Poetry & lyrics that I've written throughout my journey along with some of my photos.
What others are saying -
"Bright blasts of mystical wisdom reminiscent of Emily Dickinson"
Doug Mcgill - Founder / Rochester Meditation Center
All works copyright 2021 - Gary Bares
I AM
I am a secret that I couldn't keep
The dreams of the dreamer who talks in his sleep
Safe but unseen in the depths of the night
I am the shadow that longs for the light
I am the answer, still trying to learn
The reason that fire can never be burned
Born into riches, like the prodigal son
I wander the earth as if I have none
Naked and hungry, I cover the land
In search of a beggar with a bowl in his hand
He'll know who I am
Unanswerable Riddle (Lyrics)
My faith & my doubt
Roll around on the floor
They’re still fighting it out
But I don’t know what for
... Just can't leave it alone
It’s a dubious prize
For whichever one wins
Truth is hard on the eyes
End up trading it in….
... Then they'll do this again
It's a delicate balance
The Yin and the yang
A dungeon, a palace
The pleasure and pain
(So) we live in the middle
Guess the Gods prefer grey
An unanswerable riddle
Holds the whole thing in place
.... So we leave it alone
Cloud # 8
I'm really not lost
Though I am running late
Got tired of the climb
So I stopped at Cloud 8
How high should I go?
This place is just fine
And I bet it gets crowded
On cloud number 9
& The view here is nice
Couldn’t ask for much more
But it’s not twice as good
As I had on Cloud 4
So, I’m starting to doubt
If higher is better
Maybe throw out the numbers
& just use some letters
Yeah, I think I’ll just rest
I don’t mind being late
If they’re looking for me
I’ll be here on cloud ‘H’
White and Turbid Wake [Lyrics]
(Line form Moby Dick)
"I leave a white and turbid wake"
Cast my fate upon the stars
Not sure why I’ve given chase
Or just what the dangers are
Might be a white whale or a ghost
Might roam the forest or the sea
Might raise a dagger or a toast
To the deepest parts of me
It’s the night that leads me on
As it cloaks the mystery
Is it the moon now or the dawn
That’s the greater friend to me
[Chorus Goes Here or after 2nd set of vs.]
It’s been months now since I sailed
But it feels like years to me
Guess time crawls when you’re jailed
Or when you’re not who you want to be
Is that a shadow in the night
Yeah, perhaps the time is here
I could tell if I had more light
I could see without the tears
I leave a white and turbid wake
Heading for a vast unknown
It’s a call I can’t forsake
I can feel it in my bones
Not Waiting on Destiny (lyrics)
No, I don't believe in fate
Not waiting on destiny
It might just be running late
But I've got somewhere else to be
& I'm not wishing on a star
(it) Doesn't seem all that wise
To be looking so damn far
For the things I have inside
Chorus//
I aint gonna fall for that
Aint gonna fall for that
What I need
It's all in me
So I aint gonna fall for that
End//
& no rabbits foot for me
Didn't bring much luck to him
Not sitting by the bodhi tree
I'd rather be out on a limb
No genie at my command
(I) Don't have a golden flute
There's magic in who I am
Just depends on what I do
Endless Flight
Complete dependence, the soul's release
Temptation and pain, the guiding forces
A jagged path that leads to peace
Through sacred lands go untamed horses
Panting struggles on perilous hills
Workers enslaved by works, at birth
And storms that breed the earthly thrills
Now wash the trail of crumbling earth
Collapse, despair, the throbbing terror
As hooves sink deep in earthly pain
The gasps of lungs that thirst for air
But find instead, the blackened rains
Unconscious mouths then drink of wine
Now flowing from a distant world
Revealing man to the divine
And to divinity, the soul unfurled
Deathly shudders release the spirit
Now swirling in the morning light
The weakened soul, drawing near it
Collapses into endless flight
In the Shadows
(Jungian shadow work i.e. reconciling the polarities within and integrating the released psychic energies. Not referring to external gods & demons. Quote from Jung - "the one arose from the melting together of the two" )
A battle was raging
& My soul was unwell
It was reckoning day
Between heaven & hell
So, I called up my demons
And I summoned the gods
I just couldn’t see that
They weren't really at odds
They came to my temple
To be formally wed
But I preached about purity
And divorced them instead
They went off in silence
Estranged from each other
& with night setting in
They had to take cover
They now seem like ghosts
If they even exist
But there's nothing so real
As the things I resist
They wait in the shadows
Until I come to see
That my demons & gods
Are just fragments of me
When I’m done casting stones
They’ll come out of hiding
They’ll join hands together
& become one inside me
A Soul undivided
Emily
Because I could not stop for death
He kindly stopped for me
It wasn't quite my time just yet
But he left with Emily
I still feel his hands, & I know his plans
Haven't changed much to this day
& I'm pretty sure, that there is no cure
For the ones that get away
Chorus /
Oh, sweet soul, you're finally free
But you're still here with me //
On the carriage ride, once you're inside
The journey isn't all that long
Where you're going to, it depends on you
You won't hear that in a song
But I think you'll find that the night is kind
& much lighter than the day
As the carriage fades & they pull the shades
I bet they're laughing to this day
(Bridge)
The sun will rise & the sun will set
It's never about how far you get
It's 'bout who you love on the way
You have not lived in vain //
Water into Wine [Lyrics]
Thought I’d try & part the sea
As a nice little test of faith
But when I got up past my knees
Guess I saw it a different way
So I figured I’d start smaller
Maybe turn water into wine
Brought a glass into the shower
Get my money’s worth this time
Three tries & I quit trying
(spoken word chorus //)
Seems like I’m always confusing God’s role & mine
Biting off too much, chewing too little
Feeling low, trying to get high
But there’s just no edge
when you’re living in the middle
//
So I had to try again
This time the fishes & the loaves
Turned a fat guy into twins
Not really how it goes
Still I gave it one last try
Raise some fella from the dead
But at the funeral they did have wine
So I raised a glass instead
(Spoken word chorus)
But I finally learned my lesson
Just play my part & keep it small
A leap of faith, but no more ledges
Just don’t have as far to fall
Poetry.....
It's a question that starts...
In the depths of our hearts...
Where the pain's paired with word...
That it finally be heard...
By the heavens above...
That it may ask of love...
"Why must you remain,
Both healer and pain?"
Begging For Change
The lame and the wicked
Are left minding the store
With the old hound of heaven
Asleep by the door
& The artists, the poets
The sultans of strange
Are handing out treasure
While they're begging for change
[Chorus will go here]
They're the terminally gifted
The tragically blessed
No crime's been committed
But still they confess
The light in the darkness
The yin to the yang
Just fill the blank canvass
With a bloody red stain
Guess we've done it again
I’m no Angel [Lyrics]
I once was lost
Now I’m just running late
It’s not the speed so much
As the path you take
And yes I learned
About the early bird
(but) They don’t tell you
About the early worm
[Chorus]
& I’m no angel
Thought you’d be surprised
Guess that’s the trouble
With such a thin disguise
If I was an angel
I would’ve pawned my wings
Traded in my halo
For some darker things
……and the rush they bring
[End Chorus]
If there’s a heaven
Doubt they’d let me stay
I’d be like graffiti
With nothing much to say
So, I won’t hurry
Toward the pearly gates
(but) Don’t get worried
They know I’m running late (space out?)
Beautiful Screams
Wrote this about artists protesting with screams of beauty.. Often, the deeper the ugliness, the louder & more beautiful the screams. It may be societal or personal ugliness. i.e. Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’ being inspired by the view out his asylum window..
Beautiful screams, in nights of despair
While ugliness dreams, with hardly a care
Breeding with light, engulfing with pain
The dark of the night, now tortures the sane
Muffling the cries, with an ironclad hand
The darkness can rise, to conquer the land
With no hope in sight, they swallow their dreams
In the depths of the night, come beautiful screams
Stuck
A river above
A river below
I'm in between
With nowhere to go
A stagnant scene
While everything flows
What keeps me here
Trapped like a tree
I don't have roots
So maybe its me
I Know Who You Are [Lyrics]
In sadness, in silence
I know who you are
Try to run from the whispers
But you never get far
And I’ve met all your demons
I’ve seen where they hide
I know that you feed them
And I understand why
[Transition/Chorus]
But I think that there's more
It's just hidden from sight
I guess maybe we find it
When the moment is right
[End Trans]
In satin and shadows
I know where you’ve been
Always diving for covers
As the night crashes in
& I heard the confession
From your small crowd of sins
I was there at the temple
As you ushered them in
[Transition/Chorus]
But I'm sure that there’s more
Somewhere deep in the night
Where the secrets all go
When the moon is too bright
[End transition]
And the dark-hooded thief
That ran off with your smiles
Well, I know where he lives
(&) why he’s living in style
Yes, I stood by the gallows
With your future in doubt
And I heard all the screams
That could never get out
[Transition/Chorus]
But I know that there’s more
It just waits in the night
I guess maybe alone
It’s afraid of the light
[End transition]
The Prisoner
The soul has a wondrous story to tell
Of an innocent child locked deep in a cell
He's told he is sentenced because he is broken
A verdict returned before he had spoken
With the judge and the jury thinking they knew
That acceptance demands you mustn't be you
They left him in darkness, trying to find
A kingdom existing solely in mind
The child is most patient, his sentence not death
He'll wait here in silence, a voice without breath
He knows they'll return since peace is forbidden
To those seeking treasure beyond where it's hidden
They'll search for their kingdom but won't understand
That the key to its entrance is here in his hand
In time they will tire with a weariness of mind
And then in their depths, his secret they'll find
Returning at once, with contrition and pleas
But all that he asks, is the trading of keys
Awareness
Desire is a bandit
And thoughts can be thieves
Will they leave empty-handed
That's all up to me
Something I’ve Lost [Lyrics]
I feel like I’m looking for something I’ve lost
It’s vague and its shy but the scent fills the air
Yet there’s always a void that I can’t get across
Seems like some part of me is already there
It feels like I’m losing, whenever I win
Like the game that we’re playing, just isn’t mine
The curtain goes up and its showtime again
But I can’t act the part, no one gave me the lines
Chorus //
It feels like I'm lost though I've traveled so far
Wandering & wondering where the hell we are
Looking for clues, of how it might've gone down
But I don't think that I'll find them on this side of town
End//
Not sure why I search for the meaning at all
Never comes into focus, it's never quite clear
When you wait by the phone, seems like nobody calls
And the louder I question, the less I can hear
I feel like a pilgrim, can’t find my way home
And the dark lonely streets, no longer have names
Some look familiar, and some are unknown
But they never lead back, not the way that I came
A Different Drummer [Lyrics]
I never fell in love
But I slipped on lust
As far as I can tell
It doesn’t hurt as much
And I never really cared
To have the world on a string
Not like some friends of mine
What would I do
With such sad little thing
Maybe twirl it around just to kill some time
Chorus//
I march to the beat of a different drummer
& I dance to the music of the spheres
See a shooting star, stick out my thumb (for it)
Can I get a lift, I never liked - it - here
(last 3 words stretched out)
End//
And who are the jones’
& why should I keep up
Bet they’re going pretty slow
Carrying all that stuff
And I’ve never felt
I had to keep the faith
Where would I put it
My pockets are full
Get some later, saw it on Ebay
Get it just in time to save my soul
Eddy in the Flow
At the intersection of spirit and matter
A fallen branch
An eddy in the flow
A holding on that gradually grows
A persistent tightness
A painful informing
Calling out
For me to let go
Control
I did not initiate my entrance into this world and I shall not control my exit. I didn’t choose the color of my hair nor the shape of my mouth. I didn’t create the mechanism of voice nor the words that I speak. A beating heart has sustained me long before I was conscious of life. The air so necessary for my survival was awaiting my first breath. The nourishment of the land predicting the exact form of my hunger. Yet, somewhere along the way, the reigns of control have found my hands. Suddenly, I alone must steer myself and others to prosperity, to safety, to harmony. And, if the outcomes will not submit themselves to me, then at least the understanding must be mine. How did I go from being the wild, free colt to grasping these reigns with such clenched desperation?
control
The loss of control
The gains of the soul
The terror of the fall
To the heart of it all
The bluest of skies
The purest of cries
The darkest of nights
The heavenly sights
The birth of a soul
In the death of control
Art
Art is a lonely question
Cast upon the land
A longing in reflection
Flowing through the hand
Poets's Dance
(Finding a very old book of poetry on a dusty bookshelf)
The cover opens, the pages turn, a book that rested high
The poets wake and one by one, they dance before my eye
They move with joy that must have come from such a hellish wait
Like soul's whose death is spent in doubt before the pearly gates
Their heaven's not a place or time, but just another soul
To share the dance of hope and grief, oh, how love takes its toll
The ink, the page, the joyous phrase, the beauty and the beat
With steps in time to nature's rhyme, they dance with lettered feet
They take my hand and lead me on, it's they who know the way
These unsealed lips have kissed the past and have so much to say
Their echoes ring throughout the hall, with spins from page to page
Each poet shares the dance of time, then exits from the stage
But far from gone, their spirits last, and soon will join the next
Then hand in hand, the dance will grow, this ballroom of the text
The heaven's saved the depths of time, they lingered in the air
'Til winds of truth blew poets near, and trusted to their care
The secret dance of souls gone by, with steps we'd all forsake
Had love and joy not made demands, it's these that we must take
The night draws on and soon of course, the cover must be sealed
Like a coffin lid that once had hid these poets since revealed
Though on these faces laid to rest, I thought I sensed a smile
Perhaps this time has been just fine, if only for a while
The cover falls and once again they're hoisted to their grave
But rot they won't, for nature yields, her secret theirs to save
'Til some fair soul, again may pass, perhaps like me, by chance
And come across this treasured past, still longing for a dance
The Desert [Lyrics]
I wasn’t there the day lost control
Heard about it from some friends I've known
Helpless crowd, they just watched me go
Now I’m
Wandering the desert tonight
Why do the gifted and the good die young
& hope just seems like a setting sun
If you don’t know could you find someone
I'll be
Here in the desert tonight
Chorus/
I'm down on my knees
But I'm all out of prayers
& I don't think a bottle's gonna get me there
End//
I have a feeling that the deck is stacked
A slight of hand, and a vanishing act
All I heard, is he was dressed in black
I bet he's,
Out in the desert tonight
Can you tell me where the innocence goes
(The) things we lose are what we need the most
I’d ask my priest, but I don’t think he knows
I just,
Saw him in the desert tonight
Chorus/Again
No one's leaving this world alive
Kinda looks like the perfect crime
Take the stand & blame the other guy
Now he's
wandering the desert tonight
I wish I knew where nirvana was
I'd get some friends and a big old bus
But the road is hidden from most of us.
So we're
Still in the desert tonight
Painting the Town [Lyrics]
Said she'd call me by nine tonight
It's about quarter to eleven right now
But she doesn't worry 'bout time,
Says, the hands always come back around
She's the kind of girl, who walks on a wire
tell you there ain't nothing to it
Wild & free, light as a bird
And she's got the scars to prove it
Chorus/
Said she'd love me forever
Her forever just isn't that long
More like June to December
& I'm just trying to hold on
November is already/almost gone
End//
Was a starry night, when she caught my eye
(She) was there by the carnival booth
Said you gotta be this tall to go on this ride
But the rest is all up to you
Didn't take long & I fell for the girl
Spent our nights out painting the town'
But it ain't no paint by numbers with her
(it's) Like Van Gogh ran into a clown
Colors flying all around
Chorus Again/
End/
Like fireworks in the summer sky
Some things just don't last that long
That's how it feels when she lights up my night
But I'm just trying to hang on
Long Gone [Lyrics]
He laid down his laws
In matter & physics
He couldn't stay long
but I hear he still visits...
I bet he stops by
On Christmas and Easter
Maybe one other time
If we're having a leap year
But I don't think he sleeps here
Doubt he likes what he sees here
Chorus//
Long gone, I guess he's long gone
(I) Heard he rarely comes back
Long gone, I bet he's long gone
Really don't blame him for that
End//
He lit a bush for old Moses
& left the plans for the ark
Said hey, what do you know
I should be home before dark
But I bet he's looks down
& thinks what have I done
Looks like a circus and clowns
But they're not having much fun
Well, goodnight everyone
Pursuits, Substitutes, & Ghosts
I’ve been swinging at shadows
Throwing punches at ghosts
But they’re always behind me
So I never get close
I went chasing a rainbow
Found a big pot of gold
But it’s sure hard to carry
When you’re out there alone
Didn’t bring that much home
I sought the ocean of love
Found my other half first
But there’s never enough
When you’re dying of thirst
So, I looked to the preachers
Had such fine things to say
Thought words were like windows
To some brighter place
But they just got in the way
Finally gave up the chase
The Time Has Come
Time… I think the time has come
The past…. I think it's just begun
This winding road, it doesn’t take us far
It just leads back to wherever we are
Time….. I think the time has come
Our way…. I think we lost our way
The path..... You know, in time it fades
Got turned around, & upside down
Got the outside in, and the inside out
Our way… I think we lost our way
/// Chorus - YTD ///
Pain….. I’m seeing so much pain
It goes…. but the it’s back again
The medicine seemed to work so well
But in the end, (it) makes us sick as hell
Pain…. I’m seeing so much pain
Home….. I think it's calling us home
Deep down….. I think we’ve always known
Turned our back went we walked away
(But) I get the feeling that a part of us stayed
Home, I think it's calling us home
Here In The Night
Waiting wearily
Beyond the weathered door.
His body still, his mind pacing.
Which way shall it open and when.
Flight has been futile
As hunter grows larger to prey.
Two forever one yet strangers
Wind blowing silence away.
Here in the night.
Hell must be ambiguous he thinks
Unsure of himself.
Recalling the prisoner's journey.
Both ends through the same door.
Inertia charges by the hour,
Scattered bottles attest.
Emptiness growing in shadows
More painful than he.
Time demands its release
If only to the light.
The latch rises slowly
Dreaded foe or numb hand
Here in the night
Light in the Distance (song)
What's hidden in that darkness
What ghosts have come to call
Who chased away your sunlight
The shadows growing tall
What's there within your winter
The heart's barren veil
What secret pain still guards you
In that secret jail
Whose hand was on the switch
That dimmed your brilliant light
Who closed the weathered door
That keeps you in this night
If the screams could find an exit
What stories might they tell
What restless mob of sorrows
Waits outside your cell
If I told just how special
And beautiful you are
Would you lift your weary eyes
Of keep them on the scars
Now the story needs an ending
Like stories always do
A canvas lies before you
What colors will you choose
USA - USA [Lyrics]
So much pain in the world today
I hope we can find us another way
(But) the darkness tells me it's getting late
USA – USA
Battle lines on a lonely street
The angry mob needs an enemy
I pray to god that it isn’t me
USA – USA
Broken windows and a shopping cart
A blue light special by a police car
Can someone tell me who the bad guys are
USA – USA
Chorus/
& I (just) don't know how we ended up here
The un-united states
Started out with good intentions
(or - ...towards the promised land)
Got lost along the way
(&) Sure is getting late //
We make an altar out of dollar bills
Sacrifice truth to relieve our guilt
Pray that it works but I doubt it will
USA – USA
(hey) Come on over and join our side
You know, truth alone can still survive
But it takes a village to raise a lie
USA – USA
Chorus Again //
Who needs god when you’ve got scientists
Feeling down, how about trying this
We treat our souls like our appliances
USA – USA
We raped the land but we left our prints
& now the law is finally closing in
Guess who's back on the run again
USA - USA
(poss Bridge)
And you say that, - you have, - someone to save us
Right along party lines
But I aint, gonna wait, for some (new) messiah
Cause I don't think we have time
Think the job is yours & mine
Dragons Den - [Lyrics]
Friday night about half past ten
Walked into the Dragons Den
Just a little place, but friendly folks
Light on dragons, heavy on smoke
[Figured I’d stick around, I'd heard good things]
Guy in the corner with a snakeskin pipe
Waved me over, he needed a light
Said hey there friend, (have) you tried this stuff
Said, once or twice, But it didn’t do much
[He said you haven't had this particular brand, & offered me some]
So I grabbed the pipe & I thanked the guy
Took a hit and then I closed my eyes
Heard a sound like an avalanche
& reality didn't stand a chance
[You know, the guy wasn't kidding about this stuff]
Cause the roof & the walls just disappeared
Found myself in a house of mirrors
All alone, but there were 20 of me
Got to pick who I wanted to be
[Third guy from the left & I went walking]
There was a wooden arch by a magic shop
‘For madmen only’ written across the top
I’d been called (much) worse before
So I went right in where there wasn’t a door
[And they were waiting for me]
There was a slightly manic coat check girl
By the 7 wonders of the underworld
Pointed at the map, while holding a beer
This dot on top, well ‘you are here’
[& it’s all downhill after this, I’ll show you around, so we walked]
Saw a purple pigeon in a pickup truck
(He) pulled on over to pick us up
Said howdy folks, where you headed
I’ll get you there, for a loaf of bread
[You know the pigeons do like their bakery products, even down here]
(She) said we’re going to Poseidon’s place
Got a little trailer with a private lake
Guess all the gods downsized a bit
You know, the market crashed, they took a hit
[But, when we got there, turned out he wasn’t home, so we just kept going]
Saw a hideous creature with a dozen mouths
Had been the meanest monster in town
But now he's working at the lumber mill
Trying to make a dent in his dental bills
[That's the side of monster-hood you don't hear about - maintenance costs]
So she took me to a museum of sorts
See a bunch of stuff that happened before
Main exhibit was the Holy Land
Not a whole lot of peace, (just) a whole lot of sand
[… saw a little scene happening with Moses]
He was arm wrestling an octopus
Didn’t turn out like I thought it would
Moses was tough, but he was just a man
& The other dude kept changing hands
[If your gonna part this sea, you have to go through me]
& the Jews & the Christians were at it again
About the empty tomb, & the guy that went in
The Jews said it was all just a magic act
Like pulling a Rabbi from a hat
[Said, that’s a bit much, so we were heading out, but we saw a little skirmish off to the west.]
It was God & the devil playing basketball
Devil had a shot to win it all
Would have made it, I have no doubt
But he tripped on his tail & time ran out
[Never read about that in the bible.. Then I said how about somewhere less biblical…]
So, she took me to a tiny little town
Hookah pipes being passed around
The dormouse looked at me and smiled
Said reality's just a stubborn child
[Deep little critter but we had to keep moving on]
Saw Buddha sitting by a burned out tree
Said the best things in life really are free
But hey, can you spare a buck or two
Got child support & the rent is due
[Guess he didn’t think that one all the way through… but we were flat broke so we kept going]
Saw a kangaroo riding an elephant
Swerving all over, think they both were drunk
Went in the ditch after hitting a deer
Trunk flew open.....peanuts & beer
[Didn't see that coming.. That was fun but I figured we should be getting back..]
.......the stuff it was starting to wear off,
and it was getting late....
Actually I have a confession to make
The truth is I never did go in
To a little place called the Dragon’s Den
Didn't need drugs to get me high, had everything right here inside
Sacred Fire [Lyrics]
Holy ghosts creeping in
(your) kicking up the
The past again
Sacred fire
Consuming me
Burning down
What I used to be
But I never made it out
Couldn’t find the shrinking door
Guess now I'll finally know
What the night is really for
What are you supposed to do
When the ashes and the residue
Were once the biggest part of you
Just dance to the deathly rattle
Slide across the blackened floor
Try being light for once
See what all the death was for
its best to just stay silent
In the temple of the beast
You wouldn’t know who to call
The demons or the priest
Falling through the flames
There's noting to cling to
Better let go of sanity
Before it lets go of you
Castle Walls [Lyrics]
Castle walls, I stumble & fall
When I come up on my dreams
Forty feet high, shiny and bright
They don’t look much like me
Spoken word chorus/
Sometimes dreams are friendlier when they’re farther away
When I get up close, I realize why I made them so big to begin with //
So I back away, find somewhere to stay
Make a house in the fallen trees
And most nights
That’s where you’ll find me
[Break]
Wounded dove, collided with love
Fell out of the sky
Now it wanders around, makes friends on the ground
And forgets that it can fly
(Spoken word chorus) /
There’s a fine line between not being able to do something
And being afraid to try.
And the lines gets even more blurry at night
Cause that’s the same color as my bruises //
So it looks away, finds somewhere to stay
Makes a nest in the fallen trees
And most nights
That’s where you’ll find me
UNION
It's the enchanting flame for the proverbial moth
Drawn to the light, doesn't realize the cost
It's the final temptation for the journeying soul
Wanting to taste what is swallowing it whole
Illusions
Can you imagine a world
Any stranger than this
The only way that it's real
Is if it doesn't exist
...... Just a thought
Wishing on the Stars
Looking up at the sky tonight
(And) wondering where I'm from
All those stars seem small and shy
So different from the sun
They look so peaceful as they float
On a dark and silent sea
I wonder if there's anyone home
Maybe someone just like me
All those stars just hanging around
Yet none look out of place
So many miles between us now
And so much empty space
All those lights left on, it seems
There must be someone home
I might be wishing on the stars,
(but) It makes me feel less alone
Inspiration
You hide enough
To leave a choice
It comes in whispers
Your sculpting voice
Afraid To Go In [Lyrics]
Gonna climb up the mountain
And find Noah’s ark
With no one around
He picked a strange place to park
Got a new submarine
It'll seat 20 of us
Has a sign on the back
Says 'Atlantis or Bust'
At a pawnshop in Cleveland
Someone spotted the grail
There was a unicorn too
But it was missing its tail
We dredged up the Nile
Looking for Moses' raft
Got a hundred foot pile
Full of crocodile crap
Chorus//
We’re searching for God
All over the place
Now I even hear
That we're digging in space
I think he’s hiding out,
Where he’s always been
We’ve had him surrounded,
We’re just afraid to go in ///
We camp out at Cavalry
With our shovels and pails
Quick, stop the presses
Found a rusty old nail
We've cleared out the temples
Deciphered the old texts
Got our television shows
About where to dig next
Lets go back to Peru
Or maybe even Tibet
Think we just haven't looked
High enough yet
Chorus //
We’re searching for God
All over the place
Now I even hear
That we're digging in space
I think he’s hiding out,
where he’s always been
We’ve had him surrounded,
We’re just afraid to go in. ///
My Black Cloud & Me (addiction)
I met him when I was twelve years old
I was sitting by a lonely tree
Looked pretty dark, as far as clouds go
But he seemed OK to me
He asked if he could tag along
Said he didn't have much else to do
Then he said, don’t get me wrong
It’ll also be good for you
See, the summer sun, it sure gets hot
You won’t always have a tree for shade
It made perfect sense, said thanks a lot
To this new friend that I just made
He also said, I'd be free from rain
See as a cloud he was rather dry
He had no need for joy and pain
And clouds like that, they just don’t cry
Ah, those summer days, such a splendid time
Didn’t need no friends or family
Just kept playing, come rain or shine
My black cloud and me
But time went by, and I should’ve known
That nothing in this life is free
Cause my black cloud, he just kept on growing
& took the whole world away from me
So, now we go from town to town
And walk the empty streets
Sure is quiet, with no one around
Just my black cloud and me
Red, White & Blue
Red, white, and blue
Is that really you
So clearly defined
By the edges and lines
And the cash and the cars
Do they take you that far
The things that you own
And all that you know
Is that who you are
[Chorus will go here]
And the world that we see
Through the mental debris
The battles and scars
Is that all we are
The flesh and the skin
That are holding us in
Can I ask you, my friend
If that’s where we end
Where do we begin
[Chorus again]
The prize that we chase
While we're running in place
What’s this hunger we feed
This insatiable need
Is it a memory we taste?
Hymn of the Pearl [Lyrics]
Yeah, I’ve got a secret
cause I’ve seen the truth
But I’m not meant to keep it
So I’m sharing it with you
See, I lived in the fast lane
Asleep at the wheel
Weighed down by the gold chains
Guess my fate had been sealed
Had a thirst deep inside me
But I drank/chose the wrong wine
I grew weak, I grew weary
But It was all by design
[Chorus – children’s voices]
I’m gonna live forever, I’m gonna find the sea
The question is now whether, you can all find me
(or - you will follow me) //
I awoke in a castle
So far from the world
& the song that they sang there
Was about a lost pearl
Said it waits by a dragon
& it waits in the night
But if you can claim it
It can fill you with light
& The words and the music
(they) Just sounded so true
So I knew in that moment
Just what I’d have to do
Chorus Again
So I fought with the dragon
And I fought with myself
& The pearl, it was waiting
In the place where they fell
When at last I could hold it
It was well worth the fight
Cause it filled me with music
And it filled me with light
It’s then that I remembered
All the words to the song
And the music was perfect
So I just sang along
Have a Little Faith in Me [Lyrics]
Had a little visit with my Father today
A bit one-sided, he had nothing to say
Got so many questions running round in my head
I try praying louder but the line has gone dead
(Trans)
Been awhile since we talked
I forget what he said
Something about...
Chorus//
Have a little faith in me
Can't you just wait and see
Things are gonna turn around
Never gonna let you down
End//
The world is getting louder & the devil chimes in
He's so damn clever, I don't know that its him
I get lost in my darkness, can't find my way out
Playing blind man's bluff with the shadows & doubt
(trans)
Been awhile since we talked
I forget what he said
Something about
Chorus//
Have a little faith in me
Can't you just wait and see
Things are gonna turn around
Never gonna let you down
......
I'm never gonna let you down
Crumbs
All the things I want
Seems they don't want me
So the cage is open
But I'm still not free
I'm too weak to fly
I'm too tired to sing
Just getting by
On the crumbs they bring
Someone stole the sky
But they forgot to run
Now they spend their time
Just blocking out the sun
So, the night grows heavy
On these dusty wings
I forgot my song
I can't hear a thing
... Just getting by
On the crumbs they bring
Simple As Can Be [Lyrics]
I went searching for God
Thought I'd find where he hides
But when I finally slowed down
He snuck up from behind
Now I'm learning some things
They didn't teach me in school
Like the mind's a great servant
It's just not fit to rule
& It's a beautiful ride
If you don't hold on too tight
& possessions are prisons
If you pile them too high
Chorus//
Hey, Hey look at me
I’m hanging out like a leaf on a tree
Hey, Hey,
Simple as can be
I always wondered what it was like to be free
End//
& Desire is a bandit
And thoughts can be thieves
Will they leave empty handed
That’s all up to me
& I saw how the vine
Both gives and receives
Guess, from water to wine
There's a lesson for me
& Time’s just a thread
But it's tight as a noose
'Til the moment arrives
Ends up cutting me loose
Chorus//
Hey, Hey, look at me
I’m hanging out like a wave on the sea
Hey, Hey,
Simple as can be
I always wondered what it was like to be free
End//
In The Middle [Lyrics]
Turned on the evening news
Whole world is black & blue
What the hell’s happening here
Everyone's drawing lines
Something to hide behind
& light aint making it in
….. Where do we even begin
/Chorus/
I’ll come over your way a little
If you move my way too
Maybe we’ll find some peace in the middle
God knows there’s plenty of room
…. Gotta do something soon /End
Blocking the sunlight out
Scared of our shadows now
Screaming at everyone else
Yet nobody hears a thing
Cause no one is listening
End up repeating ourselves
I know that story too well
Chorus again / End
But, their views are heresy
Just fueling polarity
Maybe try looking again
….. I am what I’m pushing against
Certain where truth resides?
There’s a little in every lie
Careful ‘bout holding too tight
Chorus Again / End
Chorus again / End
Loving your enemies
That’s really not meant for me
Just isn't practical now
Really don’t need a mirror
The problem is very clear
At least I have someone to blame
…… (but) reflections are sure hard to change
Take It Slow [Lyrics]
You know I’m such a lucky guy
I cast my prayers up to the sky
Rarely have to ask him twice
I’m truly blessed, just me I guess
I gave my cares up to the wind
You know I haven’t seen ‘em since
I doubt they’re coming back again
Such a lucky guy, hardly have to try
Think I’ll climb a mountain top
Come so far, why should I stop
You say that's brave (well) thanks a lot
That's just me, got more to see
[Chorus]
(You know)
If you didn’t fly so high,
Then you wouldn’t sink so low
Learn to take your time
Enjoy the winding road
See where it goes
Take it slow
End//
I guess I thought I had it made
I thought that peace was here to stay
You know I didn’t see it wave
But I know it left, probably while I slept
Cause now the storms are rolling in
The rain is falling once again
Guess I should probably start to swim
Cause its getting deep & it’s coming for me
Seems like I’m always tossed around
I’m either up or else I’m down
Need to find some stable ground
But not today, not with these waves
[Chorus]
If you didn’t fly so high,
You wouldn’t sink so low
Learn to take your time
Enjoy the winding road
See where it goes
Take it slow
End//
And now it feels like judgment day
Can’t keep my head above the waves
My hands are too damn busy to pray
I’m going down, without a sound
Next thing you know I feel some sand
Washed up on some foreign land
Then somebody takes my hand
Then I know, & then I know
[Chorus]
He says,
If you didn’t fly so high,
You wouldn’t sink so low
Learn to take your time
Enjoy the winding road
(Take it slow)
See where it goes
End//
The Dark Night [Lyrics]
Approaching clouds and dark footprints
The nights speak loud, they don’t drop hints
The shades are pulled but the night sees in
With senses dulled, let the feast begin
The broken shadows unleash the rain
While the men in robes are all insane
Chorus
Even the past has a past
If you know what I mean
It just gets recast
And we.re caught between
Every night has a night
Where it’s already been
Think you’ve seen the light
Better think again
[End Chorus]
There's wounded doves and twisted steel
And God knows what is still concealed
The crowded halls feed empty rooms
Where darkness breeds what it consumes
Chorus Again
A Thousand Little Deaths
I was leaving my home back in ‘94
Strangest thing, I couldn’t find the door
Something gave & I fell through the floor
….. Just like a dream
Found myself out on a forest path
My demons were there, about to attack
Turned around but I couldn’t go back
….. Only one way
Been awhile since these guys were fed
If I stayed around, I might just end up dead
Stood my ground, & they became my friends
….. Its not as it seems
Chorus/
Through the darkest nights
Kinda…. had to lose my mind
All I could do was feel my way through &
Look to the sky //
Then the path went down to some wooden steps
Had a feeling what was coming next
Not scared of the heights, just afraid of the depths
Still I went on
They led me down into the darkest place
All the parts of myself I just could never face
Made our peace & went on our way
That's all that I'll say
[Chorus Again & brief instrumental]
Then I was sailing out on an endless sea
Loneliest time, no one around but me
Can’t believe what it takes to get free
Guess everything goes
Gotta die a thousand of those little deaths
Float between on a sea of breath
Find yourself in the life that’s left
….. It's more than you know
Chorus/
Through the darkest nights
Kinda…. had to lose my mind
All I could do was feel my way through &
Look to the sky //
Coming out the other side
So much lighter for the things that died
Feels so good just to be alive
Coming on home.....
Time For Sleep (WIP)
(C) It’s time for sleep, she (Em) said
(Am) Come & rest your weary (C) head
(Em) The hour is late
(Am) & They’ve closed the gates
(F) The kingdom's gone to (C) bed
I pretend I'm falling asleep
Then she softly kisses me
You curious child
Just rest for awhile
She Leaves and takes the key
But something just isn’t right
I look out and it’s still light
But there's a growing haze
The world's in a daze
In a night that isn’t night
Chorus //
Dream away
We're all just, all just, dreamin away
Is anyone still awake //
I know what must be done
Break the door down & I run
Find a hidden hall
Rarely used at all
And I don't see anyone
Make it onto the lawn
The shades have all been drawn
The people that are there
Have an empty stare
& they're mumbling about the dawn
Now it's sleep that rules the day
In a frenzied, wandering way
People moving around
Eyelids half(way) down
& they can’t hear what I say
/Chorus Again //
Their hearts have grown so hard
As they push their shopping carts
Like they're under a spell
They don't look well
And they’re tearing up the yard
It’s the loneliest time I’ve known
Lights are on but no one's home
If I disturb their sleep
They start cursing me
I’ve learned to leave them alone
Instead, I just sing my song
It’s a different path they’re on
I hope someday
They’ll all be awake
Maybe come and sing along
Chorus//
If You're Selling Your Soul
[W.I.P - C-F-C-G ?]
(whimsical i.e. John Prine)
Sold my soul to the devil last Saturday night
For eternal youth & a case of Bud Light
Woke up on Sunday, I was still old & gray
What the hell happened, not the deal that we made
As I looked in the mirror, I was kicking myself
Think I mighta sold my soul to somebody else
I Don’t think that fella was the devil at all
Just some guy with a pitchfork, wearing overalls
Chorus/
You can’t trust the devil, guess it's true what they say
And there are so many devils out in the world today
So, you gotta be careful about the company you keep
And if you’re selling your soul make sure you get a receipt
Maybe ask for ID
End//
What can you do, I guess you live and you learn Some dude got my soul, I didn't get much in return
I bet he hangs out down on Broadway at night
Selling second-hand souls by a neon light
Chorus/
You can't trust the devil, guess it's true what they say
And there are so many devils out in the world today
So, You gotta be careful about the company you keep
And if you’re selling your soul make sure you get a receipt
Maybe ask for ID
End//
Kinda makes me wonder what he’s asking for mine
Probably selling that one down by the 5 & dime
Maybe I’ll go down there & see about getting it back
Probably sitting in a pile out on the discount rack
Note: (lyrics in () are optional to fill out the right # of syllables for meter. also, could use
[dont always know who the devil is today -- or who's the devil today]
[magic was starting to fade]
Here Comes The Rain
(W.I.P.)
Found the letter that you wrote to me
When we were first going out
All the love that you were feeling
That you're not feeling now
It was hidden in the corner
Of our old, oak dresser drawer
And now all the feelings that I hid/tucked away
Aren't hiding any more
So much promise in the words you wrote
It was just such a happy time
I guess something has to give way
When the present and past collide
(pre)
I didn't realize my world had turned,
So dark and grey
It's been cold & cloudy for months (now, but)
Here comes the rain
(Chorus continuing w/)
Here comes the rain, a falling
Here comes the rain
Lightning from the past & now
Here comes the rain
Here comes the rain
Thought this one was gonna last, but now
Here comes the rain //
You said that we meant for each other
That you, found your other half
Time has a way of changing things
I don't - have to tell you that
I've been going through the motions
Saying that I've been doing OK (just fine)
But the feelings that I'm fighting back
Have something else to say Tell me I mighta been lyin) see it another way
I didn't realize my world/sky was
So (damn) dark and gray
It's been cold & cloudy for months now
But here comes the rain
[Chorus continuing]
Here comes the rain a falling
Here comes the rain
Lightning from the past & now
Here comes the rain
Thought it was gonna last & now
or
Tonight your ghost came calling, now
Here comes the rain
(repeating)
Stumbling Along
(G-C-Am-C)
Went down to see my shrink today
Find out what is wrong with me
Wouldn't you know, the sign said closed
Heard he's back in therapy
So, I'd tried to find a professor of mine
Was the wisest guy in town
But he traded his diplomas for Oklahoma
& he's now a rodeo clown
Chorus //
I don't know whether
Anyone's got it together
Think we're all just stumbling along
So maybe I'm......
Doing just fine
End //
Had a heart to heart at the local park
With all my feathered friends
It was nice to have someone listening
At least, 'til I ran out of bread
So, I went down to church & tha's when I heard
That they busted Father Joe
He was in a nuns outfit, made a habit of it
So they had to let him go
Chorus //
I don't know whether
Anyone's got it together
Think we're all just stumbling along
So maybe I'm......
Doing just fine
End //
Been walking around, my head hanging down
Thought it was time that I looked up
That's when I tripped over a four-leaf clover
Just my kind of luck
Laying there I yelled up a prayer
Tell me, what's it all about
He just laughed, said I can't tell you that
We're all just trying to figure it out
Chorus //
I don't know whether
Anyone's got it together
Think we're all just stumbling along
So maybe I'm......
Doing just fine
End //
(Alternate verse)
So I went to see an old ex-priest
Who hears confessions at the bar
But I caught him doin some unholy communing
In the backseat of his car
Into The Mystery (W.I.P - & G/C/Am right now)
I was walking by myself one day
Thinking, life had let me down
When I came up to the forest edge
& I, heard the sweetest sound
It was like the angels were singing to me
& Music filled the air
& I swore I heard the song before
But I, can't remember where
Then I saw a vision wave to me, up
Where the trees begin
When I got up close, she raised her hand &
Wouldn't let me in
(pre-chorus)
Said you're carrying too much
What'll you give up
I said, how about half
& She just laughed, ...said
(chorus)
If you wanna be my partner, if you're gonna
Come and drink my wine
To walk with me in the mystery
You gotta leave it all behind
.... but the things that you will find... /End//
So I emptied out me pockets and I
Gave her every cent
I appreciate the gesture, she said
But that wasn't what I meant
If you're gonna come into my world
There can't be any doubt
If i'm gonna fill you with music. first
You must be emptied out
Gotta, offer up your hopes and dreams,
All the, precious things you've learned
Build a sacrificial fire &
Prepare to watch them burn
(pre)
Do I have to do that
I (just) gave you my cash
(She just laughed, & said ) ?
(chorus)
If you wanna be my partner, if you're gonna
Come and drink my wine
To walk with me in the mystery
You gotta leave it all behind
.... but the things that you will find... /End//
I'd never found my place in this world, & I'd
Knocked on all the doors
Was tired of wandering the lonely streets
My hands were getting sore
I'd always felt like a stranger here
Traveling all alone
But when I heard that voice of hers
It finally felt like home
(it felt like i'd come home)
She had me convinced
So, I said i'm all in
She just grinned
& said
[Chorus again
Working Notes: try 'not exactly what I meant'
'Vision in white, inviting me'
Emptied out my pockets
gave her everything I had
She smiled, said i'm afraid it's gonna take
A lot more than that.
alt 3rd stanza
She said, placing yourself into my hands, isn't
For the faint of heart
But I'll mould you into something new, like a
Sacred work of art
& you're gonna face some trials, leave you
Now way to escape
But coming out I think you'll see
It's the struggles that have shaped you
I don't know about that
& She just laughed
Never heard a voice like hers before
a9bringing it back more to her & there)
Like a pilgrim on his/my own
Lost and all alone
I couldn't shake this feeling (inside) that there
Must be something more
(or- I'd always had this feeling inside that ther
Rockabye
(W.I.P. - main verses rock back and forth between C & F)
(C) Rock-a-bye, (F) little child
(C) Close your eyes, (F) For a while
(C) Sail away, (F) on the sea
(C) Leave your cares (F) all here with me
Chorus/
(C) Though I'm so much older now
(Am) I gotta find that peace somehow
(?) Casue the is world is getting heavier all the time //
(C/F Aagin)
There are fields, That i've known
Where dreams and flowers grow
And like clouds, up in the sky
My worries passed me by
C/Am
Though I'm so much older now
I gotta find that place somehow
Casue the is world is getting heavier all the time //
(Bridge W.I.P length of lyrics depends on music.)
Theme is -
I'm not sure if that place still exists
I just know there's just gotts be more than this
/End//
(C/F again)
I believe, that its real
I don't see (it), I just feel
Like its hiding, deep within
Inviting me, back again
C/Am
Though I'm so much older now
I gotta find my way somehow
Casue the is world is getting heavier all the time //
Another Way?
(work in progress. Need chorus?)
There’s a young man reading Dante late at night
Feels the heavenly words more than the hellish sights
Hasn't seen enough of the darkness yet in his life
Got a shiny love right now but it’s bound to rust
Ashes turn to ashes and dust to dust
He'll try his best to (just) sweep ‘em under the rug
// (Pre chorus or chorus?)
And I know what my preachers gonna say
The soul has to get lost before it gets saved
(Just) seems there could have been another way ///
A newborn baby cries at it takes a breath
Let me tell you child you aint seen nothing yet
Have they told you how the whole things gonna end
Yet the bluebirds sing & it sounds like a symphony
They lift us up just high enough to see
Truth walks hand in hand with absurdity
// (Pre chorus or chorus)
And I know what the artists are gonna say
Need black and white or else it all turns to grey
(Just) seems there could have been another way ///
Poets grasp the dark and turn it just a bit
So maybe people will see another side of it
Better still if the light would’ve just stayed lit
But the morning sun comes up like a ray of hope
And maybe the gods are finally gonna drop us a rope
Or be kind enough at least, to let us in on the joke
// (Pre chorus or chorus)
And I know what my Eastern friends will say
Light & dark are dancing in a cosmic play
(Just) seems there could have been another way ///
Keep Travelling On
(CFCG or Am in place of F 2nd time?)
40 days and 40 nights?
I've been in the desert my whole damn life
My stomache empty, satan tempting me
Thought by now I would've seen the light
Most of the time i've felt like Job
Watching my dreams go up in smoke
If the holy fire, got any higher
It'd be burning the moon I suppose
Chorus/ C/G
But i'll just keep traveling on
I'll just keep traveling on
.... it takes so long //
& I've fallen under the siren's spell
Tumbled down an old wishing well
Clothes got soaked, but now I know
I can't always be trusting myself
I've spent some time in the belly of the whale
& Couple a nights on a bed of nails
Yeah it hurt, but what makes it worse
Is I'm stumbling along like a drunken snail
Chorus/
But i'll just keep traveling on
I'll just keep traveling on
.... it takes so long //
They say that you gotta die to be reborn
But I thought I died a couple of times before
Now they tell me, I'd just been sleeping
What gave me away was the heavy snoring
Chorus/
But i'll just keep traveling on
I'll just keep traveling on
.... it takes so long //
Tiger, Tiger
(William Blake Tribute)
(Am-Dm-Am-Em)
Tiger, Tiger burning bright
In the forest of your life
I've felt your hunger/anguish
And I heard all your cries
You thought you were alone
In the quiet of your room
But I was hanging out that night
With the soft August moon
Chorus - YTD
The vast, empty canvass
And the blank, virgin page
They listened to you endlessly
But never had much to say
And the crowd of familiar strangers
That talked of seeing the light
But they'd never really known
All the colors of the night
Chorus YTD
You spoke of timeless beauty
To those who (just) didn't know
That the solitary moon, it
Has no light of its own
Yet you held the cosmos
In a single grain of sand
And with the night setting in
You let it fall from your hand
The Crossroads
(Am-Dm-Am-Em)
Saw a fork up in the road
So I asked the lonely moon
Tell me which way should I go
He said that's all up to you
But don't take it lightly
& don't trust the man in black
Every choice can change your life
& there aint no going back
See, you're always at a crossroads
But there's someone else there too
The devil will be waiting
And he'll be whispering to you
Chorus /
He still remembers
The choice before he fell
So you better choose well / (pause)
heaven or hell //
Your life aint set in stone
It's not written in the stars
Just a million little decisions
That happen right where you are
Yes or no, stay or go
And your whole world splits in two
You try to avoid making a choice
& it gets made for you
See, you're always at a crossroads
But there's someone else there too
The devil will be waiting
And he'll be whispering to you
Chorus /
He still remembers
The choice before he fell
So you better choose well / (pause)
heaven or hell //
Dancing in the Graveyard
Late one night I'm out tiptoeing
My way through the wilted tulips
My shirt's ripped, I'm spilling scotch,
don't know where the hell my other shoe is
& I'm looking around thinking of all the death
That's happened in this place
Like the garden of Eden is one big grave
Don't think the devil carries a pitchfork, think he's got a big ol' spade
(Pre)
The whole thing don't make sense sometimes
Like we're on some twisted carnival ride
And you can't get off, nowhere to hide
Chorus/
Stranded, empty handed
So I'm living lightly and i'm playing hard
Dancing round the graveyard
(Repeating ?) //
The cosmos seems like one big, cold machine
Most of the time its stuck between gears
Once in a while it throws off a spark
And we get a Mozart, or a Shakespeare
But usually it's misfiring like my dad's old Buick
Spitting out smoke and leaking gas
And the only quantum mechanic in town
Is off at a conference in St Louis
Chorus/
Stranded, empty handed
So I'm living lightly and i'm playing hard
Dancing round the graveyard
//
I passed a guy, he was whistling Dixie
on his way to the North Pole
Try and catch a glimpse of heaven or
Squeeze some prayers through the ozone hole
He said the universe really is lawful
I guess, but a part of me is not convinced
So I'm gonna keep stealing the night away
& try not to leave any prints
Chorus/
Stranded, empty handed
So I'm living lightly and i'm playing hard
Dancing round the graveyard
(Repeating ?) //
No One Told Them That They're Kings - Work in progress.
Just writing today (Oct 2022) so very crude. Start with chorus..
Chorus
Folks have wandered so far from
and the land they they had know
Like they've forgotten everything
No one reminds them that they're kings //
Saw Fred today at the corner of 3rd and main
Didn't know the guy, but hey, he was wearing his name
Had it pinned right there on his fancy little argyle vest
This guy, even his shadow was nicely dressed.
But something was missing you could see it his vacant eyes
Whatever he was thinking of, it was probably super-sized.
And his poor little dreams, well they were all dressed in rags
Following behind, bottle of wine stuffed in a paper bag
Guess dreams are out of style in this plastic town
Usually end up in the recycling or lost and found
Chorus
Folks have wandered so far from
and the land they they had know
Now they've forgotten everything
No one reminds them that they're kings //
There's a heaviness that hangs in the air these days
People looking up but damn sure not to pray
Bookies taking bets of when the whole thing's gonna crash
At the House of Gifts for the Apocalypse, heard they're only taking cash
The roads are all lit up with neon signs
Folks are lost but lost damn they're making good time.
Once in a while they look up, see the stars
Have this feeling they're not who they think they are.
Chorus
Folks have wandered so far from
and the land they they had know
Like they've forgotten everything
No one reminds them that they're kings //
or add - wandered far from there home
The land/paradise that they had known
land of riches etc
End
Spoken Word
I was in a lucid dream
I heard Lucifer scream
Saw the angels weeping
And this old man
was keeping watch - over a hidden cave
As I got up close he raised his hands
Said save yourself, don't go in that cave yourself
But it was too late
I had to know
what it was that they saw
I had to feel what they felt
Had to kneel where they knelt
So I went in
and I never came out
And Icarus, he was warning us
about flying where the angels fly
But this isn't a flame - leaving the candle behind
It's about burning,
Not about escaping, & it isn't vanity
Its fully embracing the beauty and horrors of humanity
And with that fire
In that light
The demons and angels, will all draw close
And we will know
What is is to die
And be fully alive
Short, Simple, & Sweet
SPOKEN WORD
{Wrote this in response to a 'modern' poet criticizing my simplistic words and rhyme. & I actually do like flowery words sometimes, just not that day.]
Poetry, I don’t know that much about poetry
If I need to laugh, or something hurts,
I get out a pen, throw down some words
Maybe work in some rhythm, add a little rhyme
Help the soul get its footing in time
But I rarely use a bunch of flowery words
Sometimes they're like leprechaun turds
Just smell up the place, if they’re not real anyways
I try to get down to the heart of a thing
Strip away everything....
Keep it short, simple and sweet.
Love, Life, Laugh, Truth, God, Joy, Birth
All short, little words
One syllable words
But "devil", now for the devil you need two
He’s one step removed
Complicating the truth
That guy can't go anywhere
Without putting on airs
Seems a bit overdressed to me
I’ll go to the ball,
Wearing nothing at all
They might ask me to leave
But they’ll know I was there.
And poetry, what is poetry anyways
It doesn’t tell you much of anything
Just a nice little way of remembering
It’s what the words are pointing to,
And you only feel that
If it’s already in you
So, I’ll keep writing as I do,
My own little words
Step 'round the leprechaun turds
Stay light on my feet …
Short, simple, and sweet
Heart of Darkness
(Tribute to Joseph Conrad -
Spoken word with Synth)
[Prose section before the poem is optional.]
When I was growing up there was a guy in town, you’d see him now and then on the street. He had this look like he didn’t really belong but felt totally at home. And you had a sense that he had traveled to some far-off land and it had changed him somehow. Changed him in places that didn’t like to be changed. & I heard he’d suffered a great loss in life, but I guess along the way, he’d lost that too.
Town folks would say that when you stopped to greet him & shake his hand it was strange, like yours passed right through. As if there was no one there & yet it seemed he held everything, been everywhere.
I met him myself when I was coming back from college one fall day. I’d gone off to the house of higher learning to feed my mind. I loved the smell of what they were baking there but when I caught sight of the recipe, it kinda turned my stomach, and my soul, and I had to leave.
I was coming back into town feeling a little empty and a bit confused, & I stopped to say hello. I told him a little about myself and where I’d been and asked if he had any advice, maybe the secret to a happy life. He just smiled, laughed a bit & said, tell me son, why of all things do you think that would be kept secret. He said, there is no secret, and it isn’t something you need to find, just stop running away from it. When pain comes, listen. When the mystery calls, answer. And when you come face to face with the Horror, don’t shy away. Look it straight in the eye, It’ll pass on by.
But, these days, he said, the Mystery, the Horror,
They hardly exist anymore
Been sanitized and sterilized, stuffed away in a bottom drawer
We’re afraid of the sharp side of the knife
The edges of our lives
The ledges we have inside
So we huddle together, smooth each other out
Live on the surface of ourselves
With our tame desires, and our flameless fires.
& when the Mystery, when the Mystery calls
We have our teachers and gurus
Our spiritual books up on the shelf
Comforting concepts
To protect us from the thing itself
And, so we live, half alive
Sure, there’s the occasional rebel, wanders out past the edge of the herd
Dressed defiantly, staring boldly into the night, laughing at it all
As long as the others are somewhere in sight
But the Mystery, the Mystery
It knows us too well
Better than we know ourselves
See right through all of this
Just waiting & whispering
Waiting, whispering
But If we’re ready
If we’re truly ready
It’ll take us to the realm of transformation
Of trials and tribulations
Through valleys and forests
Past prisons and palaces
And finally, (finally/pause) to face the Horror
It'll lead us to the room where darkness dwells
The discarded hopes and dreams,
The corpses and smells
The den of monsters and madness
Whatever your terror, it’ll find you there
And it’s no longer you, you see in the mirror
As distinction itself disappears
Virtue and vice are closer than identical twins
Swear they’ve traded places when you look back again
Just confusion and chaos
Confusion and chaos
Then suddenly there’s a strange calm
And you think maybe it’ll be OK
You turn back towards the door
Take a cautious step,
And fall through the floor
Falling for what feels like forever
(Falling) into the mouth of the darkest darkness
It's swallowing you whole
Strips away everything
Doesn’t leave you with anything
And when you’ve let (it) go
When you’ve let it all go
(Yourself and your soul)
Your faith and your doubt
Something catches you, breaks your fall,
Raises you up and ushers you out
Leads you out into the light
Light like you’ve never seen before
And you feel like you can finally live
For the first time,
You feel like you can finally live
No longer afraid of the day or the night
Of death or of life
But for that you need the Mystery,
And you certainly need the Horror
But they hardly exist anymore
Been sanitized, sterilized and stuffed away in a Bottom drawer
We're afraid of the sharp side of the knife
The edges of our lives
The ledges we have inside
And so we live, and so we die