nowhere to hide

Wind's a whisper soft and mean

Tried to call no rides in sight

Electric dreams feel like a scheme

[Chorus]

Highway blues in the night

Electric love ran out of light

Stuck here waiting for sunrise

No power left just empty skies

[Verse 3]

Footsteps echo down the lane

Silent whispers in my brain

Dreams of driving far away

Reality keeps me in chains

[Chorus]

Highway blues in the night

Electric love ran out of light

Stuck here waiting for sunrise

No power left just empty skies

[Bridge]

Ooh the stars they laugh at me

Chasing shadows endlessly

No charge no plan I had no clue

Electric car gave up on you