Can we try for this moment
To let our thoughts run wild
Peel back the many layers
Take that which we have found

Free ourselves from the circumstance
Of life making demands
Get back that which we've not seen since
We let go the guiding hand

Don't focus on the failures
Which offers little hope
Set aside the part of life
That leaves no room for growth

What's past is past, we can't go back
Plow full steam ahead
And all act to accept that fact
With the little time that we have left

Make the best of our situation
With every judgement being sound
Peel back the many layers
Take that which we have found

And put it all to good use
Helping our fellow humans out
Standing true to what we need to,
help us survive the here and now

Do we treat life like a Magic 8 Ball
Questioning randomly
Answers that we hope will appear
Most definitely

If it's not the one, we base it all on
Do we shake up our surroundings
With 8 Ball in hand, we tend to go it alone
But hey, who's really counting

We'd all like life to say yes
Turning it over out of the blue
As our run of luck makes its best guess
Looking in the wrong place to give us a clue

It might seem a bit frivolous
The way we handle life
Hoping to see most likely
And not try another time

When we pull out our Magic 8 Ball
Tossing questions randomly
Shake it all up then hope for the best
Most definitely...

who’s to blame
for the shape i’m in
all the deeds
placed me where i am
if given the chance
to do it all again
i'm pretty sure
this is where i’d land

i’ve trudged hard
this beaten path
how many miles
can this poor soul last
before it gives
up and collapse
doing this
not doing that

i might have had
a bit of help
but above it all
i did it all myself
right or wrong
i still fell
who can you trust
if not yourself

happy, sad
smile or pout
giving in
and giving out
is what life
is all about
leaving behind
little doubt

i’ve done this, all to myself…

Have you seen the bee
That keeps stinging me
Hollered out the bear
In the honey tree
Trying his best to hide
Out amongst the leaves
Brown is the background
In this forest of green

All that I want
Is a simple taste
Savory sweet, sticky treat
In which to stuff my face
Why all the hate
And placing of the blame
When every bear I know
Lives to do the same

So can you help me
Says the bear with the sting
On top of my nose
Put there by a bee
That doesn’t care for me
Fiddling in his tree
Trying my best to feed
On all of his honey

some will win
some will lose
who gets the choice
in the chance to choose
could be me
could be you
all depends
on what we do

we move along
this beaten path
some have more
some much less
some peoples needs
are never met
all depends
on where you're at

so easily
we lose count
some are in
others out
makes you wonder
what it's all about
all depends
on how it all works out

The problem we have in society
Is we really don't want to be free
Saying to those who make up of rules
Oh won't you please, take care of me

Always looking for a handout
With both palms open wide
Willing to do what they tell us to
As long as we get our slice of the pie

Government assistance
Is the order of the day
It's how some make a living
Living off stuff, they give away

Never once crossing their minds
It's modern day slavery
Without a complaint we're put into chains
All the while saying what's in it for me

Do you see where I am coming from
Without firing a single shot
Nobody really wants freedom
We only want to be taken care of

And that my friend is the problem we've got...

You have had this problem
From your days of youth
Strength adds up to nothing
When desire has hold of you

You might go a month or more
More like a day or two
Before that knock comes at your door
And the devil's drink makes its move

Where it lands in shaky hands
Bringing comfort to your lips
You once again give in to its demands
As it foils your plans to one day quit

But until you hit rock bottom
In utter shame you'll raise the glass
Your demons you have fought them
But never hard enough to win the quest

And yet you still make promises
To yourself and those you love
But if you were really serious
For yourself and them, you'd give it up

But the problem isn't in the drink
It's deep inside your soul
And until you learn to master it
It'll never let you go

So, you reach out for the bottle
Where you find, you both are drained
The hope you had has gone stage left
As the devil's drink again makes its demands

Down in the town of Mayonnaise
Spread out along the country side
Mayor Egg White came to proclaim
They soon would be fighting for their lives

Sandwiched between two armies
The tribes of Ham on Rye
Everyone must battle
So, bring along your spoons and knives

They mustard up the courage
Feeling they were in a pickle
The town of Mayo was spread thin
Until their hero showed, Sir Pumpernickel

Who used the magic of Miracle Whip
A bit tangy to the taste
But after all did the trick
Laying all of Mayonnaise's enemies to waste

Where the town brought out their knives and spoons
And soon cleaned up the mess
The Miracle Whip did what it was meant to
Giving the town of Mayonnaise its much needed rest

Look at all these buttons
How could we live without them
From tightening of the collar
To buttoning up the lip

Buttons on your tired blue jeans
That keep your barn door closed
And look at how cute Penelope looks
With her button nose

Buttons on appliances
To turn them on and off
Buttons on our game shows
People pound with little thought

Buttons that are ill placed
By who's authority
Make us turn to those and say
Could you help me please

Then there is the red one
That could quickly end it all
In a handcuffed suitcase
Fondly called the Nuclear Football

And if that isn't bad enough
How about Buttons, the creepy Clown
That gives kids heebie jeebies
Whenever the Circus comes to town

Then there's button down the hatches
Or is that batten, I can't be sure
I'll try my best to let it slip
In hopes of no Google search

Here at this time, I find that I
Need to wrap this up
And instead of a bow, well you know
I'll just sew it up with a button on top

We don't like the way we look
How we think the way we should
Curly's wish their hair was straight
While the Straight wish the other way

Our smiles do not shine enough
Thinning lips could be more plush
And let's not even mention weight
Or how we're all so out of shape

We have noses that work fine
But I like yours and you like mine
And when it comes to hair color
No telling when we'll choose another

We support the creme industry
To make our faces wrinkle free
We hide our lives behind these lies
Of whom we think we should look like

With so many changes made
Who we are is hard to say
Always looking for a change
We dare not try and stay the same

We should learn to love ourselves
If not us, then who else
Will love us for who we are
Before we take this all too far

First off my friend
Let me begin
By saying I ain't no poet
Just a fool with a pen

Now with those pleasantries
Out of the way
Let me proceed to say
What I need to say

I've written different poems
On different subjects, different matters
Some soft as a kitten
Others mad as a hatter

Every now and then
I stand on the serious ledge
But more often than not
I fall right off of the edge

Like I said before
I'm just a fool with a pen
Drooling from my smile
Cross eyed in my grin

Separating in rhyme
All the boys from the men
Cackling in crazy
From the beginning to the end

Thanking my lucky stars
Rhyming comes so easy
Like a trip to Venus or Mars
Half baked brain and over queasy

Like I said before
When all of this began
I really ain't no poet
Just a fool with a pen

I swear I'm not a Zombie
As some of you might think
I'm just a man without a plan
Surviving on too little sleep

I stumble along as if nothing's wrong
Through my daily day to day
Exhausted by the fact that I
Spend most my nights awake

Without much thought my pillow talks
Loudly in my ear
Discussing demands and other plans
Daring me to persevere

Where in that state I lie awake
Mostly from concern
Of what is next to fill my head
As the world around me turns

Making me as some might think
One of the walking dead
But I swear I'm not a Zombie
Just a man in need of rest

My Father would have a fit
If I didn't treat others with respect
If I thought myself, better than them
Or didn't have a good hand to lend

He taught me about the dangers of wrong
And how in a crowd not to follow along
The difference between, needs and wants
Showed me how to be, truthful up front

My Father would have a fit
If I did anything less than this
When it comes to what I said I would do
Or what, I really meant to

Did his best to raise me upright
Knowing what it takes today to be kind
Not to turn tail and run
But when evil comes, face it head on

My Father would have a fit
If I knew what was right and didn't do it
If I lost out on lessons learned
Or took advantage of what I didn't earn

He wasn't just here to be a friend
But a conduit, a means to an end
And all that I was taught
Like his dad before him, I too would pass along

If I had to guess
Your T.D.S.
Has gotten the best of you

The orange and gold
Has twisted your soul
And knocked a few screws loose

It seems that good reason
Is now out of season
And sanity laid to rest

That little blind spot
Is now all that you've got
Filling your empty head

Where you can't see the lies
Coming from every side
Pulling desperation in its wake

Not knowing you are
In this game with no cards
And the powers that be hold the ace

With all of this said
If I had to guess
T.D.S. is barreling through

There won't be anything left
When all is done and said
And that my friend is the truth

So far away
From where we used to be
What can you say about the good old days
That we've put out to sea

In their own wake, there they'll stay
Drifting haphazardly
Our yesterdays, pounded by waves
Of fading memories

We made the best of it
Both port and starboard sides
In our youth, well-equipped
For those, the best of times

The ship we once anchored to
Gave way with rusted chains
Now out at sea in waters deep
The long gone good old days

You say to yourself you lack courage
But what is courage all about
Getting up every day and making your way
Through life's troubling sights and sounds

Or standing up for the less fortunate
Turning and calling them friend
It takes a lot of the courage you've got
Every time you make amends

It takes courage to live your convictions
To everyday do what is right
Whether or not you're put on the spot
Be it in or out of sight

Courage when you stand up for the truth
In times filled with lies
Courage to do what you need to do
Courage to be a light

Never say that you lack courage
Even the brave are sometimes afraid
Take what you have and move past that
Facing yet another day
With courage along the way

What makes it so easy
To hurt those, you love the most
Never is it simple
And neither is the thought

Lashing out in language
Saved for the worst of times
Wishing you could take it  back
But all you can do is apologize

Quick with the anger
Turning on a dime
How did we get here
This walking a thin line

Trying to do what's right
Which too often comes out wrong
Showing of the selfish side
In the wanting what we want

What makes it so easy
To hurt those, you love the most
If we could I'm sure we would
All walk a different road

The hills are filled with ghosts
Those long dead and gone
From the dead Confederates
To Apache strong

A past that's cruel and often used
To get what it wants
Leaving in its wake the open graves
Of Fathers and their Sons

Shame done in high cotton
Holding tight the Devils hand
The dead may be forgotten
But not the sin of man

Where every Cain is Able
To lash out in hate
The blood from our brothers
Cries out from beyond the grave

As from the beginning
Until the end of time
Those long dead and gone
Are ghosts on the hillside

I don’t have an App
That shows the pronouns you go by
If you think you’re a woman
Or dream you’re a guy

There’s really no need
In getting angry with me
Feel free to believe
What you want to believe

You can wear a prom dress
Not shave your hairy legs
Don’t come down ******* me
If I struggle to guess

What ever category
You feel you fit in
The lifestyle of a furry
Or a fairy princess

Cause I could care less
About your preferences
And I care even less
In trying to guess

It should not bother you
In the least little bit
About what I think
In the way you should live

So live out your life
However you like
And I’ll do the same
With my remaining time
Hopefully then, we’ll all get along just fine

I make my way upstairs
Then wonder why I’m here
I started with a purpose
Now it’s not so clear

I find myself mid-sentence
As I draw another blank
With God as my witness
Happens more and more these days

I struggle in remembering
When I started to forget
Was it now or perhaps then
It all began to slip

I’m introduced to someone
Shake hands with a smile
Hate to say but forget the name
The moment I turn around

If you have a secret
I’m the perfect one to tell
It’s not that I can keep it
I just forget things really well

Remember when we had less
We seemed to have more happiness
Now sitting here with pockets full
We tend to frown in all we do

Without a doubt when we had less
We moved about with lower stress
And when the money came along
All it did was to pile on

We strolled along without a care
Now we're not sure of where we are
Empty wallets, simple times
Now all we do is bend to the grind

When we had less to fret with
Clutter wise or deep in debt
When fortune unfortunately came along
That's the point it all went wrong

Some feel with the less you have
The harder it is to get ahead
But the more you have the more you're kept
By the seed of greed inside your head

Afraid you'll lose all that you have...

It’s a well known fact
there’s a nap
That has my name on it

Floating in
and out my head
Where all good naps are kept

It has learned
to wait it’s turn
Placed in the nap line

Little wonder
that its number
Is that of number 9, number 9, number 9

And with that said
it steps ahead
Moving through the queue

Dusting me
with a need for sleep
As all good naps should do

We're living in the best of times
Everything is going fine
Every cloud you see is silver lined
All you thought was wrong is right

Money really grows on trees
Most of it you get to keep
We'll just take what little we need
We're all treated equally

Borders closed we are at peace
Promises were made to keep
High on the hog living free
There is nothing that you need

Empty words with hollow sounds
Leaving with us little doubt
Hard to believe what comes out
Of some certain people's mouths

Spit shined with a polished sheen
All the streets are squeaky clean
From crime to homelessness and in-between
Everything is cheap or free

All the tides are on the rise
With common man we sympathize
Eating meat will be our demise
Ten years at most is left of time

To tell the truth we're here for you
In everything we say and do
There's not a mountain we won't move
To prove how dedicated we are to you

Empty words with hollow sounds
Leaving with us little doubt
Hard to believe what comes out
Of some certain people's mouths

I gaze in the mirror
And wonder at what comes next
What lies will I find, from this no friend of mine
That fill my head

Sticks and stones might break my bones
But words hurt at the sound
Whoever thought to this degree it'd be me
Body Shaming myself

When the glamour mags tell me I have
To look a certain way
Before you know, self-esteem hits a new low
My confidence clearly taking a break

With little left but the thoughts in my head
Being the only thing that seems to count
Here I go again trying to do myself in
Body Shaming myself

All the lies about, what really counts
Have itching ears listening
Eager to cave to the latest craze
A vicious circle with no end

Believing the lies multiple times
Leaving behind little doubt
This mirror I find doesn't see the inside
Body Shaming myself

Rambling boys keep rambling
No idea of where they've been
They have no idea at all
If they're coming or they're going

They just hope that there's a prize
With some purpose to this life
To help them fulfill the call
Bring some meaning to it all

Rambling boys keep rambling
Only way to get their kicks
Early on from day one
There never seemed to be enough

In all the wants they find they need
The memories they failed to keep
It's hard to grasp ahold the facts
Of that which you never had

Rambling boys keep rambling
One day they're bound to reach the end
And on that day when they do
Will they finally know the truth

That their days of rambling
Have not amounted to anything
Just a way to escape
From their lives for their life's sake

Out of most the problems
That I have ever faced
Turn it back to myself
Is where it can be traced

I'm the only one
Who holds the shaky hand
Of every crazy thing
That I have ever planed

Out of every action
Inside every deed
All of it can be traced
Simply back to me

Although this twisted world
At times may play a part
It all still resides
Within this sinful heart

With its list of problems
It finds on a daily base
Once again, me, myself, and I
Is where it can be traced

how many of us hesitate
up and wait
in hopes of getting
what we want

pull out the pliers
on our desires
wrenching them
all out of joint

then let it rain
out our complaints
when the day
doesn't go our way

not naming names
but who's to blame
when we sit and wait
till it's too late

Right here right now where I am
I am here to take a stand
Tell you things that I am for
And those that I'm against

I'm here for a Sweet Southern breeze
Blowing through Magnolia trees
On a hot humid summer day
Down around Alabama way

And you can bet that I'm against
Things in life that make no sense
Like the ladder that some men climb
All the while leaving others behind

I am for a piece of land
With a pond filled to the gill with loads of brim
Where I can enjoy the day at hand
With an old hound dog as my best friend

Then again, I am against
Any property that has a fence
Built as much to kept things out
As it is to keep things in

I am for holding hands
And if you get the chance to dance
That you should take that chance
Before there are no chances left

I'm against the big city life
Where everywhere you turn you find
Dull gray slabs of thick concrete
Up above and below your feet

I could go at this for awhile
But I'll have to let it go for now
Just letting you know where I stand
And a few things I stand against

Why do today what we can do tomorrow
Practicing our free will
We give more away than ever could borrow
With all the time in the world to ****

With hardly a worry, we're in no hurry
Each of us fit that bill
Never look past what we're told are the facts
With all the time in the world to ****

It's no surprise we fall for the lies
This drunken world always spills
Only to find the blind leading the blind
With all the time in the world to ****

With every excuse we ever could use
Jump at the chance for the thrill
None of us free, paying no heed
With all the time in the world to ****

Spending our time never questioning why
We've yet to pay the overdue bill
If we ever do, we'll be the ones to lose
With all the time in the world to ****

When the time comes, and it all comes undone
Left with a cracked windshield
On our last day with nothing to say
And no time left in the world to ****

Some people live their lives real rough
Some live it out pain free
Some can never have enough
If not then don't blame me

Some are blessed with luck of the Irish
Some luck of the draw
Some get a hit or a miss
Some no luck at all

Some might reach the highest heights
Some the lowest lows
Either way in life you find
You never know which way it goes

Some find they lean to the right
Some totter to the left
Some have to clinch their fists real tight
To hold onto what little they have

Some move in the right circles
Some squarely are not there
For some this is a rehearsal
Living life without a care

Some have come and some have gone
Some of us still here
Waiting for what's next to come
That will make all of this, for some clear

chew on my thoughts
swallow my pride
desires and wants
i must deny

the bitter taste
inside of me
i must face and erase
to set myself free

stir up my thoughts
give them to God
not just a taste
but the entire lot

take all i have
take it to heart
now is the time
to give it to God

God only knows
What you go through
The trouble in life
That life throws at you
With its up's and down's
Don't give up on hope
Only God knows
What God only knows

Only God knows
To tell you the truth
Of the troubled times
That trouble you
In these times you find
Don't lose out on hope
God only knows
What only God knows

God only knows
How much you're hurting
Through the sorrows and throes
It will be worth it
Follow it through
With all confidence and hope
That only God knows
What God only knows

We take our turn with what we've learned
Years of experience
Candles burned; both ends I've heard
Is no way to live

As the world turns, we move beyond
Where we once had been
Close the shades on progress made
Cause here we go again

Last in line, every time
We try our best to get ahead
Struggling with memory
Never learning to accept

What lays ahead if there's any left
Living in this robber's den
We act surprised when we find
That here we go again

From A to Z we're in too deep
This life of compromise
We concede there's nothing free
Not even a hard time

When the rules are made for fools
Life becomes a hit and miss
We all must have missed that bus
Cause here we go again

Sometimes I get to thinking
I can't help myself
Losing to life's meaning
Wishing I was someone else

It doesn't seem I'm happy
With who I truly am
A part of me thinks sadly
I wish I could but can't

Which drives me even deeper
Than I could hope to go
Fooled by the great deceiver
Losing out on hope

That I might climb out of this
If I only knew the way
Being my own Judas kiss
In whom I choose to betray

Which brings me back to circling
In the way I think
It's only me I'm hurting
With these thoughts I keep

Wishing I was someone else
Instead of whom I'm meant to be
Too often now, I've lost count
With all these things I socially think

are you afraid
to make a mistake
then have to pay the consequences

while all along
straddling on
the rail between two fences

never drawing the line
between the two sides
keeping your eyes out of focus

plan where you land
being soft sand
at least that's where your hope is

it's hard to believe
when caught in mid-leap
being so out of control

only to find
on the day that you die
the cost was, your very soul

Pick up your signs
And join in the fight
There’s nonsense to protest
In this waste of life

Here to make a difference
But what difference does it make
When the next thing comes along
There’s always someone new to hate

Pick up your signs
For the next big lie
Follow your convictions
In the latest do or die

With little a doubt
In search of a valid point
Along with the crowd
Noses all out of joint

Pick up your signs
Along with the not so bright
Only guessing at questions
In this one-dimensional life

With this cause just because
You think there's a cross to bear
Pick up your signs
This is going nowhere

How many live their life on dreams
Hoping they all come true
Spending most of their time asleep
Not waking to the truth

That dreams can be good to have
Mixed with reality
I only tell you this my friend
So that you can see

That when life takes a turn
And runs your dreams off course
Reality comes back around
Quickly to move you towards

The meaning of your dreams
So, your feet don't leave
The solid ground you stand upon
As you dream your dreams
...mixed with reality

This bridge won’t build itself
It takes the strength of man
To go beyond the thought of self
To lend a helping hand

This bridge it has been burned
Down so many times
The lesson here to be learned
Seen through eyes on both sides

Is that this bridge is wide enough
For everyone to pass
From one side to the other
Helping each with helping hands

Some people are angry
While others will smile
Hard as a rock
Soft as a child

Some will include you
Some push you away
Some people will use you
As a pawn in their game

Some people, a mess
Then again aren't we all
No more and no less
In our does and don'ts

Some people will hate you
If you're one to show love
Gladly run you through
Over things you have done

Some people show patience
Others hurry along
Without a clue or a hint
There's anything wrong

Some live for the future
Some the here and now
Some for past consequence
That keeps dragging them down

Some run for cover
Some people stand strong
It's little wonder
Why we can't get along

I woke up this morning
Looked in the mirror
And thought to myself
If not me then who else
Could change the way I felt

If my life takes a turn
Perhaps for the worst
What's the worst I can say
At least I tried it today
How else could I make my way

From this side of life
To the other side
To get on with the show
Cause you never know
Which way things will go

If not me then who else
Would stare back at myself
Give me a talking to
Tell me the truth
About what I'm going through

As I look deep
Into the reflection of me
Seeing what I need to know
Before I turn to go
Saying, never lose hope

She is the path we wish to travel on
Waves that stir the sea
All we could possibly ever want
Everything we need

She is the answer to the questions asked
Yet mysterious in her ways
The moment that men place their bets
Perfect timing, never late

She's at the start of new beginnings
The center of give and take
Soft whisper that turns back hard winds
Brand to the new day

The hope that most men hang on
A gentle guiding light
Freshness at the break of dawn
Perfection when you find

With words she can move mountains
Changing many a young man's heart
Where righteousness flows like fountains
Hold her tight as you guard your heart

In 10 years where will I be
Will I have bought the farm

In 9 by then will the good Lord I see
As I have moved along

In 8 will I have reached the pearly gates
And made myself at home

Maybe 7 is the number for me
When I'll be as good as gone

At 6 will I lose all bets
And seal the deal, I'm done

Or will it be 5 I'm no longer alive
Having made a valiant run

Maybe 4 will have me at deaths door
Saying my goodbyes to everyone

Or will 3 be it for me
Losing out on my last turn

Or 2 who knew the last candle I blew
Would no longer burn

Then again maybe 1 saying I've had my fun
That's it I quit I'm done

Will today be your last goodbye
The last time you see a child smile
The day you take your final breath
The day proclaimed, the day you left

Will you make today meaningful
Tell those you know how much you love
Apologize for the way you've behaved
Will today be that day

Will today be your last hooray
The day they turn the spicket off
The last time you see the sunrise
Or marvel at the nights starry sky

The last day to make amends
Or hold the hand of a loving friend
The last chance to make it better
Last chance to dance before it's over

Will today be the last day to say
I love you in a meaningful way
Will today be the day you find
The last chance to really live this life

This old road I’m traveling on
Is down to one lane and that lane is slow
The only ones to ever pass
Head straight for the exit, bout out of gas

With so much white hair, blowing in the wind
Little notion I care less about traffic jams
With nowhere to be and nowhere to go
I’ll stay on this road and go it alone

The seat beside me that once held my love
Now holds the mystery of what’s yet to come So much has changed in the blink of an eye
As wiper blades wipe the tears that I cry

Missing my friends I once traveled with
When this road was young and easier to get
To your destination just cruising along
How did I get this new bruise on my arm

I chalk it up to the bumps in the road
Like the ones in my life I can not control
Along this lonely road I’m traveling on
That is down to one lane and that lane is slow

Nothing much good
Happens in the dark
No matter where
You find that you are

Feel the evil squirm
As it's on the rise
Covering up those who succumb
With this mass of cloudy lies

Bless my soul ya'll
I'm afraid
We are living
In Darkened Days

People walk around
With blinders on
So they can't see
All that's going wrong

Clocks on the wall
Say the time is nigh
Too dark for most to see
The good in us wave bye, bye

With the devil on the loose
In his fits of rage
We're here living
In Darkened Days

We've played along
As they've played our hand
As good as gone
Strike up the band

Who can we find these days
To apologize
With this long list
Of I, Me, Mine

There soon enough
Want be a soul around to save
With us living
In these Darkened Days

The Masters of War
Are at it again
While the warmongers take
The young continue to give
We cry out for peace
And an end to this game
You give us that and take from these
It's all more of the same
Why do we continually hang
To the lies that you preach
Have we not learned
Hell is within your reach
The money you make
In the making of bombs
You feel that you have
Already won
But still, you press on
As the death tolls rise
It doesn't much matter
On which side they die
As long as there's profit
That can be made
Doing your will in those we ****
Being just another day
For the Masters of War
Who are at it again
But God's keeping score
And you lose in the end

I just had this thought
Don't let some Christians
turn you away from God
They tend to do it
more than they like
After all we're all sinners
in Gods Holy sight

The only difference is
Being His children
we're forgiven
Trying our best
to do our best
But going back to the sinners
we're all still a mess

We struggle just like you
Except that we're blessed
being bathed in the truth
I often find
try as I might
I need to let God
have more control of my life

Which brings me back
to the thought
Don't let some Christians
turn you away from God