<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!-- If you are running a bot please visit this policy page outlining rules you must respect. http://www.livejournal.com/bots/ -->
<feed xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:lj="http://www.livejournal.com">
  <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:benpierce01</id>
  <title>One Free Man!</title>
  <subtitle>A man of action, or the Action Man?</subtitle>
  <author>
    <email>ece299@gmail.com</email>
    <name>benpierce01</name>
  </author>
  <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://benpierce01.livejournal.com/"/>
  <link rel="self" type="text/xml" href="http://benpierce01.livejournal.com/data/atom"/>
  <updated>2009-02-08T01:43:05Z</updated>
  <lj:journal userid="5543523" username="benpierce01" type="personal"/>
  <link rel="service.feed" type="application/x.atom+xml" href="http://benpierce01.livejournal.com/data/atom" title="One Free Man!"/>
  <link rel="hub" href="http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/"/>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:benpierce01:2148</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://benpierce01.livejournal.com/2148.html"/>
    <link rel="self" type="text/xml" href="http://benpierce01.livejournal.com/data/atom/?itemid=2148"/>
    <title>Obligatory Message</title>
    <published>2009-02-08T01:43:05Z</published>
    <updated>2009-02-08T01:43:05Z</updated>
    <content type="html">I&amp;nbsp;just realized that I haven't added a single word to this journal in... ages. To be fair, I&amp;nbsp;haven't logged into this account for at least that long.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So, here you go:&amp;nbsp;words. One after another. See you in another year!</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:benpierce01:1911</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://benpierce01.livejournal.com/1911.html"/>
    <link rel="self" type="text/xml" href="http://benpierce01.livejournal.com/data/atom/?itemid=1911"/>
    <title>The Image on the Sand</title>
    <published>2008-08-08T05:31:24Z</published>
    <updated>2008-08-08T05:31:24Z</updated>
    <content type="html">&lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;b&gt;The Image on the Sand&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;A line and an arc,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Upon the barren desert sand.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;An image drawn of dream and dust,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;A mural across a land.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;A relic, a forgotten piece of art,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Of some empire of lore,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Awaiting its fate,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;By the travellers ignored.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Waiting, watching eagerly,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;The ever-changing art of dust,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;For the day when it’s blown away,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;By a swift desert gust.&lt;/p&gt;</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:benpierce01:1672</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://benpierce01.livejournal.com/1672.html"/>
    <link rel="self" type="text/xml" href="http://benpierce01.livejournal.com/data/atom/?itemid=1672"/>
    <title>Lies of the Ever-Living</title>
    <published>2008-08-08T05:30:21Z</published>
    <updated>2008-08-08T05:30:21Z</updated>
    <content type="html">&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;u&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;&lt;b&gt;Lies of the Ever-Living&lt;/b&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/div&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;Offered before me&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;Are two lies;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;And I must choose one&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;If I am to survive.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;One easier to swallow,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;The other sweeter;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;One would wound me&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;The other make me a dreamer.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;The dream, though fair,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;Would, in time, cause me pain.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;But that I would gladly risk,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;For the moment of peace I would gain.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;The nightmare, on the other hand,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;Would shatter my faith,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;And I would once more,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;Seek the life of a wraith.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;But when the night ends&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;And a new day I start,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;The nightmare would leave me whole,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;But the dream would break my heart.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;These are not choices&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;That any man ought make.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;To see his future as an illusion,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;Or his past as a great mistake.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;In one path I close my eyes,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;And walk blindly,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;Until I fall off a cliff,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;When I face reality.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;But the other is to look in the mirror&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;As I tell myself a lie,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;That I love not whom I love,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;And my feelings I deny.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;There are others lies, of course,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;Other fantasies.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;But in all I lose my soul,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;And forgo my identity.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;The truth, however&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;Is the hardest to bear;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;For it binds me here,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;In this pit of darkness and despair.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;And so I must decide,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;Pick my own hell.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;Whether one made of nightmares,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;Or dreams, only time can tell.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;The choice, I suppose,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;I’ve known all along.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;I cannot walk a path,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;I know to be wrong.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;And so, I choose,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;And thus I decide,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;To remain as I am:&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;The man who does not die.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;For this is the last right&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;Of a man of action:&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;The right to believe&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;His own lies,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;And the right to choose,&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style=""&gt;His own hell.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:benpierce01:1468</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://benpierce01.livejournal.com/1468.html"/>
    <link rel="self" type="text/xml" href="http://benpierce01.livejournal.com/data/atom/?itemid=1468"/>
    <title>Empire of Stars</title>
    <published>2008-08-08T05:28:54Z</published>
    <updated>2008-08-08T05:28:54Z</updated>
    <content type="html">&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;u&gt;Empire of Stars&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/div&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;A silent song,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;A wistful word,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;For an empire of stars.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;A gentle slope,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;A gleam of hope,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;For an empire of stars.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;A lonely knight,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Sets his sight,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Upon the road,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;To the Empire of Stars.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;In a suit of steel,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;He rides with zeal,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;To look once more,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Upon his love – the Empire of Stars.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;On a night pitch black,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;His steed he pulls back,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;As he comes to the valley,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Of the river alive.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;To his shock,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;He finds no lock,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Not a guard, nor watch set atop a tower,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;By the road, at this doubtful hour.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;A shining blade,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;He draws, unafraid,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;As he ventures forth,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Into the City alone.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;To his dismay,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;He finds only decay,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;In the ancient heart,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Of his Empire of Stars.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;As he roams the streets,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;He hears a beat,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Of a song sung long ago,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;In the Empire of Stars.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;He comes upon,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;A spectre alone,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;A wraith, a shade,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;In darkness arrayed.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;The ghost sings songs,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Of things long gone,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;As the knight looks on,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;At his empire lost.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;With a great big sigh,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;He climbs on high,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;For one last glance,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Of this empire long gone.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;In silent tears,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;His steed he steers,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Towards the great door,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;To forsake his home –&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;And to look upon her nevermore.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;And as he rode away,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;You could hear him say,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;“Farewell, my love, my heart and home,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;My Empire of Stars.”&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:benpierce01:1273</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://benpierce01.livejournal.com/1273.html"/>
    <link rel="self" type="text/xml" href="http://benpierce01.livejournal.com/data/atom/?itemid=1273"/>
    <title>No Ends</title>
    <published>2008-08-06T02:37:26Z</published>
    <updated>2008-08-08T05:27:14Z</updated>
    <content type="html">&lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;u&gt;No Ends&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;There shall be no end,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Not now, my friend,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;For this field we must contend,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Till the night ends,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;And a new dawn comes around the bend.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;There shall be no end,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Not now, my friend,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;The puzzle we will, some day, comprehend,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;But until then, this fort we must defend.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;There can be no end,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Not to our stories, nor to our songs, my friend.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Though shrouds of darkness upon us descend,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Our will shall never falter,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Nor to fate shall we relent.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;There will be no end,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Not here, not now, my friend.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;There are still wounds to attend,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Hearts to heal, souls to free,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;And broken spirits to mend.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;There ought be no end,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Not for the dreamers, nor for the dreams, my friend.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;If we are indeed who we pretend,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Then we can, the burnt bridges, amend.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;There will not be an end,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;For as long as you stand by me, my friend.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;And if, in my hour of need,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;A hand you would lend,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Then no foe can – our friendship – break nor bend.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;This is not the end,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Not for the likes of us, no, my friend.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;Not on our knees, with our backs bent,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;But on our feet, sword in hand,&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"&gt;And with our dreams, to the last breath, content.&lt;/p&gt;</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:benpierce01:942</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://benpierce01.livejournal.com/942.html"/>
    <link rel="self" type="text/xml" href="http://benpierce01.livejournal.com/data/atom/?itemid=942"/>
    <title>Painfully Yours</title>
    <published>2007-06-12T15:48:50Z</published>
    <updated>2007-06-12T15:48:50Z</updated>
    <content type="html">For the first time in nearly a decade, I'm redrawing the basic layout of my room.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This is, however, painful. Not so much because I'm particularly attached to the original design, but because some of the pieces of furniture &lt;i&gt;are&lt;/i&gt; attached - by years of dust and Coke - to the floor and to other pieces of furniture! The cabling alone required nearly four hours of attention - and I have to redo that again!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I am, hopefully, nearly done. All I have to do is wreck a perfectly good table, shift every piece of electronic equipment in my room left by a meter, install and set up the arm-chair/TV stand area, and... find the appropriate spot for the fridge. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;While I'm at it, I might as well take a crack at solving the world's hunger problem. Seems relatively easy compared to what I have to do over the next few days.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I'm afraid that the growing pain in my back is only going to get worse.</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:benpierce01:761</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://benpierce01.livejournal.com/761.html"/>
    <link rel="self" type="text/xml" href="http://benpierce01.livejournal.com/data/atom/?itemid=761"/>
    <title>Seemingly Obvious</title>
    <published>2007-04-19T02:54:42Z</published>
    <updated>2007-04-19T02:54:42Z</updated>
    <content type="html">I'm fairly certain I'm not going to die on my bike.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Mainly because I'm also certain I'll die hitting the ground after an impact makes me fly off my bike. If the impact doesn't kill me the oncoming traffic will.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Boy, I love biking!</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:benpierce01:498</id>
    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://benpierce01.livejournal.com/498.html"/>
    <link rel="self" type="text/xml" href="http://benpierce01.livejournal.com/data/atom/?itemid=498"/>
    <title>Alpha Flight</title>
    <published>2007-02-19T03:41:00Z</published>
    <updated>2007-02-19T03:41:00Z</updated>
    <content type="html">"This is my journal. There are many like it, but this one is mine. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My journal is certainly &lt;i&gt;not&lt;/i&gt; my best friend. It is &lt;i&gt;also&lt;/i&gt; not my life. I &lt;i&gt;do not&lt;/i&gt; have to master it as I must master my life.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My journal, without me, is useless. Without my journal, however, I am &lt;i&gt;not&lt;/i&gt; useless. I must write my journal true, except for those occasions when I feel like lying through my fingers. Also, every other Wednesday..."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Well, you get the picture.</content>
  </entry>
</feed>
