Friday, July 31, 2015

Petrichor

Petrichor
I know you well
it has been far too long
since your last visit
we have suffered greatly in your absence
but have survived
our crops will now flourish
your visit needed more than one could tell
your aroma is wonderful
now that the drought is passed
and the rain has come



Thursday, July 30, 2015

The

The beginning
this must be the root
The end
seems to be absolute
The philanthropist
does he help all he can find
The bigot
I know there's more than one kind
The sea
more than seven to see
The land
tell me which one would that be
The title
can enliven ones mind
The word the
often leaves options behind

This word often says
there is only one
definitive as hell
for the writer no fun
yet we use it because
it's better than none
and quite frankly it fits
like a dog in a bun



Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Two Sides to Every Street

This world of ours in parallel
will only work its way to hell
their fond beliefs will never meet
and war their favorite meal to eat

The evil men they take their toll
always wanting more control
yet these words that they dismiss
will drive us to the great abyss

It's twisted people who find their gladness
by feeding off of another's sadness
how is it they don't know the score
when sending off their youths to war

And it's not only their politics
that seems to need to get in their licks
the religious crowd they want it too
control of the people, that means you

My hope is some day these folks will see
and maybe for a time they might agree
but I doubt the two sides will ever meet
when there are still two sides to every street



The Movie Screen of Memories

Within the confines of the eyelids
the entire cast of life is present
the show that has gone on for these 66 years
that's the show I have the privilege to watch

Privilege might seem a strange word to be used
there were
just as in any other life
the bad times
these were the times I learned the hard way
these were the lessons that had to be remembered
they're the ones that have brought me safely to where I am

You wonder about the good times
those memories are being played on the screen as well
they're the times that gave me a break from learning
everyone needs a break from time to time from the hard lessons

A person will never build the strength without the hard times
to survive in the real world you gotta understand real
and real doesn't come from playing and pretending

Ultimately, it takes all of ones life to make a person who they are
the bad times will always come along with the good
it's the balance of them that makes the difference

The good times
the play
the pretending
can build a body
the outside of a person
and make us physically able

But it is those hard lessons
the bad times as many see them
that builds the inside
the heart and mind
the intestinal fortitude if you wish
that teaches a person how to survive

Children will often play with fire
they are usually told of the danger
an easy lesson has been presented
but the danger never seems to be real
until they are burned by the flame

To learn the hard lessons of life is not often fun
but it is those lessons that protect us from future pain



Sunday, July 26, 2015

How Wonderful The Self Hug Can Be

Arms crossed
hands nestled just below the armpits
so comforting
my eyes close
shutting out the world around me
I rest safe and secure within this self hug
this escape from a world filled with unrest
at least for these few moments

From here I can watch the gentle surf
the waves send the sea up along the beach
the it recedes washing the place where the sea meets the coast

Sometimes I am privileged to the company of the birds
they sing the tales of nature
and I am actually able to understand the lyrics

They call it a babbling brook
I hear the stories of the lands they have passed through
of the people that have sat on its bank
the brook seems to tell me of their conversations
conversations of peace, brotherhood and love for their fellow men

What a wonderful time this can be
sitting back
arms folded across my chest
hands nestled just below my armpits
within this self hug
in the silence of my temporary solitude
watching and listening
to all that should be



Saturday, July 25, 2015

Witnessing the End

The sun rises
it also sets sets
each day passes
with growing threats

A world at war
no peace is found
the people suffer
hope is drowned

The sound of weapons
no sleep at night
rockets and missiles
increase the fright

But this violence is not found
on the battlefield alone
we have these senseless killings
right here at home

Will we see tomorrow
or be dead by dawn
and you ask why
so faces are drawn

This present day violence
should make us mad
but my lack of hope for mankind
is what makes me sad

Can man ever change
can he curb his hate
or have we gone too far
and it's now too late

How many more sun rises
will we see it set one more time
will there be more days to pass
or has man reached the end of his line



Friday, July 24, 2015

Giving Up is Not an Option or This One's For Me

I tried to read
my eyes so tired
the words
not much more than a blur on a sea of white

(did you know that having only one eye
you often cannot see past the floaters)

Occasionally they would clear but the story was all but lost

Do I back up and try again
or just quit
put the book down
give up
move on to mindless entertainment

The imagination is so far more desirable

The pictures the mind can paint
the completeness of the intent of the writer
the book so superior to the movie

(how often the transition of the story is missed
movies seldom do books proper justice)

How I yearn to be able to once again
sit and read for hours on end
allowing the art of the author to take me on a trip
trips that I have missed since that loss

The words have been shared
“never give up”
shouldn't they be remembered in all matters of our lives

I think maybe that it's time to go back and try again

I think, maybe I wrote this for me

Thursday, July 23, 2015

It's All About Lust

Money, power
I gotta get some
if I ain't got the two
I just ain't the one

Week as a kitten
without any claws
what could I ever do
with two useless paws

Just give me the money
I'll buy me that power
I'll hit the ground running
and it won't take an hour

Don't get in my way
as I go on this run
I promise you now
you won't find it fun

I want what I want
I'll do whatever it takes
if it means burying you
it'll take less than two shakes

My lust is for power
you cannot deny me
how can you say that I'm evil
I'll have it, you'll see

The man used to care
his humanity meant all
but his lust for that power
had brought his great fall

There's more to life than power
success is not about money
those statements may seem strange
don't laugh, it ain't funny

Too much money and power
corrupt simple men
erasing their kindness
that they had back then

Often making them monsters
losing sight of who they were
and their pasts, they became
not much more than a blur

No love left in their heart
their humanity lost
not a show of any kindness
lust for power has a cost



Wednesday, July 22, 2015

The Eagle and His Dinner

Soaring high above the earth the eagle spotted it's dinner.
The rabbit, earthbound was minding to his own dinner
munching on grasses and leaves.
He was unaware of the danger that was far above him

The sharp eye of the eagle,
the silence of his lofty soar
gave the great bird an awesome advantage.
The great hunter dove toward the ground,
talons open,
ready to grasp onto his prey
and in an instant the rabbit was his.

The strong wings carried the eagle and his dinner high into the air.
Far from his nest, seeking the solace of his home to enjoy dinner
he climbed ever higher.
Spreading his wings to ride the thermals he lost altitude.
Again using his strong wings he ascended to the height needed
and again he found himself dropping back toward the ground.

This rabbit that he held onto in his talons
he found to be too much for him to hold onto and soar as he had hoped to.
He found himself struggling to fly.
The great bird began to wonder why he had chosen a meal so large.
The baggage of this rabbit had changed his life.
It was not for the good.



Baggage has No Place in the Talons of Eagles

To fly with the eagles
carrying baggage in hand
limits our heights
we must understand

With our wings always flapping
there's no way we can soar
when our minds tells your hearts
we must hang on to a some more

We're held back by that baggage
it keeps us close to the ground
with cluttered up lives
there's no real freedom found

Letting go of that baggage
will rewrite our life's story
and we can then soar with those eagles
when our hearts have no worry



Tuesday, July 14, 2015

His Story

He told of his life
all that went before him was included
he claimed that it had all been passed down
from parents
from their parents
and ancestors from far back

Another man
told me of his life
he too included
all that went before him
the tale also had been relayed through the ages
passed down through the generations

Their lives
the lives of their ancestors
had crossed
time and time again
yet their truth of those times
came across as quite different

I have decided that
we will always have more than one tale
we will always have more than one viewpoint
and we will always refer to these tales as

History

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Political Correctness

Political correctness
is not for the masses
it's just always political
being used by the asses
to garner your vote
and get them elected
then they cast you aside
so sorry, rejected  



Wednesday, July 8, 2015

A Little Kindness

Helping the homeless
how do you choose
so many have said
just look at their shoes

But what if their shoes
were just given to them
what's on their feet ain't a home
bedroom, kitchen or den

Just follow your heart
when you know it to be right
you won't have second thoughts
there will be no inner fight

Too lift someones spirit
a little kindness deploy
your reward will be swift
your heart filled up with joy



Sunday, July 5, 2015

The Great Divide

The great divide
religious fanatics
cause it to grow wide
in the name of their god
think they're saving your hide
when in all honest truth
all they do is misguide

The great divide
separates families
groom against bride
splitting up marriage
conversation gets snide
from their stubbornness
that's based on their pride

The great divide
the different beliefs
relationship fried
run aground on the reefs
partners have cried
days together are ending
as this trauma takes them broadside

The great divide
organized religion
cause folks to take sides
rather than bond
total lives are shanghaied
and still they aren't seeing
that the great divide as always has lied



Burgers and Fries

The simple life
of burgers and fries
maybe not the best for your health
but they're a feast for the eyes

The very thought of 'em
just makes ya feel good
whether you're on the road
or at home in the hood

Yep burgers and fries
your waist might despise
but who the hell cares
when you're out with the guys

Go get you some Wendy's
or Micky-D's down the road
Sonic or Five-Guys
let some fat now get stowed

Once you start eatin' some burgers and fries
you're doin' it right
when you let out your belt
and your pants are too tight



Hidden

It's hidden
what must it be
they don't want me to see
beneath those sheets of bigotry

Eyes that hold flames of hatred
faces twisted in bitterness
hearts that thrive on darkness
why do they worry concerning their faces being seen
if what they do they believe to be right and pure
why are they not proud enough to be known

As a child
there were things my parents said
NO!
you cannot do that
so I did “that”
whatever it was that was forbidden
became the target of my curiosity
the most powerful motivators a young one could have
is to forbid something from them

As a child I hid those things
(just as my children did and and all will)
that I did not want my parents to know about
concerning whatever it was I was up to
that I knew they wouldn't approve of

They were forbidden
thus hidden

Today we hide
words of belligerence and of a demeaning nature
flags that inspire the hatred of the past
faces of the bigotry of the so called better than thou crowd
and the truth
of what they do to harm our world

Hidden to deny they exist

These things forbidden
grow in power
taunting us to be part of them
causing more hatred to grow
directed at individuals
who have never caused us any harm

To hide that which is evil
will only cause the evil to grow



Friday, July 3, 2015

The N-word (if you are offended by it, please read something else)

Nigger's a word
that can be used as a sword
and once the pots stirred
our vision is blurred

They say it's so filthy it should never be said
and when it comes out folks go out of their head
said in hate by a white man he could end up dead
but if never discussed we'll not move ahead

Hiding it only gives it more power
a strength that keeps growing with each passing hour
but today our society shrinks back and cowers
with a political correctness that they view as a flower

Hid behind its first letter an N
some cannot even write it not even in pen
but the insult of nigger will ne'er see an end
if it's never discussed by mature adult men

See the racist gets taught when he's really small
by childish men who think they stand tall
harboring prejudice and hate that is always on call
and they practice that bigotry without ever a stall

When will we grow up
will we ever learn
if we keep hiding the issue
we will inevitably burn



Thursday, July 2, 2015

Vietnam



Vietnam

A terrible time for our country
The fear of what was called
the domino effect
Communism would be at our doorstep
if we did not stop the North Vietnamese

It was our own freedom
we were told that hung in the balance

We sent our young men
they fought
many died
others crippled and those who were fortunate enough
to simply make home
became the victims of a nation
that showed no support for the soldier

But the war was not about our freedom

It was about fear

Fear that traveled throughout our government
that we could be next

Of course history now shows
that was not the intent of the North
all they wanted was their country reunified

Our boys came home
the nation turned its back on them
many today still live in the streets
as do present day returnees from the middle east wars

It was the Vietnam veteran
who vowed
never to let another vet go unappreciated

The people have learned
but sadly
the government hasn't

The fear they have now
is the loss of profits
they continue to send
other peoples children
off to war that for these youg men
and now women
holds death and dismemberment
without giving those fortunate enough to return home
proper care and support

Today is so different from yesterday

Yesterday
the people spat upon the returning soldier

Today
it is the spittle of the government that they wear



Wednesday, July 1, 2015

The Visit

He came
we said our hellos
and the hugs
they were real

Then we talked over a homemade pizza
the crust could have been thinner
the tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil from the garden
they made up for it that crust

Catching up over lunch
just being together again
it's was a wonderful way to pass the moments we had

Seventeen years is a long time
he was so much younger then
no longer the same little fellow we knew
of course Gramma and I
well, we might have changed a little in his eyes as well

It became time to rummage through so many old items
left overs that we had saved from the past
his past

We all have a past
his was a little tougher than most
mom and dad both taken from him
the one in her death
the other imprisoned

He was only five at the time

He never had a chance
this past was thrust upon him
much too early in his life
actual memories may have been few
but the few that made their way to the present
brought with them emotional moments

When he left
he took with him the things that meant the most to him
much too soon for my liking
but I was his age once, I guess I understand

It's hard to part again so quickly
there were so many lost years
but there will be another time
our hearts will forever beat as one
and the hugs will always be real