In the still of twilight
The warm air bathes me
As I look at the clouds
And the moon hanging bright
Shining in the late evening sky
The sailboats barely moving
In the silence and the calm
The lake serene and still
And words of encouragement
And hope flood my soul
And I feel joy and thankfulness
And peace for all the good
That is to come
Laughter, healing, singing
As my spirit rises and
Sees in faith
The final outcome

The child whimpers
In the night
Shivering, cold
But not from fright
But from sadness
Welling deep within
Feeling frightened
And abandoned
My little child
Do not cry
Your father loves you
So dry your eyes
You were just
A little boy
Who lost his father
Home and toys

A man now cries  
Alone at night
For loss of love
His soul’s delight
Now dry your tears
And do not cry
Gain the truth
And understand why
You’re a man
Have courage, not fear
And whisper
Gently in the ear
Of the child
Sleeping deep within
Tell him he’s loved
And healed of what’s been

Discipline’s rule
Will stand you well
If you want to move forward
And idleness quell
Determine your purpose
And make a decision
Take action in life
And plan with precision
Order your future
Be humble in prayer
Gaze beyond your present
Advance more than you dare
Expand your horizons
Gain a new view
Launch yourself forward
Fly into the blue
Set steps in your life
And jump on each one
Don’t stop til you’re finished
And all the tasks done
Then gaze at the bounty
Of life’s awesome store
All the things
You’ve accomplished
That were just dreams before

The man and the maiden
Have a dance going on
Of trust and connection
Before armour donned
The warrior and goddess
Each in their power
The key’s with the goddess
That beautiful flower
Who holds total control
Of the man’s heart
Who brings life to the earth
Gives the race a new start
Who looks for a man
Who’ll approach her with honour
Who’ll keep his commitments
And her trust garner
A man who is alive
With passionate fire
But grounded and strong
With calm, cool, desire
Who passes the tests
The maiden may throw
In casual remarks
To see her man grow
That sweet combination
Of a man standing tall
With a heart wide open
And backbone
And *****

I touch eyes and touch hearts
And feel warm embraces
Feel my soul open
As my heart races
I feel love and compassion
And gentleness of spirit
I reach out, help others
And without speaking, they hear it
I straighten my back
And open my core
And my love for others
As God’s children soars
And I know that all
Is well with my soul
And the pain and rejection
Have not taken their toll
It’s quite simple you see
I learned it when
I opened my heart
And loved again

Opportunity knocks
And meets blank stares
It waves its arms
But no one cares
It sends goodwill
That’s knocked aside
It shows the answer
That you can’t deride
Don’t blame your lot
On luck or fate
When opportunity comes
It’s not going to wait

Broken pieces of a person
In shambles, scattered all about
Trying to collect and restore them
When everything has fallen out
Lend me some money,
O thank you sir!
Mumbled words and lowered thoughts
On the streets and in the alleys
Facing what their sanity brought
Shattered lives are walking past you
Not disheveled but torn inside
Two steps back and one step forward
Trying to reverse the slide
You see the bottom all around you
Sleeping on the heating grates
And you wonder if it’s luck or courage
That keeps you from that very fate