Tag: poem

The Neighborhood Playground

Kids, I have brought you to this special place
So you can stretch your legs and get some play.
The playground is next to a sacred place
That you will visit on some distant day.
When you are laughing and playing your games,
Look over the fence to the other side;
There another person reaps all the claims
To our souls when we have finished our ride.
Children, you’ll find plenty of time to rest
When he comes a-knocking on your home’s door,
So for now you need to do what is best,
Play on the equipment you see before.
Ignore the fate that we are all meeting,
And play because time is always fleeting.

Mid-Life Crisis

What does it mean to get one year older
And reflect back on the time that was spent?
Did I take my life and live it bolder,
Or do I ponder on where my time went?
Did I hold the moments worth savoring,
And pack them away to define my life?
Instead, did I linger on harboring
On harder times that brought nothing but strife?
There’s a lesson learned as I continue
To stroll down the path I laid before me,
That as a younger man, I never knew,
Is the way to make life worthy to see.
Life is a collection of memories,
And it’s better to pick the ones that please.

The Moment

Why do we feel the need to get away?

Should we not see all in the moment?

After we have been a part of the play
Do we realize how our time was spent?

For in that small time of experience,
When we believe that it does not matter,
It actually has the most importance
Of what we’ll eventually remember.

The passing does not give explanation
Of why we should stop and pay attention.

It is nothing more than an extension
Of what gives my life an explanation.

Should I worry about the moment spent,
Or never care about where it had went?

A Morning Respite

The mountain is shrouded in dark shadow,
Feeling encased in the hug of storm clouds.
The humidity makes the air hang low,
Clearing the morning streets of tourist crowds.
Under the protection of tile eaves,
I take a sip off of my first coffee,
Watching the shaking of the willow leaves.
The coming rain causes them to worry.
It forces me to take a life of ease,
Waiting for a time when I won’t get wet.
I’ll have to sit here and enjoy the breeze
To take within the moment that I get.
I’ll give the sky time to let out its tears.
There will be time for fun when it all clears.

Our Nightly Meal

We will eventually feel the fall breeze
Meandering over the rice fields.
It’s the addition we need to this ease
Of living off of what this farm yields.
The men will gather the vegetables
That we will use for our dinner table.
It is in that moment when our troubles
Turn into nothing more than a fable.
We will know then that the day’s long labor
Has been worth all of our time and effort.
We’ll be surrounded by those we adore
When we give to each other our support.
This is the power of the night’s meal
When a family can become real.

Downtime

My goal for today is not to have one.
It is important this is accomplished,
And that absolutely nothing gets done,
For it’s a dream devoutly to be wished.
It is harder to do than what you think
Because there’s always something demanding
To be saved from going over the brink,
Keeping my community from dying.
From society’s web I’ll disconnect
To keep them from grabbing my attention,
For if I answer, my goals will be wrecked.
I’ll never gain any relaxation.
I know this may be hard for you to see,
But today is dedicated to me.

America in the 21st Century

Rats are ruling over our government,
Claiming that they do it for this nation.
Preachers tell me that I need to repent,
Sticking out their hands for a donation.
Law man patrols in a bullet proof vest,
Keeping order through the use of his gun.
The honest man cannot get any rest
Because of the lawyer’s exploitation.
Business man lives in his tower of greed,
Looking down at mankind’s desperation.
Injured sit outside hospitals in need,
Being denied saving medication.
I look forward in anticipation
To leave behind all of this corruption.

Our Private Porch

Did you know that we don’t need life so loud?

We can take a reprieve from all the mess
By getting away from the fighting crowd
And unwinding from society’s stress.

There is a porch that overlooks a hill
Behind which the sun will ev’ry night sink,
And you can feel the icy glass’s chill
As our relaxing cheers ring out a clink.

We don’t need to run in the rat race
If we don’t feel up to the competition.

In reality, there’s nothing to chase
Except the joy of our expectations.

For you, I have built this little retreat
Where we will find a life that’s more complete.

Graduation

Has there been so much change these last four years,
Or is it a matter of perspective?
No one can prognosticate where life steers
Because it does so without a motive.
It does not play against out deepest fears
Even though we may believe it is so.
It does not care about our shedding tears
Because those feeling don’t cause it to slow.
It does not listen to our grateful cheers;
It considers it nothing more than noise.
The troubles of man do not reach its ears;
It won’t even move its elegant poise.
Yet these four years have tumbled on past,
And the first day was diff’rent than the last.

Underneath the Mango Tree

As the fading light on the horizon
Sputters out the last of its final glow,
I have found my place to enjoy the sun
Underneath the tree that gives me mango.
I know I can find a cooler respite
In my house with the air conditioning,
But then I would miss the coming of night
For a moment of comforted living.
The brutal heat may wish for me to hide
In the safe seclusion of my cocoon,
But there is more that is offered outside.
I’ll be able to make my retreat soon.
I have made the choice to live with my sweat
As I only will witness this sunset.