Make The Best Of Today

The future

depends

on what we do

with the present

I saw these words

and thought it wise

to remind us all

of one great prize

We leave behind

when we do not

live this day

with all we've got

A day of joy

our spirit filled

not of regret

with our milk spilled

For going on

to face tomorrow

is so much easier

without the sorrow

So once again

I beg of you

don't live your days

as in a stew

Shed your anger

don't be bitter

catch up with life

don't be a sitter

Life moves on

of this I have no doubt

if you don't move with it

you'll be without

Follow that road

around the next curve

you just might find

that joy you deserve

The Harvest

Autumn

the harvest

a time to reap

that which

was sown

in the late spring

and early summer

The earth

has worked hard

to bring

the blessing

of sustenance

to us and

our families

With hopes

that it will be enough

it becomes

time to rest

and enjoy

the fruits

of our labor

While we watch

magically

the leaves of autumn

put on a show

for our enjoyment

turning many colors

The colors

so beautiful

They then

begin to fall

They pass by

my window

and I am reminded

winter

will soon arrive

Yet now

while still

in the

autumn

of my life

there is still

time to enjoy

the fruits

of the

harvest

Anger

Anger is

a poison

that will eat away

your soul

If you let it

live within

your life will ne'er

be whole

It must be

gotten rid of

and be totally

cast aside

If you don't

your happiness

will run from you

and hide

A person without happiness

seldom sees the light of day

as darkness clouds their vision

all along their way

Their life becomes an awful mess

when there's no joy within

so when it comes to anger

we must needs grow some thicker skin

I don't mean to sound uncaring

as emotions we all have

but if we let them get the best of us

to man there's no known salve

A Victim Of His Madness

He was taken

by a flickering madness

One that came upon him

without warning

It seemed to come

and go at a hearts beat

and there was no awareness

of his changes left behind

It might have been

for days at a time

At other times

only for seconds

Whether days or seconds

when he returned from wherever

his madness had taken him

A great depression came upon him

Without any knowledge these trips

There was a feeling

deep within

That he had another life

It left him longing to know

Who he was

While also having a great fear

to find out the truth

The day came

when he could no longer

live with this feeling

His depression had won

He had given in

Gave up

And left

To return no more

Getting Away

To get away

even for just a day

would not be

a really bad goal

Getting away just to play

what a great way

of relaxing our minds

and making us whole

We should exit the race

find a wide open space

letting it go

and following our heart

For there's a time and a place

we must wake up to face

that relaxation

is where we should start

But what do I know

I sit here a typin'

not payin' attention

to that which I'm hypin'

You'd think I'd wake up

and take the day off

wait, maybe I will

later, I'm off

Don't Let The Seasons Of Life Pass You By

“My child arrived just the other day

he came to the world in the usual way”

Harry Chapin wrote these words

they should have been a lesson

The father was away when

his son took his first steps

he missed the first words spoken

these moments were gone forever

never to return

As in Harry's song

I too missed my sons

taking their first steps

speaking their first words

It was the same for me

as it is with most fathers

There was a living to be made

to provide for my family

That meant that the family

would fall in line

behind my responsibility

to provide

Sacrifices would have to be made

I thought

Some how I didn't realize

that these sacrifices

would affect them as much as me

Though I was not there at times

they still learned from me

The lessons were not necessarily good

It was not I alone who missed out

on the lives of my sons

They too missed out on mine

The seasons passed by

and my sons grew

into men

and gone off to join

the world of responsibility

In many ways

they became just like me

I was there when both were born

retirement has made me available

to them now

But there is a huge gap

between these times

There are some good memories

but there was more time missed

Don't let the seasons of life pass you by

Winter Streets

He was a poor man

Clothed in rags

The dirt and filth

of the streets

had not only taken toll

of his clothing

but his body as well

Emaciated as he was

with little to eat

he had found his way

into a back alley

to escape the wind

and frozen temperatures

that had come with winter

to the city

What he found

was unbearable

for him to look upon

A dog huddled

in a far corner

Barely skin and bones

could be seen

The dog

shivering

looked up in despair

Lonely

Hungry

Frozen

On the brink of death

Tears formed

and ran down his cheeks

As he laid down

the dog didn't snarl

or growl

This poor man was accepted

He gave the dog

the last of his water

His last few crumbs of bread

And his warmth

As they spent their

last few moments

upon this earth

together