What occupies my mind
Is all the waisted time
When we’re not even guaranteed today
But carry on we must
In matters pre-discussed
If you can find the trail
that leads the way
If you leave, then go
Take both your feet and toes
If I can’t convince you otherwise to stay

If my mind is where my thoughts are kept
Then the gutters where my thoughts get swept
Down the drain beneath my feet
Blatant, yet discrete
I push forth, though I go without
To me it’s all been one big drought
It’s still all I ever think about
Yet it eludes me all the same
I hope to one day settle down
To be happy when I look around
Feet firmly planted on the ground
Not feeling any shame
I’m not sure of what’s in store for me
But I’ll be ready when I need to be
It’s not as easy as one, two, three
But I guess I can’t complain
I’ll look for opportunities
For things they’ve done for centuries
I’ll re-organize my priorities
Whether in sunshine or in rain
I’ll put my savings in a trust
To do everything I must
To be taken serious
Not for riches or for fame
It’s the person that I want to be
The person staring back at me
By avoiding a catastrophe
And breaking free from chains
It’s the vision I see for myself
The picture of perfect health
I’ll play the hand that I was dealt
And finish out the game

“Tell me something sad”,  she said
Behind a shedded tear
It was a difficult time for her
A very trying year
People pass, friends move on
And continue on ahead
Leaving us to withstand the cold
While still warm in our bed

Bending like bows
In the midsummer breeze
There’s the trembling of aspens
The tall skinny trees
They’re armed with their arrows
They rear back and take aim
Then the arrows fly to the heavens
Come wind or come rain

A tuft of gray feathers
A pile of leaves
A collection of secrets
That no one believes
Deep in the forest
There’s barely a breeze
Just soft spoken whispers
Reflecting off trees
A squirrel, a mouse
A bear, and some deer
Each moment captured
Is like a breath of fresh air

We marvel at the waterfalls
And the power they reveal
We admire Mother Natures art
With her magnificent appeal
Years of water shaping rocks
As smooth as they can be
With a thud and not a whisper
Each drop can form a sea

Your touch is a poem
Engraved on my skin
Every end that we meet
Is a chance to begin
Not a moment gets waisted
Not a harsh word gets said
Just a melodic symphony
Going off in my head
A violin concerto
In harmonious tune
In sync with the rhythm
Under a luminous moon
Shining down bright
Enough to light up the room
When I see your silhouette
I’m compelled and consumed
To express and make known
That my loves overdue
For the lone single reason
My search ends with you

I want to paint the world
In pigments and in hues
A multicolored planet
With fascinating views

I want to paint the world
I want to make a splash
Like painting off-white covered mountains
And shades of green for grass

I want to paint the world
The roses, scarlet red
With a dash of yellow lightning
To electrify and spread

I want to paint the world
It’s the least that I can do
Light brown grains of sand
And the sky and water, blue

I want to paint the world
To help stimulate our minds
Pleasing with our vision
And pleasant to our eyes

I want to paint the world
Under different shades of light
And photograph with pictures
The colors shining bright

The message was encrypted and acrostic
Out of letters, formed the words
Which pinpointed the location
Of someone mentally disturbed
The puzzle was deciphered
The enigmatic, solved
I’m beginning to regret at length
Why I ever got involved

On a bed of twigs I rest
In a featherlight like nest
Snuggled up under fallen leaves
Awaiting my next meal
So hungry I could squeal
But as of now, I’m just happy I can breathe

To you, I propose
To join me; making one
Together, we’ll fulfill our dreams
For my heart you’ve won
Please accept this token
A token of my love
A ring that’s made to shine
Just like the stars above
May it bring us peace and joy
May it free our minds
From now until eternity
Or until the end of time

It was the smallest little flicker
But what was needed, was a spark
To bring together two lovers
For matters of the heart
As the fire continues growing
Be careful or you’ll get burned
Any trust that you come in contact with
Must be solidified and earned

I’ve isolated the location
Of where humor goes to die
It was always right in front of me
Right before my eyes
I once asked a total stranger
If he had wings to fly
But he just laughed it off and chuckled
And waved his hand goodbye

I am perplexed; distraught
About the violence in my home
When guns are turned on children
Yet it somehow feels condoned
There’s nothing being done
The laws are still unfit
We need to speak up now, and loud, and never ever quit

You used to be my moon, but now you are my sunset
You know you caught my eye, from the very first day that we met
I fell for your effortlessness
Your tantalized mystic
The way you look and smile at me, every time we meet
Feels like home and warmth
Sitting by the fire in the den
Telling stories of when we first met
Then telling them again

I’ve run towards the fires blaze
Towards the scattered last remains
But I have not surrendered
Nor will I give up
I’ve survived alone on pride
It’s been one hell of a ride
And I’ll continue pouring
Until I’ve overfilled my cup

He creeps at night in shadows
The keeper of the time
When certain death grows nearer
The reaper comes alive
He wears no face of evil
He has no face at all
He is the sender of the souls
But will they rise or fall?

I’d have nothing more to do
With those periwinkle blues
If I turned my attention more towards scarlet red
However, should I see your baby blues
I’d have everything to lose
So I’d jump into the safety of our bed

I was set apart from all the rest
Admittedly, I didn’t try my best
But the exclusion that I felt
Combined with the cards that I was dealt
You’d think that jubilation wasn’t my cup of tea
But if you thought that, you’d be wrong
It’s still the same old song
But now I stand up tall and scream out
“WHY NOT ME!”

There are images in my mind  
Of a not far off location
That stirs my inner thoughts
As well as my imagination
Where the mood is red and green
Just like Christmas in the spring
Where peace reigns supreme
If only for a moment
To hear in between the screams

I’m stuck on the wrong side of parallel lives
Leaping into wormholes
When the moment arrives
Through the wormhole I go
To the complete other side
Praying that the two don’t intersect; collide
I slip through the crack
Not a moment too soon
Catching the eye
Of a far away moon
Weather permitting
The flowers have bloomed
As I continue my life
Immersed and consumed

With a beginning, there’s an end
My old forgotten friend
Those days sitting on the docks
In the summer times we spent
An ever vivid memory
Of two unremembered souls
Finding solace in each others space
Sharing highs and lows

My death might not mean much to you
But it’s affected many lives
I’ve been waiting for my day
Since the moment I arrived
Although it seemed inevitable
For a time I felt immune
Never for a second
Did I think I’d die too soon
I imagined I would grow old
That my body would decay
I’d struggle standing on my legs
I’d have some aches and pains
But I didn’t know the magnitude
Of day after day after day
So in a sense I feel relieved
Although not overjoyed
In a life of ups and downs
I leave behind a void
I was a cousin and a nephew
A son who lost his way
But only to be found again
Now standing center stage
The lights were bright and blinding
Heaven sent its shine
Even if it’s not your belief
Don’t criticize what’s mine
You know as much as I do
You may think that you know more
And I’d push you to continue
To research and explore
I believed in optimism
Perspective coincides
I believe it to be criminal  
To be deprived of time
The essence of our purpose
Existence to maintain
After all we’re only human
Not little drops of rain

They were their images and reminder
A reflection of their past
That led them to the promised land
While avoiding the lords wrath
Theirs was the light the glowed incessantly
While guiding every step
So beautiful to the naked eye
That they all broke down and wept
Immaculate and gaudy
Primitive and pristine
Unsullied by a humans touch
All-encompassing, and green
Lavish and luxurious
That is only seen in dreams
Captivating and glorious
Now visible to see

They built a nest of feathers and twigs
The sparrow, and the weaver
While admiring how the dam was built
By the curmudgeonly old ******
All day long they sang their song
Amidst the making of their dwellings
Then rest their heads and prepare
For their favorite story tellings

Every sigh I take
Is an extension of my tention
That filters throughout my body like decay
My spirit’s breaking down
Which makes me wear a frown
And I mope around with each passing day
I dip my head and scowl
Depression’s on the prowl
But of course, I’m set in my own way
When I see the light
I’ll try with all my might
To feel differently than I do today

The mother of a child
A beautiful baby boy
That brings with him a new chapter
Filled with love and joy
Every day’s a new day
For new finds and of firsts
It’s the time to make new memories
Where nothings been rehearsed
To share him with the world
With protection, safe and warm
And start teaching him every nuance
From the day that he was born
A bundle of joy
A blessing of grand scale
A ton of love and support
For the little one that’s frail
A connection to a fragile soul
To nurture and grow fond
To watch and see, with loving eyes
An unbroken bond

I’ve been mining for a diamond
I’ve found only shards of glass
That pierce the skin and produce blood
But I know this too shall pass
I’ll find the jewel I seek in time
I know this to be true
Then I’ll mount it on a wedding ring
And wait for your “I do”

Dark and filled with mystery
The raven mocks and squawks
Hovering in the dead of night
Or perched on the rooftops
Seeking with their beady eyes
For an easy prey
Then attacking it on sight
In the field in which it lay

Tiny bubbles never seem to burst
Despite their roll on planet earth
Every passing second that trickles by
Another instance of when worlds collide
And the pitfalls of such grand scales
Are the essence still, of all fairytales

Imagination’s key
For make believe and fantasy
When the light burns bright
When the bulb is lit
Beckoning the cargo ship
To steer and set his course
Without feelings of remorse
And set the record straight
As to what the mind creates

Baring all for you to see
Underneath a shaded tree
I look at you
You look at me
There’s instant fire; chemistry
We ****** at the upmost peak
There are no words to say
No words to speak
Just fireworks
And the urge to keep
Every memory
From now
Until eternity

Your attitude’s obtuse
Your posture is oblique
You hide your battle scars
Your methods are unique
I tried my hardest to befriend you
But you turned the other cheek
And it’s impossible to get a read
When you hardly ever speak

His body could not contain
The thoughts within his brain
He must diffuse the news
It’s too hard to refrain
When all is said and done
When there is no one left that hasn’t heard
There’s still anticipation
Before each and every word

There were dark days in my past
When I walked amongst the shadows
Waning in a battle field
Dodging flying arrows
Aimed straight at my heart
But deflected off my shield
Then ripped and torn apart
Until it no longer hurt to feel

‪The fun is in the journey ‬
‪Passing town to town ‬
‪Seeing peoples faces‬
‪Out there in the crowd ‬

‪The fun is in the journey ‬
‪Always on the move‬
‪To a specific destination ‬
‪Or wherever they so choose
‬
‪The fun is in the journey‬
‪To the city up the road‬
‪To a beach somewhere in Mexico‬
‪Or to other parts unknown‬

The last reindeer went missing
From out in front on Santa’s sleigh
So he had nothing to guide him
Through the snow on Christmas Day
The presents were not delivered
And so the children cried and teared
That’s how Christmas got ruined
When the last reindeer disappeared

The dessert was dressed and garnished
With a wafer, thin and crisp
Eaten by the mayor
Who spoke with a small lisp
He gobbled up the sweets
Then went on to make a speech
Of how to build up unity
And whom he’d like to reach
The children in the city
To the homeless on the streets
He told anyone who’d listen
And with that, he packed the seats
It’s how he swayed the voters
The election his to keep
Winning in a landslide
Will history repeat?

Abundant clouds
And distant ships
Alone on empty seas
No sun yet in the morning sky
A calmness, without breeze
No sails deployed
The waters flat
Cool, calm, and serine
The crews asleep
As silence looms
Deep within a dream

The crowd stood still in awe
But what they failed to understand
Is that no rules or laws were broken
Just some slight of hand
A card trick or two
A disappearing act
Step aside folks
And enjoy the ride
As he pulls a rabbit from his hat

how the river cures
this malady of yearning

Quenching the thirst of a dried up old root
And where no fisherman goes hungry
That has ever cast his rod
And when the lonely and the sick come calling
We listen, with an open-ear, and nod

I’m spinning off the rails
At catastrophic speeds
Flying off the handle
To fulfill my childish needs
I’ve busted my back
I’ve paid my share; my dues
I no longer wish to offer up
My services to you
The flag I wave is of surrender
The universal sign of truce
My mind is fed up and tired of‬
‪This mental warfare of abuse ‬
Throw down your weapons
Your words can open doors
Instead of seeing bloodshed
While financing all their wars

I say this with a heavy heart
Destruction tears our world apart
Every layer peeled straight back
Under duress, under attack
Burning buildings, burning cars
Cuts so deep, they turn to scars
But the wound is still too fresh
Heavy pounding in my chest
Figuring out how to deal
With an unwanted guest
That leaves behind a mess
With no time to digest
The guns and bombs
And the men at arms
While trying to stay calm
Between the sirens and alarms

They run the tightest ship in Brunswick
The warden sees to that
Never one to say too much
Gossip, talk, or chat
He just goes about his business
Marking off his chart
Making sure that every inmate
That each one does his part

Daylight comes
Fresh and new
Spread vast over the land with dew
The clouds are scarce
The sky is blue
It’s where lovers love
And the flowers bloom
There’s dazzling colors
In plain sight; view
Offering up
Its sweet perfume

Get there with flare
Style and pizzazz
Spread your wings and fly
Towards the horizon
Past snow covered peaks
And wave with one hand, goodbye
Or run through the grass
Jumping off knolls
Into a somersault
Tumbles and rolls
Leave an impression
Wherever you go
And always be patient
No matter how slow

He stayed up in bed
He was smart and well read
He had very thick glasses
That he wore on his head
He tried to capture his dreams
To arrange and rearrange
Every thought he could think of
No matter how weird or strange
He managed to do it
It all now made sense
To take aim at the bleachers
And swing for the fence
He wasn’t an athlete
But he surely might try
To hit a home run, run the bases, and slide
His anticipation was growing
And the message was clear
He could take on the challenge
Or cower in fear
He instead chose the former
In turn, accepting his fate
He’d not only be good
But undoubtedly great!

It’s hard to get noticed
When you’re quiet and reserved
Hard to get that promotion
You undoubtably deserve
It’s hard to get respected
For the time that you put in
But yet you keep on showing up
Without a smile, but with a grin
You play the game
Within the rules
It’s in your repertoire of tools
Nothing ventured
Nothing gained
If every day remains the same

He was wealthy, but was fair
A multi-millionaire
He had a racket in the city
A businessman with flare
He listened to his buyers
And gave them what they wanted
As he made his way to the top, undaunted
He was quick to turn a buck
Had no need for luck
He was king among the people who were pawns
He made the poor the rich
Then wound up in a ditch
And that’s exactly why we hear of him no more

The pieces come together
Each piece forms a scene
The picture can be of anything
As a concept or a theme
But when there’s missing pieces
You may want to give up and quit
But you know that there’s no better feeling
Than when all the pieces fit