The Path You’re On

An idol on a shelf
Calling out my name
Says he has the answers
To the questions that remain
He said, life is full of trouble
Life is full of strife
The devil is in the details
That consume us in this life

Popular are the ways
Of celebrities
They shine a light so bright
That we forget our ways
They call us to join the party
Say we bring you life
But where is the living
When all I see is death

Writers give us details
To hang our hats upon
But what is the story
And the lessons I have done
Will they make me better
Than I was before
Will they teach me something
Or put me on the floor

Singers give us pleasure
We listen with our ears
Dance if we want to
Or bring us to tears
Some will touch our hearts
But only for a while
Who will be the one
To make our hearts smile

Teachers give us knowledge
To be smarter than before
Inspire us to push on
Go through the open doors
They show us creativity
To draw or paint still life
Show us how to play piano
Give voice to our inner being

A job will pay the bills
Give you money for your needs
But is it all that there is
Will it set you free
Work around the clock
Work until the day is done
Is my work what describes me
In the setting sun

Dream of many things
That could be had or bought
But are they what makes you whole
Or have you been caught
Find the path you’re on
And light it bright indeed
Make a way for the promised land
For you are the seed

Vices

Living my life
One vice at a time
Well, maybe two
If I can find the time
Rebel with a cause
Just to say I did
What ever happened
To mamas little kid

And the sickness burns
And tattoos itself
Upon my heart
So there’s nothing else
But to live for vice
And to spend my time
Digging my grave
To a glass of wine

Cheapest vices
That I can find
Death is the tax
That comes to mind
Spread my life
As thin as can be
Where are the safeguards
To constrain me

Miles I’ve traveled
Tried to run away
But here are my vices
With so much to say
Come home to us, boy
Give us another chance
We just want to take you
To the final dance

Round and round and round
We’ll go
Shaking a leg
To the ole banjo
Hear the tune
We play for your heart
Just give us a chance
We’ll tear you apart

Drag you through the mud
Disgrace your name
Make it so your family
Are all ashamed
Drop you on the curb
Homeless you shall be
Child of the street
We’ll come to see

Where is the boy
The man I used to be
Before my vices
Overtook me
Am I still a rebel
Or a child in need
Where is the redemption
I long to see

Signs Upon The Street

All the signs upon the street
Scream out Jesus saves
As the alters of mankind
Are washed away in waves

Food upon the table
Lonely man does eat
Waiting for a promised time
With no sin upon the street

Sacrificial lambs
On their way to their death
Bleat a prayer unto their god
To save their dying breath

Their god just sits and gorges
His belly with their cries
As the old and the young
Wither there and die

Who will answer prayers
And repeal their agony
Take their hand and guide them to
The land of promised dreams

Gathering clouds of torment
Chase them to their homes
Surrounded by a darkness
They should never see

They break out the alters
To the one true GOD
But the prayers they used to speak
Have gathered dust as tombs

Pleas come out as utterance
Words no longer formed
How can hearts be mended here
If heartfelt words cannot be formed

Kneel upon the alter
Words will come at last
Heart will wrend the walls between
What is to come and what has passed

It is done

The crowd cried out
Kill the king
He is the one
Condemned our being
Called us all sinners
Children of the devil
His speaking is blasphemy
An unmitigated rebel

Judges and magistrates
Couldn’t believe their ears
Never heard anything
Like this in all their years
Washed their hands
Of the whole entire mess
Send him back home
Let your leaders address

Those things that you hate
Those words He did speak
This looks like a family affair
Destined for the street
No one stood for life
He was condemned to death
No one heard the words
Uttered under his breath

It is done
The price has been paid
Now is the time
To learn of life again
His blood covered our sins
His life a sacrifice
Today is the day
We learned of the price

For redemption of sin
For love eternally
For spiritual renewal
Internally
Hear His many words
Whispered through the years
Many will hear the call
Not everyone heeds their ears

Somewhere

Somewhere
And at some time
When the pulse hits you
It’ll feel sublime
Don’t know when
But the time will be right
It’ll overtake you
In the still of the night

Creeping through
The open door
Like a silent mist
On an open moor
It’ll come and hit you
Like a left hook will
Silent but deadly
But it’ll break your will

And the day will come
And the day will go
Only a few will know
That it’s time to go
And the train will come
Like a thief in the night
And leave so many
In the still of the night

Hear that locomotive
Racing through the sky
On a one way trip
Through the night
Do you hear what I say
See the smoke unfold
As it goes upon it’s way
It’s carrying a heavenly load
And it’s only coming today

And the ticket you need
Can’t be bought or sold
Can’t be had for silver
Can’t be had for gold
It will only come
From the hand of GOD
Better get ready
Before your tickets gone

American Beauty

She was an American beauty

With her tattoo and impish smile

Made to look like a million bucks

In her torn jeans and shirts of questionable style

She had a southern accent

That was butter to my ears

Hat on backwards and hair tied back

That made her look younger than her years

She took me on a trip

That I’d never been on before

Took me around the world

When she threw me on the floor

Her hillbilly ways

Were different than my own

But she was more fun

Than I’d ever known before

She danced and she shook

To the music playing loud

Didn’t mind the gawking eyes

Of the ever moving crowd

At the end of the night

She kissed me good and long

Said thanks for a good time

And our own personal song

She was an American Beauty

With her tattoos and impish smile

But girls like her, in my book

Will never go out of style

Political Leader

I am a leader
Filled with pride
Follower of
My idols

Talk of great reward
While killing my land
Blame it on my predecessors
Take nothing in hand

Puppet on a string
No mind of my own
Mouth the words
Whispered in my ear

Dispute all truth
Call it lies
Media now turns
From my blinded eyes

People call me a coward
Untrue to my land
Asking for peace
Bring death to our land

Violate my calling
Disparage office name
Leader of the free world
But only in name

Fire me for performance
Or lack there of
As I stumble through my days
And mumble what I say

Politician for life
Got a job that pays
Haven’t done any work
All of my days

Someone take me to a home
For the elderly
I may object
But that’s where I should be

Put my days to rest
Shuffle board at best
Put me in a wheelchair
I can’t pass the test

My Youth

I remember stories from my youth
Of a time before this age
When man lived in harmony
Not like an animal in a cage

He dreamt of things to build and scheme
To make a better land
To make some new improvements
To help his fellow man

Plans for a family
And children in the yard
Sounds of earth enjoying all
The labors of mankind

Then the greedy businessmen
Plundered all the earth
They took from her all she had
With no thought for their fellow man

Holes were dug for science and more
With no thought on how to keep
The beauty of this promised land
Or of how to restore

They only thought of themselves
And the money they could make
Why would I give to my fellow man
Is there something more at stake

The gods of the people
Only urged them on
To think not only for themselves
But of no one else

And so the earth became a ball
That could not bounce again
And those who aim to save the land
Have brought about it’s end

They bowed and made decrees
That they offer sacrifices
To the gods of their choice
To their deities

They sacrificed their children
To live as they wished
As their future disappeared
Like a thin billowing mist

Who are we to claim as gods
The devil and his like
When all around us here and now
Our Creator can be felt

Will we turn and come to find
The GOD who made us all
The Living GOD, The Mighty One
The One who loves us all

Strong

I, like my brothers before me
Will rise up and defend
Those who are unprotected
Unable to defend themselves
In the midst of battle
To make known the glory and strength of our GOD
In the presence of our enemies
That they might know HE is GOD

That they will tremble in fear
Run and hide
And seek shelter amongst the rocks and low
places of
the Earth
That the glory of GOD would obliterate any light or
bright
object they thought they had created
That HIS strength would be known throughout the
Earth
That all knees should bow and all tongues confess
HE is King

Who will rise up with me
And pray for our future
And prove that prayer is a mightier weapon than
any
sword
That the word of GOD is still capable of rending
hearts in
two
That the word of GOD is mightier than any two
edged
sword
In laying waste to the plans of the enemy
That our GOD is with His people, to defend and
prosper
In the face of our enemies

Summer Storm

She talked about the weather
And how it ruined her hair
She talked about pollution
And how it choked the air
She talked about the waiter
How bad the service was
How many times he walked on by
Ignoring her standing there

She talked a mile a minute
Unaware of anyone else
Never letting them think or speak
But she would talk of nothing else
But things that didn’t matter
That didn’t need our time
That I would never have thought of
Let alone make them rhyme

We were finally seated
At a table like the rest
But she was not happy there
She was an ill contented guest
She called out to the waiter
Said this wouldn’t do
It’s much, much too noisy here
Sitting between the kitchen and the loo

The waiter replied kindly
There is no place else
Unless you want to wait a day
Or go someplace else
Please don’t think me rude
I’m as busy as can be
If there were other tables free
I would have sat there myself

He winked at me in knowing
And gave menus to us both
I smiled to myself
Because the truth was easy to see
She looked a little miffed
Was about to speak aloud
But was quickly distracted
By a jostling of the crowd

People shouted in anger
Glass crashed to the ground
The waiter shook his head
And said with a frown
If it wasn’t for the breakage
I’d turn a profit fair
If it wasn’t for the tips
I’d leave this whole affair

After the hullabaloo
She returned to her form
Started on the next subject
Just like a summer storm
I listened and sat quietly
As she talked of nothing else
But this and that and those and these
And the clothes on someone else