I hate the summer mornings,
And walking on a path.
I hate the silent mourning
For strangers as they pass.
I hate the way that I look down
When a stranger walks past me.
I hate the way they do the same
As if there's nothing there to see.

To turn back time is pointless,
As I'd do it all again.
For I'll never know what I know now
And I know I didn't then.
The mistakes we make when we are young
We can't go back and change,
And I'm sure I'll find my early self
Just as willing to exchange.

The time for making friends has gone
And I didn't have the tools
To make good friends with anyone
When I thought they're all such fools.
But now I know that I was wrong,
I'm a bigger fool than they;
For I'm alone and work so hard
While all they do is play.

It's true to say as we grow old
We care less what others think,
But it's also true what they all say
That as we age we shrink.
Our lives become so small outside
That there's little room to breathe,
And maybe that's why I just sigh
When someone wants to leave.

It's sad to think that I thought this
And know what I know now.
That all it took was someone else
To ignore what I allow,
And step inside my silent halls,
Open curtains on the day,
And love and laugh and dance with me
And teach me how to play.

She looks in the mirror
At the age on her face
"I wonder what he thinks
of me this way?"

She considers her weight
and the pores on her skin
She thinks out loud
"I don't deserve him."

She picks apart
the woman he loves
Separating her worth
from all that she does
              
He looks in her eyes
and caresses her face
He sees it glowing with love
and full of grace

 The lines on her face
  he views with pride
  Recounting the victories
  each time they've been tried

The weight that she carries
 is that of a mom
 Nothing's too heavy
 She just marches on

These bodies will perish
 and mirrors offer no truth
True love abides
 beyond the corridors of youth

  No, she doesn't deserve me
  Perhaps God can see
  Conceivably, one day
  I'll be as worthy as she

It's Opening Night, it's Opening Night
excitement, butterflies and stage fright
there is so much to do
please don't miss a cue

30 minutes
thank you 30

It's Opening Night, it's Opening Night
sound effects, butterflies and stage fright
Oh, the costumes are grand
actors know where to stand

10 minutes
thank you 10

It's Opening Night, it's Opening Night
lighting, butterflies and stage fright
lines have been learned
set pieces to turn

5 minutes
thank you 5

It's Opening Night, it's Opening Night
stage liquor, butterflies and stage fright
the call is to places
and make-up's on faces
the props are all set
but we're not ready yet

house lights out

open the curtain

bring up the lights

and

we're off

I am the string
that tied you around
the man tied to the bottle
your love was not full throttle;
the bottle can't love you back
can't pay you back
things were always out of whack.

But in your heart there was a fire
a deep burning desire
to love someone who wouldn't be like that
who would always love you back
so the stars gave parts of themselves
to meld me for you
but a child (or two)
won't undo
can't fix
or release
how how your heart has been breached.

Your life isn't the beach you envisioned.
No, it must be more like a prison
to live your life for somebody else
never actualizing your "self"
I can't imagine how that felt
Here's your accomplishment under the belt:
two children lost in the sea of themselves
because you never found your well
deep inside of you
made up of the river of your soul
whose waters whisper that your happiness is the only goal
doing what you love and loving who you are:
that is your role.

You dug, but never got that far
and you never set the bar
to be who you are -
had to learn that on my own.
I am Ryan,
locally grown
home grown
self grown.
I am my own
yet forever a loan
you cash out for happiness
with the best of intentions
the love we share is no invention
but I just need to mention
you're a divine woman for surviving
but getting by isn't thriving.

You've made it this far
and you are who you are
stand in the center of that
and swat
every thought
that doesn't contribute
to a room with a view
in the center of you.
You will find in your mind
you can make all your dreams come true
you just have to follow through
yes, it's true,
your happiness depends on you
and what you choose to do.

As the newly minted family of geese
swim along in front of me
Mother in front, Father in back
I really hope that they notice
the one they left behind
and I'm scared to think
that they already do