Hover above,

Though I can’t see them through the Light.

Such a shame—

Seems I sleep all Day

And only wake in the Night…

That you and I could Be,

I tried to reach out and touch your Heart,

But you were nowhere to be seen.

Sadness.

Confusion.

I miss this girl I barely even know,

And I wonder if things could have been,

Would our Friendship have continued to grow,

If I had only realized 

A second sooner

That I was no longer afraid?

I looked within myself and saw

My Wounds had already healed.

I looked inside my Soul and discovered

That it was my  Heart which had to be Real.

For how can I expect Honesty and Good from the World

When I don’t even offer it myself?—

A Heart of ice seeking warmth

Will surely begin to melt.

And now I realize

How I must live my life:

Honest to mySelf,

Faithful to Friends,

Committed to doing what’s Right.

Now perhaps I’ll never know

If what I saw in you was a lie.

If only I’d possessed the Courage and Wisdom,

My Dreams would not have died.

One step too late,

One hesitant step,

Because I was afraid to let something start—

Now I live

With the lesson learned:

You should never ignore your Heart.

So if tonight the air is cold,

Or the lonely Silence makes you want to scream,

Don’t forget,

It’s not over yet,

Because it’s still of you that I dream.

The ones who said they were there for me?

Where did all the Right go wrong?

What happened to my Family?

For a True Friend I would take a bullet,

For Family I would die,

But every time I get close to someone

I find their Loyalty is lies.

What is wrong with the human Heart

That you cannot trust even one man?

And why is it I see not even one Soul

Who seeks to understand?

The world is depressing,

So chaotic and lonely,

So what do you do in this modern wasteland

When you lose touch with your homies?

This world I can handle,

I think this I have shown,

But Lord if you really exist,

And you love me,

Please,

Don’t make me face it alone.

With a smile on my face,

Ran my tongue across it

Just to memorize the taste.

I touched it with my fingers

And felt the way it glowed,

Ran and looked into the mirror

To watch the smile grow.

“Please,” I begged the smile,

“Never leave my lips.”

And all day since my mouth has been

Caught in the smile’s grip.

(clicker here to listen to the mp3)

As an old homeless man sat on the sidewalk and watched the world,

He was approached by a little boy.

“Old man,” the child said—

“Have you no friends?

What are you so sad for?”

The homeless man looked up and said, “Child look at me,

I am not sad, but at peace,

For I have traveled so very far

And now I rest my feet.”

Said the boy, “How exciting? 

Was your journey fun?”

“No my child, ‘Twas long and hard,

And it seems it has only begun.”

The boy looked around at the chaotic city.

“Does all this to you make sense?”

The man replied, “Son, I’m still scared and confused.

Now why don’t you go play with your friends?”

But the curious youth persisted—

“Wait Old Man, I have to ask—

Are you afraid to die?”

Said the elder, “You know, my end is nearing,

And I am only afraid I will cry.

You see, you are only a child,

But the truth is I am too.

Looking at my eyes,

I may seem wise,

But inside I’m no different than you.

I am no closer to understanding this life

Than I was sixty years ago,

And now that my time is about up,

I can only cross my arthritic fingers and hope.

I’ve traveled this whole city for decades,

Searching every corner for truth,

Yet the closest thing to it that I’ve found

Is here and now on this curb with you.

I have no friends to speak of—

No wife to hold while I wait.

I have no answers,

No secrets,

No key to Heaven’s gate.

In fact, I guess I have nothing

To show for the years that I’ve lived:

No truths,

No warnings,

No words of wisdom to give.”

Said the boy,

“Mister, my momma says

You must listen if you want to learn.

Things that come easy aren’t worth having—

The important stuff must be earned.

I’m just a kid,

But if you need a friend,

I have nothing to do.

If you don’t mind,  

I’ll sit here on this curb

Awhile and play with you.”

“My precious child,”

Said the homeless man,

“It seems you’ve eased my fears.”

And as he hugged the little one his eyelids swam with tears.

The little boy looked up and gasped,

“Old man, are those tears I see in your eyes?”

“Sorry Son,” said the grey-haired one,

“I always wondered if I would cry.

But now that the time has finally come,

I guess for these tears I’m glad.

For these are wonderful tears right here—

I’m not crying because I’m sad.

I know you’re smart,

But try to remember—

Life is wonderful.

Don’t let society,

Hold you down with anxieties,

Don’t ever grow up to be dull.

Don’t ever forget that Love

Is the only thing that ever will last.

Don’t be afraid to sacrifice.

Learn to let go of the past.

Use your Intuition,

And treat strangers with Compassion.

Remember that money doesn’t matter,

And that Pride will always fall to Passion.

But most of all,

Little one,

No matter how old you get,

It’s never too late to learn true wisdom

If along the way you forget it.”

“Geez, old man!” the young boy shouted,

“You’re the smartest person I ever knew.”

The old man smiled, displaying yellowed teeth,

“I learned it all from you.

Thank you Son,” he whispered,

And lay down on the curb.

His smile stretched from ear to ear,

And his body no longer hurt.

He closed his eyes and let the sun

Gently caress his face.

“As glad as I am to finally go,

I think I’ll miss this place.”

With those final words he closed his eyes,

Savoring his very last breath.

A teardrop fell from his eye as he died,

And he began his eternal rest.

The young boy reached out and touched his face,

Kissed the homeless man gently upon his cheek.

“I have to go, my momma’s waiting,

But I hope you have Sweet Dreams.”

And as the boy walked away,

He prayed

As the wind whistled and blew.

He didn’t know why,

But he just had to cry,

For the smartest old man that he ever knew.

Like a thorn

Ripped from the stem of its Purpose—

My destiny fades

Into Society’s ways,

And I ask

Is all the stress worth this?

Our own people left us

In this predicament—

A way of life which spells nothing but greed.

Why so much struggling,

And constantly juggling,

For a lifestyle

We think we want

But don’t need?

And saw my life had just begun.

I opened my eyes and arms,

Embraced truths I had shunned.

I pray my heart doesn’t lie

About freedom and ambitions.

Witth a little positivity,

Oh my, the diamonds glisten.

I know there’s a way to move on,

I feel it in my Soul.

This big world intimidates,

But my smallness makes me whole.

Like an eagle, my wings alight—

How I wish so much to roam.

My journey may have only started,

But I feel I’m finally home.

So close to mind,

And for that one hour on a drunken Friday 

I was in Heaven.

I remember your body,

So close to mine,

And every time you smiled 

I was in Heaven.

Funny the way the world goes round:

Twice I saw you before

And could not forget your face.

Something in your eyes

Twinkled

Just the way I wanted it to.

And then I had my moment.

Thought it didn’t last that long, 

I was in Heaven.

I still remember dancing with you

In my drunken daze.

I still remember your smile,

Your touch,

Your kiss,

Your smile. 

I still remember the way you smiled

For my one hour in Heaven.

He opened His arms to the world

And gave them Hope.

A God or not,

He suffered and cried

Endless tears for a wicked world.

They laughed and spit in His face

As He hung from spikes driven through His wrists,

Blood dripping through the sky like the scarlet sunset,

The life-blood of the one truly Good Man,

And His followers wept,

But He suffered and smiled in the face of agony

With kindness that could feed a million mouths,

And cherished His Pain.

And the meaning of what He had done for them was carved into the Heart of

every man, woman, and child.

The image of His ravaged body hanging from that cross

Became not a symbol of hate or revenge

But a symbol of Peace

And an example of what Love could endure,

And His Heartbeat was still heard

Through the centuries,

For nothing could kill His Love.

In my chest,

My Heart and Soul.

A chance to chase my Dreams again,

To dig myself out of this hole.

Though struggling strains my strategies,

I remain persistent and proud,

And I find that in time

Life picks up rhyme

If I admit my Fears outloud.