Saturday, November 29, 2014

There are Times When Words do no Good

How many times had I tried to help
four or five, ten maybe twenty
I had lost count
Our talks never seemed to do any good
He needed to change the way he thought
understand forgiveness
But his bitterness
it was nestled too deep within
Ever since his loss
his life was in decline
He was ever moving further away
from the man he once was
His wife and children
they were everything to him
The accident had taken them away

Why had he drank so heavily  



The Softer Side

Men, why yes
they've a softer side
but much too often
it's forced to hide

Hidden beneath
a rough exterior
then they act
the complete posterior

Hiding their feelings
not sharing their trust
denying emotions
yet acceptance a must

They're there to protect us
our hearts are under the gun
we've got to wake up
before the damage is done



Friday, November 28, 2014

Take My Hand

Has it gotten any better
than those days gone before
are races any more equal
will we ever tie the score

Will there always be discord
and this horrible lack of trust
why is it that we judge a man
for the color of his crust

“It's plain to see he's not like me”
that excuse is truly lame
see deep inside, beneath our hide
our blood runs all the same

Each and every one of us
must share this common land
and we can truly live in peace
if we'll just walk hand in hand



Thursday, November 27, 2014

A Thanksgiving Reminder

Another Thanksgiving
and here we are
gathered round the old table
the grandest feast by far

The turkey, the stuffing
yams and mashed taters
gravy all over it
pumpkin pie we'll eat later

Yeah feeding our faces
till our bellies are full
yet still making an attempt
at just one more spoonful

Yes today seems so perfect
all this family and food
and it's thankful we are
for this fall interlude

But there are others less fortunate
who have no houses or homes
living out on the streets
cold and alone

Scrounging for food
and a place to get warm
without all the comforts
we believe are the norm

Please enjoy todays feast
but share when you can
though those folks may be homeless
they're still your fellow man



Wednesday, November 26, 2014

War, Good for Business

War is good
for business you know
there's always
a buck to be made
and the killing of people
increases the profits
as many employees
won't have to be paid

so mothers and fathers
throughout this great land
help build our economy
c'mon, take a stand
send us your kids
that's right, don't delay
kill 'em off for good reason
here at home they die anyway

why die in vain
who knows, with some luck
they could perish quite quickly
saving investors a big buck
spiking the profits
by saving their wage
keeping the rich on the fast track
without turning a page

like I said
war is good business
profit margins
they're great
as long as
there's killing
there will be
pieces of eight



We Can Always Hope

It's here, it's here,
Utopia has arrived
What a wonderful moment
And here I'm still alive

A land of peace
A country of love
A total absence of hate
A gift from above

Long have I waited
For this day to arrive
My hope for its coming
Is what's kept me alive

Finally it's here
This is mans second chance
We can rejoice all together
And to new music we'll dance

Oh how I pray this is real
And this moment is what it seems
That I'm actually awake
And it's not just one of my dreams



Why Not Have Ham

Beef
was once for dinner
but the cow said
“eat more chicken”
I saw the turkey
holding a sign
the words
“why not have ham”

These things made me stop
they made me think
these animals wish the demise of another
that attitude sure does stink

Then I looked around
quite embarrassed, AHEM
I'd seen this before
how HUMAN of them



I Can't Save the World Alone

Here I am
trying to save the world
my words
will they make any difference
why write
if no-one's going to read them
why care
when man enjoys his bitterness
his loss
peace, love and joy
his change
must first come from within
reaching one
my hope is that change is contagious
and passed
from one heart to another
a dream
of love spreading to all men



What the Hell's Wrong with People

Rioting
well it just ain't right
what the hell's wrong
these folks ain't too bright

The violence erupting
won't change anything
the fires, the looting
more brutality will bring

They're hurting themselves
while destroying much good
this world that we live in
is everyones hood

Respecting our neighbors
a thing of the past
never more obvious
than while their anger does last

And that there's the problem
you'll see on both sides
closed minded people
living lives nurtured by lies

The Blacks are all criminals
The Whites all racists
Asians invading
Too many Latinos exist

People today
they're brought up on disdain
and their hate leaves behind them
nothing but pain

Do I have the answer
no, but I can see the cause
it's those closed minded people
who won't give hate a pause

If only for a day
they'd give peace a chance
and walk hand in hand
we could learn a new dance

You might say “FAT CHANCE
your dream will never come true”
well you're probably right
not with your attitude



Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Just The Way I See It

Though I wasn't there
the truth I'll never know
but the prosecutor
well put on a poor show

A life had been taken
his job was to indict
yet he presented defense
well I guess that's his right

I'm telling you folks
there's just something wrong
when a district attorney
touts a defense song

The killer went free
self defense we were fed
all six shots found their target
to make sure Brown was dead

How is this not murder
because Wilson's a cop
my word, six shots
I guess he just couldn't stop

If he's really that nervous
and afraid for his life
he might be working the wrong job
if it creates that much strife



Tuesday, November 18, 2014

A Reminder of How Things Should Be

The clear morning sky
allows the sun to shine
directly upon the fresh blanket of snow
which was delivered over night

The super bright of the reflection
harsh on my eyes, painful
yet so pure, so wonderful
I have no will to look away

How could I not continue to gaze upon this picture
this beautiful moment will not last long
natures gift to me will soon be spoiled
man's pollution comes with his activity

My hope, call it a prayer
is that on this beautiful morning
man over sleeps
leaving this world untouched for today



Monday, November 17, 2014

Can't You even Spare A Cup of Coffee

As a boy
I played with toys

But as I grew
somehow I knew

Those days of fun
would soon be done

Watching my dad
as he worked for a living
paying the bills
little left for the giving

No we weren't dirt poor
we didn't miss any meals
always a roof over our heads
they didn't seem like big deals

Though we heard of the hungry
we didn't believe they existed
just a ploy to clean our plates
of foods with tastes we resisted

But the poor did exist
yes in the sixties and before
and as I grew in the suburbs
I never knew the real score

You see the city was hidden
Appalachia as well
where I lived we were sheltered
from those conditions of hell

Then one day I woke up
and the poor became real
knowledge I lacked in my childhood
was now a big deal

In this world are the hungry
they are tired and weak
many are cold and sick
as they lie in the streets

How the hell can we let them
go without care
it's not like we're a people
unable to share

If we're such a great nation
with all of our riches
why is it we act as such low
sons-a-bitches





The Green Man

Entering the forest
not really knowing why
I took chance to step upon a worn path

Though shaded beneath the canopy
the way was plain to see

Here and there rays of light
fought their way through the leaves
preventing the theft of my sight
removing the darkness
left behind from the night

The sun seldom dawns on the forest floor you know

The path I was following
was reminiscent of a slalom course
winding its way
through trees which were ever increasing
in their height and girth
taking me ever deeper
into the very heart of the forest

Before me appeared an opening
there was a great abundance of sunlight

As I drew closer
there at the center
I could see what must have been
the mother of all trees

The picture I saw
appeared strange to me
upon its branches
it looked as if there were the leaves
of the oak
of the elm
of the maple
of the birch and beach trees alike
all upon the same tree

My curiosity peaked
it was mixed with
the fear of the unknown

There at the base
of this trees great massive trunk
was the answer to why
I felt the need to enter this great wooded area

I had only heard of the Green Man before
never really believing that he existed

Then to my amazement
he spoke to me

“As the life of all trees are nourished
by the flow of the same life giving sap,
all human life is nourished
through the same blood”

“As all trees are one with creation,
all men are one with the trees”

“All the minute portions of creation
are part of the one whole,
we are all one”



Wednesday, November 12, 2014

A Gift from the Mist

I sat in the shallow cavern behind the falls
gazing out at the fine mist
it was rising above the pool below
I watched as the sun sent forth its rays of light
as they passed through this mist before me
I felt as if I was receiving a gift
sent by morning star
its brilliance
excited the millions of prisms
contained within the tiny water droplets
causing colors to burst forth
displaying the most glorious rainbow
more spectacular than I had ever witnessed before
all those wonderful colors
coming together
to make the whole of this vision in the mist
it was then that I realized
today this rainbow
that I was given the privilege of viewing
was not the promise spoken of
instead, it was a message
that all men
of all colors and races
of all faiths
believers or not
gay and straight alike
whether they're rich or poor
must at one point
all come together
if we are ever to be whole
for within us
it is the same river of life
being pumped through our bodies
by our hearts



Monday, November 10, 2014

The Poets Nightmare

Was that all there was
could he really be done
it was becoming like work
no longer fun

It once was a joy
the rhymes came so easy
but lately a burden
leaving his stomach quite queasy

It was upsetting as hell
when he couldn't find words
like as if freedom was across the river
and he could not find the fjord

He was stuck on this side
as if a curtain had been drawn
yet he knew he couldn't quit
yet there was no way to move on

It was a terrible feeling
being trapped there in limbo
having so much in his heart
and so little to show

Was it time to give up
time for him to quit writing
what would become of his life
it was a time that was frightening



Sunday, November 9, 2014

The Plains

The plains
travel is smooth
little stands in the way
progress through life is made easy
there are few challenges or pit falls here
personal growth held to limits
we tend to grow lazy
why remain in
the plains



Valleys

Valleys
low points of life
what purpose so they serve
they were not meant to weaken us
these fertilized basins feed your spirit strength
faith needed to face your mountains
rest for your very soul
do not fear the
valleys



Mountains

Mountains
are there to climb
they may stand in the way
you may be wondering just why
the fact is that there are lessons to learn
that will determine your future
once you find that success
give thanks to the
mountains



Saturday, November 8, 2014

Reactivity

Reactivity
yeah, I guess that's the word
those quick snide remarks
folks like to use as a sword

Not thinking at all
just plain biting back
taking offense to most everything
as if under attack

The argument starts
the anger does grow
the drama spills over
others forced to watch this sad show

I wonder why live like that
reactive I mean
is it something they've learned
or is it some kind of gene

Do they love being angry
does it have a great flavor
when in truth it hurts all
when their bitterness they do savor

I hope that someday
they can leave this behind
cast off all their anger

and become gentle and kind




Sharing the Marble

My time here is short
I've a message to share
it must be delivered
to teach others to care

It's mine for to spread
it could be for others as well
but I've been given these words
and I'm supposed to go sell

But just caring inside
is not near enough
I've got to put care into action
show that I've got the stuff

A love for my brothers
all religions and races
whether they're believers or not
respect everyones faces

The homeless, the rich
whether they're straight or they're gay
none of that should matter at all
again, it's respect I should pay

sure it would be oh so easy
to avoid all interaction
if this was nothing but words
and I failed to take action

But inside we're just people
all one great big union
sharing this wonderful blue marble
you see we're all of us human



Friday, November 7, 2014

Michigan Golf in November

This is Michigan
November seven
I'm still playing golf
is this some kind of heaven

The course is in great shape
and there's a feeling of peace
while I'm sharing the fairways
with hundreds of geese

I've been hitting 'em straight
and driving it far
my irons like lasers
yeah man, making some pars

Doing all of those things
that the good golfers do
except for one little thing
avoiding goose poo



Don't Ask

They asked my opinion
I gave it to them
then when I was done
I heard that “Ahem”

Turned out that it wasn't
what they wanted to hear
as a matter of fact
it wasn't even near

That was when the fight started
they took my opinion to task
if they didn't want to hear it
why in the hell did they ask  



Thursday, November 6, 2014

A Smile

A smile
often can be
what makes a difference
between the bad days and the good
when the bad days arrive, all is not lost
when you need to turn one around
the truth of the matter
all you need is
a smile



Forgiveness

Forgiveness
is for the soul
releasing the evil
that's taken a hold
bitterness, anger and hate
the spirit killers
that can seal your fate
tearing you down and leaving a life
of misery that's filled
with a great strife

Forgiveness
it's for your own heart
protecting your spirit
doing its part
righting your path
to one where joy can be found
giving away all that evil
to which you've been bound

Forgiveness
it's really for you
you're not saying it's fine
it's just what you must do
for with it comes freedom
for your spirit and heart
giving them life once again
giving you a new start



Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Man' Revenge upon Himself

Hateful thoughts
imaginary daggers
emerge from a heart
with no ability
to forgive
filled with anger
owned by bitterness
a soul at its blackest
peace has no chance
love cannot exist
loneliness ensues
depression is born
a spirit dies