Wednesday, July 31, 2013

A Path From Within

Take a moment
quiet yourself
look within
to find the truth
of who you are.

It's a moment
to listen intently
to your heart
discovering the truth
of your feelings.

Bring all
that you find
to the surface
it will guide you
in setting priorities.

From this time
a path will come forth
a map
for your life
now sits before you.

Choosing to follow
the path that emerges from within
makes your decisions in life easy
but to take a path only to please others
will always leave you wanting.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

To Dance

All that has gone before
has prepared me for today.
I am not afraid
to step forward
accepting that which is now.
Today is the only time
belonging to me.
No longer will I reside
in yesterday.
I have been given
a brand new beginning
I shall not deny myself
but rejoice in the beauty
of this moment.
I will allow my heart
to be filled with joy.
I will dance again today
as if I were a child.

Summer

The warming of summer
brings new strength to all things,
whether plant
or body
we thrive.
Life itself reaches toward the sun
to capture its rays
in ways that bring
a natural growth.
A growth that benefits all
through the nourishing
of our minds
and bodies.
We take the time now to play
in ways that form bonds
with others
of like desires
and interests.
Summer is not only for the young,
but also for those who are young of heart.

Can We Go Home

Someone once said
you can never go home
but there is a way
when you're quiet and alone.

Ponder the good times
spent with family and friends
replaying them over
back to those days of pretends.

The backyard boxing
or playing right field
there were so many great times
that our memories yield.

Whether jump rope or hop scotch
sometimes playing red light
just having a great time
from morning till night.

Those days of our youth
seemed to change as we grew
all the fun we were having
became something new.

No longer we saw
life quite the same way
responsibilities crept in
as we entered the fray.

The study, the work
these were now on our plates
we were becoming adults
this was always our fates.

Then for our own family
we had to provide and protect
which changed our thought process
so as to never neglect.

All fun seemed to have left us
just as our youth
but in all honesty
this was not really the truth.

While watching our children
our joy would now come
and remembering those days
when we used to have fun.

Once again we would smile
and be missing the groans
as in this wonderful moment
we've returned to our homes.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Elpis

Elpis my friend
I know you're still there
there's no reason for me
now to live in despair.

No matter the evils
sent forth from that box
or the darkness surrounding
I'll pay them no stock.

With all of the spirits
Pandora had freed
you were the only one left
and you're all that I need.

For each new day comes
and I always can cope
because Elpis you're with me
yes your name it means HOPE.

The Course

Haven't written much
and I think I know why,
it's got something to do
with that lovely blue sky.

You see under that sky
sets a scene to behold
offering me the kind of time
that's more precious than gold.

It's that kind of a place
where I can seem to kick back
and a great opportunity
for a time to relax.

The grasses so green
with some sand here and there
a place seen as heavenly
with great nature to share.

The swallows fly round me
as I advance and move on.
The deer also pass by
over there a new fawn.

The turkeys they're courtin'
I'm watching hawks flying by
I keep coming on back
and there's no wondering why.

It's the golf course you know
and it's beckoning me
so it's goodbye for now
I'll be back, you'll see.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Don't Quit

I cared
I had hoped to right a wrong
but never spoke out
my plight was never heard.

To make that difference
and reach the whole
my voice must be heard
and become important to all.

My voice
small and alone as it is
would become drown in a sea of apathy
when trying to address the masses.

To holler and scream
at the top of my lungs
attempting to force others to listen
will only come across as rebellion.

That appearance of rebellion
accomplishes nothing
bringing results contrary to desires.
You see they've never really listened to me.

Stay calm
speak softly
make them lean in to hear,
it is then that they will actually listen.

But if I stay silent
in my attempt to do good
I am sure to fail,
as I've already given up and quit trying.

It's All Beautiful

There was a time
I had two working eyes.
One was weak
but still I had two.

Seeing the world through the two
I saw many things.
Some were beautiful
others seemed to turn me away.

Then I lost one
in my mind this was tragic.
I started feeling sorry for myself
every day.

The fear crept in,
that of losing the other.
What would happen
if I became totally blind.

But then I started to see that
so many others were worse off.
That's when I realized
to appreciate what I had.

For it's not what you've lost
but what you still have
and I still had
the sight in one eye.

I've not got a problem
with walking or talking.
I can feed myself
and oh yes still play golf.

And now when I gaze at the world
everything seems so different.
I can find beauty
in just about all things I see.

Whether it's people,
mountains, lakes or the trees
each part of this earth
has something special for me.

I take it all in
being quite thankful.
As having one eye
taught me to appreciate all.

Monday, July 15, 2013

The Stones On Our Souls

Bitterness, hate
a terrible weight.
The type that steals from us daily.

No happiness no joy
these were not meant as a toy
that could be pulled out and played with on cue.

The longer we hold
these poisons of old
we continue to do ourselves wrong.

Holding us back!
Our lives now off track
all because we can't forgive and forget.

It's this inner mistake
that makes our hearts ache.
We must forgive ourselves first for relief.

For our life to be full
and our spirit made whole
it's time we remove the stone from our soul.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Letting Go

Happiness for today
cannot never be found
while wallowing
in yesterday's misery
and bitterness.
All that will be found there
will be a heavy heart.

Yesterday is gone
it cannot be changed.
There is no reason
to let it ruin today.

Lighten your heart
fill it with joy
leave yesterday
and it's drama behind.
Look at each new day
as a brand new journey
on which to embark.

Your happiness can be
around the next corner.
You only have to allow it to enter
by letting go of yesterday.

Be Careful How Deeply You Look

As you study me
many faults you shall see.
So don't study me too long or too deep.

You see, that which we study
we often consume
and my faults they can be quite contagious.

None of us are immune
and we cannot pretend
we don't mimic the actions of others.

For in this one small way
we are all quite the same.
This can be bad but it's really quite natural.

Please, just don't look at me
with expectations to see
a person any-wheres close to prefect.

I am who I am
and that's just how it is.
But you are who you are just as well.

See I’ve studied you
and you've got your faults too.
I'll admit I began to let them change me.

What I didn't do
was accept you as you.
I was so focused on those faults that I saw.

Respect was the one thing
I first should have shown.
You deserved much better, instead I criticized you.

Now the damage is done
and I can say it's not fun.
It's my fault I've lost a friend and a brother.

So before it's too late
and you make this mistake
please stop looking so deeply at others.

Though our lives are our own
we should not be alone. 
Being critical in the end leaves us lonely.

Friday, July 12, 2013

Misery, A Terrible Place

It is a coward who uses an avatar
and pseudonym to hide behind
as they bully other folks.

It is the bitterness and hate they harbor
that sucks them dry of any happiness and joy
that could be shared.

They show they have no care for others
and prove even less care for themselves.

Misery is a terrible place to call home.

4 AM

Just after noon in Afghanistan
hungry for a voice from home.
My son lifts his phone
enters our number and hits send.

Just before 4 AM
the phone next to the bed rings.
Fist thought of course
is something wrong.

Hello, and the voice of my son returns to me
relief as that voice says he's ok.
When he asks the time and I tell him it's 4
he seems to be somewhat concerned.

I say it's ok
and it is that's the truth
for we hunger
to hear his voice too.

The time does not matter
when your kids are away.
Their call says they love you
and you can send your love to them.

4 AM is a very appropriate time 
to feed your need for love.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

From The Day That We're Born

The day that we're born
we drink in a new life
not knowing what's to come or will be.

We then find our voice
we can now cry out loud
and all we want is just to be fed.

Food for our bellies
play to build up our bodies
the words of knowledge to nourish our minds.

We were born and raised
and became who we are
it was from all that was fed to our being.

That feeding could often be sweet
when we look back remembering
the great times with our families and friends.

But sometimes that feeding
was way off base
leaving us to feel no acceptance at all.

Those times left us bitter
as if we'd been left all alone
where no-one cared whether we even alive.

Depression set in
self hate seemed to evolve
inside there was just something missing

But it wasn't the food or play
nor even those words of knowledge
all along what we cried for to was love.

Monday, July 8, 2013

A Creek Filled With Peace

The antelope and bison
they silently roam.
Ever in search
of their celestial home.

Resting together in the foothills
along a life giving creek.
Our creators gift
of a peaceful mystique.

A lesson to learn
a value to hold
from the day of our birth
to the time we call old.

We must find love for our brothers
regardless of race.
Looking past religious differences
and that political base.

There's no reason to hate
no reason at all.
For as history's shown us
hate has been man's great fall.

It's a terrible way
for a person to live
when their peace and joy
drains out through a sieve.

It's a bitter pill
yes, one we must swallow.
It's that lack of our joy
that makes us feel hollow.

Go now to that creek
below the foothills
to witness the peace
and drink in your fill.

You see, the antelope and bison
have shown us the way.
Through their harmonious existence
they've found peace for today.


What Has Our Bitterness Done For Us

Bitter words, bitter feelings
rob us of our peace and joy.
Anger and hate build up inside
making a man into a petulant young boy.

They pout and they snarl
getting themselves all riled up.
Affecting others around them
with their overflowing cup.

A misery sets in
and their days they grow dark.
Life itself takes direction
on which we should not embark.

You look forward to nothing
and you dread the next day.
As now what's accomplished
is you've become your hates prey.

You're hunting yourself
while bringing damage to others.
Forgetting down deep
we're all meant to be brothers.

Do I speak of myself?
Yeah, sure I've done this.
But I finally did realize
I did not like the abyss.

Leaving our anger, our hate
and that bitterness behind.
Forgiveness if practiced
can bring peace to our mind.

Our transformation takes place
in ways that others will see it.
That the changes that came
were to our innermost spirit.

Through forgiveness we find
we can emerge from the pit.
Then our joy will return
and our happiness with it.