I look up at the grey clouds above
They match my mood
And the color of my heart
I turn my eyes to the ground
But then,
A shimmer catches my eye
I look up to the clouds
Dark and forboding
And I see a stream of light
Like a glimmer of hope
In an hour of disaster
Faint amidst the grey
Shining down on my face
I smile
Little bird chirping at my window
The sun glistens through your feathers
Illuminating aqua shimmers, sparkles.
Chirp, chirp starts your song
And as I listen, I am taken
To a place of dreams unspoken.
Your sweet warble carries my cares away
I am free to fly with you
To sing with you forever.
Fluffy clouds of cream
Top the rolling mountains
Gurgling brooks and streams
Tales of life-giving fountains
Trees that touch the sky
Stars that sing us to sleep
Plantets, far off, spinning by
Into the dark, unknown deep
Mist dancing on the waves
The moon's light casting shadows
Gentle rains whisper days
Of flower hued meadows
I stand here, silently
The wind lifting my hair
My soul, awed, quietly
Lifts itself into the air
Even with this beauty
I wonder if You are there
Even with promises of peace
I ask myself if You really care
My doubtful eyes, downcast
Spy a small ant
Carrying a load much bigger
Than seems possible to stand
I see it struggle
Not wanting to give in
But then, another comes along
Quick to help him
I smile, as tears fill my eyes
As, again, for the first time
I realize
You will always be there when I need You most.
Reflections of beauty surround me
Reflections of hope and peace.
But like my face in a broken mirror,
Refletions are all they are.
I wish to pick up the pieces
And solve this puzzle, which echoes in my mind
Each time I try to forget,
To accept it as it is.
No, this is not right, the picture is incomplete.
Pretty flowers are all I see,
Rainbows in a clear sky.
But where is the path? Is it straight?
How can I live in such a dream
When reality knocks on my door, a storm?
Reflections of beauty, yes, so tender
But reflections of truth are rare.
To live is to struggle
To be at ease, a false image.
A true mirror shows the whole
In its complete, unbroken form
So a true mirror I choose to be.
Reflections of beauty surround me:
Even in my dreams it overwhelms me.
Who can hold a golden sunbeam of light
Or a star that shines through dark night?
Go and kiss the crystal surface
Of an ageless blue sea,
And create unending ripples to land
On a shore you will never be.
Imagine a field of flowers
And a hovering cloud of butterlies;
Whose wings caress the rose and lily
As they float in peaceful blue skies.
Such simple things, odd little things,
Always catch and hold our eyes,
Even as our breath is held
As we try to prolong the moment soon to die.
But in the recesses of our minds,
Memories linger and live.
So, in our deepest of dreams,
They still have beauty to give.
Life is like a whisper
Murmuring in my heart
A soft message: go, live
Bring to others the joy you've found
Life is like a whisper
Spoken from ancient lips.
Some are drawn to it's soft melody,
Others, never see,
And turn to more grand things in life.
Life is like a single tear
That falls to join a pool of blue.
Quickly to disappear, but the ripples
Tell of its existance, and you
Can trace its life to the last.
Life is like a single flower
In a field full and blooming;
But pluck the tender stem
And immediatley somthing's missing.
Life is fragile, life is sweet;
Life holds tears and joys.
Life is a mystery,
Tife is a song
That will forever go on and on.
On and on.
The wind came howling at my door
Bang! Crash! Fierce and strong
I thought it would tear off the roof
And carry the cows along
Then quickly it began to pour
Torrents streamed onto my window
Then I looked outside, alas!
I saw flying minnow!
Poor little fishies, sucked up in the storm
Poor little fishies, tomorrow you'll be no more
The storm came knocking on my door
As if to say, "You're next"
But then I glanced upon my table
Aha! The Holy Text!
I flipped throughout the pages
As quick as Wild Bill
Then found what I was seeking
And screamed out "Peace! Be still!"
My dog crashed through the window
Ponies were sucked up high
I thought for sure my chicken coop
Was somewhere in the sky
But then the darkness lifted
The rain, it fled away
The thrashing wind subsided
And I beheld the light of day
The wind came howling at my door,
Howling, howling, more and more!
I ask myself, what's this for?
Why is the wind howling at my door?
I threw back the covers,
Meaning to leap from my bed,
But my gown caught the bedpost,
And I fell off instead!
My nose hit the floor,
Oh! How it stung!
And amidst my tears
I told the wind what it had done.
But Oh! It just howled, howled all the more
And I asked, what is this all for?
I fumbled with my candle,
To light it I tried;
But the wind saw to it
That after one second it died!
Now in a rage, I blindly flew to the door
With the wind still howling, howling more!
I lifted the hatch, wrenching the nob,
But how can anyone make the wind stop?
It howled, it howled, it blew in my ear
But I knew, I knew, I had little to fear.
And then, for a second, it seemed to quiet down;
And I noticed that there looked a blanket on the town.
And as I stood staring,
Oh! How my toes were so cold!
And as I looked down, Behold! Behold!
Soft layers of snow surrounded my feet
And than I heard the wind,
"I wanted you to see"
And I laughed and skipped and jumped through the air
And I forgave the wind without a care.
Than I rang the bell for the town to rise
And share with me the wind's surprise!
Beautiful rain. Beautiful faces.
The clouds smile as they pass overhead.
Serenity.
Plop, plop fall the raindrops and with them my cares.
I dance under the sweetness of the sky.
I savor this peace. This calm.
This beautiful rain.
One bird flew away
From the cage of its brethren;
Darting from among the confines
Of their beating wings
And the song they forever sing.
To perch atop a roof alone
To sing a song
All his own
For once to fly in freedom
With the wind that carries him.
One bird realized
He was enough
All alone
And gives his song to the children
And his wings to the wind
His beauty to the artist
And no longer does he just
Blend in.
Vile little creatures invading my bedroom.
Eight-legged vermin they are.
They're black. They're brown. They crawl all over my wall.
With delight I watch them die.
Stuff them in a jar, squish them to the ground.
Spray them with insecticide till they drown.
Once I was afraid of them.
Then I became bold.
Like prey, I hunt them down until I find no more.
But every spring--ah! A new generation with which to contend.
We fight an endless battle over who inhabits my house.
I have adapted eagle eyes to spot them in a moment.
The cieling, walls, and even floors cannot conceal them from my sight.
They are not insects, but bugs no doubt.
When they bug me their time is up.
They know that soon, very soon, their lives will be no more.
Yes, horrid little vermin are they.
Vile little creatures, these spiders.
We give away our hugs
And keep our kisses;
We show our smiles but
Don't give away our hearts.
We hold onto our dreams and wishes
Giving no one time or space to
Steal or tear them apart.
Those who throw away their kisses
And who hold hugs in low esteem
Have lost something precious
And can no longer daydream
About what it will be like
To seal their greatest earthy promise
With what is called
A kiss.
I see myself surrounded by beauty.
The glories of Your creation
Sing Your praise.
I look to You, in the skies above,
And sing of Your sweet mercy.
The stars shine at Your command;
The mountains quake and tremble.
The deer lay down, the waters fall,
And the trees must bow down low.
But I am free to stand my ground
And do as I may please;
For You game me the choice
Whether to follow or turn my back
On all that's been done by You,
On all Your work, Your tears, Your scars,
On all that's been done for me.
But I do not turn away.
Something in me wants to stay and hear
From You who made the air I breathe,
Who made the ground on which I stand.
More than the wild creatures are beautiful to the eye,
So the Creator is awesome to behold.
And I stay.
I choose to learn from You who did it all
Just for me.
The wind is cold
But bright days always dawn
However bleak the rain
It cannot outlive the sun
And beauty is not complete
Without some pain
Because, my dear,
We would not appreciate it again.
What if green was white and blue was pink?
If listerine was paper was purple snow?
If up was down and down had left?
If mistletoe left cows bereft?
What if shoes were wax and flowers cry?
If vacuums were torches were pig's feet were toys?
If footprints were sugar and sugar had taste?
If boxers plowed diminished waste?
What if trees were fire and birds were bugs?
If hamburgers were tator tots were dog food?
If rough was soft and soft had spikes?
If water burned up all the dikes?
What if coats were tape and paint was clay?
If gerbils were towels were socks were shampoo?
If weird was young and young had aged?
If strawberries kept monkeys caged?
What if?
I'd just go plumb crazy.
You know why the world isn't perfect?
Because people inhabit
Its forests
Its jungles
Its rivers
Its plains.
Its mountains
Its oceans
Its islands
Its caves.
Its valleys
Its marshes
Its skies and
Its graves.
And you and I only add to this...
Mistake?
It does feel pointless,
When you begin to think and give your brain some exercise.
But who are we to fill in the blanks?
Who are we to say, 'plan B'?
Who are we to take life into our hands?
Who are we to proclaim ourselves free
From chains we cannot understand or see?
I found myself today
Sitting by still waters.
I glanced at my reflection
And smiled.
With that smile my hopes lifted,
And my burdens fell.
I stood up, shook out my hair,
Raised my arms to the sky,
And danced upon the grass.
I reveled in my freedom,
I rejoiced in my peace.
I lifted praise to God,
Who has vindicated me.
I am wander
And that which is flavorful
Will have lost its savor tomorrow.
I am wander
And the earth is my kingdom, my home.
The meadows, my dancing hall.
The mountains, my secret place.
I am wander
And my name, my face, no one can recall
But I leave my memory hinged on the wind
So they can feel my movements when I am near.
I am wander,
But I am not lost.
I am wander,
But am not lost.
I'm sitting here beneath this tree
The glories of life surrounding me
Fresh air, fragrant grass, daisies and birds abound.
The sky nearly blue, clouds thinly scattered round.
And so I sit here and ponder
Why is that school parking lot over yonder?
Why ruin good ground to put in a road?
Why build a brick building and keep the grass mowed?
But then I stop, and reflect on this week.
Oh, how many times have I wanted to seek
A quiet little spot of beauty here.
So I thank God that green grass is still near.
People are pacing
Their homes
In anguish.
Regrets coursing their hearts;
Fears, unwelcome, piercing their minds.
Children are wandering
The streets
In hopelessness.
Questions tormenting their souls;
Fears, unwelcome, piercing their minds.
Why are there lost children in the world?
They belong in never-never land.
Why do we hurt those we love the most?
Such a senseless mess
But at least the scenery is nice.
So we can look past the faces
And inhale the fragrant flowers
And forget there are lost children
Trying to meet our eyes.
Giving a silent plea for understanding;
Sending one last signal for help
Before vanishing into the shadows
We like to ignore.
And the lost become the dead
And we lay our flowers on their graves
And wonder why they're gone.
Around your bowl, again and again
Swim like it's your last day.
Look at me while I look at you
And wonder how I move and breathe.
Do you know you're trapped, little fish?
Realize that you're going nowhere.
Will you ever notice you're just swimming in circles?
I doubt it.
Silly fish.
Have you ever been so
Fed up
With everything around you
That
You just wanted to scream?
You squirm in your shell
Of flesh
And beg to be someone else
Anyone else
But who and what you are.
And everyone gets on your nerves
Because they
Are normal and fine with it.
But you
Live in the world of story-book heroes.
And they refuse to live outside your mind
Because they
Are the beautiful imaginings of someone
Else who
Felt the same discontent, the same restlessness.
But it soon passes because you live
On earth
With the rest of us
And you
Can't really do much about it.
Cats make the best pets--
Furry little bodies and purring little voices,
Soft footfalls down the hallway.
Plush fuzz.
Teddy bear-like little faces,
Toys that move on their own.
Kids will play with them forever.
Fun times.
Their voices fill the sea
Their silent cries torment me
I feel as if I'm standing in a graveyard
As I fly atop the watery deeps.
What anguish, what fear
Must have filled their frozen hearts?
What memories lingered in their minds
As their spirits rose to depart?
Can a word capture the meaning?
Can a lifetime hold the pain?
Can tears express the feelings,
And will years cause them all to fade?
I hold something mysterious inside:
It's something I fear I cannot hide.
It's the wish to have been among them,
To be one of the many to cry.
One of the many who did not believe.
One of the many who would never see
The faces of those they love
Ever again;
Never again.
Peace is like a pool of water;
Hold it and it drains from your hand
And you're left grasping nothing.
But sit and relax in it
Splash your feet or swim about
And the water flows gracefully around you,
Enfolding you in its gentle caress.
So is peace. Let it envelop you gently.
Enjoy it to the full.
And, my friend, don't forget
It sticks to you when you go.
She sat alone
To no one's surprise,
But held her grey head high.
A few cast sad glances
Her way,
But no one stood to cry,
"It cannot be this way!"
So, silent were the voices
And downcast were the eyes;
But Miss Rose still held
Her head up high.
She must have been shaking
Just a little inside;
It had to come soon
She realized.
Why is this scene about to unfold?
Because of the color of her skin.
But through her unwavering triumph
We would further extinguish the sin
Of prejudice, and the slavery that comes
From the hatred we hold within.
I look to the sky and think
Of days gone by, and dream
Of who I want to be, and who I want to love.
Love can be such a silly thing;
It tweaks and peaks one's interests
Yet the hopes it arises can so easily fall
Like a leaf from autumn's branches, and be crushed
Among the realization of beauty being lost
To the whims of a selfish fantasy.
And who I want to be lies not in me,
But in the hope that runs true
Throughout the days of skies both grey and blue,
That I will not be left forever dreaming,
But dancing.