Dark all the time
Let a little light in
from the sunshine
but I wear shades
like all the time
so the light is always dim
anyway

When it's cold outside
it's cold in here too
and you can scream as loud
as you want
but I still won't hear you
not over the knives in the drum
not over the teeth grinding
and the branches winding
around them
like little children
clinging to their mother's dress hem

The throttle is all the way up
Five for a ride
and the tank is on full
There's no rest here
No call for a break to hear
but if the machine breaks…
A girl can pray, dear

But nobody calls
and nobody writes
and these branches
just hang
lower
and
lower
the ground reaching up
to grip with all his might
to bury me
marry me
and hold my bones tight
like sand when water runs
back into the sea
and I'm all alone again tonight

That's okay
I'll lie here in spite
despite myself
I'll fight myself
and make a feeble attempt
to turn all my wrongs to…
Yeah…
right….

Lookin' up to the sky at God like
"Gimme gimme!",
and I almost lost it all
but he shook his head
and dropped
a net under me
cuz Jesus laughed and said
"That's why they call him your boy!"

Pretty sure God laughed
a little when I bounced
Pretty sure he laughs
a little every time we bounce
He knows we'll be back...

Rings
These little things
bind you
Change you
Take you out of town
and turn your entire life
Up
               side
down

It starts with car rides
to dinners with strangers
Miniature screens in the headrests
and fights over broken headsets
ENOUGH
Screams and fights over what's best

Nobody listens
and the dew
on the stalemate glistens
like the sweat on a can
and you'll do anything
to put ten down
and lighten the load in your hand

Heartbeats are mechanical
and feelings are enveloped
in aluminum now
Not a salute
Not one bow
Nothing but a glass tipped to tv
Nothing but a closed box
with someone trapped inside
screaming
“Listen to me!
Why didn't you just listen to me?!”

Silly!
You didn't listen to her
from the start
It was all set in stone from the word go
but you led out with your heart
when all you had to do
was walk away right then
Instead of automating
for the next five to ten

But no worries friend
I saw your shell fall away
miles ago
and
I really do feel that you'll
win in the end
And even though I still see a spark in you,
it's a flame from elsewhere
stoked by a Master's hand who knew
better than to put
you out of the race too soon...

It's alright to be a little sad once in awhile
Little sad
Little while
Little faded smile
Little sweaty eyes
Little bit of dirt in life's aisle

Take it and run with it
See what it can be
Maybe it'll foster a smile later
Maybe....
We'll wait and see

A foaming, frothy sea
Between you and me
The rainy day
Making it less salty
Than it would be
Usually

No real tears
Just a little glum
Maybe it's the empty room
Maybe it's because the tv's not on
Maybe the sky's been gray for too long
Maybe we just need to change the song
Or play any song

It's okay to be a little sad
It's better than being overly mad
Always better than feeling really bad
Probably wake up and feel a little glad
But

For now

It's okay to be a little sad

Should I stay or should I go
clashed the words on walls
that minds make and turn us to voodoo dolls

Pins
Pride
Egos take a wide stride to avoid potholes
like a life less ordinary
with resentments on the side
Who wants refreshments on this ride?
I'll take two
One for me
One for you

I'm a kite that somebody flies
on Sundays whose
reverence
references those of a different time
but the same space
They read a book and act a certain way
just to save face

An old shoe lace
is the only thing
holding this world in place
while everything seems in a race
to trace it's way back into God's good grace

It's funny when you think about it
Right hand punched left hand
Left hand punched right
Nobody steps into the light in luxury
Only in desperate times
Only in foxholes
and next to bombs bursting with burglary

All the good shepherd can do
is sing sweet, soft lullabies
and keep us all from telling each other
little white lies
about how things used to be

I'm old
My father is older
His father is dead
yet we wage on and on
in a new day with all the same problems

When will it all end?
When will we put down
our weapons and call each other friend?
I can't wait,
because to that my sturdy branches will bend

I'll write poetry til my hands fall off and the only thought in my brain is horse broom *** trigger.

I'll write poetry whether it's read, ignored, or set on fire for blasphemy.

I'll write poetry whether it makes you roll your eyes and scoff a little or die right inside your head.

I'll write poetry because if I don't, the thoughts inside my head will send us all to an early grave without dinner.

I'll write poetry over sleeping, because it brings me rest.

I'll write poetry because sometimes it's not appropriate to walk around with my ******* up for all the world to see.

I'll write poetry because if I didn't, you'd never read it otherwise.

Are any of these movements real,
or are they made up
by people with too much time
on their hands and sold
to other people
with similarly idle minds?  
Trump.  

Antifa.  

Unite the Right.  

Fox News.  

CNN.  

Social media platforms.  

Slogans.  

Peer groups and all
their graphic tees, pins, and hats.  

Support this.  

Down with that.  

What ever happened
to plaid flannel shirts,
blue jeans,
and cords?  

Whatever happened
to waving to someone,
asking them how their day was going,
and talking about the weather?  

Everything leads to
controversy,
gossip,
and politics now.  

Nothing is a secret anymore.  
Nothing is personal.
Nothing is shocking.  
Nothing is sacred.  

Everyone is on a side
and the middle is cracking
and on the edge of breaking.