don't judge me

you didn't try my shoes

It's propped against the wall,
anxiously awaiting to be played
sometimes it takes week
but often just a day

When she takes it in her hands
and begins to tune it up
it wakes up from its sleep
feeling the comfort of her touch

As she starts to strum along
the flowing melody is found
her voice begins to rise
my heart smiles at the sound

Eavesdropping just to hear her
because she doesn't understand
how I'm overwhelmed with joy
and that I'm her biggest fan

It's not the way she plays
or how beautiful she sings
it's the humbleness she shows
and the serenity it brings

To have that kind of passion
without needing to be praised
my daughter's gift sent from above
gratefully received in many ways

Darkness Is A Blanket
It wraps me around
The smell of ominous uncertainty
Yet I’m allergic to being wrong
So my skin seems to puff up
My eyes turn bloodshot red
From all of the steam
That cleans out my gears
To move my rusty engine
That is odd
When I think of you
I feel a sharp pain
It’s where my heart used to reside
Before you snatched it
And pounded it
Tenderizing the love
I gave to you
Before you fed it
To the dogs,
Who tendon by tendon
Ripped my soul
From all of the movie nights
And all of the concerts
We use to venture off to
Now my artificial heart
Is asking my insides
Why is there this knot
In his chest.
Looking for answers
That escaped the camps
Through the tears of my eyes
Because darkness is a blanket
Called you

As the willow branches hang towards ground
As the dripping dew falls to the ground

As the morning mist settles upon the grass
The morning sunshine, will soon be the past

As our day begins, we now face life
Our life for the day, a life from the past

From a past of love
From a past of sorrow

Things behind us, as we think of tomorrow

Care for your loved ones, everyday
We can never predict the future
A loved one can always pass away

I say this with love, I don’t like sorrow
We can only live for our life
Our life of tomorrow

Don't let it engulf you,
It's over bearing I know...
But you can rise above it.
Don't let it bury you,
It's heavy I know...
But you can throw it off.
Don't let it be you,
It's manipulative I know...
But you can break through.
Don't let it define you,
Its words loud I know...
Don't let it take over.
Try.

Breathe.

Settle yourself.

Try to understand.

We were meant to love.

And if we can not love, then we were meant to try to love.

And failing that we were made to breathe.

And try again.



-Sean Critchfield