'Don't pick up the gun, son.
Don't pick up the gun.
'cause if you ever use it,
You'll be a man on the run.'

Those were Papa's words then
When I was just a boy.
My eyes looked trigger happy.
My young heart beat with joy.

But he knew then, as I know now -
Real guns are not a toy.
And he had one strong mission:
To save his only boy.

Yes, he knew well the danger,
And he knew of the pain.
So he would always stay on point
As he spoke his old refrain.

'Don't pick up the gun, son.
Don't pick up the gun.
Live life to the fullest and
Don't pick up the gun!'

(C) K. Hicks

When I  was young I had a dream
Of what I might morph into.
I made great plans of what I'd  do;
I know now they might have come true -
But for the ****.

In those times I could be real strong,
Stand up straight and sing my songs.
But nobody else could see the need.
Could have done it all -
But for the ****!

Sometimes high but mostly low,
Searching for the afterglow,
Traveling  far while losing speed
Might have gone far -  
But for the ****.

Before those days my hair was kept.
Bad went to worse the more I slept.
Times with friends began to slide
Would have kept a proper stride
But for the ****.

If you listen well you can learn from me
**** takes roots and goes to seed  
I let my dreams go up on in smoke
Could have had it all -
But for the ****.

(C) Kathleen L. Hicks

Can anybody tell me why days were long when we were young?
Our days would seem unending from morn 'til setting sun.
We spent hours playing grownups and mimicked what we'd see,
And all that time rehearsing what someday we might be.

Some days I'd be a teacher, then a nurse or acrobat.
I liked them all, and it was fun to try them out like that.
I wished away my time back then, and I could hardly wait
To see myself all grown up and live beyond our gate.

Give me back the "good old days" of lying in the sun.
I never knew their value then; my life had just begun.
I'd reach out now and hold them tight, embracing every day.
I'd love to be that child again, just one more day to play.

I'm betting there are others who feel as I do too,
Who'd gladly join me back in time
When there was nothing more to do.

(C) Kathleen L. Hicks

From the moment you decide to take a ride
On the Merry-Go-Round of love,
You must be prepared for its ups and downs
And the music and lights above.

It's all quite exciting and filled with thrills
As long as the ride is smooth
But the horse you are on has much to do
With how long the ride may prove.

Love goes on when the lights go out.
Folks say that's what life's all about.
And then they say at the break of day
We must go out and make some hay.
You must not tarry from the work to be done.
But do your best from sun to sun.
Then once the lights have all gone out,
We'll love again I have no doubt!

(C) Kathleen L. Hicks

Call my name in the morning;
I'll reach out for your touch.
This is all I need to start my day
From you, who I love so much.

Say my name at mid day
When you call just to hear my voice.
With a renewed spark, I will carry on
With you on my mind, of course!

Call my name in the evening,
As you return home again from your work.
With your well-greeted kiss upon my cheek,
I count these among love's great perks!

Whisper my name in the dark night
As our bodies become as one.
With the cares of the day all washed away
Another sweet sleep can come.

Have you been to the place where the fairies play?
It's down by the bend of the stream.
I've heard them speak on a quiet day,
And their voices are soft as cream.

They try not to get their fairy wings wet:
They need to be dry to fly.
But as you might guess that on a bet
Some little fairies try.

It is really fun to see them at night
As they play by the light of the moon.
They often join in with a new little sprite
Who is singing his new fairy tune.

They splash and splash as they dart and play.
They make little rainbows too.
Oh, how I wish you could come with me
And visit the fairies too.

They call up any new thing they wish
As they rest beside the shore:
Ice sodas with gumdrops sparkling -
Far better than any store!

I always wish I could join them
And enter their world of joy.
But theirs is a very hallowed place,
Not open to girl or boy.

(C) Kathleen L. Hicks

Your thinking time belongs to you;
The voice that you hear is your own.
And marvelous things can spring from there
As thinkers through time have shown.

Noises around you will ty to complete,
But they are just a distraction.
Yield to the voice inside your head;
Let those thoughts gain in traction.

Develop ablities great and small;
Each builds upon the other.
And when you spend your time this way
There is much you will discover.

He came in one night looking right on through me.
I felt his gaze burn my skin.
With hair and eyes born to perfection,
Every girl in the room wanted him.

He sat at my table with friends all around.
He said, "Where would you like to go?"
"You  better no better than mama", I said
"Cause my Mama has told me, NO."

With a great big grin he stroked his hair,
Then settled his gaze on my face.
"My car just sits there waiting' he said,
I can take you any place."

The drum of my heart beat stronger then.
How far could we go?
" You better know better than Mama, I said
cause my Mama has told me, "NO"!

"Come on now", just a quick little ride;
Something for our memory books."
The way he spoke was warm and soft,
And my whole body shook.

He took my hand and we walked slowly out;
I knew that I should resist.
He brushed my cheek with the sweetest kiss,
And whispered, "Life is not to be missed!"

His voice rang louder in my head,
Mama's words just couldn't compare.
Oh, how fine was my time that night
With the boy with golden hair.

From that time on I've remembered,
And this much now I know:
He DID know better than Mama!
Why did my Mama say NO?

(C) Kathleen L. Hicks

Sometimes it seems my circuits are all just broke.
No, don't laugh!  I makes this not a joke.
My brain still sits there in its very own space.
Perhaps it can't relate to my ever changing face.

The years from eight to eighty take its toll, it's true.
The face we started out with may lose it's glowing hue.
The wisdom lines grow deeper, and soon our secret's out;
The brain can be quite tricky and often we're in doubt,

I sometime sense my gears "upstairs" are turning rather slow
But oiling's not an option; that much we all know.
Perhaps my many synapses are waving to and fro,
But I shall call up new ones to multiply and grow.

You sorta think you know what is stored up in your head,
But when I need a recall, it's shooting blanks instead!
I'd really like to know what is going on up there.
Perhaps it's getting cold from my recent loss of hair.

Of course, I understand as I continue on life's track,
Perhaps a brand new Circuit Board would bring my good brain back.
I plan to look into it, but I think it's not today.
I'm pretty sure I will find help, if someone points the way!








O

Only the blind see clearly
What sighted folks fail to see:
That color of skin does not define
Who the person there may be.

Hold out your hand in darkness
As you stumble and start to fall.
A hand reaches out to help you.
Does its color matter at all?

Only the blind may teach us
About what is best to feel:
Color is only a pigment;
But the person inside is real.

Only the blind may lead us
As we go along hand in hand.
We learn from the wise unseeing;
They know us all as just man.


(C) K. Hicks

Oh peaceful, quiet snowy day,
Best accolades on you I lay
Upon this place where you, in style,
Allow my soul to rest a while.

Even as the sun does rest,
Soft gray clouds all do their best
To shade me from the daily glare,
And help to soothe and, yes, repair.

The human heart repeats its beat
Even as we rest asleep.
And so with all things put aside,
I welcome now this chance to hide.

(C) Kathleen L. Hicks

Today I leave you in good hands; I'll come back my little man.
But while I'm off in distant lands; take good care of Mommy,
And take good care of you.

You're my homeland soldier boy, and on this day our troops deploy.
Now this is what I ask of you:  take good care of Mommy,
And take good care of you.

She'll take on jobs that I would do.
She'll do so much to see us through.
She's special both to me and you.
Please take good care of  Mommy.

I ask you to be brave and strong, to do your part to get along.
Your picture's in my pocket;  I'll write home soon to you.

America stands ready; we've done it through the years.
For love of home and country; for those who live in fear.
For liberty and freedom, to live the life we know,
I'm proud to do my duty son; this is why I go.

Now give me that brave salute, a great big hug, and son,
Take good care of you and take good care of Mom.

(C) Kathleen L. Hicks

All poets here have become my new friends.
Given more hours, the more I will spend.
Reading their love and feeling their pain
Keeps me returning again and again,

From each new poem I learn, like the rest,
Experience rates high in our world, we attest.
Sharing is among our dearest delights,
So we give word by word, or today: bite by bite!

Keep feeding me more; I'm hungry you see.
Your gifts, brief or long, are treasured by me.
I doubt that this appetite you'll ever quell,
But the bet is now on, so try as you will!

The winds are churning all around us;
Man is caught up in a storm.
Will each day be like the morrow
With its horrors to adorn?

Can we somehow spend a fraction
Of our time upon this place;
See the paths that we are taking
Bringing only more disgrace?

If mankind is truly feeling,
Loving, caring and humane,
He might change the world's direction
So that dignity remains.

For this effort to be blessed
By generations yet unborn,
Minds must meet in all directions
And our hatred all be shorn.

Time is not so in our favor.
There's an urgency of pace.
Life is storming all around us;
We must save the human race.

(C) K. Hicks

I shall not choke on Mr. Trump's words.
As, for me, they are too hard to swallow.
So I lend my voice to the growing chorus:
"This is no man I can follow."

I accept that he won but we have all lost,
With a tally that grows day by day.
But how shall we score at the end of the term?
And what will our folly have cost?

(C) K. Hicks, 2017

(C) Kathleen L. Hicks

My skin no longer fits me;
It wrinkles all about.
And over time it's shape has grown:
This I could do without.

I used to have one "beauty" spot;
Back then they were the rage.
And soon their count grew higher
With each year, as I aged.

The waist that once was tiny
And brought me youthful pride
Has stretched and added inches
That only muumuus hide.

The toes and nails still sit
Securely on my feet.
They now reflect life's journey;
From walks, they now retreat.

My eyes have opened daily
As windows for my brain.
Though growing weaker, spectacles
Correct them and maintain.

By taking in the whole of me
This much I can say:
My body does awaken me
To see another day.

(c) Kathleen L. Hicks

What does it matter ...
If the water we drink is unclean;
If the air we breathe is polluted;
If the foods we eat are tainted;
If ocean life sheds its dead upon the shores;
If the news we get is fake;
If the parade of life is led by the unfit;
If the voices of reason grow weak;
If humanity fails to assist those in need;
If our possessions are what counts;
If self is our only focus;
If logic escapes our power to reason;
If apathy reins in our head and heart;
If eyes fail to see and ears serve as deaf;
If minds are no longer open;
If these concerns hold no importance to the masses,
We have met the enemy and it is us.

(C) Kathleen L. Exton

That your face is the one I seek;
That your laugh is the one that tickles me;
That your smile is what melts my heart;
That your eyes color my every mood;
That your body sparks my every desire;
That you are my true definition of love;
And, is it any wonder?

The Slate is Drawn Clean

The slate is drawn clean but fear grips the land.
From whence came this man,
and what guides his hand?
How did we get here, we wonder aloud.
And what will he write and store in the cloud?
With words he assailed us; could we not hear?
Logic has failed us. There's nothing to cheer.
The slate is drawn clean, this harsh Genie out.
He rages his rants and prances about.
The twit now becomes "The Twitter in Chief"
His words bring us heartburn
With no quick relief!
Oh, how I long for that wonderful day
When a proper president comes our way.

(C) K. L. Hicks, 2017

Today while walking down the street
I stopped to notice my two feet.
They always know just where to go,
And so they lead me to and fro.
They take me anywhere I want;
If only just a little jaunt.
But they are great in races too;
For this they wear a "special"shoe.
And often when they've run their best
They beg me for a little rest.
Each morning they are first to rise.
They touch the floor filled with surprise.
Where they take me no one knows,
Except, perhaps, their friends, the toes!
But we are up now and about.
"Let's get going now", I shout.
I marvel at their daily speed,
These two feet are all I need!

(C) K. Hicks

(C) Kathleen L. Hicks

Please don't think for a moment;
In fact, don't think at all.
To find rest at the end of your busy day,
'Tis much better not to recall!

Shoulda, coulda and woulda
At night are best left alone.
Now, just carry on and do your best.
Things will right, you will see, on their own.

(C) Kathleen L. Hicks

Oh, to be a child again and play in dress-up clothes;
To swing a fluffy boa and see myself in pose;
To laugh with all the cousins and dare the big round swing;
My challenge: To recall it all and not leave out a thing!

(C) Kathleen L. Hicks

Always think of tomorrow
And all that tomorrow brings,
And visualize such beauties
As trees and rippling springs.
For whenever your heart is lonely
And your thoughts are of troublesome things,
Always think of tomorrow
And all that tomorrow brings.

On your life's journey,
Don't miss the many side streets
For all the best sights.

(C) Kathleen L. Hicks

"**** that cat!", I heard my mother say.
"He's gone and made a mess of it, the same as yesterday!"
He really is quite clever, this cat of black and white.
I'm pretty sure he hurries down while we're asleep each night.

His eyes are made to see things clearly in the dark.
He seems to know just where to find her very favorite part.
She's working on a puzzle two thousand pieces long.
He'd like for it to never end, to string her on and on.

He sees this as a game for two, and his moves come at night.
For her the game will never end, and this becomes her plight!
He doesn't know I'm sitting here high upon the stair.
I'm seeing how he scatters her pieces everywhere.

It's sure to make Mom angry, though she loves him through and through.
But she would surely like him to find something else to do!

You will only stay down deep in that hole
If you fail to take steps to get out.
The pain that is pressing down on your heart
Can be lighter as you play your part.
Determine that others can't hurt you
And move to make a new start.
See rainbows, not clouds, and dance in the sun,
And soon you will see you have won!

If only there was only wellness:
No babies born with deformities or  illness.

If only all people could live in peace:
No anger for "your land" or only "my beliefs".

If only horrendous weather did not ****:
No floods, hurricanes, tornadoes or fires.

If only there were food enough for all:
No hunger, starvation, no crop demise.

If only real charity lived in every heart:
No scramble for the "more" that pulls us apart.

If only cruelty found no source to hurt:
No knives, guns, or bombs allowed on Earth.

If only there were no need for prisons:
No reason to cheat, steal, or ****.

If only there were a great and all- powerful god
Who made the universes large and small,
Who gave birth to life, who created it all,
A god who never created such despair,
Who, in wisdom, left out all horrors everywhere,
THIS  god would be the one I'd put my belief in!
If only, if only.

(c) Kathleen L. Hicks

The well of wisdom runs deep,
Filled with knowledge for all who will seek.
As down through the ages, man added pages
Of truths to store up and keep.

The mountain of myths is steep;
Many climb there delusioned and weep.
Built on promises grand but too far a leap,
With theories none can repeat.

The wide well of wisdom awaits
For those who dare to dive in,
You may surf there for a lifetime;
All you need do is begin.

Many who have gone before us
Have pooled many facts to show
Truth through thoughtful thinking
Reveals what we need to know.

Time in life intreagues me,
As time never stands still.
And I carry on within it
As if I had free will.
I can never go back to yesterday.
Yet, I plan for my day of tomorrow.
But how can I ever go forward
When I'm always stuck in today? !

No words, no words, only tears
The words in my heart are drowning in tears.
The love of my life is no longer near.
No words, no words, only tears.

No words, no words, only tears
No longer his voice whispered as we draw near.
No longer his strength to cast out all fears.
No words, no words, only tears.

No words, no words, only tears.
This parting cannot sever love built through years.
In my heart our love is indelibly seared.
No words, no words, only tears.

Some poets write heady and beautiful prose.
Others rhyme only and why, no one knows.
Perhaps there is something wrong in the head.
Let's peek at this one asleep in her bed.

Lift up her hair; look under her hood.
Everything there looks just as it should.
But wait!  Over there, see that wrinkle so fine?
With pen put to paper, it comes out as rhyme!

There must be a default to fix this strange thing.
But how to begin it - with scissors or string?
The brain doesn't like it when shaken about.
You must take care nothing good will fall out.

A '37 model, it says here inside.
They built them to last back then with such pride,
I doubt we ever could find a spare part.
How would we even know where to start?

Perhaps now's the time we rethink this whole thing.
What makes her rhymes special makes this one's heart sing.
Let's close down her top and leave this one alone,
She's doing no harm as she has well shown.

Perhaps we should let her poetry grow.
It may, in fact, help others to know
That each of us are not made the same.
And that includes all who share the same name.

She knows our uniqueness sets us apart.
We all have our secrets sewn deep in our hearts.
And if we think sameness is what all should be,
Imagine how dull and boring we'd be!

She'd say stick to being  just who you are,
Build on your strengths and follow your star.
Write what you wish and say what you will,
But do it with kindness each goal to fulfill.

She'd say we should use all the gifts we have honed,
Look back and see all the wisdom we've sown.
Yes, I say we let this one be..
Close her up now, and set her rhymes free!

He sat down beside me, this tired old man.
I'll tell you his story the best that I can.
He called me his "angel" as he hung down his head.
His soft voice whispered, "Wake me up when I'm dead.

It's your time to take me and my time to go.
I've been here ready a long time, you know.
Years now alone as I lay in my bed.
Take me, please take; I've nothing to dread.

There are many dear memories that play in my head.
Too long without them with words gone unsaid.
Years now alone as I lay in my bed,
So please take me now and wake me when dead.

I can see things so clearly as I start my flight,
And as I pass through that shining bright light.
When all the life in me has taken its flight,
Please wake me up when I'm dead.

First shake me gently and wipe away tears;
No more worries and absent all fears.
I want to tend roses in what lies ahead;
I trust you now angel, wake me when dead.

Yes, wake me up gently; don't let me sleep!
The baggage I've carried is heavy and deep.
I don't expect halos to circle my head,
But, please, don't forget to wake me when dead.

Let me see kindness in every new face;
I'd like to feel welcome in my new space
Surround me with all of the dear ones I've missed.
Have them all greet me with hugs and a kiss.

Blot out the memories too hurtful to bare.
Wipe my slate clean as I take in new air.
I'm so very anxious to see what lies ahead.
Please now, I beg you, wake me when dead."

I sat there beside him as he seemed to sleep -
No one to hold him, no one to weep.
"I will be with you," I said, "to the end.
"I am no angel, but you are my friend."

Just moments later, he reached out his hand;
Someone had met him and taken his hand.
And as a sweet smile appeared on his face,
I knew he was happy now in his new place.

(C) K. Hicks