We let them take control of our lives
Without even questioning why
Accepting that with our needs being met
Never once felt the twist of the knife in our backs

At the time we turned a blind eye
As they all winked in sync with a crooked smile
Knowing once they gave some that we would want more
Under their thumb is now hard to ignore

At the time we thought it was fine
Trusting how they went and spent all our dimes
Knowing now full well it was all on themselves
Wining and dining while it all went to hell

They should have let this Sleeping Dog lie
Not only the bark but also the bite
Once we the people found out the truth
There's no turning back on what we should do

After all these many carnivore years
You can call it guilt or you can call it fear
I've made up my mind to decide
I'm going vegan this November time

So I broke down hard and read some books
Heard some tapes on what it took
From veggies steamed to veggies raw
From beans of green to yellow squash

As my nightly dreams were all filled with meat
I pushed back hard with collard greens
But still had no clue of what to do
With a turkey substitute

And that is when a friend came in
Who Tofu's the line at turkey time
So I read more books and heard more tapes
On Tofu fried, boiled, broiled, and baked

Opening up my kitchen to fine cuisine
Minus the best part...that being meat
As I promised myself I can make this work
My Tofurkey would be the finest in edible art

I had bought my Tofu by the pound
Lucky for me it is pliable
As I stretched and pulled and pulled and stretched
Until I had something that looked like a head

With my artistic abilities seriously in doubt
I'm pretty sure what I conjured was the head of a cow
So I pulled and stretched and stretched and pulled
No ones going to call me an abstract fool

As I bring to boil the 'Rodin' juices in me
And baste at my skills repeatedly
Where I come up with a turkey, giblets and all
And just for good measure I gobble a turkey call

Of course cooking the thing is another road and
I sadly lost Tofurkey 1, 2, 3 in the explosion
When 4 hit the score I invited my friends
Whose friendship with them will now take time to mend

Just because a turkey looks like a turkey, don't mean that it is
I'm now learning all this while I clean up the mess
As forks went to the mouths at the very same time
So did the retching along with the crying

But in a month they'll forget this entire sordid ordeal
When they get the invites for my Christmas holiday meal
With my time in the books and tapes I will spend
Looking forward to Christmas and a delicious soy bean ham

could we fall in love again
pretend we're newlyweds
side by side, holding hands
with the time that we have left

could we fall in love again
make it meaningful
raise what we had from the dead
bringing back the hope

could we fall in love again
follow those foot steps
live and let live on the mend
being the promise kept

could we fall in love again
like there is no tomorrow
leave behind the mistakes we've made
along with all the sorrow

could we fall in love again
in the frame of yesterday
make the effort, take the hint
let love have its way

could we fall in love again
start the day anew
follow through with the attempt
like two love sick fools

I've slipped and I've stumbled
Fallen all over myself
Butterfinger fumbled
Needing nobody's help
In life's wheeling and dealing
I've never dealt
Not sure I will ever win

I've tripped in mid-step
Misplaced my cape
Moved slightly left
When I should have gone straight
I'm the first at being early
To the art of being late
Not sure I will ever win

I've stepped out of line
Dug my own hole
Showing no signs
That I'll ever know
The in-between of day and night
In this out of control
Not sure I will ever win

Life
Is one detour after another

On this ride
From one end to the other

Where you find
All the mights and the may

Along the line
That life gets in the way

In the blink of an eye
It happens before you know it

The only sign
Is the moment that you're shown it

Where you find
One detour after another

In this life
From one end to the other

i just need pen
and paper in hand
to reach out for the stars

imagining
where i will land
is written in those stars

as the ink starts to swirl
out of this world
there and back again

no need to erase
this time and space
with pen and paper in hand

inside the minds eye
is where i go to write
relying on the word

to energize
taking to flight
across the universe

as rhyme runs its course
pointing due north
meeting and greeting all demands

i reach for the stars
through the poems open door
with pen and paper in hand

First they say do this, do that
When that's exactly what we did
Then they change what they just said
Up and down then round again

This is good, that is bad
More of this, less of that
This is bad, that is good
More or less misunderstood

Then they say not that, not this
Adding more onto the list
Stop it now avoid the crunch
The whole bunch is out to lunch

Do or don't be too surprised
As much as we all change our minds
If we knew the who's and why's
We'd all be running for our lives

once upon a time i knew
different friends as i passed through
and in turn they did too
in this wonder what became of you

never did we stay in touch
no reason why, just because
staying in touch wasn't so easily done
with the short goodbyes to the long gones

the older that i seem to get
the more my past that i regret
the friends i had that i left
i wonder now where they are at

and do they ever think of me
a soft spot in their memory
were they sad to see me leave
or did life go on with no skipped beats

all the people i once knew
passing time while passing through
i wonder if their thoughts runs loose
back to the me that they once knew

You bring the funyuns
I'll bring the french dip
The Diet Coke and
Large bag of cat nip

Aaron Carter's party tape
Your black light posters
My favorite cake that you bake
With the sprinkles all over

You bring the bling
I'll bang a gong
With T-Rex in the mix
But not that song

We'll turn the lights down
Turn the sound up
Dress like up-town
Eating hors d'oeuvres and fruit cups

Turn on the strobe light
Bring out the Skittles
We'll do this in Dixie
So you all can whistle

Hire us a band
In blue Leisure suits
With Jethro Tull's main man
To play the flute

Send in the clowns
Pockets stuffed with confetti
Wiener dogs from the pound
Pretty sure we're now ready

So send the invites
To family and friends
Come as you like
Let the party begin

Do as I say
Not as I do
What's good for me
Ain't necessarily for you

I am the one
Who makes the rules
I'll be the tool
You be the fool

What's good for this goose
No need to gander
Go on and meander
With birds of your feather

Because what I say
And what I do
Ain't quite the same
When it comes to you

So do what I say
And not what I do
Just stay under my thumb
As I make and break rules

It's funny how in life we have
All these expectations
Like we deserve the very best
Of the soup it's making

Reaching for the biggest spoon
Slurping a self righteous tune
It's how we eat, it's what we do
With mouths too full to think of you

It's funny how in life we see
Other people eating
It's only you, it's never me
With the bowl I'm keeping

Reaching for the biggest spoon
Continually it's nothing new
It's how we eat, it's what we do
In the slurping of life's soup

Burned by fire
Slain by sword
No calling higher
Than for the Lord

The prophets profit
Nothing here
But drawing those
Ever near

Thrown the stone
The lions lair
Being not their own
Tossing cares

The prophets profit
Beyond this time
For the other side
Eternal life

Shunned and shamed
Losing face
All for the sake
Of saving grace

The prophets profit
Saving souls
Filling dockets
For the Lord

giving up, giving out
giving all i have
every inch, every ounce
till there's nothing left

all the hints, all the doubt
all that has been said
teeny tiny, large amounts
placing all my bets

holding up, holding out
all that is allowed
just enough, not too much
standing solid ground

open windows, closing doors
shinny and un-kept
moving over, run for cover
till there's nothing left

Should have first kicked the tires
Checked underneath the hood
This lousy lot is full of liars
Too late to change my mind but would if I could

Guess we'll have to wait and see
How this vehicle runs its course
By then we may be in way too deep
...Buyers Remorse

I never doubted the constant commercials
Pointing me to the need of greed
A pearly white smile that spoke of hope
Up on blocks, covered in weeds

No more drive thru Happy Meals
All the buildings are closed
Never once thought it'd be that big a deal
...Buyers Remorse

A promise said ain't no promise kept
This cat now out of the bag
Is it me, he, or she out of our heads
Could someone please queue the laugh track

Cause no one in their right mind is laughing
Too late now to shut the door
Can't believe all this is happening
...Buyers remorse

I wear dark shades these days
To not give myself away
With every eye roll that I have
Over every little thing that's said

I gladly hide behind this mask
Every smirk and laugh I have
For the times where it counts
It even hides all the frowns

I play music in my ears
So the chit chat I don't hear
Nodding my head to the beat
Makes them think I'm listening

I'm thinking this is bases covered
Unless you come up with another
If you do please let me know
I'm pretty sure I'm not alone

Ring the bell for new beginnings
Ring it for the promise kept
Ring the bell for happy endings
Almost there but not quite yet

Ring the bell through cries of laughter
Ring the bell through tears of joy
Ring it loudly with the answer
Ring it high above the noise

Ring the bell in times of trouble
Ring it for both hope and fear
Ring it for the proud and humble
For those both far and near

Ring the bell in times of darkness
Ring it loudly in the light
Ring the bell for those who need rest
Ring it for the lost to find

Ring it through the streets and alleys
Ring the bell around the bend
From the mountains to the valleys
All the way up to the end

pick a subject
take a dip
pack a line
where it fits

clever, playful
ever bold
as you dabble
in the fold

move it, use it
shake the mat
make a list
slap the facts

tell it, sell it
mark it sold
looky, looky
it's a poem

He rolled out of bed
Switched on the internet
To the dark web
Where secrets are kept

Unhappy with life
And his slice of the pie
Has a shelf full of trophies
So he doesn't know why

What he planed to do
Was join in a group
As unhappy as him
With the same bad attitude

They complained as they typed
Typed and complained
No one had a real answer
But all faulted the man

They decided to riot
A peaceful protest
Burn a few buildings
Cause social unrest

With the camera's rolling
The stage is all set
End time bells tolling
For the government

Out fighting fascists
These fascists in drag
All that they are
Is all they're against

Left in their leanings
Don't dare get in the way
Of the secrets they're keeping
This modern day KKK

With the breaking of words
The bending of truth
It's just what they do
Rebels without a clue

Where in a dog fight
Dogs don't care who they bite
In the succession of barks
They should have seen all the signs

When the dust finally settles
And the smoke has all cleared
Our untimely hero's
Will be the ones that they fear

This once was a mighty ship
Majesty of the high seas
With a people well equipped
To fill in when felt the need

Often times when waters rise
Worried minds, starboard to stern
Where innocence goes to die
Lessons lived not often learned

Comes the age of reckoning
Pirating the ship at bay
No need to sing, God save the queen
When she no longer has a say

Over time ill equipped
In a world that switched from sail to steam
Where power takes more than it gives
In the wake that it leaves

Mighty once this sinking ship
Pounded by todays angry waves
Is this any way to live
Floating on top your own grave

When it comes to me
It's fairly easy to see
There's not a whole lot
To my wants or my needs

Take what you like
Love it or hate it
You'll find overtime
My life's uncomplicated

Doesn't take one to know
I'm not the best in show
Though ready and willing
Steady in flow

Be it in the giving
Or the undertaken
I'm making a living
Uncomplicated

There's too much going on
To want to join in
Wherever life's going
Or wherever it's been

No need to kick back
And proclaim that I've made it
Just accept the fact that
My life's uncomplicated

I have this Coin here in my pocket
That I pull out when there's a need
If I told you it was magic
At that point would you believe

It's been passed down from generations
Hand to hand, smooth and bright
A ceremony few have witnessed
And now the Coin is mine

I don't abuse the Coins good fortune
Wishing for that which money can buy
There's so much more that is important
That the Coin's used for in life

The Coin warms up in my pocket
When I get close to where I best can serve
Fulfilling the Coins purpose
In a simple action or kind word

Is the Coin really magic
Or just a reminder to do what's right
Do you have a Coin in your pocket
That you count on like I do mine

When I am old and gray like my Father
I will pass the Coin to the next in line
So it will continue to bring forth justice
To those less fortunate than you and I

If you're looking for the answers
About to come undone
You know you take your chances
If you do it without love

If the hate inside you festers
Until your heart is raw
If all the love has left here
Who is left to sing its song

You can try and seek forgiveness
From those on the other side
But with God as your witness
Love will never be denied

You can blame the sin of man
For that's exactly what it is
When Satan plays the upper hand
On how we interact

You can move out from the here and now
Into another relm
You can take a class to show you how
Pay attention where you can

But unless you convince the others
That it's the perfect move
You will never find another
To join in love with you

Everyone in town knows
Philmont is a mad scientist
It's not his little hunchback buddy
Or the crazy smocks in which he's always dressed

It's not the lighting clouds over his house
Or the strange sounds from which his basement grew
No, it's not any of those things
That gives the town it's clue

It's not all of the darkened birds
That hang out on his fence
Or his subscription to Weird Science Weekly
And on what experiments his time is spent

Not even when things always turn up missing
Down at the local graveyard
No, it's the 'HONK' if you love Mad Scientists sticker
On the bumper of his car

Turn me on, I'm a radio
Spin my dial straight to Rock & Roll
Cranking up the volume, smoke um if you got um
Vibrating deep to both the heart and soul

Starting with the 60's in case you haven't heard
Music brought the doctor with the rocking cure
To the blues that ailed me, wasn't hard to sell me
Once the boys from L.A. opened up The Doors

Feel free to turn the dial now to the 70's
Keep the volume loud ya'll as pretty as you please
Pushing all my buttons cause every song says something
In this age of Rock & Roll discovery

I'll even crank the 80's as the ladies stare
At the men in makeup with the crazed teased hair
From Bowie down to Poison and all the other chosen  
Now let's slip into the 90's if you dare

With the volume up we're now all screaming grudge
With me it's all Rock & Roll so who am I to judge
It'll take years for me to land once I tasted Pearl Jam
All I've got to say is thank you very much

For turning me on cause I'm a radio
Spinning my dial fast and furious straight to Rock & Roll
Smoke um if you got um while cranking up the volume
Vibrating deep to both the heart and soul

Why is it, we as a people
Continue fighting Black and White
Instead of truth and justice
Between the wrong and right

To many of us wearing
A righteous crown of thrones
What we need to value
Washed out by the storm

Could we not see it coming
Blinded by our pride
Are we not  brothers and sisters
The same color on the inside

Is it to much to ask
That we all get along
And not judge each other brother
By the color in which we're born

Then perhaps, we as a people
Will not see the world in Black and White
And every day embrace the grey
In a world that's color blind

making this all up as i go
from one end to the other
any wild guess is as good as the rest
if you never blow your cover

sailing away with a straight face
without a soul being the wiser
what i don't know i fake it in tow
while majoring in the minor

this slight of hand is all i have
being slightly out of mind
making it up as fast as i can
balancing on this wobbly line

...called life

When time and space
Makes a mistake
And spins out of control

***** in its wonka
Who would have thunka
Only those in the know

Beam me up Scottie
The hottest of toddy's
So I can propose a toast

Here's to the days
We used to say
We did but now we don't

Wearing a cape
In the form of escape
As superhero lore goes

Up, up, and away
Before it's too late
What's coming nobody knows

In this space and time
To late to rewind
And spins out of control

i hold to a few different views
from more than a few of you
be them false or be them true
after all they're all my views

there are times that i might find
i view my views through different light
never hold your views you view so tight
that you can't find to change your mind

cause you too have a set of views
that bend and mold the shape of you
still we misconstrue our stated views
in what we say and do
and in how we hold our views

the time that's in between us
i've added it all up
doesn't take a genius
to see that it is love

love minus zero
gives nothing away
time loves a hero
erasing mistakes made

the root of all that's possible
leaves nothing to hide
takes out the division
multiplying on both sides

calculating what's before us
problems can be solved
doesn't take a genius
to see it adds up to love

Drunk Daddy
Went and beat us kids again last night
We try and stay out of his way
But that's hard to do most times

He lets loose when he's in the mood
And he's in the mood more times than not
Drunk Daddy
Beats us kids a lot

Drunk Daddy
What did me and ***** do
Or say to make you hate
And us afraid of you

We've not told a soul so no one knows
With our best this secret's kept
Drunk Daddy
Can't you see that we're just kids

Drunk Daddy
One day I will fight back
Give him his own medicine
When all is done and said

He won't know what hit him
Out of the blue without a clue
Drunk Daddy
If it's the last thing that I do

I'm making it all up as I go
From one end to the other
One wild guess is as good as the rest
If you don't blow your cover

Making my way with poker face
Without a soul the wiser around
What I don't know you know that I fake
With one in every crowd

I sometimes have a slight of hand
Being overly slight of mind
Making it all up on the go on demand
Is how I'm making through this life

all that we do
all that we've done
we tend to lose
in the power of us

what often looks right
turns out all wrong
try as hard as we might
the opposite of God

what we find to do
is nothing new
under the sun
with this attitude

something gets lost
in this battle hard fought
the entire lot
the opposite of God

even the love
we know nothing of
with strong hints of greed
of what's in it for me

everyday we find
our signals are crossed
red handed we're caught
the opposite of God

do we not see that we are blind
hear how deaf we are
no patience or time to sign on the dotted line
yet still reaching for the golden star

can we not take the things we see
off of the spinning wheel
set the colors in need this side of free
giving them time to heal

let the character of a man
speak up for itself
where the blind and deaf can completely understand
the cost of what this is all about

needing to break down societies boxes
that over the years they've put us in
dearly has that cost us
where not a soul can be who they're meant

we need to take a moment
step back from the edge and breathe
where the deaf can hear the crying
and the blind can finally see

Something happens to a man
The moment he escapes death
Changing his whole attitude
In the way he thinks, in the things he do

An epiphany knocks him to his knees
Moves him over to a new reality
What was important then to what's important now
Is never the same when he finds this out

When Deaths hand loses its grip and slips
Never will he go back to where he was at
Because when a man escapes death
It turns him around and changes all of his plans

Some people dream of the future
Some people pause button the past
Me I'd rather be where I now see my feet
Firmly where I'm at with no need to guess

And where I am at is right now
In the thick of it, present at best
Not trying to mess with the why's or the hows
What I should have said or what's not happened yet

Focus on the moment I'm in
Not the used to be or the can't wait to see
The here and now is now where I am
And I'll tell you right now that's plenty for me

So feel free to dream of the future
Pause button all you want on the past
But me I'd rather be where you now see me
Firmly where I now am with no need to guess

I look at you in amazement
In astonishment you look at me
Hardly seeing eye to eye
Yet distrust what we both see

Complaining as we moan and groan
Holding out what little is left of hope
No slide or slip on our death grip
Until the cows come home

Both bringing in a monkey wrench
To this argument of arguments
Up to the end we still have no plan
To get out all these dents

This cruising for a bruising
In our daily doings that we're using
The problems is in all of this
We hold out no solution

And what good is it all
If it can't be solved
Both sides always on the phone
But neither placing the needed call

As I don't trust you in all you do
And you certainly don't trust me
Neither side seeing eye to eye
And if we could we would distrust what we see

have you yet guessed that
everything is pointless
from the way we've done this
to the way we do that
deep in conversations
secrets that we've all kept
waving of the hands and
blowing of the kisses

from the thoughts that we have
to the ones we're making
all are pointless at best
hear now what i'm saying
with no more and no less
in the things we're craving
from the spreading of lies
to the days behaving

making less than sense is
senseless don't you know
all of it is pointless
trading needs for wants
when we do what we do
far more oft than not
until the day that we're through
do you get my point

Mind if I ask you a question
When did the government become your god
The one who you bow down to
Without a clue as you bobble head nod

With the promises of lifetime prosperity
While filling its collection plate up
Doesn't take a whole lot of faith
All I can say is I wish you good luck

As your gods power and greed indeed runs deep
Something the congregation should know
Taking you for all that you're worth
Leaving you little with no lasting hope

With its prophets of daily false promises
Lining the city streets
Holding up signs of the end times
Unless your god (the government) divinely intervenes

Making it hard to tell is this heaven or hell
Which side does your god stand on
Depends on the moment to whether they own it
And how far wrong they can spin it along

You're living a life of illusion
Religiously delusional at best
Which has me beg this question again
When did your god become the government

I don't know why
I did what I did
I don't know why
I kept my feelings hid
I don't know why
Excuses need be made
But I do know why
All these thoughts have stayed

I don't know why
My mind lingers on the past
I don't know why
I can't let go what I left
I don't know why
I struggle like I do
But I do know why
It's so hard to accept the truth

I don't know why
I can't figure this life out
I don't know why
I'm always filled with doubt
I don't know why
This mountain I can't move
But I do know why
I can't get over you

we both share
in everything we do
from being nuts
to getting *******

from the white rabbit
in the top hat
we share the knife
to skin the cat

we beat the drum
in time to keep
neither one of us
from skipping beat

we share the day
we share the night
from darkened ways
to paths of light

you do that little
thing you do
to tell the truth
i do it too

we both share
in truth or dare
to tell the truth
we always share

scissors paper
we've got it all
toss the rock
and watch it roll

we hold the left
to what is right
both pulling strings
while flying kites

i hold the book
you turn the page
the end must come
but not today

but when it does
we both will share
the simple fact
we're outta here

Might have started in a lab of mad scientists
Or a basement in a know nothing town
Your guess is as good as anyone's guess
If there's anyone left around

What was needed was a change of direction
A little action with a wag of the dog
A wave of the hand with the hand of distraction
A little turn of the head, bend over and cough

So they called in the experts are so they thought
No one ever checked their resumes
In all the hustle and bustle something got lost
Along with the souls they all gave away

Not realizing they had created a monster
One that was soon out of control
And it was that monster this time that set things on fire
Not out of need but out of selfish want

A little too late to turn back the clock
A little too late to call it all quits
A little too late to say they made a mistake
Can we have a do-over on all this craziness

Be it early or late outside the starting gate
These ****** tunes should have known it'd be trouble
Hold on tight all you like, your new friend Frankenstein
Is about to burst all of your bubbles

It's always late when I get home
Working my fingers down to the bone
With my wife asleep in the tattered arm chair
And the kids already deep into their nightmares

It's hard to survive these bitter days
A few cents above this minimum wage
Doing it all just to afford
At the end of it all a six foot hole

Cause the little I have and the little I make
Is barely enough to keep the wolves at bay
Poor as dirt like nobody's biz
The part that hurts worse is passing it on the the kids

A country that's free shouldn't have all these chains
And a family tree shouldn't have nooses to hang
Battles are won and battles are lost
Poverty's best if it never is caught

Believe you me it's a bitter diseases
Gives more away than it could ever keep
You'd think all this I would know by now
As my days match their way continuing South

With daily reminders of not much can be done
Living this life under the thumb
I'll continue to live this day to day
Spending my dime with the pennies I make

All the while being kept deeply in debt
Where I used to tread is now over my head

Do you remember this
Do you remember that
The forest for the trees
Fields of knee high grass

A sun that always shined
Through the bluest of bluest skies
When all of it we saw
Through the clearest of clearest eyes

The many running streams
That sparkled crystal clear
Pushing and pulling Autumn leaves
Like a master puppeteer

As children danced and played
To the tunes that birds would sing
With no need to hide away
From most everything we see

Where the cares we had were few
And peace was plentiful
Where those who could would do
All they could do to help

Where milk and honey flowed
From land to shinning sea
The days we all held hope
The days we all felt free

Seems like not so long ago
So close to yesterday
If we had only known
Would we have let progress have its way

if you find yourself fresh out of love
and there, decide to give it up
i have plenty, more than enough
and will gladly give you all i've got

if your day to day gets hard to face
and you feel you need to hide away
be it early, be it late
i'll be that secret place

if you find you need somewhere to fall
i'll be the arms to catch it all
never again will you be lost
to always have to hold

What If...

The soldiers of the world
All at the very same time
Laid down their mighty weapons
And refused to fight
Walked off of the killing fields
To make their way back home
As the world stood by and watched
Would we then all get along

What If...

Those who preached of hate
Suddenly shut their mouths
Turning from the hatred in their hearts
To find what true love is all about
Would it make a difference
In how you loved those around
Would it make a difference
In how you loved yourself

What If...

All the leaders of the world
Came together for one day
Locked themselves inside a room
With their adviser's out of the way
Could they see each other with value
And become the best of friends
Seeing it's not just a country after all
But a world that we live in

What If...

with one disaster after another
hang on tight for the wild ride
this loopy loop that we go through
with all its dips and most its dives

no need in guessing what's next to happen
this dog that bites in broad daylight
don't let what's left catch you napping
or it might mush your mangled mind

storms blow through tighting up the noose
makes it harder to breath with each passing breeze
mother nature it's true has bi-polar moods
that keeps us all knocking our knobbly knees  

never do we know what she's going to throw
this winch with a wrench into the mix
when her dastardly don'ts are masterfully done
the only thing left on her list is continue to kick

out one disaster after another
as we all hang tight for the wildest of rides
in this loopy loop we all go through
with all of its dips and most of its dive

I ask myself quite often
What would Jesus say and do
When half the world is crazy
The other half unglued
Would he not show them mercy
Love and tenderness
Yet at the same time say leave this world behind
And never sin again

I ask myself quite often
What would Jesus do and say
In any given situation
Daily that I face
If under attack would he snap back
If he didn't get his way
Don't it make you wonder
What would Jesus do and say

I'm pretty sure I know this
What would Jesus say and do
He'd step back a moment
And contemplate the truth
He'd tell me just where he stands
And that I should do the same
I guess I already know what I should do
And like Jesus, what I should say