Roses from yesterday have almost wilted away
But our friendship will never end.
The years may go by; the years may fade away
But we'll always make amends.

          If the tides of change should bring us together again
          We'll reminisce about the past
          Retrieving the memories long since forgotten.
          This moment won't be the last.

                    Just remember the times we share together
                    And the times that we're apart.
                    Hope that we'll never lose each other
                    When we're lost in the dark.

The flower greets the new day with
   petals opening to the summer breeze.
Innocent is the flower whose
   petals are envied by all others.

The flower stands alone with
   petals welcoming bird and insect.
It is the mother and father whose
   petals fly away with the children to play.

The warm summer breeze lifting these
   petals higher and farther than ever before.
They are helpless and must rely
   on the warm breeze to carry them.

Soon, the petals begin to lose color,
   They begin to fade and fall
Towards the earth again
   Where birth and death unite.

Across the crowded room I see her there
With bright blue eyes and golden hair.
The light shines on her delicate face.
Gazing at her, my heart quickens its pace.

I plan to ask her out on the town
Hoping my appearance won't let me down.

Turning to the barkeep I order a drink,
Trying to recall that missing link.
I dab on cologne that will make her adore me,
Grabbing a notepad jotting a few lines of poetry.

"Please come with me to my house on the shore
Where we could wine and dine forever more.
To greater heights our lives will ascent,
Loving each other till the end."

I turn around and notice she's not there
But I catch another giving me a wide-eyed stare.

She has hair like Medusa and a drooping face
Coming this way making a feverish chase.
I retreat to my position hoping she'll go away
Sipping my drink my body starts to sway.

I glance in the mirror that hangs on the wall
And see that monster nearly eight feet tall!

There she remains with eyes glowing red.
I wish this was a dream; laying in my bed.
I twist just slightly to see if she's truly that size.
I realize I'm staring into those sparkling blue eyes.

Choking, I wash down the remains of my drink,
Stunned by the beauty of the woman in mink.

I stagger to my feet adjusting my silk-laden tie
Thinking of giving it one more desperate try.
She gives me her hand and I kiss it gently
Hoping this moment will last for eternity.

I stare at her face and something's not right.
I assume it's the room dimmed with the light.

She snatches my hand, whispering, "Let's go for a walk."
I state, "It's too cold, lets stay and talk."
She rambles on that if I come,, she'll give me more.
More of what? I begin to think, following her through the door.

I grab my coat, heading out into the night.
The cool air sending an ice-chilling fright
Throughout my bones with an endless hunger.
This woman's presence forever lingers.

Startled! I hear a hissing noise that sounds familiar
Of snakes that I remember quite particular.

When I first saw that lady monster just before,
It reminded me of some ancient folklore.
Abruptly I stop, thinking it my imagination.
Facing her, she stares with such fascination.

Displaying that face and hell-sheering laughter!
I try evading the gaze, can't escape from her.

Suddenly, I feel an agonizing pain in my feet
And peer down, astonished, they're cemented to the street!
How could this happen to a guy like me?
This is not the night I hoped it would be.

"Unbelievable!", shrieking as the rock forms up my leg.

Looking up at Medusa I start to beg,

Now aware that I could do nothing else

But stand here changing into a statue of myself.

I've had many dreams
Of the person I wanted to be,
But they say, "Stick to your heart,
And don't change a thing."

It's hard to live up to something
When you know it has to change.
I cry at the thought of losing myself
In life's precious game.

If I win or lose it doesn't matter.
They say, "It's how you play the game."
The rules are made up as you go along,
And each day is never the same.

What happens when the game has ended
And your body's laid to rest?
All you do is pick up the pieces
And start the game again.

Moonlit shadows dance upon the water's edge
Searching for a place to call home.
They've lost their way
Slowly moving here and there,
Living in a state of unrest.

Born each night, only to be devoured
by the morning sun.
They accept this fate
For they are shadows of the night.

Moving helplessly across the water
Never reaching where they need to be.
They cannot escape the moon's might grasp.
So here they remain,

                      Shadows of the Night.

They hold us back and tear us apart
Treating us like rats in a maze.
We can run but cannot hide
Freedom lost in the haze.

No escape from the tyranny above
No key to open the door below.
If we're lucky to see the light of day
Then I'll show you the way to go.

   You've got to turn your head.
   You've got to open your eyes.
   And search for the answer
   That runs deep inside.
   Once the pain is gone
   It should come as no surprise
   That if you want to live
   You've got to open your eyes.

Chaining us up, no chance of escape,
Prisoners within ourselves.
We try to run, and try to lie
From the truth that lays inside.

This truth whether good or bad
Must rise to the surface if we're to live.
Because in the end all we have
Is the love we give and receive.