Evergreen

Evergreen  12/31/2013

A canary just fell over

And lies dead underground

Just another missing piece

That we would rather ignore.

Life is fleeting

And it runs like water

Through our fingers

All because we don’t understand.

Wasting our time

All tied up in knots

And always seeking answers

That we should already know.

Bombed out, blackened,

And twisted

The remains of civilization

Bloody and dead. 

This is the fruit

Of double minded hypocrisy

As we stumble over ourselves

And slouch into the grave.

A new day or a new year

Shall come

But man remains the same

And watches from afar.

Detach from what is dead

And forget what is lost

But build anew

Where it matters

All over again.

In times of great loss

There always remains a chance

But only if you take it

And only if you know.  

Sinkhole

Sinkhole   12/30/2013

I dropped my head

Into the sink

And spit the water out

Blood and water

Acid and bile.

This is the world

And this is how it tastes

Leaving us with nothing

But blood and terror. 

The sun has flipped over

And the cycle has run its course

But only the wise understand

The ripening of time.

We all hang low on the tree

Overly ripe and heavy

All because we hide our faces

And look the other way. 

There is more than enough proof

To see where we are headed

But never do we learn

And never do we speak. 

Every day there is more

And we wonder and we stare

Grown accustomed to hatred

And institutionalized tyranny. 

Others have seen the beast

And others have been crushed

While many stood bye

Quiet, deaf, and dumb.

The last time

Is not this time

But even though the faces change

Death remains just as savage

And more mechanical than ever.

We circle the drain

With arms and legs

More than able to climb out

And escape. 

But who has the courage

To live by their word

Facing down iniquity

Without fear or apology. 

Yes there is a war

But not the one you hear about

Insidious and methodical

And waged against ourselves.

You can either go down

Or you can stand up

Just like yesterday,

Today, and tomorrow.

I raise my head

And I trudge off to work

More myself than ever

Imperfect, but true.

If you wait for the perfect time

Then it will never come

Because it’s always better to fail

Than it is to wait.

Love itself calls us

To care about tomorrow

Even if we are gone

The seeds spread outwards.

Our circles spread out

And reach far

Either for good

Or for evil.

If not for us

Then it is for them

That we are ready

To rise and protect

Again and again and again.

Reversal

Reversal 12/27/2013

Disembodied spirits

Tickle at our brains

As we fall asleep at the wheel

And circle down the drain.

Half awake and half aware

We stumble into life,

In both love and circumstance

Accidental and dumb.

The stone is set

And the concrete hardens

As we wear a ditch

In the same old circle.

There is little I could say

Much less, that I could write

That would change

The inevitable circumstances

All around you and me.

But perhaps 

Escape is not the answer

That we should seek

And deliverance not the solution

That we need.

Pushing through and pushing on

May be the hardest thing

But more often than not

It is the best thing. 

I have tried it both ways

And I know what it feels like

To win and to lose

Losing more often than not

And drowning in despair. 

It took the longest time

For me to understand

That happiness is right in front of us

Every minute and every day. 

Hidden in plain sight
In a child’s smile

Or in an oil painting

Found even in the smallest of blessings

Each and every day.  

Even the most modest decency

And unexpected camaraderie

Should be greeted with joy

Because a wise man should never expect

His kindness to be returned.

Friendship is a treasure

And friendships that endure

Are a blessing

More valuable than gold. 

The world is upside down

And a trail of bodies

And broken dreams
Litter the streets

Because of hatred, jealousy,

Foolishness, and greed.

Men eternally 

Trade darkness for light

And succumb to double minded doubt

Even when they have seen miracles

Time and time again.

If you have found the words

Then you remain my friend

Know that you are in my thoughts

And you are in my prayers.

No matter what happens

And no matter what 

The future brings

We can be rich in love

And blessings.

In any and all circumstances

There remains a greater blessing

Good people shall always find it

If they know who trust

And who to believe. 

MIidst of Winter

Midst of Winter  12/26/2013
 

It was cold

And skies were gray

With streaks of tarnished silver

And smudged charcoal.

The darker it became

The colder it got

So we went inside

Because our hands

Ached and tingled.

But inside the lights sparkled

And the flames burned bright

Melting every shred of doubt

About who we are

And what we love.

Christmas came 

Like so many times before

And we awoke to the enchantment 

Undiluted with time.

As the hours went by

The house became a wreck

And the kids were cranky

After hours of playing,

Sugar, and laughter.

I picked up the boxes

And all the ripped paper

Filling up bags with the detritus

That covered the floor. 

There is no other place

That I would rather be

Than here among friends and family

In the midst of winter.

Truth has not lost its luster

And real love will never die

No matter what was had

Or what was lost. 

They are all with me now

Even those who are gone

Now more than ever

Alive in my heart. 

We are bound forever

And nothing can change it now

Bonded by a sacred knighthood

Unknown to man. 

We shall yet taste

The finest wine

And the greatest of feasts

Will always be, yet to come. 

The troubles of the present

Are nothing compared with eternity

Passing over our heads

Like ghosts in the shadows. 

Remember and rejoice

In any and everything

For every disappointment

Will be turned

And every defeat,

Reversed. 

The world shall yet again

Be renewed

Yes, reborn

Even from sin

And even from death. 

Love and pray for them all

All of those who live in your heart

Now more than ever

Diligently and reverently.

Love, generosity,

Companionship and joy

No matter the circumstance

This shall ever separate the good

And save many

Even yet, unborn.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Hang On  12/24/2013

Today was colder

But tomorrow

Nobody knows

Because with every ending

Comes a new beginning

Cold, crisp, and clear.

Death comes

Uninvited and unwanted

In the middle of the day

Or in the middle of the night.

The price of living

And the price of knowing

As we carry the burden

Deep in our DNA.

A message within a message

And code hidden

Within a code

Both an inheritance

And a destiny.

The stars align

In the heavens

Like a map inside out

Divided up into chambers

We cannot see, touch, or smell.

Love is a choice

Both risky and dangerous

But faith is the answer

For every doubt

Or injury.

Once we were babies

And we played with angels

But we learn by falling down

And knowing what went wrong.

Now the scales have fallen

And the truth is at hand

Hidden for the longest time

Right in front of our eyes.

Rejoice!

Even though your heart is breaking

And smile

Even though you have lost.

Nothing can stop love

And nothing can turn back the light

Piercing through the darkness

High above our heads.    

He will come unexpectedly

Just like he said he would

The savior of man

Righteous and just. 

Hang on to that

And write it, in your heart

That we are not alone

And he is coming soon.