Online Poetry Collection of John J Duffy

This is a presentation of some of the functions which our brain performs.
The Latin subtitles refer to the particular areas within the brain where it is believed they occur.

Headspace: An Introduction
Cerebrum

This is the story of the brain.
It is a tool, nothing more, but nothing less.
Some tools are complex, some are easy.
The brain is both complex and simple.

It is a miracle of development.
It took tens of thousands of years,
To bring it into its current form,
And it is still developing.

It is intimidating to many,
But to others, it is a simple tool.
Each and every brain is different,
But each is yet similarily formed.

Read about the parts of the brain,
And then you will comprehend,
That this tool is your own, to control.
And it is the process that is paramount.

Wants
Striatum

The brain is programmed to want,
You and I want many things.
First, we want warmth and food -
As we exit the womb of woman.

The wants take us through infancy,
And we announce our wants loudly,
With a cry for attention and need:
This the method we have to survive.

And even when we can nourish,
Without the aid of others,
We still want and need assistance,
But, now we communicate our wants.

It is many years forward in time,
Before we can take care of our own wants,
But, then we still want other things:
To play, to work, to fulfill our needs.

The brain that dictates our wants,
It functions until the end,
The wants change as we mature:
But the brain still conjures wants.

Now
Limbic System

Into the world we arrive,
And we know not about clocks,
We have no inkling about time;
All we know, is now, or later.

This now demand is born with us,
It is part of our survival.
Without this timely demand,
Others would not know our need.

Even a baby knows it is hungry,
And it screams its wants out loud.
The want is an imperative need,
Now is when it wants its need.

In life's progress, we learn of time,
And the essence of being patient.
Some even learn, how to postpone,
The wants and the needs until later.

The ability to postpone one's wants,
From now until sometime later,
These are learned traits in the brain.
To have self discipline is control.

Fair/Unfair
Anterior Insula

As we grow from toddler,
Ever developing and growing,
To the beginning of adulthood,
We learn the rules of society.

Within the brains of all of us,
The reasoning looks out beyond,
And evokes our sense of fairness,
And of what we think is unfair.

These exchanges within our thoughts,
Confront us even when very young,
And many times we are frustrated,
When we believe, it is unfair.

Even as adults, we can discern,
That some things are fair or unfair.
The essence of man's judgements,
Are besieged with the fairness of all.

When we believe it is unfair,
We react in an opposing way.
These learned perceptions in the brain:
Are the essence of later judgements.

Trial and Error
Nucleus Accumbens

It is the way of mankind,
To try something and experiment,
Hoping this trial will develop,
And hoping we have got it right.

But in the trial and error thesis,
Often, we end up in error,
And in turn, we must incorporate;
This failure as part of learning.

Judgement
Anterior Cingulate

Each and every day we judge,
To do something or not to do it.
It is our nature to learn to decide,
What is right and what is not right.

These judgements take place within.
The brain is processing information.
The brain is designed to make decisions.
The brain is looking for the best answer.

This the brain we develop,
After we enter the world of light,
After we receive inputs from all around,
After we learn fair and unfair preception.

A decision made on our judgement,
Oftentimes is correct and safe.
But, on occasion, we get it wrong.
It is these judgements we learn from.

The judgement brain is but a tool,
Within the arsenal of our brain.
But, it is the one that dictates our fate.
It is the one we are responsible for.

Logic
Prefrontal Cortex

Within the structure of our brain,
Taking up the bulk of the room,
And not fully developed until late,
Resides the brain we call logic.

It is the slowest and longest growing,
Of the brain's many complex parts.
It involves the full essence of learning.
It is the reservoir of all knowledge.

This, the brain that supplies the input,
To the rest of the complex structure.
The wants and needs are screened -
Against the possibility of "doing".

Logic supplies the information,
And we make life's decisions.
Some are minor, some are major,
But we must decide what is right.

The slow development of logic,
It is itself very logical,
As decisions are life's future -
And we need time to get it right.

Intelligent Quotient (I.Q.)

It was routine in school; everyone took the I.Q. test.

It was a tool to determine ability to process information.

Normal was 100 points, that is good enough for most.

Some scores were lower, others were somewhat higher.

I didn't pay much attention to it, I was higher than most.

Yet my teacher seemed more motivated by my higher score.

I was sent off to take high school entrance examinations

To several schools; one I felt confident of, two I did not.

Well, low and behold! I was accepted in all three schools!

One high school even offered me a four year scholarship!

Damn! I was sure that I'd failed their test! It was a brain breaker!

Maybe, I was lucky with my parents! I sure didn't do anything!

Luck works! We do not get to choose our parents!

And they don't get to choose the outcome! It's a combined effort.

No one knows the outcome, yet most are happy with the results.

"The baby is healthy!" "He'll grow more hair soon and smarts will come later."

I.Q.'s are equivalent to one's ability to learn and process.

They are not a guarantee of success, wealth or future accolades.

It is still required to study, learn, work and experience.

And all should know: a little luck and opportunity work just fine.

Whether low I.Q. or high I.Q. study, self-discipline and persistense

Are key ingredients to the success of our pursuits and happiness.

Distractions: TV, iphones, alcohol, substances and the opposite sex.

In balance, we live with some, others can overwhelm and destroy us.

In process, manage the negatives and reinforce the positives.

Whether gifted or not, our best efforts will reward our future.

"I did my best!" is all that anyone can expect from someone.

It is simple! "Study!" "Learn!" "Persevere!" "It's your I.Q. at work."

Note: Who is smarter; boys or girls?

They are dissimilar. Girls mature quicker. At 11 years of age, their brains are connected (wired) one year advanced relative to boys. At 18 years of age connections are fully completed. Boys achieve similar connections at 24 years of age.

Females are prepared for life's endeavors earlier than males. Their communication skills are superior to males and problem solving development is earlier.

Males are definitely more muscular and prepared to test their bounds, their communication skills lag and intellect needs additional refining.

Both are designed by woman. Refer to: Chromosome 23 introduction, in the Love and Woman Section.

Praise and Recognition

(Necleus Accumbens)

Our brain responds to stimuli,

In both the negative and the positive.

Failure and its repercussions

Invoke negative reaction in us.

But, we have a positive force within

That is motivated by encouragement.

It could be a little praise from others,

Or recognition by our peer group.

These positive inputs do stimulate.

They activate the intellect we have,

We feel the surge of endeaver,

The raindrops of human compassion.

This acknowledgement by others,

That our tasking is worthy,

That we are valued for our effort,

It is the light we seek at the tunnels end.

The Brain House

Albert Einstien commented on brain usage,

"We use about ten percent of our brain

And that is when we are in overdrive."

Normally, he believed five percent the norm.

Brain scanning can identify usage.

The brain has multiple usage tie-ins.

A problem can activate many hot-spots.

The brain views problems dimensionally.

Only ten percent of the brain is lite-up,

But locations are all over the brain.

Every part of the brain is being utilized.

A maximum effort is forthcomeing.

At birth, the brain is not fully developed.

The birth canal is too small for a larger brain.

Babies must be natured to allow development.

This development continues into adult years.

The entire brain is being utilized.

Learning experiences and life's journey,

All contribute to our intellectual ability.

Each, battling for geography in the brain.

The Sixth Sense

All and everything around us,

We are alert to and interact with.

It is our sixth sense of body awareness

That we use for safety and protection.

It is the elusive sixth sense of ours,

Added to sight, sound, taste and smell.

And last on the list is our sense of touch.

We now add preproximatiness to this list.

This sense keeps others at a distance

Or embraces them as a partner.

We are aware of proximatety and space.

This precludes awkward or danger encounters.

A partner in romance can encompass

All of our senses in a relationship.

It can be binding and at times intimate.

This differentiates friends, loves and threats.

The Seventh Sense

(immune system)

Within the lower spine column

Of each and everyone of us

Resides a sensing system,

Which identifies anti-bodies.

These anti-bodies can be a threat.

This threat via the circulatory system

Are transmitted to the immune system,

Sorted from non-threat to real threat.

Non-threat are irrelavent

As the immune system is focused on survival.

A threat must be attacked

With anti-bodies immediately.

The immune system triggers killer anti-bodies

Designed to destroy and devour.

These anti-bodies overwhelm the threat,

Thus preventing our species destruction.

Simple: Yes! Believable: not sure?

Think of the amygdala: Fight or Flight;

Adrenalin is massively infused within.

You're now primed to fight or flee.

When the anti-bodies fail in destroying,

The results are catastrophic to us.

Smallpox wiping out millions in the New World

When the Spanish Conquistadors arrived.

The immune system could not trigger a reaction

As the natives had never been exposed to smallpox.

An anti-body attack needs previous exposure

To ferment rapidly a massive destructive attack.

The list is long and staggering in terror:

Bubonic Plague; one third of Europe buried,

Spanish Flu post World War One, 50 million killed,

Ebola in our own time and ongoing.

NOTE: Anti-bodies can only be produced post exposure to the virus, the reason for vaccinations.

When a microbe is exposed to a new virus,

it would cut a swatch on the attacked subjects DNA

and store it between two dividers (palindromes).

If a virus returns, the microbe consults the archive and dispatches an immune response.

The dendritic cell presents antigens to the immune system cells: T cells and B cells which devour(macrophage} the antigen.

Neutrophils preceed T cells and B cells, they are the first responders, releasing enzyme which destroys the antigen for the T cells and B cells macrophage (feast).

This IS the simple explanation. In short, without the 7th Sense (immune system), mankind would not survive.

Brain Force

The brain is a dynamic circuit.
The essence of life is consciousness.
Flowing within the rivers of thought,
Is the process of daily adaptation.

Even in sleep, we sort, store and solve.
The shape of our thoughts change in the brain.
The evolution of man, and mankind,
Reside in this structure, we call brain.

Consciousness Phenomenon

(Left and Right Claustrum)

The relaxing beat of a mother's heart

Is the beginning of consciousness.

The rhythm of voices heard from within

Is the beginning of voice and language.

Consciousness is self as we preceive ourselves.

It is also self in relationship to others.

It is the nuevo-images we learn to be human.

It is reading others and interrelating with them.

We interact with first mother in order to survive.

We cry when hungry, tired or discomforted.

We watch all with eyes full of curiousity.

We smile to charm and enhance the bonds.

In school, we need to fit into the social norm.

We may wear a uniform or a youthful style.

The desire is to be part of the accepted fabric.

We abhor being an outcast within our universe.

This is all a learning and adapting process.

It is a key element in being accepted by all.

Sensitive and developing youth want to be included.

The norm for our peer group is the norm for us.

Consciousness is the formation of social order.

It is the ability to coup with others and events.

It is preceiving others interactions and commitments.

It is us as preceived by self and as preceived by others.

Consciousness

(Left and Right Claustrum)

It is the essence of ourselves,

Each and every one of us is different,

Each and everyone of us is unique,

And yet we are all similiar.

The evolutionary biology developed,

Extending our gene networks,

To encompass image and language,

Which allow vision and interaction.

We interact with each other,

And we interact with our environment.

This interaction is consciousness-

And our history is our unique self.

We are continually exposed to inputs,

Which modify our interactions,

And develop change and modification.

The basic self adapts and changes.

Consciousness evolves during our lifetimes,

But we are always who we are.

Mental patterns, conversation and image,

Are simply part of the conscious being.

Consciousness Endeavor

(Left and Right Claustrum)

We think, we interact, we dream.

All are acts of our consciousness.

Even when dreaming, we are processing

The activities of today and future actions.

The force of life resides within our mind.

It is within our ability to think and act.

We can plan for today or decades hence.

It is the conscious effort of our ability.

We endeavor, bind with others and mate.

We raise a family, build careers and organize.

Together, we build cathedrals, cities and empires.

The problems we solve are conscious efforts of man.

The strenght of mankind is his consciousness.

It opens the world to each of us in our time,

To think, to envision, to plan and create.

Consciousness allows mankind progress like no other on earth.

The Road To Manhood

No longer a boy and not yet a man,

A teenager is on the road to maturity.

Harmones surge through his brains limbic region:

Facial hair, height, weight and muscle develop.

This is the time of discovery and learning.

The opposite sex attracts him with enticements.

His ability to absorb and change are at their peak.

His communication links expand to correlate with interests.

The checks imposed by the pre-frontal cortex

Are not yet developed in his brain and caution gaps.

A teenager will experiment, take risks and test adults

As he seeks out the parameters of his manliness.

The gap between the surge in harmones in youth

And the imposition of controls and checks in the brain

Is lenghty, difficult and extremely significant.

This is the time to focus and direct his goals.

It is necessary for a boy to become a man.

It is necessary to prepare for his livelihood.

It is necessary to attract a female partner.

Boyhood sculps brain and body for endeavor as a man.

Note: Females develop faster in brain and body and perform rationally earlier. This advantage allows them a better window of opportunity in the mate selection process.

Memory
Neocortex

The sensory organs gather inputs
That feed information to the brain,
Where interpretation is encoded,
And moved into storage we call memory.

This all takes place routinely,
Each and every day we gather,
Each and every day we analyze,
Each and everyday we store.

The value of human memory is great.
It is the history of our past deeds.
It is the predictor of future actions.
This large memory bank is man's triumph.

Sleep
Hippo Campus

Each and every day, we tire,
And sleep envelops our system.
This is so in the animal realm,
Sleep is part of a daily cycle.

No one knows the reason for sleep,
Speculation is all that we have.
But while we sleep each night,
Our brain processes information.

Oftentime, we rerun daily events,
And modify in sleep those happenings.
In essence, the brains system
Are reviewing and storing.

When we wake up each morning,
Our brain has been modified.
The information of sleep
Is now part of our logic brain.

When someone says to you:
"I'll sleep on the problem."
They are in reality hoping
The problem will solve in sleep.

Sleep Balm

Sleep, the balm of daily life.

We all partake of nights respite

From the grind of daily endeavor.

We all need a good night's sleep.

In unconsciousness, we rebalance.

Our immune system revitalizes,

Our harmones reinvigorate,

Toxins are purged from the brain.

Sleeping organizes our memory;

The unneeded routines are erased,

The needed information is inplaced,

Emotional trauma is absorbed.

Without sleep, our systems falter;

Functions, harmones and memory impacted,

Our mood and attitude are depressed,

We become irritable, tired and reactive.

A tired individual is prone to error.

Decisions are snap reactions to annoyance:

"Get on with it, I've already decided!"

Better to sleep on it - refreshed, decide.

The refrain: "Get a good night's sleep."

Is a wish for your well being and health.

Turn off the TV, go to bed, sleep well!

Wake-up bright, rested, cheery and alert.

Pendulum In The Mind

(Nucleus Accumbus)

Life is full of troubles:

Problems to be solved,

People to deal with,

Emotions to control.

The counterbalance forces

Are laughter at ourselves,

Sleeping on the problem,

And hope, ever supreme.

To joke at our misfortune

Allows us to get on with it.

The experience of defeat

Is not a stumbling block to life.

Sleep, oh wonderful sleep,

Where the darkness of the brain

Alights while we rest,

With solutions aplenty.

Hope is the major force.

In the hope of change;

Religion, politics and gambling

All are endeavors of hope.

Process
Cerebrum

Knowledge and intellect help,
But we must be able to integrate,
And we must be able to process,
Before we make our decisions.

The process is the key to the brain.
It unlocks the inner workings,
And gives coherent organization,
The opportunity to format adaptation.

If you get the process in place,
Even errors become learning vehicles,
As process incorporates review -
And change in process is feasible.

Unipolar Mania

The upside without the downside:

Euphoria, excitement and creativity.

You are now on the edge of control.

Your peak ability is breaching control.

Your abilities are enhanced from within.

Thoughts, ideas and greatness are yours.

You know that you have increased ability.

Life is expanded; you're joyful and blessed.

It is wonderful and you feel great.

You are on a roll and you understand it.

The process is consuming and burning.

Your energy crashes: "You must restore.".

It is the old manic/depressive syndrome

Without the depression or the downside.

This is a malady that you want more of.

Now, you want to replicate unipolar manic.

Creative Mania

(manic energy, inspiration, creativity, etc.)

Unipolar mania is a malady that makes you happy.

This abnormalcy lights the path to peak performance:

That allows you to engineer a concept or more.

More can be a poem, a melody or a new design.

You know that you are on a roll and you want more.

You are only afraid it will burn out too quickly,

For when the flame subsides, you must rest.

You're not sure when or if the flame will reignite.

Such a manifestation of symtoms are creative mania.

It does not exist nor stand alone in medicine.

The manuals exclude this syndrome "not enough data".

View greatness in creativity referred to as a spark, a flash, or a roll.

Note: Creative Mania is not thought of as a malady. It is considered a flash of inspiration, a talent, a gift or a blessing. It can be a "happy time" to be replicated. Data shortfall is not compiled unless it manifests itself explosively and breeches normal protocol's.

Creativity
Cerebrum

It is a light unique to man,
To be able to develop-
The inner thoughts into ideas,
And move onward to achieve.

To void this spark of ideas,
Is to void the fire of life,
For with ideas, we progress:
We shine bright with creativity.

We create songs, dance and poetry.
We sculp marvels and paintings are forthcoming.
The arts offer us up beauty and joy.
Without beauty, we are lesser in our lives.

The flame in the mind's landscape,
Is the flame of tomorrows' fire.
Bring forth the inner energy.
Bring forth the ideas and gifts of mankind.

Fear
Amygdala

A paralyzing mind-numbing daze,
That makes you want to be sick,
And to run at the same time:
That is the thing we call fear.

Fear increases exponentially.
The closer you get to your fear,
The greater the fear impacts,
And the more fearful you are.

You cannot focus on anything,
Except the thing you fear.
Fear makes the mind perceptive.
You function at peak efficiency.

Fear anticipates a danger.
Fear can become terror in turn.
And too much fear is paralyzing -
Until panic captures your reactions.

Fear is the response to threat,
Which anticipates reactions.
Fear must be controlled,
Or it will control you.

Flight or Fight
Amygdala

When danger is present,
And we perceive the threat;
We must quickly decide,
To take flight or fight.

This is a survival mode,
Which is inherent to life.
In time not so far distant,
Animals looked at us as a meal.

We had to flee from some,
Or we had to fight them off.
Some were slow, and we were fast,
Others faster, so we had to fight.

Times have changed for many,
And we no longer fear,
That an animal will eat us,
But other dangers are present.

When we see a new danger:
Say a bully, or a snake in the grass,
The decision is still the same,
Do we run or do we fight?

The Science Of Bravery

All things can be approached with science.

This would include bravery.

It is not a given in everyone

It is not a normal reaction at all.

We have many clues to review.

The amygdala deep within the brains center

Will produce the andrenilin harmone

When we are fearful or attacked.

Andrenilin provokes a "fight or flight" response.

We will seek safety in flight as a rule,

But, if we need to protect someone or some thing:

We will fight to defend what is ours.

This process has been institutionalized in nations.

They have police to defend us from threats,

Border police to maintain secure legal entry,

And they have Armies to protect us from invaders.

Nations train their police, army, navy and air force.

These men and women are trained in bravery.

They are selected to protect us and our interests.

They are trained and rehearse bravery.

We all know of police training acadamies.

The military has its various academies and schooling.

We even train elite forces requiring extreme bravery,

Swat teams, Special Forces and Navy Seals.

This training mostly is given to volunteers.

They may have a calling or they may seek challenge.

This is a good group of trainees, mostly young.

We school them in various skill sets required.

But within this training is embedded fearlessness:

The ability to perform in stressful situations routinely.

The training incompases team work and bonding,

The ability to execute tasks as a cohesive unit.

These men and women, we acknowledge and respect.

We look to them for our safety and protection.

Daily, they perform their duties without fail.

We are astonded by their dedication and their bravery.

This is the first of three representations of bravery from poems previously presented.

Free Solo

(Alex Honnold - El Capitan Scaled)

The free solo scaling of El Capitan,

A 3,000 foot rock face in Yosemite

By Alex Honnold was a first feat.

He alone has succeeded in this endeavor.

It took him years of developement

And his planning and training were paramont.

One's innate fear didn't present itself

During the climb which was filmed for posterity.

Alex went up the rock face in under four hours.

It was a fast climb by anyone's standards.

His effort capitalized on his planning ability,

Nothing was missed nor left to chance.

There were five deadly barriers to success.

Each in turn, provided fatal threat to him.

He attacked each one in foot and hand sequence

Until he could perform them without failure.

Only a few minutes to cross each risk point.

Each hand hold and toe hold was preplanned.

Each stretch and potential fatal leap rehearsed.

He crossed those five death points without error.

He had rehearsed and memorized his sequences.

He had climbed them in practice with safety ropes.

All his efforts were filmed and they were reviewed.

Five death crossing reduced to the essence of achievement.

Note: "Free Solo"

2019 best documentary film: "Oscar" winner.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF BRAVERY, IN WAR, WHERE TRAINING AND FOCUS OVERRIDE FEAR

EXCERPT: We made several passes on enemy guns. Bullets streamed past our cockpits as the NVA gunners tried to bring us down. Rolling in on a .51 position is always dicey. Tracers came at you and miss by a few feet. You try to get rockets onto him before he gets lucky and blasts you out of the sky. We took small arms hits. ....but I focused on controlling the helicopter, lining up the gunsights and shooting. I was scared but had no time for it.

Through The Valley, by William Reeder Jr.

Available on Amazon

Dance Of Death

(Panther 36 - Bill Reeder)

(Panther 13 - Dan Jones)

Silver Star Medal

"Panther Lead, this is Dusty Cyanide."

"Dusty Cyanide, this is Panther Lead."

"I have multiple targets for you,

All fifty-one caliber machine guns."

Panther Lead was given locations,

Advised that the guns were all hot,

And that the gunners were eager.

He flew off into the sun, to set-up.

I watched him come out of the sun.

He was targeting the high gun first.

He flew straight into the gun,

Blazing away with his mini-gun.

From the hill top, the gun opened fire.

The green and red tracers crossing,

Then the Cobra fired his rockets,

The gunner and gun vanished in the explosion.

Four times I watched this performance.

It was a dance of death between gunners.

The North Vietnamese lost this fight,

Four gun crews destroyed, four guns taken out.

"Dusty Cyanide, this is Panther Lead.

Be advised, running low on fuel,

And I'm bingo on ordnance.

Enjoyed the hunt, do call on us again."

The Badge of Courage

(Covid-19 Pandemic)

Dr. Natasha Cowen

You! Yes! You are a hero!

As a young medical student

You were summoned to the battle

To fight Covid-19, a killer pandemic.

Victims of the virus came to you.

They could not breath, death threatened.

You made triage calls to save some,

Others were too far gone to be saved.

It was horror as you never imagined.

It was fear each and every day.

It was working until you were exhausted.

It was crashing in a bed wiped out.

But, each and every day, you did your job.

An about-to-be-doctor, doctoring,

Doing all possible to save everyone.

Welcome! To the ward of medical angels!

You did your duty! You saved lives!

Learning your profession on the front line!

Finally! It was over! Back to school!

You had earned your "Badge of Courage".

NOTE: More than 3.600 medical personnel died in the battle against COVID-19, the ultimate sacrifice was rendered by these heroes.

Neatherthal Genes Within

(278,000 - 28,000 years ago)

Seventy million years ago across Europe,

Neatherthal Man roamed the icy landscape.

He had survived for two hundred million years.

He had adapted to his harsh environment.

Homo Sapiens arrived about that time,

Migrating in large numbers from Africa to Europe:

Two different species from the same tree of life.

It has been verified by DNA that we interbreeded.

Neatherthal genes implanted and retained by us

Were relative to our immune system defenses.

His contribution to our genes provided us immunities

Without which we could easily have died off.

Neatherthal had the capability of language,

Evidence of a vocal ability has been verified.

His hunting skills were coordinated and advanced.

He was bigger and stronger than Homo Sapiens.

The genes he implanted and we needed to retain

Were critical for survival in the European bio-system.

Homo Sapiens not only could survive, but thrived

And within forty million years surplanted Neatherthal.

The myth that Neatherthal Man was a dumb brute,

It is a myth built on discover of arthritic bones,

Thus the stooped posture and brutish projection.

.Neatherthal Man's genes survive today within our DNA.

The dismiss of Neatherthal Man we can surmise.

Struggle for food caused conflict between the two.

There was not enough and the alpha predator prevailed.

The record stops for Neatherthal in a cave in Spain.

Panic Understood

(Amygdala)

We have all panicked at one time.

We have all lost that sense of control,

Whatever triggered the event, it panicked us.

This is a normal primitive survival reaction.

It could be an examination or a test,

Or we may be called upon to give a speech.

Our prefrontal cortex shuts down our norm,

We panic: fight or flight or freeze arrive.

How does one deal with this real panic?

Stop, pause, breath, relax and think:

"I am losing control of the situation,

My most basic instincts are dominant."

An examination or public speaking

Are not equivalent to a tiger in the bush.

You are not in danger, your brain tricked you.

Relax, breath, gain control - do not panic.

Now you are in control, you are normal.

Sounds simple, it is simple when understood.

Your brain is designed foremost for survival,

It will react to a threat instinctively.

Fear Overcome

(Amygdala)

Fear is a motivating force

In the brain of man,

When our logic dictates,

This is too dangerous.

Most heed the warning:

The internal alarm,

They back out of danger,

Fearful of the endeavor.

There are a few of us

Who will flirt with danger,

Testing the edge of the blade,

Enjoying danger's moment.

This dance of glory and death,

With only one prevailing,

Is the edge of life,

Where fear is overcome.

Don't Panic

(Amydgala)

Panic is a normal reaction to fear.

Our fear is a product of not knowing.

The unknown frightens all of us.

The "boggey man" is a bad person.

The person who handles stress best

Is the one who is most prepared.

He or she must be highly alert,

Trained in the aspects of stress control.

It is another form of problem solving

While being subjugated to stress

I'm talking about unknown events:

In military combat, a cockpit or sports.

Selection and training plus stamina

All help you control the "bad" situation.

Maintain control, don't ever lose control.

Think it out, work the problem to solution.

Focus and preparation are ingredients

That allow one to never lose control of oneself.

Be prepared, be ready, expect the unexpected.

Surprises are inherent, "don't panic" ever.

Neuroplasticity
Cerebrum

The brain is the best tool we have.
It controls our every action,
And plans our future moves,
In all the phases of our life.

Much like sand on a beach,
The brain retains our footprints,
The skills that we have learned,
The actions that we have taken.

The brain even retains the thoughts
That we have used in our plans,
And inputs from the outside world.
The brain is sculpted into one's "self".

The dogma of a brain in adulthood:
Fixed in form and in function -
It is not the way it is at all.
The brain can rewire and rezone.

It is neuroplasticity at its best,
Even thinking can change format.
The mind can change the brain.
The power of the brain is within us.

Neuroimaging
Cerebrum

The brain is our learning tool.
Each and every brain is optimized,
Even the timing is programmed.
The brain is structured to develop.

The brain utilizes mirror neurons,
Which simplify our learning process,
By copying facial expressions,
Language, empathy and social behavior.

These mirror neurons are the mechanism
That the brain utilizes to mimic.
Thus, we can learn the knowledge -
That has accumulated to our kind.

An organism with two percent of mass,
Consumes more than twenty percent of energy,
That is the brain's statistical impact.
The brain dominates our abilities.

In order to optimize energy usage,
The brain has windows of opportunity,
Where it is structured to mimic,
Each phase of knowledge that we need.

Process Relations
Cerebrum

It is really quite simple.
The mind is your tool to use.
It is formated through the ages
And it is designed to function.

You must endeavor to harness
The power of the brain within.
The needs, the wants, the logic,
All to be harmonized in the process.

Each and everyone of us,
Endeavors to understand others.
We need to project their needs.
We need to understand motives.

This understanding of others
Is the key to "process relations".
The development of a strategy
Whereby agreement "to agree" is reached.

You are the possessor of your brain.
You should endeavor to exploit intellect.
This endeavor is a life long process:
Shaping our interactions with our world.

We Begin With DNA

There are three generations of self.

The self which is the genetic mix

Of both your biological parents

And the self which comes from forebears.

These two dispositions plus your own.

This is the self you have as yourself,

Which adapts and developes to be you,

Which accumulates knowledge and experience.

This self can be alert and adapt,

Or it can be slow and unadaptable.

Each of us is a unique norm in time.

The norm changes as we change.

We pass our seed to a new generation.

Improvements in the gene pool are ongoing.

Those that do not improve are inferior,

Those with improvements are the pathfinders.

The gamble is always on the blending:

One male, one female, how to match?

This dilemma is solved by each individual.

No comprehensive combine is yet to be foolproof.

Making an Egg

The human egg has 23 chromosomes.

These are the helix of life in our time.

The 23d chromosome determines sexuality.

The baby will be male or female.

Change in our species has been dramatic,

From "Lucy" to our current worldly woman,

That is compared to other species.

The rapid paced change is key to human success.

The egg of life resides in the woman.

The changes in this egg have been monumental.

In chromosome 23, the males "Y" contribution

Is 78 genes, whereas the females is 1098.

Mythelation is the suppression of a gene,

The choice is thought to be random

As to male or female suppression,

Thereby giving males an equal contribution.

That may be true with the female "XX" chromosome.

It definetely lacks substance with the "XY" male.

"XX" equals 1098(F) plus 1098(m) will net 1098 final.

"XY" 1098(f) plus 78(m) with 78(f) suppressed, net 1098 final.

The "XY" male is created from 1098 genes

Which the female has amplified in strenght

And 78 first choice male genes implanted.

Faulty male genes are replaced by female genes.

Recombination can take place in the helix,

Primarily in the chromosome 1-22 structure.

The genes combined can amplify

Or be transferred to chromosome 23.

This methodology within the RNA

Is key to human developement.

It can also provoke sexual antagonism,

Whereby male and female genes counteract.

The egg of life creates a strong aggressive male

Designed to procreate, provide and protect.

He expands muscle mass and also dominates:

Gaining rule, authority and subjugation of females.

History dictates reality, science provides proof.

The obvious is females create and modify the species.

Males unable to counter adapt, resort to force.

So, the story of humans unfolds, designed in the egg.

Hierarchy of Design

(Design Skillset c23)

We know women design and own the egg.

We know the design has changed over millenniums.

We know species survival is imperative.

The unknown is how do women change the design?

When women are ready to procreate.

They modify the DNA code timed for ovalation,

Within the brains Ribonucleic acid structure(RNA),

The new modified code is reinserted into unfertilized egg.

This procedure is repeated as necessary

Until such time woman has been implanted.

She now has a modified DNA code in her egg

That will modify embryo developement.

This skillset is not clearly understood,

It requires an ability to manipulate

And to rewrite the code of the chromosome package.

Only a woman has the ability to determine life form.

In essence, women can rewrite the code of life.

They can mate select for copulation and implant.

Some will be ruthless in selecting a mate to procreate.

Males copulate, seed and provide support.

The selection process for both may not be the same.

Women want and pursue a superior prodigy.

An implanter and a provider need not correlate.

Enjoy the baby she gives you, it is her best effort.

Real Mutations
(RNA)

The brain is not predestined.
It is ever alert and changing.
It processes information,
And builds on its environment.

The brain is in process of change.
It is altered by circumstance.
It is altered by learning.
It is altered by social inputs.

The very nature of one's self,
Is altered by the path we travel,
The idea's that we venture into.
The "self" is a unique individual.

The brain is the ultimate tool -
That we possess to form adaptation.
By adapting and altering processes,
We impose real mutations in the brain.

Libido
(Insula and Ventral Tegmental Area)

The hormones surge forth within:
The imperative nature of lust,
The intensity is overriding,
Only intercourse fulfills the need.

This is the truth of nature:
Each and everyone feels the urge,
The hormones rule the body,
The mind is turned toward sex.

Testosterons controls the male.
Estriol dominates the female.
Don't explain "wait" and "later"!
It is now that needs release.

Designed Mating

(Desriptio Cerebrum)

A females brain is linked earlier

Than the brain of a male, significantly so.

At eighteen, a woman's network is complete,

All of her linkage is in place, funtionally ready.

A male achieves that state of readiness,

Full funtional linkage at twenty-four.

This is an extraordinary difference.

It is so designed to benefit the selection process.

This six year gap to full brain functionality

Allows women to observe and select a mate.

The weak, the faulty, the unproductive

Are passed over for a better, more reliable mate.

Far fetched, arguably, but still logical.

A six year designed delay gives males time

To strenghten, develop and mature,

All requirements in displaying for a mate.

A female produces prodigy earlier

Than her mate can provide for family.

This biological lag is designed for peakness,

Both will be matched to provide for off-spring.

It Is Called Love

(The Implanter)

A male in his early adulthood

Is a man loaded with testosterene.

He is more aggressive and combative

Than at any time in his lifespan.

The male must demonstrate his powess

To a female who will accept him to mate.

Without a mate, the male is evolutionaryly voided:

No mate, no children, no immortality.

Men of old would combat till death

In order to become the implanter.

Women acknowledged the victor in turn,

Here is a man of strenght with the victory.

Society has developed, the endeavor evolves.

Women seek strong, smart, aggressive mates.

Males must demonstrate prowess to mate;

In education, sports, business or war.

Killing a competiter is no longer civilized.

However, a handsome, intelligent and wealthy male

Is a desirable match for most females.

A prodigy produced in sexual harmony is the reward.

The Love Factory

(Ventral Tegmental - Nucleus Accumbens - Caudate Nuclei)

To meet, to get to know another,
And to begin the path to love.
It is normal in our species,
And necessary for our species.

The loving relationship begun with a kiss,
Can in due course lead to ecstasy.
Within the brain, dopamine rewards,
Creates cravings and passionate coupling.

As love developes and matures,
The brain is flooded with love's chemicals.
The dopamine activates "feel good" serotonin,
And finally the imprint binding chemical oxytocin.

The memory of love is indelibly inscribed
Within the brains repetitive habits knoll,
And early love gels into enduring commitment:
The essence of relations and child rearing.

This thing we call love is extroadinary.
It entices, rewards and binds us.
It takes place within our brains,
And is the super-glue of shared pairing.

Madly In Love

(Caudate Nuecleus and Ventral Tegmental)

It is a magical time in romance.

Your partner is perfection in all respects.

You harbor intense feelings of attraction,

When together, ecstasy is your reward.

You idealize your partner as unique,

Meant to be yours and only yours.

Passionate love arouses emotional feelings,

Which culminate in intense sexuality.

This is intense pleasure as never before.

Your being is rewarded with pleasure hormones .

These hormones are foundation for additive love,

A love worthy of any sacrifice necessary.

With feelings of euphoria when together,

All seems possible, love motivates.

A love partner will promote your efforts:

Your achievements and productivity increase.

This madness called love is most powerful.

Men will demonstrate their powess to attract.

Women will give of themselves as never before.

Alas! A love of this intensity seldom lasts.

It is too much for man and woman alike.

The flame of love consumes its lovers.

The fire faulters, it subsides to embers,

Relationships adjust or end; love madness ends.

Lottery Jackpot

One point six billion dollars,

That is the prize for winning.

A ticket costs two dollars.

I'll buy five tickets, increasing my odds.

So, for two dollars, I can win a billion.

This is really exciting, I'm hyper.

I'll have to think about spending it.

This is going to be tough to manage.

At night, I'm dreaming of all that money.

I'm happy now that I have my ticket.

This is more exciting than the stock market.

I'm "feeling good" and high with anticipation.

The pleasure of possibilities is present:

The good I'll be able to do for others,

The pleasures I will partake myself,

All these blessings are potentially mine.

The numbers are published for all to see.

I needed to match all the numbers listed.

I didn't win this time, but it was fun.

I had three days of euphoria and dreams.

The New Brain

What do you mean, you are lost?

I'll turn on my GPS and locate,

You'll know within fifty yards

Where we are located right now.

You keep saying, you don't know.

My friend, goggle the question on-line.

You'll get hundreds of answers,

You just have to pick the one you like.

You cannot meet a girl you like.

You are really ignorant of life.

There are dating sites galore

With beautiful women all wanting you.

A flight, a vacation, a rental car,

All available on-line with one click.

You can get it all in one stop shopping.

Book it cheap, book it fast, book it now.

Whatever you want, whatever you need,

It is there for you on the internet:

Schooling, medical advice and financial advice.

Forget your brain, throw it away; goggle!

The Inner Universe

(Three Dimensions)

Scientists have opened a mystery within,

A window into the last unknown of man:

The inner workings of the brains circuitry,

Previously hidden behind gray fatty tissue.

Researchers have injected antibodies, targeting proteans,

The process allowed a three dimension viewing of all

The brains neurons, axons, dendrites and synapses.

This new universe within is now open to discovery.

All the brains interior, branches and connectivity

Will be studied, analyzed and defined with clarity.

The view will allow normal relative to abnormal,

Great brains relative to damaged or faulty brains.

The workings of the brain will unravel in time:

The very connections of life form and survival,

Of intellect and mankind's ability to achieve,

Of processes involved in our evolution.

The last frontier of human anatomy is on the horizon

As dawn begins within the dark recesses of the brain.

This "brain universe" will yield new discoveries

And illuminate the mind of man as never before.

Brain Reading 101

Looking into another's brain,

It is not as difficult as you think.

In reality, there are only seven choices.

One can guess which one's are in use.

Is it want or now, or both?

Is it fair or is it unfair?

Is he going to fight or flight?

Will he use judgement or logic?

Let us not forget trial and error,

The original brain learning system.

It is still in play today as we try,

First one method, and then another.

A checklist will do just fine.

You can watch a brain click thru,

As it flitters from fair/unfair

To fight or maybe better flight.

The choices are limited and few.

It is one or another or a combine.

You can see if he wants it now,

Or will apply logic to problem solve.

This process is quiet simple.

We all apply it in one form or another.

We try to read another's mind play,

Thus we can be ahead of the curve.

ADDENDUM

Latin/English discriptive

Straitum/WANTS

Limbic System/NOW

Anterior Insular/FAIR-UNFAIR

Nucleus Accumbens/TRIAL and ERROR

Amygdala/FIGHT or FLIGHT

Anterior Circulate/JUDGEMENT/ARBITRATE

Prefrontal Cortex/LOGIC

Test Drive with your next conversation.

You will be surprised at the results.

You'll know if he is attentive,

Or have you lost his or her interest.

This skillset has many benefits.

Users can hone speaking skills,

Avoid conflict, close sales successfully,

And improve engagement with their audience.

NOT ALL BRAINS ARE THE SAME

SOME ARE IMPACTED BY GENE MALFUNCTIONS, TRAUMA AND AGEING

PHYCOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING

SYMPTOMS DISCRIPTIONS PROFILES

Depression

A black cloud of dispair and hopelessness

Expresses within the brain when depression presents.

It can be totally disabling and dispair rules.

Nothing is important, except escape from this malady.

A young neighbor of mine returned home from college.

He told his Mom that he was depressed with everything.

In his room, he set his wallet and cell phone down.

Next, he walked to the beach and walked into the Ocean.

No message, no note, no clue as to his whereabouts.

Two weeks, in a panic, the family searched for him.

In time, his body washed up near the rocky cliffs.

He was retrieved from the water and his family mourned his loss.

Only those who are depressed can understand the pain

Of this terrible malady, this killer of spirit and will.

One in five victims of depression commit suicide.

The families left behind are crushed and remorseful.

Now hope arrives in the form of a spray or infusion.

The drug ketamine, a favorite of club goers: "Special K", is legal.

The drug in spray and infusion is approved and is being dispensed.

A Doctor will administer, it acts quickly and will provide relief (in most cases).

"Sprayvato" esketamine restores nerve cell connections

Which when inhibited are the predominant cause of depression.

With linkage restored, "the black cloud" is lifted from the brain.

Life, with its many problems, is worthwhile - normalcy is within reach.

Trigger For Anxiety Disorder

Parenting is an endeavor

To do the best for your child.

It requires a gift of balance

Between loving care and tough love.

A parent must teach and lead

A young trusting child forward:

To learn self discipline, caring

And the ability to be adaptable.

Should a parent scold, creating trauma,

The internal anxiety of youth,

Or does one encourage and assist,

Offering support and guidance?

This decision is inherent in parenting;

To encourage or to scold a child?

At an early age, as children develope,

Encouragement promotes a childs endeavor.

To scold, to berate, to belittle effort

Developes a child's anxiety traits.

This will inhibit a childs developement,

Impacting future effort and relations.

The end result of negative inputs

Is a child unsure of a parents love.

Parents believing "tough love" is best

May void a loving caring trusting relationship.

Panic Attacks
Nucleus Accumbens

It is not logical,
But the panic is real,
And I fear the threat,
No matter its source.

These attacks are real;
People do fear the terror,
Whether heights or driving,
A "panic attack" prevails.

These are unique to some.
The rest do not understand
Why we are so panicked,
With terror our companion.

We know that these attacks,
Will subside in time,
But we loose control,
And we fear this greatly.

In time a cure will present.
With logic prevailing,
Or perhaps slow emersion,
To void a sudden "panic".

Remember Me
(Alzheimer's)

You are who you always were,
Except you no longer remember.
You have lost the history of life.
You have lost the treasures of the past.

I talk to you and you look back
With a friendly smile on your face,
You know my voice is comforting -
You just don't know who I am.

The life you have lived has disappeared.
The archives of your brain have been erased.
Now, you linger in time without knowing,
All that you are or that you have been.

Post Traumatic Stress
Amygdala

Only a small number are serving.
Only a small number are fighting.
These men of the Armed Forces
Bear the burden of war on terror

The rest of us are not touched.
We enjoy our prosperity,
And our summer in the sun
With ballgames and hotdogs.

But, the fighting men are targets.
They fight, and they fear death.
But most fear the horrific explosions
That can dismember and cripple.

The citizens salute and applaud
The men and women who serve.
They sing the phases of gratitude.
They wave flags when appropriate.

Even when the fighting men return,
And the women who also now serve,
The war is not over for them:
They have memories of death and terror.

Psychosomatic Disorder

A manifectation of a physical malady

Can be something other than a physical problem.

It can be a phycological problem screaming from within:

It hurts, it's numb, I'm not able to walk or stand!

There must be something wrong with my physical ability.

My nerves must be damaged, maybe I am deseased.

All the tests are administered, the results negative.

There is nothing wrong with my nerves or my muscles.

"You feel the pain, you are unable to walk, it is real.

We have eliminated all possibilities except for one.

You may have a psychosomatic disorder, it may be in your brain.

It is devising these real disabilities for a reason unknown."

"You need to seek that reason with the help of a phychiatrist.

Together, you can make this journey of discovery and cure.

Just to understand why your mind signals falsely

Is a path away from the roadblocks erected within."

Note: The causes of psychosomatic disorder can span the bridge from loneliness, to a unhappy relationship, a job you don't like, anything you find unwelcome or unbearable. Your brain can program a false disability(as in a software glitch), but you will believe it to be real and it is real until you recognise and address it. No stigma need be attached, a solution is necessary.

The Dark Valley

(Post Tramatic Stress Syndrome)

A soldier, sailor, or airman returns

From fighting the wars in a far off land.

He is still tramatized by memories

Of death, destruction and fear.

We cannot visualize the dreams.

We cannot visualize the memories.

We cannot visualize the explosions,

As they all take place within his psyche.

This is post tramatic stress disorder.

The phychological scars of the warrior,

Returning from battle and warfare,

To a normal civilized life at home.

He or she may suffer depression.

They may suffer anger and loneliness.

They may suffer survivor syndrome.

More than half have symptoms.

With compassion, time and understanding,

Most return from the dark valley.

But, the memories still reside within.

Let them tell their stories, and listen.

It takes time for the warrior to adjust.

One day in combat and fearful of death,

The next day he is expected to be normal.

The transition takes time, he will adjust.

Brain Stress

What you and I believe to be normal

Can at times be overwhelming to them:

The casualties of post tramatic stress disorder

Caused by excessive combat fatigue.

These casualties of war need treatment,

But many do not know how to ask for it.

They only know that something is wrong.

They are no longer the person they were.

There are drugs being developed

That will impact the brains linkages

And suppress the dark phycological valley,

But they also suppress one's motivation.

Alternatives can help lift one above

The long term impact of combat stress.

Improvement is the consistant goal.

A combination of procedures works best.

Exercise is easiest to implement;

A regiment of training to improve oneself.

The physical improvements morphs to phycological.

The being in total can be improved with exercise.

The arts can be beneficial in orientating

On something that can express oneself.

It can be poetry, photography or music,

Involving your mind in new endeavors works.

The need is to refocus on something

Of interest that you enjoy, deminishing negatives.

This combination of exercise and hobby

Will impose new linkage to the over stressed brain.

With time, the inner brain will heal.

The stresses and memories of combat will fade.

You will restructure your inner workings.

You will be whole and in control once again.

Foot Prints In The Sand

(Stories, History and Legends)

The stories we tell

Are a part of our physic.

They are links to the past,

A record of ourselves.

These stories are inherent

In our learning process.

They amplify the past.

They are a sharing of trauma.

Trail and error prevail

In the recessions of the brain.

To learn from one's experience

Is the normal learning process.

A shared story is real;

About the trials we've endured,

About the danger imposed,

About the lessons learned.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

We are compelled by the inner self

To complete tasks and rituals

Over and over, again and again.

Logic does not interfere with obsessions.

We are subject to anxiety and fear.

Others find it difficult to understand.

These rituals are paramount to our being.

The compulsion must be executed in detail.

Others can voice their disapproval.

They can present logic and demonstrate,

But this is irelavant to our survival.

This is our insurance against tragedy.

Cures for this disorder are available;

The exposure and responce program,

Pharmasodicals that inhibit the brain.

But, we must cooperate with the therapy.

It is not always a viable choice.

Fear and anxiety control us.

It is real, we are safe in our world.

We may not want to chance therapy.

Narcissist

A different kind of love

Is what we see in a narcissist.

It is love of self as primary

Combined with self aggrandizing.

The first impression is favorable,

It is a combination of charm

And a favorable presentation.

One is easily smitten with them.

But in time, the booster emerges,

Overestimating abilities and skills.

The initial good impression changes

As we identify the inner personality.

A love of self does not compromise,

It is focused and determined to sprout.

The conflict in relations is identified

And a lasting friendship is compromised.

All is not negative with a narcissist.

A first impression will impress many,

Triumph may be short lived but beneficial.

A salesman does not require long relations.

Paranoid

I am fearful of what others think.

Do they think I am friendly,

Or perhaps they see me as overweight?

Why don't they interact with me?

This is my delima, I'm not sure.

But, it frightens me to think about it.

I want to escape, I want to hide.

I'm depressed by their ambiguity.

I hear the news every day on T.V.

It is wrought with horrible events.

I'll never forget the twin towers crumbling

And those oil covered pelicans from the Gulf.

The images of mayhem and disaster;

So many wars and now climate change.

I'm not sure I can escape from terror.

It frightens me to turn on the T.V.

I'll disconnect, I'll escape from all.

I'll live alone in a far off safe place.

I'm afraid I will always be fearful.

I cannot live a life of fear, I'll escape.

Addictions
Anterior Insula

Each and every day,
I have a compulsion:
To do this or to do that -
Each day it must be done.

I am so addicted,
To seek and to perform,
To indulge and to pleasure;
To be rewarded in turn.

The substance that I need:
It may be alcohol,
Or it may be a drug,
Or the adrenalin of risk.

These addictions are real.
They are a need beyond normal.
Thay can destroy you -
Over time or quickly.

Dancing With The Devil

I don't feel right.

My head is unstable.

Anxiety is ever present.

I need relief. Now!

I'll pop a pain killer.

I'll smoke a big joint.

I'll drink a little booze.

I'll shoot-up to relax.

It doesn't really matter why:

Boredom, or self loathing,

A break-up with a love partner,

Or a boss leaning too hard on you.

You need relief from life's trauma.

You need to feel comfortable in your skin.

You need to leave fear and panic behind.

You need to balance the unfairness of all.

I can feel the calm returning.

I am no longer afraid of life.

My inhibitions are all gone.

Life is sweet and I am magnificent.

The cost is horrific to all.

My family and friends cheated.

I steal to support my addition.

My "God": a needle with herion.

I deserve a chance at life,

No more grappling with addiction.

I don't want to wrestle with the Devil,

I'll stop cold turkey, clean and sober.

Addiction Battle
Nucleus Accumbens

Alcohol holds many in its grasp,
As do drugs and tobacco.
Some are addicted to food, others sex,
The list of addictions is extensive.

It premeates your life force.
It is a craving that you must have.
The pleasure of addiction encroaches.
Negative social pressure is voided.

Once addicted to any addiction,
You remain exposed to relapse.
Triggers can be smell or associations,
The craving cries out for the addiction.

To void an addiction forever,
Is a "forever" struggle within,
Against the external temptation.
Absolute control is the only purge.

You should not expect it to be easy.
It will never be easy for the addicted.
A struggle with self is required.
Only the strong will win this battle.

Spiraling Darkness

(Borderline Personalilty Disorder)

The three wise monkeys,

We've all seen the replica;

See no evil, hear no evil,

Do no evil - age old wisdom.

I know one who is the opposite.

She views the world as a threat.

She hears the news and spins venom.

She reactes with a punishing thesis.

Her views and actions are disturbed.

She knows not of her dark instincts.

The world is as she views it in fear.

The world is engulfing her in darkness.

Self Centered Brain
(Borderline Personality Disorders)

I live my life day to day.
If I want something now,
I go after it right now.
That is the way that it is.

People need to understand me.
I will love a man with passion,
But, he better not cross me,
For I can get very mad.

When something goes wrong,
I tend to become moody or angry.
Sometimes I self medicate;
A drink or two, perhaps a hit.

I cannot understand people.
One moment they love me,
The next moment they avoid me.
This is my great frustration.

I ask: "What is wrong with them?"

Psychotic Lament
Anterior Cingulate

It is not what you see,
It is not what you hear,
It is not your beliefs,
It is the demons within.

They reside in my psyche,
They roam the great expanse,
Of all within the landscape;
The vast landscape of the mind.

The voices I hear are from me.
The thoughts I think are mine.
They belong to the inner psyche;
They are the demons of the mind.

Fear not the dragons and vampires,
Fear not the economic failures,
Fear not the Army of a Dictator,
But fear thee; my inner demons.

They rant and they rave within,
They implore and demand.
There is no leash to check them,
No one but me, knows the demons.

Schizophrenia

In literature, it is called "madness".

Ancient discriptions discribed "bizarre behavior",

Lack of self control, filth and nudity

Thought to be brought on by the Devil.

We now discribe the malady as "schizoprhenia",

Often thought of as a "splite mind" within.

This refers to the person being reasonably normal,

Then changing to paranoid, hullucinating and fragmented.

The impact on relations is simply devastating.

The afflicted swing back and forth in a world

That only they can identify and understand.

They fault all of those around them with venom.

Characterized with a disconnect from reality,

Social relations are not possible with a "Schizophrenic".

The tools of everyday living are no longer in place,

Disorganized, often dirty, they spiral into an abcess.

The cures for this mental disease still elude us.

The actual discription for this malady keep changing.

The prognosis; no cure, continued deterioration.

The Schizophrenic sufferer does not acknowledge his illness.

Mental Illness

Half of all Americans will be afflicted,

Most will go untreated or worse.

Over nineteen million are currently ill.

Mental illness is a serious problem.

The insurance industry tries to avoid

The costs of treating so many sufferers.

The medical system is overwhelmed

And does not have the capacity to treat.

It could be depression, anxiety disorder,

Or another less common mental health ailment.

The pharmaceutical companies provide pills

That can help stabilize the issues of patients.

This issue impacts lives, friends and family.

This issue is costly to productivity and wellness.

This issue impacts at one time or another

Almost every single family in America.

All of us need to be more alert to this issue.

This is an issue that is hidden by many of us,

Because we attach a stigma to mental health issues.

Waiting for a suicide in your family is not smart.

Struggle for Life
(Corpus)

As we age and life extends,
We rely more and more on medicine.
Whereas sixty plus was a life span,
Now, we think eighty is right.

This life extension is a new norm.
It is due to modern medicine,
And all the treatments available
To give us a longer healthier life.

Somewhere on the path we call life,
We must face the decision to fight,
Or do we just let nature take us.
Most choose to battle life's termination.

The battles are internal with drugs,
And with treatments and procecures.
The enemy is our own failing system,
Oftentimes, attacked by foreign intruders.

Like any other struggle that we've faced,
We must analyze the threat within,
Develope a counter-attack plan,
And pursue the victory, which is life.

Minority Libido

Only a few genes reconfigured,
And one's sexual orientation,
It is changed toward the same sex.
Your DNA controls your choice.

This attraction is the normal,
It oftentimes comes with censor,
By those orientated as they are,
Toward the opposite sex.

You are who you now are,
You cannot change your genes,
Those that condemn do not know;
That nature is creativily diverse.

Homosexuals are different.
They are not the same as everyone,
But, their difference is their normal -
For the genes dictate sexual choice.

Asperger Syndrome

The nerd in your class may have Asperger,

A mild form of high functioning autism

Defined by inept social skills caused by

The inability to maintain eye contact.

He or she is clueless without the eye signals.

Their interests appear self-centered,

But in reality, it is all they can relate to:

No signals, no other focus, internalized.

An "Aspie" generally has a high I.Q.

They have an ability to "focus" on a subject.

They master their subject like no one else.

"Focus is their most salient credential".

The Diagnostic Symtoms Manual 4

Listed Asperger Syndrome as a malady.

In DSM 5, it will not be listed at all.

This decision in not without controversity.

Many luminaries are thought to be Aspie's.

Bill Gates is but one of dozens of techies

Considered to have this malady; really.

Wolfgang Mozart was very much an Aspie.

One might even suspect a search is on

For the genes that define Asperger.

This former malady has a high propensity

To produce more than its share of billionaires.

Think of Asperger as the gene of progress.

The individual with this malady can learn

To hug, kiss and "look you in the eye".

Can you learn their keen ability to focus?

Addendum:

"Do we really want Bill Gates

To be diagnosed as abnormal,

People will question our symtoms."

"Drop it, we are not that stupid."

The Emotion In A Face
(Insula)

The basic emotions are expressed
In the faces that we see.

We can see a happy face smiling,
And we want to smile in turn.

When we see an angry face,
We try to avoid it or not respond.

A face that shows fear or fright,
We want to know what is there to fear.

When we see sadness in a face,
We are sympathetic and want to help.

A look of surprise is oftentimes,
Something we delight in causing.

Whereas a look showing disgust,
Arouses curiousity as to the cause.

The faces we show and also see,
Are the clues of social exchange.

These clues are universal in scope,
And they span cultures and language.

Facial expressions came before language.
They provide knowledge without speech.

The Center of Expression
Anterior Cingulate

It all begins in the mind;
The inner sanctum of ourselves,
Where memory and dreams reside,
Where discovery is one thought away.

The images are conjectured
Into the mind's inner eye,
And we play out roles in time,
We discover expressions of ourselves.

The mind is a pool of ideas.
It is the tool that we all utilize.
It allows us to wander in time.
It allows us to stop and reflect.

Be it science, art, or poetry,
It is first seen in the mind's eye.
Each of us is unique in our progress,
For we are all different.

Take it upon yourself to express
The thoughts you process within.
You are the center of your universe,
All else is in your orbit.

A Muse Trilogy

Key To The Muse

(Brain Games)

The young woman was intelligent.

I saw something different in her,

A spark of life not common in others.

She was a beauty with ability.

We chatted and a project began,

Something significant in her field.

I applied my skillset and helped.

She thought of me as her mentor.

The age gap was enormous.

I was more than twice her age.

She had a wonderful marriage.

No romance in this relationship.

She was my muse in reality.

Her youth, spirit and inspiration

All played a role in my excitement.

I was motivated by her being.

This was an interesting relationship.

I was her mentor. She my prodigy.

She was my muse and inspiration.

It worked for her. It worked for me.

The Web Of A Muse

A muse must excite and attract.

She must be an inspiration to you,

A young beauty as guiding spirit,

The force behind creative drive.

What can it be that excites me so?

A young beauty will always attract.

It is nature's force of evolution.

You are within the orbit of desire.

This can be tragic and delightful.

It can be the dream of youthful vigor.

It can be a tragic divorce regretted.

Men are victims and participants.

The ability of women to excite men,

The ability of women to offer more,

The ability of woman to spin her web,

Creates a man victimized by self.

How often? What was he thinking?

John Edwards, Bill Clinton, JFK,

All brilliant accomplished men, with wives,

At the height of fame, caught in a web.

The Muse Is Real

Man's inherent motivation is sex

For intercourse produces a prodigy.

The ingrained drive is for survival.

Reproduction is essential for mankind.

Man is always searching for a mate.

He looks, he evaluates, he pursues.

His ultimate goal is to mate.

He will seek out a healthy fertile female.

An innocent contact and relationship

Can change in a moment to sexual joy.

This man attracted, the woman gifting,

Both motivated by life's inner drive.

A male enraptured with a loving female,

She may indeed be his muse in reality,

Someone to give him motivation henceforth,

Someone to drive him beyond his norm.

This spark of life is an exciting time.

It may morph into a life long bind,

Or it may flame out in distraction.

Binding with a muse is a natural endeavor.

The Brain - The Most Valuable Tool

The Transition

Each year, there was less and less rain,

Climate change was imposed on the jungle,

The trees died and toppled into ruin.

The fruit which provided substance failed.

Homo erectus came into being to survive.

Apeman had resided in the trees with his food supply.

Now, to find norishment, he needed to travel

Between the open land and the remaining trees.

Apeman became a biped and walked upright.

As he stood upright, he could see danger:

A leopord or large cat would cause him to run

And seek a tree to defend himself with a stick.

Biped man now had free hands to develop tools.

He first sharpened rocks to scavenge fallen prey ,

Stones to crack open bones for their marrow

And later spears to hunt and kill prey for food.

This was a survival transition for Apeman.

Adapt to his new environment or perish.

As biped, his diet changed to what was available.

Protean from meat enlarged the brain of man.

This enlarged brain could task orientate and plan.

Women would child rear and gather plants,

Men hunted and fished, providing substance.

As the man was larger, he would also defend.

Prometheus

(God of Fire)

A million years ago in a forest,

A lightning strike causes a fire.

Homo Erectus exploits this spark.

He gathers embers and captures fire.

With fire, he creates a life change,

He cooks food, he generates warmth.

He expends less energy in gathering.

His range increases, his diet expands.

Cave archaeology tells the story of fire.

From Homo Erectus to Homo Heidelbergis

To Homo Sapiens: brains enlarged, tools invented.

We morphed from ape-like to mirror image.

Fire was paramount in Homo Sapiens journey;

From lightning to nuclear energy harnessed,

From discomfort to climate controlled systems.

From a few dozen creatures to seven billion of us.

Without fire, man as we discribe ourselves:

Could not exist, nor could our civilization.

A spark began the journey of mankind.

Fire and flame are the spark of life.

Hands Of Man

Lucy, the mother of our linage

Stood upright and changed us.

Our hands could now be utilized

To develop tools and gestures of thought.

This pointing, signaling and waving

Were the forerunners of language.

With linguitics, we communicated,

Developing written heiroglyphic.

This picture language of old

Soon morphed into Greek and Latin,

These gave us our present alphabet,

Creating many modern languages's.

Printing began six hundred years ago.

Knowledge could be shared broardly.

It was stored in libraries of information.

Universities gave us universal education.

The mother of Homo Erectus developed

In time, into ourselves, Homo Sapien.

Lucy's hands were essential to developement,

Without them, we could still be in the trees.

Trilogy: Homo Sapiens Evolution

Homo Sapiens Projectiles

75,000 years ago

Pinnacle Point, South Africa

We picked up a stick that was pointed.

We thought that it could protect us.

The beasts came while we slept under stars.

We killed them and we ate "them" for a change.

The spear became a hunting weapon in time.

We hunted in groups, throwing our spears.

The animal would flee, bleeding and in terror.

We'd close for the final thrust, he rises and horns us.

A hunter died early, old age was uncommon.

But we needed substance to survive and to provide.

We must learn to kill with less risk of death.

The arrow as projectile weapon was developed.

An arrow shot from a bow could kill our prey.

It would penetrate and bleed the animal.

Soon, we tipped the arrows with poison.

A more powerful bow gave us longer range.

Note: Throwing spears and arrows, the first projectiles were followed by black powdered muskets, cannons, rifles, artillery, rockets and missiles: all launching projectiles.

Homo Sapiens First Wars

74,000 years ago

Pinnacle Point, South Africa

Hunter gatherers did not need to make war.

Their livelihood was earned by self endeavor.

A picked herb or berry could be eaten.

The prey they found or killed could be eaten.

But when the climate cools, vegetation resides.

The animals have less range for their substance.

Food becomes scarce and populations deminish.

A new substainable food source must be found.

In some coastal zones, shellfish florish in the water.

A hunter gatherer can harvest enough substance to thrive.

The resource is infinite, replinishing with the tide.

It is a valuable resource, it is fixed and worth defending.

Thus, the one who controlled this territory must defend it.

A new order was necessary, one of ownership and possession,

One that must be defended as life itself must be defended.

Homo Sapiens needed weapons and cooperation within the tribe.

The defense of this precious resource must be foremost.

Other tribes were hungry and would seek to partake.

It is our resource, we found it and we'll protect it.

Organized defense of territory with spears and arrows ensued.

Extinction Warfare

(71,000 - 28,000 years ago

Homo Sapiens with projectile weapons,

A cooperative social structure and leaders

Surged forth out of Africa and spread to explore.

Neandertals, Denisovan and others impeded their advance.

Homo Sapiens, the alpha predator overwhelmed them all,

Possessing their hunting grounds, attacking and killing,

Destroying all, taking only women to mate with.

Our ancient rivals vanished, leaving bones and artifacts

It was a struggle over scarce resources of food.

Whomever had control of food, he would survive.

With cooperative endeavor and projectile weapons, we conquered.

We destroyed "the others", we took what we needed.

This is the evidence in the archaeological record.

It is a story of survival, cooperation and development.

It is cruel from today's prospective, but still valid.

It is present in modern conflict and validated with events.

Note: Neandertal DNA is in our genes (1-4%), it enhances our immune system.