I wondered why the sky is blue,
and why you love me the way you do.

I wondered, as I enjoyed the view
if all of what I'd heard was true.

I wondered when I'd earn my due
and if I'd ever make it through.

I wondered, would I ever bid adieu
from this path of life askew?

Then I knew.

I am here, but you can't see me.

I am close, but you can't touch me.

I am thinking of you, but you don't know it.

I am praying for you, but you don't hear it.

I care for you, but it may not be obvious.

I cry for you, but keep my tears carefully hidden.

I am here.

How different would things be if I weren't?

I'm alone down by the river,
but that's quite alright with me.

I'm alone down by the river,
where it's calm and clear and free.

I'm not much of a city boy,
I hate the smog and crowds.

It's busy and it's hectic and
it's chaotic and it's loud.

I'm alone down by the river,
there's a gentle summers breeze.

I'm alone down by the river,
there's nowhere else I'd rather be.

"Nerd!"
"Loser!"
"You ****!"
"Go **** yourself!"

I hear the taunts.
I hear the laughter.
I hear the snickering.

They shove me.
They slap me.
They spit on me.
They chase me everywhere.

I am a ticking time bomb.

And someday
before too long
When they least expect it...
I will go off.

It may be brutal,
It may be ******,
It may be vicious.

But it's the only way
I can save myself.

There are no other options.

You comfort me, I love you.

You hurt me, I hate you.

You want to be with me, I love you.

You're never here, I hate you.

You lift me up, I love you.

You tear me down, I hate you.

You treat me well, I love you.

You ignore my pleas, I hate you.

You smile at me, I love you.

You're angry with me, I hate you.

You honor me, I love you.

You mistreated me, I hate you.

You tell the truth, I love you.

You feed me lies, I hate you.

You stand up for me, I love you.

You let me suffer, I hate you.

You care for me, I love you.

You ignore my soul, I hate you.

You say the right things, I love you.

You never do them, I hate you.

You make me live, I love you.

You let me die, I hate you.

Nothing's amiss,
I just want a kiss,
but perhaps life just
can't be as simple as this.

Got in a fight,
In the deep of the night,
and messed up my sense
of wrong and of right.

And so I will go,
on to what, I don't know.
My road ahead? Treacherous.
The journey is slow.

Tell me you're there.
Tell me this matters.
Tell me what I mean to you.
Tell me what's in your heart.

Lest you leave me to float away
in a sea of uncertainty.

No.

I can't do it.

I reserve the right to be as angry and stubborn as I want to be.

This is a vicious world.

and I cannot sit idly by while injustice tears us apart.

This stops now.

I will fight for what I must.

But I refuse to put blinders on

and pretend everything is okay.

Touch.
Sense.
Heat.

Passion.
Sweat.
Energy.

Alluring.
Purposefu­l.
Bold.

Intense.
Primal.
Freeing.

Do you recall the day the towers fell?

I remember it clearly. The pain, so well.

People running, a cascade of tears.

A nation gripped by anger, fears.

Heartbreak and sorrow, when terror spoke.

Freedom and honor, engulfed in smoke.

But when it cleared, Old glory there.

Waving defiantly in the air.

There is a place
so peaceful
and comforting
that it endlessly warms my heart.

While I am there
I fear nothing.
I hide nothing.
My soul is free.

But this terrible world,
has made it harder and harder
for me to get back to that place.

and I fear it is not long
before I lose the key
for all eternity.

Endless Rivers

Come with me, my darling,
The night is waiting.
Let your hair down,
Shed your weary shell,
And let the moonlight dance along your skin.

Come with me, my darling,
The sand is white as can be.
And the water feels perfect.
Together we'll wash the stains away,
And we'll swim on until the stars meet the sky.

Come with me, my darling,
To that place beneath the trees.
Where a gentle breeze is always blowing,
And tranquility takes hold.
It's just you and me.
Come into the water and let it overtake you.

Come with me, my darling,
Where you and I can be together.
Strong, fearless, united, unstoppable.
I'll kiss you and you'll kiss me,
While the water crashes over us.

Come with me, my darling,
Let me hold you close.
The clouds will dance above our heads,
and then heavens will rejoice at the beauty.
and when it is over, the tides will carry us away...

***, are u for real??
I can't believe you said it!
Did you really think I'd just laugh and go on
to forget it?
[bing...]

Why are u so shocked at this??
I knew what you were taking.
Do you even care about this stuff,
the awful mess you're making?
[bing...]

It's not for you to judge me,
You're just a stupid girl.
Who thinks she's ready to play the game,
and get out there in the world.
But u've got nothing, not a chance,
It will swallow you alive.
I'll be there to YouTube everything,
When u finally take the dive.
[bing...]

I'm only trying to save you.
After all, U R my friend.
And I've said a million times before,
I'll be there until the end.
[bing...]

I don't need you to save me!
Things are not as I had planned,
and I really don't expect that
you would ever understand.
I know we had some fun together.
I used to think you were cool.
The teachers couldn't stand us,
cuz we always broke the rules.
[bing...]

There's always time for another chance,
I'm here right now and waiting.
Can we set aside this bitter thing,
and move on from all the hating?
[bing]

You'll never get it will you?
I am not prepared to budge.
U hurt me more than anyone,
and now we've got a grudge.
[bing]

I ******* up, I admit it,
but the goal was never pain.
But I was hoping we could still be friends,
and act somewhat humane.
[bing]

That's never going to happen.
You shouldn't mess with me.
Or I'll put your business out there,
for all the world to see.
[bing]

And I still can't believe you hacked me,
I can't believe the gall.
That nasty garbage that you wrote,
there on my Facebook wall.
You've lost the heart about you,
You're growing cool and stiff.
And I will not be riding shotgun,
when you plummet off this cliff.
[bing...]

Now that's enough! Just go away!
I want to be alone.
I'm blocking you from my accounts.
And I'm turning off my phone.
[bing...]

It's a bland looking place on the outskirts of town,
the sign is missing letters and the building's run down.
Sitting at the corner of an old gravel road,
a rugged, not too friendly looking distant abode.

Built back in the 60s on a small, ***** tract,
half the deadbolts don't work and the front window's cracked.
It's a glorified shack, only seventeen rooms,
And its thick with the grey fog of cigarette fumes.

But far from abandoned, there are plenty of guests,
they drive in from the north and fly out from the west.
From the old to the young, to the meek and the great,
they all find their place on this darkened estate.

It's played host to rock stars, to artists and writers,
corrupt politicians and heavyweight fighters.
They travel for miles to this little piece of hell,
the rusty old spot called the Sampson motel.

In the small cluttered office just beyond the wood door,
you'll find the manager Wayne, he lost an eye in the war.
He's a bit rough and tumble and he's got skin cold as ice,
but if you show him respect you might get a good price.

The ice machine's broken and the power cord's frayed,
so little of elegance or fancy displayed.
The plumbing is awful and the wall paint is peeling,
and most of the souls that you'll find here are reeling.

Housekeeping doesn't do much, there's only one maid.
She smokes a cigar and wears her hair up in braids.
She won't leave you a mint or turn down the sheet,
But if you mistreat her, you're out on the street.

It's the #1 choice if you don't want to be found,
as long as you don't mind the trash on the ground.
Folks aren't too friendly here so if you come stay
Mind your own business and go about your own way.

Guests come and they go almost quick as flash,
And you can be certain they always pay cash.
In darkness they'll be, transfixed by the spell
of the rusty old spot called the Sampson motel.

I sit alone in the darkness
I sit at the edge of my bed.
I sit alone in the darkness,
There's nothing but pain in my head.

I stand alone in the dust storm,
I stand far, far apart.
I stand alone in the dust storm,
carrying such a hurt in my heart.

I walk alone down the pathway,
I walk at the edge of the cliff,
I walk alone down the pathway,
Wounded and damaged and stiff.

I wait alone in the madness,
I wait in the rough of the night,
I wait alone in the madness,
Nothing left in me to fight.

I cry alone in the chaos,
I cry in the grasp of my fear,
I cry alone in the chaos,
Dreaming it would all disappear.

I sing alone by the seashore,
I sing a very sad song,
I sing alone by the seashore,
No more will to be strong.

I mourn alone by the gravestone,
I mourn for the ones who are gone,
I mourn alone by the gravestone,
As I wait for the empty of dawn.

I lay alone in my prison,
I lay alone so unnerved.
I lay alone in my prison,
The sentence has got to be served.

I drift alone in the ocean,
I drift in the swirl of waves,
I drift alone in the ocean,
For all of the rest of my days.

Wrapped up, August Rush.
My serpentine Queen.
I’ll be right alongside you
In the midst of the scene.
I’ve got all the methods,
The ways and the means.
but you knew when you met me,
I don’t do in between.

Dancing in the shadow
Of a summertime haze.
Get your feet in the pattern,
It’ll go on for days.
Our love is a labyrinth,
A mysterious maze.
You brought the matches,
So let me set the blaze.

There’s a feast in the ballroom.
Grab a fork, grab a dish.
Let me know how you like it,
Your command is my wish.
The most perfect of moments
Nothing lost, nothing missed.
And we’ll seal the deal
With a moonlight soaked kiss.

How is it that you managed to do so much
and yet do nothing at all for me
all at the same time?

They're just out in the yard,
They won't go out of sight.
There's nothing to worry about,
The kids are alright.

Sometimes they get bullied,
or beat up in a fight.
But it's part of getting older,
and the kids are alright.

So what if they're lonely,
or cry out in the night?
Believe me when I tell you,
the kids are alright.

Nothing bad is going to happen,
though you think it might.
Just trust me on this:
The kids are alright.

Young man, look at my life.
Was it worth the pain and strife?
Jagged like a rusty knife,
That's been left out in the cold.

Went in search of paradise,
Saw my dreams in front of my eyes.
But as the days and years rolled by,
I put them all on hold.

Walked the road that most men walk,
Settled down and punched the clock,
Now, I'm grey and taking stock
of everything I lost.

Trust me son, you don't want this,
faded dreams and a bucket list,
A life spent far away from bliss,
with all the pain it brought.

Out with the old, in with the new,
This is the work that we do do do.

Clean up the mess, bring out the best,
This is as good as it gets gets gets.

Clear all the debris that your eye can see,
break it loose, let it go, set it free, free, free.

Working so hard, a bit hurt, a bit scarred,
Trudge through the mud in the yard, yard, yard.

In the west, see the sun. The long shift about done,
Pack it in boys, the day is won, won, won!

It’s a night at the beach.
Not too warm, not too cool.
A gentle breeze flows in
Over the crashing waves.

She looks beautiful.
Red lipstick.
A flawless smile.
And lovely long hair that is being
Ever so gently tossed around
By the August winds.
I take her hand,
She takes my heart.

It’s a night at the beach,
And there’s nowhere else I want to be.

There's little more than panic and despair,
Moving through the mass of frosty air.
These little golden dreams torn asunder at the seams,
It's almost just too much for me to bear.

You say there's no reason for concern,
as we watch the things around us smoke and burn.
Got to be be quick on your feet when there's panic in the street.
Will those forgotten spirits ever learn?

The mighty trees of freedom bend and sway,
struggling with the sickness and decay.
And I can't help but wonder "why" as I look toward the sky:
"Did we ever let ourselves get so astray?"

Above it all the flag, Old Glory reigns,
healing this wounded nation from her pains.
Before long we'll stand free next to Lady Liberty
and finally shed off these worn chains.

No reason now to hang a head in shame
or worry about a patriotic game.
Can we all focus now and build that shining city on the hill,
instead of worrying about just who's to blame?

Let it follow from sea to shining sea,
this great nation that is home to you and me.
No more petty old disputes, just a garden bearing fruit.
If the golden door is here we hold the key

Fabulously decadent.
Amazing and powerful.
Incredibly tantalizing.
Lovely and enticing.
Unreal beauty and grace.
Ravishing, like a brilliant rose.
Endearingly joyful.

Two thousand dollars and thirty three cents.
Is that what I am to you?
Is that what I meant?

An outstanding deal for a reasonable price.
You wanted your cut.
You wanted your slice.

"You'll be happy pal, she's a hell of a bargain"
You don't love me at all,
Not by any sane margin.

Robbed of my dignity, confined to a cell.
Just so you'll make the sale,
and I'll rot in hell.

He's hiding in the details,
Just to offer me a deal.
Everything I ever wanted,
as he awaits my soul to steal.

I see him watching me there,
in the corner of my eyes.
He's slick and cruel and twisted,
a veritable master of disguise.

I won't play his advocate,
I don't want to be his own,
I just want that pesky, awful beast,
to leave me the hell alone.

He won't get my idle hands,
I won't join him to dine.
It's not gonna work, that SOB,
Not on me this time!

I've spent too much time taking.
Too much time breaking.
Too many nights in the cold, alone,
shaking.

I've spent too much time keeping,
long hours weeping.
Fighting off demons that are constantly
creeping.

But I will do this no longer,
I can be stronger,
Now's time to toss the junk that's making me
somber.

It's a wholesale clearing,
an escape from the fearing.
There's a new me a-coming, my spirit is
cheering.

So now I'll stand and surrender,
Move from hoarder to sender,
and open this new chapter in all of its
splendor.

I have a little light.
It doesn't shine that bright.
But as long as the way ahead is lit,
I know I'll be alright.

I have a little light,
That gives me comfort in the night.
It never stops its gentle glow,
Even when I think it might.

I have a little light,
It's a somewhat simple sight.
It keeps me warm in Winters peak,
and saves me from the icy blight.

I have a little light,
And if you look at it just right,
You'll see the world before you
blanketed in a dazzling white.

I rarely get pulled over.
I don't often get strange looks.
If a police officer sees me,
They pass right by.

I go about my day without worry
over what problems my skin
may cause me this time around.

As I live my life,
I occasionally hang my head
as I think about those
Who can never live as freely as I do.

And in that moment
I am cursed with a thousand questions
For which I fear there is no good answer.

Jumping through the air
snagging coins as I go.
Beware the cruel plants in the garden.

Bright stars give me power,
to vanquish my enemies.
The goombas never had a chance.

Blazing through the castle keep,
dodging everything that comes at me.
Bowser tries his best,
But I bring the hammer down swiftly.

The princess is mine again.

Beep...Beep...Beep

In a chaotic instant

The memories of this life that has been

Unfold in the distorted window

That lays within my mind.

There is madness.

There is confusion.

But there is also an odd calm

That overwhelms me.

Beep...Beep...Beep...

Voices around me screaming.

A manic energy fills the place.

My eyes are filled with emptiness.

My hands don't want to move.

A shadowy figure emerges from the distance.

Beep...beep...beep...

Some unknown object rips into me.

The delirium is suffocating.

There's no obvious escape route.

There's nowhere for me to go.

Beep...beep...beep....

Smooth metal bars lay at my side.

Is it some kind of twisted prison?

More and more people surround me.

The voices are almost too much.

Beep...beep...beep...

Another sharp jab to my body.

Another odd wave of hysterics.

A mysterious warmth comes over me.

And beckons me to go with it.

Prison bars fade into darkness.

Freedom has come at last.

Beep...Beep..................

I am the best and the worst,
as much as I'm blessed I've been cursed.

I am the dark and the light,
as I shine I scream out in the night.

I am the beginning and end,
as I break through the wall and transcend.

I am the birth and the death,
as I feel the chill in my breath.

On a cool and sunny October day,
I sit on the dock with my niece.
The water is calm.
A palette of orange and red fills the trees.

I pick up my guitar
and together we sing a song.

For three minutes and eight seconds
There is no stress, anger or frustration.
There is no injustice or inequity.
There are no burning existential questions.

There is only the sweet sound of music,
filling the autumn air.
While nature dances around us.

If only more in life could be
this beautiful.

You want to jump, want to fly.
Want to live, not to die.
Let yourself fall into the openness,
looking danger in the eye.

It comes to you, it comes to me.
Out of our prison, living free.
You'll never get a second chance
at existence, can't you see?

You could stay within these walls,
ignore adventure when it calls.
But what would you have to show from that
when the final hammer falls?

It's too easy to get scared.
Walking panicked, unprepared.
Afraid to face what's out there,
Because you don't know if you'll be spared.

Leave the guilt and leave the shame,
It's all part of the human game.
The world is waiting for you
and you have a path to claim.

I'll hurt you,
I'll love you.

I'll kiss you,
I'll shove you.

I'll hold you,
I'll break you.

I'll caress you,
I'll shake you.

I'll harm you,
I'll crown you.

I'll honor you,
I'll drown you.

It's stings, this pain of soft defeat. I couldn't pay the debt.
A simple awful moment that I wish I could forget.

I don't need no prescription, I don't need no Dr. Phil,
don't need a wannabe physician trying to cure my ills.

You can stifle your encouragement, don't need a kiss this time.
The fall was mine alone to take, I went and crossed the line.

There's really nothing I want from you in the here, now and today
but if you are insisting please think of me when you pray.

I shouldn't have done that.
I shouldn't have gotten angry.
I shouldn't have screamed.
I shouldn't have raised my fist in anger.
I shouldn't have hurt you.

I tried to hold it together,
but the world stripped away
my patience and gentleness
and replaced it with fury and fear.

Someone had to suffer.

And I'm sorry it was you.

Imagine all the people
who, when faced with Instant Karma,
staunchly refuse to Come Together
and Give Peace A Chance.

A man's heart forgets about Yesterday,
As he lives in darkness Eight Days A Week.
Will he ever know, as he stands in the Rain,
that All You Need Is Love?

Across the Universe, the stars dance,
and children run In Strawberry Fields Forever.
Like Dreamers Do, we try to make the most of life.
In other times, we learn to simply Let It Be.

I am wounded.
You are wounded.

We both stare towards each other
through crimson masks.

Suddenly we realize
that underneath our skin
we're the same color
and not as different as we thought.

Why did it have to be
so painful to get here?

I'm afraid this little poem,
doesn't have a lot to say.
No musings about life and death.
or lost loves along the way.

There's no long rumination,
about the world in which we live.
And in terms of inspiration,
well, it hasn't much to give.

It's not deep or thought provoking,
or even whimsical at all.
It's in no way wildly ambitious,
but rather short and plain and small.

Perhaps you're a bit curious,
about why I chose to write it.
I had a pen and I had an urge,
and it did not seem right to fight it.

Yes, it's just a little poem,
and you may find it quite a bore.
However, if I keep writing,
it won't be little anymore.

So thanks for stopping by
and taking time to read my friend,
but I think it's time we brought
this little poem to an end.

Yesterday I realized,
Of all the things that matter to me,
Ultimately, only few are critical.

Alluring as you are,
Laughing alongside me.
We dance the night away,
And seal it with a kiss.
You look at me with passion,
Seducing me with your piercing gaze.

Love is such a fleeting thing.
It can catch you off guard in an instant.
Eternally, I wonder: Why?

This old house, this grey broken place,
Frozen in time as an eternal disgrace.
Children live hollowed, a family displaced,
A past without meaning, a future erased.

Pale blue walls and long fading boards,
Shredded white curtains and fire ant hoards,
Such are the stains of hate and discord
And the glory of what here once was? Now ignored.

Beyond rusty metal and chipping off paint,
You'll find a soft bed with some tiny restraints,
Out in the shadows, a little girl cries faint,
A childhood of sorrows. Not peaceful, not quaint.

It's so hard to see from the rotting dead wood,
In the place where warmth and passion once stood.
There's some photos to save but I don't know if I should.
And a story to tell but I'm not sure that I could.

Up those broken stairs are two little boys beds,
Where they used to lay down their adventurous heads.
But now there's no laughter, no fuzzy warm spread,
Just suffering and fear and loathing instead.

And so I wallow in memories painfully sore,
completely devoid of strength left to explore.
So I bid farewell to the dark place once more,
Pack up my anguish and head out the door.

The sunshine is all around you.
Birds are flying by and singing.
Kids are laughing and playing.
An old man fishes at the rivers edge.

A girl is over there smiling,
in a way she hasn't in a while.
The dogs are enjoying the warm afternoon.
An ice cream truck chimes nearby.

But you don't see any of it.
Because you're caught
in the siren call
of that white, flickering screen.

Shame.

The world in darkness.
The world in light.
Which is it
that beckons me tonight?

The face of beauty.
The face of fear.
What strange thing
Has brought me here?

Tears of wonder.
Tears of pain.
Markedly different
Yet much the same.

A laugh of calmness,
A laugh of terror.
Is this a blessing
Or a fateful error?

A look of passion,
A look of fury.
Soon now comes
A time of worry.

Songs of sickness,
Songs of healing.
What great sorrow
Are they concealing?

Days of vengeance,
Days of Joy.
Built almost as much
As they came to destroy.

Moments of clarity,
Moments of madness.
Cast adrift
In an endless sadness

I was good friends with my failures,
they followed me around.
And never missed a chance
To drive my nose into the ground.

I was good friends with my failures,
The spoke to me every day.
And convinced me I had nothing,
That I’d never find my way.

I was good friends with my failures,
They were as constant as the sun.
Showed me the path to losing
When I thought the game was won.

I was good friends with my failures,
They liked to sing me songs.
About how I’d never be more
Than the sum of all my wrongs.

I was good friends with my failures,
Until they messed up all my stuff.
And eventually I reached a place
Where I’d finally had enough.

So I gathered all my failures
And I shoved them out the door.
Now I don’t let them near me.
They’re not my good friends anymore.

I had an idea,
but I didn't write it down.

And if I didn't write it down,
then did it ever actually exist in the first place?

and if it didn't exist in the first place,
how could I have had it?

and if I never had it,
then where did it come from?

On this evening of magic...
The sun hangs low,
Winds blow strong,
Nature shines in all her glory.
Up above the clouds roll past,
over a sea of vibrant hues.
With nights like these it's no mystery why,
it's so easy to soar in an indigo sky.

Along the great lakes...
mighty trees stand watch,
eternal guardians of nature's sanctum.
The money men should know,
this place must stay untouched,
and flourish as the years go by,
Swift as a bird in the indigo sky.

I sat down at my desk tonight,
and found I had no words to write.
No message that I could convey,
nor a funny or witty thing to say.
No nostalgic tale of days gone by,
or wondrous adventure on mountains high.

No princesses, kings or warrior knights,
No ice, no fire, no epic fights.
No clever yarn about my youth,
or a tactful dose of truth.
No sagas of love or burning rage,
not a single thing to grace the page.
In fact, it came as quite a shock
as I'm just not one for writers block!
It's disappointing because everybody knows,
I'm quite the man when it comes to prose.
But on this night, at this desk,
I'm so far from my very best.

I ache and I scream and I fight and fight,
but I just can't fight the words to write.
I have the pen, I have the ink,
"Come on now, man! You've got think!"
There's an easy way to break the curse,
just find a line, a rhyme, a verse.
Nothing creative bursts from my head,
It's just awash with fog instead.
My head is nodding, my vision fading,
what little hope I had? Degrading.
And this barreness my soul will reap,
as I lay me down to sleep.
I can only hope, as I retire,
that I do not think of things too dire.

Perhaps when I wake, in mornings light,
I'll finally find those words to write.

It's the source of all my tears,
It's the sum of all my fears,
It's the knife that's chipped away at me
for far too many years.

It's the tingle on my skin,
It's the empty loss within,
It's the wave of stark confusion,
as my time is running thin.

It's my panic in the crowd,
It's the silent and the loud,
It's the end of my solemn dignity,
and the freedom it allowed.

It's a growing cloud of noise,
It's coming from the girls and the boys,
It rips through me like whirlwind,
and does not give back what it destroys.

Invincible and strong in the moment
Making the dream come true

Triumphant over every enemy
Heralded as one of the best
Excellence personified

Kinetic, frenetic, dominant
Inescapable force of nature
Nothing will stop me now
Going the distance

Outrageously agressive
Fit to **** them all

Total global *******
He who has no equals
Endurance forever lasting

Greatness is my mistress.
Angels sing my name
Man among men of the highest order
Eternal does he reign.