What they see is my public face;
What I want them to see only.
Much more lies below the surface
Known only to those dear to me.
The real me, if they look closely,
Lies hidden in my poetry.

I may not have set the world on fire,
But neither have I gone down in flames
Within me remains a burning desire
To achieve every one of my aims.
I know it may be very hard indeed,
But I am determined I shall prevail;
Know if I persevere I will succeed,
That if I give up I will surely fail.
For dreams hopes wishes and aspirations
Will never amount to anything much;
Without hard work and determination
They will forever remain only such.
Life can be just as we want it to be
For we are masters of our destiny.

To be loved brings joy beyond measure
Though to love is the most precious treasure.
Which is why what all of us yearn to do
Is find the one we can give our heart to.
One whom to us is so precious and dear,
That we dare to love without any fear.
The one we love with all our heart and soul,
One whose love in return makes us feel whole.

Of all the chances that I ever took
The best by far was to open a book.
For I quickly discovered that to read
Is the most rewarding pastime indeed.

Then reading in me a spark did ignite
To a burning desire one day to write.
Thankfully though, that what writers most need
Is other books, other authors to read

The earth darkness grips
Behind the moon the sun slips
A solar eclipse.

As in and out one must breathe
in order to survive,
One who writes must also read
to keep their work alive.

No ambiguity let there be;
All racists are abhorrent to me!
If those we elect can't say the same
Alas 'tis to our eternal shame!
For the views of those whom we elect
Rightly or wrongly on us reflect!

Those to whom lies come easily
Should not be trusted, verily!
Though they may mean no harm, forsooth!
Why then can they not tell the truth?

Who the whole truth fails to reveal,
Who pertinent facts do conceal,
May not in truth a liar be
Though are truly untrustworthy;
Unscrupulous, devious, sly,
Dishonest, though they tell no lie.

"Alternative Facts" the truth belies,
Often in "Fake News" the real truth lies,
"Exaggeration", "Aggrandizing"
In truth are other words for lying.
The value of honesty seems lost,
Sad truth is, at a terrible cost!

To our kids now we must emphasise
That Facts; the Truth, must Always Trump Lies,
That by lying there's nothing to gain;
That Truth cannot be held in disdain.
From lies and untruths all must refrain
To make Truth, Honesty, Great Again!

In trying, there is every chance you might fail.
In not, there is no chance you will ever prevail.

For if you do not take a chance or at least try
There is every chance life will just pass you by.

At long last I am legally separated
I have been officially liberated
While I wish only the best for my ex wife
I am determined to be single the rest of my life
A wonderful feeling sweeps over me
With the realisation that I am now free
But why do I feel just a little bit scared?
Maybe I am not ready, just not prepared

Now the lads were great, said it would be fun being single
They took me out so many nights, encouraged me to mingle
But it was a different world, something I had ever known
How did I answer a girl who asked if I “was in the Zone”
They laughed in my face when I asked “Would you like to dance”?
I was so far out of date sure I did not stand a chance
I had no pick up lines, what was this “banter” about
In the end I made up excuses not to go out

It's been six months now, worse than I thought
I cannot find the happiness I have constantly sought
And if there is one thing I have grown to hate
It's friends surprising me with yet another blind date!
To be honest I did not have a hope
I am not good with women, I just cannot cope
Though I have seen some ladies I would have liked to ask out
My nerves go to hell and I chicken out!

I have to admit I do not like being alone
But I would rather try sorting it out on my own
And though I know that my friends only mean well
Some of their blind dates were straight from hell!
Many of them I was pleased to send on their way
Just hoping the dog warden was not working that day
I will not use the word ugly, it is quite unkind
But now I know why they say “Love is blind”!

So I tried out the “Singles Club” scene
But got more depressed than I have ever been
There was so much pretence; the whole thing was a sham
I have never seen so much mutton dressed as lamb!
So I decided to give the dating agencies a try
And only found out how much people lie!
Then I thought I would have a go at Internet dating
But my lack of computer skills made it too frustrating
So I thought I might purchase a mail order bride
And I must admit the few I tried
Would have been happy to marry me, Yet;
I could not do it, they seemed so desperate!

I wondered what I was stressing myself out for
And resigned myself to the life of a bachelor
though when I'd see couples holding hands and kissing
I began to think that there was something I was missing
But then I met a woman one day on the bus
And something clicked between the two of us
We have being going out now for almost a year
And I am sure that is wedding bells I hear!!

Often 'tis not what is said
But that which remains unsaid
That so much more can convey,
More than any words can say;
That can cause the most regret,
Can reverberate long yet.

Until give up on yourself you do,
I shall never give up on you.

And even then...

Every day you could wake up and choose
To try something new; What have you to lose?
Or you could just stay in your comfort zone,
Do for all your days all you've ever known.

Whatever you choose either way is fine,
It is up to you; It's your life not mine.
But do not forget... Life is for living;
To have no regrets the ultimate thing.

Knowing what one wants not
Is just as important
As knowing what one wants;
Perhaps more important?

Who amongst us is not
Shaped by our past some way?
Much of it best forgot,
Mistakes made on the way.
Though it taught us a lot
It's important to say:
What we were matters not,
But what we are today.

It is New Year’s Eve
It is hard to believe
It has come round so fast.
Where did the year go?
No one seems to know,
How quickly it passed!
We got through another one
And what is done is done
we made memories to last.
Things we should not forget
But do not waste time on regret
It now belongs in the past.

There is no better time than this
To get together and reminisce
embrace the opportunity.
Time for a New Years Eve kiss
To contact people you truly miss
Sing Auld Lang Syne maybe.
Get together and celebrate
All the things that went great
And wonder at what might be.
A chance to seriously contemplate
To acknowledge and truly appreciate
Your good friends and family.

Through all your trouble and strife
Find the good things in your life
And concentrate on those.
Learn from any mistakes
Resolve to do what it takes
To make friends of foes.
Do not be afraid to forgive
Be much more positive
Life’s too short, God knows.
Whether woman or man
strive to be the best you can
as the year comes to a close.

For those you lost, shed a tear
cherish those whom you hold dear
love them with all your might.
For your sins seek absolution
Make a New Years resolution
A great chance to make things right.
Decide what you want from next year
Face the future without fear
A brand New Year is in sight.
Look forward don’t look back
make sure you have Mighty Craic
On this New Years Eve night!

"What will be will be"
Seems like a cop out to me?
Where there is a will...

Winning is not all about beating your peers
Which many lose sight of, unfortunately.
It can be more about overcoming your fears
To be the best you can possibly be.

Why is it that in company
I often feel the most lonely?
Lonelier than I"ve ever known,
Worse than ever I feel alone?

The sad skeletal remains
of once magnificent trees
stand scattered on the terrain
as far as the eye can see.
Soaked by snow, sleet and rain,
Blown bare by cold winds each one;
Frozen time and time again,
Warmed by a weak winter sun.
Branches like bony fingers
Protruding towards the skies
Where birds like deaths harbingers
Lament with long lonely cries.

Within me the voices
Of virtues and vices
Battle valiantly
Daily for victory.

Without looking within
Can one truly begin
As a person to grow;
Ones mind to really know?

Without looking within
Truth is lacking wherein
Real truth not without lies,
But within us resides.

Without looking within
One is somewhat akin
To one who is half –blind;
Answers harder to find.
  
Without looking within
With honesty therein
How can one see the light;
Develop true insight?

Without looking within
Can one hope to begin
To attain peace of mind;
True happiness to find?

Do not we all have moments of self doubt,
Not fear that one day we shall be found out?
Do not all have crises of confidence,
Times of uncertainty experience?

Are they such a bad thing, these fears and doubts
Providing one does not let them win out?
What one should fear though is that confidence
Without doubt could soon become arrogance!

If the world my oyster be...
Then, my love, the pearl is thee.
Without you my world would be
Just a shell; would be empty

Books are like flowers
Their words pollen seeds,
Carried far and wide
By all those who read.
With other words merge
To new life ignite
In the fertile minds
Of all those who write.
There tended, nourished
For hour after hour.
Encouraged to grow,
To once more flower.

Writers write not to fill bookshelves;
Writers write to fulfil themselves.
They write because they feel a need,
Words they know others may never read.

Whether on stone or wood, slate or leather,
Papyrus, parchment, vellum or paper,
With fingers or stylus, chalk or the quill,
Much later with the pen or the pencil,
Or the typewriter, computers today;
Writers, to write, will always find a way.

Who a deaf ear, a blind eye turn,
The chance to speak against wrong spurn,
By their inaction, their silence,
Guilty are in every sense.

Don't you just love it whenever
Everything comes together?
When despite all your fears and doubts
Your hard work pays off, things work out!

The feeling is a special one,
That feeling of a job well done.
For though 'twas hard, you stuck at it;
Though you could have, you did not quit!

Tomorrow is another day
I will be ready come what may.
Though should I not see tomorrow
There is no great cause for sorrow,
For I make the most of each day
Or do my best to anyway!
You only live once as they say!
Why would you waste a single day?

There is not one more beautiful than thee
In the entire universe to be found.
You my darling mean the whole world to me,
I am ever thankful that you I found.
For me no other could there ever be
Whom I could love as much as I love you.
My heart and soul you have won completely
For all that you are and all that you do.
For your beauty far more than skin deep is,
You are wonderful in so many ways.
If one thing I love more about you 'tis
How you do brighten up all of my days.
Truth is I love the very bones of you;
I always have and I always will do.

You died, By Suicide
And I cried,
and cried and cried.
Inside, Part of me died
Cos you lied,
and lied and lied.
You’re gone, and I’m the one
To suffer on,
and on and on.
Why, Why? You had to lie?
Chose to die?
Oh why Oh why?
You knew, I loved you
So why you?
Why you? Why you?
I try to understand why
But I cry,
and cry and cry.
Heart break, a pain that makes
My soul ache,
and ache and ache.
You knew, what I’d go through
You had to!
**** you! **** you!
Sorry, but you hurt me
Needlessly,
badly, sadly.
Guilty and so angry
You left me
lonely, empty.
Someday, the hurt just may
Go away,
I pray and pray.
Love you, will always do
Forgive you?
That’s hard to do!

Others you should not judge, criticise
'Til you have seen the world through their eyes;
Know where the person is coming from,
Know the challenges they overcome.
For on you it does reflect badly,
It says much more about you sadly.
Makes you seem shallow, superficial,
So narrow minded and judgemental.

Were it not for friends like you
I know not what I would do.
No better friend could there be
Than the friend you are to me.
Glad I am you are my friend,
Long may it last, never end!

Who would seek Peace, Harmony, Zen,
Should spend some time in a garden.