Poem 228: Lonesome Noise

The silence around me echoes in voices unheard.

I know it is silence because noise once was there.

Its absence leaves a streak of grey

colored only by a replacement tide of change

which bury instead of mending past, dead things.

And then, in a brief moment of joy I am caught up in the spinning of the clock and chime

but when it passes, silence returns

and I am once again

alone.

Poem 227: Warm Wine

A few sips down: the world floats around and travels just a ways
until it lands upon a moving table with gentle bends and sways.
Everything is new and bright and glittering in brand new light.
The stars would be out if the day were suddenly the night.
A glass or three with hints of burnt French trees
making vanilla dance across the pallet of taste
and leaving me, as tired as can be
barely standing by my own ability.
I'll close my eyes and let
the spinning world
twirl me away.

Poem 226: Climbing

Climbing up and up and up

I'll reach the summit soon

I'm almost there, I see the peak

I'm sure the end is near.

Climbing up and up and up

a new top comes in view

it turns out we're not halfway up

clouds make the peak unclear.

Climbing up and up and up

I do not think I'll win

my feet are sore, my knees are knocked

my ankles hurt, my back's in knots.

Climbing up and up and up

and up and up and up 

and up

and up

and up 

and up....

and....look!  

We're at the top!

Poem 225: Fading into Slumber

Tired and without control

my eyes fade into sleep

my thoughts have melted plum away

into the realm of unknown things

and though it looks like I'm alive

my brain function is dead.

Tired from the lack of rest

my heart begins to cry

it pulls me back to close my eyes

and makes me lose my focused gaze

so although my heads cocked in thought

my thinking's been turned off.

Tired, with no mind that's known

my body starts to curl

I rest my head upon my hand

and bring my knees up in the air

then snuggle over on my side

and snore without a care.

Poem 224: You, Whom I've Known and Would Love to Know Again

Its great to sit here thinking of the faces i have seen.

To wrap myself into the thoughts of time and history.

I marvel at the space that has been filled with every heart

and worry 'bout the life that I will live when we soon part.

Perhaps as days and years pass by, my path with theirs will cross,

but otherwise, they'll always be here in my sweetest thoughts.

Poem 223: 2+2+3 = Me - 20

What they say, these words they sing

they're real: as true as fate.

It ain't no joke, that age I gloat:

27 years today

Poem 222: To Two Too.

I counted: "one, two" just like you.

I also counted up.

And when I counted up with you,

I counted to two too.

Poem 221: Unplanned

There are times that lay unplanned ahead

where road has not been laid for dread

of decisions that chosen may bring regret

or worse yet 

may bring a future 

now and ever more

unknown.

I step outside of comfort past

and delve into time's future half

I go with caution and restraint

in fright of pain

but worried more 

of always staying 

the same.

So in my weakened state I stand

afraid, yet tip-toeing ahead

determined to pass this test

embrace my best

and live upon

this broken

circumstance.

Poem 220: Attempting Early Slumber

I climbed in bed with good intent

to shut my eyes and rest

I thought that I would catch up 

on the sleep that I had missed.

But as soon as I had shut my eyes

my mind started to run

and before long I was on my feet

with lists of 'to-be-done's.

Confident, I was

that I could finish rather fast.

I counted up the time 

and found there plenty left to last.

Now, as my hands were hard at work

in both hard chores and play

one look at the clock

told me that I had lost my day

Suddenly, my goal for rest 

was swallowed up in time.

Though I lose track an awful lot

clocks don't forget to chime.

Poem 219: LOST

I planned to take the path that I

had researched 'fore I left.

I packed my bag up 'just in case' 

buying safety with its weight.  

Then in the middle of my hike

I realized with a sigh:

The map I made was off an inch

and I was in an unknown place.

Dancing in the hands of fate...

LOST without a guide.

Poem 218: The End

Today The End is near it's time

that day has almost come.

The seconds are being counted down

we're almost down to 'one.'

But before all has come to end

I want to say good-bye

It's been my joy to be your friend

It's out of love I cry.

Now as life turns and splits our paths 

It leaves our broken hearts.

But take joy knowing that true friends

through memories don't part. 

Poem 217: Drooping Eyes

Drooping, fading, sleepy-eyes
Blinking rest away.
Open up, don't close just yet,
Please wait 'till Saturday. 

Poem 216: Dragonfly

Did you know that you can light a lamp and silhouette this fly?

you can hypnotize it with a finger twirling in disguise.

Did you know that you can catch a bug that lights up in the night?

They shine like stars when shaken up and in a jar can't bite

Did you know that a whale drinks milk, but not like we drink tea?

All mammals do the same, like cats, and monkeys, you and me.

Did you know that armadillos sleep around 18 hours a day?

They curl up and close their eyes and in their dreams they play.

Did you know that there are 32 muscles in cats' ears?

Each helps the cat to hear all things that come and go past here.

Did you know that if you count up all the stars seen in the sky

You'll never finish even if you count until you die?

Did you know that on the back of sloths algae tends to thrive?

Sometimes sloths hold so very still you can't tell they're alive. 

Did you know that there's much more to learn, and much to feed your mind?

There's information everywhere, so seek and you will find!

Poem 215: Rainbows

Streams of light shine brightly through

moisture in the sky.

The water separates these rays

like prisms bend and pry.  

As jointed teams these colors curve
in rainbows 'cross the sky,

reminding all who might look-on

there's much life left to try!

Poem 214: Full Moon

The night is bright with sharp moonlight

which fades amongst the trees.

It casts strange shadows in the sky

and plays mind tricks on me.

Poem 213: Graduating

All the pomp and circumstance 

the music and the crowds

the laughter and the nonsense dance

have called me to stand proud

As I glide across the stage 

the crowd in echos roar

their cheers I hear and take to heart

I'll keep these joys in store

For as the glory fades away

and color is erased

it's back to fighting day-by-day

this long and tiresome war.

Poem 212: Passing Through Time

It's funny how things happen

in a manner unprecedented.

How people come and leave and

we never really convalesce

after being struck with their absence.

Perhaps as time moves on 

these feelings will cease 

and we'll embrace reality

instead of living in a mental spot

of 'maybe's and 'perhaps's.

Poem 211: There Isn't Time

There isn't time enough in one day

or four

or six

There isn't life enough in one year

or five

or twelve

There isn't breath enough in one gasp

or ten

or twenty-one

There isn't time enough for me to finish 

what I have begun.

Poem 210: Counting Down

I'm counting down the days until

I'll be seventeen.

I'm counting down the moments 

and I'm counting them by threes.

If I count faster, I'll catch up 

with this eternity.

I'm counting down the days for me

to be the age I dream.
.

Poem 209: Outdoor School

Outdoor-living

Rain-pouring

Song-singing

Dance-grooving

Science-learning

World-exploring

Dead-deer finding

Forest-tromping

Cabin-sleeping

Wet-sock-wearing

Outdoor School

Poem 208: Almost completed!

All nighter

Sleep killer

Project doer

Done

Done

Done!

Poem 207: Psalms 2:07, 20:7

Surely LORD, You are mistaken: I'm not Yours

I've not Your eyes, or mouth, or heart, or a reflection of Your soul.

Surely what you did in claiming me was oversight.

How could you want this awkward piece of human in Your light?

But, You, with patience reassure that I am who You'd like.

Although there are rough edges, You will sand them off in time.

You have called me, named me Yours, and I will tell the world it's true.

You are my loving father, and I will boast in You.

Poem 206: Triple Time

I wanted to.

I tried my best.

I sought for success.

I ran faster than the rest.

But still I failed.

In your eyes, I see you're proud

To you I succeed.

I passed the test.

But not to me.

I missed my goal

And know

I didn't quite achieve
perfection.

Poem 205: A Road

This road I've traveled many times

from work, from home, from play

I've taken it to fly away, 

I've driven it to stay.

Dear road which takes me between homes

who shows me storms and then rainbows

What path shall I take when I go

far from you one day?

Poem 204: Life at 24

I said that when I reached that age

My life would be set out.

My plan was sure, my plan was known

but my plan did not play out.

When I reached 24, 

I wasn't who I said I'd be.

but of all the plans I goaled to reach

I can say I lived fully.

I did not meet my well-planned end.

I did not even come close.

But what I learned and saw instead

was God's far better course.

Poem 203: ROOT

Running Out Of Time

to choose

to plan

to make

to move

Running Out Of Time 

to grow 

to rest

to stay

to form

Running Out Of Time

to figure

to weigh

to scale

to mend

Running Out Of Time

To run away...           

Poem 202: Mirrored

What is that broken soul I see

off in the distance standing there?

It's burnt and bruised and strangely shaped

Her silhouette inflicts such fear.

"Hello!" I shout.  It yells the same.

It never seems to break it's gaze.

And although I do not hear words, 

That soul communicates.

And, oh, what pain that poor soul holds

what sorrow it contains.

What grotesque colors it's been stained

through choices and such foolish ways.

"Do you need help?" I ask the soul.

And she responds, with simply "no."

and so, unable to assist

I decide it's time to go.

I shift myself and turn away, 

when I look back, she's done the same.

I sigh and mutter, "There's no hope."

"Such blindness is a shame."

Poem 201: It's 2:01

It's 2:01 and as the clock says

it's 'bout time we go.

It's one past when we should have left

It's one after when, as you have said

the world fell in pieces. 

Now, without manners that clock speaks

of things it's deems necessary.

But, truth is this: we will soon be

missing the promises we made

and so, although we will be late, 

we really ought to leave with pace

expedient.

Poem 200: Life

It seems to be that time has brought 

me down a spiral cord

in hopes of springing me back up

when to it's end I go.

But somehow my spring's been compressed.

Or through the center I must have lept

falling between spiral cords

onto a line eternally flat.

Did I skip years of life 

to find myself upon this line?

Or have I simply overlooked

a future, joyful slip-and-slide?

Poem 199: Life in a Week

Today is the day before the rest of my life begins

It is the breath before a world of decided ends

I wish I could sit and know 

that life decisions in which I may lose

will be determined without needing to choose