The Autumn Breeze

The autumn breeze

the colors bold

loosing the leaves

both red and gold

Raining down

to meet mother earth

where they'll turn to brown

decay and feed a rebirth

A lesson that's rife

here for reflection

the circle of life

nature in its perfection

Man's Windows

Man's windows

to the world

his senses

open all

for his understanding

and his pleasure

his eyes feast upon

the beauty of the flowers

sun risings and sunsets

the colors of the leaves of autumn

his ears receive

the bird songs from above

and the sound of the babbling brook

his nose takes in

the aroma of the freshly brewed coffee

and the wonderful smells of the bakery

with it's freshly baked breads

his taste buds able to differentiate

the sweets from the savory

allowing him to enjoy the foods

meant to nourish him

and his touch

with its gentleness

not only to feel

but to bestow his love

upon another  

Just a Name

So, they say they are Christian

but how are they measured

do they act like their Saviour

can they truly be treasured

Or have they wandered away

from so many of his teachings

ignoring his words

it's his intention they're breeching

When you look at these people

quite often you'll find

they've forgotten his love

for all of mankind

Their treatment of black folk

less than human they were

three fifths of a person

not the Christians finest hour

Women had their day

in the churches not equal

again less than human

kind of like a rerun or sequel

Today it's the gays

trans-gendered and bi's

and these same so called Christians

have averted their eyes

Refusing to love

as that man Jesus said

gone to the extreme

of wishing them dead

Where is that love

where is their caring

are todays Christians real

or is just a name they are wearing

Who are Those People

Where is Christ

they told me he was dead

I knocked all the doors

of all the churches

there was never any answer

I guess it's true

Has hope up and left

without him

what will become of the world

Who's that sharing his food

and providing a coat

to that homeless fellow?

Why is that person

giving his shoes

to that bum?

Did I just hear that woman

offer shelter and help with health care

to that pregnant teen with no home?

Do my eyes and ears deceive me

or is that.......

Wait a minute,

How come he's not in the churches?

The Beauty of a Lemons Rind Hides the Sour Fruit Inside

I knew this girl, quite beautiful

and of course I thought, she's wonderful

until her mouth had opened wide

the words that she spoke were ever so snide

revealing to me what was deep inside

an ugliness that she couldn't hide

that proved her to be despicable

and made her quite unlovable

I Can Only Hope for that Someday

Both on the street

and battle field

the killings endless

they never yield

While all the talking

gets nothing done

it appears as they kill

purely for fun

I feel as though

I write this in vain

while so many others

continue to suffer their pain

If they who need to

will not listen

however will our words

ever glisten

Yet I'll continue to write

with hopes for tomorrow

that one day we'll wake

with none of this sorrow

Own Your Own

No need to be threatened

by the beliefs of another

when the beliefs you have

are your own

No need to be upset

by their ideas and words

if yours are truly written

in stone

There's no need to fight

no need to argue

simple discussion

is a much better tone

For then if you talk

and learn from each other

you'll find in the end

you've both grown

Others words, ideas and beliefs threaten not when one truly owns his own.

The Fourteenth at Tomac Woods

I love it

I hate it

it's both my favorite

and least

a long and narrow fairway

lined by marvelous trees

so many different types

the colors

for a moment

cause you to forget how important

a straight drive is on this hole

the leaves in the landing area

tell you it really doesn't matter today

you're here to enjoy the course

wandering through the changing season

even now as autumn has taken full control

the joy playing

brings a smile that remains

ever present

Don't miss a day of it my friends

Don't miss a day!

The Breaking Down of the Wall

The wall had been built

strong and sturdy it was

it kept the state

from dictating religion

It's purpose to insure

that all men, women too

could believe, or not

worship, or not

in short to have their own faith

and that all may be treated as equals

It was built

to stop the witch burnings

to end the persecution of the baptists

to bestow upon all men, women too

the freedom to have their own faith

The differences were many

folks seemed to get stupid

thinking

“There's only one way

and that's mine”

“Laws should be made to

give me advantage”

“After all

can't you see God is mine”

They picked up the sledge

started hammering away at the wall

attempting to mold it, shape it, yes change it

and with all this pounding it started to fall

They were claiming the first

and yes they've that right

what they forgot

was the first was for all

they had picked the wrong fight

Then the fourteenth was born

to bolster the wall

build it back up

to insure to all

their rights be protected

but that wasn't enough

the hammering continued

and the state said

“ENOUGH”

“All have these rights

and you've no right

to deny them”

You claim you're non-profit

you've been given the freedom

to worship and believe as you wish

and in your church build your kingdom

But if you're licensed as business

I know this sounds hollow

but you've really no choice

it's the laws of the land you must follow

You've been given protection

and what did you do

started tearing it down

tell me

Who's encroached upon who?

Don't Miss the Important Stuff

Possessions and people

they'll come and they'll go

while the heart and the spirit

they're a world all their own

It's a world deep within

that's ignored by so many

who concentrate on the surface

only to miss their own beauty

The Earth is Ours, We are the Earth

We are children of the one creator

man has given him many names

but the names matter not

he is simply the ever present

We are all his creation

all of the same substance

I am but a small part of he

while he is all of me

Being one with the earth

the flowers of all colors

and the towering trees

the animals that roam

the forests and prairies

Being one with the seas

the gilled of the deep

the air breathers and shellfish

One with the heavens

the melodious songbirds

those great birds of prey

even the vulture

who displays great beauty in flight

They are all a part of him

all intended to be the answer

to the needs of another

the supply that sustains

He's not hard to please

he only wishes

to be treated with respect

a gentle touch

a soft footprint

use but don't abuse

and share it all

while traveling his paths

We are also the answer

to the needs of another

We are their sustainer

A Gentle Footprint

He had taken care

of each step he took

they were gentle

never destructive

Pebbles along his path

remained in their place

that path left open

no bridge ever burnt

always present

that others might follow

his footsteps

Gardens of flowers

ever fragrant

blessing his life with joy

always groomed

weeded so that others

might also enjoy their beauty

He had been taught in his youth

to respect all things of this world

for all things belonged to all people

to bless each according to their need

Destruction would deny a healing

His footprints were worthy

of being followed

The Winter of Love

It was the dead of winter

A fresh snow had come

that pure white blanket

drifted across the walk

and just off the eves of my roof

The picture was like what you would find

only on a print done by Thomas Kinkade

That stone cottage

in amongst the trees

with a faint warm candle light

coming through its bay window

Warmed by the embers left in the hearth

we had explored each others bodies, minds and hearts

discovered that commonality only soul mates are aware of

we found a world that brought joy to both of us

It was the birth of our love

How Could I Not Love Her

Yes lust had come first

but love took its place

when once I discovered

she had more than a face

when I gazed in her eyes

I saw into her soul

she had this desire

to make everyone whole

she would care for those

deemed unlovely by most

to the down trodden and poor

she was ever the host

lifting them up

dusting them off

helping them to feel human

after they'd felt so lost

always the giver

denying herself

when they call and they need help

her life goes on the shelf

just why is she like this

I don't have that answer

the one thing I do know

is that I'll always love her

Poets Immortal

Poets immortals

ever with us

their ghosts still present

there's no need for to fuss

They mean you no harm

they're here for to bless

with the words that they've left us

they oft relieve our distress

Their words are alive

they are truly an art

a wonderful archive

here to show us their heart

These marvelous words

that we sit and we ponder

the stories they bring us

offer journeys to wander

The pictures they paint

with the ink that they share

introduce us to new places

and then take us there

They show us the heavens

and take us through hell

their inspired words

put us under their spell

Some are life lessons

others lessons of love

they document wars

and speak as the dove

Yes they live on

not one of them dead

they're truly immortal

as long as they're read

The Side we don't See

He had it all

not a worry one

his life a picture

of nothing but fun

he had all the toys

that one could ever want

and always in public

appearing so nonchalant

Why suicide

whatever was wrong

often it's drugs

that have stolen their song

was having it all

without any limit

the last nail in the coffin

that had taken the spirit

That will live

where does it go

what the hell are they missing

does anyone know

those rich and famous

why so hard pressed

to always appear

as their lives are so blessed

Down deep inside

they lie to themselves

their lives become wasted

the best parts have been shelved

always in character

ever playing their role

in truth they've run aground

on a deserted shoal

Memories

Wonderful memories

bringing forth tears

the times of my youth

those long lost years

Often forgotten

hidden by years

of life's many trials

and day to day fears

Seldom they come

yet once they do start

they race though my mind

and again touch my heart

Bringing back feelings

I thought were long dead

taking me back

to my youthful homestead

We'd gather with friends

I can picture their faces

they're right here in my heart

though we're in far away places

These tears, they're the good kind

they take me back home

to spend time with my good friends

reliving days long outgrown

Old Friends

Old friends

no, not those of Paul Simon

there was no park bench

for them to sit on

they were not like bookends

different as night and day

was what they were

yet they were friends

from their youth

the very best of friends

now they had aged

As boys

they were inseparable

if you saw one

you saw the other

they did everything together

sandlot baseball

driveway basketball and boxing

worked a paper route together

they even attended ballroom dancing classes

Elementary school had come and gone

junior high and then high school

it was here that they started to become

two very different people

One was smart as a whip

he was also quite adept at sports

The other

well, not so much

The one went the college route

while the other entered the service

The one became a professor

the other a working stiff

Like I said earlier

two very different people

They now live half a country away from each other

they're no longer seen together

they haven't shared time

on the sandlot or in the driveway

in more years than one cares to imagine

Still they share the same memories

they continue to live in each others hearts

they're not Paul Simons

but they're old friends

The Death of the Flower of Love

If your heart is a volcano how shall you expect flowers to bloom in your hands? ~Khalil Gibran

She watched him real close

still lost him you see

pushed him far away

thinking what business had he

spending his time

on anything but me

this was the main thought

of her jealousy

Well he'd done it again

watched a game with his friends

why would he do that

it drove her to no end

he ought to be home

there's no reason to go out

a tantrum should cure this

followed then by a pout

She was like a volcano

he could stand it no more

it was time that he left

she had a fiery core

her heart wasn't soft

their love couldn't grow

still he loved her like hell

but she just didn't know

some things are not meant to be FOUND

He sought peace at the beach

the surf was thunderous

though the sea was calm

He looked to the rain forest

the morning mist was light

yet sounded as if he stood under a tin roof during a downpour

The mountain top proved no better

he could feel no breeze

but stayed disturbed by the howling of a winter wind

Wandering the Earth

the peace he searched for

could not be found

giving up his quest

he sat upon a rock

strangely he felt tranquil

Happiness

Within

or

without

Where is it found

Is it ever with you

or

must it be renewed

The permanence of

ever with you

so real and alive

How many times

can it be renewed

before you're left without

I Will not Forget

I will not forget

I relive the moment

this bitterness

grows in my heart

see what you've done

stolen my joy

so much of my life

dedicated to finding

happiness

That part of me

that lacks the ability

to forgive

Thy name is

Thief

I am a Product of My Past

I have seen what war has done

the vision entered through my eyes

touched my heart

I felt pain for those who were maimed and killed

I have heard the words of hatred

they entered cruelly into my being

burning my ears as they passed through

I felt sorry for the ignorance

I failed to stand up

to put an end to the harassment

of another

how low this made me feel

All that I had seen, heard and done

made me stop and think

Who was I becoming

Each person I met

was shaping me

steering me along

along my life's path

I was a product of my past

it made me who I was

there was no way

I could change that past

But learning from it

I could affect my future