If you saw me sitting in the park

Feeding pigeons for a while

Would you give me not a second thought

Would you look at me and smile?

If while I fed the pigeons

I was talking really loud

With no one there to listen

Not one person, not a crowd

Would you look at me as crazy

Would you think my mind was messed?

Now put me in my uniform

With my medals on my chest

Now, would this make it different

Am I different than before?

For I didn't leave home like this

It's the end result of war

If you stood and saw me stumble

From a bar mid afternoon

Would you look at me and think

"This one's drunk too soon"?

Would you turn or change direction?

Would you stay out of my path?

Or would you slowly walk behind me

And shake your head or maybe laugh?

Would you look at me as crazy?

Would you think my mind was messed?

Now put me in my uniform

With my medals on my chest

Now, would this make it different

Am I different than before?

For I didn't leave home like this

It's the end result of war

If you saw me in a wheelchair

On my crutches hobbling by

Would you look at me as feeble

Or would you turn away and sigh?

Would you wonder just what happened

To make me handicapped a might

Or would you turn and switch direction?

So I wasn't in your sight

Would you think that I was lazy?

Just because I couldn't walk

Would you look at me as feeble?

Would you take the time to talk?

Just because I might be different

Doesn't mean we are not equal

There is two sides to a story

There can always be a sequel

Just because you might dress better

And your suit is cut so fine

I ask you just one question

Would you lay it on the line?

If your country came and asked you

Would you sign up in a sec

Or would you think there's always others

I can just go write a cheque

Now, if you saw me in the park again

Standing solemn, lost in space

Would you wonder what I'm thinking?

Would you even see my face?

Would you see me as a person?

Would you walk on by and laugh?

Would you ever even notice

I was at the cenotaph

Would you look at me as crazy?

Would you think my mind was messed?

Now put me in my uniform

With my medals on my chest

Now, would this make it different

Am I different than before?

For I didn't leave home like this

It's the end result of war

But, if you saw me feeding pigeons

I ask you sir, would you

If you saw me in my uniform

Dare to come and say "Thank You"?
.

You can not cure World Hunger

So, set your goals to small

But you can help out one child

Don't try to feed them all

Little steps or little bites

Can cure a childs pain

From not eating dalily

Or knowing when they'll eat again

Don't take on the whole problem

Just one mouth at a time

Then you'll start a revolution

And you'll start to feeling fine

Just add an extra setting

When you sit down to your meal

Then put a can of food aside

It makes the problem real

Just one a day will do it

Cure a child of his pain

And tomorrow night at dinner

You can do it all again

Just set an extra setting

No chair, no fork or knife

Then put a box or can aside

And help to feed a life

It's easy once you try it

In a short time you'll have filled

A box or two of canned goods

Someones hunger you have killed

Just set an extra setting

When you sit down next to eat

Then put a box or can aside

It'll make you feel so neat

At week's end take your savings

To the food bank filled with pride

You didn't even notice

And your smile's ten feet wide

Just set an extra setting

At the table, just for one

Then before you sit for dinner

Pack the can up....only one

Just think....a revolution

Started by a single meal

It's so easy to get started

And the end results are real

There's children going hungry

Here at home and in our schools

We can feed the world completely

If we only use the tools

Imagine stopping hunger

In your lifetime, it'd be great

And to start it is so easy

Just set that extra plate

One tin, a box or pasta

Nothing hard about this plan

Just set an extra setting

And donate one small can

A child going hungry

There's no reason anymore

There is enough food out there

To feed the world times four

The food bank's overloaded

More requests come in each year

So start a revolution

It's a simple, cheap, idea

Next time you sit for dinner

Just set one extra  plate

Then take a tin or box of food

And simply....please DONATE !!!
.

a garden fence of wooden slats
giant poppies bloom and fill the gaps
brightest petals, orange

white birds of summer  
will mend, with twine and twig
windy nests of a northern winter

today, only an indigo sea
of lavender bees, will hum
like gold, beneath the sun

no frowning clouds will come
only morning glory flowers will bloom
blue as sky, blue as heaven

Something wicked this way comes
My body aches with pain
Not self inflicted with demon ***
But through the weather and the rain

The storm has taken down a tree
I stay inside and pray
There's a storm on fire inside of me
Will I make it through the day?

Arthritis wracks my body whole
And the cold just makes it bad
Free from pain, it is my goal
I can't remember last I had

A day so free and without ache
Drugs just numb but do not heal
I lose control when pills I take
I don't like just how I feel

The rain moves down the window pane
Liquid, lanquid and so quick
To be so sore it is my bane
It is not the life I picked

The storm is over, but not in me
Each day, it starts anew
I face the test with a new plea
I do the best that I can do.