Red leaves in the forest
Through the thickets comes
A hefty steed and a rider
In a red hood and red gloves
She was headed to her grandmas
To see if she was well
She didn’t live nearby
So it was hard for her to tell
She made it to her grandma
And everything was swell
But something wasn’t right
Grandma was much more hairier and smelled
And with a certain look
She saw grandma’s big teeth
And then she saw an arm
By the bed underneath
She looked up once again
And stared into its eyes
And said the hungry wolf
On such a big surprise
“The better to eat you with my dear”
And he leapt up and devoured
That poor girl; little red
So the story now is over
Because everyone is dead

A red spot in the sea of green
As I stare into the trees
Wings, and feathers, and a beak
Leaves me silent without words to speak
Crowned in all its majesty
Spreads its wings to fly
Swoops and glides to lovers peak
Not lacking skills to try
All alone, not in a flock
A solitary bird
Flying all around from here to there
Leaves me speechless without words
With twigs and sticks it builds its nest
Eyes as black as night with puffy feathered crest
All the while, it chirps and sings
I’m obliged with all the joy it brings

‪A red sky is baptized‬
‪The break of dawn ushers in‬
‪Hidden behind loose clouds‬
‪Sends shivers down my skin‬
‪The sun is aglow‬
‪Unresisting its fate‬
‪As the spinning earth, trembles‬
‪Not too soon or too late‬
‪A timed evolution‬
‪A welcoming state‬
‪Just God and his paintbrush‬
‪Oh, how he loves to create‬

Blunders of soft intellect
Not to be taken as a fool
Red markers mark the mistakes made
For the lessons learned in school
Just like in life with red tape
Obstacles abound
And if you show up unprepared
You could end up underground

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

Release is near approaching
Counting down the days
To be free and be redeemed
For the weak in which he prayed
He’s no longer stuck in his old ways
His mind is clear of sin
At least he’d have you think
As he says so with a grin 😈

‪I cannot wish the pain away‬
‪When you had to go and couldn’t stay‬
‪My heart could not bear to be alone‬
‪Now quiet inside my empty home‬
Walking down an empty hallway
Leading to empty rooms
I had inhaled all your essence
I was overwhelmed; consumed
A pilgrimage towards disaster
To eradicate my woes
With a bandaid for my heartache
As you made your choice; you chose

You make me want to spend
Tease my inner beast
Hold you down, restraining
Biting flesh for feast
You conjure up my feelings
To escape; release
All my inmost inhibitions
Until I find some peace
And realize all life’s secrets
That put my mind at ease

Release me from my shackles
Where I’ve been vilified and scorned
Unlock all the cages
Open all the doors
Allow me to embark on quests
Places I’ve never seen before
To broaden my horizons
And walk along the shores

Resist, resist, resist the urge to kiss
Look down, below, there's something that you missed
Breathe in, breathe out, the air between your lips
It seems, you've made, the top of every list

Hold on, hold back,
Before you make a fist
Delayed, restrained, ******* at the wrist
The judge, proclaimed, an order to desist
By now, we've learned, we finally get the gist

If, there was, any inkling of a doubt
Just know, I hold, and carry lots of clout
Supreme, in dream,
More than I'm allowed
My fear, out loud, that no one hears me pout

Games, are played, in the presence of a crowd
I spoke, was heard, and made everybody proud
From far, and wide, circling every town
We made, it clear, there is no need to shout

I've done, my share, both in and out of bounds
Like here, on earth, afoot on solid ground
Resist, resist, the urge to call it quits
I had, no idea, this ended with a twist

Focusing on the negative
Going way off the track
Headed towards disaster
With no way to turn back
Offering up a solution
As to counteract
The grandest illusion
Not fiction, but fact
Forgive the intrusion
There’s no one under attack
Only resolution
As white is to black

Resting teddies under sheets
Blankets tucked in tight
Bunny rabbit counts his sheep
That leap, to sleep, at night
Little teddy smiles in bed
Big teddy wears a frown
They lie awake, with different takes
While bunnies safe and sound….   asleep

My mind and body can’t agree
On what the hell to do with me
See, I’ve lived my life afraid to live
I’ve got so much more I still can give
But I am selfish, an introvert
I shy away when I feel hurt
Protecting all that I hold dear
Living out my days in fear
I shudder at the thought of change
That somehow I’ll drown in the rain
Barely noticed, I feel restrained
From the noise inside my brain
Nothing ventured
Nothing gained
Enough to drive a man insane
And now it’s time to end the game
No contenders, mine to claim
It’s hard for me to explain
Like art, I feel stuck in a frame
No excuses, none to blame
I’d surrender if it’s all the same
And live my life that’s too mundane
While ending up in the hall of shame

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

They reveled until daybreak
They drank, and sang, and cheered
They welcomed anyone to join
Offering everyone a beer
A smile that’s so inviting
Completely, and utterly sincere
May as well see what’s going on
And gauge the atmosphere

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

How a droplet ripples
Expanding throughout time
Every decade adds a layer
To our extended paradigm
Now seconds turn to minutes
Soon hours into days
Century upon century
Still remains the unexplained

Time is up, rest your head
The rising of the spirit
Born again, life’s too short
You should reach out and grab it
Before it’s gone
Slipped away
Such a nasty habit
Wasting time
Left behind
The trick is not to fear it

Riveted
At attentions peak
Stunned by natures beauty
On this chilly winters eve
A gentle breeze
That whisks the trees
The simple pleasures
That one receives
In the winded current
That floats about the leaves
Is peace in all its majesty
And timeless memories

My reflection makes me look away
From a toothless grin
That the years have left me shriveled up
My skin now paper thin
But in these eyes
Is an old, but wise
Soul who’s long been cursed
Stand in my shoes
And you’ll see
How the roles were if reversed

I left her there in the dust
What I thought was love
was just lust
I believed only her I could trust
About intimate secrets discussed
But she sold me out for a price
What she said wasn’t very nice
Before I trust again, I’ll think twice
Too scared of rolling the dice

My senses all have run amok
Since I first laid eyes on you
With lively colors, I nip and pluck
In my kaleidoscopic point of view
And although this may come as a surprise
I think that we both knew
Your color schemes are flush with love
With such pretty vibrant hues

“Run for the hills!”
I heard in my ear
A sound of distress
With underlined fear
“Run for the hills,”
And never look back!”
Then the voice disappeared
Stopped dead in its tracks
Maybe that voice
Was the one in my head
Warning my conscience
Of an untimely death
So I took off and I ran
To escape my own fate
Through hell, I had passage
To the white pearly gates
And when I arrived
An angel was there
To lead me to heaven
To help me prepare
For what was to come
For the inevitable fact
So I ran for the hills,
And never looked back

There’s no time for sleep
When emotions runneth deep
And when emotions get the best of me
I can’t control the beat
Of the thumping in my chest
I grow weary, I confess
Of situations I detest
Both with and without stress

When bat meets ball
It makes a loud crack
It may be gone
It might be fouled back

It’s a game of inches
You never can tell
But if it’s a home run
You can bet they’ll all yell

Oh, look at that!
It’s a ball through the hole
The right fielders got it
He’s going to throw home

Is he safe?!
Is he out?!
It’s the umpires call
The ump called him safe!
The catcher dropped the ball

The boy who was safe
Runs with glee
Wow!, What spirit!
What a great team!

A casket in a wasteland
Placed on powdered snow
Left to be discovered
In a hundred years or so
The chest adorned with carvings
Flowers, skulls, and bones
Shut tight, not to be opened
Just to perish under stone
Closed off from the elements
To ensure safe passage home
Or spend and eternity, never to be found
Left in solitude; alone

A safety umbrella  
Out at sea and afloat
And the city that lies within
Is filled with bright colors and hope
It’s a bustling small city
With buildings and homes
But it’s easier to shout
Than to call on the phone

Echoes heard as I rest in bed
As sounds of nightmares dance ahead
Hello!?, hello!?
But no one hears
Just empty space
Between my ears
My greatest triumphs
My greatest fears
All washed away with salty tears

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 a treasure and a find
The sanctity of mind
A scarcity of complexity
Looked on by jealous eyes
It’s a glimmer of true hope
To whom do we all cry?
It’s addition by subtraction
That’s separate from divide
It’s a choice that we’ve been given
To heal the bitterness inside
It’s the attitude of gratitude
And the reason not to hide

I am the epitome of catastrophe
I’m everything I fear
Self awareness of what’s
happening
Some may think that I don’t care

Decaying and alone
As years, they pass me by
The center of my universe
Where cosmic energy collides

You just stay in your lane,
And I, I’ll stay in mine
From passing ships
To kissing lips
To me it sounds divine

Every second we make choices
To do, or to do not
To listen and to converse
For me, it means a lot

When breathing somehow costs too much
And pollution’s on the rise
We’re killing our own atmosphere
It’s a wonder we’re alive

I set forth on a journey
The destination’s hard to find
But much to my chagrin
I’m left frozen and tongue-tied

Not like a conspiracy
Or every theory I’ve contrived
I keep on asking what I’m asking for
It’s what keeps me satisfied

Theres no need to be nosy
It’s important to provide
Did I mention just how good you look
What a time to be alive.

Brought to tears
As loss holds weight
Unable to regenerate
You say farewell
But all’s not lost
When memories
Are free of cost
Some might say
They fade away
After a certain time
But when love’s felt
Your cards been dealt
And up steps the next in line

I don’t want to be your scapegoat
Your reason to quit or fail
Don’t sabotage your future
Or stop from setting sail
Go off on adventures
Travel; see the world
Don’t hold life close to the vest
Rather, let it all unfurl

Skies of gold and a scarlet moon
Rises like a red balloon 🎈
Chiseled as a hard stone hewn
To dance on earth with your soul attune
And even when the sky turns blue
My thoughts of you come way too soon
In the morning or late afternoon
Your presence feels like a strong typhoon
That whisks away to make more room
For my bleeding heart and it’s impending doom

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

Scars, like yours, mine, and ours
The ones that bled, now you can never discard

Scars, time to relive the past
It just happened to be,
Within in my grasp

Scars, a reminder of will
Remembering a loss,
A void to be filled

Scars, I’ll never forget
A map of the journey
No pain filled regrets

Scars, a feeling contrived
A time in my past  
Grateful; alive

Our creator, a leader of men
Scars are a reminder  
That symbolizes the dead

Scars, one last debate
How am I supposed to feel
When we can’t relate?
I don’t want to hear it
I don’t want to know
Don’t keep me waiting
With no dial tone

Scars, like yours, mine, and ours
The ones that bled, now you can never discard

It’s a badge of honor
I survived death!
A merit of completion
Having been put to the test
Got me in a fight for land
Where men now lay dead
Bloodied and red
These scars on my body
The voice in my head
Telling me you are the enemy
No longer my friend

Scars, like yours, mine, and ours
The ones that bled now you can never discard
Scars, yours, mine, and ours
Scars on your leg, on your chest, on your head

Scars, when you decided on ink
Instead of lead
Taking a bullet, they pronounced you as dead.
Scars

The scars on my heart
Are abstract like art
There’s both pain and beauty alike
I wear my scars, proud
Let there be no doubt
Of what I stand for if just out of spite
My scars tell a story
Of chaos and glory
That I triumphed and overcame
Now here I stand
A boy turned a man
And an expert that mastered the game

Drained and scorched
A land of waste
Desolate of
The human race
Parched pavement on
The hard dry land
Seems nothing ever
Goes as planned
Dried up river
Turned to dust
The end grows nearer
On the cusp

The country was in shambles
The administration torn
He tried to spread his knowledge out
And claimed that they’d been warned

He lost all of his composure
He begged to be reborn
He couldn’t keep the standard up
So he was ridiculed and scorned

The seagulls lift their wings to fly
Scavenging with their beady eyes
In a flock, above the beach
There’s nothing safe or out of reach
They’ll plot their course
They’ll take a risk
They’ll dive on in
For bread or fish
They’ll take and take
Then fly away
To try again another day

She saw him in a comic light
Friends at best, a kiss goodnight
She was only trying to be polite
But instead, it turned to enraged spite
Now everywhere she turns her head
All reminders of the words he said
Wishing her a speedy death
While drowning in a sea of red

There’s little warmth from a setting sun
I’m broken in more ways than one
The seasons change, and time grows thin
Still, I remain in my own skin
I aim to see the break of dawn
I wish on stars, then ****, they’re gone
So I’m gonna wait till they return
And give away what should be earned
A heart of gold, a caring thought
But they say that love cannot be bought
So I wait within a moments time
But the punishment does not fit the crime
So I think and introspect
And console my heart and it’s neglect
I ponder all the time in which I spent
Investing in the tears I’ve wept
The constant lies and disrespect
All the promises I’ve made and kept
I am no doormat or fawner for you
And I will not accept my number 2
I must come first, second to none
So I may feel the warmth of the setting sun

Let me gratify your needs
Let me spin your wheels
Let me ****** you for an eternity
So you know just how it feels
Let me caress your neck
Let me whisper in your ear
Let me sing my song in harmony
Well enough to hear
Let me kiss your lips
Let me feel your hair
Let me grip you firm and squeeze you
Showing you I care
Let us walk the meadows
Let us stroll the beaches sand
Let us gaze into each other’s eyes
Exactly where we stand