When Credit Is Due

Without a heart

Without a conscience

Selfish children

step all over the men

they USE

to achieve their goals

What principles have they

For sale to the highest bidder

They rationalize that the means

are truly justified

as all that matters

is the prize they find at the end

They believe

they're self made

They forget

who made it all possible

They refuse

to share any credit for success

They don't realize

the world has given them a hand up

Where their heart

When did they lose their conscience  

Honor

The days of honor

gone

men lie

to achieve power

they cheat

to gain wealth

There was a day

a mans word

was his bond

his hand extended

now paired

with one holding a knife

The backs of others

never safe

when they become

viewed

as stepping stones

for the greedy

There was a time

family

came first

now even they

have become

a means to an end

Where are the men of honor

The Kings Sword

How I remember

the glory of war

men fought face to face

the death toll was the score

The killing fields filled

by a cruel and barbarous hoard

men who were led by their kings

wielding their own sword

Cowards they weren't

the rulers I mean

they road out in front

so that they could be seen

Inspiring their men

leading them on

not using the commoner

as if they were a pawn

Today things are different

the kings don't go to war

they lead from behind

from a safe foreign shore

Sending the soldier

to reap the power they crave

while all the while

they stay huddled in caves

Staying at home they're untouchable

at least that's what they think

but as the death toll rises

respect for them will shrink

Why do these leaders believe

there'll be no consequence

when waging their wars

at the peoples expense

wars were so much more civilized when the combatants had to postpone their fighting because of darkness. putting on a third shift on was such a wonderful way to increase the

productivity of the war machine.

Don't Become A Raisin

The nourishment flowed

from the earth

up through the vine

into the stems

filling the grape

with juices

that define its life

once harvest day arrives

its lifeline is removed

growth ceases

the juice of life leaves

its fruit hardens

its skin wrinkles

its will to live vanishes

it slowly becomes a raisin

Retirement can be great

don't allow your life juices

to dry up

Today Was Going To Be Special

The daybreak was amazing

I sat watching

enjoying that first cup of coffee

the entire eastern sky

filled with orange

moving toward a majestic purple

as my eyes

moved up away from the horizon

it was early

you could still see stars

and the moon

was just setting in the west

There was more to this dawn

than the sunrise

the earth was waking up

to a new day

the sounds of morning came alive

from their evenings rest

the morning dew

dripping into puddles

of its own making

the movement of the birds

as they searched

for their first meal of the day

you would swear that you could hear

the flowers greeting the sunrise

and the grass standing tall to begin

the days growth

There was no question in my mind

today was going to be special

The quiet moments of the morning

often set the stage

for the kind of day I'm about to have

it's a time that reminds me

just how small a part of this world I am

how glorious the Earth really is

Then I realize that as I gazed eastward

there were others

who had seen this day break before me

their hearts

their minds

their thoughts and feeling

almost identical to mine

it made me feel as if each one of us

no matter where we were

were all tiny parts of the same whole

we were all part of each other 

It's A Wonderful World

A wonderful day

so nice to see all these people

in harmony with each other

Reid and McConnell sitting together

enjoying a moment

working together

Obama and Boehner

drafting legislation together

with all the people in mind

Israel and Hamas

dining with each other

planning for a joint celebration

of the holy days

it's such a wonderful world I live in

while dreaming

Throwing Stones

They lived on opposite sides of the street

It was common knowledge that there was no love lost between them

One had thrown the stone of Prejudice

The stone thrown back was Disrespect

The next stone he threw was that of Bigotry

The returning volley was the stone of Anger

He then loosed the stone of Hate

That stone was answered with the stone of Loathing

Their war brought death to their families

The stones we throw

Pave our pathway through life

We must choose these stones wisely.

Long Live the Bully ... Till the Bigger One Comes Along

our lives today

they're not so serene

you see bullies exist

they're intentionally mean

they prey on the weak

at times unforeseen

when there's no-one around

who could help, intervene

fear is their weapon

dominance their goal

always they're seeking

to gain more control

forcing others

to play out a role

in their sick twisted way

this makes them feel whole

when will they grow up

when will they learn

for their day, it will come

it will one day be their turn

when a larger and stronger

bully will come

putting them in their place

under a thumb

yet still they choose

to be ever so blind

as to think that it's weakness

when a person acts kind

why must we be living

ever resigned

with no escape

our lives intertwined

with those

who insist on remaining unkind

pushing humanity

ever further behind

the truth is there's just nowhere

that we will find

a life filled with harmony

and true peace of mind

although that is the way

we should all be inclined

sharing some kindness

with the rest of mankind

Metamorphosis

The eggs laid upon the milkweed

a monarch worm born

colors so beautiful

there is beauty yet to grow into

a place

and a time

to experience that change

the cocoon

one day it will emerge

after the metamorphosis

a butterfly

The cycle of man too

must morph

become a beautiful adult

with a mind that projects that beauty

his cocoon is spun around him

during hes childhood

he must emerge from his cocoon

for others to appreciate the beauty

that he was meant to share

If one never exits their cocoon,

their time spent within it

becomes wasted

and the world

misses out on their beauty

Changes

Yesterday

when i was young

imagination

was our greatest friend

at times

our only playmate

Pretending

filled the hours

we became super heroes

our favorite ball players

and during the Cuban missile crisis

soldiers ready to hit the air raid shelter

Things were much different then

we had no video games

no facebook

The games we played for the most part

were played out of doors

with neighborhood friends

or board games in the evening

with family

Our social interaction with others

was face to face

The memories of my youth

are truly great

the wonderful times spent

with family and friends

Today

things are different

technology has changed the way

our children grow

our imagination has been replaced

by video games developed by others

family time shortened

by time spent on-line

Yesterday

our lives were communal

Today

our lives have become global

Things have changed since my youth alright

but really, not all for the better

In Our Spirit

The spirit

present before

and remains

long after

the body

of man

Looking there

for guidance

for wisdom

brings us

our path

for life

An existence

intended to

be shared

in harmony

and peace

with others

We must

pay attention

and practice

the lessons

our spirit

has brought

The wisdom

of ages

the guidance

for life

is there

for us

In our spirit

Her Beauty

Her beauty was there

for all to see

but it was only those

who opened their ears

that were able to

see her heart

When It Comes A Knockin'

There upon my door

came this solid knocking

I called out and asked who's there

the answer was quite shocking

Please open up

you must admit me

I'm here now to offer you

a brand new opportunity

If you'll open up the door

your life will surely change

this great big world around you

is what I'll rearrange

You know you want to prosper

have that feeling of great joy

consider it my gift to you

not a greedy selfish ploy

So I opened up the door

and right there from the start

a whole new world had opened up

and entered into my heart

It wasn't a new job for me

nor was it material riches

what I saw was a brand new attitude

with futuristic glimpses

For me a new way of seeing

I'd not experienced before

not quite what I'd expected

when I went and answered that door

I saw a horde of people with needs

they were hungry, cold and poor

an entire world filled with them

just outside of my front door

That's when my heart became quite broken

as I now viewed what was their great pain

why does this still continue

how long will it remain

Someone's got to do something

from this pain please set them free

but wait, it was opportunity knocking

I guess that someone is me

Your Moments Aren't Meant To Be Wasted

A mind left asleep
Misses the moments
Where the best of memories
Are born
Leaving behind
A lifetime of sadness
An empty shell
A spirit forlorn

There's no reason why
A person should suffer
Spending their days
With their minds never deployed
If only they'd wake up
Savour the moments
They'd find a life
Filled up with great joy

Don't let them pass
Reach out and grasp
Each moment
They're their for the taking
Engage your mind
You never know what you'll find
Your joy is right there
For the making

The Triple Double

Basketball is such a great sport

accomplishments abound

the triple double is sought after

until it's finally found

But today while out and playing golf

there was one thing that I found

that triple double mentioned above

it's really no way to start a round

Life In A Looking Glass

There in the mirror

a face to behold

yet not recognized

leaving a feeling so cold

He had no way of telling

here staring blankly

who this man was

this face totally empty

It was as if no life existed

in the reflection he saw

had he actually lived

or drawn the short straw

He should have been seeing

an inner spirit alive

but all that he found

was a failure to thrive

A life with no meaning

his days spent in vain

and now in this mirror

nothing but pain