Machine Gun Poet

Machine Gun Poet 7/31/2013

Inspiration is like a dew drop
Falling from heaven
A golden sip of nectar
Of the finest vintage.

Or like flames shooting upwards
Like a fountain of fire
Coming from somewhere
Deep inside the soul.

Some gifts are meant to be shared
But how many remain unused,
Or unexplored?
Dying from lack of use
And lack of air.

Yes the world is edging closer
To something
That we cannot see
But what is the difference
If all we do is weep
And die.

But no matter
Where we have been
Or what we have done
There is no more time to waste
And no more excuses to quit.

Let them say what they want
And let them curl their lips in anger
Their words are powerless
And their hatred should be welcome.

So what if they watch
And so what if they care
Let they fevered brains spasm
Because you cannot be stopped.

Let your guns fire
Until the barrels melt
Giving all that you are
Everywhere you go.

Do not let the liars win
And do not let the statists whine
Because their goal is slavery
And misery for all.

Let them wonder
From where it all comes
And how you can smile
In spite of their hate.

Others can sneer
And argue at nothing
But it is they who are doomed
And ripe for the fall.

To everyone who has lived
And to everyone who can see
The truth is more evident as ever
And just as sweet.

The dead are watching
And the living should think
That this is not all
And this is not the end.

I am smiling now
And the words come faster and faster
Because nothing is better
Than standing to our full height
And letting go.

Wherever

Wherever 7/30/2013

Perhaps it doesn’t fit the script
But it pays to watch
And it pays to learn
Because some things cannot be seen
Or measured.

The true intentions
And true motivations, can be seen,
But only if you pay attention
And know how to accept
Uncomfortable truths.

Many are those
Who let fear
Steal their every joy
And destroy their every hope.

But there is a secret
That they do not understand
A truth hidden in plain sight
As obvious as the sun.

Evil must win every day
And they must remind us,
Every hour
That their victory is inevitable
With many implied threats
To steal and kill.

But a slip of the lip
Or one courageous man
Can turn the tables over
By telling the truth
And making it stick.

It only takes one victory
To break the dam
And let loose the waters
Held back for the longest time
Mighty and deep.

And that is the secret
Everyone should know
And now is the time
And this is the place.

Some may think
That their time has come
Waiting in doorways
Until they have the us surrounded
And outnumbered.

They threaten and they bully
While sharpening their knives
Unable to see or imagine
Anything beyond
Jealousy or blame.

They must injure
And they must lie
Anything to keep it going
Until it is too late
To resist or fight.

But all their logic
Is based on a lie
And they shall be wiped away
In the blink of an eye.

It could be anything
Or it could be anyone
Starting right here
And starting right now.

Claim the victory
And the turn the tide
By standing up
And never letting go.

Hang the velvet curtains
And let them puddle on the floor
As decadent and lavish
As you ever were.

Lower the chandelier
To watch it dazzle
Talking and laughing
Late into the night.

This is what we have
Let us embrace it
And enjoy each other
Because this is also ours
To hold and cherish.

The world shall all blow away
But we have this moment
As beautiful as we want it
Because we are known
And loved.

God’s grace has built it
With our hands
And his spirit
No one can ever steal
What he has given.

The blessings shall follow the good
Wherever they are
As long as they remember
And follow.

But the evil
Shall waste
Whatever is given
And whatever is stolen.

Never to keep
And never to gain
Always thwarted
And always angry.

Deadly Omission

Deadly Omission 7/29/2013

Cock your head
And hear the truth
That something is up
And something is wrong.

Because this is not the first time
And this is not the last
That evil men have set us up
To roll over and die.

Cleverly planned
And coldly executed
Dangled in front of killers
Unprotected and slow.

With no black box
And cremated remains.
Just like they suspected
And just like they knew.

Loyal to the end
But betrayed from the start
The reason we are here
And the reason
That they shall die.

The killers come
To replace what is lost
At just the last minute
To do what they will.

They think that no one knows
And they think that no one cares
Because that is what they do
Sacrificing themselves
For the comfort of others.

Powerful men
Hide behind, fear and suspicion
Knowing, that no one will ask
And no one will speak.

Because he who blows the whistle
Can count his days, as spent
Gone in day
And as good as dead.

But just as life struggles to exist
We shall survive
Hanging on wherever we can
And fighting as long as it takes.

I can almost hear the footsteps
As I stretch out my arms
Just trying to keep the bridge together
Until the last one has crossed.

We will see the truth
Each one a part of the whole
Without a wasted second
And no one left behind.

Cause and Effect

Cause and Effect 7/26/2013

If you are sleeping
You might miss the story
But it’s not that hard to find
Or understand.

The truth really is out there
And it’s worse than you think
A slow and horrible extinction
For you
And for me.

The enemy is not at the gate
But looking over our shoulder
Tracking our every move
And eroding our every freedom.

More concerned with outcome
Than what is fair or just
And working overtime
To penalize and persecute
The good and the honest.

Once you make the leap
Everything falls into place
As you follow the trail,
And double back to the source.

Dictators conduct show trials
And kings kill their enemies
Humiliating the good
Anyway they can.

But only a fool, should think
That money can buy peace
And only the suicidal can believe
In the mercy of the hateful.

But even in the depths of despair
I have found peace
Concentrating on who can help
And asking for what I need.

Finding solace and renewal
In payers of forgiveness and salvation
For those whom I know
Both near and far.

The self disappears
As I become who I am
Infinitely stronger when I give
Than when I take.

I have thought of you
And I think of them
The ones that I love
And the ones left behind.

There is always something more
And there is always faith
And he who remembers to the last
Shall reap it all.

They may not know it now
But I pray that they will
All those that I remember
To see and know the truth.

And we will be
Planted like seeds
In a fertile land
Better than we are
And growing forever.

A Million Miles

A Million Miles 7/25/2013

I have said it million times
But when it happens
It’s still a surprise
Like a train wreck we all saw coming
But still shocks with destructive power.

Change comes
But seldom without warning
And you could see this coming
A thousand miles away.

But either people are blind
Or they don’t care to see
Willfully living with their noses to the ground
Following the scent of food
Straight off a cliff.

But isn’t that, what we all do?
In so many different ways
Putting out, all our effort
To climb a ladder
Only to find it, leaning against
The wrong fucking house.

We are as good as gold
And we are as good as dead
Just wasting our efforts
Trying to be something, we are not
And never should have been.

But isn’t that rich
That we find out, too late
That what we had was perfect
And what we lost
Irretrievable and dead.

My flesh tingles
With the cool breeze
Blowing on me, and through me
As if the spirit
Is telling me something
Or shaking me awake.

I wish I could understand
All the horror in the world
About what is going on,
Inside the heads
Of murderers, and abusers.

But there are some things
That cannot be explained
And there are types of madness’s
That can never be cured.

What strikes us as inhuman
Is for them
Nothing, but a means to an end
Like a bug to be crushed
And flushed away.

Evil has a place in them
Residing inside their souls
Where no one can see
But was always there, in their eyes
Burning with hatred and pride.

The plague has come
But not the kind you think
Preying on the defenseless and the elderly
Parasitic, evil, and deadly.

And the good suffer
The slowest kind of death
Vilified, separated, and harassed
Their livelihood’s stolen
Piece by piece.

But even though
The good are hard to find
When you find them
Hold on tight
With all of your heart
And all of your might.

The Club House

The club house 7/24/2013

Come look in the window
And tell me what you see
Because this is a time for pictures
That deceive the eye
And try the soul.

These truly are, the days
When everything is upside down
Where evil is called good
And good, called evil.

Where liars are protected
And the good silenced
Intimidated with threats
Or bought off with bribes.

So many have cowered
Because they have families to protect
Struggling for a future
That no longer exists.

I feel for them
And I have seen their faces
Pinched in pain
Downcast and discouraged.

All they worked for lost
And all their dreams wasted
For all the wrong reasons
At all the wrong times.

I know what it feels like
To be forgotten and rejected
But I am not the first
And I am not the last.

But it should come as no surprise
That the world rejects
What it does not understand
And knows not
The spirit in our hearts.

This world prefers the outward
And it prefers the shallow
Those without a conscience
And those without a soul.

Favoring those who will play the game
And surrender their values
Negotiating behind closed doors
Stabbing the good in the back
And forfeiting every loyalty.

This is their world
And this is what they are
But this is not for me
And it is not for you.

I pray for you also
Even if
I know not your name
As we are linked together
In a different kind of world
Unseen and unacknowledged.

Give them theirs
And let them have it
As they revel in its glory
And sink in its horror.

Squeezer

Squeezer 7/24/2013

Some people bring you gifts
And some people
Threaten your life
Whatever it takes to make you crumble
And grant every demand.

But one should always ask
Themselves the question
About who it helps
And who it will hurt.

A problem, is a problem
But a solution is the cure
Except when you wish to destroy
What was never yours at all.

Trace the cause and effect
Forwards and back
And it becomes clear
Who it hurts
And why.

A sinking ship
Doesn’t need more people
And millions of fools
Should not be enabled.

Only a man
Cursed with hatred
Would ever try
And make it harder
For free men to breathe
And laugh.

Stacking the odds
To insult and demean
Gutting the freedom of expression
And free association.

The vile snake
Has never created a thing
But only lies in wait
To kill or deceive.

They love to lie
And they will never say, they are sorry
No matter how brutal the crimes
Or how disgusting the methods.

The good are abandoned
And their names
Are never spoken
While the most vile criminals
Glorified and excused.

How long must this go on
When it is as clear as the sun
The good and the evil
Burning in the sky.

It is no mystery
From where we have come
Each one a part
Of the holy remnant
Hated, persecuted
Penalized and watched.

Blamed for everything
And constantly attacked
While the truth is hidden
And unacceptable to speak.

I shall not forget their names
And I cannot forget the others
The ones who gave their all
For nothing in return.

Our children should have a chance
To be what they are
And not be hounded
Or robbed of the future
That we have squandered.

Numbers do not lie
And that’s what it’s all about
Hatred, punishment
Blood and death.

We were blessed
But we turned away instead
Self-absorbed, deluded
Wealthy, bankrupt, and dead.

Now others take our homes
And others take our towns
Deliberately surrendered
House by house.

It all adds up to something
And no one says a word
While they line their pockets
And curse their own.

I remember
And I see
The world that was
And the world that is.

The evil take advantage
Of generosity and kindness
Sucking dry every vein
And wasting every dime.

Corrupting the halls of power
And skewing the law
All out of hatred
In spite of themselves.

Single minded in their pursuit
No matter who it hurts
Because as long as the hated suffer
Their own children are dead.

The evil men of this world
Shall not survive
Or inherit
The kingdom to come

The names are written
And the ink is nearly dry
But blessed are the few
Who never give up.

I know who I am
And I know where I am from
Long ago and far away
God knew
And loved.

Resist slavery
And never surrender the truth
Because even though he waits
The Lord is coming soon.

Limbo

Limbo 7/23/2013

Not all who drink the poison
Really mean to die
But sometimes it’s hard to tell
What others feel
When they are no longer able
Or willing.

There is a place
Not too far
From where I sit
Where precious life
Becomes a burden
And happiness just a dream.

It is a place
You cannot imagine
And weighs heavily on my heart
Like an anvil in your stomach
Or black blood
On the brain.

It is a dark cliff
Across a frozen ocean
Where the cold gray drizzle
Never stops
And your flesh
Cracks and bleeds.

A place where you no longer care
If you live or if you die
Unable to breathe without the poison
That is killing you
And everyone else.

A hopeless dark corner
In a windowless room
Shut off from everything
Everyone.

Where you want to wake up
But would rather just sleep
So you pull up the black blanket
And cover your head.

A lowly place
Where you lose everything
And everyone
Where your friends forget you
And your lovers
Leave you.

It could be one thing
Or it could be another
But for all, it is death
Licking at our feet.

It is a desperate place
Where you no longer fear
A place where nothing matters
Except for nothingness.

A place you want to forget
So you do your best to leave
Unable to decide
If it’s worth it or not.

This world is also dying
But, I am not afraid of that
Because what is fear
When everything is lost.

Pity the dead
Because now it’s too late
Randomly taken
In the middle of the night.

Alone in bed
And dying in desperation
Unable to go on
And open their eyes.

I thank God for the chance
To see what is left
Plucked out of the darkness
Without even knowing to ask.

It is for you
I have asked
And I pray you see the same
All the world wide open
And waiting to be born.

Bye Bye

Bye Bye 7/22/2013

Behind the walls
And behind the doors
We sit in a bubble
Safe and secure.

Floating above
The calm and strife
Insulated from reality
Ugly and cruel.

But all bubbles burst
And every fool
Shall fall far below
Plunging into the chaos
That was always there.

Money changes hands
And deals are struck
By the mighty
And the damned.

Selling out a future
That has no chance at all
Because of cowardly men
Bullied and coerced.

It was never about the shadows
And it was never about love
But only about hatred
And profit.

The ship is sinking
Just like, we knew it would
Overloaded and underpowered
Bottom heavy and dead.

Foundering underneath our feet
While we drink and laugh
Flapping our tongues
About artificial games.

The corpse flower blooms
And smells like death
Just at the right time
And in the right place.

The promise was clear
And the warnings were spoken
But nobody would ever admit
That the engine is flooded
And the lifeboats are broken.

It will all blow up
And get them in the face
Just like it was written
A long time ago.

Take a long whiff
Because this is where it’s going
Over and out
Dumb and dead
Goodbye and good riddance.

It is dead
And it is dying
All for show
And all for fun.

They can have it
And feast on the carcass
Because a good king is coming
And he is almost here.

La vie en Rose

La vie en Rose 7/19/2013

No one has ever been betrayed
By an enemy
And no man has ever suffered
Half as much.

Because the first stab,
Is not only the deepest,
But also the most accurate
Through the back
And into the heart.

Easy smiles
And familiar faces
Make us relax
And forget.

So that we lower our guard
And close our eyes
Reveling in companionship
And camaraderie.

We are taught to trust
And we are told to be kind
So that we will always pity the wicked
And help the stricken.

But life is precious
And so is love
Irreplaceable treasures
That burn with fire.

But evil lurks
In the hearts of some
Beneath a harmless countenance
And shallow ambition.

If I would have looked closely
I would have seen their eyes
Always darting form side to side
And searching for something
Or maybe just someone
Anything that they could use,
Possess or steal.

Long practiced in the art
Of deception, and manipulation
Lying their way in
And lying their way out.

It is hard to be patient
And it is hard to be good
When no punishment is suffered
As days become months
And months become years.

In this world,the good disappear
Losing pieces of who they are
Until there is nothing left
Except heartache and grief.

But, in loss and even in death
We become everything
And live everywhere
As invisible and ethereal
As a whisper in the dark.

For some life is pink
Because they see what they want
But it is a luxury and a curse
Not all men enjoy.

Life goes on
And the music fades away
Leaving us to ponder the silence
Of a thousand lost years.

I will never be the same
And neither shall you
As we become what we always were
The good and the true.

Hitting the Mark

Hitting The Mark 7/18/2013

The words of poets
Can stir the blood
And the words of prophets
Can move your heart.

But memory; unconscious or conscious
Pulls us backwards with longing
As we continually search for the perfect peace
That we once had
But lost.

Deep down we remember
And lament the loss
Because we have been known
And understood
Long ago and far away.

Collectively remembered
But misunderstood
Especially if our thoughts
Are stuck in concrete,
Literal, and dumb.

The fire burns bright
In those who seek
Because if you look
You will find
Everything you ever knew.

Some will never know
And that is okay with me
Because free will is what we have
Either for good
Or for evil.

Some choose the easy road
The one that leads to death
Short sighted, and dimwitted
Never accepting responsibility
Or blame.

Things fall apart
And things come undone
But a wise man learns
And remembers
What he can do.

No man can change another
But we can always change ourselves
Either reaching higher
Or slithering in the dirt.

Life isn’t always fair
And yes the world
Has called good evil
And evil they have called good
But good can grow from nothing
And the Lord has conquered all.

Deadly, Deadly, Deadly

Deadly, Deadly, Deadly 7/17/2013

Life is deadly cocktail
That always ends in death
Pleasurable, addictive,
Poisonous and toxic.

If you have not felt the pull
Then you have not felt the pain
Surging in your veins
Warm and beautiful.

We squint in the sun
And shiver in the cold
But no one know wants your death
As much as passion
And desire.

Chemistry has made us powerful
But flesh makes us weak
Dumb enough to think
That we are immune.

I stretched out my arms like wings
And pretended that I could fly
Swirling around and around
Until I crashed on the ground.

All things that try
Will circle the drain
All ending in waste
To revolting to keep
And all flushed away.

Happiness comes
But not the way we wish
In smaller and unexpected ways
Subtle and poignant.

Chemicals make it easy
And vodka makes it cheap
Until we pour them out
And start again anew.

Sometimes it hurts
And sometimes we weep
But it’s better than giving up
To die in your sleep.

I’ll take the hard road
And that is what I choose
Even though it hurts
And even though I lose.

Nothing lasts forever
And even the worst desires
Fade over time
Weaker and weaker
Until they almost disappear.

I know what is in me
And I know how much it hurts
But nothing will ever be as sweet
As new life
Tender, genuine, and true.

Pfft!

Pfft! 7/16/2013

No one is going to do it for us
And very few if any
Will ever stand, and back us up
But that is what makes us different
The noble and courageous.

The weak man looks for weakness
And preys upon the defenseless,
And the unsuspecting
Waiting for targets of opportunity
To injure, murder or steal.

Attacking suddenly
And without warning
To ensure his success
And moment of glory.

They laugh at misery
And cavort with glee
No matter how despicable
Or how revolting.

Never considering what is fair
Or what is truly just
But only himself
And his fragile emotions
Stunted and infantile.

But it takes something more
To stand for what is right
By ruthlessly evaluating the self
Before you act or speak.

You have to be a man
Before you can make the leap
And there is more to being a man
Than making babies
For someone else to raise.

It is the real man
That should be feared
The sleeping giant
Who is slow to anger
And just in his deeds.

The world turns
And so does the tables
No matter what we say
Or what we do.

There is one God
And he is just
No matter how it looks
Or what we think.

He was and He is
And he shall yet pour out
His wrath upon arrogant men
Bringing down all the kingdoms
And all the kings
To their knees.

Orwellian

Orwellian 7/15/2013

The sun is obvious in the sky
And so is the truth
Every day
And in every way.

But some men are blind
And some men are dumb
Blinded by hatred
And wandering in the dirt.

Just because it is unspoken
Does not mean, that it’s not true
And just because, it’s not on the news
Doesn’t mean
That it never happened.

The truth is no secret
And you can find it everywhere
Just outside your window
Or a few keystrokes away.

Carnival barkers can rhyme
And even a fraud
Can light a match
But God judges all
With grace and mercy.

But to everything
There is a beginning
And an end
And even this shall end
Just as God promised.

A blind man
Cannot lead the blind
Unless unto death
And into condemnation.

Running headlong off a cliff
Because they could not grow
And see
The world as it is
And always was.

What does it feel like
To wake up
And open your eyes
Knowing that you have been lied to
All of your life.

I have seen the truth
And I have seen the victims
Even though nothing was said
And nothing is ever done.

The truth isn’t pretty
And it may not always conform
To what we wish
Or what we are told.

But the only way to grow
Is to understand and acknowledge
What we have done right
And what we have done wrong.

The best thing I ever did
Was to see myself as I was
Not what I wanted to be
Because that is the first step
To a new and better beginning.

Nothing ever changes
If you yourself
Remain the same
Still flailing at the wind
And choking in the sand.

I am myself
And so also, are you
Free enough
To make our own decisions
And face whatever may come.

If I do wrong
It cannot be your fault
But only my own
Now and forever.

But if I do what is right
Then God shall know
Even if I suffer
And even if I lose.

I rise or fall
And I can either learn
Or close my eyes
Either moving upwards
Or fall head over heels.

But no matter what I say
And what I do
God knows my heart
Inside and out.

And peace flows over me
As it should flow over you
A peace beyond all understanding
Greater than all the world
Ten times a thousand.

Trench Art

Trench Art 7/12/2013

Wind it all the way up
And douse it
With gasoline
Because then, all it takes is a spark
To set it all on fire.

But what difference does it make
When there are fires every day
The kind no one talks about
And everyone ignores.

We pretend it didn’t happen
And we pretend
That it’s no big deal
But it sure makes a difference
To the victims
Beaten, raped, or killed.

What good is a voice
If you cannot speak the truth?
And what good is faith?
When no one dares
To speak his name.

The truth is covered over
And a false god is praised
All because of childish emotions
And just because
They’ll never understand.

But my torch is lit
And there is no turning back
Because truth and faith demands
The way I must live
Come what may.

There is a peace
In knowing
What it is
That you should believe
Especially when it’s based on truth
The kind you see every day.

This is what we have
And this is the challenge
But what does life even mean?
If we shrink backwards
And run.

God knows
And he is watching now
Watching me
And watching the watchers.

They are digging holes
Deeper and deeper still
But it is they who shall fall in,
And be swallowed whole.

Eyeglass

Eyeglass 7/11/2013

It doesn’t matter how it looks
And it doesn’t matter how I feel
What really matters is the truth
And doing what is right.

The truth can be ugly
And the truth can hurt
Cutting you to the bone
And doubling you over
In pain.

But the truth is far better
Than a lie
Because without truth
Nothing matters at all.

The powers that be
Can do what they want
But only as long
As no one speaks
And cower in fear.

But there are bigger things
Than money or smiles
And there is nothing more noble
Than the good
Who stand.

People love to judge
And people love to hate
Viewing life through a filter
Both immature
And false.

But bigger things are kept
For the strong and the honest
Those who are brave enough
To look, recognize, and know.

Today is another day
And here we are
How we live and what we do
Is all on us
No matter what anyone else
Thinks or does.

To grow is to learn
And stare down the ghosts
And the demons
Looking inside and out
To see what is really there.

To take the narrow path
And finish it with grace
No matter how hard
Or how painful.

All of us suffer
But it is better to be brave
Than it is to lie
And hide.

He who protects himself
Will lose everything
But he who stands and suffers
Shall gain it all.

Stirring the Cup

Stirring the Cup 7/10/2013

I am the son of a father
And the father of a son
A legacy buried in the deep
Long ago
And far away.

But who has come before
Will come again
And he who goes first
Shall be followed by many.

The earth holds many memories
And the earth embraces the dead
Holding them for a time
Until God calls them back.

My dreams are not wasted
And my thoughts are written
Inside of my heart
Both the known and the unspoken
Intentions, motives and all.

Just because we do not understand
Does not mean
That we don’t know
And just because the truth is hidden
Does not mean
Lies are truth.

These times
And all that is in it
Are but a drop in the ocean
A mere rain drop
In the numberless gray.

We are tested
And we are trained
Over and over again
Until we learn
And until we grow.

We can use it
Either for good or for bad
Throwing ourselves upstream
Or letting the flow wash us
Out into the nothingness
And sink into oblivion.

I can see my father
In the spirit of my son
And I can feel the stir of history
In my sinews
And in my bones.

We shall find home together
And there shall we feast
No longer limited
And no longer bound.

Look up and smile
Because the battle has been won
And it will all unfold
Just exactly as it was planned.

Dead Waters

Dead Waters 7/9/2013

The box is opened
And there is no closing it now
Its contents pouring out
In every direction.

The damage runs
Into every nook and cranny
Washing into runoff
And down into the sewers.

Seeping into the cracks
And oozing into our ears
As one thought leads to another
And we all fall down the hill.

But even this is nothing new
And even this is no surprise
Even though many think it is
And laugh all the way home.

They think that it is over
And they think that they have won
Overtaking their enemies
With time and numbers.

But even this is a joke
And even the dirtiest of bubbles
Still rise up and pop
Lasting for just a few seconds
And then gone forever.

The dumb and the ugly
Have always been around
But nothing can change a thing
If you don’t know what to do.

Even now I can feel it
The sound and the heat
As the fire catches on
In spaces far between.

There are many who are quiet
And there are many who wait
Learning every day
Who they are
And where they stand.

Picked apart
And a thousand easy ways
But none of it real
And none of it lasting.

Even these bones
Shall still snap together
Attaching at the joints
To walk and breathe again.

Even the earth cannot hold
The good and the worthy
Because they rested on the rock
That has no end.

My fortress grows
Out of the tree tops
Tall, steep, and mighty
My refuge and my home.

Yes, even this shall end
And all melt away
So long in coming
But so assuredly washed away.

Nothing is finished
And nothing is over
As we stretch out our hearts
To become
All that we are.

Puffing Smoke

Puffing Smoke 7/8/2013

Some nights I cannot sleep
But no longer
Am I anxious
Or desperate.

No longer am I weighed down
With an anvil on my chest
Sweating through my clothes
And struggling against myself.

When I sleep
Sometimes I forget my dreams
But others are as real
As anything I have seen.

Others have spoken
To the dead and the living
And others have dreamed
Of things long forgotten.

There was a time
When I would drink
Just to blunt the pain
Forget the past,
Or anesthetize my brain.

But it never worked for long
And it never changed a thing
Just another rock around my neck
Dragging me backwards
And dragging me down.

Tomorrow comes
Bringing the same drudgery
And the same dread
Just like yesterday
And the day before.

If you take a step,
In the wrong direction
You may notice
That it doesn’t hurt a bit
Until the day comes
That you are far from home
And falling fast.

You can grow accustomed to anything
Either the good or the bad
And unless you resist it every time
It will all
Sneak inside of your head.

We learn to accept the unthinkable
When it should make us cringe
Because evil never rests
And it never gives up.

Waiting for us to tire
And pacing outside our gates
Marking time until we forget
And drop our hands.

I dropped off to sleep
With a prayer and a smile
Finally at peace
Because I learned how to be thankful
And at ease.

My worries and concerns
I have let out the window
Rising up in a puff of smoke
To the one who can save me
And save the world.

I don’t need anyone to blame
And I am just as ready as ever
Come whatever
Today or tomorrow.

I don’t intend to lose
And I don’t intend to surrender
Not when it matters
And not when it counts.

I am not alone
Even in the darkest night
And I am not forgotten
Or rejected.

Be careful
And be awake
But always remember
To be thankful
For what you have
And, all you love.

Spreading the Circle

Spreading the Circle 7/3/2013

The decades came and went
Slipping by my life
As I sleep walked in circles
Around and around again.

But some things are constant
And some things never change
No matter what we think
Or what we wish.

What is pure will be corrupted
And even the most noble of intentions
Are lost over time
Scattered like pearls before swine
Wasted and dumb.

Tyranny can storm the front door
Or sneak in from the back
But either way
It is what it is
And nothing can change the truth.

We all make mistakes
And we all have made omissions
But what we did or did not do
Will always remain
Just as they are.

We hurt over the smallest of things
And nurse our resentments
When all we have to do
Is let go
And carry on.

Yes the good sometimes suffer
And sometimes we have failed
Just because we were hesitant
Or insecure.

Hiding instead behind
Walls of fear
And bottling up our emotions
Until they spill over in
Passive aggressive bursts.

How many opportunities are lost
Because we were afraid
Afraid of ridicule
Or an awkward rejection.

Wasting our time and our effort
Behind halfhearted attempts
Never genuine
And doomed to failure.

But no matter how much time is lost
Love and grace
Can heal every minute
Starting the day we stop worrying
And start living.

The Eighth Floor

The Eighth Floor 7/2/2013

The spider is in the hour glass
And a skull grins in the dirt
Dying to tell us something
That nobody wants to hear.

The sky sinks to the side
And darkness covers the moon
A thick red haze
Impenetrable and poisonous.

Such is the end
Of a colossal waste of time
As we take our precious gifts
And run them
Into the ground.

Nobody sees it coming
Or at least that’s what they say
When the criminally insane lash out
And destroy everything they see.

I’ll take my love
And hold her close
Closer than before
And just like I should.

But the rest of my work
Is nothing but a joke
A useless set of measurements
That won’t’ change a thing.

Somebody always does the work
And somebody else
Will take all the money
Escaping at just the last moment
Before it all comes crashing down.

Parsing words
And passing laws
That no one reads or understands
Just to increase their power
And screw over, someone else.

The dead mountains
Surround us
And in them are the secrets
Dug in deep, dark
Black and dead.

They like to hide
And they like to plan
Conducting the unthinkable
On the unknowing
And the damned.

On the upside
There are the others
Who just sedate themselves
Protected by the gates
So they never have to think.

Deep beneath the sage
There is a future
We cannot have
Doomed to repeat
The same lessons again.

People shine their cars
And people spend their money
Safe enough for now
And trapped in a bubble.

But all the restraints are broken
And all the demons are loose
Running in our heads
To distort, inflame, and torture.

One thing leads to another
Just like we always knew
But because some didn’t care
All resistance melts away.

Evil comes
More barbarous
Than you can imagine
Held back for the longest time
But now free to roam
And destroy.

Let us drink deeply
And sing songs of love
Laughing at ourselves
While we still
Have the day.

Tonight we laugh
And speak softly
Under our breath
Speaking what we think
And knowing what we know.

The bigger the lie
The longer is lasts
Reinforced by fear
And decades of propaganda.

But even the black bird knows
That where there is death
There is food
And where there is loss
There is blood.

I have loved
And I have lost
But none of this means a thing
Because none of us
Have anything left to gain
By hiding from regret.

I forgive
And I am forgiven
At last free to understand
And take everything back.

Come to me
And remember the truth
That no matter where we go
And no matter what we do
We belong together
Somewhere else
And somewhere better

Bringing Hell

Bringing Hell 7/1/2013

Some dreams
Are not meant to be
And some wishes
Are only just a dream.

This I had to learn
Over and over again
And it took me, the longest time
To let them go
And understand.

It isn’t easy
To see beneath the surface
And it can be hard
To stare at the truth.

The truth can be ugly
And the truth can be a horror
Grabbing you by the guts
And yanking them down.

So you should not be surprised
That others turn way
With their backs to the wind
Nothing but slaves to their emotions
Like cows in a field.

But I am as free
As I decide, that I am
And to suffer for the truth
Is not suffering at all.

Unleash the rebel heart!
And see, what you can be
Even if it hurts
And even if you lose.

Speak the truth
Whenever you can
Unapologetic
And unafraid.

But do not let your heart
Be pained
By lies or accusations
And do not let your soul
Be troubled or afraid.

Because the truth is happy
And the truth is a treasure
Taking the weight off our shoulders
One ounce at a time.

Silence won’t change a thing
So why suffer the fools
When all you have to do
Is vote with your feet
And all that you have.

A true rebel doesn’t need a T-shirt
To tell you, who he is
And he doesn’t need to prove a thing
To show you
What he is worth.

No matter how small the effort
Every single action
Makes a difference
As we decide for ourselves
The truth from the lies.

Turn the tables over
And see how they run
Back from where they came
To rob, steal, and murder.

Nothing will ever make sense
Until you can see it
From the right side up
But you can’t count on anyone
To stand up,
Or do it for you.

The truth is outside
For anyone to find,
And you can always search for signs
In a spiders web
Where anyone can search
And anyone can see.

But no matter what is said
And no matter what is done
Everything is there
The truth and the lies.

The world will confirm the truth
As many times as it takes
Even though we close our eyes
Or run the other way.

Others are out there
Undefended and brave
Fighting for their lives
With blood on their face.

Let them not be forgotten!
And let them not be maligned
Burning them instead,
Into our hearts and brains!

To each of the rebels
Feel your strength and power
As God rises up
And multiplies our hearts.

Nothing is impossible
And all can be saved
Brought back in full
Everyone and everything.