Liner notes, notes of pain,
thoughts we'll never meet again,
and the winter stays on my mind...

cries of anger, cries of pain,
I cry we'll never meet again,
and the winter stays on my mind...

Yet the wind still blows,
and the past still knows,
and as darkness draws ‘er near,
the winter stays on my mind...

So farewell, my friend, 'till we meet again,
'till sunny meadow and forest rain
keep winter on the line...

Dan Bryce

I have a conception, a wonderful plan,
an escape from our sorrows and castles of sand,
for a while or two, for an evening or day,
if you’ll just hear me out, lend an ear what I say…

Let’s pretend we’ve been married for thousands of years,
our hearts never broken, our eyes void of tears,
we’ll laugh and make merry, we’ll dance and we’ll dine,
as though none have grown closer than your heart and mine

All the people who see us would wish they could be,
as in love with their lover as you are with me,
our arms ‘round each other, we’ll cuddle and kiss,
and no-one around will think any’s amiss

All alone on our own, in the crowd and the throng,
in a part of the world where fears don’t belong,
hand in hand, heart in heart, with the hounds drawing near,
knowing under the surface, thing aren’t what appear

When the stars take their places, the evening is done,
we’ll part with a handshake as when we’d begun,
to return to our caverns, and weep just because,
our relationscape’s over, and yet never was…


Dan Bryce

Alarm bell rings, the snooze bar brings, a few more precious dreams.
Another day to rise too soon, or so it always seems.

In bed I’ve found my happiness, in bed I want to stay,
Why must I face a thousand cares, of yet another day?

I shower, dress, and comb my hair, I floss and then I brush,
A mirrored stare, through hollow eyes, takes time to join the rush.

Some coffee, strong, a bite to eat, I head out of the door,
And drive away, my spirits low, as though I’m off to war.

But then I see, in front of me, a sight that’s so profound!
My spirits rise, with widened eyes, and turns my heart around!

The trees bejeweled, and splendor bound, in seas of snowy white!
The mountains, crisp, in air so clear, are wrapped in waves of light!

To gaze upon the beauty held, in such a wondrous sight,
Reminds me of a story, told, to save us from the night.

Three men upon a zebra gazed, pray tell what would they say?
Where one saw black stripes, one saw white, and one saw shades of gray.

Expectations seldom lie, conclusions lead the way.
And thus I’ve found, that I, alone, am maker of the day.

Dan Bryce

Found a friend you could trust,
but you were just being used?
Found someone that you loved,
but they left you abused?
What’s the purpose in living?
Life’s so unforgiving,
life’s a *****, then you die,
so who cares?

So let’s do it my way,
find an end to it all,
take a leap off a bridge,
choose your own curtain call.
When you’re dead for a while,
who’ll remember your name?
It’s all just the same,
so who cares?

Put a gun to your head
find a rope, hang it high,
it’s just a matter of time,
before all of us die.
However you do it,
when it’s over, it’s done,
there’s no winners or losers,
so who cares?

Drive your car off the road,
put a blade to your wrists,
nothing ever goes right,
so why even persist?
When you reach this conclusion,
you’ll see it’s not a delusion,
it’s the truth, and truth is beauty,
but who cares?

So let’s do it my way,
find the end of the highway,
‘cuz at the end of the road,
there’s no more heavy load.
If no-one cares, no-one cries,
if no-one lives, no-one dies,
we’re all better off dead,
so who cares?
If by Nytol O.D.,
or by nuclear bomb,
it’s the same in the end,
you’re dead and you’re gone.
Go to heaven or hell,
on to nothing or limbo,
it’s better than being alive,
so who cares?

…………….Dan Bryce

I need me a spirit, a human soul,
Somebody my body to keep,
to lay down beside me, and rock-a-by softly,
as I fail to drift off to sleep,

to sing me a lullaby, gentle, yet pure,
of promises kept in the night,
for my mind it doeth wander to terrible places,
where love turns to anger and spite.

Maria, if you’d be so bold,
as to tell me a story of old,
a fantasy fairytale of true love’s triumph,
over anguish of hearts grown cold.

If left to my daemons, my madness draws near'r,
‘till belatedly morning arrives,
a new day of promise, yet I barely notice,
perpetual sleep in my eyes…

Maria, if you could conceive,
a story for mine ears, to weave,
a fantasy fairytale of “love conquers all”,
Like the ones that I used to believe…

Dan Bryce

Postpartum depression’s
the perfect expression,
describing my current lament,

my love’s with another,
my kids with their mother,
I feel ‘though my heart’s up for rent.

My dreams’ in the gutter,
my life’s in a stutter,
how could I have been quite so blind?

Postpartum depression’s
The perfect expression
describing my blue state of mind.

I’ve walked the fires of Dante’s hell,
yet escaped to feel the rain,
I’ve conquered self deception,
lest it lie to me again.

I’ve seen the logic of insanity,
the chaos in the plan,
I’ve been witness to calamity,
man’s inhumanity to man.

I’ve endured a thousand sleepless nights,
shed tears, and muffled screams,
and tossed and turned a thousand more,
whence dragons ruled my dreams.

I’ve seen seconds pass like seasons,
been imprisoned in my mind,
I’ve been numb that felt like torture,
and known torture that was kind.

No angels stead beside me,
I’ve bourn the brunt of Satan’s wrath,
I’ve spat at Gods who stood the way,
for no God shall bar my path.

I’ve stared down death at my own hand,
yet healed to bear the scars,
It’s only us who have the power
to destroy what would be ours.

I’ve gazed upon the emptiness
kept hidden in my soul,
Yet returned, a weary traveler,
the wiser of my role.

I’ve survived to tell my tale,
to warn of dangers left unnamed,
“Here be tygers!” Aye, ‘tis true;
but tygers can be tamed.

Dan Bryce

Typecast within a role,
an empty actor w/o a soul,
to force a smile and flash a wink,
are just effects to make you think,
and camera tricks to let you know,
that I'm o.k. to let you go

Magnanimous loser, once again,
to hide my loss I wear a grin.

I'll kiss your cheek, and hug you brief,
a smile and wink, to hide my grief
and don my costume, once again,
magnanimous loser, my old friend.

I'll deny this one confession,
the latest in a long procession,
of broken hearted bedtime tales,
of hope that dies and love that fails

I'll play the role I know so well
the roll I've played and played to hell.
one more time won't hurt, I guess,
magnanimous loser, I confess.

You'll see me laugh, and socialize,
you'll think I'm strong, you'll think I'm wise,
for I won't cry, or wail and moan,
(at least 'till I get home alone).

sitting at my dressing table,
I wonder if I'll soon be able,
to paint a grin, and choke back tears,
and ignore the pounding in my ears.

Magnanimous loser, can't you see?
doomed to live in misery,
The bad boys win another round
the good guy's gone without a sound.

It's all become an old refrain,
another year, the same old pain
another one gone, another dream ends
another regret, what might have been.

I'll wear the mask, for all to see
that I'm just fine, as fine can be
magnanimous loser, once again,
just for once, I'd like to win.

So pass me up, for I don't mind
just give me time, and I'll be fine.
I'm sure that he's much better than I,
You’ll be so happy, and I’ll get by…

Dan Bryce

You know what most amazes me?
is not that so many need therapy,
but that so many people don’t!

I mean, it seems my life to me
is a daily test of my ability,
to hold on to my sanity,
to keep a grip on what’s real,
and what’s important,
to struggle for what’s right,
while so many of those around me,
seem bent on self-destruction,
it’s a tragedy beyond conception!

Which is why I need
time on my own,
in the mountains all alone,
no human face to haunt me,
but the faces in my mind.

Time to catch my breath,
a vacation from the motion
of all the mental commotion
the people moving
through the streets
‘till they seem to all stand still.

Now don’t get me wrong!
Life is the most beautiful thing there is,
but what is life, after all?
We must define it,
or forever search the darkness.
We must succeed,
or take the blame for the fall.

Is a rock alive?
Of course not!
but then again
the most modest grain of sand
will surely out-live you!

Is a virus alive?
or a bug, or grass or a squirrel?
These things “live”,
but without self-conception,
are nothing more
than nature’s automatons
reproducing, pain avoiding, pleasure seeking machines.
How can they be “alive”?

After all, what is life, without a knowledge of life?
to be alive, one must know one is alive,
and must also know
that life is no guarantee,
not even of life itself,
for we all must die.
The road we’re on will surely end,
life’s single guarantee,
is that death is our destiny!
Life is the journey!

It seems to me
we must seek to be
more than just automatons.
To think, before we act,
to choose temporary pain
over spirit killing fear,
to choose life over death,
and choose death
over a life not lived!

We must choose to help each other
for we shall surely need help ourselves,
I want to live in a world of love and understanding,
and the strength of forgiveness
toward those who trespass against me,
in hope that my trespasses
shall be forgiven in kind.

For what are we?
we are social creatures,
driven by our nature
toward contact with one another
for better or worse!
Companionship,
unlike air, food, water,
is not what makes life possible,
it’s what makes life worth living!

Which is why
I come down from my mountain,
to face the throngs,
and fight the crowds in their misery,
and repress the insanity,
if just for today,
to laugh and cry with my friends…


Dan Bryce