GENTLE HAND

Protect me from the evilness
put boarders all around,
there is safety that I seek within
from security that is sound.

With all the walls held firm and strong
to shield me from the pain,
I wonder now, can I be wrong,
have I done all this in vain?

By shutting out all that’s wrong
I also closed out right,
It’s cold and dark, I’m all alone
oh, to see the light.

I scream and cry and shout inside
but no one hears my call,
even though you’re all so close
I’m imprisoned by this wall.

If only I could stretch my arms
beyond this guarded land,
and find it’s safe, I’m not alone
by the touch of a gentle hand.

But, my fear is if I try too hard
my arms will come back cold,
rejected by that gentle touch
whose arms would not unfold.

Don’t fence me in! Don’t fence me out!
There are answers I do not know.
Is there a key to pick the lock
so I’ll be free to go?

Without these walls to block the path
the journey can begin,
to see and learn and experience
of what might not have been.

Oh, sweet life, it is divine
when unchained from one’s cage.
The freedom of the open space
is great at any age.

Now my arms are opened wide
to receive that gentle hand,
to guide and teach and learn the truth
from freedom in the land.

LOST IN THE WOODS

Lost in the woods if by ones self,
on a trail that has no end,
with no one there to guide you,
no one to call a friend.

Come my children and follow me,
I’ll show your way back home.
I will comfort and protect you,
from the evils of this land.

Turn away from wickedness,
that clouds your every day.
Ask and it shall be given,
I will answer when you pray.

Be careful of the things you do,
make sure your will is good.
If you take the path that has no way,
you may get lost in the woods.

Come my children and follow me,
I’ll show your way back home.
I will comfort and protect you,
from the evils of this land.

To a young friend and poet

THE QUIET ONE

The quiet one,
That’s how I remember you.
No muss, no fuss,
no distraction to the rest.

The quiet one.
Not afraid to question,
not afraid to answer,
just waiting to be asked.

O, quiet one
whose noises caused laughter
and stress caused concern.
You took it in stride, you kept it inside.

The quiet one now, is not who I see.
Your voice has been heard,
your actions speak louder
anyone close, couldn’t be any prouder.

Your words, they have taught me,
your words, they have moved me,
your actions are caring and true.
The best thing I’ve learned
in our time through these years,
is KNOWING the quiet one,
that’s you.

A COOL WIND BLOWS


Waking in the middle of the stillness in the night,
the moon reflects a little ray of light,
and there you see a vision on the wall
of the days you try to leave behind.

A spider’s web still holding what’s left
of the shell of what a life once was,
never ceasing, never releasing its grip
on a time now gone.

A cool wind blows and the trees bow down
cleaning out the weak and the dead
bringing in a newness with life reborn
giving strength to all around.
Breathing the freshness of the crisp clean air
comes when a cool wind blows.

Everyday, in the corners of your world
a cob web fills with the shells of yesterday,
protected by an act of nothing changed,
never leaving the sight in your mind.

And each day a new web’s spun
making room for today’s memories.
Oh, to clean what has past, from our clutches
needing only the force of a cool wind’s blow.

A cool wind blows and the trees bow down
cleaning out the weak and the dead.
Bringing in a newness with life reborn,
giving strength to all around
Breathing the freshness of the crisp clean air
comes when a cool wind blows,
comes when a cool wind blows

O LIGHT OF MINE
There you are, o light of mine,
I thought that you had gone out.
I missed my time with you.
My days seemed like nights
without the stars in the sky.
I’m glad you’re back, o light of mine
these chilly days have left me cold.
I can feel your presence surround me now
with your radiant glow
and it warms me, o light of mine.
When I look into you, o light of mine
the brightness of your flame fill my eyes in awe.
No longer do I fear the darkness
of the untraveled road,
for my path is lit by you, o light of mine.
I remember now, when we first met
so simple was the night.
All it took was a look of hope,
and see the pureness in your light
to lead my way, o light of mine.
O light of mine, it wasn’t you
that was missing from my sight.
It was me, it was me, o light of mine
who had gone away to hide.
Thank you for waiting, o light of mine.
I must share you now, o light of mine
with strangers and my friends.
With your warmth, bring peace.
With your strength, give hope.
With your light, show them the way.
On that day we will join together,
and in one voice we will proclaim,
I AM YOURS, O LIGHT OF MINE!
I am yours,
O light of mine.

SEEK AND FIND
Throughout our lives we are faced with many paths to take.
Some lead us nowhere, for they are dead ends.
Some give us what we want for now,
But we still hunger for the right path to riches.
Have faith, continue to seek and it will be found.

SOAR
Long you’ve waited
to spread your wings
Beyond the clouds
There is much to see
Freedom’s your gain
whence you came
Set your sites high
use all your skills
and soar high
soar long and soar strong

THROUGH OUR EYES
You see me how you want to see me.
You see me as a friend,
You see me as a stranger,
You see me as an enemy.
You see me smile,
You see me frown,
You see me laugh,
You see me cry.
I too see what I want to see.
I see you as a friend,
I see you as a stranger,
I see you as an enemy.
I see you smile,
I see you frown,
I see you laugh,
I see you cry.
Through my eyes I see your kindness,
Through my eyes I see your compassion,
Through my eyes I see you wanting to know,
Through my eyes I see your anger.
Through my eyes I see your happiness,
Through my eyes I see your sorrow,
Through my eyes I see your humor,
Through my eyes I see your pain.
Through our eyes we can see beneath the surface,
Through our eyes we can reach into our depths,
Through our eyes we can find a common ground,
Through our eyes we can finally see each other.
John 5:8:06

I CANNOT HATE YOU
There I was before you and at your mercy.
It wasn’t a dream. It wasn’t a movie. It wasn’t fiction.
It was real. It was now.
It was life.
Stripped naked of all possessions;
You took my work.
You took my world.
You took my life.
Your backs were turned.
Your ears were deaf.
Your eyes were blind.
Your minds were numb.
How can this be?
How can you be so vile?
How can you decimate what you profess?
How can you look in a mirror?
You hurt me and I cried.
You cut me and I bled.
For all you cared I was dead.
But you did not kill my spirit.
For the answer lay deep within.
The answer that keeps fear at bay.
The answer that strengthens weaknesses.
The answer that brings new life from death.
With all my strength I kept it close.
With all my passion I gave it away.
With all my hope I see a new day.
With all that was given me.
What I was given was given to you.
Forgiveness, love and eternal life.
To possess this is to know that
I cannot hate you.
Love, J