and suddenly she turned....,

and suddenly she turned and realized
standing behind her was what she feared most
her past had returned to haunt her
in a way that she could never imagine
every effort to change from who she used to be
now had crept up behind her and would soon
overtake her forcing her to face a reality
she put out of her mind years ago

she thought to herself how unfair it was
that all the fear and shame she used to feel
had finally turned from a full roar to
a low moan and here she was once again
starting over having to relive a pain too intense
for words to ever describe

now she realized what she had to do
no longer was she going to be controlled
by a past that refused to let her have a future
she was no longer in a position to run from
what she used to be and from now on
she was going to run towards who she had become

she turned to face the crowd as she grabbed
the microphone and asked
do you want fries with that?

hey
life is art!

With Pen In Hand

With pen in hand
I stab at your heart
With words that bite
And soothe your soul

I challenge who you are
Fight who you will be
Support who you once were
While I reject your indecision

I kidnap your thoughts
Making them my own
So that you will always know
A pen in hand strikes twice as hard

A Prayer For Parents

Each night before you fall asleep
And pray to God your soul to keep
Do not forget to take a while
And say a prayer for your child

Pray that they grow strong and tall
Though your heart wants to keep them small
Pray that you know what things to say
That will help to guide them on their way

Pray that they will find true love
The kind that comes from up above
And pray that when they rest at night
They spent their day doing what was right

Pray that they will have a life
That is blessed with a husband or wife
Who will make their life so worthwhile
As they pray for you and your grandchild

Dreams A Father Has For His Son

From the first breath that your Son takes
Until your dying day
The dreams a Father has for his Son
Will never go away

The hopes and dreams you have for him
Are different from your own
If you were King you wear a crown
But leave your Son the throne

Wanting more for him than for yourself
Is proven every day
The empire you build will go to him
Even if he goes his own way

The legend says to a warrior is born
A Son who is a coward and lazy
But as a Father gazes upon his Son
He knows the legend is crazy

This is a smaller version of himself
Full of his fire and zeal
How could anyone doubt that he
Could be anything other than real

The Well

The well of talent is not eternal
Like hopes and dreams the well runs dry

Leaving us thirsty for one last drink
A chance at fame before we die

To be unforgettable in a world
That barely remembers we were here

Leaving something that is not forgotten
To not be remembered is our greatest fear

the child in the mirror

not only
are children
a mirror
to our
past

they are
a glimpse
to a
future

that is
not only
theirs
but ours
as well

a child
at play

is the
adult
at work

dreaming

of how
it used
to be

and how
it will
be again

someday

Brush With Greatness

Bold and strong
Or thin and frail
Will each stroke
Tell a true tale

Greatness for all
Or a few
Can paint recall
The real you

Some use ink
Others choose words
Stop and think
Make yourself heard

On A Shelf

If I could keep you
On a shelf
Safe from harm
And for my self

I would never
Ever have to fear
A thought of harm
To you my dear

You would be safe
And well protected
With other things
That I collected

But life I fear
Does not work that way
And on the shelf
You would not stay

You want to be
On the ground
Away from me
Not safe and sound

No shelf for you
Just hope and trust
As I watch you do
The things you must

The Music Of Madness

The soundtrack of you losing your mind
Is filled with the trumpets of regret
And the strings of despair
While that constant drumbeat you hear
Is your sanity slowly drifting away
Towards that song where high notes
And the darkest corners of your mind dance
Where light and sound are afraid to see and hear
What will become of what is left of you
When the music finally stops

brainwashed

happiness
is not
what someone
else
has
or says
or does

the only
person
who can
define
what
makes
you happy

is too busy
being
brainwashed
into
chasing things

that
only matter
to people
who do not

things
do not
last
and can
be
replaced

your
thoughts
and feelings
cannot
so
make sure
they are
always yours

do not
pursue
things
you do not want
only
to bring
happiness
to others

pursue
things
that will
bring
happiness
to yourself

and
do not
let
others
brainwash
you

with
goals and
ambitions
that are
not your
own

Such A Pretty Girl

This poem is dedicated to the memory of my wife

Joan Elizabeth Mitchell-Nelson

on what would have been her 53rd birthday.

Joan was such a pretty girl
Everyone would always say
Joan was such a pretty girl
In each and every way

Joan had such a pretty smile
On such a pretty face
Joan had such a pretty style
All frilly filled with lace

Joan had such a giving heart
Filled with so much love
Joan always gave from the start
What a gift from God above

Too bad that such a pretty girl
Too soon had to go away
Too pretty for this ugly world
Too pretty for this day

Set Me Free

My heart and soul will always belong to you
From the moment I first saw you
Standing in the pale moonlight
A princess removed from her fairytale
You made time stand still as everything
And everyone around you faded away
The thought of belonging to someone else
Will never happen because how can I
Give my heart and soul to someone else
When they both already belong to you

When The Merry-Go-Round Stops

the room is still spinning
but the ride is over
hope is gone
no lucky four leaf clover
the best you can do
when the merry-go-round stops
is know that you had fun
and it is time to get off
few will remember
that your ever took this ride
the only ones who matter
will be there at your side
so let them know you love them
as you wave good-bye
for some there is a ride much better
waiting when they die

What Comes Next

What comes next is no surpise
The time to live again is here
Truth will win out over lies
Hesitation doubt and fear

Similar to being born again
The time to start is new
And not allow my self to descend
Into madness that is not true

dance

at first you glance
then look away
we do this dance
we do each day

you know that I
am what you seek
yet when I try
you do not speak

I catch your eye
you smile and turn
you seem quite shy
but then I learn

no not a game
but just a dance
it seems a shame
we have no chance

maybe some day
we both will find
a better way
to pass the time

until that day
I smile again
you turn away
a new dance begins

When The Day Begins

When the day begins
The people with the brightest outlook on life
Are the ones that cause the sun to rise
Birds to sing and flowers to bloom
We all wake to a world that is created by the best of us
But as the day wears on it is easy to see
Those who look at the world through hearts that are black
Spend their entire day putting out the light
Of those who bring happiness to this world
Those who have hearts full of darkness
Take joy in making sure the light struggles to be seen
And as the day goes on and the light gets dim
Those with the darkest spirit celebrate
As their darkness covers all
And once again drowns out those with the light

another day

today is just another day
all the same since you went away
spent all day in bed
feeling sad wish I was dead
wanting you here with me
but I know it will never be
when you died you took my heart
and my soul fell all apart
never want to smile again
just wish this pain would end
how I want to hold you near
and your voice I long to hear

Everyday Ordinary

take joy in the
everyday ordinary
the morning shower
the broken shoelace
the same route
to and from work each day
the same dinner routine
celebrate the fact
that through ordinary
real genius is created
doing something enough
times makes it clear
how to do it better
every discovery is not
born from finding something new
it is often the product of
doing something that is
everyday ordinary
in a better way

The Painting

Above the mantle the painting sits
Aloof and distant and removed from it all
Unlike everything else in the room
The painting works with both nothing
And no one as it draws you in
Only to turn you away as you wonder why

Friends And Enemies

Hold fast to those who are really your friends
The true test starts when rough times begin
Though some may smile at you and say
That you can count on them any time any day
The real test comes when things get rough
And all the words in the world are not enough
When rough times toss you around like the see
Or leave you feeling like hanging from a tree
A friend is with you in tough times and then
The enemy will you see after the rough times end

Mistaken

never make the mistake
of thinking that what
you see is all there is

what most people
will accomplish with their
lives has nothing to do

with the expectations
of others and has
everything to do

with the goals they
have for themselves
and their desire to make it

I Would Rather Die Than Love Again

I would rather die than love again
So leave me to my tears
I know this pain will never end
No matter how many years

I would rather live my life alone
Instead of losing someone else
Because since you have gone
I cannot even love my self

time versus happiness

despite what many may think
time and happiness are not friends
think about it
when did a good time last forever
it never does and it never will
because time hates happiness
with a passion that runs deep
think of it this way
in the battle of good versus evil
happiness is good and time is
determined to make sure happiness
does not last
best memories are fleeting
best days are rare
and best years are so uncommon
they are numbered and arbitrarily decided
your best years to earn a living
and the happiness you experience
while you follow your dreams
are limited by time
and not by the happiness you experience
when your dreams come true

Fathers And Sons

How do fathers
Who grew up without fathers
Raise sons to be fathers
Who know what it means
To be a son

Growing up without my father
Made me want to be better
At being a father
More than anything
And anyone

Always fair and firm
Along with loving and giving
My best efforts to be a father
No matter what all seemed
To be wrong

No expectations from me
Or any pressure to be
And always saying
"I love you"
Never got the job done

Maybe it is too early to say
It will always be this way
Both saying "I hate you"
With no love for their father
From either son

It was more important to me
To raise them to be
Independent and strong
Than to try
And be their friend

But I have done all I can
To help both become a man
Despite how it hurts
And how it can possibly get worse
My job is done

When It Meant Something To Be Black

I grew up at a time when it meant something to be Black
A time when you fought and sometimes died for your
Right to cast a vote or sit at a lunch counter
Now it seems all Black means is how high you jump
Or if you embarrassed someone when you dunked a basketball
And even worse how much you shocked the world through
Music and lyrics and rhymes and behavior that goes against
Everything we were taught in Sunday School and in church
The appreciation for Martin and Malcolm and Miles
Is now replaced with an endless loop of samples and beats
No longer original works from Hughes or Baldwin or Giovanni
But a new breed of Cats who see green as the new Black

La Contra Cantata

some lives are just a joyous song
while in others the music does not belong
while the rhythms swirl and the chorus sings
to some it does not mean a thing

they hear no notes nor feel the beat
nothing will get them on their feet
no reason to live or take a chance
and let the music make them dance

At Night

the cool
dark anguish
that is
our lives
at night
is only
seen through
the eyes
of those
who seek
to do
things they
would never
do in
the light

the mask
we wear
at night
is never
seen in
the day

the lies
we tell
and the
lives we
pretend we
live are
the darkest
corners of
our deepest
fears finally
set free

we paint
our faces
to hide
who we
really are
as we
meet others
who will
be someone
totally different
by day

and yet
we celebrate
and cherish
the chance
to lie
to ourselves
as often
as we
can as
soon as
the sun
goes down

Each Day

Each day is the opening
Of a brand new play
Today it may be a comedy
Or a drama may come your way
It may have a short run
Or it could be here to stay
The one thing that is certain
Is that you are the star today
So know your part and take a bow
Act One is underway

teaching our hearts

unlike time and love
the heart does not
last forever

but just like
time and love
the heart is
fickle and faint

and despite knowing
each day the heart
will be beaten and
battered and bruised

by the ones we
love the most we
still live and laugh
and love and teach
our hearts to forget

Playing By The Rules

can anyone who
plays by the rules
ever come out on top

or does the mere act of living
favor the bold and daring
as opposed to those who
sit and wait for
whatever hand fate
deals them

since life is not
a game how
can there be rules
and since there are
no rules how can anyone
possibly play by them

there are things we
all should know and
should do when it
comes to how we
treat each other

but success and failure
should be based on
how hard you work
not being in the
right place at the right time

sunset

as the summer sun draws closed this day
and the cooling breeze passes your way

you feel the wind renew your soul
as you watch another day grow old

from where you sit all is quiet and still
the summer sun settles down just beyond the hill

you think about the things you did this day
and all the others things that you let slip away

what a perfect way to bring the day to a close
as the cool summer breeze fills your heart and your nose

and you wish every day could end this way
as you search your heart and you begin to pray

you thank God for his wonderful gifts so plenty
any you ask his blessings for those without any

for your family and friends you pray for good health
and ask that God bless them all with good wealth

for yourself you ask God for your soul to find rest
because you know tomorrow will bring your faith a new test

The Journey

a bead of sweat forms
on your forehead
and slowly trickles
past your eyes
setting of sparks
as it captures the
beauty of your gaze

next it seductively glides
across your cheek and
pauses briefly above
your lips taunting and
teasing me to come and get it
and just as quickly
the invitation is snatched away

the journey continues to the
edge of your chin where that
simple bead of sweat now must
decide to become a cliff diver
and splash down between your
beautiful breasts or continue
the slow seductive path along
the graceful curve of your neck

as the erotic ballet continues
the bead of sweat becomes a
graceful swan swimming across
the contours of the placid lake
of your neck and once again
it tantalizes and beckons me

to rescue it from this seductive
voyage and mingle it with the
sweat from my body
that at the same time
is performing a similar dance for you

Haunted By The Past

Those haunted by the past are destined to repeat it
Said the ghostly old lady who appeared in a dream
Frail and nearly lifeless she shook as she spoke
But her words went through me and settled on my heart

The image was clear but her message was strained
Was it to enjoy each day before time slips away
Or was it to never live with a life full of regrets
Plan for the future and but keep all things in context

The answer it seems none may never know
But is a dream just a dream or does it mean more
All things in time will be the things that we hold dear
And maybe with time her message will become clear

What Others See

The zoo that is your life
Looking out while others gawk
Filled with turoil and with strife
Only you hear them as they talk

Look at those ears and that nose
Are words that crush your soul
You feel lonely and exposed
As their words take their toll

But your mirror has many sides
Most that others will never see
They feed on your fears then hide
So who is caged and who is free

Independence Day

Injustice anywhere leads to oppression everywhere
Declare today as your Independence Day from
Blindly and blandly following those who would
Rule others with their hatred instead of their hearts

Let the fireworks that light up the sky at night
Resembling the most beautiful flowers in the world
Plant the seeds for the constant fight for freedom
And justice and equality for every person on earth

Somewhere In Me

somewhere in us all
exists the chance to be
everything we always
dreamed we would be

successful and rich
and good looking as well
but there also exists
that part of us that is
more mirror than man

that part only reflects what
we see in others
more wimp than woman
it will always say
we are not good enough

and it is that part of us
that will always keep
our dreams from coming true
there is a lot to be said
for hard work and control

but somehow those things
are never talked about
the same way we talk
about a lavish and
luxurious life

most of us want
the fabulous life
but many of us are
just afraid to admit it

live like a millionaire
for a few minutes each day
if only by thought if you
cannot afford the deed

because the chance to
be who we always dreamed
of being is somewhere in you
and it is somewhere in me

The Ghost Over the Hill

In the still of the night
When the moon is heavy
Never travel by the light
Or venture near the levee

For the ghost over the hill
Is still looking for a soul
And she remains there until
The waters grow still and cold

They say the ghost is lonely
And she is searching for her love
The truth is known by only
The ghost and God above

And maybe just one other
Her lying unfaithful mate
Who fell in love with another
And sealed her tragic fate

The legend says she fell
As she waited for his boat
Her soul doomed straight to hell
Because she could not float

Others say the way she died
Was from a jealous rivals hand
And that her lover lied
When his boat came upon land

Now they total twenty
Who have died in mysterious ways
And some think that is plenty
Who have seen the end of their days

So never love someone so pretty
That they are wanted by one and all
And never go near the levee
At night or you will fall

Never trust a cheating lover
And more important still
You do not want to be another
Victim of the ghost over the hill

Inspiration

Inspiration is that bitch who got into a fight with your ex-girlfriend Muse
Everyone always told you they looked and acted just like sisters
You just had no idea there were so many of them
Other women tried to stop the fight
You lost count somewhere around ten or eleven
Now everywhere you look there she is or you see someone who reminds you of her
Of both of them actually and you struggle trying to figure out what you did wrong
You were never serious about that other woman named Jealousy
She was just a coworker you had a drink with one time
You regret the day your assistant Envy introduced the two of you
But that was enough for Inspiration to go running back to Muse with the whole story
You tried to explain your side but Muse was done with you
Inspiration stood there listening to every word with an evil grin on her face
Now the two of them are fighting in a winner take all battle for your soul
And you wait hoping both of them will take you back

THIS POEM WAS FINISHED AT MIDNIGHT ON SATURDAY, SO THIS IS FOR SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012

Ready

There are many different types of ready
Some are born ready while others
Spend a lifetime waiting on a chance
That may never come

The worse kind of ready is to be like a dancer
With two left feet that no matter how much
You practice you will never be as good
As you are in your dreams

Or a carpenter who spends every day
Of his life building the house of the future
With great innovation and improvement on design
And then open the door and watch it crumble at your feet

Or like a poet who feels the joy and sorrow
Of every great moment and tragic event that happens
And only is able to write what you are reading now
To me this is the worst kind of ready of all

In Any Language

In any language what we never say is always the same
The failure to tell someone how you feel about them
Or the inability to say job well done when it is deserved
Is the same whether you are right there or a thousand miles away

The most powerful language on the planet is not English
In fact the most powerful language is not even spoken
That language is a smile followed closely by tears
Neither says a word but both speak volumes

Unless you are alone a smile and a tear get the same results
The attention of whoever is near you at the time
No one can resist a smile or a tear because they both contain
Our entire existence wrapped up in no words at all

Happiness and sadness or good and bad
Heaven and hell or love and hate
What we never say is the same
And it is always the same in any language

the power of the pen

the power of a letter
not an email or text
has magic all unto itself

unlike and email or
a text which seems
to be in some sort of
suspended automation

the power of the pen
is tactile and timeless
and honors the writer
and the recipient

tweets and texts
and emails are
created and deleted
in an instant

while a letter
involves a lifetime
of learning to
commit to the
power of the pen

Speechless

the thought
of you
leaves me
speechless
and takes my
breath away
everytime i
see you
coming i
fumble for
words to say
desire drives
me crazy as i
see you walk
this way
i long to
say how
i feel
maybe it
will be
today

secretely
i stalk you
and hide
as you
walk by
hoping that
someday
it will
just be you
and i
and then
you turn
and speak
and i see
desire in
your eyes

and once
again i am
speechless
and let
the chance
go by
but in my
head i
know each
and every
day i
pray a
little
speechless
will finally
go away

A Hard Look

a hard look
will tell
you
what the
mirror
will not

what family
and friends
are afraid to say

for fear
their honesty
will drive
you away

a hard look
will tell
you
that time is
the enemy to
all

and time
wasted
is the
friend to
none

you see
the person
you have
always been

but time
sees wrinkles
and lines


and the
hard look
will tell
you despite
the lines

getting older
is natural
and you
you will
be fine

Each Day

We all know it is safe to say
We die a little more every day
The things we know that are really true
Are the things that we really have to do

Show the people you love so well
What they mean to you or time will tell
The story of the time you lost
And that you paid the tragic cost

Of waiting until it was much to late
To let your love reverberate
In a way that leaves no doubt
That you know what love is all about

The Last Poet

The last poet sat alone with pen in hand as he cried
To bring beauty into this world some way is all he really tried
Despite his efforts and daily dreams to make the world seem fair
The last poet realized his efforts got him nowhere

Despite the words and images that flowed each day from his pen
He realized no matter how hard he tried men would still sin against men
Those who robbed and killed and stole and lied were things he saw each day
The poet wrote about it all and cried then threw his pen away

And from his seat in the village square where he once wrote it all
The last poet stood and walked away as he watched all around him fall
The world has changed so much he thought maybe now it is too late
To tell mankind this downward slide does not have to be our fate

The Oldest Son

The oldest son is the only one
Who carries the weight of the world
On his shoulders

Every hope from his mother
And dream of his father
Every fight for his sister
And problem of his brother

Yet no one bothers to ask his thoughts
Or goals for life so it seems
The oldest son never gets to live his dreams

To everyone he is born to be king
Inherit the land and all that is seen
But inside he longs to sing and play
And he wishes life would turn out that way

So put aside your thoughts for him
Allow him to follow his every whim
And be who he is meant to be

As Strong As I Have To Be

Muscles and memories fade with the years
Those things we can all plainly see
But it is only with the passing of time
We are as strong as we have to be

Each day should bring wisdom
Love and respect and a place for you and me
Now you are gone and I am someone
Who is as strong as I have to be

I wake up alone leaving you in my dreams
As my tears crack my mirrored face
If life is worth living then why does it seem
That my life has been such a waste

some deserve to die

a sad reality of this life
is some people deserve to die
for crimes committed against
those who cannot defend themselves

innocent children are victimized
by cowardly adults or even worse
other children who decide to
take advantage of someone who is different

the golden rule
is just that a golden rule and not
the silver exception or the bronze guideline
and should be interpreted as such

A Gift For My Mother

The perfect gift for a mother is love
Not diamonds or pearls or money
With powers granted from God above
She makes cloudy days sunny

For each birthday filled with homemade cards
You smiled and cherished each treasure
And though later years brought different rewards
Your love and support is forever

As years go by I value the time
And all the lessons you taught
I realize now the perfect gift for you
Is something that cannot be bought

Anniversary

To my beautiful wife Joan Elizabeth Mitchell-Nelson.
Today we celebrate our 30th anniversary.
Rest in Peace with God in heaven my Angel

Thirty years ago today you agreed to be my wife
A day that forever changed my life
Your commitment to me was to give me your love
Now I feel it each day from heaven above
As a husband I can honestly say that I was bad
But yours was the best love I ever had
You stood by me above all else
And never doubted me when I doubted my self
Now for me this day is filled with tears
No one to share with my daily fears
We talked about how we would someday
Sit in the Florida sun and watch our grandchildren play
Now I just go through the world alone
No grandchildren and our son is grown
I had the greatest gift in life
Thirty years ago today you agreed to be my wife

wins and loses

winners are neither born or made
despite the lies they tell
a millionaire is a poor man with money
while the homeless are rich
where it matters most
having it all
only matters if you
give it  all away
over and over again
once it is gone if it
never comes back
it means it never was

Father's Day?

While most men celebrate this day
Not me since my wife passed away
And my sons are now both grown and gone
No reason for me to carry on

About a holiday that only brings
Back bad memories of shattered dreams
And gifts worth their weight in gold
That or either lost or too damn old

My home is empty like my heart
And now it is too late to start
Another life with somebody new
Or a second chance at love so true

No reason to look for a card
Or grandchildren playing in the yard
Or expect to hear someone say
Have a Happy Father's Day

brothers

one brother grows up physical
the other rather quizzical
still every one could see
both different branches
from the family tree

their parents did not mind at all
in fact they rather had a ball
watching the way the boys did grow
each shining in the light
the other did not know

though one was really rather small
the other one grew straight and tall
and no one would dare say
how the same seeds
could sprout in different ways

each loved what the other did
and never really tried to give
a reason they were not the same
it never did seem strange
one good at books the other at games

listen

words
worth
hearing
do not
come
easy but
when they
do
listen
and hold
on to
each one
as if
what was
said
was
your
only
reason
for
living

learn
to not
only to
listen to
what is
worth
hearing
but
learn to
understand
what is
meant by
each word
and
phrase

nurture
what you
hear
as if
words
worth
hearing
were a
garden
filled with
the most
beautiful
flowers

and then
and only
then
after each
flower
petal
stem and
thorn has
been
examined
should you
speak

the train

that magic time
when late at night
falls asleep
and early morning
starts to stir
a train rumbles
through every town
everywhere at once
singing the same song

telling you it is
time to move on
telling you
that whatever has
you trapped in this town
is not as important
as listening to
the whistle and
climbing aboard

like the sun
in the morning
and the moon
at night
the sound is
constant
until you finally
hear that whistle
calling you

and then you know
not only is it time to
ride
you know the destination
and the journey
are only important
when you realize
that it is time to go

On The Subway From Newark To New York

an exotic and mysterious
asian woman sat across from me
on the subway heading
from Newark to New York
me a tourist on my way to see
the Thanksgiving Day Parade
and across from me was the most beautiful
exotic woman I had ever seen in my life
her beauty was stunning
as I sat hoping my stolen glances
would at least get a smile from her
surely the beauty of the
churches and temples in her homeland
all pale when compared to her
my mind wandered
to who she was
what she did and who she did it with
all the time wishing it was me
though rude to stare
I could not turn away
the shape of her face
her jet black hair
I was lost in the
graceful elegance of her neck
and the perfection that she was
both of us clad in
black leather
hers delicate and light like her
mine heavy and dark like me
she held me in a spell
that was hypnotic and mystical
and as she got up to leave
I hoped she would invite me
to join her and as she left
a part of my heart left
with her and will forever
remain on that subway
from Newark to New York
or was it Jersey City?

The Lady New Orleans

never try to figure
out the mystery
that is the lady who
is New Orleans

she seduces you
into thinking
she can be yours
when she knows you will
never have her

she watches as you
come calling
come crawling
inviting you always
while rejecting you
every day and in every way

some actually
think they have a chance at a
woman so elusive that when
she takes off her
mask she still
remains hidden

and as you yearn for her
pine for her
long for her and
whine for her

she just looks away
because she knows
you will be back
tomorrow

finding a friend

it is hard
to define friendship
because it changes
from day to day
a friend you
meet tomorrow
may not start
that way
a kind word
to greet you
that somehow
makes your day
could be
the sign that
someone
new has come
your way
so each day
we must be ready
and always
look within
because you
never know
when you
may find
a friend

what i am

what i am
is many things
but not as many
as what i am not
maybe that is why
so many people live
a life that is empty
they are too busy
trying to be what
they are not and fail
to recognize what
they truly are
a painter decides
he wants to sing
rather than spending
his time making
beautiful things
and an actor
refuses to take
the stage to prove
he is more than
reading words
on a page
and i refuse
to record it all
despite that being
my only true call
as life slips away
now i see
very few ever
become what
they were meant
to be

This poem was written on Saturday, June 7, 2012 but I fell asleep before posting it following a loss my team suffered earlier that day!

The Contest

Two teams enter the playing field
With the goal to come out on top
One team leaves as the winner
And the other team does not

Neither team knows the other well
Something that matters little today
For as near as everyone could tell
Both teams came ready to play

The side you root for is pretty clear
Your players stand straight and tall
The opposition is also easy to see
For their team is petty and small

The game starts out as you had hoped
Your team is first to score
But the contest is far from over when
Your team gets knocked on the floor

Fight as they might your team does not win
Inside you know this is not right
How can that team of bad guys win
But they were the better team this night

As the tears flow and the players hug
Everyone says a final good bye
For now the contest has come to an end
Despite your team giving it their best try

A year from now this game will be played
Maybe with the same teams on both sides
Until that time there will be one whole year
For your team to nurse wounded pride

Details

letting fate decide
is very easy to do
when planning your
own outcome
is all up to you

leaving it all to chance
to see who is on top
is better left to details

Two Sons

Two sons
A world apart
Bound by name
Not by heart
Each sees the other
As a threat
Neither has seen
The other yet
They talk and know
One day they will meet
Until that time
They barely speak
The older thinks
The younger is to blame
For his missing father
And his shared name
The younger feels
That he is second best
Never knowing that
Love is not a test
And the father waits
Until the day
When his two sons
Go far away

The Future

close your eyes and think about the future
what do you see
a sleek world of ultramodern buildings
or do you see land that was destroyed
after a disaster from something from within

the decline of man

each in turn to do their best
but none has yet to pass the test
for life is just a race to see
if the winner is you or me

many seem to have it all
but still refuse to heed the call
can anyone ever say
they did their best every day

but even this simple life of mine
will lose the race against father time
as we all grow older in every way
the decline of man is here to stay

the rope

pulled tight or hanging loose
the results are the same
long before you realize
you never know if you have enough
are you at the end of it
did you do yourself in with it
can you climb it
tie it or knot it or jump it
can you swing from it
is it rough or smooth
worn or frayed
tied in a bundle on the end of a stick
or used to walk across
the balancing act that
has become your life

When The Game Is Over

You will know when the game is over
When you have no more chances at bat
There is no time left on the clock
Your horse has finished last
You have been knocked flat on the canvas
And you have to decide to run or rumble
Will you play the game again or give up
The answers are always around us
The challenge is finding the right question
And deciding that the game is not over
Until you say it is over

The Visit

while time erodes us all away
there will come a time someday
when a loved one must make a hospital stay
and for many that visit will come today

despite the brave front they put on
we know their time will soon be gone
loved ones gather and stay too long
to ease the guilt of what they did wrong

the loved one wants us all to come near
we gather for the last words we hear
it is the ravages of time we fear
that is taking the life of who we hold dear

Something New

Each day as we grow older
One thing seems to be true
The world is so much colder
And we rarely see something new

In a world once filled with wonder
For the old there is not much surprise
We mostly see mistakes and see blunders
Not looking through childlike eyes

New gadgets do not hold our interest
And technology for us has no appeal
The things that should be the simplest
Now have become a really big deal

But the young find these things amazing
Choosing to jump on each modern fad
While the old insist on not changing
Missing out on those things makes us glad

That way we old stay empowered
Always being able to say
To the latest fad of the hour
We did not need that in my day

the taste

my head spins
as
our lips meet
and
i taste
that most
electric
exotic
part of you
uncensored
we both leave
inhibitions
behind as we
promise we will
be everything
the other could
ever want
knowing that
the second
our
lips part
and the
electricity stops
and the taste
fades
we
will not
only
have the
memory
but we will
also have
the
magic

wings

though man may wish that he had wings
flying is earned and the freedom it brings

every bird before it learns to fly
has to leave the nest to give it a try

and every bug no matter how small
must spread some wings or always crawl

the butterfly and pesky gnat
all are living proof of that

yet on the ground people remain
our only flying done on a plane

the challenge

no words were exchanged
as each stood in the shadow of the other
the challenge was clear
the weaker would bend to the will of the stronger
their eyes danced and their feet followed
one blow connected and one blow missed
and soon they both knew
there would be a winner
and there would be a loser
suddenly the stronger of the two stopped
as if the battle was already won
but the weaker one continued
each blow had no effect on the strong
yet the weaker one did not give up
despite having no chance of winning
the weaker of the two refused to stop
for the challenge was not to win the fight
against the strong or the weak
the challenge was the fight inside themselves
and they both walked away winners

concrete reality

this universe provides concrete reality
hard truths wasted on soft minds
all towing the corporate line
thinking someday they will get theirs
the corner office and the company car
too afraid to acknowledge they never will
while spitting out political and business jargon
criticizing the masses who have long since given up
the poorest knowing the game is played by many
but won by a few and never by them
while those at the top laugh at those who think like them
dress like them and act like them
all the while keeping the prize for themselves
those who do without know that a little more
is so much worse than none at all
especially when a little more is all you will ever get
rags to riches meets rags to dishes
as fingers worked to the bone wipe away dreams by the hour
and most of the tired poor huddled masses
die never knowing they lost game the minute they stepped onto
the concrete reality

Sunrise

Each new beginning arrives with the sun
No matter the time of day
Whether Midnight hour or highest noon
Or the time we put work away

The sunrise means the death to the old
And the glorious birth to the new
It also means the chance to behold
All we were meant to do

Despite the hour or task at hand
Sunrise gives birth to the wise
And reminds us all of the chance to redo
The things we have come to despise

So let each day bring to you a fresh start
Whether the time be day or night
For among the gifts God has given to you
Is the chance to make wrong things right

Where I Belong

In and out of time and space
I still have yet to find my place
In my life right or wrong
I still have not found where I belong
In a land of musicians
I could neither sing or play
And in the land of artists
I could not find my way
In the land of dreamers
I could not fall asleep
And in the land of poets
I was not moved to weep
In a land of dancers
I was always out of step
And in the land of answers
I had no questions left
In the land of friends
I always felt alone
And in the land of houses
I could not find a home
In the land of plenty
I could not find a meal
And in the land of caring
I was unable to feel
In the land of darkness
I was unable to find a light
And in the land of war
I refused to fight
But still I keep searching
Because I know one day
The place where I belong
Will have to come my way

The Greatest Poem Ever

In loving memory of my wife Joan Elizabeth Mitchell-Nelson

on the sixth anniversary of you joining God's chorus of Angels

Rest in Peace

July 28, 1959 until May 25, 2006

Our Wedding Day, June 19, 1982 - the greatest day of my life

To show how much I love you
I wrote the greatest poem ever
That told the story of two
And a love they would always treasure

It told how you made me better
And how you saved my life
Of how I will love you forever
And you will always be my wife

Of our many adventures together
Including the birth of our son
A love that changed like the weather
Then all too soon you were gone

The night that I first ever saw you
Seeing you so elegant and serene
And how Cupid and his arrow true
Guided me to my Queen

Of our first dance together
I still remember the song
A soulful romantic ballad
Of a love that finally went wrong

Now the days drag on forever
Without you by my side
My life worth living never
Without my beautiful bride

Eternity in a day

Never measure our love by seconds
Minutes days or years
My love for you is always  timeless
Despite how things appeared

You held fast to the things you loved
And one of those things was me
But life gives us all only so many chances
Even when love is meant to be

Distance kept us from growing together
When I needed you next to me
But know that I will love you forever
The one who failed you was me

An illness took you from me
Despite how hard you fought
My failure was to make you see
Without you I was lost

Each year since you have gone away
Is filled with shame and regret
And still I find it hard to say
All the things I have not said yet

A man would have found a way
To keep his love safe and sound
But all I have left to say
Is I am sorry I let you down

Your stay in heaven will be eternity
God rewards his Angels well
My not keeping you safe and next to me
Has sealed my fate in hell

The Little Things

Grand gestures were wasted
On someone as lovely as you
The little things meant more

Diamonds and gold and pearls
Were not as important as a hug
Or holding your hand while we kissed

Perfect days were not spent on vacations
They were spent at the dinner table
As we talked about our day

Perfection in small measures
Makes the biggest impact on lives
And the biggest thing in my life is your love

Your Love Lasts Forever

Your smile warmed me on the coldest days
My harbour through the darkest storm
And still I was unable to find a way
To keep you safe from harm

An illness robbed you of your life
When you had so much to give
How hard it is to lose your wife
When you both just started to live

While the illness ravaged your body
It never touched your soul
You held on and fought so strongly
That again you would be whole

Surgery would have taken your legs
But you would not hear such talk
Your swore to all your family and friends
That you had to be able to walk

Because we saw you fight so hard
We believed what you had to say
Maybe if we had all stepped in
You would be with us today

Each day our lives are filled with pain
But we know you look from above
Life without you is not the same
But we still feel your undying love

Forever

From the time I first held your hand
Touched your face
And kissed your lips
I knew my love for you was forever

From the time you first opened your heart
Touched my soul
And taught me to love
I knew your love for me was forever too

And though you are now one of God's angels
I still can hear your sweet smile
See the way your lips taste
And know that I am loved

An Angel on this earth
You now have ascended to heaven
Yet you still hold my heart
In the arms of your sweet loving caress

The Love And The Light Of My Life

On May 25, 2006 at 6:21 p.m.
Life for me ended
Because it was then that my wife
Joan Elizabeth Mitchell-Nelson died
And so did I
Almost six years later and my will to live
My desire to succeed
My drive to be something more is gone
All that matters now is how soon
Death will let me once again be with her
If only for a moment
If there is a heaven she is already there
If there is a hell I know they are making a place for me
On judgement day when I sit before God
My hope is he at least will let her be there
So I can tell her how sorry I am for
All the things I did wrong
She deserved so much more than I was
Able to give her
And I deserve to spend eternity in hell
For not knowing the difference

11 days to say goodbye

As you lay there dying
And looked up and said
Your last words to me
I had no way of knowing
Eleven days could change
My life forever
I hear you say
"Oh how pretty"
Over and over
Not knowing then that
Would be the last thing
You say to me in this life
Yet those three words
Explain how you lived
Every day of your life
How you saw the beauty
In others
And even saw something
In me that made you
Want to share your life
With someone who was
Not smart enough to
Appreciate the gift you
Gave him
Each day I live
I know I am closer
To dying and closer
To once again be by
Your side
And I thank God
For those last 11 days
And all of the beauty
You are still
Teaching me to see

watering her garden
the sudden
storm of
tears

did not
wash away
her pain

no more
broken
promises
from him

no more
sleepless
nights
for her

her river
of love
for him
ran dry
long ago

now for her
what grows
will last
forever

but he will
never
see the
flower
that she
becomes

and without
her love
he is a
weed waiting
to die

My Brother

If I understood you my brother
I would be able to help you
To stop you before you make a choice
That will hurt everyone
Especially yourself
But instead I sit by helplessly
As you let drugs and crime rule
Your life and refuse to let them be part of mine
And as much as I want to help
I fear that if I cannot help you
Then I cannot help myself
Because despite our differences
We are more alike than we will ever say
We are now and always brothers

back of the pack

moving in
one direction
is never
easy

keeping the
pack together
is always
rough

the lead dog
is a hunter
but the last
dog is a rock

keeping
the pack
together
is done from
the front and
the back

The Professor

His office an absolute fortress
Hewn from old oak and rawhide
He rules it the way he sees best
As his books serve him as his guide

No regard for modern conventions
Even less for modern day rules
He maintains his steadfast contention
That the college is run by some fools

The policies are stupid and useless
And only give him reason to gripe
He relaxes away his undue stresses
As he fires up his huge pipe

A vision as Saint and as Santa
With gray hair and very large frame
The smoke curls like his antennae
And settles slowly in his thick mane

Each student who enters is humbled
By the knowledge contained in the man
And before this giant they crumble
As they hope to learn all that they can

the empire sleeps

the once mighty empire
now lay in ruins for all to see
visions of what was once
now crushed by the reality

that what once was what
nations and men would envy
is no longer a source of pride
for the fallen empire is me

from shore to shore what was
once vibrant and thriving
is now in pieces of a shell
as I sit here slowly dying

the choice however was up to me
to allow this all to come to be
and what I sowed I now must reap
and let this empire go to sleep

Why Every Day is Mother's Day

If love is a river your love is an ocean
Deeper and wider and beyond compare
You are the inspiration of every notion
With a love that can be felt eveywhere

 The One and Only

Of the many reasons why you are the only one for me
The greatest of them without doubt absolutely has to be
How you took my breath away at the very first glance
And when I look at you now I only think romance

Some would say you cannot love someone who has gone
That your love is a memory that cannot carry on
To them I say they never knew a love that was true
Because they never had the chance to be in love with you

graduation

a cap and a gown will not make you a graduate
they will symbolize what you can do
but say nothing about what you will do
walking across a stage and shaking hands
means your journey has just begun
now your real learning starts
and it will take you the rest of your life
before you can truly celebrate your graduation
as happy as you are today is only important
if you are able to be this happy every day for the rest of your life
as unrealistic as that may sound new graduate
ask yourself the following questions
will you make it on your own
or will you need help
have you learned enough to know the difference
is this the right career choice
and if it is not what will you do to fix it
and if it is what will it do to fix you
will your decisions bring you happiness
can you handle a lifetime of pain if they do not
can you change the things about yourself that you do not like
and are you strong enough to deal with those who do not like you
will you choose the right person to spend the rest of your life with
and will the person who chooses you add life to your years
will you be the parent you always wanted to be
or will you be the parent you always wanted
will your children bring you happiness
or will you choose not to have a child
will you help those who cannot help themselves
and will you understand how helping them will help you
finally realize that every question you ask yourself
will be answered on your time
not in an arbitrary four year period

The Beauty of Silence

Smooth as silk
Sweet like chocolate
As perfect as your first kiss
Warmer than blood
Pouring out of your soul
Is the beauty of silence

Simple yet more complex
Words come here to die
As glances steal headlines
And who we really are
Shares an elevator to hell
With those who dare to speak

Fate

a poor man walks past a mansion
as a tear streams from his eye

some are born with plenty he thought
wealth and fortune until they die

their lives full of riches and glory no doubt
with only success and fame

all I have is what I have with me
surely fate is the one to blame

as the pain in his heart continued to rise
the poor man began to sing

his song filled with beauty and heartfelt pain
that only his life could bring

and the rich man walked by and thought to himself
what an amazing thing

that fate could be so kind to this man
and bless him to be able to sing

Reflecting

As the wrinkled old man approached
His body weathered by life and by time
All around looked but very few spoke
Fearing for his peace of mind

His body had long since betrayed him
And now it would barely respond
His goal was to somehow repay them
For helping him to move along

Before him stood a strange image
Of a young man dashing and strong
Who moved in every way he did
Showing how time did the old man wrong

As those near him looked in confusion
The old man slowly did grin
As he finally solved the illusion
The image captured in time that was him

Life As a Movie

Picture your life as a movie
Where everyone you know has a part

You as the leading man or lady
And each scene as a fine work of art

The soundtrack is your children laughing
The sounds they make at play in the park

Finding your happily ever after
Long before the theatre grows dark

As hero you conquer the wicked
Who try to ruin every good deed

While restoring order to the universe
And tending to those who are in need

If only each life were a movie
Very little would need to be said

Yes life would be perfect truly
If only inside of your head

The Poetry of Life

When the unique word or phrase
Must now share the page
With the melancholy day
The man finally found his way

And introspective and insightful
Becomes depressed or delightful
Watching lost children at play
By old people with nothing to say

Meets the woman full of sin
As her life comes to the end
Who once heard the call
After never living at all

Thus is the Poetry of Life
Free from care and full of strife
Set to music of what is to be
From the song that no one can see

Yet despite what they may
They all long for the day
When the words can be free
Given life read under a tree

urbanation

she has
a rhythm
all her
own

a life
that
gives birth
to movements
and music

she is
politics
and
people

she is
the latest
style
married to
the oldest
tradition

yet few
understand
or can
master
her moods

and as
she slides
so easily
from elegance
to urban
energy

she sits
alone
waiting
for everyone
else to
catch up

Angels Among Us

The angels among us
Are always there when you need them
They know there are no coincidences
As they do the will of God

The Creator of all makes no mistakes
Angels know God has a master plan for us all
And they know they are a very important part
They do the will of God
They do the work of God
They serve the people of God

An Instant

Life is created
And lost in
An instant

Despite advances
In technology
A simple cell
Mutates and
Everything is over

Our bodies
Made in the
Image of God
Will end
When God says

Job well done
My child
Time to
Come home

NO POEM POSTED ON THURSDAY, MAY 3RD DUE TO ILLNESS. I WAS HOSPITALIZED AND  UNDERGOING MEDICAL TESTS AND HAD NO ACCESS TO A COMPUTER.

the battle

the results
of the battle
are easily
seen

blood
scars
and ruins

the results
of the war
remain
hidden

betrayal
anger
and pain

the reason
for your
freedom is
obvious

results
never change
as long as
you win
the war

Waiting

Learning to wait is not easy
To patiently sit until time
Will let us know to move forward
And take on the next thing in line

Some never wait for the season
Or a literal change in their mind
To challenge the next thing their reason
And master whatever they find

Maybe learing to wait is the wrong thing
To do while we wait for a sign
While fortune and fame and the brass ring
Go to those who did not wait in line