The Trail

I come to you at last,

my secret refuge,

my final stand;

it is a journey I have

been making,

all my life;

you taste like chicken salad

sandwiches, and bottles

of Pepsi-Cola,

on the last day of school,

before summer break,

like hot, July mornings,

when your dad is taking vacation,

as your mother packs the cooler,

for trips to ‘Deer Forest’ or

‘Tower Hill’,

sampling her potato salad,

wanting more;

never enough,

never enough;

time is running out,

it is there in every step,

every whisper,

every breath,

but it is okay,

we all arrive at this destination,

eventually;

my spirit cries out,

just once more,

just once more,

but the body says no,

never again,

so you travel in your mind,

in your thoughts,

you remember the view,

the touch,

the feel,

you remember the cool breeze,

the crows cawing out,

the valley floor,

lying so far below,

the sun shining on your face;

you remember the quiet,

the solitude,

the peace;

you remember

the days gone by,

you see the road ahead;

with a sigh,

you start down the trail

leading home.

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.

A Day At The Mall

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.   1 John 2:15-17

He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.    Luke 6:39-40

I look at the latest gadgets,

the coolest toys,

the ultimate possessions;

all I see are things;

dead,

useless,

plastic,

lifeless;

my soul yearns for more,

my soul yearns for You;

I have spoken the words

You gave me,

I have shared the truth

You taught me,

I am tired,

I am worn,

there is nothing left,

nothing I desire;

I am ready for what

comes next;

blind guides leading the blind,

in love with the sound

of their own voices,

lost within the illusion,

deceived by their own vanity,

fading fountains of mist,

disappearing clouds of vapor;

here today,

gone tomorrow;

bring me home to You.

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.

Not Much

it may not be much,

but it’s mine;

not some teacher’s,

not some mentor’s,

not someone else’s idea

of good or bad;

it is mine;

it tears them apart,

knowing they spent years,

learning all the rules,

all the techniques,

all the proper pronouns,

all the perfect suffixes,

paying all the dues,

establishing all the provenances,

only to find out,

it’s all bullshit;

it’s either there,

or it isn't;

I have seen their lies,

I have tasted their hypocrisy,

their almost truths,

I have bought into

their system,

I have accepted their penalty,

I have paid their price:

I am free.

.

.

Still I Wait

nothing speaks,

nothing moves,

broken words,

surrounded by lost

worlds of stagnation,

breeding just

outside this silent door,

stripped of dignity,

smothered in sorrow,

growing shadows cast upon

the wall;

nothing is true,

nothing has value;

liars, hypocrites,

false and fake,

vain and pretentious,

self-righteous posers,

smiles and knowing looks,

full of pompous ignorance,

floating flakes of mist,

gone before dusty feet

hit the ground;

I cannot speak of

days gone by,

I can only speak of here,

I can only speak of now,

there are better places,

there are mysteries unknown,

there is more than what

is showing;

still I wait,

still I wait;

but you never come;

there is nothing left,

there is nowhere else,

the absurdity leaves

everything else behind;

still I wait,

still I wait;

but you never come.

.

.

You Who Are My King

without You,

the words no longer

have clarity,

without You,

the world is dark and cold,

without You,

there is no meaning,

without You,

there is no purpose;

You have led me

through the land of shadows,

where hope does not exist,

You have brought me up,

from the depths of death

and despair,

You have saved me

from the destruction

of my wayward ways;

to You,

does everything belong,

in You,

will I place my hope and trust,

through You,

shall I be redeemed;

You who are my King,

You who are my Lord,

You who I shall serve,

forever.

.

.

Knowledge of God

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counselor Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.   Romans 11:33-36

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.   Revelation 3:19-20

wandering alone,

destroyed by the moment,

overcome by the magnitude,

afraid of the consequences;

eternally gone;

I have fallen short,

I have been less,

I have not been

all that You created

me to be,

I don’t comprehend the reason,

I can’t explain the why,

I only know through You,

it will all work out

in the end;

without suffering and pain,

there would be no healing and relief,

without sadness and sorrow,

there would be no happiness and joy,

without darkness and evil,

there would be no light and righteousness;

without You,

there would be no hope;

thank you Lord,

rebuke me when I am wrong,

discipline me as a beloved son,

praise Your holy name,

to You belongs the glory,

to You shall I belong,

forever.

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.

Hiding in Plain Sight

they have become mesmerized

with the violence,

conditioned by the lies,

without feeling,

without joy;

without soul;

I remain silent,

because that is what

I choose,

words never mattered

anyway,

I could not save you,

you were too far gone,

too far along,

too far away;

from a dream,

I reach for you,

but you’re not there,

I call out your name,

but you do not hear;

replacing one,

without the other,

such an impossible task;

even now,

I hear your voice,

even now,

I see you your face,

even now,

I taste your skin;

a new day dawns,

old memories fade,

no return,

no mercy,

no hanging on,

forgotten memories and

empty futures,

travel down lost

and lonesome paths,

on their way to hidden

valleys,

where even the sun

does not speak;

I am tired of giving

pearls to dogs,

wisdom to swine,

tired of voices that only

know how to speak,

but have never learned

how to listen;

your judgment makes you smaller,

your expressions and excuses,

nothing more than meaningless drivel,

dead-end streets,

you use the cracks and crevices of

distant shores, like common

knowledge;

platitudes and artistic differences

only go so far,

sooner or later choices

must be made,

eventually it becomes real,

eventually it slips away;

everything you know,

everything you are,

everything you ever were,

just fading vapor,

dispersing with the wind;

the higher you go,

the farther you fall,

the faster you run,

the bigger the crash.

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.

Creature

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.   2 Corinthians 5:17

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.   1 Peter 2:9-10

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.   John 1:12-13

no longer a slave,

no longer a victim,

no longer trapped

by fear and death;

a new creation;

born of the spirit,

a foreigner walking in

a foreign land,

a child of light, called out

from the darkness,

a chosen vessel;

a child of God;

let me walk

in Your holy righteousness,

teach me how to grow,

fill me with Your endless love,

guide my steps,

down the paths

which lead home

to You.

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.

Everything I Need

Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.   Isaiah 64:8

walking in the darkness,

the pain grows stronger,

becoming more than I think

my body can bear,

with every breath, with every step,

You teach me the value of mercy,

You show me the price

of suffering;

You are the potter,

I am just the clay,

even though I have nothing,

with You I have everything

I need;

this body fades,

time turns everything into rust,

being with You is all that matters,

walking with You all that I desire,

glorifying Your name, my only purpose,

serving You my only mission;

You are the potter,

I am just the clay,

even though I have nothing,

with You I have everything

I need;

Lord, I am so close,

look down on me now,

see the humility of my heart,

know the sorrow contained within,

remove the darkness,

save me from the sadness,

fill me with Your love,

lift me into Your arms;

every hour,

every minute,

every second,

everything I have,

belongs to You;

You are the potter,

I am just the clay,

even though I have nothing,

with You I have everything

I need.

.

.

Without You

I am so undeserving,

I am so unworthy;

puffed up pride,

seeking its own glory,

self-centered ideas and thoughts,

full of vanity and iniquity,

lips dripping with venomous hate,

spewing words of anger and hurt;

without You

there is no hope,

without You

I am lost;

will it never end?

see my wretched life,

remember how I was formed,

help me live

with the frustration,

give me strength

to overcome the hopelessness,

lead me through this

valley of darkness and desperation,

free me from this prison of flesh;

hold me in Your arms

forever;

the pain becomes more

than I can bear,

the weariness to much

to overcome,

as I try to rise up

once more;

I cannot live,

if I live without You,

I cannot make it one more day,

without You;

my life is nothing,

without You.

.

.

Sanctuary

As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.   Proverbs 26:11

Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”   2 Peter 2:22

the touch returns,

the cold black night closes in,

dogs return to their vomit,

sows freshly cleaned,

wallow in the mire once again,

am I really so far,

will I ever escape

from these prison walls

surrounding me now?

now I see,

now I know,

just how far it goes,

just how costly it becomes,

what fools we are;

trapped within snares

of our own doing;

I see my life play out,

I remember all the wrong decisions,

I relive all the wasted opportunities,

I count up all the lost minutes;

and I am so tired;

the darkness waits

once more,

thick and black,

silently enveloping my soul;

does no one see?

does no one know?

does no one care?

everything fades,

everything passes by,

like shadows in the night,

everything changes

with the morning dawn;

save me O Lord,

let me rest in Your powerful arms,

let me find sanctuary

within Your sacred walls;

bring me home to You.

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.

All Things

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.   Philippians 4:11-13

through You,

I am strong,

through You,

I am alive,

through You,

I am a son

of the living God;

through You,

I can do all things;

in times of joy,

in times of sorrow,

You are there,

opening my eyes,

guiding my paths,

within You,

I have all that I need,

within You,

I shall not want,

within You

I am more than I am;

You teach me

to be patient,

You show me

how to be better,

You renew my strength,

when there is no strength

to be found;

Holy Father,

fill me with the fire

of Your magnificent spirit,

remove anything not of You,

recreate me in Your glorious image,

make me a son in whom You

may take pride;

Father,

bring me home to You.

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.

Where is Thy Sting?

I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

“Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.   1 Corinthians 15:50-58

we live in a world, ruled by fear,

it dominates our thoughts,

it determines our decisions,

it decides how we live our lives;

fear of illness and disease,

fear of starvation,

fear of destruction and chaos,

fear of losing loved ones,

fear of losing money and possessions,

fear of being different,

fear of growing old,

fear of being sad,

fear of not being loved,

fear of rejection,

fear of suffering and pain,

fear of the unknown,

fear of living life,

fear of the truth;

spiritual fears so dark and deep,

we don’t even admit they exist;

we live in a world, that thrives on fear,

where many prey on the fears of others,

surviving on their reactions,

commercializing their existence,

capitalizing on the opportunities,

exploiting the weakness;

there is One who has conquered death,

who has overcome the fear,

through Him we are free to live again,

through Him we are free to ask;

O death where is thy sting?

O grave where is thy victory?

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Psalm 103

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.   Psalm 103:11-18

when I turn to You,

light comes pouring in,

darkness slips away,

hope rises;

I am set free;

You are a sweet summer breeze,

a clear mountain stream,

a warm, gentle touch,

innocence and purity;

truth complete;

as far as the east is from the west,

have You removed my transgressions

from me,

as a father has compassion on his child,

have You had compassion on me;

through Your unfathomable sacrifice,

have I been redeemed from the dead,

by Your mercy and grace,

has my soul been restored;

forever shall I belong to You,

forever shall I sing of Your greatness,

forever shall I praise Your name,

forever shall I love You above all others;

let Your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven,

remove all that is not of You,

cleanse the filth and iniquity,

abiding within this imperfect temple,

make me into a new creation;

fill me with Your love;

You are my strength,

You are my rock,

You are my comfort and joy,

You are my God;

You are my Everything.

.

.

not enough

what else can I say?

what else can I do?

what else is there?

you are inside;

like blood,

like bones,

like teeth,

like skin;

you move with

the wind,

swaying on

the breeze,

rising and falling

like the tide;

not enough;

living,

dying,

eating,

dreaming,

crying,

speaking,

writing,

spiting,

chewing;

not enough;

not enough;

I breathe you like

oxygen,

I want you like

tomorrow,

I hide you like

a secret,

I whisper your name

like an ancient society,

I consume you like

a pear;

not enough,

not enough;

I love you.

.

.

Desperation

now the end may begin,

lost in this swirling

world of never,

eyes dressed incognito,

egos disguised by humility,

enemies in the shape of friends,

make for the worst

of them all,

you never see them coming,

until they have passed you by;

and by then,

it’s always too late;

the movement continues,

like liquid wildfire,

consuming all there is,

right or wrong, hanging within

a delicate balance,

fools following forsaken

roads of folly,

on their way to this or that,

innocence never the issue,

something for nothing,

one for all,

everything for anybody,

some things for nobody;

this garden no longer grows,

fruit lies dying on the vine,

hope has no future here,

fertility fails,

fixations no longer provide a thrill,

sinking deep into the

oblivion below,

sink or swim,

desperation makes its strong argument

for justification,

survival separates the living

from the dead;

words once spoken

can never be returned.

.

.

No Mistakes

I lose track of the days,

in this life

that is no life,

holding on,

slipping farther away,

feeding hungers and lies

that know no limits,

desperately reaching out

for the truth that heals,

silently seeking redemption,

in a ravenous world

that consumes

everything in sight,

speaking wisdom, that is

as empty as the chains

with which it speaks;

outside, death and mourning,

wailing and destruction,

but in here we are safe;

perhaps;

addicted to our deceptions,

our lies, our diseases,

deceived by the illusion,

trapped in the cages,

drowning in the cesspools,

surrounded by the swamps;

we make our choices,

we choose our failures,

we cry and scream,

we search and dream,

we make our choices;

there are no mistakes,

in the end we become

what we are,

monsters of our own making,

creations of our own choosing,

monsters and demons,

basking in the warm, electric glow

of the sinister excitement,

living vicariously through

their evil existence;

we alone choose;

there are no mistakes,

in our ineptitude,

we bumble along,

careening down paths

without a clue,

blindly searching for the truth,

and light,

and sun,

and sky,

but there are no mistakes,

it is all as intended;

every word,

every second,

every moment;

there are no mistakes.

.

.

Mammalian Junkyards

human wreckage,

lying strewn about,

like old lost parts,

buried within this mammalian

junkyard;

who could know?

who would care?

waiting for a small glimpse

of light,

at the end of this proverbial tunnel,

they come by the thousands,

the millions,

for just a touch,

a look,

from their multi-colored gods,

a souvenir,

to drag back into the pits,

of this life called home,

a chance to feel,

a chance to forget;

before the wrecking ball

smashes them

into pieces.

.

.

Dead Places

dead places,

hidden among rain soaked fields,

call out, like long lost friends,

searching for days gone by,

and empty roads

never traveled;

grand plans,

big ideas,

so much lost on the way,

in this desolate wilderness

called home;

it scares them to know,

someone sees through their masks,

their charades,

they grow uneasy,

when they see themselves

through the eyes of another,

tossing and turning,

generating huge ocean waves,

among the tranquil seas;

fools;

playing foolish games

with deadly consequences,

children lost in chaos,

and hopeless jungle forests;

dead places

know.

.

.

Commodities

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.   Isaiah 64:6

There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.   Luke 12:2-3

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil,  full of deadly poison.   James 3:7-8 

pride blinds the eyes, of those it fills,

creating illusions and deceptions,

turning brother against brother,

sister against sister,

breaking friendships and bonds,

destroying everything in its path;

words spoken in the darkness,

find their way into the light;

you choose your relationships

like commodities,

something to hold on to

when they serve a purpose,

something to toss out,

like the morning trash,

when the usefulness and purpose

are gone;

we are all filthy rags,

we have all fallen short,

eventually we all fail,

no matter how many

positive thoughts, we fill our minds with,

no matter what fantasies

we choose to live in,

no matter how much knowledge

we think we know,

no matter what bold words

spew from our tongues;

in the end,

truth is all that survives.

.

.

The Best We Can

everywhere there is anger,

everywhere there is ridicule,

everywhere there is despair;

men no longer search for truth,

men no longer thirst for righteousness,

it has become much too dangerous,

political correctness has become

the brave new frontier;

compromise, the name of the game;

the world as we know it,

is falling down,

with no relief in sight;

answers no longer have meaning,

questions are no longer asked;

I close my eyes,

and imagine days gone by,

I close my eyes,

and see days to come,

I hold on to the hope,

while letting go of the reality,

I search for winding, empty roads,

where few have ever traveled,

settling in the end,

for safety and comfort,

following paths well taken;

broken promises and lost paradises,

tumble down,

like building block houses,

on a child’s playroom floor,

failure hurts,

fantasies and foolish feelings lost,

forever slipping from your grasp,

always just one reach too far,

always a little more than

you can hold;

time and flesh fade,

until finally words are

all that is left,

when in truth,

they are all there

ever was;

overcoming the night,

is never an easy task,

yet still we try,

the best we can;

letting go of the dreams,

was never part of the plan,

yet still we do,

the best we can;

somewhere, little boys are free

to play the games of men,

while dreaming of days ahead,

without running from the demons

of their past;

I am still here,

quietly waiting,

I will wait as long

as You require;

I will wait forever;

I belong to You,

I always have,

I always will;

You are my Lord,

You are my Master,

You are my God;

You are my Everything.

.

.

The Wonder of You

there are secret things,

things so dark and forsaken,

things that only You can see,

things that only You can forgive;

You bring me to the foot of Your throne,

You raise me up by the hand,

You strip away the denial and pretenses,

You remove the impenetrable walls,

You bathe me in Your unspeakable light,

You cleanse the dirt and filth within,

You take away the darkness and pain,

You calm the turmoil and agony,

You heal the sickness and suffering,

You fill me with Your unimaginable glory;

You soothe the raging storm;

renew my faith,

rekindle my fire,

restore my waning strength;

refresh my tired and worn out soul,

fill me anew with Your Holy Spirit;

You are my King,

You are my Lord,

You are my Master,

You are my God,

You my Truth,

You are my Light,

You are my Way;

never let me forget,

never let me doubt,

never let me take for granted;

the wonder of You.

.

.

Slave

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.   Mark 5:18-20

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."   John 8:34-36

all my life I have been a slave,

all my life I have been lost,

all my life, I have served

unseen masters,

all my life I have been

a prisoner;

sexual perversions and lust,

spiritual darkness and depravity,

financial debt and personal greed,

unjustified hatred and anger,

self-destructive gluttony,

fantasies and delusions of grandeur,

vanity and self-induced egotism,

malicious slander and vicious lies;

sacrificially raped,

silently abused,

self-tortured,

steadily stripped, of all dignity

and self-worth,

repeatedly robbed of confidence

and truth,

slowly losing faith and trust,

then You reached out Your

mighty hand,

pulling me up from these

raging seas,

unlocking the door of this

forsaken cell,

delivering me from

eternal bondage,

opening my blinded eyes;

no longer a victim,

no longer a slave;

now I wait for the day,

when I will be where You are,

sitting at the foot of Your throne,

basking in Your glory and light,

telling the world of Your mercy

and grace;

telling the world, what the Lord

has done for me.

.

.

Maybe Two

the feet burn;

cold, like blocks of ice,

dead and distant,

bloated and swollen;

movement comes hard;

the phone rings,

the VA,

telling you they got

the latest lab results,

want you to up

the dosage,

you hit ignore,

roll back over;

enough is enough;

you think about truth,

you think about lies,

you think about appearances,

you think about deception;

we all get exactly what

we deserve;

Petey lays at your feet,

quietly concerned,

understanding more

than most,

seeing things

others cannot,

it is instinctual;

it is on another level;

somehow you fight through

the stupor,

rising once more,

putting one foot in front

of the other,

until eventually

you feel the floor

again;

“c’mon Petey” you say,

who jumps quickly up,

tail wagging,

“let’s go check the mail;”

not ready to give up

just yet;

still got one more round;

maybe two.

.

.

Some Days

dark days, without sun;

some days you remember,

some days you don’t;

traveling down moonless roads,

in the middle of this forever,

winding night,

desperately seeking, a

continuously changing destination,

even now, you feel the sting,

even now, you know the

hopelessness;

does this sadness never end?

somewhere, on the journey,

you fell in love with the pain,

looking forward to the next

big heartache,

silently wishing for the loneliness,

secretly reveling in the emptiness,

taking comfort in the isolation,

finding solace in nothing and

no one;

inside, there is a great vastness,

an untapped well of darkness,

stretching beyond the horizon,

more than the untrained eye

can imagine,

more than can be described with

words alone,

it is upon these shores

that you drift;

it is the only place

you have ever called home;

outside, they await,

screaming for just a little more,

waiting for the finale,

thirsting for the ultimate thrill,

the final curtain,

the last call,

and you know that somehow,

you will deliver the goods;

know matter what the cost.

.

.

Wasted Days and Wasted Lives

today, was one of those

wasted days, where you

have the time to do so many things,

but you wind up doing nothing,

laying around in your pajamas,

as grass and weeds, which need

cutting and trimming, quietly

grow outside,

you go back to bed. and

sleep until one in the

afternoon,

you eat your wife’s Reeses Cups

and Kit Kat bars,

then feel guilty, and tell yourself

you’ll run to the store later,

and buy some more,

but you only leave the house

to take the dog outside,

as you take a double shot

of insulin, to try and keep

your blood sugar under 400;

yes, a completely wasted,

unproductive day;

you try to write,

so the day won’t be

a complete loss,

perhaps provide a little

redemption, for wasting

an entire day,

but it doesn't help,

you think about things,

you haven’t thought about,

in a long, long time,

you think about people, and

places which have come

and gone,

about plans and dreams,

that never worked out,

about life,

about death,

about lies and hypocrisy,

all the bullshit in this life,

all the nonsense and chaos;

you think about monsters,

dark and evil,

who steal the innocence

and faith, from young

children,

taking all they have,

leaving them to grow up,

with nothing left to give,

you think about all the lives

wasted by wars and greed,

all the suffering in the name

of ego and pride,

you think about truth,

and know that there is

only One;

and all the wasted days, and

wasted lives, are the

only proof you’ll ever need.

.

.

Last Call

this morning darkness does roll,

these gentle waves do wash,

melodic rhythms continue to flow,

despite the insidious rush,

of left handed breaks;

who does know?

who can tell?

who will stop the tide?

inside, we are all the same,

lost and afraid,

isolated and alone,

searching for a refuge,

trying to find a home;

no matter who we are,

no matter what we say,

no matter how hard,

we pretend otherwise;

somehow,

someway,

somewhere;

there must be more;

wasted words once again,

lost within the echoes,

of ancient memories,

lying just a touch beyond hope,

drowning on distant shores,

of foreign intervention,

drifting upon forgotten

platitudes, of empty fires,

blazing wildly out of control,

burning with the stench,

of a thousand voices,

pleading for death,

this too shall pass;

what else is left?

enlightened intelligence,

such a wasteful resource,

in the hands of crazed madmen,

passionate informants, full of

useless information,

inside traders,

selling stolen dreams,

former raiders of excessive,

corporate greed,

dancing on the backs, of

down trodden masses,

sharing forbidden fruit, destined

for leftover dumpsters, of

recycled trash,

destroying the will,

removing the innocence;

exchanging profit for turpitude.

.

.