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