I meant to do something else
Instead of turning my life to ****
Destroying myself by my teenage moods
I left the Air Cadets in late summer 88

I went crazy in my own head
Something went pop and I cracked
And never recovered not 3 decades on
I should've been an Air Force brat

Today I saw the local cops muster
Their Captain paraded them
Any issues would be raised
For we are in a national lock down here
This **** ******* virus ruining the world
I remember ruining my teen years

By leaving the cadets and not joining up
My dad said I refused to go
He was right in that regards
Why did my head go bang in 88?

Things only got worse after that
Two very bad years but I recovered
I am who I am now but
Not who I could've been
An Air Force brat...

this blanket doesn't
keep you warm
so you close your eyes
and beg for
more and more life.

now your world is cold
because when
you were up high
you stared at the sun
when others jumped
and killed the light.

now it feels like
you lost your mind.

Thomas Edison once said; "Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time."

When I was younger, my teacher gave an assessment to everyone in the class
It was a simple assessment
But when we turned them in, he gave each and every paper a big red F
And then proceeded to sit down and watch us react as the papers were passed back
He asked us, ‘What do you think F stands for?’
The loudest response was ‘Failure’
And he shook his head hypnotically and told us
‘F does not mean failure like most think, but instead, it means ‘Find Another Way’

Those simple words changed my perspective on the tiny institution known as school
Classrooms have remained the same for decades
But the subjects change, they advance as we make new discoveries
The material we learn today is different from what adults had to learn years ago
I could use a metaphor or personification
Or describe to you the exact chemical formula of KNO3 and what it stands for
I could tell you how biology is important; meiosis and mitosis
I could tell you the first shot of the American Civil War
Or who Alexander the Great and Napoleon were
Sally sells seashells by the seashore
That was an alliteration

Do not let an exam grade or an insignificant letter define your outlook on life
Find another way to earn your A
An A does not stand for awesome or amazing, it instead stands for acceptable
Twain once said; "It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."
I will not let an exam grade define my future
And you shouldn’t allow it to either
Decide on something that drives you
That motivates and ignites you with passion
Live for being content and happy; instead of successful yet depressed
Because what we take when we leave this world is not our possessions but it is our memories.

you only talk to me at night
red flag they say
you can't see the difference between flags when the lights in your room are red
you only send me pictures of your face
no words
no response to my words
i can't see the red flags
and even if i could
i would pretend i couldn't

I first heard of you
In the hot heat of ’88
I was in love
My world full of bliss.
But the love
Died on the vine
And I was lost
And alone but I had
The songs of the
Beehive to protect me.

I’ve been to your city
With my friends
I’ve walked your earth
And yes, it’s my home,
My only home.
I’ve been the lover,
The barbarian
And the moon
All in my short life
On this earth.

I thought the Beehive
Had died
But in ’91
And finally ’96 you finally
Came alive again.
I thank Tracy
And Melissa for
The best music
In the world
And that timeless gig in ’91.



from Her Name is Hope – Life Force

because
on the moon
there are no rules
and breathtaking views.

When we're kids,
we see dinosaurs and dragons that make our imagination soar.
When we're teens,
we look at our peers differently than before.
And, as an adult, I find it harder to embrace any changes at all anymore.
I don't like the world I see. So tell me, what should I do?
First, know you're not alone.
Then take my hand, and together, we'll make it through.