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

Sunrise and the day’s anew
Birds rejoice and sing in tune
With morning comes the setting moon
Sunshine and the settled dew
Budding flowers full in bloom
And the remnants of a sweet perfume

He couldn’t get a handle
He couldn’t get a grip
On any situation
That glorified a whip
He stayed quite
He stayed still
He fought hard for his free will
He then spoke up
He then advanced
He finally learned to take a stance
And now he is our mayor

I refuse to anger
I consult my inner pain
Just to find out later
I’ve only half a brain
At least it is the good half
That’s been working hard for years
I have nothing more to think about
As I’ve conquered all my fears

She patronized him
In a diminutive way
Harmful connotations
Fully on display
Words became her weapon
She threw daggers with her eyes
It was a heavy on assault
With no room for compromise
Then the room got silent
There grew a puddle on the floor
Nothing left but red footprint tracks
Heading out the door

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 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

The shadow at night
Hides it’s own plight
Through reflections of oncoming lights
It’s never too far
It’s always quite near
And it’s harmless  
So never fear
It matches your movements
Step after step
You can try to avoid it
But it will intercept
So always remember
Never forget
Your shadow knows
Where your secrets are kept

He never felt harassed
By the bonny little lass
Who was distant and detached
Because of her troubled past
He loved her all the same
Smiled at the mention of her name
They had long kisses in the rain
With little chat
He asked her for her hand
Which came highly in demand
But she took off and she ran
And that was that

You get me so inspired
For everything desired
You fill up my heart with joy I truly feel

Your the apple of my eye
My sun up in the sky
You really know how to seal the deal

I’m your puppet on a string
You are my everything
But I get confused when I try to figure out what’s real

You’re the fire that lights me up
The drink that fills my cup
You’re good company when I want to have a meal

Your beauty is a test
Among the very best
You truly have what I’d call *** appeal

I’m at your beckoned call
You’re my lover after all
And If you’d reciprocate that would truly be ideal

I found a pathway to my insanity
It formed a dotted line
It went in all directions
It was an intricate design
It made no sense to look at
It was jumbled and diverse
It was beyond my understanding
It had never been rehearsed
It had never been a question
Between God and the church
It seemed to never make a difference
Because it felt like I’d been cursed

You give freely of yourself
To anyone who asks
With kind words and with your precious time
You complete your daily tasks
You’re honest and upfront
Your charity is seen
Lifting up their spirits
Chasing after dreams
Without a thought or pause
You’re a beacon of bright light
Taking all the wrongs
To turn them into rights
A singular force of nature
Where kindness is quite scarce
But it’s warm and fuzzy feeling
If we just give it half a chance

A sunset over crashing waves
A vast view of orange skies
Farewell to the setting sun
Until it once again will rise
This is but a certainty
Felt by everyone alive
Soaking up the suns rays
Until the end of days arrives

Out in the garden
The flowers have bloomed
Pink oleander
And red roses too
Beautiful lilies
With aromatic flow
In through the nostrils
Of a sensitive nose
The fragrance alluring
It’s time to propose
To the woman I love
The one whom I chose
And with my confession  
And my intentions exposed
I’ll pick through the flowers
At the roots where they grow

I tend to sink
When off the boat
I cannot swim
I cannot float
I cannot cough
To clear my throat
So I circle down the drain
Like driftwood in the rain
Flooded waters high enough
To touch the weathervane
Yet deep enough
To call my bluff
At the facts that still remain

He was an outcast
Could never beat the wrap
The label he’d been given
Before he finally snapped
He was relentless
Couldn’t give a crap
Carried out his mission
Until he ran into a trap
He was then forced to quit
So instead he took a nap
Head on pillow
Hands in lap

Forgive my voice
My trembling lips
As words dribble out my mouth
I do not know of what I say
Or what I talk about
I’m broken into shards of glass
Though the pain has been reduced
By your words, by what they mean
And the way that they are used
You sewed my severed heart strings
You brought life to the mundane
And you filled my heart with happiness
For all the days that still remain

The river weeps for no one
Until it crashes with the tide
Then it settles on the seaside
Taken for it’s pride

I never took the leap
For fear that I might fail
I just laughed my life away
Searching for the Holy Grail
Just an object for my quest
I took no subject as my muse
Yet, I always ended up lost
And somehow more confused
I battled and I suffered
I punished and condemned
Myself for all my blunders
And my utter lack of friends
I am still the enemy
I am still class clown
I am just a lonely man
When awake or lying down
I’m a criminal of existence
I’ll steal the air you need
I pass as being human
But that’s just what is perceived
I smile and I wander
I’m not destination bound
I think I’ll just meander
Until I’m 6 feet in the ground
I couldn’t find my purpose
I did not answer the call
When it came to being successful
I completely dropped the ball
I did not help bring in a child
I did not deem it fair
And I asked no hand in marriage
Because they all seemed ill prepared
For the monster in the mirror
The freeloader breathing air
I’d tell you that it hurt me
But I just don’t really care
I am but an open book
Read me if you dare
Knowing that if it were up to me
I’d recommend the chair
🪑

Who could believe
What happened back then
When I was a little wee lad
I could climb a tall tree
Play reveille
With a bugle given to me by my dad
I’d wake up the town
With that loud trumpet sound
And to be honest, I wasn’t that bad
The people would stand
Raise their right hand
And salute with the pride that they had

You’ve eclipsed my expectations
You’ve opened up my eyes
What I believed before, is no more, to my surprise
Your grace under pressure
Your fortitude and drive
You’ve exceeded every notion, of what it takes to be alive
I commend your motivation
Your inspiration, and pride
Your willingness to carry on, when you’ve been denied
You’re open to adapt
Despite your being shy
You’ve answered every question with a smile, big and wide

Through the sleeping branches
That shiver in the night
Shadows loom in unison
Despite the pale moonlight
Droopy leaves that dangle
Remorseful and contrite
Falling into spinning winds
Without putting up a fight

Animals in danger
Answering the call
Hunted just for pleasure
A trophy on the wall
The snow does not conceal them
From the darkness that befalls
As one by one they lose their lives
In the safety of their homes

There’s no sliver of damnation
It’s take it all or naught
In battle; under siege
With the several armies that you brought
It’s not a matter of perfection
Or whether it was sought
It’s just a general understanding
Of everything we’re taught

The floor began to fall away
I was overcome by fear
Falling into oblivion
Void of any tears
Except for a single teardrop
That found its way onto my cheek
Which would’ve been a nightmare
If I was asleep
But I hadn’t any slumber
And I was playing now for keeps
Before I knew it, I was in a hole
Exactly 6 feet deep
Staring at the reaper
Who I knew had come to reap
I knew if I surrendered
I would have to take that leap
So I pleaded my way out of my own death
Who says that talk is cheap?
And now I’m afraid to close my eyes
For what I fear that I might see
And a blink takes on new meaning
As does a game of hide and seek

Under skies of gold
Lives the young and old
Passion in my head
As well, deep in my soul

The rays of sun
The bitter cold
Shed some light
Stand up, be bold

On a journey
Through paths unknown
Made of blood, sweat, and stone

Curious minds are under fed
Not a rule, just a trend
Better off left for dead

Those before and
Those ahead
Cannot relate
To what’s in your head

Give me pain till I say when
Please let go and start again
It’s for real, not pretend
Begrudged until the bitter end

She ran into the bedroom
Looking for a place to hide
She felt and heard the footsteps
Closing in behind
She hid under the bed
As she was so well inclined
Hoping she wouldn’t be discovered
And harder still to find

They continued to play
Though the echoes remained
As a sign of what was to come
They blew us away
As we stood in dismay
Seeing where they had come from
A full on display
Of the trumpet and bass
In a place where blues can be found
The harmonica played
As we clap and gave praise
When the room shook, and so did the ground
As you came near
You could certainly hear
As the band grew increasingly loud
They played through the night
And into the day
Just to appease the large crowd

Dendrobium orchards
Stretch towards the sun
Soaking in rays and warmth
They have every intention
To face one direction
Avoiding ever facing the north
The colors astound
Raised from the ground
Protruding from one planted seed
When watered and fed
They’re magnificent
If given the care that they need

It was as if a mirror image
A reflection of my life
Looked back at me and chuckled
Which only fueled my spite
I was driven then
To forge ahead
To keep my honor
Lift my head
To make things right
In the eyes of one
And look off into
The setting sun

Evergreens
And swaying leaves
Dancing in the summer breeze
Bright in colors
Red, orange, and green
Picturesque
Sight unseen
Something beautiful
Crisp and clean
Not unlike a vivid dream

She donned fascinating colors
Bright and full of life
She wore multicolored layers
She cut through with a knife
She had a bad experience  
And clambered up real tight
She had trouble sleeping
She would wake throughout the night
The days grew long
The well ran dry
It became harder to recover
From each and every lie
Now she’s more reserved
Set in her own ways
A somber way of living
In ombré shades of gray

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

The end of today’s shift
Came surely as a gift
As I couldn’t wait to leave fast enough
I stormed right out the gate
No patience to wait
As a day like today was mighty rough
I made it to my house
Sat down on the couch
And quickly lit up a spliff and had a puff

She caressed every name
Ever uttered from her lips
Harnessed all the pain
Until she came to grips
Walked along the stage
Praying she didn’t trip
When her favorite song came on
We were swaying from our hips
Dancing on the ceiling
Like the universe got flipped
While understanding nothing
Of which we were completely ill equipped

Constantly rotating
Denoted by a chime
While it navigates the spectrum
Through both space and time
It flutters away in seconds
By the time I end my rhyme
While also doing its function
Somewhere along the line

Designed by the moon
In a diamond cocoon
Paid for with hide
Of a dead roadside raccoon
Nestled in the clutch
Of a purple grand deluxe
Overpowered by the daffodils
******* in a bunch
With red ribbon and lace
Traveling through space
Leaving not a trace
Of a dry eyed pretty face

She loved the new material
She wore it everyday
As a shirt
As a skirt
In her hair done up with braids
She liked the wavy pattern
It’s colors in the light
That matched up with everything she wore
In daytime or at night
She liked the way that she looked
The fashion and the style
She grinned from ear to ear
With an evanescent smile
Just a small glimmer of happiness
Through these hard and trying times
Conquering all obstacles
Of every make and kind

The sun recedes under the horizon
Past half clouded skies
The ocean breaks along the shore
Bluer than angelic eyes
The sound of soothing sanctity
Should salvation arise
There’s nothing to compare it to
Nor all that it implies

A sniffle and a sneeze
You dwelled on wants and needs
You were proned to ill content
Yet, still soft enough to squeeze
Through a bright red nose you breathe
Water in your eyes
Mucus on your sleeve
Here’s hoping you feel better
Quickly as can be

Down the bridges walkway
To the land of the unknown
The sky grows dark and cloudy
Shaped as skeleton and bones
Something evil this way comes
The air is still and cold
Someone that crosses that bridge
Must be daring, mad, or both
I wouldn’t walk in there
If I wore an invisibility cloak
In the haunted forest
Where life is but a joke

We crafted out of snow
A man of seven feet
A carrot for his nose
His eyes were two small beets
We used raisins for his smile
Two sticks for his arms
He donned a scarf and top hat
As if to keep him warm
He was given last a corn pipe
So he looked debonair
Needless to say, on this special day
There’s Christmas in the air

Covered up in marigold
Fall has reared its head
By the colors of the leaves
Yellow, brown, and red
By the stiff and steady breeze
That makes me cuddle up in bed
And the autumn leaves that trickle down
In the backyard by the shed

By the standards set by me
I am destined to be free
Of the trivial nature of this world
I travel in the dust
Of the shooting stars I touch
With every fiber ever known to man
I believe in God we trust
As a banker, it’s a must
By the way
I didn’t say
My name is Sam

It’s been best described by experts
About the speed in which they race
About the supersonic conclusion
At the finish line in space
Intergalactic speed traps
When they cross over the line
But able to see clearly
Through the fabric of their mind

When tomorrow becomes today
Death puts on a crooked grin
You can almost feel his pain
Standing by for mortal sin
Waiting for mistakes
Matters not, who he takes
Always raising stakes
But not for money that men make
Souls are on the line
When it comes time to pay the fine