The Three Hundred Fifty Eighth, December 24, 2011

this is that wonderful
time of the year
when everyone's filled
with love and good cheer

smiles and greetings
to all that you see
generous sharing of joy
as the season should be

that parking spots mine
get out of my way
I still need to buy more
before Christmas day

I don't have the time now
to be decking the halls
must fight the crowds
in the shopping malls

I must do it bigger
buy presents galore
to make this grander
then ever before

and now I am broke
let the wrapping begin
a walking stress bomb
till the Valium sets in

at last Christmas morning
what did I get?
more stupid clothes
and colognes I will bet

santa seems to get
cheaper each year
don't tell me its the cost
of feeding reindeer

tear off the wrappings
just dropped on the floor
will pick them up later
its too much of a chore

gifts finally opened
to the table we go
over filling ourselves
making us slow

keep nibbling all day
in a continuous graze
wanting still more
as eyes slowly glaze

yes that is the meaning
of Christmas it seems
capitalism's triumph
in sugarplum dreams

is the irony lost
or do others see
the day has become
what its most not to be

celebrate the Savior's birth
with the seven deadly sins
 time to look inside
and see which side wins

The Three Hundred Fifty Seventh, December 23, 2011

give me a pinch
let me know its real
have dreams become real
or has real created new dreams

I have felt you inside my mind
so often I know every line
every single feature
familiar as home

never say never
never is only a myth
whispered hopes haunting
then eyes open and vision fills

the breath is the scent imagined
the soft caress is the warmth
the gentle smile is life
lost inside this now

you don't know me
no reason that you would
yet you have been my dream
and now you have become real

can I ever find a way to leave you
when even sleep makes me sad
to impatient for tomorrow
afraid you aren't real

I want to beg you
kneel down and plead
never make me suffer again
believing you are only illusion

I never want to doubt these days
feel you are only that dream
knowing I need more
need you as real

The Three Hundred Fifty Six, December 22, 2011

behold the land before us
as it lays in anticipation
awaiting my arrival
giving welcome

patchwork fields quilted
a tapestry of colors
shades in green
tanned hues

dark black lines stretching
straight to the horizon
all roads returning
stand at center

hear the earth voice whisper
see the beauty surround
smell the sweetness
feel the wonder

behold our home before us
we are charged to care
protect and defend
we only get one

The Three Hundred Fifty Fifth, December 21, 2011

Quiet thunder on a cloudy day

nothing uncommon about that

but the sky is very quiet today

the earth is rumbling instead

walk closer to the edge, boy

dare to dance upon the rim

no need to look down now

come and dance upon the rim

below resounds the thunder

gaze down to see the cause

waves breaking on the stone

savage destructive beauty

sit here on the edge, son

dare to look into my eyes

can you feel the power

as you look into my eyes

stalwart stone guardians

stand resolute in their duty

protection against the attack

defending land from sea

live upon the edge, child

feel thunder under your feet

know my total dedication

feel thunder under your feet

this battle will last forever

water slowly eroding stone

until at last stone falters

patience will win again

listen to the thunder, lad

feel me in your bones

wearing down the stones

feel me in your bones

The Three Hundred Fifty Fourth, December 20, 2011

I see you in my moves
echoes of your own
expressions matching
copied instinctively

there can be little doubt
we become what we see
tributes to our examples
passing on to our own

a great deal of what I am
came from my life with him
lessons from the knee
values ingrained in bone

impossible to be like him
would not be right to be
being true to who I am
reflects the values learned

I am what I am today
because of what I saw
shaped by what I heard
part of you lives in me

Happy birthday, Dad. I love you.

The Three Hundred Fifty Third, December 19, 2011

the other side of the world
seems like my back yard
yet some how different
everything has a feeling

scenes blend together
reality meets expectation
yet not quite either one
unable to comprehend

seeing is not the proof
listen close to the colors
smell the sounds of it
feel the chorus fill you

it either works for you
or it leaves you empty
there is no way to change
the first impression lasts

The Three Hundred Fifty Second, December 18, 2011

they say time flies
it certainly does
took off on Saturday
landed on Monday
writing on Sunday
all because I was flying!

The Three Hundred Fifty First, December 17, 2011

slowly close the drawer
curtain falls the act closes
long awaited conclusion
now the next chapter

begins in fading light
a new spot appearing
attention shifts stage left
adventure beckons onward

curtain rises instantly
stage preset awaits
actors to their places
the final act begins


closing a major part
motivation of my life
now on to the next
the long awaited reward

the journey not complete
merely crossing thresholds
climbing onward now
see the door before me

now decisions weigh heavy
considerations need applied
the greatest question looms
What do I want to be when I grow up?

The Three Hundred Fiftieth, December 16, 2011

frustration dances around me
tension refuses to let go
stress compounded by 10
the nightmare will not end

the walls are still standing
I am composure and calm
not letting anything upset
refuse to accept reality

or else I will bloody well scream

The Three Hundred Forty Ninth, December 15, 2011

it is not easy to do
not think about it
tried to put it away
shoved in a corner

didn't work so well
I still notice it there
la la la la la la la la
can't hear it calling

no time today for it
too much in the way
tomorrow maybe I can
for now, only a dream

The Three Hundred Forty Eighth, December 14, 2011

over the edge
frazzled nerves
tension rising
stress overload
too many people
all in my way
cramming aisles
blocking the way
season of shopping
bah humbug

The Three Hundred Forty Seventh, December 13, 2011

I remember the little things
those moments that last
bringing me smiles today
that I may have missed then

I remember lessons taught
some much slower learned
others known in an instant
not one not easily forgotten

despite what it seemed then
or through time between
all that matters is today
when at last I understand

I learned life is never easy
if you are truly living it
trouble will rise to meet you
shake its hand and send it on

I learned that hardships are
that life without them is dull
that each creates a chapter
in the book that is our life

I learned that poker is wrong
because a full house wins
when love holds the aces
and hearts are on the sleeve

I learned what we are not
the moments of our pasts
we are the moment of our now
be proud of our road here

I have learned many lessons
from cooking to laughing
and many more as well
and yes,  it is all your fault

Happy Birthday, Mom..... I love you too!

The Three Hundred Forty Sixth, December 12, 2011

heart beats faster
pulse beginning to pound
anxious thrill and fear
mixing in joyful sorrow

bitter sweet memmories
the past holds me now
caught within my words
exposed before the future

will there be an end to this
or will madness drive me
compulsion pushing forward
beyond the realm of reason

can this journey really end
having become my focus
the force that inspired me
so much of what I have become

is this a cloak that shields
comforting me on my road
shall I lay it aside at the end
or wear it, hiding within

such thoughts sit up with me
as sleep evades my mind
where will I look tomorrow
and what will I seek there

anxiety sadness and joy
holding hands upon the cliff
smile knowingly to one another
stepping off the edge as one

The Three Hundred Forty Fifth, December 11, 2011

silence from the loud
empty shadows dance
light fades slowly
the presence still remains

missing begins at goodbye

The Three Hundred Forty Fourth, December 10, 2011

I see no light up ahead
can sense no end to it
this is not a dark tunnel
there is no darkness here

it is hard to detect up there
something lighting the way
the end of the tunnel shining
as everything is just gray

I see the glow of my trail
fading away behind me
nothing else is clear here
yet still not feeling lost

I can feel the wall is near
marking the end of this
is it a closing of the road
or the doorway into more

I do not yet know the answer
and may not until the end
and after all this time I've spent
I think that may be a very good thing

The Three Hundred Forty Third, December 9, 2011

morning has broken
I didn't do it
like the first morning
that one either



and so I sit and wonder
a concept some may fear
as it leads my mind to wander
and its what brought me here

if breaking things is bad
because it requires repair
then why claim it for the day
I can find no logic there

I would rather of blooming
day growing from the east
perhaps just use sun rising
that doesn't hurt at least

insisting on dawn cracking
as some important sign
why not use an alarm clock
that was why I bought mine

it all seems pessimistic
a mild defeatist mentality
beginning the day defective
what can you hope it will be

The Three Hundred Forty Second, December 8, 2011

that which was old
will now become new
but the same in reverse
everything gets old

with age comes wisdom
and stiffness in joints
muscle aches as well
I forget what else happens

I like the thought tho
of getting to be new
if only I could remember
what I should do with it

The Three Hundred Forty First, December 7, 2011

ode to vertigo


upside down again
standing still and moving
loss of balance sitting

the room is still
it really should be spinning
it feels unreal to me

I know this feeling
I should be drinking maybe
that makes rooms move

don't like dizzy
worse with the room still
I feel like I missed the buzz

The Three Hundred Fourtieth, December 6, 2011

I understand
I have no idea what
less of how it happened
but clarity has come at last

clarity at last
never mind the trip
the stumble was planned
I have comprehension after all

but it is still pitch black after all....

The Three Hundred Thirty Ninth, December 5, 2011

out through the in door
back where you started
hanging around inside
looking in the out door