by this river

it is by this river
clear,cool and inviting
that I first felt my feet tingle
immersed in its refreshing waters

it is by this river
still,relaxed and mysterious
that I first experienced temptation
to dive and swim with reckless abandon

it is by this river
that conflict first brewed
"resist", my mind reasoned
"indulge" , my body argued

it is by this river
that I piled my clothes in a heap
as my mind lost the battle
and my body triumphed

it is by this river
that I was found dead
for I dove headfirst into the waters
that were but a few inches deep

ghost

it was the work you never did
the trash you never took outside
the friend you never cared about
the red light that you ran
the intuition you ignored

tossing and turning at night
paranoia casting shadows on your wall
voices of umpteen ghouls in your head
screaming for release
torturing your soul

she said,''son stay home tonight"
but rebellion made more sense than she
and you went all out in efforts to prove a point
now your best friend is no more
just another shadow on your wall

he said,"please forgive me"
and you saw a flicker of goodness left
maybe-just maybe-not all is lost
and imagination triumphed over intelligence
just another ghoul in your soul

so do it now;take out the trash
care for a friend;don't run a red light
listen to intuition but use your head
work,trash,friend and light I wish it were
because these screams and torture I can take no more

the same,but different

he cut his finger on a blade
and cursed himself hoarse
but in a few the pain was no more
in its place a scar to act as warning

he stumbled on a plank
and shed a tear or two
but in a few the throb was gone
in its place a bump for caution's sake

he had his heart broken
and cursed,cried and crumbled
but in a few his heart was wringed out
in its place a cold,dark stone

blinds

mystery is said to be a gift of the gods
unpredictability taken to be the spice of life
the unknown pulls us into its tempting snare
and disdain granted to anything we can predict

I won't argue with millennia of wisdom
nor claim that clairvoyance shall be our redemption
all I seek are the blueprints of destiny
and the ciphered motives behind these creatures of habit


mislead me not,ye grand darkness
nor shield the patterns of the universe from my curious mind
all I request is that you shed a little light on tomorrow
for only then can I sleep at night

teach me your ways that I may learn
what makes you tick;your raison d'etre
malicious schemes no longer hold my interest
all I want is to understand you better

walking away

It was in the dead of night
and something just didn't feel right
here I was,locked in your embrace
and all I could think of was winning the race
to your heart

I quietly slipped from the warmth of your arms
and sat looking at the stars
I turned to look at your perfect face
and knew I had to quicken my pace
out of your life

You stirred in your sleep
as it dawned that you were not mine to keep
the years with you felt anything but wasted
it's just that I was fated
to be alone

You will survive;I know you will
knowing that I think of you still
and though my sorrow is prone to swell
I wish that God keeps you well
for all time.

the rock at the beach

I once picked up a rock at the beach
It was all covered in sand and weed
It was just as far as my hand would reach
And gave in it did without as much as bid

I put it in my pocket and went my way
Splashing about and enjoying the sunshine
When it went down marking the end of my day
I hurried home and settled with my wine

I took the rock to my hands and glanced
Taking my time and turning it over
Watching the colours as they glowed and danced
Wondering just how much I could discover

I took out my sandpaper and file
Holding it to the light and scouring it bald
Must admit it took quite a while
But I finally held a gleaming emerald

I had it acquainted with my wrist
After I had it put on a band of leather
And though it gets a little bit of mist
To part with it I would never!

cross-eyed

darn,it's a new day again
again I have to bear the pain
pain that reminds me I'm human
human just like you
you,who makes it worse
worse to have to be alive
alive just to die
die each time I think of you

I wring out my pillow as I awake
awake to the black hole of hurt
hurt that refuses to go away
away like you did yesterday
yesterday when I needed you most
most in my life
life that I wasted in wishful thinking
thinking you'd be back