We’re both positive and negative
We only rise to fall
For every action there’s a reaction
For every brick, a wall
We stake claim to our surroundings
The world on its axis; spins
Going round and round in circles
Until every loser wins

What can I give you?
What will you take?
Something with value?
Or a big slice of cake?
What can you offer?
What can we share?
Or do you not do that?
Do you not care?
Will you take it and keep it?
Or throw it away?
And where will you keep it?
In a big stack of hay?
That’s none of my business
You can do as you please
I’ll still say “God bless you”
After each sneeze

Scintillating whiffs of air
Up the nostrils go
Unlike other fragrances
This one stole the show
Bottled essences of flowers
Or a single magic rose
Born without its thorns
And an eagerness to grow
Just a hint of its scent
And they’ll be flocking by the droves
With the promise of a sniff
Before the cold wind blows

She came to me by accident
At first, I stood and stared
To be the finder of a unicorn
A lovely all white mare
I wrangled her up with kindness
She didn’t seem too scared
Then, I shared her with the whole wide world
Or with anyone who cared

A vivid painted ocean scene
Spills onto the couch beneath
On to a plush red carpet floor
Doused and wet, more than before
There a puddle starts to form
A painted image of a storm
When lightning strikes, and the colors swirl
You’ll have to reevaluate your world
Art is every where you look
But be careful what you buy
It shivered till it no longer shook
You sure do have an eye

Footprints in the valley
Footprints in the snow
Following me, wherever I go
An exact match from heal to toe
Earth beneath my feet
Air, crisp and clean
And good to breathe
Sun, peeking through the trees
Snow, as far as the eye can see
Resting on top of mountains peak
So bright it seems to glow
Embracing nature as it is
It’s rhythm and it’s flow
Taking steps, one by one
To fertilize and grow
And to become the greatest me
The world has ever known

You are my chosen
The one I adore
The aim of my passion
To consume and explore
You are the wind that tightens my sails
My ironclad rock
When everything fails
You are my choice to hear my true voice
When words can’t be said
But with you, I rejoice
You are my flagship, the one I look to
That keeps me together, like rubbery glue
You are my chosen, no one can compare
To spend my life with and together we share
All the adventures
The good and the bad
That without you I wouldn’t have had

Like the sun I burn within
Hidden behind a wholesome grin
But the flames that reach their highest
Mask a world that’s downright grim
And the spark that lit the fire
Is wrapped around a life of sin
I’m not sure where it began
Or where even to begin
To tell a tale so dim
It’ll clock you on your chin
With morbid story lines
Thought up on a whim
Whether fat or thin
It doesn’t matter
Or the color of your skin
It all gets written down
Then thrown inside a bin
Because who is to say who loses?
And who’s to say who wins?
The yang to my yin
It’s all moving so fast
That it’ll make your head spin
Whether friend or foe
Or your next of kin
A distant relative
Or your Siamese twin
It doesn’t matter where you’re going
Or even where you’ve been
It’ll all come back around again
Until you pop it with a pin

They had a bond
Both wolf and girl
They gazed into each other’s eyes
They were each other‘s world
They had a connection that could be seen
They shared each other‘s hopes and dreams
With words unspoken they could express
Compassion with the girls finesse
The wolf a gray and white fur coat
The girl brunette, with a bright red tote
They a pair, as the townsmen stared
Walking side by side they so dared
Without a thought, without a care
No friendship could quite compare
On one Sunday afternoon
The wolf chased down a large raccoon
He grabbed him by his head and ears
And the poor girl broke out into tears
From that day it became clear
The girl must sever ties with what she held most dear.

Sheer serenity
Indescribable bliss
The instant that it happened
The long awaited kiss
Supple and caressing
A checked box off my list
I’d be lost without direction
Not wanting to exist
You are my revival
My cease and desist
My delicious candy
I can’t seem to resist

Lying in wait, in the weeds
With the feathery thistle seed
In folklore and mythology
There came a great stampede
That wiped out all in its path
The grass, the land, and trees
Till all that’s left is the need
To start again or leave things be

I’m baffled by your beauty
Your body, I’d caress
With a kiss upon your forehead
In your pretty summer dress
Your legs are long and perfect
Large bosoms on your chest
Hair is long and golden
And I’m not easily impressed
But you are picture perfect
Your future, I’d invest
Let’s take your dreams and your fantasies
And we’ll disregard the rest

You tug my brittle heartstrings
On course for bitterness
But I’m constantly reminded
That I’ve been truly blessed
So I scour my surroundings
And beat my Djembe drum
To the rhythm of the echoes
And to the beauty I’ve succumb

Vicious and vivacious
Altogether mean
She’s a ***** Casanova
That smashes hopes and dreams
A master of her craft
Tinkerer of schemes
A teller of little lies
That all seem to believe
She cherishes her wins
Defiant in defeat
She’s the epitome of evil
Devouring every man she meets

Climbing the vine
I’m resigned to align
For an unknown conclusion
No one alive can describe
Will I vanish for good?
Will my soul fly to space?
Into the ether
Fade away, get replaced?
I’ll climb up for answers
Until the stalk ends
In hopes of inclusion
In the broader scope; lens

They caught me unprepared
Though I should’ve seen the truth
Unaware what day it was
Then they yelled out “April fools!”
I didn’t see it coming
I was completely caught off guard
When they tricked me I was livid
Because I fell for it so hard

The truth was rather brash
Full of self debris
Representing everything
He ever hoped to be
A vision in his head
A taste of victory
But it wasn’t in the cards
Just a diamond and a three

I listened to him stutter
I could tell it irked him so
He hardly talked to others
He just watched them as they go
Leaving for forever
Paying every toll
He gathered his belongings
Tied them to a pole
Then said that he was staying
Until he could gain control

Desperately grasping
Into thin air
Stumbling backwards
Now under repair
But pieces are missing
Broken or lost
Yet the goal is still completion
No matter the cost
It’s something attainable
Rediscovering life
Conquering obstacles
The troubles, the strife

I see open fields, and sun drenched skies
All hellos, and no goodbyes
A back and forth, with wise replies
A good time spent with alibis

Hearing melodies, that soothe the soul
We lose ourselves, and in a sense, control
Of our bodies movements
From high to low
Being free, and letting go
All while feeling, I’ve found my home

Wrapped in safety, immune from harm
A goodnight kiss, with warmth, and charm
I’ve been relinquished, rendered, deprived, disarmed
Found my inner peace, before I buy the farm

Damp dew on a spider‘s web
Waiting for the sun to rise
In order to catch the insects
With the element of surprise
The works been done
The traps been set
Without much thought
Without regret
Just a silky fiber net
To capture all its prey

I’m a servant to my solitude
Inwards is where I dwell
So far inside my body
It leads into the depths of hell
That is where I am most comfortable
It’s my peace of mind
I find comfort in disorder
It’s what gives me my drive
Not a thunderous ovation  
In which two worlds collide
And coming through the aftermath
Is a reminder I’m alive

I hear your words
When you speak
Our actions form lifelong memories

Whether fair, poor, or good
They happen just as they should

We remember, or we forget
Depending on what took place meant

Graduation, an exchange of vows,
A winning prize, or a new house

With family or close friends depends,
On how we react to life’s events

Our memories are all we have
So cherish each and every day, like it is your last

She takes and breaks
She’s cruel with fools
She conned a man
For all his jewels
She’s fascinated
And fascinating
She’s radiant, but short
She’ll never hesitate to turn you in
Or file a false report
She’s vindictive in her nature
Stares as cold as ice
She’ll only ask you once, not twice
So heed my sound advice
Don’t dance with the devil
Or you might just pay the price

Wading in water
Calm without breeze
She swam with the fishes
While drowning her fleas
She now felt much better
Completely relieved
But her heart still went out
And so she grieved
She’s a lovable creature
Relaxed, feeling free
Wading in water
Surrounded by sea

Releaser of the beasts
Breaker of the chains
Destroyer of the land
Or what’s left of the remains
Hard time finding answers
When awarenesses were raised
But quick to take the credit
When they’re dishing out the praise
Dance among the shadows
Get physically engaged
Then drop the posh facade
As if you were enraged
Stand on your moral high ground
That got somehow rearranged
And save a moments worth of clarity
That’s been hounding you for days

‪Tucked away behind the window panes ‬
‪Sorrow mixed with guilt‬
‪More feelings that can’t be explained ‬
‪When flowers start to wilt‬
‪Somber thoughts of a long lost love‬
‪When people do part ways‬
‪All’s not lost with broken hearts‬
‪They claim is just a faze‬

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

Throughout unchosen life
Before we were pulled into the light
Before the magic smiles
And the thunder in the night
Before arguments transpired
And you took off into flight
Before the cobra slithered
And coiled up to bite
That’s the final number
Frozen without fight
And then we come full circle
With hopes to reunite

I’ve avoided the places that clutter my mind
While getting lost in the labyrinth
With walls too high to climb
A large maze of my thoughts
With shivers down my spine
In the cold early morning
When I feel most alive

She was magical
A bouquet of Daffodils
Sweeter than a popsicle
Witty and quite whimsical
She was young
Eyes lit up like stars
But shied away from men
When asked about her scars
I was sorry
For the pain that she’s been through
Not knowing what to say
Or knowing what to do

“Never coming home again”
She knew it in her head
The words that she remembered
The things that she heard said
A promise that was broken
When he was pronounced dead
“Never coming home again”
To tuck her into bed
Just some old fond memories
He lived for and help defend

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

Outside, the air is hot and misty
The look of an evening touched by summer rain
Inside, it is cool and calm
Refreshing and pleasant
Soothing, and tame
The temperature rises
The temperature falls
There’s light condensation
On the glass and the walls
The morning dew glistens
The fog rolls in deep
The country, it listens
To the birds as they cheep
For all that transpires
The birds and the bees
Nothing compares
To prayers from my knees
My head is to heaven
My soul rests on earth
Till the day that I die
From the day of my birth

Ironically, your position
Is a blatant contradiction
To the cosmic coming of a brand new day
With your history and tradition
I’m no competition
And your curtain call beckons you to center stage

I wake to see the sky
Through an amber lens
Beams of light shining down
Like golden silky threads
Brightening up the valley
In between the trees
Lighting up the morning
So skillfully, with ease
A superb way to start the day
When hours past were black
The stars the only evidence
Heaven hadn’t turned its back
Instead, a brand start
The first day of the rest
Never looking in the past
But knowing I’ve been blessed

Evening up to score
Saying not much more
Except little lies
To make yourself look good
If you practice for a while
And you add a little style
You may end up
Looking better than you should

Sunshine peaks through the trees
Through the brush and evergreens
It shimmers on the walking path
That lights the way around the pass
Towards the darkness that awaits
Who dares climb the pearly gates
To meet the one that determines fate
The one trip that we all must make

I’m not in pursuit
Without goals, or motivation, impulse, or drive
No visions of grandeur
That I myself can contrive
My support’s without question
From my family and friends
But I can’t conquer the demons
In the war waged within
I strive to be good
To not look too out of place
Hidden in plain sight
With a smile on my face
As the years turn to decades
And people die and are born
I’m in the middle with stage fright
Too scared to perform
Without a direction
Not chasing a dream
I’ve become too complacent
With my story and theme

Nothing tickles my fancy
Or have I yet to be swept off my feet
I’m numb to loves notion
That’s filled with myth and mystique
No amount of money, or women
Can bring me relief
Or the clock that keeps ticking
Knowing my time here is brief
I go through the motions
I attempt and resist
And despite my own mindset
I’m still here; I exist
I sabotage my progression
I’m aware and concerned
I only write what I’m saying
To keep it stored and preserved
Or maybe until this curse is reversed
Then I can contribute to life
While I’m still here on earth
And I’ll be the envy of many
For having purpose; self worth
And justify my existence
As to why I’m still alive since my birth

He’s unhappy with his choices
He’s ashamed of his intent
Having grand illusions
With the voice inside his head
Only to reach failure
Time and time again
For things that happened past
On him, you can’t depend
He’s a master of disguises
He never plays it cool
He’s a wonder for the ages
But overall, a fool

I’m an echo in the distance
A dim and fading light
I’m a door without an opening
Standing tall, afraid of heights
The walls stay closed around me
I hold the key to my own cell
I blew out my only candle
Then fell down the wishing well
I’m an earthquake without a rumble
A tornado with no spin
A volcano without lava
No blue ribbon for my win
When I hear a distant holler
I take cover in self doubt
Your lips move, yet you’re silent
Whether you whisper or you shout
I stay cozy in my circle
In the comfort of my pain
I know you’re here to help me
Like sunshine drys the rain
But you cannot reach the reachless
You cannot break the chains
You can only pick up the pieces
Of whatever still remains

This is not how our story ends
It’s only just begun
On to new horizons
Past the setting sun
We must continue writing chapters
To the story of our days
Unless we become complacent
Stuck in a foggy haze
Once all of the smoke has cleared
You can adjust your eyes to see
That the future is just up ahead
And the past is history

Flowers in the garden grove
Under sparkling summers light
Shimmering on the ground below
A colorful delight
Bled rose red or Delphinium blue
Aster rich and orchids too
Next to where the ground grows yew
And red berries which are poisoned fruit

I waved goodbye to winter
Bounced right into Spring
Taking off each layer
And the freedom that it brings
I danced to show my pleasure
Under trees of green
Enjoying the cool weather
Enough to want to sing
To sing with the birds with feathers
And multicolored wings
And soar above the cumulus clouds
Like a puppet on a string

It’s in the realm of possibilities
In my imminent domain
To make them leave and watch them go
Back to whichever way they came
I’ll no longer posture idle
While others seek their fame
I plan to make a run of it
And be a true legend of the game

I miss my friend.
I knew him when
Taken way too soon
My heart won’t mend
Our prayers we send
Past the stars and moon

The dark me that we can see
On concrete slabs
A shadow by its name
That mimics every move I make
Whichever way I came
Same shadow I’ve ignored
Played with when I’m bored
That’s been with me
Through all the thick and thin
A bond like no other before
Or ever since

I played a ****** on a fiddle
I plucked a concert harp
To play melodies that strike a cord
And see if there’s a spark
A connection to your ear and heart
Until you can’t tell the two apart
A symphony of both sight and sound
A perfect work of art