Forgive me, please--
I ran away
I couldn't stay
where I was despised.
I had no idea
how cruel she was
to you.
I thought
she lavished you with love,
all the love she
denied me.
I wish I had known.
I would have taken you with me,
taken custody,
and run away,
pushing you
in that big
teal bicycle wheel
stroller
you loved to thrill ride in,
screaming with delight
when, running at full speed,
I took the earthen ramp that
made you fly, and as soon as we touched down
squeal,
"Again!"

Or we could have escaped when
I used to toss you
high in the air, and catch you,
if, just once, an angel
would have come to our
rescue and caught you up,
and then me,
and flown us far away to Hawaii,
where we would have lived
very happily
while you grew up,
knowing every day
that you are loved,
unconditionally,
and safe,
protected by your
daddy elephant
from the icy blasts of indifference
and all harm.
Daddy elephant's big ears
are always listening
to the whispers
of your heart
and our hearts
would have understood
and respected
each others feelings,
fears, wants and needs.
We'd never need to fight
we'd say just what we felt
and be unafraid
to talk about anything.

In some cultures
they believe that
everything you imagine
is real.
In that spirit
and with all the love
I couldn't express,
I give you now the childhood
you dream of,
may you feel it
and know
it is true.

I've got too many questions and not enough answers.
Have you got some wisdom to share?
I'm far out at sea, no wind's blowing for me.
I'll take any truth you can spare.

"Three points of contact! Cover your bases!
Hedge all your bets, but shoot for the stars!
Follow your dream, but remember your zip code!
Keep some of it liquid--invest in gold bars!"

Wherever I look and whoever I ask,
Their words only lead me astray.
There must be a wise man, a really old wise man,
Who truly can show me the way.

Tossing and turning, sleep now eludes me.
I get up to wash off my face.
Stumbling into the bathroom, I flip on the light switch,
and the mirror blows up in my face.

There stands an old guy in the mirror before me!
Where is the face that was mine?
The wrinkled old guy looking back from my eyes
Says in my voice, "You'll be fine!"

What can he mean? And who can he be?
And what's going on around here?
He says, "One more thing: you don't need to worry--
You really have nothing to fear!"

"But how do I know if I'm doing what's right?"
He says, "Trust your heart and your soul.
You're doing that now, just keep on without doubt!
You're well on your way to be whole."

"But what if it doesn't work out like I planned?"
What if my dreams go astray?"
"Then make your dreams bigger than ever before,
Plant seeds and stay out of the way."

"To harness the power that's waiting to help you,
Feel free to dream big and dream bold
What do you want most to give to the world?
That no one be homeless or cold?"

"Whatever you want to change in the world--
You can! Just start where you are.
Keep singing your song 'til a friend sings along
Go ahead and shoot for the stars!"

"The very best piece of advice I can give:
Find something that's near to God's heart,
Bring more love and kindness into the world,
She'll help you right from the start."

"Maybe Jesus was just a guy who was sure
that love could make the world better.
Of course he was right and it still seems to help,
until it comes down to the letter."

"Now it's your turn to shine," the wise man concluded.
"Don't think that you can't, 'cause you do.
Give all that you've got in that warm heart of yours,
You'll find that big dreams do come true!"

You say you love me baby
but you sure don't understand--
you say you love me baby,
but you just don't understand--
my love for you is stronger
than the lightning in God's hand.

You'll love me for a lifetime baby
or maybe even two,
yes, you'll love me for a lifetime, baby,
or maybe even two,
when the sun itself has burnt away
I'll still be loving you.

You think that you can quit me,
like a drunk can can quit his *****
you think that you can quit me, mama,
like a drunk can quit his *****,
you'll never do it, baby,
no one loves.you like I do.

Everybody's heard about those rose-colored glasses
the ones that make the world look sweet.
If I had to choose between roses and RayBans,
the roses would win in a heartbeat.

Whatever you look for is what you will find:
cold and dark or sunny and bright.
I'll take the rose lenses every time,
to see my world full of light..

God in the wind, the rain and snow,
God on high, and God below,
God with me, where'er I go,
God! God! God!

God in the cold, and God in the fire,
Burning away all base desire,
Setting all my soul afire,
God! God! God!

I sit in a chair
outside our front door
with a view
of the surrounding forest.
Flies buzz nearby,
birds chirp a little farther away; and
geese argue heatedly about something
at the neighbor's pond.
Someone is nailing something,
swinging a hammer hard.
I close my eyes,
taking it all in: 
flies, birds, geese, hammer, sunshine.

The rhythmic pounding goes first,
hammer slipping out
of my mental grasp,
then the geese fade away,
still arguing,
followed by the
flies,
birds,
sliding from my awareness
until
there's just
the silent sun
shining
on an empty chair.

comes the
time
when
mist
must
ask
with
delicate
tongue,
"please
whisper."