Fighting For Peace

Fighting for peace

is folly for sure

all that it gets us

is another damn war

More soldiers do die

innocents as well

so many lives

having days spent in hell

Men use your heads

you're able to think

how is it your decisions

so often do stink

Greedy for power

hungry for land

taking what you want

from another mans hand

Then hiding that greed

and shifting the blame

you try to convince us

it's done in Gods name

Do we really look stupid

do you think that we're blind

can you not see that war

does not bring peace of mind

It only brings heartache

to all of mankind

as death and dismemberment

is what's left behind

Peace will not come

through your fighting and wars

not from your armies

not from your corps

It will come from the hearts

overflowing with love

and who knows, with a little help

from that man up above

Hope only needs to exist

He had spent many years on the street

his life had lost direction long ago

having little to eat or drink to nourish his body

seldom having clothing suitable for the weather

as he was more often than not without shelter

the man still wore a smile

the few teeth he still had in his mouth

would show through his grin the age

and lack of care they suffered

but what you could see

in his eyes

you could not mistake for anything but

joy

he was alive

not only in body

but

in spirit

Before he had found himself on the streets

his life had been one of service

it had been a time that his heart and spirit soared

helping others along through life was his passion

he had lifted many out of the gutter

giving them a hope for a better tomorrow

Now finding himself among those folks

living on those same streets

and in the same gutters life brings to many

he saw no reason not to continue

helping others

His body was breaking down

His spirit was as alive as ever

He still shared the hope of tomorrow

with those who could not find it for themselves

He knows that another

will come along

maybe tomorrow

maybe the day after

but another will come along

and lift him out of the gutter

A Heart of Forgiveness

A heart of forgiveness

gentle and kind

though they're often hurt

they're a treasure to find

The people who have them

hold no anger within

even during those times

that their skin appears thin

What a blessing this is

one so few folks really know

as within these hearts

no bitterness can grow

Scattered Stones

Scattered stones along the pathway

seemed to appear out of nowhere

They were the cause of many

to stumble along their way

There were times that these stones

would appear more as boulders

Boulders that would drive men

to their knees

Those who fell came to know pain

as the bruising was at times deep

Each and every one of these got up

Rose from their fall

and considered their path

Many moved forward while a few turned back

returning to where they had come from

Those who could not move on

had found in front of them a great wall

A barrier keeping them from their goals

made of scattered stones along their pathway  

Remembering Thumper and Bambi

Religion often

gets in the way

of loving-kindness

having its day

the moment of which

blesses another

treating each man

as if he's our brother

we're all in this world

the discord needs to cease

we must find a way

to live together in peace

the road will be tough

littered with stone

but as we win over another

we'll not be alone

the steps will come small

but if we trudge on

someday we may live

as the rabbit and fawn

this just ain't no jive

On this you can trust

we do what we must

otherwise we just won't survive

and this ain't an old con

we've just got to move on

that's the one thing keeps us alive

if you sit and you mope

you're actin' the dope

your happiness will just take a dive

listen, I ain't a lyin'

ya gotta keep tryin'

if your wantin' your spirit to thrive

well I'm hopin' my yelpin'

for someone is helpin'

cause i'm tellin' ya, this just ain't no jive

They're Coming To America

They came in droves

unto the coves

of this place

known as turtle island

Welcomed they were

by those who wore fur

these folks had helped them survive

their first winter

Space soon became cramped

where they had first encamped

these new people

now had need to spread out

But the natives had need

of these lands they did seed

their crop important

this was their home their very lives

The white men with his gun

though had not come for fun

he was determined

to make this land his

Move over he cried

indigenous died

when more Europeans

moved in and took over

Then across this great land

he did increase his span

pushing the natives

further toward becoming no more

Now it's today

many have forgotten the way

their ancestors

arrived on this land

How for freedom they came

giving this land new acclaim

as the home

of the free and the brave

Now things are different

as we seem so indifferent

to others

who wish to be free

Today we're obsessed

to keep them oppressed

I guess we've forgotten

of who we once were

We tell them “get lost”

“we'll not pay the cost”

we tell them

there just isn't room

It seems we no longer care

no longer a people who share

how the hell did we get here

causing so much despair

That Wonderful Rain

Droplets of rain

tapping my pane

delivering sleep

one that is deep

providing me rest

the type that is best

a body revival

insuring survival

for when I awake

I'll give life a shake

weary no more

how could one ignore

the blessing of rain

as it taps on the pane

The Special Needs Parent

His life perfect

at least that's how he viewed it

the typical dream of most

a house

a coupl'a nice cars

a lovely wife

and that one and a half kids

Yes, one was on the way

His boy

Excited

he let all his friends know

told of all his plans

how his son would become

club champion

not only in tennis

but golf as well

Oh how he would mold his son

Then it all crashed

the doctors said

there was little hope

the boy would be born normal

A great sorrow set in upon him

he wondered how this could happen

how could they deal with a child

with special needs

He and his wife

knew that they had no choice

but to accept a son

who would require special care

The day came

his son was born

the doctor handed the baby over to the father

and as he received the crying infant

the baby immediately took hold

of the mans little finger

A grimace that the man had worn

for the last three months

turned to a smile as

he found a deeper love

than he knew could ever exist

In The Dark

Night has arrived

eyes are closed

the sounds

of the world around me

have awakened

My awareness

growing

my ears taking it all in

The gentle flow of the river

Bullfrogs in a distant pond

Crickets among the grasses along the hedgerow

Peace has come to visit my valley

It is in this darkness

during these still quiet hours

between midnight and dawn

with the distractions of this world

removed

that I am able to hear

what my heart has to say

and

listen to my spirit sing

The Fool and His Mouth are Not Often Parted

Those that knew him

thought him the fool

his mouth would run on

repeating words and ideas

he had heard

but never really understood

Not knowing nor understanding

half of the issues

he attempted to share

attacked his credibility

within the whole of what he would say

making him

unbelievable to others

All that he claimed to believe

had belonged to others

he had never taken the time to think

and make these beliefs his own

Blessing or Bane

Love visits hearts

bringing both joy and sorrow

what is not known

is its tomorrow

Will love be a blessing

or become a bane

will it bring you joy

or cause your pain

This is not known

when one first does fall

yet one of the two, often both

happen to all

But to never know love

leaves us empty inside

cold toward the world

love should not be denied

Even as pain

it says someone once cared

and for a short time

our heart had been spared

A life without love

would be a horror untold

leaving ones heart

both empty and cold

At What Cost

He grew up in a family wanting

at times with little food on the table

and often bedtime came on empty stomachs

His mother cleaning and ironing for others

his father seldom awake as he worked nights

together they barely kept a roof over their heads

Growing up, he was mostly on his own

making his way through life during the week

the kids in this neighborhood were raising themselves

He and his friends did what they could

In order to chase away the hunger they felt

To give each other a feeling of togetherness

To help each other survive life without parents

It was the worst of times

Sunday would then arrive

an actual meal would somehow be found on the table

the family was together

The bed would not find him hungry this night

not for bread

nor the love of family

Mom making sure there was enough in his belly

Dads laughter filling his heart

lifting his spirit and bringing smiles to all their faces

This was the best of times

As he grew he vowed to escape this life

never to have that empty feeling of want again

to do whatever it took, no matter the cost

His times were about to change

Once he moved on

he found that there was no-one willing to help him

he was again on his own

He learned to not only step over others

but to step on them in his attempt

to escape the past

He learned well, moved on

and left not only the old neighborhood

but his friends and family behind as well

The work seemed endless

there was no time anything else in his new life

but there was no want

The toys came

the food extravagant

but another yearning

another hunger

entered him

He wanted more

Yes his belly was full

but he was alone on Sundays now

Where was his fathers laughter

Where did the smiles and lifted spirits disappear to

How did this emptiness return

Maybe those days long ago

were not the worst of times

after all

Was It Really The Grass That Was Greener

Oh how he hated his place in life

each time he would gaze in the mirror

what he saw was deeply disturbing

you could only compare what he saw

to a vast and barren wasteland

the years of toil had taken their toll

just as the arid winds had turned

plains into desert

It was more than age that showed

depression was written over his face

an emptiness was plain to see

As he plodded along through life

he would often come upon others

meeting them during these wanderings

so many wore smiles

they appeared happy

they seemed to be filled with vitality

They were alive

“Oh to be as they”

he thought

To live the life of others was his wish

all of them had it better than he did

the grass on his side of the fence had no life

while theirs was a beautiful plush green

He would often be heard complaining

that life itself was totally unfair

Finally he decided to make the move

he would live on the other side of the fence

where the grass was green

but as he did

the grass began to turn brown

then died and the winds swept it away

If only he had watered his life

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Why in the hell do I even try

society's gone over the edge

Respect for others a thing of the past

their words being used as a wedge

Where have we gone

what have we done

Did the birth of this madness

come from that age, “just for fun”

Attitudes are ugly

with the thought “yeah, it's cool”

Yet all that this is

is the mark of a fool

The hurt that this causes

can go beyond measure

I can't comprehend

how they see this as pleasure

This ugliness has spread

throughout all the land

Is there no turning back

or is this man's permanent new brand

I really do hate

seeing the world in decline

Can we somehow return to when

men's respect once did shine

It's not really that hard

if you'll try what you'll find

It's actually pleasant to be

respectful and kind

Men once showed respect

and it came from their heart

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The Mirror Can Be So Unkind

No longer am I twenty-five

that was forty years ago

yet with each new day

life appears the same

almost everywhere I go

But there is that one place

that I go upon this earth

that reminds me that all has changed

it's that morning mirror

how I wonder of it's worth

The mirror has a habit

of bringing a sad truth

though I view the world

through younger eyes

I've passed beyond my youth

An Act Always Outweighs An Intention

The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention. ~Oscar Wilde~

He asked for some food

from out of the gutter

I was already late

and began to stutter

Said I'll be back

but he'd heard that before

he just looked away

yeah, he knew the score

I meant to help

I really did

but then somehow

his life took a skid

Slipping away

he no longer had hope

to rise once again

he could no longer cope

Life itself

had become way too much

but my hesitation

stole his last crutch

For there in the gutter

he'd just given up

I was his last hope

and I'd not filled his cup

Oh what I'd give

to go back in time

and help that poor soul

up out of the grime

The morgue truck came

and took him away

“How the hell was I to know

this was his last day”

You Wanna Be Free

Our bodies do prove

we're not totally free

with most of our limits

quite plain to see

To dive to the depths

or fly on our own

our feet, they're planted

on the Earths crust of stone

Now the spirit of man

he imprisons himself

when he's living a lie

leaving real life on the shelf

His soul and spirit

will never be free

as long as the truth

he refuses to see

Our Eyes Must Remain Open

With each step

Stay awake

Learn to recognize

All that's fake

Stay the path

Move on in truth

Guard the innocence

Of your youth

Out there live the lies

Their intent is to slay

The pure of heart

Along their way

Keep your eyes wide open

Remain aware

Avert your path

From the liar's lair

Finally Free

Thoughts of days gone by

came rushing in that morning

filling my mind with wonderful memories

as I wandered the bluffs alone

The grasses were heavy laden with dew

I found myself sitting upon the grass to watch

the sun was about to open this new day

I now understood what was meant

“this is the first day of the rest of your life”

I was not about to miss this sunrise

as I had missed so many

for so long a time

It was a prison of my own making

that had kept me away

As I sat and watched

a faint orange began to emerge

far across the sea

from beyond my imaginings

That prison I mentioned

had no walls

yet it seemed as there were many

It didn't matter the direction I turned

they always appeared only at arms length

The days seemed to meld into one another

as if they had no beginnings

nor endings

There was no laughter

nor were their tears

The days

no

years

just were

My eyes

turned back to the colorful sky

they filled with tears

My heart felt

joy

I began to laugh

I felt

alive

for the first time

in so many years

Why had I stayed within that shell of sorrow

how was it that a loss

could hold me for what seemed

forever

That wonderful orange

This orange sky that I see before me

Is the same orange

As the sarong she wore that morning

Words

The man he faced

He believed his closest friend

The strike came out of no-where

In an instant

Years of love and trust disappeared

It was as if a Damascus blade

Had plunged into his heart

Yet a ragged scar

One that could only have been made

With a rusty can opener

Was left behind

There was no known salve

That could heal the damage

Of the words spoken through

Deep seated and hidden bigotry

From Beneath The Tree

The shadows hold the mysteries

The silence lets them speak

The river carries forth those words

That have birthed beneath the tree

Once they flow and reach the sea

They'll travel unto you

And that silence from beneath the tree

Will show my love as true