Miracle child your day
Has dawned
You’ve been knocked out
And you’ve been wronged
A violent collision
Has sent your soul
Spinning and lifeless
Out of control
You lie in death
With your eyes closed
Certainly
A fatal blow
But then you awake
And open your eyes
The confusion so strong
You can’t even cry
An angel of God
Has held your head
You've survived
When you should be dead
You were given
A second chance
You can breathe
You've rejoined the dance
Your father cries
You've come alive!
There's a purpose for you
For you've survived!
So live each day
As a gift that is given
The miracle is you
And the life you are living

The cell phone rings
The young girl answers
And winces at the pending pain
The truth lies trampled
In deception
The healing words
Held in disdain
A story, morale for all others
Spinning tales
And tangled webs
Causing wounds
Of self infliction
Kicking integrity
In the head
So we all
Can be the liar
And choose the what
And when and why
The road is paved
With good intentions
To the hell
Of living a lie

The destination is still shrouded
The fog has hidden it from view
I’m on a train ride in the darkness
On a line I swore I knew
Yet the journey is not so simple
With twists and turns and bitter ends
I thought that I was flying forward
But I was going round a bend
Now in the wake lie scattered fragments
Mementos of a recent past
I feel the lingering warmth now leave me
As my life runs out of gas

Troubled
By the sins of others
Wrong decisions
Spiteful thoughts
Hatred’s deep
And brooding presence
Brokenness
That failure brought
I sought in prayer
The Savior’s mercy
Freedom
From a deep-felt pain
Sorrow, hurt
And depression
Twisted
And no longer sane
The magic words
I stumbled on them!
Allowing me
Again to live
I asked for mercy,
Then I gave it
Saying the words
“I forgive”

A wounded bird lies
Stunned and still
Pointed straight
At the window sill
Recovering its wits
Or breathing its last
Immobile in front
Of the pristine glass

A wounded student
Hobbled in pain
Struggling now
To be free again
Struck by a car
The joy all gone
Afraid to tell home
Of what’s gone wrong

A wounded spirit
Crying inside
Dressed to perfection
The pain to hide
As sorrow creeps in  
From all the edges
She draws back in fear
From the window ledges

Amid our disutopian bubble
The suffering masses on white sand huddle
As tourists react with care and concern
Bikinied women and health workers learn
The refugees have come ashore
Weary, tired and forlorn
The clash of leisure and deprivation
Of suntan, and suffering, and dehydration
The haves and have nots meet at once
The beggars crash the rich man’s lunch

The sunglassed mirror
Of ruin and death
The youthful shock
The carnage met
The peaceful lives
Of style and grace
Shattered by a war
Of race
And so they drive
Amid the rubble
A new generation
See humanity’s trouble
The cell phones, car
And clothes belie
Stalled progress
Where the innocents die
The failure of talks
Behind closed doors
The option of peace
Pursued no more

Beyond tears there is hope
And a brand new tomorrow
Pass through the suffering
Let go of the sorrow
Stand on the rock
And from faith’s scenic view
Scan the horizon
Await all that’s new
Open your heart
To love and to giving
See the goodness of God
In the land of the living

There exists in this city
The town called Good
A different feel
From my old neighbourhood
No snow clad mountains
No brooding rain
But just flat rolling ground
On a lakeside plain
No vistas of grandeur
To lift up the gaze
Only concrete and steel
And brown laden haze
I had forgotten the mountains
With their mist laden sides
I‘d forgotten the beauty
But I could decide…
So I remembered the sunshine
The springs soft and mild
The play time, the forest
The games of a child
I remembered the berries
Delicious and sweet
That grew in the forests
And at the sides of the streets
I remembered a family
United, together
I remembered a father,
But not rainy weather
I remembered the friends
And the fun that we had
I remembered the sunshine
Before I was sad

Another place
Another time
Reunion of family
And thoughts that bind
Memories of past
And struggles anew
The future recast
In different hues
Of current events
And change and decay
Of inner renewal
And fog shrouded days
And visions of clarity
That suddenly reveal
Snow covered peaks
That once were concealed

There is no them
There is just us
No boogeyman
No vile foe
There is no evil
Save what’s common
In all of us from head to toe
Unbroken cycles of misery
Hatred upon hatred
Piled deep
And we wonder why
It happens
That our cities
End up in heaps
Let’s end the division
And work together
No either/or
But also/and
Let’s reach across
These manmade barriers
And listen to
And understand
We’re not going to solve
Any problems
If we point our fingers
And lay the blame
If you work for peace
And solutions
You drop the labels
And the names

The wedding partyIn garden’s twilightThe gowns, the flowersThe flashbulb’s bright lightBeyond the fountainThe horizon’s edgeAnd a chain link fenceAt the cliff’s top ledgeAnd down belowShimmering in wavesA final presentOn a perfect dayDancing moonbeams Of a full orbMesmerizing, beautifulThe scene absorbsAnd all who gazePonder the sightOf the kiss of wavesBy soft moonlight

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

Merged as one
And not defined
Not knowing where
To draw the line
Allowing fear
To dominate
Stifle growth
And deviate
From all that’s good
And fair and blessed
Creating one
Hell of a mess
A tangled web
Of deceit and lies
That kills the soul
And something dies
And leaves a passive
Lump of clay
Molded, pushed
By the whims of the day
No anchor, base
Or firm footing
Only shifting sand
And winks and hooding
Of the truth
That lies bound inside
The lights turned out
As you try to hide

Such charm, such life
Such love, such passion
Swirling, twirling
Firing captions
Nuggets of sheer genius thought
Pulled from the ether
From the universe bought
But at what a price!
At what a cost!
The victims strewn
And all that’s lost
Thrown to the depths
From the highest heights
A life in freefall
From day to night
A shooting star
That briefly flares
Against velvet black
In brilliant glare
Its ashes fall
Upon the sea
In gloom, despair
And misery
The waves of rage
Rise up and break
And roil that monster
The ancient snake
That bites and maims
And kills at will
And robs life itself
Of all its thrills

The lovers touched
Their bodies trembling
The kiss of nectar
The heat descending
The embrace of love
And lust’s desire
The warmth of soul
The burning fire
The tender sweetness
And the passion
Forgotten feelings
Back in fashion
Seconds of peace
All pain healing
All darkness banned
And lightness feeling
Precious moments
Of joy and bliss
Ignited with a touch
And a single kiss

Flitting around
Feelings abound
Opinions change
There is no ground
It all unravels
And it dazzles
As it spins and spins
And the soul travels
Toward the light
The truth that’s bright
Buffeted by thoughts
Wounded by slights
And it weans
And moves free and lean
Away from its home
It’s seventeen!
And the dices
And spices
Fill the air
With chance
At prices
Running storm clouds
Lifting all shrouds
Finding out
And wondering aloud
Amid confusion
And intrusion
Sorting out
Ideas’ illusions
And the heart stops
And the shoe drops
Pains infuses
Where the ball hops
Changing, flexing
Bursting, connecting
The chrysalis emerges
Cocoon dissecting

I went to a magic world
Of happiness and fun
I played and gave it my very all
Under the hot Orlando sun

A kingdom of hopes and dreams
And only good decisions
And underneath the bricks and steel
A man’s passion and his vision

You hear it in the words of songs
And stories where dreams come true
Where optimism rules the day
And all the skies are blue

I had a great day in the land of ears
And wands and princess gowns
I saw happy faces all day long
And never saw a frown

So how do you fulfill your dreams?
I know I learned one way
You share it for the world to see
And invite it to come and play

There is a place of peace and joy
A place of calm and rest
A place where broken ones are healed
The crushed in spirit blessed

You go there in your inner heart
When you lift your soul in prayer
To a God who knows what’s best
And listens to your cares

It is a place of life and power
Of grace and inner strength
That grants you sleep and peace of mind
Where God works at greatest lengths

To comfort and encourage you
A frail child of dust
He speaks gently and caresses you
And all your fears are hushed.

The Sabbath
Is a time of rest
To reflect on God
On what is best
To feed your spirit
And your soul
To replace with good
Something you stole
Robbed from yourself
In strength, direction
Refusing to rest
Spend time in reflection
And so fulfill your
Deepest fears
Saving hours, but
Wasting years.

Listen to understand
The person
Hear their thoughts
Their points of view
Comprehend their values
Their interests
Feel for what they’re going through

Listen to show
That you respect them
That you care
And can be true
That you can learn
From their knowledge
Where they’re more
Advanced than you

Listen, because
When you do this
Your world unfurls
The sky turns blue
You multiply your wealth and riches
By gaining the wisdom
Of something new.

The lilac perfume
Wafts through the air
The senses are filled
With all that is fair
A garden serene
With lovers and friends
And family gathered
To talk at day’s end
The splash of water
The flowers so bright
Each corner a discovery
A visual delight
And the lake
Like a painting
Pale blue
As the sun
Reflects on the sailboats
Completing their run
Peace hangs in the air
While birds fly about
The children play quietly
And there isn’t a doubt
That a garden in evening
Brings rest to the soul
Preserves sanity
And makes a man whole.

The struggle constant
To the top
When no one else
Has given thought
To rise so early
And set out
The houses silent
No one about
One step, one breath
In constant rhythm
The push, the drive
Towards the heavens
And then imagine
The surprise
The sight awaiting  
Before my eyes
The bright sun risen
And shining as such
Upon a world
In morning hush
Serene, unreal
For down below
The valleys filled
With cloud like snow
And up above
On the mountain top
In golden rays
I pause to stop
And raise my arms
In victory mode
Rejoicing in
The mother lode

The blood pours
And life drains
Triage means
A card with my name
Is held in my hand
Shaking….
Dizzied with shock
On one knee
Tired
Must rest…
As I plead
Going down
To the floor….
There’s shouting….
Awake
A nurse
Is speaking to me
Can you get up?
Looking sideways
I see
Trying to move
Crying….
I get up
To the stretcher
Lying down
Blood
Soaking hands
And running down
Pressure stabilizing…
I regain my strength
To a room
We walk
My son and a nurse
And all the small talk
And stop
The bleeding….

The concert ended
The crowd moved out
The show was over
But I had doubts
Whether I could make
The long trip home
Long, because I was alone
I walked in circles
In downtown
Stole glimpses of treasures
To lift my frown
Floodlit fountains
Candle light
Night time galas
Hidden delights
Couples and friends
In happy times
Cyclists and tourists
Youth in their prime
And I walked alone
Single once more
And I dreaded the thought
Of the waiting door
That would lead to
An empty house
I tried my best the fear
To douse
And then I faced it
And I plunged ahead
And went straight home
To an empty bed

Let go, give space
Allow time to heal
And find a way
With grief to deal
That does not hinder
Stop or curse
The healing of
The wounds we nurse

Give space and time
For quiet reflection
To think of life
And make connections
Sorting out
The ebb and flow
As the avalanche
Of feelings grows
And buries the soul
Beneath its weight
Of deepest hurt
And cruelest hate

Let go, give space
Allow time to be
Have faith
Plants seeds
Of destiny
That will sprout
And blossom
With patience and care
And will work things out
More than we can dare.

To hear the searching of the past
Bring out a pain so fresh
Tells me the wounds
Have never healed
And still can cause distress
You see the little boy or girl
In the eyes of the adult
Reliving painful memories
With always the same result
Of tears and sadness
And cracked voice
As the ghosts howl and haunt
The tentacles of darkness grasp
The demons prowl and taunt.

Lift up your wings
O cherubim
Lift up our downcast spirits
Heal the pain of life I plead
Or teach us how to bear it.

Love is a spirit
Of common ground
That creates a safe place
Where peace is found
Where thoughts and ideas
Can be freely shared
And listened to
By someone who cares
The telling is the important part
Expressing what’s hidden
In the heart
The inner place
Where healing comes
Of reaching back
Where you are from
The fine tuned art
Of sorting out
What shapes your being
What you are about
Love is a haven
No blame…
But pain
And understanding
Of from where you came

The choice is yours
How you respond
How you react
To the world around
You're in control
At the end of the day
When you decide
The right words to say
You should not push
Resist, defend
But acknowledge your actions
In the end
That does not mean
You are to blame
Or it's your fault
For the role you played
In all events
The things you did
Should not drive you
To shame, regret
But rather give you
The power to see
Choices made you
And choices can free

In the silence and the calm
The echoes of the birds ring out
The sky is lit with soft hued light
Announcing yet another dawn

Take me beyond the hectic realm
Of busyness and toil and self
To listen to the birds that sing
Whose joy of life overwhelms

We’re meant to sing and live and laugh
And start each day with hope and praise
Anticipating the wondrous start
Of all that good that will come to pass

The sun shines
And nature rhymes
The coming of the season
With songs of birds
And little girls
For no other reason
Than to dance and sing
And drink it in
The wonder of creation

Alive again
The world springs forth
With life and verdant greenness
The people smile
The children play
The whole world loses
meanness
Long gone the winter
Of cold and grey
Now comes life in all its glory
That grows and pushes from the ground
To write a brand new story

I sat by the river
And thought of you
As a summer like breeze
Kissed my face
And a family of geese
Swam by
The water was filled with scullers
Their oars plunging
In the calm surface,
The trees on the banks
Green with new leaves
In the warmth and comfort
Of the late afternoon sun
I thought of you
And how we met
How you struggled and grew
And overcame
The suffering of your past
The goodness of your soul
So often bursting through
Like the warmth of this spring day
And I realized once again
How wonderful it was
To have met you
What a privilege it was
To love you
And on this beautiful day
I could only cry out to God
In immense gratitude
And utter the words
Thank you

You asked me
What I prayed to God
On the day I did not cry
The day I arose in the morn
Before sunlight touched the sky

I ate no food
On that day
I read, and thought
And prayed
I sought God's face
And learned and grew
And accepted
What must change

I took you
To the airport
And helped you on your way
I know you didn't realize
The importance
Of that day

You asked me
What I prayed to God
But you see...
He told me not to cry
I kissed you softly on the face
And kindly said
Good-bye

When sadness comes
And rolls in waves
That lift
And crash
The spirit
The tears,
The sobs,
The wrenching heart
The soul can
Scarcely bear it

At night
When sleep
Flees away
And thoughts
Sneak upon us
That stab
And wound
The inner man
And sting
When truth
Is clearest

Go through
You must
This vale of tears
And know
This will pass on
The birds
Will sing
And herald in
Another
Glorious dawn

So fragile
This tangled web
Of spirit, life
Emotion
Alive and strong
Yet pierced
And weak
And lost in the commotion

Like crystal
Or a diamond bright
So beautiful
So awesome
Yet shattered
By the cruelest slight
When not cherished
In devotion

How lovely is
The human spirit
When lifted to above
When cast down hearts
Are healed and touched
And lifted up by love

So fragile
Is the human heart
Like life it must be nourished
And fed the nectar
Of praise and care
To blossom and
To flourish

I have stood on top
Of the world
I’ve seen the lights go on
I’ve felt the rush
The magic of peace
And the inner strength in song

I tamed the beast
That held me in
I have conquered it in faith
I have taken that step
Into the void
And hurled through time
And space

I felt the words
That I had spoke
Touch lives, connect within
I felt the wonder
Of all that comes
From faces lit with grins.

I have stood before
My friends
And shared stories
From my heart
And seen in awe
The wondrous power
Of the story telling art

I now stand on top
Of the world
I cannot keep it in
The fire is lit
The passion is hot
And the words burn within.

There comes a choice
Between faith and fear
Often in our lives
To try and fly
And live our dreams
And soar towards the sky


So often I’ve let the chains of fear
Hold me to the ground
And the very things that I expect
Have naturally come around


But now with new eyes of faith
I’m about to soar
It’s due to one amazing truth –
I’m not afraid anymore

Expanding at the speed of light
The universe unfurling
And on our little ball of rock
Our world is ever swirling

The cries, the pain, the saddened hearts
The suffering and the sorrow
Eighty spins around the sun
That shorten our tomorrow

Angels of mercy intercede
And speak in dreams and visions
Lonely hearts find each other
And God heals our divisions

To grow, to live, to hope, to dance
To sing with each new morning
The starburst of the Creator’s love
Sends our spirits soaring