Beneath the signature of madness
A myriad of things are born
When eyes meet, when everything else is irrelevant
When all we know is that if we're not right next to one another
our next breath won't come
If it were to pour down rain on us right now
we'd smile standing in that rain
The world is laughable right now
because nothing else matters but how we feel
Rules are ignored with reckless abandon
rules about having to work tomorrow
Rules about a phone call we were supposed to make
about things that needed doing
Rules about someone who needed a ride home
but will now have to find another one
It's so insane that you plan for things like this
You have friends set you up on blind dates
or you have dinner with someone
You plan days or even weeks ahead
You buy special clothes for the special occasion
You buy special gifts for the special occasion
and that special occasion is just .. not that special
Then there you are walking down the street
or riding on a bus
or shopping in the market
or visiting a friend
or at the office Christmas party
just minding your own life and then
There it is
Out of nowhere, crazier still is this
You know it's crazy
You can hear every logical person in your life asking
"what are you doing?"
In your heart you can feel every one of their eyes locked onto you Watching you
You don't need to be told
with every passing second you're more aware of how absurd it is
And yet
Try as you might
You just can't seem to care about any of that
you're too busy being lost inside of someones eyes
And most comfortably I might add
It's in their eyes, but it's not just their eyes
It's the way they use their eyes
The way they look at you, or through you
It's the way they stand, it's their body, it's their accent when they speak
It's the unbelievable way that even though you're no where near them  
They're touching you, you can feel them
The heat is unbearable
you don't know when
you don't know where
you don't know how
But you DO know SOON
it's going to be soon
You stare at them
and in your mind you see a leopard
You see a leopard crouched in the grass watching a herd of gazelle
And you understand now just how that leopard feels
They know how the gazelle feels and .. they're enjoying it
It's perfect
It has both predator
And prey
Your heart pounds in your head
Your pulse quickens
Suddenly
You're startled as the cab driver leans over and yells out to you
"You gettin' in or what?"
You shake your head a few times to clear it, "yes, yes I'm getting in"
"I'm sorry .. I was lost in thought"
You give the driver an address
Turn your head to look out the window into the rain as they pull away
smile softly and say to yourself
"I'll find you"

A letter from the dog
I appreciate you taking time to read this
I'm not gonna keep you long
There's just some things I need to say now please don't take this wrong
But have you ever thought about how it feels
to have a finger shook in your face and hear "Go on!"
I'll bet the enemy was treated better by the likes of Genghis Kahn
And then it's "get over here and eat!
Or "Now go on and lay down!"
You're really gonna use me, to throw your weight around?
And what's with making me stay outside
I'm not that bad you know
Here's an idea we'll flip a coin, if it's heads I win, you go!
You brought me here to live with you
I didn't bring you to live with me
Good thing too cause I'd put your *** outside
and ask "how you like that heat?"
Man the only thing I'm guilty of
Is trying to love on you
You act like I run around here plotting some evil household coup !
I'm not here to try to run things
You're the king here that's just fine
But please king, be on about your day, do your job, let me do mine
If someone's passing by the house
Man it's my job to bark
They can't be walking all across our grass, like our yards a frickin park
That nasty attitude of yours
Makes me wonder "what in the world?"
But I know what's up and I won't say a word, truth is, you need a girl
Well buy one, try one, hire one
Hell go down and rent one chief
But do it fast, I'm begging you cause I got to have some relief
You're just so jumbled up inside
You got zip for self esteem
Talking all that BS bout "I'm livin' the dream"
The problems all inside your head
I mean that's crystal clear
Speaking of, I've got to say, I've seen better heads on a mug of beer  :~
So why just yell and point your finger
Why not kick me too
You should be ashamed picking on a dog cause your life is all askew
Another thing, I like steak too
How bout a bite for me
I'll trade you your plate for my bowl, YOU eat the pedigree
You eat that steak all by yourself
You sit there all alone
Well don't be so tight mon lean cuisine, throw the dog a bone!
I'm not sayin' the pedigree is bad
In fact it reminds me a lot of love
At least it does when it comes out, that's when it chokes me up
And would you mind not coming home so drunk
I hate you all like that
Last night you took my food bowl, and wore it for a hat!
I'm gonna leave you alone now
But I'll be down here on the floor
And I'll be waiting for you, next time I hear the door
Truth is I'll never leave you
I'll always be here cause in the end
Mine is the love you can be sure of
Sincerely
Mans best friend

Relax Will Ya
              It's Only Life
Nobody Gets Out Alive

Somehow I thought it was forever
I can see most of the faces, can't recall all of the names
But the pictures are right there, in my mind
Each and every one, of course, now they're just
Pieces of memory
Every curve of their lips, the feel, the taste
Smooth, pouty, moist,
Now just
Pieces of memory
First glances, eyes caught looking
Then blatantly staring
*******, invading, capturing
Now just
Pieces of memory
First dates, sometimes awkward, sometimes flawless
Sometimes it ended quickly, sometimes you caught the sunrise
Those were the best, when you watched the sunrise together
You never wanted it to end
Now they're just
Pieces of memory
Dancing, moving together, hand in hand, body in body
Colored lights, mirrors, more lights
Music you got caught up in
Whatever it was, you got lost in it
It seemed to just go on and on
And then
It's just
Pieces of memory
Every "I love you,"  all the hand holding
The deep looks into eyes, everything that was whispered
Promises spoken into a trusting ear
Plans that included forever
Carnivals, Parties, Movies
Vacations, Holidays together
Meals with families whose eyes smiled in approval
And of course there was the infamous
" Why don't you stay here tonight?"
Or the ever popular  "Let's go back to your place"
Then there was at least one or two or even three or four of these
What do you want for Christmas?
What would you like for your birthday?
Where are we doing for Thanksgiving this year?
And now, now I can see your face
But I can't recall your name
I can see the curve of your lips
But I don't remember what they taste like
I can still see the way you'd look at me, it always made me smile
I remember that first date but, I haven't danced in years
No carnivals, no movies, don't seem to have time for those things now
                         And that's a shame
Cause everyone needs a good carnival now and again
I guess that carnival is kind of like our love
Pops up out of nowhere and suddenly there it is
With all of it's sights and sounds and bells and whistles
Then you look up one day
And it's packed up and gone
And you don't even try to get it back because you just know
                It's gone
It seems so oddly out of place in life that
Now it's all
Just
Pieces of memory

Take heart -
There's always another carnival coming through  ;-

Let the illusion of loving take me
I am stronger than the oak
Let the stranglehold of hatred tempt me
I am slipping from it's grasp
Let mortality escape with those around me
I am understanding of life
Let misery abduct the heart of hearts
I am quick to recover
Let their lust rip the soul of the inner child
I am spotless resilience
Let life play keep away with my dreams
I am tenacious
Let enduring sleep try for me
I am chosen
Let the contention of family destroy the man
I am the phoenix
Let the struggles be many
I am not dissuaded
Let the enemy fill my heart with lies
I am believing
I am myself
I am all that I am become

I have become all that I am
Bowing no more

She watches over the affairs of her family
Lays them like a seal over her heart
She sits at the door of her house
On a seat at the highest point
Ill gotten treasures are of no value to her
She knows that charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting
He is both hero and warrior
As fire consumes the forest, so goes his love for her
He is revered as a leader of men
But knows that his days vanish like smoke
On his lips rest words of wisdom
He calls his wife his Crown
Their lips spread knowledge
Their tongues bring healing
They have taken refuge in a Rose
Their hearts find rest within a star
The hourglass of life is an open door
From skepticism to belief they press on
Searching for a book
To find their names written inside

Cautionary tales easily spun
My favorite is
Trust No One

You see me now a veteran of a thousand psychic wars
I've been living on the edge so long, where the winds of limbo roar
And I'm young enough to look at, and far too old to see
All the scars are on the inside
I'm not sure that there's anything left of me
Don't let these shakes go on, it's time we had a break from it
It's time we had some leave
We've been living in the flames
We've been eating up our brains
Oh please, don't let these shakes go on.
You ask me why I'm weary, why I can't speak to you
You blame me for my silence, say it's time I changed and grew
But the war's still going on, dear, and there's no end that I know
And I can't stand forever
I can't say if we're ever gonna be free
Don't let these shakes go on, it's time we had a break from it
It's time we had some leave
We've been living in the flames
We've been eating up our brains
Oh please, don't let these shakes go on.
You see me now a veteran of a thousand psychic wars
My energy is spent at last, and my armor is destroyed
I have used up all my weapons, and I'm helpless and bereaved
Wounds are all I'm made of
Did I hear you say that this is victory?
Don't let these shakes go on, it's time we had a break from it
Send me to the rear
Where the tides of madness swell
And men go sliding into hell
Oh please, don't let these shakes go on.

You Have To Keep Telling Yourself
                                 It don't Mean Nothing

When you come to me
                        You'll get what you give
The Choice between peace and war
                                                         Is up to you

Sea of Life
                Waves of Happiness
Tsunami arising from Within

I don't want to sound ugly but
                                              Remind me again
            Your opinion
Is supposed to mean something to me .. why?