There is no Free Lunch

An entire gallery of minds eye paintings,

unseen by those who demand spoon feeding.

Mindless entertainment has stolen their ability to think,

to form pictures from their own imaginings,

to experience adventures where they've not been led.

The path beyond the bramble will never be found

if a traveler refuses to work their way through the thorns.

Brothers of Respect

Though we may disagree, it matters not

brothers of respect for others is what we are,

or at least should be

there are times we are tried

the line becomes thin

we question whether each other is deserving

our show of respect vanishes

these are the times that our demons win

these are the times our humanity suffers

these are the times we should be ashamed of ourselves

without that show of respect

we become politicians 

The Defect Detector

Long has he lived

Finding fault as his aim

You see he was quite lonely

At the start just a game

A new target he'd choose

For every new session

But as his game progressed

It became his obsession

Well now he can't stop

He's grown a negative mind

And everywhere that he looks

The more mistakes does he find

There's become nothing of beauty

In his life there's no joy

Now he wishes he'd never

Begun this game as a boy

Full

It is not your glow dear lamp of the night,

but your tidal draw upon my mind that keeps me from my rest.

You have made of me a lunatic.

Driven me into the night to howl with the dogs.

The hair upon my neck bristles, sweat drips from my brow.

My breath quickens along with the beat of my heart.

How can you in such beauty deliver so much trouble?

Distress

The dense smoke hides the sun.

Now enveloped in this darkness

I am alone, yet

there is no peace.

Wars ravish the lands,

innocents continue to die.

Is the flexing of muscle

and the want for riches

really worth the lives of children?

From the Pumpkin - my first attempt at surrealistic poetry

I stepped from the pumpkin,

found the sky to be littered.

There were bright shiny stars,

they surrounded the sun.

It was a moon shadow following me

as I walked above the clouds.

I watched the airplanes,

funny how they flew backwards.

I wondered which way the people were seated.

Do they realize that they are going

where they came from.

To ask would be so impolite

and an admission

of my weak understanding

of this new day.

Life is play!

Then I thought of

Little Big Man.

Oh how he could ride.

The people in the plane

smiled at me,

all at once.

It was as if on cue.

I checked my fly.

Wanting to return inside the pumpkin

I made an about face

and in its place

I saw a whale leap down

from the surface of the sea above me.

He beckoned for me to enter

and then promised,

I would find what I was searching for within.

There was a tree

with a small stream running beside it.

I sat with my back against it,

fell asleep

and dreamed of a world at peace.

The Men in Black

Dressed in all black

with their masks and dark shades

SWAT's looking like ISIS

when making their raids

While officer friedly

that man we should trust

has followed SWATs lead

and hardened their crust

I hate that black costume

that militant look

and that crime's got so bad

that they've changed the play book

Yes I long for the days

when they were men in blue

with the job of protection

of both me and you

But those days are now gone

with little chance of return

what a shame, it's like war

while it's for peace that I yearn

Perfect Clarity

Perfect clarity, demanded!

A picture so detailed

that only one interpretation

can be presented.

Only one viewpoint seen.

The mind has no work to do.

The eyes and ears receive art

as if into a mossy pond.

A deadpool that has no ability

to process and apply its purpose

to a personal need.

The stagnant mind grows lazy.

Perfect clarity

is for instructions.

For men to grow,

for them to appreciate life,

they must be inspired to think.

Inspiration does not come from stagnation!

Today

Today

not tomorrow

is what we've been given

what we do with it will matter

as it's the only life we'll be livin'

I wish to enjoy each new day

my purpose at this point

I will live for

today

Folly

to kick against pricks

wounds the soul

reduces a man

to less than whole

he knows not his folley

when anger and rage

come to the surface

and take center stage

to argue and bicker

while emotions run wild

this loss of control

is the sign of a child

Where's That Better Tomorrow

The evening upon me

so tired

beat to a frazzle

the days toil has taken its toll

We've all been there

at times barely surviving

our minds unable to focus

it becomes time to retire

will there ever be a better tomorrow

Reflections

His mind was closed,

he would not see.

The hours we spent arguing.

they never made a difference.

Finally I walked away.

I went to have a heart to heart with myself.

It was then that I found

that I was he

and he was me.

polite

a polite society

violence on the rise

the more we are armed

more meet their demise

they want open carry

claim it's a right

what it really does

is bring the public more fright

how can we tell

if they're a good guy or bad

more death on the streets

more families grow sad

but we're told

it ain't the guns

it's just fools

havin' fun

then they fight regulation

that the constitution has called for

making the streets that more dangerous

and blood runs up the score

but it's really not about guns

it is stupid people

and there's no cure for stupid

when the NRA is their steeple

The Battle Field has Come Home

This armed America

the one they told us

would be a polite society

when all carry weapons

our cities

they've become killing fields

we as a people

have become the worst of all animals

officers taking lives

claiming they fear for their own

snipers now returning the favor

as they fear the police

it seems as the road towards that polite society

has become paved with the dead

merely bricks mortered in place

with their blood

will we be seeing fewer combatants

as the body count rises

or are the re-enforcements

on their way

Alone

Sitting amongst his friends

alone in his bunker

beans and rice

cases of water

a geneator and cans of gas

shotguns, hand guns

assault weapons

all with ammo to fit

prepared for the worst

not realizing

he is living

in a self made prison

one brought on by unwarrented fear

he's exercized his second amendment rights

but his freedom has disappeared

An Unwelcome Guest

The door was opened.

Yesterday stood before me,

baggage in hand.

Visions of my past came in droves

ripping away my peace .

Leaving me with new turmoil.

Difficult lessons of my life,

I'd learned from them.

Became a better man for them.

Now hounding me.

Why must I relive these moments?

They only weaken my spirit

and chase me back into a depressed state.

One that I had thought I had long gotten over.

They bring nothing but pain.

Yesterday shall not be allowed to move in.

The Tide

You cannot turn the tide,

you must wait for it to recede.

It is then that you will find

its treasure or its turmoil,

and only then will you be able

to decide on your next step.

It Could Be Once in a Life

The eyes hurt.

I so want to close them.

Yet I will suffer the pain

rather than miss the beauty before me.

Today's Road is for Traveling

As I travel the road

I think of the places it has taken me

the people I have met

it was long ago and it was yesterday

now it continues before me

where it leads

who I'll meet

these are the mysteries

that will be revealed tomorrow

Greed

I have eaten and my belly is filled

yet the sweet and savory flavors remain

my taste buds beg for more

so I surrender and continue to eat

my satisfaction had brought so much joy

but now the pain begins to grow in my gut

how foolish my over indulgence has become

Glaucoma

Hello darkness

thank you sleep

how wonderful the two of you are.

The pain brought me by the harsh light of day,

finally being eased.

I've long accepted the blindness

but the pressure,

the burning,

there is no getting used to them.

It is your touch darkness

that helps free me from the anguish.

Today has been so hard on my eyes.

Maybe tomorrow will be easier.

Ne'er-do-well

Ne'er-do-well, why do you sit?

Do your feet not hold your weight,

are your hands incapable of work?

Have you given up entirely,

resigned yourself to a life in the gutter?

There is a warm belly in a days toil

and self worth when it is of your own making.

Fear

This fear of the unknown,

unwarranted, yet it resides deep within me.

Why am I afraid to live in this moment?

I shrink at the thought of the next,

what tomorrow might bring me.

My future seen through this negative mindset

leaves my mind weak and spirit broken.

My emotions out of control.

Days wasted, worrying of things that haven't

and may never happen.

My life, empty of peace.

Every moment given away

waiting on the worst to present itself.

My negative thoughts

have brought a sickness to my heart

and death to my spirit.

Within the Box

Man, placed in a box of rules.

Tolerated as long as he behaves

and doesn't wander outside.

His growth limited by its walls

with no room to add anything that might be new.

Is the world afraid

to have a new dessert,

one that may tickle the tastes

of those who see themselves as inmates?

Bound within this box,

their faith and beliefs are squashed.

The box dwellers are deprived

of their choice and preference of their own

likes, dislikes and that which makes them who they are.

Their individualism stolen.

Their personal freedom denied.

Their voices silenced by a sound proofing

created by the approval or disapproval of the elder.

There is no freedom within the box

when forced to live by another mans creed.

So What

So what

enormous words

those of a childs tantrum

when words are not to their liking

so what becomes the argument of choice

a sign that they have not matured

respect is never gained

using the words

so what

The Garden, Gone

There's no turning back as the garden is gone

the blue marble has had its day

raped of her resources

Trees and grasses, the rain forests disappearing

The ozone rent

carbon dioxide

not being converted into oxygen

not at a sufficient rate to support life as we knew it

The ice caps melting

the lands receding for the rising seas

weather patterns being disrupted

natural disasters bringing men to their knees

Man pit against neighbor for survival

and must now accept his fate

as he has waited too long to turn the tide

from his own extinction

It will arrive sooner than the hoped for later

Wall Street

My socks they have grown their own feet
They had said that the dog would be sweet
But there's been no relief
As she's turned into a thief
And that is why I have named her Wall Street

pawns

they come for our boys with their lies

their treatment as toys I despise

then with their last breath

our young men enter death

no more than pawns in the war mongers eyes

fade to black

hearts cold

filled with a loneliness

delivered by abandonment

thoughts muddled

with an uncertainty

of a blinded minds eye

spirits descend

to places far more dangerous

than the hell that took them there

once all becomes black

there is little chance to return

from the depth of depression

Keep Walking

The heart of the peacemaker

it'll will never be heard

there is no profit in peace

the greed of the hawks is far too great

they will never let loose of their cash-cow

so why do we continue to speak

why do we write poems for peace

when we know we preaching to the chior

if it weren't for our own sanity

I fear we would give up altogether

our words would dissappear

there would be no-one left saying

“there's a better way than war”

but a heart grown cold

it would only help to feed the evil

maybe if we could change one mind

one heart

turn one away from spoils of war

it would be a step

I guess that's why we keep walking

The Lie

Young men dead and dismembered

for control of oil fields

the lie of Iraq

More youth dead and disabled

protecting the poppy fields

the lie of Afghanistan

We are sacrificing our soldiers

to ensure the freedom of their people

the lie of the nation

Help

Serving the whores

our boys off to wars

returning disabled

from far distant shores

That's when they come home

fatigued to the bone

no sign of support

and they feel all alone

Now as if a young whelp

and begging for help

there's no answer delivered

to this loud screeching yelp

Where is our country

who've sent our children to die

then abandon the veterans

can someone please tell me why

April Fools

April fools

Trump and Cruz

it's you the public

they wish to use

Their greed for power

grows with each hour

and so many grown men

begin to cower

It's becoming quite clear

by those who draw near

these fools want to rule

through the use of fear

Feeding Time

Tid-bits of fish food

sprinkled on the surface

bottom feeders ascend

Superiority

Narcissistic superiority

demanding respect

receiving none

as it has not been earned

Old Age

Old age

a state of mind

when to that which is new

a man becomes blind

a body may age

but one thing I find

if you're still young at heart

your life's really shined

So Tired

I've been told it will be OK

that we'll be safe once again

I sit and question when

my hope squashed daily

extremism

driven by misguided fundamentalists

resident evil shouting out loud

through a hail of bullets

and the explosive vests of suicide bombers

will the time ever arrive

freedom from the terrorists

seems only a dream

bigotry

sparked by the prejudice of the ignorant

leaving death and pain in its wake

another evil that lives next door

these bigots seem bent on attempting genocide

the eradication of anyone who is not exactly like them

is building a master race their wish

I was taught that those days were behind us

told it could never happen again

especially in this US of A

yet that is the political stage that we find before us

it never seems to get any better

I ask again

when will we be safe again

will there come a time men will respect each other

allow others to practice their own religious beliefs

without the ridicule

will the day come when men will put hate aside

a day they will share kindness rather than abuse

I dream of that day

but the wait

so tired

Come Sit

Times may be many

where things might not go my way

but that will never be reason

to hold my children at bay

it's a love like no other

they're my babies you see

I just hope that they realize

I've still got a strong healthy knee

come sit on my lap

let me hold you once more

and whether you're coming or going

there will be a hug at the door

Write On

Does poetry really depend on new ideas

fresh words concerning the nature of lives

Haven't the ideas with their words

all been presented

Throughout time, in one form or another

the stories all been told

Do we really think we have created something new

something original

by changing names and places

The expressions used changed

rearranged

and repeated time and again

Then labelled as cliché

as some have recognized the story

There is nothing new

Nothing purely original

It is all cliché to someone

If new and original are the requirements

and it's all been said

Then poetry is dead

Write on

share your heart

and though it's been said

tell your story

Somebody needs to hear it again

Perspective

One eye blind

self pity grows

with each day

One eye remains

true beauty seen

for the first time

Where

life will not wait

not for my decision

what it brings me

will be what it is

a day of joy

bright and cheery

a day of sorrow

dark and dreary

I have no choice

no control

those of joy

when they come

they're wonderful

I feel all is well

I see myself

on top of the world

those of sorrow

as if from nowhere

they appear

leaving me sad

lonely

feeling buried

beneath my troubles

no way to rise

not from the spiritual grave

that they dig for me

where is the escape

promised from my youth

where I wonder

is that silver lining

that easement

that is supposed to come

with the storms

my search only leaves darkness

the deep grey of a clouded heart

while the comfort is there

being hidden by my expectations

rather than received through acceptance

he said, but he said

the game of symantics
the war of the words
participants battling
wielding their swords

the problem with english
too much means the same
with neither man wrong
it's our language to blame

Blessed

my eyes as I watch its dance

my ears as I listen to its song

my heart as I celebrate my place in it

all blessed by natures beauty

No Winners

War

cities destroyed

roads covered in blood

trails of the dead

soldiers

civilians

children

no-one remains untouched

nightmares haunt those who survive

the last man standing

wins nothing

Ignore-ance

I don't care, so what

the arguments of a child

let them remain blind

They close their minds, only for a moment and our peace is gone

They close their minds 
to that which they do not choose to understand
cover their eyes 
to that which they do not want to see
shut their ears
to that which they do not wish to hear
they refuse to accept
there are other cultures holding different beliefs
they deny that there are other schools of thought
with other closed minded people who also believe
their own ways are the only way to live

peace will not be found 
until all eyes are open
all ears are willing
and the minds of men are opened
to the fact that they are not alone

Who are They

The world is filled with those who would steal your joy

their hearts are cold

all of life, every facet of it

must be completely serious

there is no room for fun in their lives

I first saw them as having cheated themselves out of life

but in truth it is not their fault

it is the bitterness they were raised under

their being kept under anothers thumb their entire lives

that's made them this way

How can we actually blame them

for what they've been taught

for what their parents and schools

have instilled in their minds

they know nothing but the rules that must be followed

To watch another step outside of those rules

to see them live their lives differently

to view others experiencing joy and happiness

only offers them great irritation in their gut

but all they know of jealousy is the definition of the word

You see, definitions are within the rules

feelings are not

feelings and emotions are to them

a weakness

something they have been taught has no place in life

I'm sure that I will be asked who are they

and I will answer an entire colony of meerkats

but if they actually need to ask

if they really want to know

their answer will best be found in a mirror

Silent Times Bring Gold - rewritten

The quiet times, alone in the beautiful morning silence. There is that wheezing cat, she's a fat one always there beside me but otherwise, alone and taking in a little my time.

It seems as though it is these types of moments that my thoughts turn to memories of earlier days. They come on their own. Good and bad both drift in and out but the good ones seldom hang on long enough for me to enjoy the positivity of their building blocks. Those good times brought many positive lessons which helped to shape me into who I am today. They seem to drift off quickly though allowing the negative moments to creep in.

These negative moments, these bad time of my life, they stay in my mind so much longer. It's funny how they can enter not only during the quiet moments but often are present reminding me that they existed and that they too had an influence on who I was becoming all along the way.

Today, I look at these negative times as valuable lessons learned. My guess is that they stay with me longer so that the lesson they had taught me might keep me from repeating the mistakes I had made on the way. If I am going to make new mistakes, they need to bring fresh lessons.

Although I have no wish to relive or even think about the the bad times of life, it seems as they do a great service. I probably should be grateful to them as they tend to motivate me to do better and offer a more acceptible behavior in my daily life.

Seems hard to argue that moving away from the bad moments, not reliving them isn't a good direction to take. Like I've said, I don't even want to think about reliving the moments that brought the negative side of me.

Anyway, moving away from the negative and concentrating on the positive side of life has helped me to appreciate what I've learned. The importance of not pushing a negative attitude out in front of me and at least attempt to share a little happiness with others. People just don't need to have to face the ugliness of a negative attitude at every turn as they try to make it through their day. I guess I must have been paying a little bit of attention to how bad the negative memories effected how I felt and saw now reason to spread it around. It all opened me up to view life from a whole different perspective.

Taking it all down to the bottom line though, I think that it was the negative lesson were the most important and the memories of the hard time are the things that keep me on a road of wanting to make a difference for others.

Thar She Blows

The morning sun

edges its way over the eastern horizon

she begins her daily chore

that of heating of the earth

the air above begins to warm

a thermal is created

a column of warm air

rising high

leaving a void below

cool air rushs in

filling the vacuum

they say the wind blows

while in truth

it really sucks

Seeking the End

Adrift for days

which had turned into weeks

The current had vanished

and the winds

they had been taken from his sails

It was as if he was being held prisoner by the sea

Baked by a mercilous sun during the day

and feeling frozen at night

his hope had joined the currents and the wind

Another day of the same would only bring more pain

Yet the days continued to come

Each one bringing more of the tortuous rays of the sun

His eyes had been dried

unable to produce the badly needed tears

to relieve them

His skin damaged

The sea water which had helped to cool him

no longer brought relief

instead the salt produced prolonged burning

The eagerness of those first days to survive was gone

In his heart he knew that only death would bring an end

to the suffering

Life

The journey at first

seemed to be taking forever

now the miles fly by

I'm not sure where

when

or for that matter

how it will end

but it's been great

I think I'll celebrate today

Sunshine

Sunshine

without the rains

allows the land to dry

without the water nothing grows

winds begin to strip away the topsoil

important are the storms of life

true joy will not be known

with nothing but

sunshine

To Love

To love

how wonderful

your heart filled to the brim

joy flowing as a babbling brook

bubbles disguising the danger to love

a flood of lust leaves emptiness

your heart becomes a hole

ever so hard

to love

Trash Day

His favorite toy

brought great joy for a season

but its day had now come

now no more than an object

the next stop would be the landfill

the day they met

he pledged his love as true

but this love was lust in disquise

and his favorite toy

she sits by the curb on trash day

The Sky is Green

The sky now blue

the warmth returning

springtime has come

leaving the cold of winter behind

the trees bring forth new buds

giving life to new leaves

the leaves fill the trees

and my eyes and mind now drawn

to the wonder of natures ability

to turn the sky green

Crayons Were Meant to be Free

I colored within the lines

my picture seemed so dull

my work held no adventure

My spirit is held in Limbo

My freedom of expression

my personal taste

frowned upon

Must I lie to myself

The rulemakers say

if I am to have their approval

I must continue to follow their rules

Do I not have a right to approve of myself

If I am to live within a prison

it will not be of their making

it will be the one I choose for myself

It's time to set my crayons free

Magic

Nights were long, days were dark

minutes seemed more like hours

yet in my dreams there was a place

with magic healing powers

The travel would not be easy

the mountains they'll be steep

I imagine there'll be a price to pay

which I know will not be cheap

But here I am, I've made the trek

it's time to pay the price

but now that I know how much it costs

I will not make it twice

This place has brought me heartache

it's delivered so much grief

I wish I'd known when I first came

it was owned by the spirit thief

He was there to steal my happiness

I had soon become his toy

but like all new toys, he tired of me

and he robbed me of my joy

Now life plods on

who cares how I feel

those damn dreams of magic

they're never real

Cold Stones of Castle Walls

I built my walls

dug my moat

they will not be breached

for if I were to open the doors

to trust any from outside them

the assault might prove more than I could handle

but it is cold here in my stone castle

at times I feel imprisoned

how could I again give my heart to another

Stones

My stone of disrespect was always at the ready

The stones of prejudice and bigotry were my tools

I have thrown that stone of anger

And the stone of bitterness then weighed me down

While the stone of hate destroyed me

Winter

Winter

such a special beauty arrives with her.

My cat and I sit quietly watching the feeder,

the one that's just outside the window.

I guess you could consider this

one of natures most watched shows.

So many different types of birds are visiting this morning.

Flying in and out,

being nourished by our seed.

Well, it's really their seed.

A little help for their survival,

or is it for our entertainment?

Which ever, the cold days and nights

those that come with winter

do require a little more body heat than the other seasons.

Trying to tell the difference between different sparrows

now that's tough.

The finches, they're somewhat easier.

At first the chickadee and the nuthatch with their similar coloring

brought a little confusion.

It didn't take long to learn the difference though.

But when the red bird arrives we both pay special attention.

I've always understood them to be

well, quite territorial.

Yet here are two of the males and a female

all feeding together

without the males arguing.

Men, if they wanted to could learn a lesson from these birds.

Even when times provide the least

there can still be enough to share.

We can all to eat together in peace.

At least that's the case until the bully bird comes along.

Seems as when that blue jay comes in everybody scatters,

he takes what he wants when he wants it.

But you know something

those birds who prefer to feed on the ground.

They have a debt to pay to him.

He certainly does knock a lot of seed to the ground.

He was just here,

I guess it's time to refill the feeder. 

So Soft, So Hopeful

Soft music

filling the early hours

it brings me peace

but also a sadness

a sadness that we live in a world

consumed by an attitude of violence

people who think

“I will have closure through revenge”

I am sad for those who hold an attitude of

returning in kind

wrongs they feel have been done to them

Revenge may bring

a certain satisfaction in their minds

but never peace to their spirit

the mind reminds them of the hurt they hold

their heart grows bitter

it is the vengeance that keeps them hurting

Forgiveness is their escape

but they fear forgiving will

allow a repeat of the moment that brought the hurt

that the offender may believe that it's alright with you

but the forgiveness is not for them

it is a letting go of all that has caused your hurt

and robbed you of your happiness

forgiveness is for you

Damn, that music is so important to me

but then, so is my hope that one day

the attitude of violence

will disappear from the face of the earth

Color Well

So many crayons

Colors chosen fill the lines

My past in the books

Clouds

The cloud entered

along with it rain

a time full of trouble

filled with sorrow and pain.

Heartache and tears

filling my days

stealing my joy

in so many ways.

The days became long

as if with no ends

it was an awful aloneness

as if without friends.

But true friends did exist

helping me make each tomorrow

till that cloud did move on

and ease this deep sorrow.

Well the new day brought hope

as the Son warmed my soul

my heart finally was healed

and once again I felt whole.

The Food of Life

I drank in new life

my voice found

cried out simply to be fed

food for my bellies

activity to build my body

knowledge to nourish my mind

The feeding

often sweet

delivered times filled

with wonderful moments

and marvelous people

There were times the flavor

left a bitter taste

a feeling of aloness crept in

a time where I felt nobody cared

whether I was alive or in the grave

backs turned toward me

Depression

such a lonely place

empty of the one most important food

love

Shadow

I looked upon the spot where that old tree stood

So many memories of days spent in her shadow return to me

The relief from the cruel sun of summer

The moments of relaxation lying in her shade

The changes as the seasons came and then passed

Green leaves gave way to the colors

The colors disappeared leaving the beauty of the branches behind

Snow and ice took their turns visiting

How the ice would shine

It was as if my tree was covered with diamonds

Then the thaw

The budding

The new leaves

And the shade would once again return

We had many a picnic under that tree

There came a year where the bud did not return

then a second year

But now she's gone

She is no more

Now I am warmed by her

As I rest watching the glow in the fireplace

And the shadow she casts

Contains fond memories

Rockets or Rhetoric

Tearing down nations

there's more than one way

from the outside or in

it's the game that they play

There are times they use rockets

that kill folks where they land

other times it's the rhetoric

that bury their own under sand

Whether rockets or rhetoric

in this game politic

it's the innocent who suffer

our leaders are thick as a brick