Jack Ballas is unafraid to shed the ego which we all try to cling to, His poetry is the naked truth of his experiences.What he puts on paper becomes a bridge that we walk across to understand the perceived world through his eyes. What jack performs is from the standpoint of true self and by doing so shows a glimpse of an interdependent reality we can visually see. He uses poetry to understand the chaos of the world around us in a form we too can relate with and feel
The Last Light
​
(For stephon Clark)
-jack ballas 2017-
The next revolution is the past on repeat
Should it choose to be
The terminal solution from depraved minds,
heartless in power ties will
Wash it off
Make it clean
Till the next boots start marching
to me, it's clear
The arms of the oppressor
become them
​
​
The scars upon their conscience
Made thick hide
Cannot bounce bullets
In a cloak of human faces
We remember which one
Is theirs
The blades behind their backs
May be turned,
And pinned deep
In cloaks
In faces
as a salesman's smile fades into grimace,
A death mask beneath night sky
In ruin
​
​
22, shot him down,
2 cops
20 rounds
8 hit,
Hit the ground
Mute,
A father's voice,
Silent, forever
Remember Zoe!
I hope you know
We must not allow the hateful beast in our hearts
Must guide our hands with God inside
And let what may fly
Furious sounds and thunder
Sting your ears,
Let it loose
Though it might sting to hear the truth,
Like the shots sting, like the shots ring, as they leave the barrel of the gun
He knew to run
Not long at all,
He ran like mercury
And they leveled their guns,
I saw
The blood spill, all ears
What's black and white and red all over?
Lips
Muted
Forever
Speak nothing to the blood
Quick steps forward hold out hands to
Stop the fallout, the step-fall back
Be kind or rewind,
Or
Watch the playback
Till the tape screams, unthreading
To the halt we are dreading
And ignites
In pyres along the hillsides
Diminishing like dominos
​
Down in flames,
Up in smoke
And out they go
To the last light
​
Hold to yours in that dark,
Together.
The sun will rise!
Paper Dolls
Paper dolls rule the world
An empty, pitiless automation
Sitting in our pockets behind us
Waiting for their chance to multiply
It’s no one's fault
Paper dolls rule the world
Waiting for us to march-jack-booted
In their name,
paper boots don't stomp as hard
So our feet are a better tool
So they make you angry,
You,
Fool,
Who March to the sight of burning confetti
And
You who seek more paper dolls
To feed those you truly hold dear
Their unseen strings marionette you to arise
Drink your Joe, rub your eyes, and drive
The paper dolls need you, to survive
So there's nothing you or I can do or say
Paper dolls control our day
Paper dolls buy everything
And at such a price!
No matter how many dolls you carry,
It never seems to be enough
Though some hidden origami master
Folds them faster than we can exchange,
A meme
a tool
A means
Of which, has now turned the tables
On merchant and client
And dances out of the hands of a tyrant
To pull his strings
Yes this means
That paper dolls rule the world
Que bono? Burns in my head like Cuban cigars
Someday cities
Someday, mansions, temples
To our Lord
And savor
The ashes