Author: James Pack

James Pack is a member of the Horror Writers Association and has published several collections of poetry and short fiction. He is the editor of the left leaning political blog, www.theproperdeal.com. Learn more about James and his collected works on his personal blog www.thejamespack.com. He lives in Tucson, AZ.
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Wacky Wednesday: August 26

On this final Wacky Wednesday of August, the words are wackier than usual. The first word you may not have heard before, but you might be familiar with what is describes. Kakorrhaphiophobia is a noun which refers to an abnormal, persistent, irrational fear of failure. Everyone has experienced a fear of failure, but people with this phobia can find their fear debilitating to the point of them doing nothing. Our next word is another noun. Lamprophony means loudness and clarity of enunciation. One might say something like a stage actor was praised for their lamprophony during the performance.

The holidays today have a bit of everything. For our token food holiday, today is National Cherry Popsicle Day. Who doesn’t like popsicles? It is also National Dog Day. If you were considering finding a new four-legged roommate, today is the day! Next we have two women focused celebrations today. First is National Webmistress Day celebrating women in the web development field. Second is National Women’s Equality Day which commemorates the adoption of the 19thAmendment to the United States Constitution in 1920. After a century, women are still fighting for equal rights in many areas. Show your support for Women’s Equality and be sure to appreciate any women web developers you know today.

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Tuesday Poetry: Silent Worries

I can’t find the words
Not the right words anyway
Do the words matter
Do the emotions matter
More often than not
Silence is the best option
But silence doesn’t resolve issues
Silence doesn’t fix things
Maybe it’s not about fixing
Maybe it’s about space – trust – 
No control or ways to help
Worrying about the unknown
It’s the not knowing
Imagination running wild
Tell me not to worry and I will
Tell me the issue and I worry less
Maybe silence is best
But silence makes me worry

From the poetry collection Cats, Coffee, Catharsis.

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Poetry Monday: The Dead Culture

Wandering through the day
With a glazed over look in your eyes
Empty glass orbs guiding you
But you don’t know where
And you go for fear of standing still

Movement makes you feel alive
But the cold, blank stare never leaves
People say hello and all
You can do is offer a stare in return
Small talk drains you

Seeking distractions to forget
If you don’t think about it
Then it will go away of doesn’t exist
This might treat the symptom
But the cause is ignored

It’s becoming a subculture
The depression and anxiety of millions
Creating the dead inside movement
There are not enough jobs to provide
Everyone a life with meaning and fulfillment

I believe everything happens for a reason
But what’s the purpose in this
What can be gained from so many zombies
Wasting away any potential which
They have no way to utilize

I wonder why there aren’t more
Reports of suicides
Or are there so many it’s impossible
To report all of them
When does the suffering end

I dream and hope for something better
But it’s difficult to maintain hope
So I push forward growing more and more empty
Pursuing something I’ll never achieve
To distract me from the darkness inside

From the poetry collection Cats, Coffee, Catharsis.