Making It Up

Changes come
Faster than
We think
They can.
One split-second
Is all it takes
To switch the course
You're bound to take.
So, don't shake
Or stutter.
Just take the best
Without remorse.

Self-Belief

Why is my
Very being so tied
To what others
Think -
Instead of what
I, myself, think?
Why can't I just
Have pride in a
Job well-done
Instead of waiting
For my worth to
Be revealed by
The reactions of those
Around me?
Why can't I just
Say to myself,
"You did good,"
And why can't
That
Be enough?

Sweeter

Sometimes
The road to answered
Prayers
Is paved with brokenness
And trials
But when the answer comes
It is
All the
Sweeter.

Never Too Late

It is a later night tonight
But it is worth it
Because seeing family
Is a great thing
No matter how
Tired we are.

Bridges

Love can build a bridge
And hate can tear it down
So let us reinforce our bridges
With intelligence and forethought
Let us understand
That sometimes love
Is not enough -
And sometimes it is
Not healthy
Sometimes
It's necessary to tear
Down the bridge -
Not because of hate -
But because
It isn't wise
To cross it

Outcry

When things
Don't look right
To your mind
Don't turn a
Blind eye,
Hope an end
Is in sight.
Take life into
Your hands
And then storm the
Gates
And trust that
Injustice
Grows only
From hate.

Breakdown

When the world breaks
Into pieces
Too tiny to collect
Or find
Know that it's okay
To break
And leave the world behind
For this is how the world works -
And we are of the world -
We'll stand behind you
As you're breaking
And embrace you
Because it's what we do.

One Less Day

Just a little left today
Before it's time
To put away
Everything
For just one night
Until it's time
To set things right
Again.

Who For?

Who do you write for?
And who do you sing for?
And who do you dance for?
And who do you live for?
I write for both myself
And for others -
For my mom and my dad
For my sister and brothers
I sing for my soul
Because my soul needs it
And I dance for my cousin
Because he believes it
I live for the Lord
Who first gave me breath
I'll leave all this behind
Never minding the mess

Some Days

Some days you cook
And some days you clean
And some days you don't
Even know what you mean.
Some days you are sore
And some days you smile
And some days you just
Want to rest for awhile
Some days you skate
And some days you sit
And some days you don't
Even know that you slipped
Some days you're here
But one day you won't be
So make the most of your
Some days because
They're your only

What Music Is

Music and lyrics
Are the best kinds of things
They lift up your heart
And then give it wings
It is the dancer's roadmap
It is the writer's muse
It is the singer's universe
It puts us in the mood
So if you are upset now
Or lonely or confused
There's a song for every moment
With music, we can't lose

Conflicted

Though I am
And will remain
Grateful
For your presence
In my life,
And all you've
Done for me -
I want you to know
Something.
I don't dream of
The good times
Nearly as much as
I dream of
You hurting us.

This Must Be What Other People Feel Like

I do not claim
To comprehend
Or fully get
Another's pain or loss.
Please understand
That when I speak
Of forgiving,
I do not speak
On the behalf
Of the bereaved
But only on
My own.

Mosque

We cannot judge
The whole
Based solely on
The actions of
A few.
This is ignorant.
And this is dangerous,
Because
We are not
The ones
Who judge.
Instead
Lets focus
On forgiveness.
Instead
Lets move
Beyond
All this.

Nightmare On My Street

What do I
Want to think
About these awful
Dreams I'm dreaming?
How do I
Stop them from
Invading every
Thing I'm seeing?
When will I
Say I've had
Enough of such a
Way of life,
And now I'm leaving?

This Is The Moment

This is the moment
Of deep grief and loss
This is the day
When it all comes apart
This is the moment
When guilt finds your heart
This is the moment
When you want to run
This is the moment
You're hiding away
This is the moment
She can't come to play
But this is the moment
We're standing with you
This is the moment
We're praying you through

SEE?

What a big lesson
From such a little girl.
What a big house
She's living in now.
And what a sweet echo
She has left behind.
What a great father
Who cared for and cherished her.
What a strong mother
Who held her and raised her.
What a trusting Emily
Who started the legacy.
What a playful Caleb
Who brought her such laughter.
What a loving Will
Who always was there for her.
What wisdom from Shaoey
Who always showed hope.
What a best friend Stevey
Who was always around.
And what a Maria -
Oh, what a gift you are.

Passing Versus Permanent

It's such a pain
To be in
Pain,
But I know
This too
Shall pass.
Like everything
Else, it is
Temporary -
So I will rest
And just believe
Because
It's so much
Better
To feel better.

Within

Flying monkeys
Over me
Chicken and rice
Inside of me
My mother's words
Are all around me
And a dear friend's love
Is always
With me.

About Face

What is it
About tonight?
Where are we
With things
Upcoming?
What is it
About this time
In my life,
With this
Thing
Enduring?

Hold It Up

Winning
Isn't the most
Important thing.
It is how
You handle
Winning -
And how
You handle
Losing -
That will
Be held up
As an
Example.

Choosing

Satisfaction
Isn't always
Guaranteed
But
It is what
You choose
To do with
Your circumstances,
And the attitude
You choose
That makes
All the difference.

Lured

So late now
What shall I do?
But the fact remains
I cannot resist
The lure of this
Act.
So I will write
Once more tonight
Before I face the
Day.

Back Home

It's a beautiful thing
What friends can bring
Into a heart -
Into a home.
And I would like
Them to feel at home
In my heart,
And in my home.

World-Changer, Peacemaker

There is a little boy
Who changed me in
The biggest way
Child or not
He was the best part
Of all of us.
And I say
With certainty,
I would like to be
Like him
When I grow up.

Who Says Anything Is Belated?

Gifts given from friends
Out of love
Are the best.
But the truth is
What is important
Isn't the present
But the people
Behind it.
The truth is -
You, friends,
Are the gift.

Stealer

Such a tragic thing
When personal demons
Steal the person
We love.
Such a loss
We don't
Know how to fix.
But we know
That we can
Arm ourselves
By outing ourselves -
By not letting
Our secrets
Be secrets.

El Toro

Just some Jake
And just some Peggy
Just a quesadilla
And cheese
Love and visits
Birthdays and gifts
Beautiful days
Made better with family

Perfect Start

Up so quick
And on the way
To mail some love
To a friend today.
It is my favorite
Thing to give.
Not gifts - but love -
It is what it is.

Escape Plan

Don't tell me
I can't get out
And I have to stay
Right where I am.
When the alarm
Sounds, and I
Smell smoke,
I will do all I can
Just as I was taught
It might make sense
For you to tell me
To stay and do nothing,
And trust all is okay.
But put yourself
In my bare feet
And tell me you wouldn't
Make the same choice
And escape.

Sharing The Gift

Writing
Is just about
The best thing
Ever.
Because it is
Putting
A piece of yourself
On a page for many years
To come -
For many eyes
To see.

Skype

You've got a way
Of convincing me
To do
Whatever it is
I should.
Because, as you say,
"Most times
You must ask -
But this is a
Situation
Where
You can tell."

Complete

A beautiful night
With some rain
And some thunder
And some Criminal
Minds just to make it
Complete.
Oh, how I love me some
AJ & Matthew,
Some Joe & some Kirsten
To make me
Complete.

Hopes & Wishes

What do I hope for
And what do I wish?
For something to change -
That we'll all be okay.
So don't give up hope
And do not despair,
Because something
Is changing,
Believe that it's there.

Pizza

Last night, I dreamed
Of a pizza so lovely
I even cared not
That it was Tombstone
And ugly.
It was covered with cheese -
Not shaped like a ball -
I enjoyed a whole slice.
Yes, I ate it all.
So today, I woke up
With a real pizza-brain
And this noon, I found one
Not hidden away.
So I cooked my DiGiorno
With its cheese and its chicken
Its onions and peppers -
And that's when I dug in.
Yes, it was delicious,
Better than my dream.
Hope I don't pay later
For high pizza esteem.

Save Us

There are so many
Things
To be said about
Friendships,
But the one never
Said is how
They break down.
Hindsight
Is always more
Informed than we
Ever were, the first
Time we grabbed on
To that unhealthy
Person -
The one we thought
Would save us -
When, in fact,
The only one able to
Save us
Is us.

Hot

So hot I don't
Know what to do,
Or how to cool
Down after all.
So bring me ice
Or bring me water,
I just don't want
To feel any hotter.

Deal With It

What exactly
Is good
To know
And what
Is a little
Too much?
There is so
Much
We see
Every day,
So how can
We
Deal with it?

Author-Placement

Guess where I am
As I write this fine poem?
It's a room in a house
And I'm sitting alone.
It's a great place to write
And to sit and to think.
If you don't believe me,
You most likely unthink.
So enjoy the poem,
And I'll enjoy the place.
Trust me, it's lovely
To have your own space.

Great Joy

Giving gifts
Is the greatest part
Of celebrating
Someone else's start
In life.
If anyone tells
You differently,
You know
That they just have
A bit more growing
Up to do.
So give them something
To enjoy
While you enjoy
The act of giving.

Overturning

Such little things
Make for
Such a good day
There is no denying
It should be that way.
So brighten your eyes
And springload your step
And realize
The day isn't
Through with you yet.

Seven-Month Silence

There is
Something to be said
About
Connecting with a friend
Because even if
It's been months
Or years
There is still
A reassurance
That they'll be
Here.

How Sure

Never sure
Whether
Something is
Right -
Never sure
If I should
Act or sit still.
So now I ask
You,
What am I to do?
And watch as I
Wait
For the
Answer.

Last Moments Of A Former Life

Hard to breathe
Can't comprehend
What's happening
Now.
Everything
Is automatic
And nothing
Is a sure thing.
Living in limbo
Unable
To show
Anything
But fear
Until the end
Comes.
But
Even then
It's not
The
End.