I watched my Daddy drink
Until he drank himself to death
Now my children look at me
And wonder if I'm next

Some people learn from others
In the mistakes that they have made
Some pull back the covers
And choose the same tired way

Could it be that it is easier
To follow the well-worn path
Less stress yet a lot more dirt
To talk about in the end

I saw it all but never listened
To my own heart felt advice
No matter how often it was given
Paid no attention to the signs

Some call it out as a curse
Passed from one generation to the next
The only thing that could be worse
Is to have this dropped in my children's laps

As they watch their Daddy drink
Until I drink myself to death
Can't stand the way they look at me
Wondering how much time I have left

I complain about the way
There's a break in society
How their fall after all
Brings about a desperate need
A change of heart and change of plan
Needs to be readily seen
When the truth makes dry land
This looks a lot like me

A rebellious soul will take its toll
Keeping you from being free
Shackled to the worst of it all
All because of how you lean
Having no boundaries to your surroundings
It's not that easy for you to leave
With these facts I wasn't counting
This looks a lot like me

I've heard it said it's hard to see
The whole forest for the trees
Or the lies over time
That tend to lie just beneath
With a clouded one-way mirror
Whose reflection do you see
Couldn't be any clearer
This looks a lot like me

You do what you can
Your best to try and save
But with the little that is left
The Gov comes and takes it all away

He knows just what he wants
Sees all that you have
Well, bless my soul don't let go
Cause he wants even that

He'll twist and bend until you break
Or at least until you bruise
To top it off you have no say
What his bags of tricks preforms on you  

You work yourself to the bone
Day after grueling day
When the Gov comes along
And takes all away

After all you scrimp and save
Everything you save and scrimp
I'm not sure in the midst of this
It's what the Government

This I find
This I know
A lot in life
Comes and goes

Here one minute
Gone the next
Smack dab in it
Nothing left

Just when you
Get used to it
Disappears
Up and splits

Leave it all
Far behind
Sayonara
Till next time

This I know
This I find
Things come and go
A lot in life

take time out
to move around
try and find
what life's about
to move in faith
that of a child
the best of days
that you're allowed

take time out
to wow the crowd
there is still joy
to be found
all you need do
is to look around
change your mood
when in doubt

take time out
to hear the sounds
and the sights
that really count
with open eyes
and heart laid out
all this and more
when you take time out

I close my eyes for the last time
And take my final breath
My soul shoots straight up through the sky
With every ounce of strength that I have left

I turn around in the nick of time
To see my friends and family left bereft
A sad reminder of my life
As I turn and face what lays ahead

The loving pull that's guiding me
Leaving life's worries behind in its wake
In elation I find I can finally see
All that awaits me for Heaven's sake

Soon to be on bended knee
Eternity to sing and praise
My Lord, my God, my Loving King
As I arrive at Heaven's Gate

I'm welcomed in with open arms
Name written in the Book of Life
Reminded again, How Great Thou Art
Forever more, no constraints of time

With eternity set before me
I'll never cease to always find
God can't help but to love me
All because of the faithfulness of Jesus Christ

here i am
a speck of sand
in a cloud of dust
blown on the wind

like many souls
that i know
back and forth
with little control

without a say
throughout the day
blown in haste
as we make our way

in a crowd
finding out
in a spin
losing count

specks of dust
chipped in rust
as old age settles
in on us

Bless their souls, out of control
Pray for the Prodigal
Lost their way straight out of the gate
How far down they don't even know

Caught up in this cruel captivating world
Making promises it never keeps
A place for the lost, heart, mind, and soul
With forever thoughts of being free

Once safe in the fold, now out on their own
With every direction a dead end
Living the life, they thought would be high
But how low can you go my friend

You get what you get in this live and let live
But take heed and be forewarned
By those who know the score that have been here before
Messengers sent from the Lord

Who desperately warn of things to come
In hopes that they'll see the light
And turn from the sin that is dragging them in
To the jaws of the serpent that bites

Lost in their way straight out of the gate
How far down they don't even know
God bless the souls that are out of control
Pray for the Prodigal

You won't see me
On bended knee
Bowing down
To any king

Without much thought
I play the part
Of resistance
On my Facebook

I cruise control
Tik Tok videos
Supply the need
For those to know

Once they peruse
My brand of truth
Then they too
Will lose some screws

I do my part
To boycott
Unless it's stores
I shop a lot

Stand strong, stay tuned
There's more to do
From the comfort of
My living room

I'll raise my fist
Beat my chest
After I've had lunch
But not before my nap

Because I play a part
Without much thought
Of resistance
On my Facebook

this life can be
both bitter and sweet
all depends on
which side you lean
while there are some
who know to run free
when it comes to
bitter and sweet

i believe there's a need
for both bitter and sweet
if it wasn't for bitter
how sweet would sweet be
would we even know
which part to keep
if we were not shown
both bitter and sweet

some people are keen
on bitter not sweet
others prefer
the sweetness of sweet
take what they're given
in any given situation
bitter or sweet
both of their own making

If there's anything that I forget
It's most everything I do
Unaware of what I'm doing here
The moment I walk into a room

There had to be a purpose
Before all this went down
Again, the game of "Rack the Brain"
As I dumbfoundingly look around

Or in the middle of a sentence
As conversations flow
My thoughts tend to slip, going down with the ship
Flushed out of sight from my mind's toilet bowl

Here one minute, gone the next
These random thoughts inside my head
To the point of no return
Took a chance, up and fled

And when it comes to names and numbers
I struggle at times to remember mine
With less memory than my mother
Who, bless her soul is pushing ninety-five

When it comes to memory
I forget most everything I do
Unaware of what I'm even doing here
Is pretty much the general rule

Have you got TikTok Rot
Head in a constant spin
Telling you their brand of truth
As you nod along, with a goofy grin

Have you got TikTok Rot
Finger in a constant swipe
Can’t find your way to concentrate
While they infiltrate your mind

Have you got TikTok Rot
Eyes in a constant shift
Before you know it you’re all out of focus
With the foolishness, they put in your head

Have you got TikTok Rot
Constant in your drooling
Where all you know is what you’ve been told
No idea of what you’re doing

Have you got TikTok Rot
In a constant state of panic
On the edge of certain death
If they were to ban it

Have you got TikTok Rot
Hey Buddy, what’s that smell
It’s all the rot inside TikTok
A generation stumbling over themselves

Do you find you're easily triggered
On a daily basis
Before you know your head explodes
At any given situation

Has the store of thought in which you shop
Sold you a bill of goods
When offered paper or plastic
Would you like more trash or less woods

With every pull of the trigger
Comes a stern warning
Karen get your gun
Your fragile world is crumbling

You find your day to day doesn't go your way
When you view the nightly news
As of late you're more afraid
Of what you perceive in front of you

Screaming from the roof tops
With the coming storm so clear
You do your best to warn the whole lot
But no one seems to really care

With every pull of the trigger
Comes a stern warning
Karen get your gun
Your fragile world is crumbling

fingers serve a purpose
in case you didn't know
the one you tend to point with
also picks your nose

the pinky at times digs deeply
removing wax so you can hear
is dainty at tea parties
holding itself aloof up in the air

with its next-door neighbor
who says...put a ring on it
men in this could care less
but women live, breath, and want it

and let's not leave out the middle
who lashes out in anger
when of course you add the voice
the faster the finger gets there

as an added feature
there's the thumb that tags along
helping you to get there
be it somewhere else or back home

so, use your fingers wisely
and they'll reciprocate
keeping them close to you for ready use
to easily display from your pocket safe

...because you never really know these days
when you might perchance need a good wave

I often wonder why
God choose to use his people
To give it the old college try
In getting his message across
We are his church
And over there's the steeple
You know it's got to hurt
To watch as we get lost

It's true that he foreknew
That we would be a problem
A crowd without a clue
Lost world filled with sheep
Here I am
Wondering all of this out loud
In the questioning
Of why on earth would God choose me

When he says go out
And kindly love your neighbor
Without a single doubt
A very noble thing to do
Not being as easy
As it may seem on the outside
Believe you me
It's harder than it looks

Being in our nature
To bite the hand that feeds you
I would like to wager
God is the perfect of cook
My best guess is
God knows what he is doing
Life is a risk
That's why we have the good book

Here's the facts and nothing but the facts
We don't know what we're doing
We'd rather sit back, relax
Instead of out there winning souls
We are his church
All underneath one steeple
If it doesn't hurt
We've yet to pay the cost

Call this guessing but if we laid our weapons
Down and just gave up
Would those we hurt do in return
And chalk it up as love

Someone has to be humble enough
To admit that they were wrong
It would help in light for both sides
To try and get along

Hard to deny when it's pride
Holding us back and yet
We hesitate to do and say
The way we know is best

We spend our time on opposite sides
Staring our so-called enemies down
As life takes its toll on what we're told
Waiting for it to come back around

In hopes that we don't really need
To be taught a valuable lesson
That the stronger ones are first to lay down their guns
But then again, I might only be guessing

If it were up to me
I’d do things differently
For war there’d be no need
We’d all live in peace

We’d learned to love our neighbors
Do each other favors
All change our behavior
Not a one would be a hater

If it were up to me
There’d be no disease
No catastrophes
The air we breath would be clean

We’d go out of our way
To try and make each other‘s day
Give away more than we take
Love each other for heavens sake

If it were up to me
We would all be free
Fill each other’s needs
If it were all up to me

My daddy loved the Loblolly Pine
Always there to help remind
Him of his innocent childhood days
How in a breeze those tall trees would gently sway

My daddy above everything else
Loved the sweet scent of the Loblolly smell
It was well understood every chance he could
He'd drop what he was doing and head for the woods

My daddy spent the best of times
Living out his life with the Loblolly Pine
That is why we buried him beneath
The high shifting shade of his favorite tree

After all this time I feel that I
Have a need to apologize
For all the abuse I've put through
This worn-out weary body of mine

First and foremost, to say the least
Apologies to my aching feet and knees
For the pounding I give on a daily base
Across miles and miles of cold concrete

I find I owe it to my eyes
That lay inside these sunken sockets
The lack of sleep they get with me
On toss and turn nights, each time I've fought it

And this smile you see with fewer teeth
I also owe an apology
For putting them through nightly grinds
When all they've done is trust in me

These bent arthritic calloused hands
My hope is they both understand
I'm sorry for the abuse I've put them through
And promise to use lotion, even though I'm a man

Before all is done and all is said
To this brain inside my aching head
What little matter there is left
I'm sorry for all the wrong thoughts I've had

I could go to infinity and beyond
Naming the abuse, from day one I've brought on
But ain't nobody got time for that
And hey, anyways...I'm not yet done

I grew up with the classics
As far as monsters go
From Frankenstein to his scary bride
Boris Karloff and crew running the show

Where gypsies spoke of Wolfmen
Giving young kids a scare
In the dead of night living in black and white
Lon Chany Jr. covered in hair

And who could forget The Creature
From the deep dark black lagoon
Where we heard Julie Adams scream all in 3D
In Florida's backyard swimming pools

The horror we had as innocent lads
Were these monsters on T.V.
Dracula wanting to **** our blood
Played by the ever so scary, Bela Lugosi

Back then who knew we had a slew
Of true monsters on the block
It wasn't the shock of the scare we had to beware
But when they left us alone with our own thoughts

Now all they have is the art of the slash
Who do they think they're kidding
Back in the day were true monsters on display
Scaring the bejeebees out of us kids in the 50's

there are those we know
that come and go
in a crowd
or all alone

in the blinding tic
of a mila-sec
or the drawn out drag
of hold on a minute

there are those we know
on a tight rope
above the crowd
doing their best to cope

when the winds of change
come their way
all they know to do
is swing and sway

there are those we know
in time, froze
where they grasp the past
and don't let go

holding onto it
in pieces and bits
hoping the good old days
never quit

wonder where
it all went
the days we had
the time we spent
in living life
the way it's meant
the best of times
I wish we'd kept

but alas
it moves so fast
strides by at first
without a catch
holding to
the simple fact
all you have
never lasts

it comes on hard
this age of old
never warned
seldom told
the course could run
where it would fold
in on itself
these days of old

It's time for me
To leave this world behind

Hold me tight
Hold me tight

Not to keep me here
But more for a steady flight

Hold me tight
Hold me tight

And that your memory of me
Is that I was kind

Hold me tight
Hold me tight

Long after I've gone
To the other side

Hold me tight
Hold me tight

In your daily thoughts
And prayers at night

Hold me tight
Hold me tight

All the wrongs I brought
May they be made right

Hold me tight
Hold me tight

As I take my last breath
And let out a final sigh

Hold me tight
And say goodbye

they say you can't
you know you can
lot's you can do
with little left
they throw a no
you catch a yes
give it a go
full steam ahead

they hold you back
every chance they have
they see you smile
they'll have none of that
you're told lose hope
resistance met
give it a go
full steam ahead

for your own good
they know what's best
it's understood
you do what's said
tossed to and fro
with steady hand
give it a go
full steam ahead

always hoping that we find
things will always work out right
while the forces in this life
tell us to go fly a kite

eventually you find this out
it's easy peasy to lose count
standing outside of the crowd
filling you with all this doubt

fingers crossed in the process
different outcome, bring it on
still with all of your precautions
again, the short end of the wishbone

both sides of the tracks
green grass is what you lack
come to think of it as a matter of fact
you try your best but just can't

somewhere or another you once read
how to avoid the mess of stress
that lies in waiting up ahead
saying something about death

fingers crossed in the process
different outcome, bring it on
still with all of your precautions
again, the short end of the wishbone

I know that you and I
Come from opposite sides
While you have kept to the left
I still side with the right

May I make a simple suggestion
Without further ado or long-drawn-out questions
If we could be a little less fickle
Maybe both meet in the middle

Try somehow to hash it out
Not sooner or later but here and now
Not give way to the same mistakes
In this constant persist of give and take

Meet in the middle and hug it out
No marking of tallies or keeping of count
Setting what differences, we have aside
Stand firm on the ground with the common we find

With all the signs that you and I
Come from completely opposite sides
You to the left, me to the right
Can't we come together and end this frivolous fight

Those not in the know, might call me wonderful
Those that have never lived with me
If you only scratch the surface, you might think I'm perfect
Those that really know, have had enough of me

Those without a clue think there's nothing I can't do
I just hope that they don't dive too deep
You can ask my mother who might say with a slight stutter
She thinks there might be something wrong with me

Those that I just meet might think differently of me
Than those that have known me over time
The less that we hang out the less you figure out
Most of the time I'm walking a thin line

If I hang too long around, I might wear my welcome out
This without a doubt there's no denying
Those that don't know me might believe anything they see
With all of this I only wish that I was lying

why do you keep on running
are you not yet tired
of this continuous searching
for your inner child

and once it is you find him
what then
will that bring you closer
to the position you wish you were in

will that take you to the place
that you need to be
setting you on the course
of finally being free

how many years has it been
now that you've lost count
since you've been without
your missing inner child

the wicked heart of man
keeps straddling the fence
playing to both sides
until the day it up and dies

always talking out
both sides of its mouth
quick with a compliment
while slandering the next instant

the wicked heart of man
does everything it can
to promote itself
down the pathway straight to hell

fickle as a hurricane
has no problem dropping names
likes to be in the limelight
hides its sins in the dead of night

the wicked heart of man
includes in its plans
everything it can do wrong
entices you to sing along

moves to its own beat
makes you believe it's make belief
all this because it can
...the wicked heart of man

souvenirs
hold memories
hooked on chains
clipped on keys
lovingly kept
shinny objects
hoping to
never forget
reasons why
we hold dear
the love we have
for souvenirs
hung up to dry
on our fridge
sometimes sad
it's all that's left
the memories
we collect
till there are no
souvenirs left

Certain things my dad said round me
I still remember to this day
Like when he'd ask how much is the cheese
In turn the waitress would say

Why it's only ten cents sir
Would you like to add a slice
You could see his eyes spin as the notion kicked in
I've never paid that price for a slice of cheese in my life!

Years later when I order a burger
And they ask me if I care for cheese
Just like my dad I ask with a tightening in my chest
Finding it hard to breath

Coming in at well over a dollar
I have visions of dad spinning in his grave
If he wasn't already dead this would be the camels back
That sends him on his way

I find I have time to ****
Without much thought, I probably will
No need for weapons, I'll do it my way
I'm bound to waste time in my day to day

You have to be wise with your time
You can't sneak up on it the way it does on you
It can quickly pass away before your very eyes
As you sit there surprised at how fast it flew

Just when you find you have the time
It runs away in due
You try and get on with your life
But time restraints have hold of you

I still feel I have time to ****
Maybe not now but later I will
I carry no weapons with me per say
Still bound to waste it all along the way

How many are there
I'd say a lot
Trying hard
To beat the clock
What I know
From what I'm told
There's no way
To not grow old

Globs of lotion
Piles of pills
Living high
Off endorphin thrills
Jog yourself
Around the block
Hum your mantra
Holding healing rocks

**** the fat
Or slice the knife
Two wrongs don't
Make it right
The only way
I'm afraid
Is to lie
About your age

See if this makes any sense
There're people here you can't convince
That they are wrong, and you are right
In changing minds and picking sides

They, like you are standing firm
No need to preach on lessons learned
You will surely not convince
Amongst the screams and beating chests

You can point straight to the lies
Coming from the other side
Drawing from the crowd's blank stare
Bright headlights to a dumbfounded deer

Laying out the hardened facts
Concrete walls that never crack
Not until a crisis comes
Will their eyes open up

But do you sit and save your breath
Or try your best to convince
In a world where there's a need
Blatantly convincing

For everything I've ever done
Or about to do
Every attitude
I continually exude
Every high and mighty
Clearly on display
Every single time
I have wanted it my way
The many bouts I've had
Of my selfishness
I'm asking here and now
Kindly for, forgiveness

For this wall of silence
I have sadly built
All the clashes that I've had
An endless battle of my will
The many times I've lied
Shaving off the truth
This lion mane of pride
I so quickly let fly loose
Everything that I have kept
Nothing more, nothing less
I'm asking here and now
Kindly for, forgiveness

This Gravy Train is pulling out of the station
Leaving the freeloaders behind
It's never too late to erase mistakes in the making
Saving the taxpayer a whole lot of dimes

Got it all wrong when they stayed too long
Inside of their gambling car
They've wasted our dues to the point they don't
Have any more wishes to throw at the stars

That's what you get with the Government
And not a soul that you know to take blame
They call it a gift when it's our money spent
As we happily wave bye, bye, to The Gravy Train

In this life of do or die
Could we put it all aside
The senselessness of difference
Between you and I

Have you see the things I see
Are not haphazard crazily
What it looks like from my side
As you’ve been led to believe

Can I do the same for you
Take hate and turn it loose
Do all I can to understand
Exactly what you’re going through

Could we put it all aside
The difference between you and I
Holding hands with less demand
There is no telling what we’ll find

If we put it all aside…

how many are trapped
with the thoughts that we have
not caring to venture
beyond what's been said

take it as gospel
from those we don't know
gossip and slander
the stirring of souls

a boat with no sail
caught up in the wave
no conviction or will
just do as they say

minds and mouths move
with the pulling of strings
the slightest of tugs
makes us dance and sing

seems we were born
for this circus of sorts
kissing the ring
of those that hold court

particular pawns
in this peculiar game
is there a way to opt out
or are we...Too Late

Out to lunch this judgmental bunch
At this pressure point in time
Raising our hands to gladly condemn
Those not of the same frame of mind

Quick with the pointing of fingers
Ready with the unsteady hand
How easily we forget to remember
Every last one of us I'd say are the same

We just go about things differently
When saying who's right and condemning who's wrong
We all could be judged-mentally
With no place to sit or foot to stand on

Before you jump on the bus to just fuss and cuss
Remove the plank from your eye
To see clear enough what your brother does
Before you judge what, you do in kind

Out to lunch this judgmental bunch
At this pressure point in time
Raising our hands to gladly condemn
Those not of the same frame of mind

Here I am beside myself
And find it rather strange
Similar in appearance
Nervous twitch, bogus name

Carrying the same baggage
AKA tasche briefcase
Emotional out of control
The state we’re in as of late

Walking on a thin line
Both without a clue
Of when and where we got here
What he and me seem to do

This out of body experience
Who is who it’s hard to tell
None of this makes much sense
When I’m beside myself

Seems like every corner
These days there's a sign
Held tight by the hopeless
Can you spare a dime

How many empty haunted eyes
Do we pass each day
With no way to stem the tide
Zombies on display

Looking for direction
The directionless
Times of no conviction
Life a hit or miss

I should not have to wonder
About what I should know
Looking for the answers
To where is all the hope

Grandparents raising children
Abandoned by their kids
If years ago, you would have asked them
Would they have thought to guess this

That this would be their life
Same with the ***** mother
With a family of five
Expecting soon another

Or the young family
That struggles to make ends meet
Living in a beat-up car
On a dead-end street

I should not have to wonder
About what I should know
Looking for the answers
To where is all the hope

I'm finding it hard these days
To watch loved one's fade
Once strong and vibrant spirits
Looking for a way to escape

Leaving behind the mark
That runs forever deep
It's just a fact when there's little left
All that you have are the memories

I tend to find I'm not far behind
Before long, I'll follow suit
Where it'll be me that's has the need
In bed instead of those I knew

As life goes round in circles
Not caring who it claims
Puts no thought into most it all
Then turns and takes none of the blame

That's why I find it difficult
As we gather by bedsides
Waiting for the last exhale
Being the final attempt at goodbye

See you on the other side...

I'm pretty much up for this
Fairly down with that
Waiting for Sunday
To give it a rest

Fast forward in motion
On the move on the go
Will I ever learn
It's okay to say no

How much more can I take
As good as anyone's guess
Waiting for Sunday
To give it a rest

Running in place
Tired on my feet
If I had known
Would I be in this deep

On this spinning wheel
Ready to wreak
Waiting for Sunday
For a much-needed rest

It all starts off simple enough
All it takes is just one puff
Before you careen down the road to extreme
Every single addict knows what I mean

It won't hurt a bit to take a sip
You might even get to liking it
Before you know you're full fledge in the throe
Of the one place you swore you'd never go

It might start off as a prayer request
Have you heard about, you won't believe this
Both gossip and slander can be a heavy load
Don't take the road of what you don't know

There are times we might need to relax
But more often than not it becomes laziness
Expecting others to carry your load
Take responsibility for all that you owe

At all times be on your guard
It's easy to fool a wanting heart
Like a roaring lion Satan wants complete control
Ready to devour your soul

Don't give the Devil a foothold

haven't seen it in the movies
never read it in a book
and if you don't believe me
feel free to take a look

isn't plastered on a billboard
high above the boulevard
neither have I seen it
written in the stars

it never once made an appearance
on the channel MTV
or a show with Jacques Cousteau
at the bottom ocean deep

never felt it in the wind
or the chill inside my bones
rolling up a hill
or in a crowd alone

isn't poured out from a bottle
with a *****-top or a cork
though sometimes when it's spoon fed
you can eat it with a fork

what it is I'm trying to find
either will or won't
be the perfect line
on which to end this poem

Little Bobby Norton
Disappeared that cold Winters night
No one saw it coming
But none were that surprised

There had always been the rumors
Floating round these parts for years
Still nothing does hit harder
Than a womans desperate tears

Rumors from the children
Spoke of haunted woods just past dusk
And the thing about little Bobby
Is he'd always been curious

The town brought in the trackers
Who showed up with hound dogs
Bringing assurance to the masses
They'd stop at no cost

With underlying whispers
They'd bring him back dead or alive
Spent the night looking for clues
Hoping for some sort of sign...

As I tell this story
Fourteen years have long gone past
They never did find Bobby
And sadly, he wasn't the last

You hear every so often
Another kid does not come home
Yet no one goes out searching
They've found it's best if left alone

All the parents can do is try
But sometimes it's not enough
Cause just like little Bobby Norton
Some kids are just curious

If I only knew...
This would be my last day
Here on this solid ground
Before I go away

If I only knew...
This was our last kiss
Would this moment be
Any different than this

If I only knew...
What tomorrow brings
Would it change my attitude
On most everything

If I only knew...
Or at least had a clue
Would I try and think twice
On all that I do

If I only knew...
A question so often asked
Would I follow through
Or again let it pass

If I only knew...

if you never hear the other side
of the argument
how do you expect to turn the tide
on those you suppose are listening

if you stay inside your bubble
underneath moss covered stone
the ideas you live with
will eventually die with you alone

if you take your crooked fingers
and jam them in your ears
you have made it clear
that you refuse to hear

how can i try and simplify
that ignorance is bliss
and you my friend are blissfully ignorant
if you play a part in this

if the direction that you choose
begs from you an ounce of truth
with dead-end sign in plain sight
it might be you that has no clue

and all because you refuse
to see beyond the hate in you