You and Them

They laugh at you in your silly dress
You put a face on that you think they want to see
They smite you with their hidden tongue
Yet talk to you with the only one they own
They greet you along your broken path
And you spent all day looking good for their sake
They hardly noticed anything of matter
You gave them chances not to laugh
You let them in again, again and still more
They took your kindness and broke it deep
They only wanted what they shouldn't have
Run away from the liars and emotional thieves
Don't let them melt your pretty face
Once its over, Once your facade is gone
Theyll no longer laugh at your frazzled gown
They won't be looking at it again
They took more than just what you gave them
They took what now no one else can have

Old Lady Riding in a Car

Her eyes,
They told a million stories
in just the seconds I saw her
driving past on my nightly run

Her age,
I could tell by her face
she had met a million liars
and I was just another one

Her smile,
I don't think I recall it
perhaps it wasn't there
wiped away by the sun

She squinted,
The ending day forced
a reflex into her addled brain
the car ride was no more fun

She rode,
As the lady drove her past
I could tell that she saw something
but it might have just been the sun

She's gone,
Tonight as she crawls into bed
she wonders if it will be her last
those thoughts come when you're 81

Thoughts Revisited

Impassive impunity from certain self destruction
Clung to dry words, cottoned tongue indeed
Surely madness follows those who walk alone
For echoes tire as they reverberate their sound
Voices in stir for yet another eventual season
Raking past the coals of scarlet, smitten tablets
Finding fire will not scorch all the articles within
Smiling while recognition gives way to apathy
Self doubt surely lingers not in the acoustic wind
Rather rambunctious tones escape the early soot
Music, obnoxious at best is heard from the wake
Less time than before to absorb the chilly fate
Opening tomorrow swiftly, Unshaken anymore
Traveling in limbo until further permits avail
Sunshine is immense in its dusky transition
Shuffling of feet signal a retreat from the pen

Clouds and Paintings

If there is somewhere else you would be,

Go

Please don’t give me just half your heart,

When

I’m looking for everything inside of,

You

I want to make a story of two hearts that,

Want

To start a journey that never ends,

Or

Maybe it comes out wrong what I say so,

Show

Me how it is you feel inside so I can bring you,

Up

To clouds that have never seen the rain,

And

Paint pictures on your lips of my love so,

Stay

Schisms

Dope could not fix that which was invisible to see
Some entity descended long before time blurred
All of the examples were missing a velvet tie
A bind that held all of reason in its complex woe
The light breaks and epiphanies rope the surface
Sunset waned hours ago and still the heat draws
Every lyrical base catches fire from one focus
A childhood scattered and skewed by default
Choices are for those who knew what they sow
Trying to force pieces together that did not fit
Wetted throats only feign forgetfulness partly
The nightmares of missing years ring home
No one answers the door in this town anymore
Who could see the lost pages floating away
The tide swallowed the memories in its girth
Suppressing eternal pain became a life long goal
Misunderstanding that forever would also pass
Leaving behind its footprints to faintly see
The last open door at the arrival of the coast
Lyrically drained and bedridden for days
Encumbered truths made to lay at rest
A final note of those gunslinger ways

Three Headed Tune

Ancient melody, new verse
Laughter painted, no rehearse
Undeniable truths, candid touch
Open window, granted much
Closeness indeed, patient and true
Hearts blended, passion is drew
Beautiful again, yesterday and more
Today and tomorrow, Endless score
Keeping chalk, No tallies written
Equal ground,  Burning and smitten

Caves glow, people stare
Eyes that meet, Lovers air
Unending words, Seamless seams
Forgotten embers, Renewed dreams
Afraid yet certain, Cautious yet bold
No other feeling, Hands that hold
Story unmatched, An Epic Tale
Two hearts blinded, Set assail
Worried not, Afflictions aside
Promises kept, Honor and abide


Oceans deepen, Time binds
Hearts flutter, The story winds
Much tenderness, Empty pride
Both want, What the other hides
Onward further, A stainless mile
The sky opens, A rainbow smile
Mystery indeed, The next chapter
Tales are bold, His heart did captor
Spoken simply, He loved her so
Into the future, The winds did blow

Conversations

New roads to replace old ones
How it came this far he does not know
A testament to his grit and fortitude
When all he had ever seen was rain
Many miles and still a whole world left to see
Waking up as ageless as the day before
His dreamer's stare peered right through me
He smiled and looked the other way
Oceans rose to meet him at the knees
And the endless one ran as if he were child
Nothing gained save for a new beginning
In this aging world, his spirit was young at heart
I asked him what his secret was before he strode away
He spoke of faith and love and dreams and salty horizons
He spoke of everything in riddles, though I kept up with him
I asked him where he was headed to, He simply turned and smiled
He said he was chasing echoes and eventualities
And with an about face, he turned around and was gone

Tapdancing in the Field

Temporary tangibility
Truer nature of all things
Open doors seldom fixed
Whereabouts unknown
Traveling on captivation
Serving self sorted goals
Finding purpose anew
Where rubble remains
Forging bright fires
When all else is due
Shirking responsibility
Fading into hope
Remorseless Wanderer
Touching time and space
Catching forever
On a cloud made of sand
Today is endless
Tomorrow will not endure
Now is paramount
When later holds no truth
Promises meant to be
When nothing else exists
Shining resemblance
Of happy and secure
Knowing the emotion
Yet scared to feel
Speaking it loudly
Whispering it inside
Letting her win
When she's always lost
Unexplainable adventure
Another ending verse

Burning Plane

There exist lesser worlds than this
I should know, I used to go there
Back when I owned everything
Yet held firmly to nothing at all
In another time, In another place
I challenged all that was real
Fighting wars with my self
And all that existed in my head
The roads that traverse to there
They seldom shine their light
Rather a wrong turn or two
Will find you in their void
Sunlit porches
Lazy afternoons
All thus mirroring reality
Yet incomplete somehow
Finding oneself is elusive
When rigidness is surreal
The end comes quickly there
Opening doors that go unseen
Stretch the imagination now
Easier to not be lost at all
Than to empty out your soul
Honest examinations
Keep reality lucid
When all else is brittle
Should you find yourself at home
Allow yourself to stay
Fading into the abyss
Is  Hell on Earth you see
Disconnected, Disconcerted
Unaware of anything inside
There are indeed lesser planes
In which to lose your way,
Ask me how I made it back,
How the fake trees melted
And I saw myself again
What  a story of wonder
Of non imaginary things
Summer evening on the porch
Lemonade in hand, Wondering
How fireflies became free

Strides

Wishing not to close my eyes
If only to dream wide awake
In a picture of perfect color
The ocean rests at my feet
I kicked at the salty dew
To feel its sandy remembrance
Of simpler things, of everything
Opening a bright new day
Listening to my joyous soul
Wrapping quietly at the door
Redemption tenfold in space
I found an abundance of wealth
The currency that does not spend
But feeds the heart with joy
Peace amongst all the chaos
Blowing against the wind
Building new roads to where they lead
Jacketed emotion, No longer ill
Bearing solid ground and sanity
Safe within my own shadow
For the moment, the only one that's given
Falling abruptly, Pondering upon everything
Everything is endless, Everything is now

Alley Roads

A man hides behind the rubble of the nearby trash
Does he not deserve a hot meal in his stomach
His life decorated with triumph and heartache alike
His story unfolded would reach any ears daring to listen
How is it that we walk by him and not notice his frown
All that is seen is the dirt on his face, not the battles he won
His uniform a long ago memory, and his decoration forgotten
He tried to manage the chaos of life and lost along the way
Still he was one of us, His tears just as salty and real
He once had dreams of a life like yours and mine
Yet fate's hand took both of his loves in childbirth
The devil was there to greet him in his sorted misery
The burning taste of elixir ran down his throat as he wept
Unfair you call it, but reality unfolded upon him in a storm
Now his dirt a little more understood, Years of remorse indeed
He spat out the poison, but the pain returned and with it the glass
The sands of time etch away our memories, fading them some
All of this though does little to conform standards on the heart
His glass never empty, his sorrow open and grand
What would you do if you lost everything you ever loved
After waging wars for those who did not even care
Could you hold your head and thank your maker
Or would you be just another vagrant standing near a fire

Lefty's Jaunt

I don't have all the notes of life
In fact, I often sing out of key
I'm chronically misunderstood
Even when I am making sense
My dreamer's path oft skewed
Even when God has lit the way
I recognize the forest today
I can finally see all the trees
I don't need my feelings spared
I stand firmly on my own two feet
Swimming in a bright ocean blue
Rising in thought and with the tide
Floating on the sea, Glimmering
I share myself with those I love
Yet I keep my self worth today
Walking firmly through my fears
Finding a safe place to lay my head
Unlike the places I did go in days past
The thorns left their heated stings
And I rejoice to be free of them
Mixing words with sordid thoughts
My maker found me out to sea
So if I speak freely of Him
Understand my grateful stride
And when I speak in riddles
Listen closely and hear my sound
Answers trickle from its tune
Even I hear them now

Unspoken

If I walked a mile, Would you walk a mile too?
Would you stay and sing to me if I said wanted you?
The opening of this song is everything I've waited for
To hear it playing now, opens up my dreamer's door
I know you're probably wondering if all of this is real
I'm praying that my actions always show you how I feel
If there are places I could go, I would surely bring you too
I could spend forever whispering, Yet I want to say to you
I have this feeling, That you're the girl I've longed to meet
The one that likes the way I laugh, and the silly side of me
I would hold you in a rainstorm, We could dance away our fears
I will always be the man you met, No longer do you need your tears
Just say that you want what I want and we want the same thing
The rest will work it self out, because always, has a nice ring

Summer Found Us Somewhere Along the Way

Long before I could tell you, I knew
Times before I could hold you, I sought
A window opened briefly in time
The shadows on your heart slipped away
Yet I move about you with a gentle pace
If only to show you that I came to stay
That life and laughter can come from lesser things
An entire ocean of dreams can rush to your feet
Who you see today is who I've always wanted to be
I had to get there on my own, before I found someone to show
When I held your hand, my other thoughts drifted away
I whispered to your ear that we should dare to dream
Never will it be the way it was, We can do anything
I looked at you and smiled, knowing deep inside
I was surely where I was meant to be
That happiness was quietly found

Not So Elusive

Counting the raindrops that I could see
Knowing that some of them fell just for me
Waking to the pitter of my beating heart
Comprehending its resurgence from the start
Having hope in the the miracle of dreams
Waiting on forever is not what it seems
Seldom do I rhyme any written verse
Yet this morning was full of unrehearse
Breaking the mold by holding long court
Nervous attempts of the grandest sort
How could new thought provoke much passion
Never in years have I seen such a fashion
Opening the door to electrifying  thought
Finding there what I had not sought
Has me wishing upon migrating stars
Bounding on speedy rockets and racing cars
Sleepy-eyed and still full of amaze
Wandering through morning in a silly daze
Thoughts captured and pen partly dry
I closed the book with a dreamer's sigh

New Portraits in a Timeless Gallery

The rain falling on his face was fortunate
His dry pockets soaked up the sound
Pattering on the roof or in his heart
His gaze, unrelenting in the summer mist
Fixed on portraits trapped in his mind
He knows he must offer out a gentle hand
The ones before him simply took what they could
The smell of the storm-filled air brings a scent
As he follows it to where it lies, He sees a face
Simple, yet stunning in mid summer's glow
How fortunate was he to come here
In a rain that promised only to drown
Another blessing floated within reach
Tomorrow arrested for the moment
Eyes met, and the world stood still
Rain beat down on his sodden back
Not deterring him from endless amaze
He smiled and laughed and cried within
The wet, painted summer allowed him in

Finding Hope in Fireflies

Cool on the surface, Melted on the inside
Gentle waves blowing, Time bends again
Afraid of its glow, Intrigued by its mystery
Standing in the doorway, Running a solid race
The heart paces on, A single light shining bright
Muddled in a daze, Too unaware to let go
Jagged are the lines, Soft is her heart
Opening to a window, Opening to the stars
Finding solid ground, Caressing common sound
Lending his timeless ticker, Spinning in open air
The ancient world turns, Sleeping hearts acquiesce
Soft and clammy hands, Cold and hampered breath
Receiving grace again, Nothing else could matter
Winding roads converge, Hearts may yet indulge

Soliciting Nature's Gift

Whirling canyons I have never seen
Intrigue my mind to travel forward
In the absence of worry, I find peace
The valley is higher than before the storm
Inconsistent crests become more solid still
I awoke to find the trees that were evergreen
Back in the distance, flood waters capitulate
The ravine recedes and now the ferns can grow
Roots planted deep never quite fade away
Faith allows their recourse, and holds firm
Catching my breath on majestic mountains
I never knew how to look at paintings before
Paint could never do this any justice anyhow
The canvas my life has produced is rich indeed
Only I had to envelop my eyes to absorb its treasure
Retire the brush that painted sorted scenes
Becoming open to a brighter, greener front
As the day awakens, and the old familiar Orb glows
I laugh at myself, What a folly was misguided darkness
When the Earth beneath my feet promised my redemption
Sharper my thoughts are to avoid the jagged cliffs
To avoid the minds eye, that lets it slip from this place
Where dreams are grown, and flowers forever bloom

Reeds

Closing windows, Closing doors
Hiding inside, Waging wars
A simple rhyme, A solid verse
Forgotten lines, No rehearse
Patient and true, Strong yet weak
Tasting the sadness, Rolling down cheek
Thinning Fabrics, Elusive clocks
Carrying the world, Tossing rocks
Unfolding faith, Discovering freedom
Sounds of discord, Endless anthem
Wanting warmth, Giving it away
Wishing it back, Neither could stay
Holding redemption, Feeding remorse
Standing oblong, Sounding hoarse
Realizing reality,  Wars being fought
Ending a riddle, Completing a thought

Drifting...A Rambler's Verse

All the undulating verses bring no shadows to the story inside
I've looked upon the multitude of pages, yet to free myself
From the whims of poetic license to something much more whole
I lost myself upon all those roads where madness became my fate
In spinning those webs, my pen smeared lines of prose and repose
I forgot to sing for the sake of being free, I forgot to sing for me
In the mirrors of the world, I have never found a friend
Rather a fearsome foe bent on tearing out my heart, disposing of my soul
A familiar face caught in timeless glass, yet aged a thousand score or more
I grew up in the time of laughter, when the beaches were clean and warm
Before the man came with his machines and washed away the sounds
Of  Musical Cream Trucks rolling along the shore in the innocent breeze of Sol
Wanting what all little boys want long before they must become battle hardened men
There was a time when I wrote for the joy of seeing lines blur across the canvas of life
I once knew no sad songs, my pen had yet to harvest any blackened notes
Like to tell you that life gave me a handful of lemons, yet I searched out the trees
Picked most of them myself, Whether it was in innocence matters little you see
I carried my heart wherever I traveled on winding, unfamiliar beams
Those I ran into were all too eager to help me hurt myself
In a time of soldiers, I was brashest amongst my friends
One facade of many I would elongate until the end
Inside there was a different cinema playing on broken staircases
Twisted into some fate in search for acceptance and immortal love
Taking whatever form was required to fit the puzzles where I would land
Never enough self assurance, Always searching outside my own fences
Medication became an ally of mine in those days, The serum I would drink
To help me find myself or so I thought, To help me be as bold as I thought you were
Instead I was raped, My solutions stole the very threads of life and existence, Left me bare
I wish I could tell you that I stopped when the winds blew away the pieces of my life
Yet tougher times, called for tougher allies, And I drank the world away
I became angry, I ran as far as I could see, In a gray sky I no longer saw the beach
The doors of those sweet yesterdays had closed and rusted shut
The sea salt or my tears had locked their solid hinges
Gazing at the world were eyes no longer seeing in color
The dreams that kept me going, I would forget before I awoke
Crossing the dunes now, and no longer my medicine kept me well
Looking for a key amongst the shells, though it all blurred to a haze
Much sleeping I did as time permitted, and dreamt in far away lands
I was looking for a solution to someone I could not fight
The war within myself had left me gaunt and pitifully broken
Drifting through sand filled valleys I began to hear a voice
A man who lived amongst the clouds, He had seen my sorrow
Yet this was no ordinary gent, He was omnipotent and grand
He began to comfort me as I told him of all my misfortunes
He seemed to know what I would say, before I could finish my thoughts
There I prayed with him and asked him to save me from my self
He said he would restore my soul, if only I would believe
And that I had to help myself back up, I had to be willing to fight
For the road ahead was not much easier than the one left behind
You see all of us have our own struggles, all our paths familiar
Each person you meet is struggling with life too, and all its tribulations
Be kind to each face you see, You may be all of God they ever know
Love like its never coming back, and if it does, cry and love some more
The roads I walked were Hell, But if not for their pain, I could not be free
I am but a lonely drifter, All I have is honesty, And all I'll ever be is Me