Dawn on the Front Lawn 7/17/12

I rode the train

taking a day

to relax before work begins

the placid scenes of marshes

and well appointed homes

flatlands and vast expenses

the cul-de-sacs

and the promises

of fine cuisines

then the vision

of Carolina and me

dancing in the driveway

of our own two bedroom dream

getting soaked by the sprinkler

laughing carelessly

while thru their picture windows

the neighbors ponder the meaning

of this frivolous suburban spectacle

we don't feel their eyes

for in that moment

there is only the two of us

and the promise of intimate moments

and greater realizations

a never forgotten

and often repeated sensation

a ritual of thanks

a prayer service

on the front lawn

to celebrate the dawn

of a love made whole

with one journey done

and the next one just begun

Destiny and Vision 7/15/12

There is this girl

who loves me and my life

who wants to be my wife

who's waiting for me

to get back on my feet

I try so hard to meet her expectations

my soul has gone through so many gyrations

that's it left an empty hole in my chest

in this world of desperation

each day is a stress test

and the only way I pass

is being able to lay my head

in my own bed at night

this is a job with no future

so it doesn't feel right

but the sound of her voice

makes my feet hit the floor

once more every morning

I look myself in the face

but I know i'm not in the right place

because she is not here

her voice comes in out of thin air

and when it ceases

it feels like life is so unfair

because she is unseen

luckily, the one thing

I am sure of

is that she is not a dream

no, she is real

and I can feel her love

reach out to touch me

and this is what sustains

even when everything else is gone

the image of her eyes upon me

drives me on

with the help of God

I must find a way

to look into those eyes

every day

it has to be

this is beauty

this is destiny

and I know

that holding that vision

frozen in my mind

is the only way

to make it so

You Shall Be Free 7/11/12

The past glory of greater generations

has deteriorated

now the decline of morality and class

is celebrated

to work hard is now to cheat

to look for ways to slice through the rules

the government has made us feel

that everyone's a fool

their inaction has become the blueprint

for the national plan

the death of the dream

has eroded the conscience

of the average man

to be cool is to invent the latest scam

to be sexy is to undress

on the latest webcam

if you blow the whistle

you're denigrated

if you dare to raise your head

you're isolated

but God no

don't let your anger show

or your considered

politically incorrect

we now have the choice to elect

a man whose completely disconnected

or a compassionate man

whose courage

has been disaffected

the media has succeeded

in making the average man feel

like he doesn't matter

I know we are all charged

with making our own way

so the air is filled

with Internet chatter

I can sit home nightly

and be drawn to the drama

of the multimillion dollar athlete

with one developed skill

while in spite of my personal growth

I am left idle

against my will

once before I committed a crime

what will I do this time?

My creativity remains

but my appreciation of beauty

has mutated into bitter desperation

it's the same emotion

I see reflected in the eyes

of people on the street

when they won't raise their eyes

to meet mine

and when you ask them how they feel

they say fine and go on their way

it the same every day

and no one expects it to change

the culture of fear is so deeply ingrained

and the status quo profits

from the way things are arranged

so what am I going to do?

I've got to dig down deep

keep my faith in myself

and look for good in others too

there is no other choice

any other path

and I extinguish that inner voice

that keeps me alive

am I going to let the problems of this world

beat me down

hell no

I will thrive

I will grow

I will listen to my soul

and I will leave my mark on this world

even if I have to scream

that isn't a dream

that's reality

and that's the way it has to be

for me

and that's the way it has to be

for you

because that's the only way to stay true

to yourself

and if you can't do that

then you've already lost

and the cost is your soul

so shake off that alienation

and step into the light of revelation

and make truth your only goal

and just like me

you shall be free

step into the light

let it shine on your face

let yourself feel

you're in the right place

Poem for Palm Sunday

Ultimate sorrow

The Son of Man has died

Condemned by the crowd

Humiliated

Crucified

His death

Seared into the soul of all

His last breath

A signal

A clarion call

Make ready

Your own day of judgment

Will come

Then all will know

Whether you have heeded

The words of the only Son

Be aware

Be on guard

But know

The way of the Paschal Lamb

Is not hard

You need only hold

In high regard

The Holy Trinity

Your rewards will be many

If you recognize

And cultivate

Your inner divinity