Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Spirits in a Cemetery by Nomar Knight




Ye who, passing graves by night,
Glance not to the left nor right,
Lest a spirit should arise,
Cold and white, to freeze your eyes...

~James Russell Lowell, "The Ghost-Seer"


Spirits in a Cemetery
By Nomar Knight


The mind claims a trickery of light
To explain ghosts roaming at night
Frozen in a state of awe
Confirmed by a crow's caw
Should you be inclined to run
You'll miss out on all the fun

Cemeteries aren't just for the idle dead
Nor an apparition without a head
When at last you try to move
Scary thoughts kill your groove
If a hand reaches for your booze
The ghost just wants to shmooze

Perhaps he's you're only friend
Since the living only pretend
Share your spirit if you can
For once he was a man
Who sang and drank and bled
But now your new friend's dead

Don't tell a soul of your new mate
They'll insist that ghosts don't date
Secrets are better kept not shared
It's not like you were dared
To stroll upon the solemn grounds
Amidst white shadows and hell hounds

So drink up now and cheers to you
No more loneliness or feeling blue
Two happy drunks are better than one
Who knew that cemeteries were fun
Just be sure to go back home
Lest you become a ghost that roams



©2015 Nomar Knight. All rights reserved.
A Nomar Knight Poem.

Saturday, January 24, 2015

You Are Amazing!




Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do. ~Benjamin Spock


You Are Amazing
by Nomar Knight



     One of the deficiencies I notice most in my students and unfortunately, have seen in myself at times is lack of self-confidence. It's no coincidence that I found this to be a negative family trait. Usually a parent unknowingly transfers their own self apprehensions to their children. I say it doesn't have to be like this. Trying to motivate students is difficult enough, especially when I sometimes question my own abilities. While some people may believe self defeating notions are born from a natural propensity to accepting failure on a subconscious level, I think questioning ones ability to succeed is learned behavior.
     Fortunately, the condition of self doubt is completely reversible. A positive frame of mind, together with self positive reinforcement, can lead you on the road to success. I can attest to positive reinforcement knocking down barriers and opening up a new world of possibilities since I have seen students eliminate negative thinking and accomplish more than they ever thought possible.
     So the next time you find yourself saying you can't do something, or you're not good enough, I say, "Says who?" Ignore the negative voices, surround yourself with supportive people. Adopt the I-can-do-anything-because-I-know-I-can-attitude and before you know it, your life will change for the better.
     Trust yourself and be amazed at what you can do.


Nomar Knight


© Copyright Nomar Knight 2015. All rights reserved.
A Knight Chills Presentation.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

It's Raining Tears Tonight by Nomar Knight




It's Raining Tears Tonight
By Nomar Knight


It's raining tears tonight
Soft wails swirl in doom's wake
Dead victims revealed by moonlight
Floods of endless heartache

It's raining tears tonight
A senseless random fire
Scorching corpses a frightful sight
Increasing the creature's ire

It's raining tears tonight
Pointless lives come to an end
Sinners crumble from mighty height
Human loss the terrible trend

It's raining tears tonight
Years of warnings unheeded
Slaughter their current plight
A new savior is needed

It's raining tears tonight
Trumpets flare with wings in air
A noose of nails squeezes tight
Wreaking havoc and despair

It's raining tears tonight
Infinite suffering for all to see
Enshrouded by endless night
Blood cascades from land to sea




©2015 Nomar Knight. All rights reserved.
A Nomar Knight Poem.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Believe In Yourself





Believe In Yourself
by Nomar Knight


     Limits are those things that people like to set for us. Governments set limits. Businesses set limits. Parents set limits. Never allow someone else's idea of what you can do define what you attempt to do. Never permit others to define you. Let your actions, the way you prepare, and the way you carry yourself speak for who you are. 
     As a teacher, I instill confidence in others. I do my best to concentrate on making weaknesses a temporary thing. I believe in the power of a positive mind. Nothing pleases me more than watching students surpass my idea of success. Of course, success depends on the willingness to sweat, to learn, to share knowledge, and to change for the better. 
     As a writer, establishing a road map with small goals that eventually help me accomplish larger goals have lead to some success. Although I must admit, the road to anywhere worth visiting is usually filled with bumps and potholes. The key is to navigate around and through until reaching the desired destination. 
     That's why I say, "Don't believe in limits. Believe in yourself."


Happy driving! 


Nomar Knight
   



© Copyright Nomar Knight 2015. All rights reserved.
A Knight Chills Presentation.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

The Cost of Staying Safe





The Cost of Staying Safe
By Nomar Knight


     These days it seems that safety for a nation comes at an even greater price than the cost of maintaining an efficient war machine. Unfortunately, basic freedoms have been stolen. Privacy has become a rare commodity. Perhaps the notion that people are free from some kind of "Big Brother" scrutiny is nothing more than a fallacy. Technology has proven to be a double-edged sword. For example, governments rely heavily on their ability to monitor the masses and considering that terrorists managed to wage assaults on a more tranquil way of life, in spite of the enormous efforts to keep people safe, it's not surprising that modern societies must forgo certain freedoms just to survive.
     As if compromising individual identities isn't enough, the bloody aspects of war that used to be relegated to foreign soil has infiltrated the land of the free. Battlefields have extended extreme chaos into neighborhoods that use to emit a decent sense of security. Western civilization is under attack. Recent events throughout the globe have the world on high alert. 
     In addition to the aforementioned freedoms, terrorists have wormed their way into the spotlight they desperately coveted by waging war on freedom of speech. Their blatant attempt at bringing their accustomed suppression to Charlie Hebdo and the people of France has served to unite western civilization. With the rekindling of strong relationships between governments, a rejuvenated sense of brotherhood have forced every citizen living in free nations to accept the grim reality that the cost of staying safe comes with a huge price. The war on terror will take its casualties, burying not only bodies, but privacy as well.  
     Are nations equipped to deal with so many varying threats and are they prepared to survive while allowing some freedoms to die? Only time will tell. 

     Catch you on the dark side.


     Nomar Knight




© Copyright Nomar Knight 2015. All rights reserved.
A Knight Chills Presentation.

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Hostile Creatures




Mama told me not to go out at night. She worried about the creatures. She said anything the creatures touched would die. In fact, none of my kin felt comfortable knowing they lurked, watching, waiting to destroy.

Too bad I couldn't stay home. I just had to press my luck on account of an ache in my belly. The odor seeping through my pores anytime I'd get anxious was more than I could bear. So once again I crept in the woods, trying not to let the full moon's glow reveal my position. My anxiety increased with the hopes of spotting one of them. The creatures didn't scare me even though I had seen the tragedies they caused. Bodies everywhere. The sound of profound loss multiplied through wails of mourning. So much death and destruction every single night.

Twigs snapped, freezing me in place. I inhaled, trying to spot the change in the atmosphere while doing my best to blend in with the shrubbery. A few seconds later, I heard vegetation shifting. I knew it couldn't have been a breeze on account of the dry humidity. A familiar scent reached my nostrils. It took all of my control not to puke from the stench. Holding my breath proved challenging, but I had to endure. I had to get back to Mama. She would be real angry if anything happened to me.

Just when I was about to move, bushes parted and I was face to face with a hideous beast. Two holes expanded to reveal glowing black pupils. Its mouth opened revealing uneven teeth. I thought about sprinting out of there, but a slushy loud noise coming from the creature made my stomach growl.

I wanted to communicate with the monster, to tell it not to make noise, but they never did understand us. Its shrill scream was deafening. Running was no longer an option. The malice permeating from the creature as it raised appendages had traumatic affect on me. A shiny metallic claw-like thing came barreling towards my head, narrowly missing me.

Any thoughts of taming the beast evaporated for my drive to survive dominated the frightening encounter. I didn't have time to get away so I stopped the clawed arm and snapped its head back. The sound similar to the cracking of twigs ended its screams. Yanking its head clean off, I dug my teeth deep inside its torso, chewing on its entrails, alas eliminating the pain from my belly. 

I knew Mama wouldn't be happy with me for eating another hostile creature, but the hunger always won. Besides, the misguided beast had attacked me. What I thought a strange talon glimmered on the ground. An ivory handle revealed it was a weapon. 

Thoughts of dragging the carcass so that my kin could feed and discover the tasty treats were replaced my the inevitable speech that would follow. Momma wanted us to keep to the rules for hunting. She wanted us all safe. Besides, colonizing the beautiful planet would take time. My kind had planned to share the environment with the hostile creatures, but if the others could learn to acquire the same tastes I did then perhaps they would see that taming the savages was no longer an option. They would discover that the hostile creatures...humans were delicious. 




© Copyright Nomar Knight 2015. All rights reserved.
A Knight Chills Flash Fiction Presentation.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

The Birth of a Serial Killer



The Birth of a Serial Killer
by Nomar Knight


There's a 21 day junk food challenge going around. I saw one lady who managed to lose a whopping six pounds in three weeks. Um, I don't believe in diets. Here's a list of what you can't eat during the 21 days of hell:

No chocolate (I'm a chocoholic. Why on earth would I want to deprive myself of pleasure)?

No candy (Okay, I'm an older person, um, I mean a big boy).

No biscuits or cookies (I've stayed away though recently melted over chocolate chip cookies).

No cakes, donuts, or muffins. (Shoot me already)!!!!

No pastries (Pretty good at staying away but I am weak).

No white bread  (I switched to wheat, turned out that's worse for me). (Loads the gun).

No chips  (For goodness sake)!!

No fast food (Been doing a great job at staying away from those poisonous places).

No soda. (Ha! I rarely drink the stuff).

No ice cream  (Puts the loaded gun to my head).


It seems to me I would have to sacrifice too much in order to lose a measly six pounds. I could lose the same thing eating healthy alternatives a few times a day and light jogging three days a week. In fact, I had lost 14 pounds in a month in a half with exercise and a change in eating habits. Packed it all back in though when I injured my heel. Now it's back to the drawing board. My foot's much improved. 

As a writer, I love to speculate. This is what I think would happen if I tried this 21 day no junk food challenge. 

1. Assuming I could go so long without chocolate, I'm sure that I would become a serial killer. 
2. No candy means I wouldn't be able to get closer to my targets, (child molesters) at the local candy stores. 
3. No biscuits or cookies means limited time to flirt with little old ladies. 
4. No cakes, donuts, or muffins means I wouldn't see my police officer friends anymore. Well, there's always the bar. 
5. As for the rest of the list, I'm sure my list of victims would grow to politicians and spousal abusers. 

So should I try this dumb challenge? 

Nah, I'll pass thank you. Would you try the challenge? Have you tried this challenge? I'd like to know your results. 


Catch you on the dark side.

Nomar Knight


© Copyright Nomar Knight 2015. All rights reserved.
A Knight Chills Presentation.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Beheading the Beheader


Beheading the Beheader
by Nomar Knight



I came across a tweet today where someone suggested beheading Muslims who don't believe in Jesus Christ. While I in no way applaud the barbaric idea, I do appreciate the right to express an opinion, no matter how insane others may deem it. 

Now, I don't want to debate the notion of religion and what people believe or don't believe. However, I do think the proposal was made out of anger because of recent terrorist events in France. With that in mind, I don't see how wanting to commit an irrational act as a response to insanity would follow the teachings of the Christ. Which is obviously my point. I wonder if I'll ever see the day that human beings stop thrashing each other and just respect their differences. Would we add fuel to fire to put it out? Then the notion of beheading the beheader is a bad idea. Though as a horror writer, it serves as a good writing prompt. 

In summation, beheading anyone in real life for any reason is a terrible idea. Beheading an  executioner in a work of fiction...might be something I'll want to read about. How about you?

Catch you on the dark side. 


Nomar Knight





© Copyright Nomar Knight 2015. All rights reserved.
A Knight Chills Presentation.

Monday, January 5, 2015

Unleash the Power Within by Nomar Knight




Unleash the Power Within

By Nomar Knight


There are times I wonder why the world conspires against me. It seems I'm good at stringing numerous days when I lose myself and can't get anything done. It's as if outside influences come together for the sole purpose of distracting me, keeping me away from the things I love to do.  

Of course, that's all a bunch of malarkey. I believe we attract negative or positive outcome by our demeanor, our philosophy of life. While it may be a challenge to find the good in a bad situation, it's important not to get hung up on gloomy scenarios. (Unless you plan on using them for writing horror). :-)

For all the times I have struggled to get things done, I realize the biggest culprit for when I fail to achieve my goals is me. I am my own worse enemy. When I miss deadlines, when I fail to take action to make things happen, I alone am responsible for my shortcomings.

It's unfortunate how many people are quick to blame their problems on others or even fate. They start playing the if only game. If only I were rich, if only I were slimmer, if only, if only. It's all a pointless waste of time. To truly discover the answers you seek, the possible cure for what ails you,  it's best to start with self examination. I don't mean a physical check for any anomalies throughout the body. I'm thinking more along the lines of a reality check.

Perhaps you're one of those people that attract strong, dominant types, like my character, Lorraina Sandoval. (aka, ruthless vampire goddess) Having someone around that treats you as inferior will zap your self-confidence. To regain control, you should ask yourself, "Am I push over?" If the answer is no then keep asking questions. Write down reasons why you think bad stuff happens to you. Now keep in mind that if you think you deserve to be punished then you should see a therapist,  pronto. However, if you're angry at yourself  for allowing bad things to throw you off your game then the solution is within reach. If your thinking affects your behavior and negativity surrounds you and you want things to change then change the way you think.

For many of life's scenarios, solutions can be found when clarity of thought is achieved. As for those curves that life throws at us, while the answers may be hidden deep within us, sometimes we have to wait for the right time. I always find that when I can't solve my problems, it's probably because I'm being dishonest with myself. That's when it's best to involve a close companion. True friends don't pull any punches.

Good luck to you, my friends, and don't let anyone stop you from keeping life positive, not even when the culprit is you.


Catch you on the dark side.


Nomar Knight 



 © Copyright Nomar Knight 2015. All rights reserved.
A Knight Chills Presentation.