She loves to puff
On clove cigarettes
The flavor she savors
In-between hacks

All the while chewing
Juicy Fruit gum
The one combination
That helps with doldrums

Daringly dangerous
This life on the edge
Chewing Juicy Fruit gum
While smoking Clove cigarettes

Love is Brave
Love is Strong
Awaits the day
Till you come along
Ready to get
The best of us
Love is great
At the ambush

Love is Strong
Love is Brave
Love gives the best
Of itself away
Any given night
Any given day
That's the way love is
Without say

Love is Brave
Love is Strong
But will not stay
Where it don't belong
Gravitates
To what it knows
Love will go
Where love will grow

Love is Strong
Love is Brave
Love will always have
The last say
Over what to give
Over what to take
Love is Strong
Love is Brave

I've got an idea
I'm pretty sure will work
Let's all pitch in together
And ruin everything we touch

We'll start off quite haphazardly
With the world we live in
Taking to task our best to trash
The air, the sea, the land

We'll take what nature's given us
In the finest we could eat
Then add chemicals at intervals
Nah, just pour it in quickly

We'll all choose sides to live by
And base it all on love
Then learn to hate those in our way
That do not think like us

We'll ruin our relationships
With technology of the day
Doing all we can with phone in hand
Instead of dealing face to face

We'll start murdering the innocent
And call it all a choice
It's much easier to do away with them
When they don't have a voice

We'll pick up guns and call it fun
Then start shooting everyone
Then complain whose to blame
Till again nothing gets done

We'll even give it a shot tossing in our lot
Being our own gods
Pull moral compass out point it due South
As we all get lost

Of course it's just an idea
Of ruining everything we touch
As long as we start with what we're good at
What could possibly go wrong

If there's a lie
To be told
I'll tell it by
This old fishing hole

About the size
Of my latest catch
And how it broke
My steel cast net

And how I jumped
In the water deep
To not let it
Get the best of me

Wrestling that fish
Up to the shore
About the size
Of a compact car

And then when
The whole town came out
Where I fed them all
Hand to mouth

They had their fill
And enough to save
Another meal
For another day

I insist
All this went on
The other day
By the fishing hole

Most everyday
It's what I do
To tell the truth
Would I lie to you

We take pills for this
Pills for that
To help us smile
Make us laugh

Pills we feel
We need desperately
To wake us up
To help us sleep

These we keep
Within easy reach
Pinks and Blues
Reds, Yellows, Greens

Some need pills
If you ask me
To help in the realm
Of personality

There're pills to battle
Hunger pangs
Raise and lower
Our heart rates

Pills we think
We think we need
To keep away
The latest disease  

Pills to counter
Sides effects
Until we have
No effects left

When did we
All come to be
A bunch of zombified
Pill popping freaks

Ever since I was a child
I've done nothing but collect and save
The problem now, I've found out
After a while it gets in the way

If you don't learn to toss
When in the task of take
You end up with much more than this
Then struggle with the give away

There's a difference with what you think
And what you truly need
This fine thin line has thickened over time
And now has me lost in the weeds

The hunger was innocent enough
Until hoarding ate me like its last meal
As the cherub on my shoulder stood up and took over
Saying that it's no big deal

It's good to have a hobby
After all we all collect
But when what you have gets out of hand
You then tend to land on regret

So, if you are much like me
And most others in this mix
Drop what you've got, like it's hot
And run like H.E. double hockey sticks

there's a circle
we're all in
properly called
influence

rubbing on
rubbing off
inner feelings
outer thoughts

moving through
this time in life
bringing others
to our side

holding tight
to reasons why
they are wrong
and we are right

in this circle
of influence
we all find
ourselves in

The turkey's on
Old man Johnson's farm
All wised up this year

Logging on
To Amazon
Round about mid November

With Halloween out of the way
They were bound to save
On the items they would need

Which worked out great
Cause all they could afford to pay
Was in scratched up chicken feed

The pigs helped in
The ordering
As it's a well known fact

That being turkey's
They're always in a hurry
And ain't nobody got time for that

They saved up extra seed
For quick delivery
When you're on the cliffs edge dancing

Coming down to it
This being life or death
There's no need to take chances

In the nick of time
The package arrived
And not a day too late

The fateful day
Known to our hero's as shake and bake
November 28th

On that morning when
Old man Johnson then
With ax in hand stepped outside

Where he tried to think
Had he ever seen
So many cows in his life

In between the moo's
He heard a gobble or two
Which in itself is very strange

Plus the Amazon bill
For umpteenth costume cows
He just can't quite explain

what you now hold
is a simple poem
with simple words
to help it along

as it makes its way
to simply state
less is more
in what it has to say

no long-drawn-out lines
have been slipped in
or tangled meanings
in which to trip

with rhymes that have
been simply kept
open to
pure simpleness

simple enough
in its plan
this simple poem
held in your hand

I once met a man in the Land of Plenty
Who made it a point, to give free advice
With do as I say, for it to go your way
When it comes to living out this life

Don't say that you won't when it comes to hope
Do your best to get as close as you can to the fire
Don't dare pass up the slightest chance for love
Remember, the ladder of success doesn't always take you higher

Lend to those you know can't pay you back
Always smile with no reason why
Cross every bridge you can but never with a match
Have the innocence of a child in your day to day life

Start off every morning with rejoicing
At another chance to get it right
With you and the Lord being of one accord
Stand up for those in the throes of a fight

Find a field you can lay on your back in
Then take the time to count the stars at night
Go barefoot in the sand every chance you can
Don't worry about always being right

Said the man in the Land of Plenty
Where he had plenty of good advice
I took it to heart to do my part
When it comes to living out this life

Take my shovel
From out the shed
Going to try by best
To bury my past

The hole must be
At least six feet deep
Don't want it coming back
And haunting me

I pick a spot
I seldom cross
Not marking the grave
In hopes it gets lost

I feel the less
That I step foot
Lessens the chance
Of it coming back up

When all is done
And all is said
I hang the shovel
Back in the shed
And do my best
To forget the past

I know I owe
An apology
To the masses
And powers that be
For the slew
Of many things
That come out my mouth
Quite regularly

I need to say
That I’m sorry
For my past, present
And future deeds
And that somehow, someway
That wasn’t me
But clear as day
It’s easy to see

This apology
Straight from me
I give to all
Sincerely
I’ll try and slow the flow
That flows freely
From both mind and mouth
Quite regularly

I used to think the Hobo
Had no idea in sight
Just how hard he had it
In this, his downtrodden life
But lately, the more I see
The more I think he's right
When all he has is his  backpack
To grapple with in life

And here I am with heavy hand
Holding tight the possessions I own
If I only had an ounce courage
To up and let it go
As I sit inside with dim lit mind
This box I call a home
The Hobo that knows more than me
Is out there free to roam

I thought I held all the answers
Told me by society
But never once did question
What it had done to me
The more you have the harder it is
To ever try and give away
So came the wisdom of the Hobo
I met on the street today

We need someone new
To lie to
Someone who
Hasn't a clue
We've run out of options
When it comes to fools
Need a new plan
A new set of rules

Running low on dumb
To follow along
Never once question
What's going on
This mental shake down
Is only half done
This, do as we say
Then move on along

Done our very best
At this major quest
To blindfold the masses
Till there's not a soul left
Empty their pockets
While we fill their heads
With our share of nonsense
With the nonsense we have

A part of life
That I don’t get
Is why people drink
And smoke cigarettes

They often say
It’s an acquired taste
Watching them
All waste away

Rough and tumble
Stumble about
Ordering round
After foolish round

Missing out
Losing score
On what they did
The night before

While holding court
On looking dumb
Coughing up
Another lung

How may say
It’s an acquired taste
As they shake
And bake away

If it were
All up to me
They wouldn’t smoke
Wouldn’t drink

I talk too much
When things get rough
It's all apart
Of my nervousness

Where you're bound to find
I hide behind
More than a few
Misquoted lines

It's how I make
My great escape
From giving my
True self away

All this in spite
Of what I'm like
A country kid
That's kind of shy

With this crutch
That talks too much
To try and hide
His nervousness

If I somehow found out I had only a mouth
Things would quickly tumble South
With no brain to refrain
All the nonsense gushing out

Or what good would be sight if I only had eyes
To gaze out in wonder
Seeing the signs then paying no mind
To one thing or another

What about ears if all I did was hear
But never really listened
To the laughter and cries of other lives
Would I know what I was missing

And then again if I only had hands
Would they know to reach out and touch
Or would they only lie by my wanting side
Never once knowing love

I need all my parts for this work of art
To keep it all in motion
To make any sense out of any of this
Key to my emotions

My 20's were fairly forgiving
For the abuse I put them through
And believe you me there were plenty
Of times I tried to pull the wool

And then, the 30's set in
With their share of aches and pains
It doesn't take a detective
To see that I'm the main one to blame

Then wouldn't you know, 40 grabbed hold
And beat me with a crooked stick
After years and years of hard living
You'd think by now I'd be used to it

50 made its way to the stage in a rage
Wondering at what I had done
A familiar groan to these old bones
Reminding me when invincibility was young

Alas now here in my 60's
Popping Advil like it was candy
With pain sprays and creams in case there's a need
Close by my side where it's handy

Yes, the 20's were fairly forgiving
And with me not being much help
If I had known that I'd live this long
I would have taken better care of myself

But then again...

I just received a letter from PETA
And boy are they ever MAD
Seems the Chicken, I was finger lickin'
Turned out instead, to be a Rat

Must have called the 1-800 number
And started singing like a Stool Pigeon
With the flapping of wings along with the beak
To any who cared to give it a listen

Which brings me back to the letter
I received of cease and desist
Not really sure, who they think they are
but me being a carnivore
Know my rights and won't put up with this

It held all the usual jargon
About Lawyers, Lawsuits, and such
I have no idea what all the fuss is
In having a Chicken over for lunch

So let me tell you people from PETA
Don't get your knickers all up in a twist
If you've never tried, a thing deep Southern fried
Then you don't know, what life truly is

if a still small voice gave you a choice
and set it before you
which way would you move
in the choice you choose
the wisdom of the old
or innocence of youth
feel free to tell the truth
what do you think you'd do

would you take your own sweet time
to sit and think on it
or jump at the very chance
the first chance you get
would you make up your mind
with the time that's left
to live in your decision
with or without regret

who out of you
with this challenge met
would it behoove
to see the world as it truly is
in the shadow of the old
with ancient secrets kept
or a bout of innocence
where youth learn to accept

Listen up now people
I've got something here to say
Don't let your TDS
Stand in place of your day to day

You may not want to hear
But this here is the truth
All that you think you think you know
All you hold dear to you

Was on its way down in flames
And not a thing that you could do
It's time you stopped placing blame
Living with these Biden Blues

When you've lost all your money
And not a penny you could show
At the end of four years running
With two more months to go

We're trying our best to hold out
Before this ship goes down in flames
Leaving out little doubt
Just who this crew can blame

In the nick of time, we figured out
It's time to give this clown the boot
There's no way we'd make another round
Living with these Biden Blues

I have all my neighbors wondering
Just what is going on
As I've double lined my windows
With Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil

After years of intense research
Not placing the horse before the cart
The indoor controlled environment
Must be dry and dark,
for a successful Dust Bunny farm

I've filled the house/farm with furniture
Where this particular breed loves to hide
Removed all brooms and swifter's
So as not to cause a fright

Raising the highest of quality
All my Bunnies are free range
To tell the truth it wouldn't do
To keep them in a cage

The only time they're ever touched
By white gloved human hands
Is when I separate them
As gently as I can

I don't dare break up the families
They're all pack in the same box
All with a touch of tender love
And the needed pinch of dust

I ship my Bunnies far and wide
Oh, and the shipping's free!
To where you reside so they can hide
And raise their family

You can look over your shoulder
And dream the left behind
As you continue growing older
Another place, another time

How many are stuck in I wish I may
Hoping once again I might
Find the youthful days they gave away
Another place, another time

When bowing to the throne of the good old
Many fail to turn on the light
Where years from now all they'll think about
Another place, another time

It's hard to be happy in ignorance
With the memories we've left behind
In both heart and head those loved and left
Another place, another time

If we had an inkling to do it all again
We still wouldn't get it right
And yet dream of rewriting our history
Another place, another time

whenever i find i'm bored in life
i like to count my toes
starting with the pinky
then back and forth across the row

i count the line one at a time
or sometimes double up
if feeling spry i multiply
but with that wish me luck

i might even do 2 by 2
if in a hurry to get through
you never know when counting toes
in which direction it will go

that's why i find when bored with life
i take off my shoes and socks
wiggling my tootsies
then tippy toe across the row,
counting all the toes i've got

Thought that I was strong enough
To not break down and cry
This world is full of long hello's
As well as fast goodbyes

I may know the how
But never know the why
This is meant to haunt
Me throughout this life

When I got the call
We all seem to hate
Where they all tend to stall
As well as hesitate

Wish that I had known
But find that I'm too late
To try and test the steady grip
On the relentless hand of fate

That day they chose for you
A suit of bitter blue
I know that you would rather have had
A very different view

Than the one, death forced on
The moment you were caught
A once vibrant life, stuck inside
A felt lined wooden box

To have your Mom and Dad
Sitting down in front
Both kicked in the head
With the pain of sucker punched

I feel that it's not right
For a parent to lose a child
I pray each day I never have
To ever find that out

With heavy sigh I've found that I
Will never be strong enough
To not break down and cry
And all of it because

I can clearly see the how
But never know the why
This world is full of long hello’s
As well as fast goodbyes

With some packing the bags
Others folding the tent
My best guess is
It just wasn’t meant

Loud and proud crowds
At what just occurred
Leaves behind little doubt
A nation undeterred

As the spotlight grows dim
On these demented clowns
Glad to be rid of them
When this circus leaves town

Woke in their wake
Not a one taking blame
In the pointing of fingers
Every which way

It’s hard to balance the high wire
When you’re this blind to the truth
With nary a soul
Daring to support you

As they roll the last credits
With the sun going down
We no longer need to fret it
When this circus leaves town

Not sure I want to know
Or even want to be
Privy to this party
That's churning underneath

Somethings bout to blow
I feel it coming on
No longer is a secret
For those in the know

Doesn't take a giant leap
These details in the deed
Stamped, for your eyes only
This conspiracy

What's the matter now
Is what's the matter then
And yet we still can't figure out
To take it on the chin

It's all a part of life
This harbinger of death
Would you like that extra dry
Or will you take it wet

All those in the know
And those that tend to be
Privy to this party
That's churning underneath

I hide behind these walls
So I don’t know at all
What I do not see
Has less chance of hurting me

I might burn a few
Bridges, one or two
Leaving me no need
Of looking behind me

I cover up my ears
So I don’t have to hear
Words spoken true
When spoken to

Close tight both my eyes
Hoping to lose sight
Of the things they do
That I myself do too

Having little doubt
I keep an open mouth
That clearly runs away
With what I have to say

What comes to light
You are bound to find
Through all of this
Sadly, a closed off mind

I swear at one time
I was a fun loving guy
Why, you can call home
And ask my wife

She’ll say about me
The life of the party
The cats meow
Along with bees knees

A fun loving boy
This bundle of joy
In the lampshade brigade
I was self employed

Quick with a smile
Before I found out
What they’ve tried to hide
What life’s all about

If you only knew
This once fun loving dude
Why, just ask my wife
She’ll tell you the truth

From the moment I was born
I was deemed terminal
And in keep with any known disease
If not kept in check, will get the best of me

The day the doctor slapped my rear
And said boy, get on out of here
I’m sure you’ll do just fine
With this crazy thing called life

And that’s exactly what this young kid did
Running the streets and loving it
Live it like there ain’t no cure
Love life like it’s terminal

The only thing to put a stop to it
Is the day you’re declared dead
No time for the bitter pill of sorrow
Live life like there’s no tomorrow

I do believe they might be right
Today is the first day of the rest of your life
So when you’re told that you should live
Do your best to make the best of it

Laugh and love, smile and hug
Like you never have enough
Live it like there ain’t no cure
Love life like it’s terminal

When it comes to choices
Deep down to the roots
I will still spin the color wheel
On the choice that I choose
Dealing with daily cravings
There's no need to regroup
On the choices I'd be making
My life would choose the blues

Evaluate the situation
Try and adjust my mood
Fold the flag I have been waving
Go for something new
Try and stall these afterthoughts
Continually on the move
Thinking things, I ought not
My life chooses the blues

From one end to the other
I set this ship on cruise
If I could choose another
We all know what I would do
If it weren't for red and yellow
I would have no clue
Being a simple fellow
Whose life would choose the blues

I am a page
Inside a dusty book

Easy to read
Line by line
But a whole paragraph
Might blow your mind

Part tear stained
Definitely dog eared

Easily able
To put me down
Knowing where I am at
When you come back around

I am a page
With lots to say

At times
I make perfect sense
But on that front
You still take a chance

Coffee stained
Slightly torn page

Many flaws
But easy to see
Through it all
Well worth the read

This Old World
Want's control
Of your feeble mind
Body and soul
Tempts you with
What it doles
Has it out for those
In this Old World

Plants a seed
Of want and greed
Makes you think
Of things you need
That will make
You more happy
Than you ever thought
You could be

This Old World
Like no other
Want's to be
Your only lover
Blinds your mind
Body and soul
Before you know
In this Old World

how many times
have i fallen in
make it back to the edge
to do it all again
a valuable trait
this beneficial lesson
if nothing else
i've learned how to swim

how many times
have i tried to fly
with my head in the clouds
fogging up my mind
it's easy to dream
but hard to hold on tight
a beneficial lesson
is to keep your eyes on the prize

how many times
have i been against the ropes
beaten up, beaten down
with a ways to go
a beneficial lesson
given in this spurt of growth
never give in, never give out
never give up hope

While one tends to ramble
The other clearly babbles
As we watch four lips flap in the wind

In the pursuit of this and that
Seriously, don't make me laugh
They keep on talking out both ends

Quickly drawing to a close
One that only the good Lord knows
I'm calling out the shape of the day as bent

Serving fries or serving lies
Fool us once, why not twice
Could the media please call in Clark Kent

It's going to take a Superman
To get this ship back on dry land
Without a worldwide major event

As the one keeps rambling
With the other babbling
There's no telling how we'll get out of this

Let's talk about
How this world spins round
Funny as it seems
Crazy as it sounds
It's not too hard
To try and figure out
We're in full tilt
And quickly heading South

People running round
Over here and over there
With no earthly idea
Of who, what, when, or where
Not a single clue
Or a daily care
Anyways who told you
That this life was fair

On top this big blue ball
That we bounce about
Moving side to side
Jumping up and down
Being far too many
Times to ever count
As we talk about
How this world spins round

We're all born into exploring
Some take a lifetime to find what they're looking for
Some find it fast, but it never lasts
When no one I know keeps perfect score

Hiking through a mountain of problems
Deep in the jungle of their minds
Some hit the valley, rock bottom
Then never dare to try and climb

Some claim an ocean of adventure
Setting sail the day they are born
Never once showing an ounce of fear
As they venture out on their own

Not knowing what lays ahead of us
From one day to the next
Take the time that you have, adding to it
We never are promised the time we have left

We're all born into exploring
Each and every day a quest
With no earthly way of knowing
When or where we'll be lead next

she writes little notes
of hopes and promises
then proceeds to leave them around

cause you never know
which way fortune blows
and by whom they may be found

you never know by chance
the circumstance
of what others are going through

and how the simplest thing
like a note could bring
one from the end of their rope

knee deep in her plight
she continues to write
little notes of hopes and promises

to leave them around
where they may be found
by those who need a lift

a reminder of hopes and promises...

Where do I turn
When I'm turned around
Then back again
Too many times to count

Where do I go
From the short end of the rope
Frayed I'm afraid
I still hold onto hope

Where do I land
In the midst of demands
Emersed headfirst
According to plans

Where do I take
The bulk of my mistakes
Brought up enough
Where they get in the way

Where do I glue
Myself to
In the scheme of things
Just to make it through

Where after all
In the hit and miss
Do I place my faith
In all of this

How many folks do you know who own a wheelbarrow
That fill it with all kinds of stuff
Who so often tarry with the things that they carry
Keeping the bad while passing good

Ready and willing with a shovel
To dig deep parts of their past
Most often best forgotten
Are the ones that seem to last

Filled to the till with burdens
Leaning hard to one side
All the time thinking it's worth it
Breaking their backs trying to survive

If they could they'd dump this heavy load
And not look back, just keep on moving
Walking hands free down freedoms road
But what do they keep on doing

These folks you know with their wheelbarrows
Continue filling it up with all kinds of stuff
Who so often tarry with the load that they carry
Keeping the bad while passing up on the good

Thinking back to the time
Of nineteen seventy-five
Slick as spit
Truly alive
Mountains of hope
Star studded dreams
Held tight the belief
There wasn't a thing
This bunch of rag tags
Could not achieve

Made it our lot
Over the top
Had what we grabbed
Before we were caught
Dreams seem to fade
At a high cost
Thicken the plot
Like it or not
Never prepared
For such a loss

How many have died
Since nineteen seventy-five
The board on the wall
Is there to remind
Some lasted for years
Others cut in their prime
When their worst fear
Stepped up to their side
Only to find
Death's not very kind

Fame riding fortune
Felt we were bound
That is till our star
Hit solid ground
Say what you will
About dreams of youth
They're greatly needed
To pull you through
Not a thing now to hide
Nineteen seventy-five

if you ask me
out of the blue
i know no thoughts
i have no clue
about what all
i'm supposed to do

at any given time

after all
i've hemmed and hawed
kicked the can
but that's not all
empty handed
dropped the ball

at any given time

i've moved beyond
the does and don'ts
straight into
my needs and want's
just happy that
i've yet been caught

at any given time

We all come to the table equal
Then proceed to lay out our cards
I'll see your pain and sorrow
And raise you my regrets and scars

Tossing chips out on the table
Most bring more than they can afford
Hiding our hands till forced to show them
Afraid to let on who we really are

To say that life is a gamble
Is an understatement at best
A loaded gun with pearl handle
A chamber filled with blanks

Those that bluff the best, get ahead
That sounds much better than a lie
After all aren't we all a mess
Hoping against hope that no one finds

The few cards we hold up our sleeves
When in desperate need of an easy way out
Before we get into this too deep
And can't find a way to bet our way out

I've done my best, yet
Still made a mess
Who would have figured
Who could have guessed
That this would be
Another failed attempt
Of taking
The High Road

Who doesn't know
It's an uphill climb
Morning, noon
On through the night
Try as I might
Time after time
Of taking
The High Road

I must confide
This I, me, mine
Gets in the way
To wrong my rights
Keeps me away
From reaching heights
Of taking
The High Road

I tend to go
The way of hope
In what I see
In all I know
I pray the day
It will be so
That we'll all take
The High Road

I once had compassion
A love ever lasting
Now here I am asking
What have I become

I gave into pressure
Thinking that I knew better
Thought I had all the answers
What have I done

Now I'm left with this needing
To where life once had meaning
In my younger days dreaming
I had a good run

With back against the wall
Took my eye off the ball
Deep, this feeling of loss
At what I have done

When told of this day
Too late I'm afraid
This bed I have made
What have I become

life is hard
on your own
that's why i don't
go it alone
that doesn't mean
that I am weak
God just knows
what's good for me
he's had a hand
in who I am
from the start
to the end
he loves my soul
holds my heart
because he knows
life is hard

Remember when life was easy
When it wasn’t all that hard
Now we struggle keeping up with the Joneses
And wonder if the Smiths are who they say they are

That was before we thought we needed
All they told us that we did
I’m to the point where they can keep it
This surely is no way to live

That’s when you say don’t call me Shirley
As we both chuckle over that
The only thing that keeps us going
Is the fact we still can laugh

Remember when Penny candy
Cost a penny and nothing more
And we were happy with one piece
Before greed yanked ******* our cord

Simpler ways, simpler days
We were simply happier then
Before we made the mistake
Of them telling us what we had to have

Back then when life was easy
When it really wasn’t all that hard
Now we struggle to keep up with the Joneses
And wonder if the Smiths are who they say they are