Crispy, crunchy bits on the floor
Remnants of what was once me
Speak in sequestered voice
Whispers for none to hear
Memories masked in flimsy gauze
Distort into moaning miseries
Slices of soul oozing through my eyes
Trek along determined trails
Hollowness hails each morning
Darkness so deep that no light gleams
Heaviness haunts my limbs
Paralyzes rational thought
No hope, no light
Nothing but everlasting midnight
Covers my heart
Entrapped in cement, I wail
A mighty hand reached to the earth
and fingered fractured soil so fine
particles of dust, of no worth,
trickled like lonely sands of time.
Tears trickled through a curtain torn
showering grace as before the fall.
With tiny steps, the world reborn
trumpets in harmonious call.
New lives spring forth with joyful cry
in clear and confidant voices.
As one all speak to beautify
their world of wondrous choices.
Tears poured upon the thirsty land
bringing relief from loneliness.
Blossoms burst forth upon demand
blanketing wanton carelessness.
No longer parched, the land doth give
joy-filled colors to opened eyes,
and offered gifts so all may live
without sin and empty lies.
A mighty hand reached to the earth
and dug the enriched soil so fine
and sighed, for it had earned its worth,
erasing the mistakes of time.
Coins tumble, tumble
out of hand
a mixture of polished metal
silver and copper
jumbled, jumbled
deep into the recesses
of comfy couch
mistakes made buried deep
lie in wait
amid cushions covered
in brawny plaids
speak of treasures
locked in fertile sand
surprises in the soil
awake, awake thanks to
spring’s sprinkled bath
wash away layered dirt
open panes for light
to raise
green, green carpets
softly felt
reaching down with fingers
strong and stronger
treasures scooped
enjoyed with joyous
yelps and yells
glorious bursts explode
dazzling, dazzling eyes
fall’s ritual cleansing
wondrous wonders uncovered
fill the hand, the land
with blossoms of glory
begin with tumble
of jumbled coins
lost, then found
I claim blue, the color of true blood,
the color of the maximum flood
of brains, guts and brawn
spreading across city and lawn.
My world filled with violence,
not love or calm silence.
Living and dying young.
Treated much like dung
by outsiders, the reds,
whose hatred blocks heads
from thinking about me
as a man, to be free.
I proudly claim blue
to whose bros I am true.
In my hood we proudly sing
of the joys members bring
to our gang and strong streets
and to each brother who greets
the day alive once more
in whose love I place store
.
So watch out, you reds.
Don’t get out of your beds
Or walk on my streets for you’ll cry
blood into the sky.
I’m watching.
Success is an uneasy journey
It depends upon hard work and determination.
Passion supported by the willingness to take risks,
But more than anything, it means standing tall
When others are waiting for you to fail.
Success must be rooted firmly in the soil
So that its branches can reach for the sky,
And its Leaves can rustle in the wind,
Reminding us that it is not a destination,
But a guided journey.
Success won’t magically appear in the morning
It takes days and nights of
Pushing through boundaries,
Facing challenges and never quitting.
It is worth every tear shed,
Every moment of doubt.
Success isn’t measured by wealth or fame,
But on the difference one creates
As they follow their dreams,
Chase after their goals,
And the pursuit of fulfillment.
Success is bolstered by the growth and evolution,
Of our minds, bodies, and souls,
By the smallest increments,
No matter how bumpy the road,
Nor how many obstacles unfold.
Success is about rising when we fall,
Standing tall when others scoff,
Having the courage to take risks,
Believing in yourself, when it’s hard,
And when it seems way too easy.
Strive for greatness,
And never give up on your dreams,
No matter how many times you fall.
Some measure of success is within reach,
As long as you are willing to chase it.
Dieting is no easy job.
It eats at your resistance like
Easter candy, long gone stale,
Tucked away in last year’s basket.
I yearn for a choice piece of chocolate,
Nougat or caramel crème or a
Generous slice of dark chocolate torte.
Those things are no longer my fare
Housed within my body are too many
Ounces of fat cells, to the point of
Ugliness, obesity, just plain fat.
Gaining another pound cannot happen.
Having the will power to succeed,
Trying once more to drop sizes,
Success will come my way.
I hope.
The thing is, candy is alluring.
It calls your name, over and over
Until you have no choice but to sneak a bite
A piece, a chunk when no one is looking.
Guilt then overwhelms.
Why did I sabotage myself?
I’m a strong woman, I tell myself.
I’ve overcome emotional and physical abuse.
I’ve suffered chastisement from my employer
For simply doing my job.
I’ve raised three amazing adults
And been married for decades.
I read and write and do puzzles.
But yet I can’t walk away
When a simple piece of candy,
Or a perfectly baked cookie,
Or a slice of peach pie,
Or a spectacular bowl of ice cream
Appear, like magic.
Yosemite National Park is
One of the most exquisite beauties.
Standing in its grass covered valley,
Energized by roaring waterfalls,
My heart expands: incomparable,
Incredible vistas surround me.
Tremendous witnessed awesome power.
Escapist’s vacation location.
Nothing impresses me more than this
Admirable verdant valley, with its
Towering, tree-devoid mountain peaks,
Iconic, historic wood buildings,
On-rushing river, wilderness trails,
Newly blossomed colorful flowers.
All gathered into a preserved spot
Left for generations to enjoy.
Protected from all development.
Absolutely stunning to the eye
.
Reminder of the glory of God
Kept as a witness to His power.
If not for an almighty God
who could have created the earth?
Speak to me not of inventors,
researchers, scientists.
Their works are both
improvement and ruination.
Humans, thanks to God,
have the ability to think,
yet we frequently do not.
Sunday rolls around and we find
excuses
We run hither and yon,
never stopping for even one moment
to give thanks to the One
who breathed life into our lungs,
blessed us,
filled us with promise of accomplishment,
then set us free to stumble our way
through life,
learning, hopefully, from errors.
All the while He sits in heaven
smiling down at His creations
waiting for the day when His loves wake up
and then take time
to sing His glorious name.
He welcomes even the unrepentant
saying, “Come here, my child.”
I, for one, will cuddle next to His chest
and cry tears of joy.
God is my reason for being.
I must never forget.
Things have been rough this year.
My wife died giving birth to a stillborn child.
I lost my job to a younger man.
The earth shook and things went wild.
Alcohol became my best friend
Keeping me warm on cold winter nights.
Teeth fell out and tongue turned brown
And vagrants challenged me to fights.
One rainy night, down on my luck,
No nickel to my tarnished name,
I stumbled into an empty house
Where I could hide in shame.
I searched through cabinets covered in dust
And looked under every loose board
Hoping to find a morsel to eat,
A blanket, a shirt, anything to add to my hoard.
Upstairs in what was a little boy’s room
A magical things I did find.
Buried beneath a pile of rags,
A book to challenge my mind.
A stubble of candle sat on a shelf
And so I quickly lit it with glee.
By the flickering light I eagerly read.
A realization soon came to me.
The story spoke of a man long ago
Who owned very little but love.
He roamed his world bringing peace,
Goodwill, a message from God above.
I am like He, I began to think,
With nothing to lose nor fear.
Resolved to act I fell asleep
Like a child, both loved and dear.
When the new sun brightened the world
I stumbled, confusedly, into the hall.
For there surrounded in unearthly glow
Hovered the Man to whom I did fall.
“My Lord, forgive this humble man
who long ago fell out out of Your grace.
Today I beg you, I am renewed
And ready to take my place.”
A breeze arose, tore off my rags
And dried the tears from my eyes.
Gentle fingers brushed my cheek
And lifted away my cries.
That was the day when I took control
And rejoined the human race.
From that day forward I was His man
And walked with smiling face.
I now believe that my wife and child
Truly did not die in vain,
For their sacrifice brought me back to God
And to feel His love again.
Alone
In the middle of a crowded room
Silent voices scream for recognition
Fear
Twists guts into compressed clay
Paralyzing limbs, numbing throats
Degradation
Fills the ears of the emotionally injured
Ruining scarce moments of hard-fought joy
Depression
Carries sinking hearts into oblivion
Erasing memories of happiness felt
Hands
Reach out, begging for salvation
Yearning for one sign of love
Answers
Arrive in rain-soaked clouds
Pouring down tears of understanding
Compassion
Clears the night of unmasked terrors
Awakening remnants of esteem, long forgotten
Joy
Blooms in multi-colored bursts of words
Spoken, thoughts shared, kindnesses felt
Light
Seeps into crevices of the heart
Obliterating shards of self-doubt
Happiness
Explodes in multicolored bursts
Opening souls to welcoming voices
Surrounded
Encased
Enfolded
Alone no more
Words and Thoughts 