A Present Day Hiding Place

Rude and rotten

that's what they are

with their bigoted messages

the worst kind by far

Seldom respectful

to the people they meet

destroying their mood

but not on the street

It's here on the internet

and not face to face

where they act as the tough guy

feeling perfectly safe

Anonymity that's cool

avatars they're great

and what they give to the bullies

is a place to practice their hate

Samma Vaca

words so in-edible

you just can't keep them down

they move your insides

you regurgitate

you've had your fill

but the children must play

their game

proving they are better than you

their onslaught of disrespect continues

they don't know when to stop

they have no idea what they cause

in truth, they don't even care

they don't seem to realize

they are responsible

for the pain they bring

the spirits they crush

and the hearts they break

their way is the only way

the game must be won

even if the cost

includes their humanity

the frozen places

are always the loneliest  

The Casualty of a One Sided War

Without acknowledgment

The warrior has no foe

His war remains within

The only casualty

His spirit

The Box

stuck in his box

with no way out

frustration with life

he began to shout

where is my freedom

the walls he'd scrape

again raising his voice

he would beg escape

let me out he cried

give me new things to learn

variety is calling

and inside I do burn

the box holds me prisoner

with no way to move on

I long for that place

where knowledge will spawn

someone please help

come show me the way

I know I'll learn quickly

if you'll but teach me to play

it's joy that I seek

not the four walls of this box

help me open my mind

bring the keys to the locks

Stagnation

They live in boxes

no doors to pass through

no windows to accept the light

the world has to offer

their meals never change

and no longer have flavor

Seldom Forever

Was it ever true

was it ever alright

there was more than a twig snapped

to give birth to this fight

two lives now uprooted

the end too soon was found

love hadn't been rooted

firm and deep in the ground

the anger had grown

they were both far too proud

neither could back away

their voices now loud

the violence was verbal

this had not come to blows

but the hurt went much deeper

as insults found some new lows

had love ever existed

or had lust been their bond

and with the newness worn off

they'd both found they'd been conned

those three words “I love you”

they lied through their teeth

all they had done was to hide

lust that had lain deep beneath

Fear has had Its Way

Outside my window

Life

So changed from what it once was

people so different from what they were

today it seems as if

we have no time for others

we act as if we are threatened

by those who pass by

even by our neighbors

ever on our guard

the only respect we show

seems to be

because of our fear

Outside my window

life in its ridiculousness

I watch as they walk by

afraid to make eye contact

unable to greet each other

No, it's not just those two across the street

they've been feuding for years

it appears to be almost everyone

There was a time when women

would nod and give a slight curtsy

and men

would tip their hats in greeting

it was a time

that people showed respect for each other

in the form of politeness

Today's respect is shown by their

avoidance of acknowledgment

due to fear of possible confrontation

There are so many angry people in the world today

the shame is that they don't have to be angry if they don't want to be

they hold on to their anger as if it is their life's blood

like those two across the street

only their feud seems to be with life itself

Will they ever see

will they ever understand

they hurt themselves in their denial of joy

Why Deny

I knew a man

who could not see beyond his nose

his path through life

was covered with stones

I knew a man

who refused to open his mind

he could not understand

why he could not understand

I knew a man

who would not let his heart be touched

he died alone

never knowing the joy that was his

Nightmares come from a Lack of Passion

What I would

I have not done

my life cheated

by my cowardice

Afraid to step out on a limb

afraid to follow my dream

unwilling to step outside

that safety net

of being responsible

Dreams are only achieved

by the passionate

The Destroyers

Egos

large enough

to steel the spirit

of entire societies

their self servitude

offering no help

to the people

their cold hearts

have no place

for love of others

their only need

to feel superior

as they tear down

all that is about them

through the misuse of

the position they were given

in order to become

as a child

king of the hill

whose lie

gave them the idea

they were above all others

do they not see the destruction

they leave in the wake of their walk

through life

Arrogance

Knocking men down

from his great altitude

an insane egotist

with a bad attitude

his knowledge was great

why wouldn't they listen

with all of his schooling

his opinion should glisten

the arrogant bastard

went ahead, said his peace

with the ultimate end

a soul for to fleece

to kill a spirit

break a heart

sow discouragement

right from the start

to his dismay

what he didn't expect

was he never received

other peoples respect

eating at him

he'd continued his fight

hoping his words

would push others to flight

showing great disrespect

as his means to his ends

he found himself alone

without any friends

Sheep

Sheep

they follow

never seeing the world

for themselves

they all become alike

they have no individual traits

told where they can go

they are limited as to what world

has to offer

hounded by the dogs

who move them toward a pen

they say for there own protection

yet it is for the shepherd

truly an issue of control

the wolves will always be there

the pen is no protection

those who have not learned

to stand on their own will fall

those who become as the big horn

will experience life

Voice

There once was a voice

he had never before been heard from

well, except for when pen

would make his recitation

to his good friend paper

The day came

voice discovered he had vocal cords

his first words, tentative in their birth proved

insecurity had been the reason

for his silence

He spoke slowly at first

worried that he would stumble

afraid he would begin to stutter

his fear of acceptance or lack thereof

kept him close to the edge of giving up

Deep within a new and fresh feeling come upon him

it was as if out of nowhere

there was a strength building

a new determination

giving up was backing up away from the edge

Voice became strong

no longer insecure

Voice realized his purpose

and vowed to fulfill it

Voice began shouting his messages

from the roof tops

from the tops of mountains

and across the seas

Voice would never be silenced again

his message will continue to be heard

Get Off Your Knees and DO Something

I write this to you Christianity

What matters more

that we pray for

or feed the hungry

the flow of manna from heaven

today is nowhere to be seen

other than where it is with the help

from the hand of man

Was it not to be shared with all of gods chosen

by your word, your savior came to save all

his father fed them in the wilderness

he fed them on the mount

yet many die today of starvation

why must even one go hungry

This world has a glut of food

all it needs is to be shared

distributed to those in need

yet so much is thrown away

I guess it's less expensive letting it go to waste

when the bottom line is your desired taste

I have to wonder

those who feel that need to pray

and then do nothing to help

do they not see

that they are the answer

for what they pray for

their hearts would not have been touched

if they weren't

Or is it just more of the same lip service

Even if we were just to sit down

and share half of our sandwich

we would be helping them

renewing their faith

restoring their spirit

helping to ease their pangs of hunger

prayers without works

my friend, they're dead

as your heart is unchanged

where is your head

do you not understand

you've been called to good works

to help and feed others

should be looked on as perks

never a burden

rewards then received

as smiles grace a face

with their hunger relieved

Beware the Rose

He spent time in the garden

moved too close to the rose

was pricked by it's thorn

the love he had given

was returned with pain

Come sit with me

There is this stream

it carries the music of life through the forest

calming the soul and spirit

of any and all who spend time

listening to its song

As I sit by waters edge

my toes being kissed by its gentle current

I find an unexpected blessing

one that has always been there for me.

All that was needed

was for me to come and accept it

To get here I left a world

ravaged by a rushed

and impatient society.

Its greed and lack of kindness

has taken its sad toll of far too many

That world would have owned me as well

had I not come to this place

far away from the mean streets

away from the get ahead at any cost attitude it has

free of the stress it imparts

It is a place of true comfort

more tranquil than one could ever imagine

The stream flows through me

its music feeds my spirit

its song fills my heart

The thoughts of that other place

now washed from my mind

it seems as though I have grown new ears

I have learned to listen in a whole new way

my eyes opened now to beauty

wherever they land

my heart, opened wider than ever

being filled with great joy

I have never known such peace

I think I'll stay awhile

Is There No Winning

I tried patience

Always waiting

Mostly for peace to arrive

Believing in their goodness

Every man

Inside and outside of our circle

Need our respect

Giving it is the least we can do

Can we come together

Each of us

Not just in words

Something much more is needed

Our actions are the important part

Reviving the spirits of others

Even when we feel at the bottom

Determines our destiny

Our Masks

To wear a mask

an avatar

we're insecure

and it's quite bizarre

that we lie to folks

both near and far

in hopes they'll see

our rising star

while scared of that question

of who we are

Life Leaving on Track #1

A single rail

a closed mind

no switches

ignoring that there are other paths to travel

there is but one destination for the train

leaving a single direction to see life

the rest of the world is lost

there is no growth

some think it to be quite a ride

there is nothing that is unexpected

others see it as a train wreck

for them the lack of variety brings stagnation

Arrogance, Man's Worst Friend

The arrogant bastard

went ahead, said his peace

his ultimate end

was a soul to fleece

killing a spirit

breaking a heart

sowing discouragement

right from the start

knocking men down

from his great altitude

he was an egotist

with a bad attitude

but to his dismay

what he didn't expect

that he never received

other peoples respect

his knowledge was great

why wouldn't they listen

with all of his schooling

he believed his opinion to glisten

eating at him

he'd continued his fight

hoping his words

would push others to flight

then with great disrespect

as his means to his ends

he found himself all alone

without any friends