Turmoil Around Me

I'm trying to emancipate myself
from the mentally slavery.
I know only I can free my mind. Bob Marley told me that.
But I say, get out of my head Bob,
get out of my head. Every word you're singing,
I'm already thinking instead.
So I say to you Bob, get out of my head.

I listen to your music
and it pulls me from my dread.
Not the Natty one, you sing about
But I'm still bee-bopping to your Funky Reggae Party.
I am listening as you tell me,
Everywhere there is War,
how we need to stand up
and fight for the poor.
Fight the injustices in this world again
But, EVERYWHERE THERE IS WAR!

I'm just trying to live my life,
Easy Skanking, and smoking on my spliff.
But everywhere around me there is WAR!
I can't love you, like my Guava Jelly,
I can only help those like me,
a life saver for the lives in need of saving.
But it is not an easy thing,
because everywhere and all around me there is WAR!

So I won't listen to those Crazy Baldheads
all around me. The struggle is part of life's journey.
I won't let them chase me out of this town,
I won't let them make me feel like a clown.
But it's not easy b/c
EVERYWHERE around me is WAR!

Thank you Bob for helping me see
that everywhere and everyone
can be at WAR!

Final Word

I had to write a letter

to return a text message

about my EX being back

with her old man.

You mean the one who

used to abuse her, both

verbally and with the

back of his hand?

Yes that's the same.

The one whose place

she said I had taken.

But understand,

that I must have been mistaken.

It's too bad that I 

couldn' t bring home the bacon. 

And all along,

I have a feeling like she was just faking.

Even with empty words

put on pieces of paper

given as gifts. They still

make glasses seem half empty.

Please try and understand

that I am still the same

man I used to be.

Even with all the obstacles

placed in front of me.

Glasses now seen as half full.

No more words given

by scaret letter wearers. 

Work in Progress

This is a work in progress still. So I should finish it up soon.

Drama you say?

But I am no thespian,

although I do like women.

But drama, no I do not like it.

Not in my life, my movies,

or even the theater I see.

I avoid drama so much

my TIVO has been edited.

But somehow drama......

she loves me.

I can be hiding out, 

laying low, or even on the lamb

And she will find me,

hook me, and then

I'm a Greek Tragedy.

I wish comedy loved me.

Because laughing......so much easier than crying!

But comedy, she treats me

as if I don't exist.

Unless you count the fact

that the universe laughs at me.

So in a sense I am it's comedian,

it's court jester if you will.

Silver Medalist

I would never let you down

Especially once I touched your hand

Would you let me down, 

if you could fully understand?

The shadow, the depths,

of my dark gloomy thoughts.

Shinny trinkets make me feel like I'm sold,

but never bought.

Trapped by false hopes,

perpetrated by my own mind.

Aided by your words of encouragement.

How does one deal with always being second best?

Always being told it was never a test.

Knowing, you don't deserve any less

You deserve way more.

Not showing enough people in life the door.

You hold on to tight.

To those blind perceptions of night.

Hoping the boyish charm

will win through, and maybe one day

Someone will choose you.

But until then

what is a boy to do?

He shines his silver medal.

That's second place to me and you.

UPSTAIRS

I wrote this a few years ago, but it plays so much into my life on a daily basis.

I live upstairs

in my two half-spaced rooms

I live upstairs

trapped in my inner self

I live upstairs, with no windows to see out

I live upstairs

with the Id, Ego, SUPER-EGO

I live upstairs, but not above anyone

The space I occupy rests in-between my ears.

Loneliness

Savings the words
I have no way to say.
Hoping you and I
will once again play.
Like the two young
lovers we once were.

Letting people in was never my thing

then you came along 

and inserted your key of light,

into my heart of darkness.

Not knowing what you do,

for it comes naturally to you,

you opened me up once more.

So don't run to

another man's arms,

until you've felt mine

around you one more time.

Don't run to an other's mind,

until you've picked

my brain......one more time.

And please just see me

for who I am.....a caring man!

Gray Haired Man

Here is my smile

my fake window
to my soul.
Happiness is a state
of mind. A state,
I seldom ever find.
Joy in spirit 
is not joy in heart.

Endless nights
without much sleep 
leads to years taken
off of lives
not yet lived.
Knock, knock, knock,
it's Father Time.
No more napping
like a cat
The bear
no longer hibernates
Wide-eyed and bushy-tailed
once more. Finally alert
to the real me.
The power slowly returns
but at what cost?