I have yet to tell myself the truth
that there no longer is a me
happily
connected to a you

Cause I'm not sure I could handle it
or if I would survive
when I find
you called it quits

So I'll continue to live out the lie
with what is left
of the dreams I had
at the time that all was right

That is why when it comes to you
I have yet to tell myself the truth
that when it comes to me
there no longer is a you

I decided some time ago
To go naked from now on
It saves a lot on my laundry bill
Plus I admit it's a bit of a thrill

The town has gotten used to the absurd
Of me being  naked as a Jaybird
Although there still are ladies fainting
And lots of babies crying

There's no better feeling than letting it all hang out
Plus it gives the bridge club something to talk about
Even if it's just a little bit
Did I mention it's cold as I'm writing this?

Though I might have taken it over the edge
That day at the grocery to buy milk and bread
The cashier thought me deranged
When she saw where it was that I keep my change

One thing good came out of all of this
They treat me now like nobody's biz
Although I've never been that cheap
They now give me everything I need for free

You keep talking in your sleep
Conversations without me
Wonder who it is you meet
When you're not awake with me

In the morning all is well
From your late night kiss and tell
Makes me wonder at what else
You are keeping to yourself

Tonight I'll make sure I'm awake
Catching every word you say
To who has your nights in their embrace
In hopes that you might mention names

As you keep talking in your sleep
Conversations without me
Wonder who it is you meet
When you're not awake with me

We live in a land of choice
Where daily choice is made
We either choose to win or lose
In those choices that we make

How many choose the first path they come to
That's filled with weeds and nettles
Veering left and right while losing sight
Instead of the straight path down the middle

We choose those that we hang with
In hopes they don't bring us down
But lift us up from the mire and muck
Where hope in life is found

You may think the choice is simple
But every choice tears at eternity's seam
And the choice you have in your hand
Is where it all begins

So as you live in the land of choice
And every day you build your home
Don't build on sinking sand like foolish men
But on the strength of rock and stone

I decided today
To become a model outright
Not one that walks the runway
But one that walks through life

Someone that others can follow
Not a leader per sa
But one that sets higher standards
Of morals along the way

One who is a prime example
In the way that things are done
Who's opinion isn't like the wind
So he can receive the praise of man

I'll be a model that gets my wisdom
From the greatest book that's ever been written
Sharing the reason that it was given
Bringing to Earth that peace of Heaven

When asked the burning question
Of what would Jesus do
The example in me they will see
Time and again through and through

For I feel the time has come
Yes I feel the time is now
To open up to what needs to be done
To let this model out

That is why today I decided
To become this model outright
Not another one that walks the runway
But one that stands up and walks through life

Being the worlds chief of police
Is so overrated
With all that we do
And they all still hate us

We're only here
To keep up the peace
Spread our name brand
Of Democracy

If you don't love us
Then kindly leave us
If you don't trust us
Won't hurt our feelings believe us

We'll bring it to order
One way or another
Kick out the leaches
Close down the borders

Once that is done
And they're out on their bums
We'll build us a wall
From the North to South run

The only thing Canadian
That we will let in
Is Celine Dion
And their cheap medicine

And that little Chihuahua
From down below
Cause we love Taco Bell's
Mex food to go

As far as the Middle east
They can do as they please
We won't be around
To kick sand in our face

We'll pull out of there
Our American troops
Not just a few of the lucky
But one hundred proof

They can fight it all out
Amongst themselves
If they stick with the program
There'll be nobody left

They can have all our nukes
We won't need them no more
As we won't be playing
In their silly wars

We will be by ourselves
Closed off from it all
Unplug the phone
If they try to call

Live in our bubble
Stay out of trouble
No longer hang out
With that bunch of numskulls

So lock up the door
Turn out the light
Toss out the key
As we say goodbye...

Hold on to your heartbeat
As this might bust a vain
When it comes down to it
We're all pretty much the same
Whether you are black or white
Either straight or gay
Like to stay up late at night
Or get up early in the day

We're all in this together
As we make our way
From damsels in destress
To heroes wearing capes
As you can see when we all bleed
Red's the color that we make
So why not hug it out in love
Instead of pushing away with hate

We all come with the same body
Different sizes, different shapes
Some are done quite naturally
While others are man made
You might live life freely
Or you might be a slave
It all depend on the habits
To which you have caved

But like I mentioned at the start
If your heart did not go bang
That you and I are bound to find
We're all in the same game
The only difference that makes any sense
Is that of woman and man
Otherwise in Gods eyes
We're all pretty much the same

Can you see that it's time
With no watch on your arm
Is there hope to survive
If you've done bought the farm
When all things feel right
Does the moment just flow

How can a man say
What he doesn't know

If your neck deep in the stream
Shouldn't you know how to swim
If there's truth in the ring
Should you step out and give in
Do all mountain tops
Come with a *****

How can a man reach the heights
If his life view is low

Are you late to the central
In Eastern time
If it's really that simple
Then why's it so hard to find
Have you often faltered
Where you've clearly been

How can a man love
If he's never let in

If your deep in the dream
Can you be what you want to be
If your dream was a train
Would it run out of steam
Could you hold onto the promise
If the words aren't there to lend

**How can a man start over
Once he's reached his end

My daddy forgot my name
Long before he died
Although he always kept
That twinkle in his eye

They call it dementia
But I myself call it hell
For all that we went through
And just how bad it felt

I watched him walk around
As he picked on walls
Trying his very best
At wiping something off

I still wonder to this day
What it is he thought
In his imaginary space
Or if he thought at all

Life brought to him the battle
And to life he brought the fight
But as any good soldier knows
There will come a time

Where in the heat of war
There is no winning side
It takes away the best in life
Whether you live or you die

I wish he was here to tell
How much I'm missing him
But I missed my daddy
Long before he left

I'm not talking reincarnation
But I have definitely had a past life
Not one I'm proud of or bring up that much
Let's just suffice to say that it died

I thought things were running rather smoothly
I felt good as a self made man
But God had different ideas and wanted me his
Changing my directions and plans

So now here I am a new man
Not through the womb but by his wounds, born again
Bringing a sinner like me into his family
Leaving behind the old man

So yes I have had a past life
Thankfully it is long dead and gone
I wouldn't say reincarnation but regeneration
All done by the power of God

They both met in high school
Fell in love like a struck fool
Knew right away this was the one

From the very start
They melded each others heart
Yes, you can say it's true love

So after graduation
No need for explanation
Made plans to be together for life

They set to marry
In late February
Until that rainy evening on that fateful night

Now she places wooden crosses
On the highway losses
Of those that never made it back home

Mothers and Fathers
Brothers and Daughters
Who've lost out on love like her own

Which is the reason this quest
The center of her loneliness
Thinking back to what she almost had

When they both slipped from her hands
Her love and her life plans
Where irony is all she has left

If she could turn back the clock
To all that she's lost
Would it make a difference in where she is today

Being the same girl
In that same shattered world
Where he still holds the heart that she gave away

As she places wooden crosses
On the highway of losses
Of those that never made it back home

Mothers and Fathers
Brothers and Daughters
Who've lost out on love like her own

Four buddies growing up relying on friendship and luck
Sticking together through the thick and the thin
All that we did we did together as kids
Knowing that we always would win

Thinking it'd be cool right out of High school
To stand up for nobility
We joined in the war which added four more
Then packed our bags and readied to leave

Said goodbye to our Moms not sure how long we'd be gone
As the four of us boarded the plane
Or when we'd be back as a matter of fact
If we'd even ever come back again

They gave us boots and a camp an Uncle named Sam
With the rest being history
They made our lives hell which is just as well
Cause hell on earth is where we'd soon be

Figured for fools that would never lose
As the war around us tightened up
Billy was first to go and wouldn't you know
We all took his death pretty rough

The next day was Frank when he felt the yank
As an IED took off his legs
I still have the dreams where I hear him scream
As he sat in the sand and just bled

If we weren't here we'd be in a bar with a beer
Sitting back shooting the breeze
Instead of this endless beach with no sight of the sea
And Frank bleeding out from the knees

Now with only two left playing hopscotch with death
Knowing wars nobility was only a lie
It's down to Mikey and me wondering who's next to leave
On that one way train to the other side

We walk around these day with blank looks on our face
Wondering what we're doing here
We'd cry if we could but our tears ran out for good
With death being so good at his career

Of course death won't be mocked as he punched in the clock
And Mikey was the next to leave
Now that I'm all alone all I think of is home
And the three buddies that are no longer with me
And how this all started out as nobility...

Woody Guthrie
Came along when
A poor man barely survived

We are now faced
With the same place
Wishing Woody was still alive

Woody Guthrie
He would write of
The heavy thumb of the government

And how we need to
Scream at the sky blue
Till we change views
Is what Woody meant

Woody Guthrie
The voice of a nation
Tired and aching
Needing to be heard

Now I hang on
To every phrase in every song
Every dot that comes along
In every word

If Woody were alive today
Wonder what he would say
At the state of our decay
In what he sees

Would he shake his head
Cause we've made our on bed
Perhaps he's better dead
Woody Guthrie rest in peace

I got whacked by Jack Kerouac
While reading one of his poems
A certain line stepped out of time
Before I knew what was going on

He took my mind up the mountainside
Then tossed my imagination off of it
Leaving me to write in free flight
And as of yet I haven't quit

We were born into a song
Sing it still now that we've grown
The melody remains the same
Though the words have slightly changed

If you please, come sing with me
Mixing lives in harmony
Perfect pitch, tinder keys
As together we're all born to sing

It's getting late at night
The perfect time to start a war
All we needs a keeper
Someone to hold the score

I come on rather strongly
Right out the starting gate
Throwing two yawns in your direction
Because it's getting late

The first one catches you by surprise
The second you deflect
But you can see by the look in my eyes
I'm not through yawning yet

Before I have time to react
You throw one back at me
Pretty soon the entire room
Is in a yawning melee

We vow to take no prisoners
In this battle between you and me
We will both keep yawning
Till one of us falls asleep

I am birth and memory maker

               I am death and his undertaker

I am peace brought on in life

               I am war from pain and strife

I am love that comfort brings

               I am hate by any means

I am first before the last

               I am the die that has been cast

I am beauty in the morning dew

               I am ugly inside of you

I am shelter inside the storm

               I am the closet where turmoil is born

I am the sweet taste in the air

               I am the bitter that doesn't care

I am the battle from the start of time

               **Between the heart, Between the mind

Ring...Ring

me) That's a strange area code....Yello!

God) Hello

me) Hello, who is this?

God) It's me God, don't you recognize my voice?

me) No...

God) Hmmm...that's what I thought.

me) What do you mean by...never mind, I was just getting ready to call you!

God) Ah hello it's me....God?

me) Oh yea, I guess there's no fooling you there.

God) Not really but don't think that people don't try! Haven't seen you around in a while...

me) Well you know I'm always thinking about you...most of the time. And I listen to Christian music...some of the time. Oh and I try to read inspirational books...when I have time.

God) Isn't that nice...Hey, how are the knees holding out?

me) My knees?

God) Yes your knees or more to the point...your prayer life.

me) My prayer life? Didn't I mention I'm always thinking...

God) Yea I got that, it's just the way things have been going lately I know your worried.

me) Your not kidding there!

God) Well that's why I called, to remind you I'm still in control and everything is going to work out according to my will. You do believe that don't you?

me) Yes I believe that.

God) Then you might want to start acting like it. With all that's going on around you these days you seem to have left me out.

me) You know your right!

God) Duh...I'm God!

me) Oh yeah...

God) Hey here's a novel idea (please excuse the pun) instead of reading an  inspiring book  try reading THE inspired book...My Holy Word. Every thing you need in life is there.

me) That IS a novel idea! (did you say something about a pun) Thanks I'm feeling better. Hey I gotta go there's someone at the door. Can I call you later?

God) Of course...I'm always here.

Let me be the first to set the record straight
Yes I have Happy Feet
That play to the tune inside my head
First the right then the left then back again

At times it's hard to keep them still
They tend to move at their own will
They stomp and jump, run and dance
And even more given half a chance

That's why I take my Happy Feet
Everywhere I go with me
You never know when a tune might hit
That needs a beat to go along with it

With flat head shovel, steel tooth rake
Out to do whatever it takes
Nothing you see is that easy
When you're in the mood for life gardening

Aching muscles are for keeps
Patience hides in piles of leaves
Winter, Summer, Spring, or Fall
There's always something going on

With this plot in which I live
Myself, and I, my wife and kids
Pulling teeth like pulling weeds
All in a day of life gardening

Growing up at a steady pace
Equal parts of pleasure, pain
Trying my best to not cave in
With heavy heart and calloused hands

Plowing steady as she goes
Keeping straight my set of rows
Thankful for all my blessings
This daily dose of life gardening

I remember this movie when I was young
That moved me beyond tears
Ain't it funny how I still remember that
After all these many years

It had no stars that were famous
That it could brag upon
There were actually only four players
But very skillfully focused on only one

I remember the film was in black and white
Color would just get in the way
Of the true meaning of this mans story
And what it was they had to say

It was about a Confederate solider
A loser in his war
About to be hung from off a bridge
The film never did say what for

In fact I don't remember any words
Ever being said
That hits me now as being strange
More than it ever has

His hands were tied behind his back
With the noose around his neck
As they pushed him over the bridges side
To what I felt was certain death

The rope ran towards its deadly course
But snapped in half under the strain
Next shot was of the solider swimming away
As the bullets around him rained

He walked for days through angry woods
Till he came to a dirt road
Ahead of him a Southern Mansion
As the story it unfolds

On the front porch waiting for her love
The sweetest of Southern Belles
The love you saw between them both
No spoken words could ever tell

As he approached the steps with just two left
His love held out her hands
That's when his head snapped back as the rope around his neck
Reached its final end

If you want to know how I spend my time
RC Cola and a Moon Pie
Chewing on a stem of Bahia grass
Just in case you feel the need to ask

Skipping stones across a glass top pond
Blowing wishes from a dandelion off the lawn
Living the country life all inside my head
Before I find there ain't nothing left

Chasing Crawdaddy's in a deep wood stream
Playing hide and seek in a pile of leaves
Cane pole fishing for that elusive Bass
All before Summer's put to bed

Catching Fireflies in their flickering light
Counting all the stars in the skys at night
Stolen Watermelon always tastes the best
That's the part that I'll never confess

Skinny dipping for a living in a mountain lake
Jumping out of planes in a barn of hay
Kids being kids being life fed
Just in case you feel the need to ask

What's all of this ruckus
Going on in my back yard
Both the squirrels and the blue jays
Are hitting it pretty hard

They keep screaming at each other
Like some self made government
This ain't the way nature's supposed to behave
With no harmony in the mix

Is it to much to ask for
A little peace and tranquility
I think they need a mediator
Since they can't seem to agree

So I ask a passing possum
If it is he wouldn't mind
Help solve this little problem
To bring nature back in line

Both sides met together
The old stump a peace table of sorts
Where they all decided to get along
And once again be friendly cohorts

Now there's no more commotion
Life is back to where it all belongs
While the squirrels are playing with their nuts
The blue jays sing along in song

I met this girl that jots down her feelings
On packets of Sweet'n Low
She told me she thinks
Her thoughts look pretty in pink
And it also helps to sweeten the flow

She leaves them on trains dining car tables
In hopes the commuters will read
All that she has to say
That it brightens their day
And also will make people think

That life can be full of surprises
No matter where you find that you are
Like next to this girl of course
With Sweet'n Low stuffed in her purse
In a moving trains dining room car

I woke up this morning
With a brand new pain
Not the sore from the day before
Or the same from yesterday

He came dressed like the 50's
This new kid on the block
Gave a high five right between the eyes
With not a lick of after thought

Said he'd come to party
Had a few friends that he would call
So save the date and don't be late
They'll all be here before too long

Slight twitching of the toes
A shudder of the shins
The knocking of the knees
Is where it all begins

Vibration of the thighs
Through years of cellulite
Swinging of the hips
As it makes it's little trip

Grumbling of the belly
Way deep down inside
Till it moves up to the chest
To the thump of the hearts delight

Shoots straight to the brain
Where it bounces back and forth
Throughout the cracks and crevices
Till it feels it's run its course

Drops down to a lump in the throat
Giving way to speech
Spilling forth for all it's worth
In waves of poetry

This heart  is always open for business
Feel free to step inside
Round the clock, 24 hours
For whenever you have the time

There is always room for seconds
Even thirds if you so desire
The menu won't leave you guessing
Offering a variety of warming sides

Fill your plate up with the caring
Pouring onto it, a boat load of love
This heart encourages sharing
Of these delights there is never enough

You're more than welcome to bring your friends
There is always room for everyone
Friday nights it has karaoke
With plenty of song to sing along

Come inside for the daily specials
A little something to lighten the mood
If you don't have time to enjoy it here
Feel free to take this heart home with you

Promises made
Are promises kept
On the alter of I do

From the time we have
To the time that's left
I'll be here for you

From this very day
To come whatever may
You can stand on that truth

My love will remain
Even when time grows late
I'll be here for you

I'll be the path
The guiding hand
To hold and help you through

With a love that's the same
Never to change
I'll be here for you

It is my hope
That we both grow
Old together and as we do

Above everything else
Until the lights shut out
I'll be here for you

i only bring this up
the summer to remember
young and tinder love
now a cold december

what is there left to say
we had our way about us
now still to this day
i still think about us

we went our separate ways
you moved onto forever
where in the past i stayed
writing unmailed love letters

that were never meant
to make it out your way
i just sit about
read and write them everyday

i only bring this up
the summer to remember
young and tinder love
now a cold december

I wake up to the morning groaning
The moment I raise my head
Never heed the daily warning
You'd be better off staying in bed

I stumble my way to the mirror
The lines on my face look like a road map
That has taken me from there to here
Although I can't remember where that is at

What parts don't droop are sagging
Making their way to places unknown
A matter that's not worth laughing
When was it that I got so old

No longer can I tie my shoes
But thanks to the magic of Velcro
I used to only gum my food
But thanks to new teeth from an AARP loan

I have both a cane and walker
Depends on the mood my limbs are in
I used to be as limber as Luke Skywalker
Now I'm only as angry as a scene from Gunga Din

Believe me I used to be hot in my day
Now everywhere I go I'm cold
Not sure I asked but by the way
When was it that I got so old

I decided today to sit back
And take a look at my life
Not only from the out
But also from the inside

Like an innocent bystander
I'll take myself a gander
And what it is I find
I'll set it down in rhyme

I notice when I do look on the out
I'm always quick to throw out a smile
Pretty much all of the while
I guess a smile is just my style

The in is the one quick with the wit
That's one thing I must admit
Sometimes gets me into the thick
When it really comes down to it

For the inside to come clean
I must mean what I say and say what I mean
There's no doubt about them there beans
I hope you know what it is that I mean

I'm never much serious about
Anything life has to through out
I do love to clown and joke around
Hang with me and that you'll find out

But it's not always all fun and games
As the outside of me deteriorates
But that my friend is all of our fate
As the older we get and our hour is late

I look at the outside of me
And see an old man in the later degree
But in on the in playfully
Is the child still inside of me

That's pretty much who I am
Living this life the best that I can
On the inners and outers I'll play my hand
Wherever I tumble, wherever I land

So this is what I've come up with
When I took a look at my life
Not only from the out
But also from the inside

We are the ones, the now generation
The very ones they keep talking about
We are the few without a clue
The face in the crowd without a doubt

We are the social to the unconscious
We are the ones that sleep suicidal dreams
We are the few who out there among us
Have seen life roll around but don't know what it means

We are the line of the consumer
Set out to buy the latest thing
Not sure what we want so they must tell us
Letting us in on what we all need

We are the hope of the next generation
Taking ten fold beyond previously
Perhaps the end that's in the making
Not really sure what to believe

Except that we are the ones

When the moon forces night
               I'm knocked down to my knees
Memory fading from sight
               Promises I'll never keep
I go and do it again
               Order round after round
Might as well be a gun in my hand
               Deadly shots with no sound
As the snake in the pit
               Takes a bite out of me
I am chewing my lip
               So much wanting to scream
Falling off of the cliff
               Cause my ledge is to weak
Craziness must admit
               Taking the best out of me
Sunlight makes it's first peak
               Over the waters edge
In the gutter I sleep
               I have made my own bed
In which I now lie
               If only I were able
To give up and die
               On this, my torture table
The snake in the pit
               Will not let go of me
I try to shoot from the hip
               To try and bring some relief
I stare at the cliff where I fell
               The climb is to steep
Alcohol has a mighty grip
               That brings me no peace

Who went and made me judge
Sat me in the jury
Gave this need for the hanging tree
At the risk of perjury

When did I miss the point
In the pointing of these fingers
In this self-righteous path I am led
As the judgemental jury lingers

Judge, jury, hangman all in one
Guilt before innocence
This trail of errors is only won
By adding my head to the list

I'm a train wreck
A major mess no less
If you can afford then all aboard
Do you have your tickets yet

I'm a plane crash
Watch for the debris
If you'd like then grab a flight
And go down with me

I'm a sinking ship
Much too late to bail
Barely treading water
Quickly sinking south

I'm an accident
Just waiting to happen
Getting lost in lifes crosswalk
Stepping out into traffic

I'm a fender ******
An attempted hit and run
You'll find me on or near the scene
Another accident gone wrong

You always see me smiling in pictures
But not behind the scenes
Because a photo can't tell the story
Of a man's wandering heart in need

The need for something different
Besides the dull everyday to day
The need for a new meaning
Without all these obstacles in the way

A change of plans with change of venue
Surroundings where I'm not so well known
Where the life I now have doesn't seep through
Not having to live up to what all I own

You can take all you want of your pictures
But don't expect to see the real me
Just because I'm smiling for the camera
There's another the story behind the scenes

We're all searching for a purpose
That makes this all seem worth it
A life that is fulfilling
Pray that God is willing

Spending time high and low
Taking life to and fro
On pins and needles in our mending
Hoping to sew a happy ending

Some folk find along the way
It's true in what some people say
There is no higher purpose
Than that of serving others

It takes the focus off one's self
And puts it onto someone else
With the filling of several needs
As on both sides blessings intercede

So give to those in need you find
Having received less from their lot in life
You will find that it is worth it
When you find this is your purpose