Rise up adolescent
And start to overcome
The burdens and hardships
Adults stand upon

Society strives to forget you
By paving a path to obsolescence
It fails to see the potential
Within your naive, yet growing luminescence

Take heed young one
Let nothing diminish your roar
The world may not be aware yet
However, it needs for you to soar

Hello everyone,

  I'm so very sorry … I feel horrible doing this, but I have no choice. You see, I have published my first book on Amazon/Kindle! This piece (and many others) had to be taken down because they do not allow published material to be available online for free. (Go figure) I wanted to leave the shell of the posts because I felt compelled to leave all your helpful and loving comments. (Silly sentimental, I know), but I also didn't want to just have the pieces disappear without an explanation. I feel bad enough as it is!

  I owe ALL of you so, SO much for all of your reads, love, and support. It was YOU that gave me the gumption to FINALLY get off my **** and publish! Thank you all for the warm comments, camaraderie, and encouragement! I will still be here, reading, uploading and just being the Rascal that I am. How could I EVER leave you guys?

  The book is called “The Way I See It – FictionPhilosophySoul Food” and it will be FREE for the first few days on Kindle Select, so watch for it, if you are interested. I hope that you go and grab it. If you do, I would also hope that you find it worthy, you would leave me a good review. That will help me get in the public eye! Soon afterward (2-3 days or so), it will be available in paperback.

Find the book(s) here: www.amazon.com/author/jeff.gaines

Or find the book(s), and all about me, here: www.JeffGaines.world

  Soon after, I also hope to have my first novel (a supernatural thriller), called “Wanderer” available as well!

  Wish me luck!

                                Big, Biggest Love,

                                               Jeff Gaines

Life Coalesced
Envision the rest
Depressed or distressed
Worried less, I invest
May regress or finesse
Life's congruent mess

Mold your self, immaculate
Clear hate and evoke fate
Inspire, create and congratulate

Persevere when near,
Whilst you conquer fear
Happiness untamed
Dreams unattained
Mature and grow wise
In front of your eyes

All I see is murky skies.
No rain, no sunshine;
And it serves as a cruel
Reminder that I am still alive.

The blackness of my soul
Will hit you and I'll swim in your veins.
A ticking time bomb:
Tick, tick, tick.
Heart's broken and the
Addiction of falling to
Numb the pain.

Far ahead there's light beyond
The murky skies;
This I know but I don't
Wish to face it until the
Darkness has completely died.

The world has changed,
The kindness is drained.
My, how have we
Survived this long without
Falling? Without the blackness
Of each other's souls
Beckoning, calling?

There are murky skies above
And I realize that I took the
Sunshine for granted;
But I see the hope above the
Sky and I know that with this,
My heart will repair all that is
Empty and broke.

I can be the change;
I can see past the present
Looking into the future
With a smile on my face.
Things will get a little
Brighter with each
Step along the way.

I see the murky skies
And when the drops
Of rain hit my skin,
I know that I'm alive.

When we are born, we are born with fire
Dancing in our souls like madmen,
Feasting on our every desire
And granting every wish you could imagine.

So many times we are told to keep our fire safe.
Don’t let it crackle and waste.
But, what if you do just that?
The light from your world will turn to black
And the fire you now need but took for granted will never come back.

The number of tears you’ve cried will put it out
And the dying sparks will fly about.
Nothing will be left but shattered parts
Of a broken soul wishing to restart.

Save every moment you have alive.
Good ones, bad ones, even “okay” ones will suffice.
Just promise my old and lonely heart
That you won’t reduce yourself to embers dancing in the dark.