“listen to your elders”
they say
“they have wisdom”
they say

“some do”
I say

“age gives experiences”
they say
“experiences give growth”
they say
“growth gives wisdom”
they say

“some do not grow”
I say

In the ocean of life, I'm caught up in the waves                                        and they come crashing down on me every day                                                              ­                                                         Sometimes I can swim with it and stay above                                                            ­                                                       all  of the negativity it's made of                                                               ­    There  are the days where I almost drown,                                                           ­                                          everything in life is weighing me down                                                             ­                                                      I  reach for my life line, reach for hope,                                                            ­   but there's no one there at the end of the rope                                            Weather beaten tired and torn                                                             ­                 I am caught up in life's storm

you were so lovely
yet in a tremendous amount of pain
the pain went away
but so did your life
it was a pyrrhic victory
I'm glad you aren't in pain
any longer
but the feeling is bittersweet
it was a pyrrhic victory
as you crossed
the rainbow bridge
rest easy buddy

their eyes are a deep coffee brown
rich like Mother Earth's soil
captivating like a siren
leading a sailor to certain death
******* me in like mud on a
rainy day
pleonasm

Don’t close your eyes on your dreams—
you’ll lose sight of what you believe.
The will of your work is measured by
the work you’re willing to put in.
As I live in a house of emotions,
courting words to plead my case—
bleeding through a see-through face.
A quiet ache, always on trial.

Knowing that the high-and-mighty
Christian is the easiest target to bring down.
Careers cut short— because in short, they
never really knew the Lord.

And me?

I live like the world’s greatest plot twist,
my mind a tornado of thoughts—
every turn unexpected,
every breeze loud with questions.
I’ve known the chill of a cold finger turned
trigger. And felt the weight of a sharp tongue
used as a silencer. As it’s easy to shoot yourself
down the same way you shoot others—whether
whispered or screamed out loud.

But those who follow their worth,
instead of searching for it in the crowd—
those are the ones who stand out.
Aloud.

Soft Rock Music
Old and New
No social media
Fan or Air conditioning on
Cold drinks standng by in great Thermos
Phones silenced
Hugs that go into the night
Amazing and loving moments
Easy and gentle

you must ask if the fire of love should burn you

if a tiger should not pierce skin because a hand brushes his

all the blood you've shed
and the nights you've clothed yourself in

should they be sacrificed for a finite eternity

it is truly the apex of free will
you must choose