A sampling of my poetry/lyrics, 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 (The creative spirit)
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.
Leave It Alone
My faith and 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,
Between the yin and the yang-
A dungeon, a palace,
The pleasure and the pain.
So we live in the middle,
Guess the gods prefers 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’
Primal Scream (Lyrics)
There's a monster, there's a martyr, a serpent and a saint-
There's the love of the Carpenter, but there are nails, and there is pain.
Swirling contradictions in some strange cosmic stew-
Always thought I knew myself, but now I haven’t got a clue.
The moon is climbing high now,
The moon is climbing high.
Don't close your eyes.
So what's gonna happen now, that the veil's been stripped away?
Should I run, should I scream, should I be kneeling down to pray?
Yet something calls me closer, as the flames are climbing higher-
But you can see the light and still not know, just who lit the fire.
The moon is climbing high now,
The moon is climbing high.
Don't close your eyes.
Is it heaven, is it hell, is it up to me to choose?
There's just a fine line, sometimes, between a halo and a noose.
‘Cause there's chaos in the cauldron, and it’s boiling up
again-
There'll either be a feast tonight, or just a helluva lot of
pain.
The Mystery and the Horror (Spoken word)
The mystery and the horror,
They're hardly around anymore-
Been sanitized, sterilized, and stashed 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 and smooth each other out-
Live on the surface of ourselves,
With our tame desires and our flameless fires.
And the mystery,
When the mystery calls,
We have our teachers and gurus-
Our spiritual books up on the shelf-
A bunch of comforting concepts
To protect us from the thing itself.
And so we live,
Half-alive.
Sure, there’s the occasional rebel,
Who wanders out past the edge of the herd.
Dressed defiantly, staring into the night, laughing at it all-
As long as the others are somewhere in sight.
But the mystery-
The mystery,
Knows us much too well.
Better than we know ourselves-
Sees right through all of this.
Just waiting and whispering,
Waiting and whispering.
But someday, if we’re ready-
If we’re truly ready,
It will take us to the realm of transformation-
Of trials and tribulations-
Through valleys and forests,
Past prisons and palaces,
And finally, to face the horror.
It’ll lead us to the room where darkness dwells.
The discarded hopes and dreams,
The corpses and smells-
It’s the den of monsters and madness.
Whatever your terror, it’ll find you there.
And it’s no longer you anymore in the mirror.
It’s like distinction itself disappears.
Virtue and vice are closer than identical twins-
You swear they trade 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 okay.
You turn back towards the door,
Take a cautious step, and fall through the floor.
Falling into the mouth of the darkest darkness,
For what feels like forever-
It leaves you defenseless,
Stripping your senses.
And still, you’re trying to taste
What’s swallowing you whole,
But down here, it's all gotta go.
And when you've given it up-
Given it all,
Yourself and your soul,
Your belief and your doubt,
Something catches you-
Breaks your fall,
Raises you up, and ushers you out-
Leads you out into the light like you’ve never seen before.
And you have this feeling that 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.
Though for that you need the mystery,
And you have to face the horror.
But they're hardly around anymore-
Been sanitized, sterilized, and stashed 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.
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 now drink of wine,
That’s 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
(Shadow work - Unification of opposites)
A battle was raging,
And my soul was unwell.
It was reckoning day,
Between heaven and hell.
So, I called up my demons,
And I summoned the gods.
I just couldn’t see,
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,
And 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 and gods,
Are just fragments of me.
When I’m done casting stones,
They’ll come out of hiding,
Join hands together,
And become one inside me.
Begging For Change
The lame and the wicked
Are left minding the store
With the old hound of heaven
Asleep by the door
For the artists, the poets
It's always been the same
They're handing out treasure
While 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
Lucid Dream (Spoken Word)
I was in a lucid dream
I heard Lucifer scream
I saw the angels weeping
And there was an old man keeping watch
On a hidden cave
As I got up close, he raised his hands
He said, save yourself,
Don't go in that cave yourself
But it was too late
I had to know what it was they saw
I had to feel what they felt
I 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 spark leaving the flame behind
It's about burning
It isn't loftiness or even vanity
It's about fully embracing the beauty and the horrors
Of humanity,
And all that's in me
With that fire, & in that light
The angels and the demons will all draw close
As we come to know
What it means to die
And be fully alive
Water into Wine
Thought I’d try and 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, and I quit trying.
Seems like I’m always confusing God’s role and mine-
Biting off too much, chewing too little,
Feeling low, trying to get high-
But it’s just so boring in the middle.
So, I had to try again-
This time the fishes, and the loaves.
Turned a fat guy into twins-
But that's not really how it goes.
Still, I gave it one last try-
Raise some fella up from the dead.
But at the funeral, they did have wine,
So, I raised a glass instead.
I finally learned my lesson,
Just play my part, and keep it small-
A leap of faith, but no more ledges-
Just don’t have as far to fall.
Dragon’s Den (Spoken word)
Shout out to Dylan with a whimsical, creative romp i.e. Desolation Row..
Friday night about half past ten,
I walked into the Dragon’s Den-
Just a little place, but friendly folks-
Light on dragons, heavy on smoke.
Figured I’d stick around since I'd heard good things.
A guy in the corner with a snakeskin pipe
Waved me over, ‘cause he needed a light-
He said “Hey there friend, ever tried this stuff?”
I said “Once or twice, but it didn’t do much.”
He said “You haven't had this particular brand,”
And he offered me some.
So I grabbed the pipe and I thanked the guy,
Took a hit, and then I closed my eyes-
Heard a sound like an avalanche,
And reality didn't stand a chance-
The guy wasn't kidding about this stuff.
‘Cause the roof and the walls just disappeared-
And I found myself in a house of mirrors-
All alone, but there were twenty of me.
Got to pick who I wanted to be-
Third guy from the left, and I went walking.
There was a wooden arch by a magic shop-
‘For madmen only’ written across the top.
I’d been called a lot 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.
She pointed at the map while holding a beer-
“This dot on top, well, ‘you are here,’
And it’s all downhill after this but I’ll show you around.”
Saw a purple pigeon in a pickup truck-
He pulled on over to pick us up.
Said “Howdy folks where you headed?
I’ll take you anywhere for a loaf of bread.”
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 quite a hit.”
But when we got there, 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
Just trying to put a dent in his dental bills.
That's the side of monster-hood you don't hear about-
The maintenance costs.
Then 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,
And there was a little scene happening with Moses.
He was arm wrestling an octopus.
Kind of turned out like I thought it would-
Moses was tough but he was just a man,
And the other dude kept changing hands.
Said “If you’re gonna part this sea you gotta go through me.”
And the Jews and the Christians were at it again,
About the empty tomb and the guy that went in.
The Jews said it was all just a magic act,
Like pulling a rabbi from a hat.
Time to head somewhere a little 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,”
Pretty deep for a dormouse, but we had to keep going.
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?
I got child support, and the rent is due.”
Guess he didn’t think that one all the way through.
Saw a kangaroo riding an elephant,
Swerving around- I think they both were drunk.
Went in the ditch after hitting a deer.
Trunk flew open- peanuts and beer.
Didn't see that coming.
It was getting late,
And the stuff was starting to wear off.
Actually, I have a confession to make-
The truth is I never did go in
To a little place called the Dragon’s Den.
I didn’t need drugs to get me high-
Had everything right here inside.
Can’t Trust the Devil (Humorous country song)
Sold my soul to the devil last Saturday night,
For eternal youth and a case of Coors Light.
When I woke up on Sunday, I was still old and gray.
What the hell happened? That’s 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.
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.
What can you do? I guess you live and you learn.
Some dude got my soul, and 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.
Think I’ll go down there and see about getting mine back-
It's probably in a pile, out on the discount rack.
You can't trust the devil, I 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.
Raven's Call
I heard something in the raven's call-
It said we're not that different after all.
You have your song and I have mine,
But it's foolish to think they're a different kind,
‘Cause there's a longing that we’ve both known,
And we sing the loudest when we're all alone.
I heard the raven calling to me,
Across the forests and the lonely sea.
It said we're not that different, you and I,
We have the oldest song deep inside.
It's the only one we've really known-
And we sing it the loudest when we're all alone.
I Know Who You Are (Song)
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.
I know what you've been through-
I don't want to lose you-
The sun's gonna rise up again.
I'll walk right beside you-
No one knows you like I do-
Just hold on,
Hold on my friend.
In satin and shadows,
I know where you’ve been.
Always diving for covers,
As the night crashes in.
And I heard the confessions,
From your small crowd of sins-
I was there at the temple,
As you ushered them in.
I know what you've been through-
I don't want to lose you-
The sun's gonna rise up again.
I'll walk right beside you-
No one knows you like I do-
Just hold on, hold on my friend.
And the dark-hooded thief,
That ran off with your smiles,
Well, I know where he lives,
And 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.
But I know that there’s more,
Somewhere deep in the night,
Where the secrets all go,
When the moon is too bright.
Yes, I know that there’s more,
It’s just hidden from sight-
I guess maybe alone,
It’s afraid of the light,
And maybe we find it when the moment is right.
I’m No Angel
(Song about not getting too good, too quick.)
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.
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 other things.
If there’s a heaven,
I 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.
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 other things.
Weight of the World (Song)
Neighbor of mine died the other day.
Was all alone when he passed away,
I heard.
Saw him last week, he told me he was fine.
Whiskey on his breath said he might’ve been lying
About that.
Got our picket fences, and well-kept lawns,
But don't always tell you what's going on inside.
Chorus/
Seems we all got something we’re carrying around,
Not time yet for laying it down-
So we just smile and try to carry on.
The prayers that went out and never came home-
Promises that left us waiting by the phone.
The faded love and unmarked tombs,
Of the hopes and dreams that died too soon;
Yeah, I’ve got some of those myself.
Seems we all got something we’re carrying around,
Not time yet for laying it down-
So we just smile,
And try to carry on.
Another hand is dealt, and our bets are in-
Still not sure who really wins in the end.
Wear poker face and hope it hides
What's really going on, deep down inside;
But I think we're all the same.
Another Way? (Song)
There’s a young man reading Dante in the night–
Feels the heavenly words, more than the hellish sights.
Hasn't seen enough of the darkness yet in his life.
Has a shiny love right now, but it’s bound to rust.
Ashes turn to ashes, and dust turns to dust-
He'll try his best to sweep ‘em under the rug.
And I know what my preacher’s gonna say-
“The soul has to get lost before it gets saved.”
Just seems there could have been another way.
A newborn baby cries as it takes a breath-
Let me tell you, child, you ain’t seen nothing yet.
Have they told you how the whole thing’s gonna end?
Yet, the bluebirds sing, and it sounds like a symphony-
They lift us up just high enough to see,
That truth walks hand in hand with absurdity.
And I know what my teacher’s gonna say-
“Need black and white or else it all turns to grey.”
Just seems there could have been another way.
The poets hold 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.
And I know what my Eastern friends will say-
“Light and dark are dancing in a cosmic play.”
Just seems there could have been another way.
Wishing on the Stars
Looking up at the sky tonight,
Just 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 ‘round,
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.
The Desert (Alternative song)
I wasn’t there the day I lost control-
Heard about it from some friends I've known.
Helpless crowd, they just watched me go-
Now I’m out in the desert tonight.
Why do the gifted and the good die young?
And hope just seems like a setting sun.
If you don’t know, could you find someone?
I'll be here in the desert tonight.
I'm down on my knees,
But I'm all out of prayers-
And I don't think a bottle's gonna get me there.
Can’t shake the 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.
I'm down on my knees,
But I'm all out of prayers-
And I don't think a bottle's gonna get me there.
No one's leaving this world alive-
Kinda looks like the perfect crime.
Take the stand and blame the other guy-
We’re both 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.
I'm down on my knees,
But I'm all out of prayers-
And I don't think a bottle's gonna get me there.
The Time Has Come (Folk song)
Time-
I think the time has come,
The past, I think it’s just begun-
The winding road 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 and upside down,
Got the outside in and the inside out,
Our way-
I think we lost our way.
The night sets in-
And though it’s dark again,
Still a candle burns-
There's a fire within.
Pain-
I’m seeing so much pain,
It goes, but then 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 when we walked away,
But I get the feeling that a part of us stayed,
Home-
I think it’s calling us home.
The night sets in-
And though it’s dark again,
Still a candle burns-
There's a fire within.
C haos
H as
A n
O perating
S ystem
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.
Dancing in the Graveyard
Whimsical Tom Waits'ish song
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.
And I'm looking around, and 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- I think he's got a big ol' spade.
The whole thing doesn’t make sense sometimes,
Like we're on some twisted carnival ride-
Can't get off, and there’s nowhere to hide.
Stranded, empty handed-
So I'm living lightly and I'm playing hard,
Dancing round the graveyard,
Dancing round the graveyard.
The cosmos seems like one big cold machine;
Most of the time it’s 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 Saint Louis.
Stranded, empty handed-
So I'm living lightly and I'm playing hard,
Dancing round the graveyard,
Dancing round the graveyard.
I passed a guy who was whistling Dixie
on his way to the North Pole-
To try and catch a glimpse of heaven, or
Squeeze some prayers through the ozone hole.
He said the universe really is lawful,
& it probably is, but a part of me is still not convinced.
So I’ll keep stealing the night away,
And try not to leave any prints.
Stranded, empty handed-
So I'm living lightly and I'm playing hard,
Dancing round the graveyard,
Dancing round the graveyard.
So Far From Home (Spoken word)
We've wandered so far from home
And the kingdom we had known.
We’ve forgotten we have the key–
That deep down we’re royalty.
Saw Fred today at the corner of 3rd and Main.
I 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 eyes.
Whatever he was thinking of, it was probably super-sized.
And his poor little dreams, they were all dressed in rags,
Following behind, bottle of wine stuffed in a paper bag.
Once in a while they catch a glimpse of the stars;
Have this feeling they're not who they think they are.
We've wandered so far from home
And the kingdom we had known.
We’ve forgotten we have the key
That deep down we’re royalty.
There's a heaviness that hangs in the air these days–
People looking up but damn sure not to pray.
Bookies taking bets on when the whole thing's gonna crash.
At the House of Gifts for the Apocalypse, I heard they're only taking cash.
And the roads ‘round here are all lit with neon signs.
Folks are lost, but, damn, they're making good time.
Once in a while they catch a glimpse of the stars;
Have this feeling they're not who they think they are.
We've wandered so far from home
And the kingdom we had known.
We’ve forgotten we have the key
That deep down we’re royalty.
Sacred Fire (Alternative song)
Holy Ghosts creeping in,
Kicking up the past again.
Sacred fire consuming me,
Burning down who I used to be.
I never made it out-
Couldn’t find the shrinking door.
Guess now I'll finally know,
What the flames are 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.
It’s best to just stay silent,
In the temple of the beast.
You wouldn’t know who you were calling-
The demons or the priest.
Falling through the flames,
There's nothing to cling to-
Better let go of sanity,
Before it lets go 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.
Secrets of the Night
Shadows softly flowing-
Dancing with the light.
Content in truly knowing-
The secrets of the night.
Something I Lost (Song)
I feel like I’m looking for something I lost-
It’s vague, and it’s 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, even if I win.
Like the game that we’re playing, just isn’t mine-
The curtain goes up, and it’s showtime again,
But I can’t act the part, no one gave me the lines.
It feels like I'm lost, though I've traveled so far,
Wandering and wondering where the hell we are,
Looking for clues of how it might've gone down,
But I don't think I'll find them on this side of town.
Not sure why I search for 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, some are unknown,
But they never lead back, not the way that I came.
It feels like I'm lost, though I've traveled so far,
Wandering, and wondering where the hell we are,
Looking for clues of how it might've gone down,
But I don't think I'll find them on this side of town.
Six Deadly Sins (Humorous song)
Lying in my bed late one night,
Heard a noise so I flicked on the light.
I don’t know who let ‘em in,
But there were my six deadly sins.
Guess one had hid behind Gluttony,
Who was huge, his shirt kept unbuttoning.
I said, “How long are you gonna be staying?
This is when I usually do my praying.”
They just looked at me like I was clueless.
Had a change of clothes and a toothbrush.
I said, “Tell me what I have to do
If I want to be finished with you.”
They said,
“Ain’t about trying to be good.
Ain’t about doing what you should.
That’s nice, but it won’t get you far.
Gotta remember who you really are,
But any words would just be lying to you.
Go in silence and you’ll find the truth.”
Envy and Greed didn’t say much.
Lust, he just looked at me and blushed,
And Sloth, well, he was too tired to talk.
Couldn’t believe they all made him walk.
But Pride, well, Pride had plenty to say-
He was still talking late the next day.
And they finally finished with Wrath-
He got angrier if they skipped him ‘til last.
I said, "Tell me what I have to do
If I want to be finished with you.”
They said,
“Ain’t about trying to be good.
Ain’t about doing what you should.
That’s nice, but it won’t get you far.
Gotta remember who you really are,
But any words would just be lying to you.
Go in silence and you’ll find the truth.”
Painting the Town (Whimsical pop song)
Said she'd call me by nine tonight-
It's about quarter to eleven right now.
But she doesn't worry 'bout time she says-
The hands always come back around.
She's the kind of girl who’ll walk on a wire,
And tell you there ain't nothing to it.
Wild and free and light as a bird-
And she's got the scars to prove it.
Said she'd love me forever,
Her forever just isn't that long,
It’s more like June to December,
And I'm just trying to hold on.
November is already gone.
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 and 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.
Said she'd love me forever,
Her forever just isn't that long,
It’s more like June to December,
And I'm just trying to hold on.
November is already gone.
White and Turbid Wake
(“White and turbid wake” is part of a sentence from Moby Dick. I wrote this song to honor Melville, and the archetypal quest.)
"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 fuels the mystery.
Is it the moon now or the dawn-
That’s the greater friend to me?
It’s been months now since I sailed,
But it feels like years to me-
I 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.
Eternity
There's a coastline,
In the mind-
Where our thoughts
Meet the endless sea-
Looking out at eternity.
Short, Simple, and Sweet
(I wrote this in response to criticism of my simple, rhyming poetry. I actually do like flowery words sometimes, just not this day.)
Poetry?
I don’t know much about poetry.
If I need to laugh or something hurts,
I get out a pen and put down some words.
Maybe work in some rhythm, add a little rhyme,
Help the soul get its footing in time.
But I won’t use a bunch of flowery words-
To me those things are like leprechaun turds.
Just smell up the place, and they’re not real anyway.
I try to get down to the heart of a thing-
Strip away everything,
Stay light on my feet,
Short, simple, and sweet.
Love, Life, Laugh, Truth, God, Joy, Birth-
All short little words,
One syllable words.
But "Devil" - now for him you need two.
He’s one step removed,
Complicating the truth.
That guy can't go anywhere,
Without putting on airs.
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 anyway?
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 like I do-
My own little words.
Step around the leprechaun turds,
Stay light on my feet,
Short, simple, and sweet.
Rockabye (Song)
C-F for verses.
Rockabye, little child,
Close your eyes for a while-
Sail away on the sea,
Leave your cares all here with me.
Though I'm so much older now,
I gotta find that peace somehow,
‘Cause the is world is getting heavier all the time.
There are fields that I've known,
Where dreams and flowers grow,
And like clouds up in the sky,
All my worries passed me by.
Though I'm so much older now,
I gotta find that place somehow,
‘Cause the world is getting crazier all the time.
I'm not even sure if it still exists-
I just know there's something more than this.
Somehow, someday, some way-
I'll make it there.
I believe that it’s real,
I don't see it I just feel,
But I pray that I can find,
The place that I left behind.
Though I'm so much older now,
I gotta make my way somehow,
‘Cause the is world is getting heavier all the time.