Let's let the men talk.
I'm tired of women bitching about
inequality when they choose not to
do equal work.

Our system is fair.
It's proven that a woman will
rise to an equal position as a
man if they put the same effort
into the job.

Don't you have kids?
Why are you competing for
my job when you have
a family to support?

What?  Women are more likely
to make a rational decision?
There's science behind the logical
mind of women?  Your decisions
are not wrapped around your
menstrual cycles?

That's ridiculous.
Go back to the kitchen.
Let's let the men talk.

I dream of sand.
I found it years after the war
in my socks or pants or boots and
it remained with me.

My washer is no longer filled
with it and my clothes no longer
abrade my skin but yet I still
dream of sand.

I have ceased to dream of bullets
and blood.  I dream now of the
glimmer of hope on a weather-
beaten face.  I dream of strength
and courage.

These are not dreams of brave
"American" soldiers doing their
duty, but rather dreams of brave
Arabs making the best of a life
which has seen oppression from
tyrants both foreign and domestic.

I dream foolishly.
I dream that our differences can
be overcome but in life I am
repeatedly shown that they cannot.

I dream.  
I dream and hope that tomorrow
I do not wake

I rose too early.  How was I to know?
The warm caress of summer kissed
my cheeks in March.  I was well informed.
The daisies told me so.  I waited patiently
while trees broke out in pox-like blooms.
I waited while lilies flowered. I waited.
Now the frost has come but I lack the seed.
I lack the strength.  I wish to bloom.
I wish.

I, oh I
Just love what I’ve done inside
I, oh I
Just love what I’ve done inside

I came into my putrid eyes
And drowned below my lonely cries

I, oh I
Just love what I’ve done inside
I, oh I
Just love what I’ve done inside

I slipped into the garden that fed the beast tonight
And I walked away from you, my dear, without a single fight

I, oh I
Just love what I’ve done inside
I, oh I
Just love what I’ve done inside

I ruined your golden precious love
Just to bring myself and my soul above
I raised myself to the highest ground
And beat you till your heart was bound

I, oh I
Just hate what I’ve done inside
I, oh I
Just hate what I’ve done inside

I transformed into the nightmare that sleeps in warmest care
And stripped your heart and gorgeous soul upon a thorny chair

I, oh I
Just hate what I’ve done to you
I, oh I
Can’t stand what I am inside

I, oh I
Just love what I’ve done inside
For I, oh I
Can’t help what I am inside

So I, oh I
Have finally died inside
Oh I, Oh I
Say let’s die
Goodbye
Let’s die

Twisted thoughts faking flesh of man
Tell me now exactly who I am
Driving need of what I was meant to be
Will I allow my eyes to see

I saw this girl more than any else
Even more than myself
I saw an angel full of grace
Who shared my ever damaged face

I seared her flesh to see no more
And convinced myself she was a whore
But as I drove her far away
I knew I wanted her to stay

The wildest ramblings I’ve ever made
Are a cover for what I want to fade
But it remains, I’m still in love
With the girl of the morning dove

She is my soul, she is my need
She is the crutch I need to feed
She is my heart that’s broken twice
She was my only good advice

She is an ever lovely face
And my mountain of disgrace
She is my loins of burning fire
My death upon a funeral pyre

Face as fair as pale mountains
With fire in the sky
She was my first love, my last love
My heart until I die

She haunts my every waking day
With dreams of what could be
Fallen now, far from grace
I struggle just to see

She placed me far above my worth
And fooled I was at last
A broken man left to dream
Of what has come to pass

For once I felt, because of her
I was above the rest
But now I drown beneath the sea
Of what was for the best

The best for whom, I cannot say
I am no sage of time
For all I am I wish one wish
That she could be just mine

I watch helpless as you walk
away, torn between the desire
to fight until the bitter end
and an urge to give in to despair.

It’s hard to imagine that never
again will a poem be written
for you by my hand, nor
a song be sung by my lips.

We will never again walk through
the park, hand in hand.  I will never
again twirl you in my arms in the
middle of the mall while you laugh
in embarrassment and happiness.

I will never stare up at you with my puppy-
dog eyes nor will you ever again see my
face light up in a smile.  My laughter will
have disappeared forever from your ears.

Never again will my strong arms
make you feel safe and secure.
Never will you feel my tender touch.
Never again will your lips feel my loving kiss.

You will never feel our hearts
beat as one while we release
our pleasure simultaneously.

Never again will you see the
adoration in my eyes while
we make love.  You’ll never
again hear me say I love you.

This was a choice I never believed
you would make.  So, never again
will I be a fool.  Never again will
I love.  Never again will I trust.

Never again will I be
anything but
damaged goods.  

Never again.

Through torrent rains and drying
fountains on through hearts that ache.
We’ve seen these broken shadows
slip into forgiveness, and words
whispered from your lips to mine.
So many times I seemed to take
offense to your actions, but what remains
is only love.

Half the days we have been together
have been spent while I’m away,
yet still we struggle forward, hand in hand
through every obstacle.  

With what we have faced I can say
that in my heart I believe that only
two obstacles seem to rise before us.
Do I mean that we will face no others?
No, but we can face the others with
more assurance, for we have faced
worse thus far.

The only two that worry me are that
of time and distance.
Time is the thief who steals all.
Time can shatter the toughest stone
and flood the driest plain,
but we can use it to build.
Through time our hearts can
grow fonder, come closer
and love deeper.

Miles stand between us with odds
that seem hardly fair, but what is this
but a plane ticket, a bus ticket
or a car ride away?

And this I promise you, love,
I cannot nor will not stay away.
All that must fall into place
for me to hold you close
will fall into place, and I will
be by your side from that point
until the end of all.

This I also promise and ask
the same of you; please walk
this life with me.  Do not ever
stand apart from me
for together we can raise the sun
and change the stars.

Hold my hand until we are shriveled,
old and gray, and then into heaven
let’s rise above, for I have never known love
until I looked into your eyes.

There’s a darkness deep inside of me
Waiting to arrive
I feel it crawling in my soul
I know it’s still alive

There’s an emptiness I cannot fill
With everything I do
All I know is I want you
But you don’t want me to

So I’m waiting
For you to care
Yes I’m waiting
But you’re not there
Yes I’m waiting
But you’re not there

Every time I cut myself
I feel it in my soul
Every time I slash my skin
I leave a deeper hole

I want to scar my body
Like you did my lonely heart
I want to save our loving
But it died before the start

So I’m waiting
For you to care
Yes I’m waiting
But you’re not there
Yes I’m waiting
But you’re not there

Everything I had to give
I gave it all to you
Everything I feel inside
Has turned a darker blue

I feel my demons on my back
A driving me below
All the blackness in my head
Has started to show

So I’m waiting
For you to care
Yes I’m waiting
But you’re not there
Yes I’m waiting
But you’re not there

So it’s time to meet my maker
In this ugly dance of life
It’s time to turn the grave into
My eternal morbid wife

The end has shown itself to me
And soon it will arrive
No longer me a foolish toy
No longer me alive

So I’m waiting
For you to care
Yes I’m waiting
But you’re not there
Yes I’m waiting
But you’re not there

So I’m waiting
For you to care
Yes I’m waiting
But you’re not there
Yes I’m waiting
But you’re not there

When my life must surely end
When I take a knife and bend
My heart across a slanted pole
And when I reach the grassy knoll
Of heaven's light, and heaven's dream
I will lie in the light of pleasure's beam

For I will know then more than most
For I have sailed on heaven's coast
I have flown through heaven's skies
And I have looked in angels' eyes
But what I want, most of all
Is a life with you, you hear me call

So I go to God and I beg and plead
Can't you see what I must need
I look into his eyes so old
I shiver once then grow so bold
I make my plea, he wants my soul
I scream out loud to take his toll

And he tears my soul apart
Then takes my mind and heart
Then gives them back with so much more
Then he opens up the door
From heaven to earth to finish my life
With you, my love, as my wife

Three days, four nights, he’s never known
Could be as rare as what she’s shown
And upon a whim his love has grown
So that he’ll never be alone

He thanks the Gods for perfect days
And their pardon of his ways
For on his knees each night he prays
And holds his breath for what she says

Each day he waits for bells to ring
And strains to hear the angels sing
Within her arms he takes to wing
For when she’s near he feels a king

Through the door and with the key
In love like that you want to be
So hear the words and you will see
That, my dear, it’s you and me

A broken heart,
was how I died.
But it was washed away,
By the tears I've cried.

I don't want you to mourn,
I don't want you to cry.
Just remember my smile,
the loving look in my eye.

Remember my humor,
for that is the key.
Remember my love,
remember me.

Speak not your words of love to me
For I feel them when we kiss
They ring like towered bells at night
And sing with loving bliss

I feel them born between the walls
And laid upon the bed
And when I hold you in the night
Those words fill up my head

So don’t you see, my lovely girl
What I’ve meant to say
Every time you look at me
You’ve said it in your way

For in your eyes I see the words
And see you say them proud
So if you mean to love me dear
There’s no need to speak aloud

Hold my hand and hold my heart
It’s all you need to do
For everything you’ve shown me dear
I know you love me too

I fell down
into a field of flowers today
I  found that the petals of the rose
looked more like the rotting limbs
of the putrid dead to me

The buds of spring
reminded me of hope
that would never bloom
even the fresh green grass
took on a hue of despair

I flew from the nest at eighteen
with resolve to never come back
I am thirty-four now, and
after too many women
too many heartaches
too many years as a soldier
I have collapsed back into that nest
my life has rebounded full circle
I am a failure

What is it about this woman
That makes me weak
That makes me strong
That makes my heart
Sing out in song

What is it about this lady
That saves my soul
She is my life
My saving grace
And my future wife

I don't know and
I can't see
How this woman
Came to me
I don't know and
I can't see
But I can tell ya
What she means
To me

What is it about this woman
That drives me nuts
Yet makes me sane
I want this girl
To take my name

What is it about this lady
That makes me want
That makes me need
To fill her up
With my seed

I don't know and
I can't see
How this woman
Came to me
I don't know and
I can't see
But I can tell ya
What she means
To me

What is it about my lady
That makes me worth
That makes me see
All of the love, she
Gives free to me

What is it about my woman
That makes me want
Our kids to raise
And live with her
For all my days

I don't know and
I can't see
How this woman
Came to me
I don't know and
I can't see
But I can tell ya
What she means
To me

I don't know and
I can't see
How this woman
Came to me
I don't know and
I can't see
But I can tell ya
What she means
To me

I don't know and
I can't see
How this woman
Came to me
I don't know and
I can't see
But I can tell ya
What she means
To me

I love when
You say you love me too
I know you
Know that I love you
If you need
Anything my girl
I hope you
Know that you're my world

Cause when I fly home from here
I'll keep you always near
Cause you're my pretty baby girl
You're my pretty baby girl

When first you
Began to talk to me
Together
I knew we'd always be
Forever
The greatest love of all
I'll be here
Whenever you should call

Cause when I fly home from here
I'll keep you always near
Cause you're my pretty baby girl
You're my pretty baby girl

I love you
With all I am inside
You love me
Good and bad we can abide
I need you
More than you can know
So with you
You know I'll always go

Cause when I fly home from here
I'll keep you always near
Cause you're my pretty baby girl
You're my pretty baby girl

Cause when I fly home from here
I'll keep you always near
Cause you're my pretty baby girl
You're my pretty baby girl

You're my pretty baby girl
You're my pretty baby girl
You're my pretty baby girl

There's a whirlwind in my heart
There's a fire in my soul
There's a burning in my everything
It's everywhere I go

There's a fire in my mind
It's been there from our start
I could die a happy man
From the flaming of your heart

Oh lady of mine
If this is a dream
I hope I die in bed
You fill up my heart
You fill up my soul
You ease my troubled head

Been around the block
Up and down the street
I've heard all there is to say
I love you girl
With all I am
In every single way

There's a whirlwind in my heart
There's a fire in my soul
There's a burning in my everything
It's everywhere I go

There's a fire in my mind
It's been there from our start
I could die a happy man
From the flaming of your heart

For sixteen hours
We talked at first
And I fell in love with you
Over and over
Again and again
I fell in love with you

I'll do what's right
I'll be the man
That you need me to be
Make love to me
Have my kids
You're the only girl for me

There's a whirlwind in my heart
There's a fire in my soul
There's a burning in my everything
It's everywhere I go

There's a fire in my mind
It's been there from our start
I could die a happy man
From the flaming of your heart

There's a whirlwind in my heart
There's a fire in my soul
There's a burning in my everything
It's everywhere I go

There's a fire in my mind
It's been there from our start
I could die a happy man
From the flaming of your heart

You got to find a way to live your life
Happy on your own
Love will only work my friend
When you're happy all alone

When you try to base you life
On a fleeting chance at love
You'll find yourself down in a hole
Unable to rise above

Listen to me my friend
I been down that lonely road
Rollin' down
Rollin' down
Rollin' down that lonely road
Rollin' down
Rollin' down
Rollin' down that lonely road

Then I found a way to stop
Lookin' for that little thing
That will fabricate that fallacy
That reality will never bring

And when I stopped to search for love
Love found me instead
It filled my heart and filled my soul
And it fixed my broken head

So listen to me my friend
I been down that lonely road
Rollin' down
Rollin' down
Rollin' down that lonely road
Rollin' down
Rollin' down
Rollin' down that lonely road

There's just one more thing I need to say
So that you'll truly know
You got to find a way, my friend
To shove your demons down below

So if you've put to rest my friend
The seeds that you have sewed
You'll finally find a way to leave
That fucked up lonely road

So listen to me my friend
I been down that lonely road
Rollin' down
Rollin' down
Rollin' down that lonely road
Rollin' down
Rollin' down
Rollin' down that lonely road

I been down
Rollin' down
I been down
Rollin' down
Rollin' down that lonely road

Now I'm off that road
Off that road
Off that road
Off that fucked up, low down, dirty, lonely road

In the travels of my life
I've seen the darkest days
I've walked a bitter path of pain
And lived in harmful ways

I've seen the devil in myself
And heard the angels sing
And through those lessons surely learned
What salvation has to bring

So after I had died inside
I begged my God above
Grant me this my only wish
Reveal my one true love

But as the days turned into nights
And slowly my heart healed
I lost the hope for fabled love
Deciding my fate was sealed

I'd live a life with work my wife
And children not for me
And slowly I accepted this
For how it was to be

But the alas, what is this now
A change in fate occurred
Just as I did forsake love
My God had kept His word

I found my match in every way
A soul to match my own
And after having loved you, dear
I can hardly be alone

For in our love I found my worth
And freely gave my heart
For even though twas just a month
I loved you from the start

Just to keep what we have shared
Ten million miles I'd crawl
For being blessed to love you, dear
Is the greatest gift of all

When I felt I could feel no more
I felt a feeling I ain't felt before
This feeling dropped me to my knees
Had me begging baby darling please

Please baby, baby now won't you stay
Baby now let me show you another way
Let me take us to the promise land
All you got to do is reach out your hand

Oh babe it's true
I'm so in love with you
Oh can't you see
You were really meant for me
Oh babe it's true
I'm so in love with you

I left for war a long year ago
With nothing left at home for me to show
I sold my soul to set me free
So now I'm ready for us to be

And now that I have finally found you
My empty heart began to fill anew
To my surprise I found the love of my life
That fate had handed me my future wife

Oh babe it's true
I'm so in love with you
Oh can't you see
You were really meant for me
Oh babe it's true
I'm so in love with you

So in love with you
Don't you know it's true
So in love with you
Don't you know it's true

Baby don't you know
Baby can't you see
Baby don't you go
Baby please stay with me

I'm in love
I'm in love
I'm so in love with you