A question of the ages,
And it is getting late,
As time flips through it’s pages,
Is this free will or fate?
I stand my ground, deciding,
My life is mine to choose,
Resisting or abiding?
Are we all destined to lose?
Or are lucky ones the winners?
Though the path is winding still,
The angelic and the sinners,
Is it fate or our free will?
There’s a Heaven where we’re going,
But Hell is here on Earth,
The challenge is the knowing,
Since the long past day of birth,
As the fulcrum totters sideways,
Confusion that I feel,
Is it fate’s playful hand that sways?
Or because of my free will?

JHenry

If I wonder at the beauty,
Or complain that I’m not ready yet,
It’s only to me it matters,
Because still, the sun will set,
Whether my heart is filled with courage,
Or there’s peace with what has stayed,
Or I cry because it’s ending,
Still, the colors fade.
This alone is my decision,
Whether I call it wrong or right,
To choose how I face the darkness,
Because still there comes the night.

JDoyle

There’s a sparkling in your eyes,
And tonight I’m feeling fine,
Watch the stars dazzle the skies,
Through another glass of wine,
Let’s celebrate the days of old,
We can raise a toast of ***,
I’ll recite their glories told,
And dream of the days to come,
But of this I’m well aware,
That tomorrow comes too soon,
With just ***** crystal clear
We could live upon the moon,
Will you join me for a dance?
Of adventure mixed with gin,
A discovered dark romance?
And I think we should begin,
To find a moment lost in time,
Forgotten long and far away,
Where the zzar is causing rhyme,
And that’s how I went astay,
But I know that now is real,
Though my hearts in full eclipse,
It’s this longing that I feel,
To taste the Absinthe on your lips.  

JHenry

My heart was heavy with sorrow,
The pain of today takes tomorrow,
But my eyes caught hold of a sight,
Of emeralds playing in light,
I saw, that it was green there,

The tumbling of sadness with hope,
Just what is the best way to cope?
With the good and the bad intertwining,
The cloudburst and said silver lining,
And for now, I am still here

So we pick up the pieces of life,
Find strength in the hardship and strife,
Focus on all the things that we love,
Find hope there within, sort of,
And live without fear,

We honor the life before death,
Grateful for the heartbeat and breath,
And wonder what life is about,
With so heavy a heart or without,
We return to good cheer,

Just like the cold winter turns spring,
Always new life it does bring,
This crucible that we call Earth,
With it’s crushing pain and great mirth,
And a green spring is near.

JDoyle

Most damage, Most wounds,
Will heal on their own in time,
And they may leave a mark,
But it’s of little consequence,
But this time, I realized,
This one,
It would require a little more attention,
This one,
Was going to need stitches,
And as luck would have it,
I’m pretty good at sewing.

At the start of the hill you hear water,
It’s a siren’s call to come and play,
And the red cap grins for the slaughter,
The faerie rings not far away,
As pixies dance in the sunlight,
Clockwise then counter they go,
They’ve been dancing in time since midnight,
As reality sways to and fro,
And the dryad winks as you pass her,
Behind you the branches they twine,
The wind it will carry her laughter,
As the memories slip from your mind,
You meet with your friend at the clearing,
From the Seelie Court, lovely and fair,
Though rushing and late you were fearing,
Her smile makes you glad to be there,
And she leads you along as she dances,
Faerie rituals don’t ever fail,
But Medb is not one to take chances,
There’s a  Nuckelavee  just up the trail,
In Tir Na Nog will they bind you,
You’ll be happier now with the Fae,
Where old age and sorrow can’t find you,
Oh human child come far away.

JDoyle

We dance around the fire,
Dodging to and fro,
I chase you then you chase me,
Round and round we go,

I walk this ancient hill,
Eons beneath my feet,
So quiet and so still,
It’s here I am complete,
My life the smallest dot,
Upon these mountains grand,
But there is no higher thought,
Than to be part of the land,
And I’ve a moment just to be,
In this endless stream of time,
But I forget I’m me,
As I make another climb,
To ridges that show it’s wonder,
In valleys that hold the prize,
With rivers winding under,
The ever changing skies,
Consuming in it’s splendor,
These mountains that I know,
I’m humbled by the grandeur,
As on and on they go,
And I’m content to wander,
So happy just to roam,
Such beauty to discover,
In my Appalachian home.

JDoyle

There are wind tossed clouds in the heavenly skies,
And a stiletto moon, shines deadly and bright,
As it pierces my heart, it widens my eyes,
Like a lingering smile that remembers the night,
Comes dawn with it’s sorrow, breathes heavy and sighs,
And bids me to stand though still sore from the fight.
There’s a hope found in darkness, in a clever disguise,
That can bring strength and promise into the light.

JDoyle

So high a price,
So thoughtless paid,
A loaded dice,
A promise made,

A whispered lie,
A look away,
And love to die,
And pain to stay,

Another game,
Another end,
So stay the same,
So just pretend.

JHenry

I think that I am blessed to see,
This Autumn’s lovely vibrancy,
The yellow, oranges, reds and gold,
Make a grand display of every tree,

And each day I wonder, truth be told,
At the miracle I can behold,
Then evening’s shadow does obscure,
And I’m left with only memories bold,

But in morning’s light I stare quite sure,
At colors brighter than before,
In our Mother Nature’s tapestry,
And I marvel as she weaves us more.

JDoyle

Along this narrow, dark alleyway,
A thought, a memory, or just my mind,
But there’s a reason I have come this way,
There’s something here I forgot to find,
And this lonely road I’ve walked before,
It brings me comfort I cannot describe,
The slums, the ghettos, hold something more,
They echo my fight to stay alive,
I think somewhere I saw a light,
I know there has to be a spark,
Concealed but somehow shining bright,
A light that’s hidden in the dark.
I find myself, it knows my name,
Though often I have chose to roam,
Here I belong, we are the same,
The paths of despair, I call my home,

J Henry

Our eyes are drawn to glamour,
Of figures who dance on stage,
But a glimpse behind the curtain,
Is a glimpse into a cage,
Throwing sparkles for excitement,
Wearing masks to hide our face,
Hiding tears and pain and sorrow,
That time does not erase,
It’s the quiet moments together,
When we say just how we feel,
Where we find a real connection,
It’s these moments that are real,
For we share so many stories,
And the bravest of us tell,
Of the days they walked in heaven,
And the time they spent in hell,
Take time to feel and listen,
Be thankful for those you meet,
We’re all in this together,
It’s just life that’s bittersweet,
And cheer for the gifted dancer,
Because it’s over all to soon,
And cry at your mother’s deathbed,
And gaze in the night at moon.

JDoyle

The noise is oppressive,
The flashing lights they blind,
Society invasive,
Grabbing at the mind,
“Look at me” they’re shouting,
“This is what to think,”
Propaganda spouting,
“Don’t you even blink,”
They just keep getting nearer,
As the noise becomes a knell,
And the blasphemy gets clearer,
Damning you to hell,
There may be no escaping,
Here in the blackest night,
But it’s your spirit they’ll be ******,
And you can always fight.

JDoyle

I’m restless, it’s that time of the year,
Life is muted, dull is here,
I say once more that spring is near,
It must be on the way.
To the river and around the bend,
Up the mountain, only to descend,
It does me no good, this cold must end,
It isn’t meant to stay.
Everywhere is muddy brown,
And drab colors from sky to ground,
Signs of life are scarcely found,
The very light is gray.
And how I yearn to once more be free,
To shed these clothes, and just be me,
To go into the world carefree,
And feel a sunny day.
But it doesn’t come so still I wait,
We northern folk, it is our fate,
This cabin fever, when spring is late,
Or winter wants to stay.

JDoyle

The cold it creeps into you,
And it will slow you down,
It numbs your heart,
And withers your soul,
And turns your mind around,

Chilled fingers twining inward,
Creates ice along your spine,
It blinds your eyes,
And freezes your ears,
Til the cold is all you can find,

And a life of unending winter,
Growing frost bitten and old,
Or time and again,
You can step in the flame,
And never let yourself get cold.  

JDoyle

Forged in fire, the flames never quell,
Again and again we suffer the pain,
A fitting thing Earth reminds us of Hell,
Don’t look to the sky, it’s not gonna rain,
Here in the furnace, here on the pyre,
Tossed in the mix to burn and to melt,
So be brave my darling, all you desire,
Is already here but it needs to be felt,
A soul in the making, life for the trying,
Though we are magic the end is to rust
Shake off the ashes, the body is dying,
A soul forged in fire returning to dust.

JDoyle

There comes a cold December when the snow covers the ground,
It softens all the edges and it mutes all of the sound,
I shiver in my jacket and I think of sunset skies,
When the birds were singing sweetly and color of your eyes,

There’s a fire that’s burning somewhere and it warms the winter’s night,
While the wind blows past the window,
clouds obscure the pale moonlight,

And there’s blankets full of comfort lying softly in a pile,
Somewhere, somehow, I will get there to remain a little while,
While the snow gets ever deeper and the cold seems here to stay,
Though it be a cold December we can chase the cold away.

JHenry

The roses bloom in summer’s light,
Thinking not of winter’s sight,
The first frost comes in the night,
Shriveled, lifeless, petal’s blight,
As always it has been,
Death comes quick, skeletal hand,
Grasps it all, as hourglass sand,
Life to wither, nothing to stand,
Ice covers all, across the land,
We know what happens then,
The sun’s fire, tilts her head,
The time has passed for the dead,
We must rise up, to live instead,
I raise my eyes, that’s what I said,
And reach to take the pen,
A new bud blossoms, still to grow,
Spring begins another show,
My pen creates a vibrant glow,
I celebrate the ebb and flow,
Of all I’ve seen and been.

JHenry

So turbulent and changing,
A maelstrom of the soul,
Some violent crash of whimsy,
Where colliding feelings rule,
Where all is bright and happy,
Then booming, thunders roll,
Or the slightest wave of fancy,
Now all is dark and cruel,
Where smiles are pure as sunshine,
And eyes are black as coal,
With riptides rushing towards,
An ever changing goal.

JDoyle

When love dies, where does it go?
When hope fades, what let’s us know?
When emptiness comes, is it meant to consume?
Or is it what’s left, and it takes all the room,
But it feels like a block, emptiness has its own feel,
Can that mean it’s a lack? is the feeling less real?
Is it just nothings here, no bad or no good?
Is it just we don’t care, when we think that we should?
Does it come from the pain? To protect us at last,
Because all else has died, we can’t live in the past,
But where is compassion? Does the pain **** that too?
Do our souls get too twisted?
Resentment can’t be seen through?
Or does it mean we’re just out, of love, hope and such,
Or am I not thinking, or I’m thinking too much.

JDoyle

To describe it, I begin,
Claustrophobic, all closed in,
Slowly smothered, looking out,
Nervous, frustrated, tied about,
My throat restricting, makeshift noose,
Safety is it? Your excuse?
Discomfort growing, concentrate,
Get it done with, far to late,
Senses subdued, my hazy mind,
I try escaping but I find,
My hands are useless, far to weak,
To bring the justice that I seek,
My heated breath to agitate,
The ties that bind me, cut and grate,
Lashing outward, what’s the use,
These poor *******, same excuse,
Trapped and bound my very soul,
Tyranny demands a toll,
Hide me under, suffocate,
Constrict, confine me, blackest fate,
Oppressive rulings to conform,
Slavery becomes the norm,
Stifled air and muffled voice,
I tell you this is not my choice,
Forbidden faces, jaws set tight,
Eyes are narrow, hands can fight

The day is over
Night is arriving to soon
To last forever

JDoyle

Life got you feeling hopeless?
So anxious and depressed?
Are you legs a little shaky?
A dropping in your chest?
You don’t have to stop forever,
Just take a little rest,
Remember why you started,
And at your own behest,
Take just the next step forward,
Don’t have to do the rest,
It’s just the task before you,
This isn’t a contest,
And bit by bit you get there,
Creating your own quest,
Feel the fear and all it offers,
Now lay it there to rest,
Pride and confidence will follow,
You’ll know you did your best,
Sometimes it may take longer,
Than what you first had guessed,
Don’t let it make you hopeless,
To this I can attest!
You’ll be thankful for the lessons,
Feeling joy and blessed,
When you see how far you’ve gotten,
I know you’ll be impressed.

JDoyle

If I had never seen the dawn,
And watched the sky aglow and bright,
If I never gazed upon the moon,
And saw your face, in softest light,
If your eyes had never turned to me,
And your smile not made it right,
If I never felt the afternoon,
And your touch, well then I might,
For if I had never seen the stars,
I could be content in darkest night.

JDoyle