He grew up in what he called normal
As normal as normal can be
In a time and a place of mass confusion
In a lost society

Till the day he saw a picture of the Island
That's when the breeze blew in a sweet song
A place that he'd never even imagined
Yet a place that he knew he belonged

One bag was all that he needed
He gave away all of the rest
To some young conservative
Who in all likelihood never could guess

That it's all about the Island
A paradise within itself
Where there's no need for conversation
When there's no need for anything else

Yes, life for him now on the Island
Is what this life is all about
With all the city noise and man made toys
Things became to hard to figure out

He's been here longer than he can remember
Nothing for him now is the same
What was important to him way back then
Is nothing more than a memory away

Because life now is all about the Island
A paradise within itself
Where there's no longer the hustle and bustle
Only the lapping of waves and nothing else

There's a space I have in my back yard
That has the prettiest of flowering trees
Where each scented bloom holds a fragrance of you
Along with the fondest of memories

With yellow flowers that open up like the sunrise
On the mornings you a woke in my arms

The ones in pink, the color of your blushing cheeks
When I mentioned how beautiful you were

The color of red like the hair on your head
Sparking more memories

With one flower as blue as the deep oceans hue
When we walked along the open sea

And orange like that of the sunset
As the end of our days comes to mind

With the leaves of green being that of envy
Of the man that now has you in his life

There's a space I have in my back yard
That has the prettiest of flowering trees
Where each scented bloom holds a fragrance of you
Along with the fondest of memories

do you ever feel drawn to the homeless
have a strong ache for their plight
not knowing where they'll find their next meal
or where they'll be spending night

can you even imagine the feeling
of having to hold your hand out for a dime
do you ever stop long enough to think of these things
do you ever give such thoughts your time

do you wonder how it is they arrived here
like many just one pay check away
did they think they would be caught in this moment
if you questioned them this yesterday

can't we give a hand to our brothers and sisters
they're really no different than you and i
we all walk on the same fragile tight rope
where any day we could fall off the side

Do you realize
That while we're asleep
Bugs crawl in our ears
And whisper strange things
That's why we have
The strangest of dreams
With bugs in control
While we're asleep
As they try and direct
Our thoughts where we lay
To make us think
That all is okay
But not all is okay
If you know what I mean
As bugs crawl in our ears
And whisper strange things

The world today
Stopped in mid-spin
Fed up with the shape
That man's put her in

Gone on too long
With his selfishness
Putting a stop to it all
The world thinks is best

From the building up
To the tearing down
The ever persistent
Obnoxious sounds

With no peace at all
In cities or towns
Over hill over dale
In leaps and bounds

From the arguments
That always ensue
The world's had enough
Of me and you

The blue of the streams
Now brown and green
When the world tries to breathe
It comes out a sneeze

Which creates havoc
Throughout the land
From earthquakes to tornadoes
North, South, East, and West

That's why the world today
Stopped in mid-spin
Putting all of this nonsense
To a bitter end

Now all the world does
Is float out in space
Peaceful and relaxing
Without the human race

Everyone wants a love like no other

Everyone wants to reach beyond their dreams

Everyone will wish upon a star in the heavens above

Everyone has the same wants and needs

Everyone holds what they have like it's not enough

Everyone treats relationships like catch and release

Everyone reading this will say not me, it's the others

Everyone that hides things from themselves will eventually see

Everyone has a friend only they can trust

Everyone whispers word of wisdom, Let it be

Everyone looking down should be looking up

Everyone everywhere should be free

I leave little pieces of me
As I move along the way
From the thin of my perfection
To the thick of my mistakes

Where they tell the story of me
My daily escapades
From my moments of glory
To the white flags that I wave

Collecting pieces of me
Like butterflies pinned in frame
A silence to the beauty
That almost got away

Little pieces of me
I either lost or gave
Anyways they're free
Do with them as you may

I just bought a turkey
In dire need of tenderize
Also a quick summer thaw
As this chick's as cold as ice

Must have froze it in the tundra as
I dive deep into the internet
Where it's got me wondering
Why I myself didn't think of this

It says to tie up both it's legs
With a nylon stringy thingy
Hey! Get that out your head!
This ain't nothing *****!

Hook the turkey to the bumper
And take it for a ride
I watched it from my rear view
And mirror on the side

I watched it twirl and tumble
I watched it twist and shout
I watched it as it changed its shape
From inside into out

I thought I heard it gobble
As it bounced itself along
Checking progress at every red light
Tenderized...yes, but not yet thawed

The roads must be colder this year
Than at first I thought
I hop back into my jalopy
For a few more jaunts around the block

I make it back to my place
Thinking all is perfect all is well
Untie the turkey, if that's what it is
It's now a little hard to tell

Now with that part of the preparation done
With the turkey and I safe back home
I plop it into the waiting oven
And gently turn it on

Here we are a few hours later
As the conversations and good times begin
Sitting around the dinner table
My guests all marvel at my hen

There's only one slight question
And they asked me if I knew
I reply...why yes that is white meat
It's just a tad bit bruised

I'll take it as it comes
But only if it's more than once
After all isn't it only natural
To never have enough

Like a martyr with bleeding feet
Looking for trouble over and over
(Hell bent on virgins and feasting)
...never have enough

You can take it to the limit
Have more downs than ups
No matter how you skin it
You never have enough

Stuff your pockets full of life
Like pebbles and shells, cram it all in
Let them call you a hoarder
You will never have enough...

Barreling wicked from the East
Heart, that of a beast
No way for her to be tamed

Like a sloppy drunken *****
Wobbling in her course
Once you've met you won't soon forget her name

A warning set for those
Left behind holding to little hope
Crying comes on as hard as rain

In the powers that are to be
Feeding her insatiable needs
Taking out whatever gets in her way

Hellish in her wrath
To those who cross her path
Never again will life ever be the same

Hurricane...

watered downed love
all we have these days is
watered downed love

we sprinkle flavor here and there
to add a little Savoir-faire
to our daily lives of no one cares

which leaves us with...

watered downed love
all we have these days is
watered downed love

most times we let it go to waste
rather bland without much taste
with nothing there to replace

which leaves us with...

watered downed love
all we have these days is
watered downed love

I sometimes sit
And wonder in
The who knows why's
The could have been's
The if I had's
The then what then's
The times I should
Have made amends
The would have done's
The never did's
The seriousness of
Who am I trying to kid
As I sit
And wonder in
The how would my life
Be different

My new girl can't resist
Scares me every chance she gets
From out the closet, underneath the bed
My poor heart can't take much more of this

Applies makeup in the shade of Goth
To leather and chains she gives a nod
Don't know what else I can do
Since I fell in love with a girl named Boo

Loves the night more than she does the day
Underneath a full moon if she had her way
A lone wolfs howl is music to her ears
Look her in the eye but never show your fear

Wishes everyday was Halloween
She loves to hear those goblins scream
If you all must know the truth
I fell real hard when I fell for Boo

She likes to sneak up on my love
Scaring me with a willful nudge
She tastes like Boysenberry wine
Be careful though because she bites

With hair blood red and clothes dark black
She'll take your soul and not give it back
It all is in her attitude
Do you need more proof why I love Boo

Went to see my barber
Asked what style it is I'd like
Chicago Boxcar in the front
Boston in the back
Looked at me rather strangely
Got his shears from out the back
Shaved my head down to the bone
Said that's the end of that

Went to see my dentist
For the ache that's in my mouth
The reason for my visit
To see what it's all about
Told me he knew the problem
Got his pliers from out the back
Pulled all my teeth from out my head
Said that's the end of that

Went to see my doctor
About this tightening in my chest
Take two aspirin call me later
Go home and get some rest
Asked if that's the best advice
That it is he has
Got another opinion from out the back
Said that's the end of that

Went to see the undertaker
Got there D.O.A.
With the shape I was in
Nothing he could say
Got his favorite rake and shovel
From the shed out in the back
Buried me six feet deep
Said that's the end of that

Jerusalem, O Jerusalem
After all these many years
Your city streets are still flooded deep
With Rachel's salty tears

Crying for her children
As any mother does in love
Will mankind ever find
The peace we seek in God

Jerusalem, O Jerusalem
Can you see the coming storm
It's not too far off in the distance
The way that things are going

I pray for you daily
That you heed salvation's sound
And that in God's grace and mercy
May your heart be found

Jerusalem, O Jerusalem
I feel your hurt and need
As the tears of Rachel
Still flood your city streets

Finally put down those bad habits
Upset that apple cart
Swore off all the things that I
Swore I'd never start

When you're out there playing young and dumb
Thinking you can handle it
That's when the devil comes along
With a mighty grip

Placing your feet to the fire
Serving up last meals
Grabbing your soul with a pair of pliers
Holding it to the grinding wheel

All the smoking and the drinking
Is not what it pretends to be
Lost time with its ambition  
And future guarantees

Other habits need not be mentioned
As this my mom may read
Suffice to say that those days
Were more than footloose and fancy free

Given it all up,  one by one
Every rotten slice
No more stuffing of the face
In the eating of that pie

As I'm back to clean and sober
Able once again to breathe
All of it is finally over
With that there's no more need

No more feet placed to the fire
Serving  up of the last meal
Satan can put away his pliers
As dust settles on the grinding wheel

What's a simple man like me
Doing in this part of town
Especially at a time like this
When the sun is going down

I crank my Barry Manilow
Up on my cassette deck radio
Letting all the boys round here know
That I'm down with the sound and flow

That's when this old rusty Ford
Creaks up to the light
His girlfriend turns and gives a wink
And a great big green teeth smile

I get the notion then and there
That he's the jealous type
As he spits a wade of tobacco juice
All over my Pintos driver side

Steps down from his conglomerate
Lumbers over to me
The kids in school are sure to hear of this
As I'll soon be history

Roughly pulls me out the window
Shaking me off like a bad habit
Saw my life flash before my eyes
Luckily I had enough sense to reach out and grab it

Just then he catches the music
That's now playing loud and clear
Turns with a look plastered to his face
Asking who is that he hears

I tell him Barry Manilow
He's the one who writes the songs
Just then he starts a-humming
If he knew the words he'd sing along

His girlfriend calls up all their friends
Who quickly show up to the scene
Looks like we got us a Copacabana
With the lights flashing from red to yellow to green

It all came to a ******
As Barry, Mandy sang
There wasn't a dry eye on the street that night
As I quickly saddled my Pinto and drove away

I let out a huge sigh of relief
As I sped through all the lights
With "Looks Like We Made It" blasting through the stereo
Thanking Barry Manilow, once again for saving my life

I've got 2 bit psychic powers
On that just trust me
Where barely beyond my nose
Is how far into the future I can see

And as far as communicating goes
With those on the other side
I have a hard enough time talking with
Loved ones here in life

My bank account is so low
I can't afford a Crystal ball
The closest thing I have to that
Is the glass **** on my door

Where the only reflection in it
That I have ever seen
Is my sweaty palm print
As I daily take my leave

And when it comes to Tarot cards
I would never dare to touch
The only pictures that I like
Are those in comic books

So sit across the table
And gaze into my eyes
You'll see I'll be a 2 bit psychic
Until the day I die

I seen a people dark as the night
Taken from their former life
Then I seen em tossed in chains
Put on a boat that sailed away

Land of the free home of the brave
But not for this man made slave
Who finds it so hard to stand up
Underneath the masters thumb

I seen the whip slice through the air
I seen indifferent eyes that do not care
In the fields I hear them weep
In their own waste, a nation deep

I seen lessons that we never learn
I seen the pain, I seen the hurt
It goes by different names but I seen it strike
The snake that takes the bite of life

Hey kid, whatcha doing here
Has it already been a year
Father time is all grown up
2017 I wish you luck

Years gone by to tell the truth
Have been more than a bit rough on you
It's time to pass off the baton
To the new kid on the block

This new kid to come along
We hope to fatten him all up
With the best of everything
All the goodies life can bring

We'll treat this year like no other
Save the baby and bathwater
Keep him around until he's old
Polishing the silver, shining the gold

As every year we hold out hope
That this one's not all that she wrote
Oh and if you don't mind,
One more thing
Will you get the phone...
I think I hear the New Year ring

That's it I've had it
Tired of being ignored with a wink on the side
I'm tired of being told what old men should do
Going to start taking life on the flea..or is that the fly

I'm going to hit the streets of the city
And be known as that cool guy that raps
After I add a tad bit more Poligrip
So my dentures can get down with that

I'll get me a ball cap and turn it sideways
My pants already hang down past my crack
I'll even learn the latest catch phrase
Like, Hey dude..what's up wit dat?!

Think I'll even rhinestone my walker
For that little extra bling, bling
They'll say check out that crazy rapper daddy-o
Man that cat can really swing

I'll keep the lyrics clean like I do my diaper
That's why I bring my nursie with me
After all she's a wonderful wiper
Don't worry I pay the extra wiping fee

I'll also get her to hold up the cue cards
Since my memory over the years has waned
No longer to be known as that old white *******
Beating JZ at his own game

I'll get jiggy with it every chance I get
As I fizizzile my way to the top
I'll be bigger than that guy with the candy name
That young whipper snapper will melt in the hands of this rapping GrandPop

She has a colorful collection of shooting stars
In a box underneath her bed
Pulling them out in the middle of night
Letting their wonder fill her head

As they playfully bounce off the walls
She's the center of her galaxy
Until from down the hall she hears her mother call out
She quickly packs them away then drifts off to sleep

I'm learning so much these days
Social mediating my way through this life
Like how to get away with things that I say
Which most times aren't very nice

It's really not that big of a secret
Anyone can join in on the fun
Just throw an LOL! on the end my friend
And you can insult most anyone

For example, you're the worst person in the world LOL!
Simple enough...see what I mean?
As you let the truth fly the wise in their own eyes
Have no idea of what they've just seen

So let's all try this together
Everyone line up single file
Wait! You call that a line?! Are you people out of your minds?!?
Do you all have beans for brains? LOL!

I think you all now get what I'm saying
I think I explained it rather well
Unless your all just a bunch of dim witted Neanderthals
Oh I almost forgot.....LOL!

Is this what old age
Is talking about
And why am I the last
To find all of this out
That my due North
Is heading straight  South
With all of my hair
And most my teeth falling out

For me gradually
Losing my sight
Saving me from
What I'd rather not find
The wrinkles to
My  drooping eyes
As the younger me
Dawn's an old age disguise

I seem to wheeze
More now than I breath
Check out my pants
Each time that I sneeze
When did my thoughts
Pack up and leave
Taking with them
My precious memory

Is this what old age
Is talking about
And why am I the last
To find all of this out
I used to be king
But somehow lost that crown
The only other thing....

Now what was I talking about?

They just invented a reason
For all the things we do
From burping out in the public square
To keeping animals locked in the zoo

So now there's no need to question why
Aloha means hello and goodbye
Or they say keep your head when we lose our minds
Because now there is a good reason why

For when we sneeze and say achoo
All in the crowd exclaim bless you
The invented reason gives a clue
For everything that we now do

Like with two wheels it's called a bike
One a unicycle, three wheels a trike
The reason now is easy to find
Without overtaxing the overtaxed mind

But there's one reason eluding me
In all my years of reasoning
What took so long with this invention
And was there a good reason for the time it's been missing

With the day after Christmas
We return to the normality
Of me not looking at you
And you not talking to me

With hands deep in our pockets
Holding tight the spare change
Where we don't loose what little we've got
Or give too much away

Where all that is seen
Is the blind destiny
As I climb over you
On the rung of what's in it for me

With the day after Christmas
We're back to where we were
Not trying to be
Such good boys and girls

Where a grudge I unwrap
And think bad about you
Wait a minute that
Was the day before too

Where we take peace on Earth
And good will towards men
And pack it away
For another year

Where the Government
Sends us back to the war
With no earthly idea
Of what we're fighting for

Where we don't listen
To the cries of the children
As all of this happens
The day after Christmas

I so often wonder why
Lucy was up there in the sky
Sporting bright her diamonds
Instead of wings to fly

And how on a boat she would float
Past tangerine trees
There is something about this Lucy
That keeps eluding me

She was clearly here for adventure
And the taste of marshmallow pies
But I can't help but wonder
About those kaleidoscope eyes

And when in the newspaper taxis
That appeared on the shore
Did she get a chance to read about
The news today, oh boy  

As she turned around looking into the sun
Did she have her Lennon glasses on
These are just some of the things
That have me wondering

Inside of my cellophane mind
Why was Lucy up there in the sky
Sporting bright her diamonds
Instead of wings to fly

This poem will certainly be a big hit
I'm throwing everything I've got and more into it
All the bells all the whistles all my poetic tricks
Rolling up my sleeves, into my open palm I will spit

This poem I'm pulling out all of the stops
Remove the plug at the bottom, raise the roof at the top
Fill in the middle with all that I've got
Blowing it all on the entire lot

This poem will either make me or break me
Lose me or save me, I'm thinking maybe
They'll love me or hate me, all want to date me
In Mardi Gras beads they'll want to drape me

This poem will embarrass all the other poems
Because this one poem will have it all going on
From the time it's conceived to the moment it's born
All other poems will concede to it's throne

This poem may even bring on the end
All the poets of today will turn in their pens
They'll be to afraid to write anything
As it will be the blue print to how a poem's written

Now that last thoughts got me thinking that it shouldn't be wrote
As it being the only poem is a scary thought
And how this single poem could yield so much power
I'd be crazy to set it free to dispose and devour

All this poem could do has really opened my eyes
So on second thought I'm not going to write
I'll lock up that thought shut the door tight
Another poem at this time I'll just have to find...

Keep the lid on the coffin tight
Gay Paree on a hot Summers night
Plans are laid, secrets kept
Mr. Mojo whispering

Call the witness to the stand
The only one left is Pam
Took the secret to the grave
Mr. Mojo whispering

Count out loud now 1, 2, 3
Janice Joplin and 2 Jimmy's
Pay the price to the Bar Keep
Mr. Mojo whispering

The pain he felt, could not accept
Mojo Rising has up and left
Final countdown, Jimmy's free
Mr. Mojo whispering

Learned to rhyme the darkened times
All of it inside his mind
Lived and died his poetry
Mr. Mojo whispering

I'll bring you silver
I'll bring you gold
Along with the promise
To never let go

I'll buy you diamonds
To compliment rings
I'll give you all this
And many more things

I'll give you my life
I'll give you my love
I'll give you it all
Till you say that's enough

I'll hold onto your hand
For the comfort it brings
Plus everything else
That you'll ever need

I'll hand you my heart
Along with the key
Let you have my eyes
So your beauty you'll see

I'll give you my thoughts
With the secrets they tell
And if there's anything left
I'll give you all that as well

I'm having trouble with
The voices in my head
While I speak simple english
They speak fluent french
So I never really know
Just what is being said
Which makes it hard to understand
The voices in my head

I never know exactly
What it is that I should say
Did I arrive at the conversation early
Or am I much to late
Either way I hate to make
The voices sit and wait
While I pull out my French-English Dictionary
And flip through every page

So now every Tuesday
Since Tuesday last
I have been preparing
By taking a French class
So I'll be at the ready
To give an answer back
In case the voices in my head
Ever feel the need to ask

Please use your blinker
Is that too much to ask
Whether you are running right
Are you are turning left

Because in all actuality
We have no idea
What your future holds for us
Inside that bobble head

Please think of others
And we will do the same
As we sit inside our cars
Playing turn signal guessing games

Hoping that these moments
Are not taken up in vain
So make a flick of the wrist on that switch
Before it is too late

leaves on trees
wait for a breeze
so they can blow
where'er they please

yet patiently
not always seen
when angry red
replaces envy green

some don't dare
being yellow scared
take the leap
to go somewhere

on the ground
all find out
the short trip down
turns deadly brown

where the time spent
on falls lament
the leafs life
came and went

The one that He loves
The one that He cares
The hopelessly lost
Not finding hope anywhere

The one who's unsatisfied
With life's turn of events
Who's been trying to hide
From that life ever since

The Cross Of Christ Is For...

The fatherless child
On the empty door step
The last lonely mile
Of the dead mans last breath

The kings and the queens
In their palace of pearl
The truth is so clear
It's for all of the world

The Cross Of Christ Is For...

Those dying of thirst
In the desert of life
Those on the high raging sea
With no land in sight

In the joy of the day
In the sadness of night
The Cross of Christ is for
All that is needed in life

when was the time it started rocking
was it the second of lost memory
wait a minute i'm thinking something
if that thinking has anything to do with me

with the hour getting late
i try and explain away the day
with a week making me in the knees
a month of this will put me in the grave

i feel it's been a life long journey
surviving all the way till now
as i wonder what's the hurry
a year lost could be twelve months found

You may want what you ain't got
You may think it's what you need
But here's a little secret
The rich go out like you and me

And it ain't always pretty
When you drop right where you are
Be it in the lap of luxury
Or the ditch of a poor mans world

Cause when death comes a-knocking
He don't give a lick of what you own
Your possessions don't mean nothing
When what he wants is your hardened soul

You have had your fun and games my friend
Now it's Mr. Sickle's time to ride
You can try and shift the blame  on them
As he grabs a-hold your hide

Squeezing tight your beating heart
Till there ain't no juices left
Closes the betting window
On what was your last bet

She came in through the bathroom window
Because it was something that Paul once said
She changed her name to Lucy, in search of diamonds
But the night sky was way above her head

There is something in the way she moves
Here, There, and Everywhere
She said, She said, Hello Goodbye too many times
On the day I saw her standing there

She's so Beatlesque in the way that she acts
I've got a feeling a day in the life
Of this very extraordinary woman
Would be quite the ticket to ride

I have so often told this woman
Please don't let me down
She says right back to me ever so sweetly
We can work it out

She has the answers to all of life's problems
All you need is love
I ask for an explanation
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

She's so Beatlesque in the way that she acts
I've got a feeling a day in the life
Of this very extraordinary woman
Would be quite the ticket to ride