Under the spreading clouds on high,
inside my skiff I gently glide;
Watching the calming water flow,
while golden skies put on their show.

As I lazily recline inside my boat,
my thoughts and worries seem to float;
While drifting on as in a dream,
my soul connects to this quiet stream.

The lilting river seems still as air,
and peace embraces my heart so fair;
I've carried onward through the day,
and stop where children come to play.

Reflections of my one true love,
which shines in waters of the cove;
Mirrors my life as it should be,
as I set upon the restless sea.

Along the path of righteousness,
rising notions that are limitless;
Promote the lights of love and cheer,
rejecting minds encased in fear.

Inside a world that's mostly gray,
a friendly shadow shows the way;
Into a place which comforts all,
and spirits answer worthy calls.

Among the shadows that reappear,
are those which banish anguished tears;
For when the road seems quite insane,
this friendly shadow takes the reins.

My shadow falls across the land,
preparing me to take a stand;
To help the lowly victims of,
the evil that destroys all love.

And when the dreams of angels die,
a second shadow fills the sky;
Where empty hearts can soon recover,
in vows to cherish one another.

Asleep or awake the clock ticks on,
playing its same ridiculous song;
Fast or slow my heart is beating,
in motions that seem lost and fleeting.

A mournful night clouds memories,
of daylight hours in succulent breezes;
The wicked winds of darkness gasp,
while stars grow old in moonlight's grasp.

Frightened now I call out in pain,
but no one answers my plaintive refrain;
Warned by shadows of bleakness deemed,
that sleep won't rescue me from this dream.

A sickening feeling pervades my soul,
as forces beyond this scene unfold;
With nightmares of my past mistakes,
which cause my body to quiver and quake.

Yet once the morning light appears,
the episode dissolves in moments clear;
And with the sweat pouring down my face,
are signs of sorrow the dawn has erased.

Sweet water flows from saintly hills,
each honeyed drop of amber;
Rambling downward in lush cascades,
filling golden pools of nectar.

Those drizzled sounds reverberate,
among the mountains' craggy stones;
As subtle strains of melodies,
infuse love's enchanting tones.

A symphony emanates with flair,
as sparrows join in harmony;
And with their chirping notes of joy,
embodies a touch of fantasy.

The sumptuous springs below the hills,
where all of nature comes to play;
Revive the air in fragrant scents,
yielding life's glorious serenade.

Now is the time of fading light,
when summer's sun has said goodnight;
It swiftly left with changing winds,
erasing heat that burns and stings.

The cooler days are brief and bare,
yet often shine with golden flair;
Despite the warmth that's gone away,
we marvel at Autumn's fine display.

With sweaters keeping chills at bay,
we watch the trees in colorful array;
And silvery skies with scarlet streaks,
are heaven's gifts for us to keep.

While ghosts and goblins come alive,
and scarecrows show their frightening sides;
The pumpkin path is swathed in frost,
as the 'Headless Horseman' rides across !

There's such wonder in these hours brief,
with children gathering up each leaf;
Which change to bronze before their eyes,
in the shortened days of Fall's surprise.

Under a brilliantly chilled blue sky,
the dusky cedars grow in strength;
While the serenity of newly fallen snow,
glitters in the sunlight's timeless bend.

Lost in an echo of angel's footsteps,
I seek the dimmer sanctuary of shade;
Hiding my inner thoughts from open spaces,
as the winter's sun burns sharper than a blade.

I hear the ringing rhapsodies of cardinals red,
spreading their sweetest notes across the plains;
While resting in the ragged twisted treetops,
the munificence of music's charm remains.

My thoughts were once a clamoring onslaught,
of tormented memories from my current loss;
Yet now my heart's awakened to a paradise,
as I silently relinquish that ill-fated course.

With one deep breath I rise amid the ashes,
of restless slumber's curse which held me back;
But with this wondrous world in resolution,
the hunger and the thirst no longer last.

On a windless day of wandering egos,
which clash against their imperfections;
No longer steeped in greed and grief,
to seek vacant and useless reflections.

As shadows drift along naked trees,
telling macabre stories of imminent plots;
Aspiring to grasp beyond their motives,
twisting all hearts and minds into knots.

If we could only find some refuge,
from these ghostly images that assail;
Upon the innocence the lies far below,
each strong and soulful attempt to prevail.

Life is never what it appears to be,
when solemn darkness invades the heart;
With ghastly sounds of wrenching pain,
in haunting echoes that will not depart.

But shadows often often know their place,
when faith and courage both awaken;
Dispelling fears with strength of Will,
and the good Lord's divine intervention.