Narcissistic superiority
demanding respect
receiving none
as it has not been earned

Old age
a state of mind
when to that which is new
a man becomes blind
a body may age
but one thing I find
if you're still young at heart
your life's really shined

I've been told it will be OK
that we'll be safe once again
I sit and question when
my hope squashed daily

extremism
driven by misguided fundamentalists
resident evil shouting out loud
through a hail of bullets
and the explosive vests of suicide bombers
will the time ever arrive
freedom from the terrorists
seems only a dream

bigotry
sparked by the prejudice of the ignorant
leaving death and pain in its wake
another evil that lives next door
these bigots seem bent on attempting genocide
the eradication of anyone who is not exactly like them
is building a  master race their wish
I was taught that those days were behind us
told it could never happen again
especially in this US of A
yet that is the political stage that we find before us
it never seems to get any better

I ask again
when will we be safe again
will there come a time men will respect each other
allow others to practice their own religious beliefs
without the ridicule
will the day come when men will put hate aside
a day they will share kindness rather than abuse
I dream of that day
but the wait
so tired

Times may be many
where things might not go my way
but that will never be reason
to hold my children at bay
it's a love like no other
they're my babies you see
I just hope that they realize
I've still got a strong healthy knee
come sit on my lap
let me hold you once more
and whether you're coming or going
there will be a hug at the door

There will never be peace
till that last soldier dies
the youth who are fighting
swallow government lies

Wars never one sided
the fault lies with both
then brainwashed children
take that ultimate oath

They're to fight to the death
practice an eye for an eye
**** women and children
without knowing the why

Told it's about faith
and on this they should stand
when the truth of the matter
it's really about land

As long as the land
remains the spoils of war
there won't be any peace
politicians keep score

Time now to play war
leaders beating their drums
it's more power they seek
without care how it comes

Sending kids to their death
whether land, sea or sky
it's sad we'll only know peace
once that last soldier dies

Does poetry really depend on new ideas
fresh words concerning the nature of lives

Haven't the ideas with their words
all been presented

Throughout time, in one form or another
the stories all been told

Do we really think we have created something new
something original
by changing names and places

The expressions used changed
rearranged
and repeated time and again

Then labelled as cliché
as some have recognized the story

There is nothing new

Nothing purely original

It is all cliché to someone

If new and original are the requirements
and it's all been said

Then poetry is dead

Write on
share your heart
and though it's been said
tell your story

Somebody needs to hear it again

One eye blind
self pity grows
with each day

One eye remains
true beauty seen
for the first time