A friend is like a ring of gold,

Its value known by those who hold,

Friends are few and far between,

Loyal, true, opinions keen.



On dark nights when tears oft flow,

At times in life nowhere to go,

A heart that's broke and cannot heal,

To give advice, a love that's real.



Always there in times of need,

Healing wisdom, words to heed,

The brightest star within the sky,

No price to pay, no reason why.



A sack of Gold within his hand,

The stranger walked into the land,

To buy and sell, or some to lend,

And yet the gold brought him no friend.



In a life where things can rot or rust,

Where all must die, return to dust,

There is no thing which one can hold,

Except a friend worth more than gold.



If you find this precious gift,

That friend who truly spirits lift,

Do not betray, do not forget,

For those who do will long regret.



© William Power (2011) All rights reserved

The mental obsession--

It won't go away,

It won't let me go,

It leads me astray…





Help me o' lord, I need to be strong!

The days are so short, my nights are long.

Do for me lord what I can't do for myself;

Put me away on some high moral shelf.





I fall on my face and I curl up to pray,

Please take it lord, please keep it at bay.

The mind is locked in, nothing else can I think;

The evil inside gives a laugh and a wink.





I have no control--there is nowhere to run!

The thorn in my side gives off heat like the sun;

I look for some answer, a proverb, a verse--

As the darkness surrounds me a prayer I rehearse.





Then finally it’s plain that release must be had;

My soul deep in sadness my addiction so bad.

My fist pounds the table--why can't I let go?

The thorn in my side makes a prisoner my soul.





The morning sun breaks to yet one more day,

My heart drops like a rock, my senses astray,

The black hole is deep and it's end can't be found,

The thorn in my side--in my misery I'll drowned.





The darkness returns and the demonic beast,

My flesh is destroyed my soul is its feast,

The heart is no matter my prayers go unheard,

The lord has abandoned—I've scoffed at his word!





I awoke in the night to bright light rushing in;

The demons all scurried as they ran from within;

Lighting and thunder, trumpets and wind;

Angelic beings came and took all my sin!





The Lord God Almighty sits high on his throne,

He never forsakes us we are never alone;

No matter how deep or how far or how wide;

The Lord and his mercy took the thorn from my side.

© William Power (2011) All rights reserved

Mist floats high upon the cool gray sky

Stillness broken by the red hawks cry

Dawn breaks slow in the mountains cool

Dewdrops form into a pool



Mountain laurel blooms fill the air

A Nuthatch sings without a care

Clouds float across like peaceful dreams

Brook trout play in cold clear streams



White pines tower, ferns carpet the ground

Sheer rock faces with waterfalls abound

Day lilies reach for the sun through the trees

Blackberries, muscadines, and honeybees



White tail deer run free and play

Black bear cubs sleep all day

Grandfather Mountain reaches higher than most

Cross her bridge and you can boast


Appalachian Trail runs through its heart

Through the Blue Ridge Mountains from its start

Breathe taking beauty for all to see

The lord and his handy work will ever be

© William Power 2011

I've lived the dark nights of the soul,

When darkness creeps as black as coal,

The fear wraps thick around my skin,

I crawl and scream for dawn's bright grin.



The day brings peace and I soon forget,

How in the night lives my regret,

Yet the bell, I know, will ring again,

The night will show my fears—my sins.



Relief I seek yet never find,

The years, the fears, control my mind.

And if a God there truly be

Will he ever set me free?



The dark it comes like thick black smoke,

Across the floor—my demons float,

And in my bed I sit and stare,

It grips my mind and claims its lair.



So until when the sun will rise,

The fear and pain will scar my eyes,

And if a prayer I do not sing,

Will Gods redemptive bells still ring?

Chirping birds that fly and play

Time change makes a longer day

Green grass shoots and flowers bloom

No more winters gloom and doom



Squirrels and bees and buds on trees

Sunny days with gentle breeze

Smell the blooms and fresh cut grass

Joy rushing in, its spring at last



Carpenter bees fly around

New growth covers the once cold ground

Rainey days replenish the land

The master’s creation, so beautiful, so grand



Spring time evenings, tranquil and still

Sunsets slowly over the hill

Frogs and crickets sing a song

The owl and whippoorwill sing along



I lay my head down in my bed

Spring time memories in my head

I fold my hands and begin to pray

I thank my God for another day



© William Power (2011) All rights reserved

I missed you tis true, and my love is yet strong

My heart skips a beat like notes in a song

It ponders the heart and the mind is not clear

The memory brings pain and the eyes shed a tear



Awake in the dark as I search for what's right

The dreams and the thoughts take control of the night

A song in the distance brings emotion too strong

A lost lover who sings 'bout a love that’s gone wrong



The master still calls me as night is her lair

I run from the shadow I feel the despair

I finally give in as there’s nowhere to run

I must give up the fight as the damage is done



The morning shines bright and drives away fear

The night so lonely, your presence not near

A welcome return from the night, the abyss

Yet through all of the pain I still long for your kiss



I think that I see you in places I go

I run fast to catch up but it’s no one I know

All of the places which memories surround

There's no place I can go where your ghost is not found



I dread the suns falling and the night almost here

Once again I'm a prisoner of shadows and fear

Your memory commands me like master to slave

To again kiss your lips is all that I crave



As the night closes in I hold on to what’s dear

The memories I hold even if you're not near

I will treasure you always alone in my bed

A slave to the master until I am dead



© William Power (2011) All rights reserved

Her beauty beyond all he had seen,

God had delivered to this man a Queen;

Her lips, they were moist, and longed for his kiss…

This was the man that fulfilled her wish.





Her past had been dark, with secrets and pain;

Emotions kept back, will soon fall like rain.

One can't always see what's behind someone’s eyes--

Silence blankets the soul when it cries.





The plan was a life like none knew before,

God would reveal for them each open door,

The heart truly hides all mysterious things,

The new lovers soared as if on eagle’s wings.





Flowered fields, and Blue Mountains tall;

A path, a brook, a cool waterfall;

Lovers will laugh and secrets will keep,

A place to make love, and then peaceful sleep.





He prayed to the Lord--only he could stop time!

I must have all eternity with this Queen who is mine!

But the Lord knew the truth of this love and its end;

The dark side would come and his heart would not mend.





She needed a hero for her demons to slay,

And only for her would the demons give way,

Behind her soft eyes was a heart made of stone,

With demons inside she was never alone.





What once was a dream that could never be wrong,

Now turned to a game in which he was her pawn,

Hell hath no fury as a woman unleashed,

She tore out his heart as if she were a beast.





As winds blew the curtains he awoke in the night;

Was this a nightmare--how could this be right?

He called his Queens name as he ran down the stair;

No voice returned--his Queen was not there!





It seems that the demons demanded her soul;

Her lover, her hero, could not pay their toll.

He tried as he might, but would never forget;

His life drifted on, his heart caught by her net.





His loving eyes, in her saw no wrong.

The dreams that he held for her, turned out all wrong.

His love was his weakness, and eyes--they were blind!

She chained up his heart and imprisoned his mind.

©William Power (2012) All rights reserved

A Tree is such a wondrous thing;

The wind hides for brief moments

In the safety of her branches,

And the Cardinal finds a place to sing.

Her leaves paint the country side,

With colors that are never the same;

Stoic, she stands in a winter's night,

Watching the snowflakes glide.

If only she could tell her tales;

Oceans of time have passed her by.

Her twisted look and wisdom gained,

In the stormy nights and windy gales.

© William Power 2012

I’m stuck in here!

I cannot move or think

My feet won't walk

I can see but it's only me



I can't get out!

It's dark and cold and I can't feel words

Pain crawls around inside

There’s nowhere to hide



I'm trapped in here!

Can anyone see what I see?

Or is it just me?

Everything is heavy and moving slow…..can I go!?



I'm chained and I can't move

I have tried so many times to escape

Why can't I go?

Hello!!



I'm stuck in here

Trapped in thoughts that won't stop

Trapped in a mind of my own that’s blown

Trapped in a fear that is only here



I really can’t get out

I can see inside but not without

I can’t feel anything you say

Hey!!



They can't see me

I can see them, can I flee?

I'm tired someone help me

I'm stuck in here!!



I will just wait cuz I know my fait

I will just close my eyes and stop

I will just curl up and cry

Do you know why?

...I'm stuck in here.



© William Power (2011) All rights reserved

My heart it knows both space and time,

A place that's filled with thoughts sublime,

Yet often comes that cold grey sky,

And brings the rains of tears once cried.



And from a broken heart it seems,

Comes shattered souls and broken dreams,

And as they move like crashing waves,

The setting sun my heart does crave.



And washing down the streets of life,

Are pieces of my desperate strife,

The rains inside my heart it seems,

Flow ever forth like rushing streams.



And when the quiet skies return,

Again for love my heart will yearn,

And faith will grasp at every chance,

To find again a true romance.



Forget the rains inside my heart,

To believe in love—a brand new start,

For love is truly a dying art,

Yes, a one true love will never part.

© William Power 2012

I fear the night,

Dark it is and filled with fright.

I whistle as though I do not care,

Yet, I know the night and I despair.



I fear the night.

It surrounds my soul.

Darkness creeps and swirles until,

As black as coal, and deadly still.



I fear the night.

Alone in my bed,

Alone in my soul,

Alone in my head.



I cannot sleep,

Awake I weep,

I ask the Lord my soul to keep.

But still the fear remains so deep.



Yes, I fear the night.

No matter if a verse I say,

No matter if I kneel to pray,

I look forward to the coming day,



Yes, I fear the night



© William Power (2012)

Where do you come from my friend?

After you leave where do you end?

Sometimes I wish for your return,

Other times I am glad you are gone.



There are times when you are gentle;

Your movements, soft, cold, and calm.

Then…on the next occasion you're brisk and strong.

Is there anyone who knows your secrets?



I wonder if they know where you have gone.

None who stands before you can win,

And the clouds? They need you to rain once again.

Oh, I wonder, can I give you my sin?



© William Power 2012