the LIFESTYLE

WORD of the day Installment X, by Reflection and Response resident artist Samuel Bostick, from the Apple!! Complex.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, Jim Natale.

Complex. n. 1) A whole made up of complicated or interrelated parts. 2) a. A group of culture traits relating to a single activity, process, or culture unit. 3) A group of repressed desires and memories that exerts a dominating influence upon the personality. 4) An exaggerated reaction to or preoccupation with a subject or situation. 5) A group of obviously related units of which the degree and nature of the relationship is imperfectly known. 6) The sum of factors (as symptoms) characterizing a disease or condition 7) A chemical association of two or more species (as ions or molecules) joined usually by weak electrostatic bonds rather than covalent bonds. 8) A building or group of buildings housing related units.

Thoughts intruding my mind, explosive images and fissures of fact and fiction.

Rhythms flow-in beating drums- booming base -howling horns- whooting winds. Rhymes flow out, as water to a spout.  It just sort of happens that way…

RED WHITE & BLUE

Record high hotdog sales, home brewed beers on overflow and sunny skys.

RED

For the bloodshed across this land. Years ago as well as just yesterday. Death is a spirit this state is built upon. A Union which has capitalized on the science of killing, still may there be liberty and justice for all.

Spilling across the soil, all these tall buildings scraping at the skys all grew from that first red seeds spread through this land tonz of pints at a time. May those who fell in innocent ways Rest in Peace. The same to those who brought death upon themselves as well. May these sacrifices not be in vain.

WHITE

A bleached history. Broken chromosomes and sterilized crime scenes. A blank canvas upon which has been built the  American Dream. A fantasy some of us have never seen. To some rest comes easy others plagued under night fall by demonic frights. Regardless it’s all to be written upon this canvas, white. Whiteness… an ideology which not only maintains but perpetuates exclusion. The land of opportunity. May we not forget there was life before the name America crashed down upon this place. Slash and burn. Histories removed memories erased. This is white now so move along you with the colored face. Still I must thank this place for bringing us all together through war, dust bowls, hard times and stormy weather.

BLUE

Thas for the soul…the wailing tale of loves lost, the everyday casualties of life. The beautiful tunes pulled out of guitar chords under stoic hands, callused fingers and hearts to match. More of a cold spell than a hymnal song. The evolution of slave songs buzzing through stereos, crowning off spinning vinyl, rumbling between phonic studio headphones. A salute to those trees still standing which once bore strange fruit. You mustn’t look to far to find ‘em they are right up the block. Broken dreams and shards of glass collected upon rundown paths. Still we have yet to stop and have no plans to. Not as long as breath is in our lungs. As dim as the path may seem, our lights come from within. More of a cold spell than a hymnal song, still it’s the blues and we all got it. Overall I have to offer thanks again to this place, this time, this moment, this space. For out the concrete we are the generation which ROSE. So peace to those before us and blessings to those to come. As we take the torch may we stay strong to the core. Never to stumble nor to fall rather stand proud and walk tall.

 

All that said—shout out to all the smoked meats, shared laughs and good times had with great people congregating across the nation. A cheers to the home brewers—particularly the homie Franco and the fellas at Breakdown Brewing Co. Big up to independent companies, the moon in full bloom and  the showering plumes of explosive projectiles to come our way. Above all pay respects and don’t forget to tip your hats to those before us and let’s make a path a lil iller for those to come.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY TO Y’ALL!! Have a great fun filled night!!

Reflection and Response.

Samuel Bostick

@THEREALSHANTS

the LIFESTYLE’s role is to create collective space for active Reflection and Response through the arts. This space is built around dialogue, expression, collaboration, and artistic (ex)change involving international craftspeople and their realities. The Porch Swing series opens up a Reflection and Response residency where we feature a Collective member’s ongoing project through weekly installations.