You told me time and again how you did it, life I mean
how you never let anything beat you, man or machine
How you got sick and tired of being sick and tired
you know underdog gets angry and so triumphs
The innumerable possessions you acquired
And I remember the feel good story of ..
the guy who knew
so little about a business
Then went on to become a huge success
and I remember everyone in town thought you were great
From the homeless man on the corner, to the district attorney
all you needed was a running mate
I'm surprised the elbows in your shirts lasted
Given all the rubbing they went through
and I remember you could cook
And sew, you could sew better than most women
which would serve to fuel more than one smile
on more than one occasion
You were an admirable man, by anyone's standards
I remember how you always had an answer for everything
Me myself
Things DO beat me sometimes
for me sometimes you win, sometimes you get beat
Win or lose is NOT the issue
but that I have the heart to stand toe to toe with life day after day
And I say that with a heavy heart because
Because I've lost friends who couldn't
And I get sick and tired too, but for me, sick and tired go hand in hand
Like Sunshine and rain, like happy and sad
Like up and down or good and bad
For me, That's just life, it does that, I have two little rules
#1 Don't sweat the small stuff
and
#2 It's ALL small stuff
Business, sore subject
Moving on ...
Hey! I CAN tell you about being a pirate!
Not a peg leg, patch over one eye kind of pirate
A ship commandeering, treasure hunting pirate
you should know though that
I may refer to something like a bed as a "ship," and to me
Not all treasure is made of gold
But that's me
The people in this town don't all think I'm great
The district attorney certainly knows my name but, we're not friends
I'm friends with the homeless guy on the corner
I stuck a dinner in the microwave last night for two minutes
does that constitute cooking?
I haven't sewn in years
And they don't let me play with guns these days, you know, since
the incident  ;~
I don't have all the answers, not even close, I wish I did
But then
You know one thing I NEVER could get you to understand dad
I'm not you

He who is invisible,
Yet intelligible
He who is invincible,
Yet yielding
He who is inscrutable,
Yet stands to scrutiny
He is who is Almighty,
Yet benevolent
He who is pleased
with a flower of love
than with a tower of gold
He who swings
ceaseless cradle of life
tossing between extremes
in the lull of full of life
and dissolves into his heart
I bow down and pray
till my soul embraces
The Super Soul
Unto my last breath

Oh my young one, my baby, My darling, darling boy
I am with you always through tears of pain and joy
Confusion and fear can force the sights unseen
As choked down emotion can make you feel unclean

I know not how to judge you, for all I feel is joy
And i will always love you
My darling, darling boy

Let's prance
Then dance
Let's run
And make fun
Let's cook
Then book
A flight
With a kite
Let's pick some flowers
And build some towers
Let's cry
Then try
To fix up
The mix-up
Let's be together
Forever and ever
Because you're my Best Friend
And on each other we can always *depend

I have a mission:

today is a new day
this is always true
today is a sunrise
as the earth turns
the dark skies blue.

today is another chance
to look within
speak my truth
heal my heart
as living proof that
I alone am strong in faith

and so,

I walk my path today
to take my part in destiny
and write the pages of my life
exactly as I choose to read.

I AM~
the author of my story
the ink of my words
the love of my life
the sky full of birds
the roots of a tree
the air that I breathe.

I am ready
I am ready
I am ready
Yes, I AM.

The old man sat in the darkness
Taking in what he could see
He smiled, although slyly
And he leaned in close to me

He said the air is different
You can taste it here abouts
Listen close to what's around you
The air is different...there's no doubt

I didn't understand him
He spoke in concepts, not in words
He talked of feeling the emotions
Of people running 'round in herds

He said, I've been here sixty years now
Seen people come and people go
I used to be the barkeep
But, then that's something that you know

I've seen Elvis and The Beatles
Seen Presidents and Kings
I've seen hearts torn all asunder
And the pain that a war brings

I saw Kennedy on that TV
That, one behind your head
I watched him drive on straight through Dallas
And moments later he was dead

This place was just dead silent
On the day that that man died
And hand to god I'll tell you
I was all torn up inside

I saw soldiers in that Vietnam
Fighting for what? I don't know
I saw them on that TV there
I watched them lining up to go

I saw them having rally's
Taunting those who had the guns
I saw them bringing back the caskets
Of the now dead, teenage sons

That TV showed me lots of stuff
It never strayed far from the news
It always shows the Tigers game
I turn it up to hear the boos

I saw King and Bobby on that set
Taken way to young
God, it would have been a different world
To see what things they might have brung

I sat back and I listened
The old man, went on a while
He waved ******* skyward
And said, two more beers ...with his smile

My life has been a good one
I've been alone, except for here
I watch the outside on that set
It was then, we got our beer

I remember back when Elvis died
He was the best back in the day
But, me I liked Sinatra
Dean Martin, Bob and Ray

There was folks in here all crying
singing songs, and holding hands
on various occassions
from Lennons death, to Bobby Sands

I never really took part
In the lives of those who came
To spend their time here with me
I only knew a few by name

My job was just to serve them
Not to be their new best friend
I guess that's why I sit here still
Watching, waiting for the end

That set has shown me good and bad
That one, behind your head
It hasn't worked for fifteen years
We got a new one in instead

It's there as a reminder
more to me, than those still here
That life is for the living
And I'm alive while I am here

He rose and turned back to me
Said, it's time for us to close
I'll be back again tomorrow
To watch more highs and maybe lows

I watched the old man shuffle
To his room, and to his bed
Past the TV he saw life on
On the wall behind my head.