An American Dream

I wake up every morning, rub my eyes and ponder

On the wonders that the day may hold in store.

Knowing that the truth is there to stare back in my mirror

And the challenges that wait for me just outside my door.

Robins watch me drive away to capture new adventures

Just before the sunrise trickles in

To chase the moonlight’s beams,

And America comes back to life

With banners raised and hope revived

And skies unfold as multitudes go looking for their dreams.

 

It’s an American dream

Where every wish can come true

And the weak can be strong,

You can right any wrong

And your faith can shine through.

An American song that is just as it seems.

It’s a song filled with hope,

A song filled with joy

And American Dreams.

 

Heaven loves an optimist,

And glory waits for those

Who build their hopes and dreams on faith and peace and love.

I believe with every breath that this great land is over-blessed

With those who get their guidance from

A power up above.

 

It’s an American dream….

 

If Heaven’s Not Out There

I’m not really sure that Heaven exists

In the way that you hear it described,

Streets paved with gold,

Pearly gates open,

And a book where my name is inscribed.

Billions of angels in white robes and wings

Looking down at the people below

From their place in the clouds

Where life is forever

In a house where God cares for each soul.

 

But if Heaven’s not out there,

Then why am I here?

He gives me hope to live in His light

And to die without fear.

I’m taking my chances.

My faith will be strong.

‘Cause if Heaven’s not out there,

Then everything’s wrong.

 

When I was a child I studied His book

And believed everything that I read,

Listened on Sundays to teachers and preachers,

Soaked up the words that they said.

Tasted of life, lived through temptation,

Now that my race is near run,

I have to believe that the time’s getting closer

To capture the prize that I’ve won.

 

But if Heaven’s not out there….

 

Crystal Ball

The crystal ball is broken,

Shattered in a thousand pieces,

Scattered on the basement floor

Just waiting to be swept away.

 

A thing of beauty in its day,

Filled with hope and aspiration,

Forward seeking, always searching

For that temple in the sky,

 

Looking for an alibi

To hide the fear of taking chances,

Falling victim to the winds of change

The fates are bound to bring.

 

Still the sirens softly sing

Their subtle songs of dreams fulfilled,

Beckoning to press their will,

Rekindling the fire within,

 

To pick up pieces and begin

With hope reborn to start anew,

New decisions, new directions,

New crystal ball to gaze into.

 

Constant Eyes

A mother’s love is unrelenting,

Impervious to compromise,

Often silent, always open,

Vigilant, with constant eyes.

 

Nothing else holds more importance

Than the safety of her child,

Every hope, every dream,

Every trivial trick or trial

Are met and dealt with confidence,

Weighing all the evidence,

Dealing out the consequence,

Both prosecutor and defense.

 

I grew up in a home of love,

No pretention or disguise.

All that I am or hope to be I owe to

Mother’s constant eyes.

 

Long Time Ago

Had a lot of druthers

In those early days of youth,
Back before reality revealed
The ugly truth.
Could have done a lot of things,
Most anything I wanted.
No one there to dash my dreams,
No memories that haunted.
Could have been a singer,
Then my voice began to change.
Could have been a cowboy
Riding on the open range.
Could have been a lawyer
Out there fighting for a cause.
Could have been an actor
Only fighting for applause.
But over time fate has a way
Of calmly stepping in,
And though sometimes it knocks you down
You get back up again.
Looking back without regret
It now seems clear to me,
What happened then to bring me here
Was surely meant to be.

 

Until Tomorrow is Today

Each reality of today

Was someone’s dream of yesterday.

Perhaps unknown,

Unfelt,

Unseen,

A feathered angel lost in sleep.

Stealth shadows from another world

That slowly seep into the mind

And brighten with the daylight’s touch

Until tomorrow is today

And we can see her rosy cheeks,

Feel her warming gentle touch,

Hold the hope that she inspires

And taste the nectar

In her kiss.

 

Rainbow Rider

Wistful, waxing rainbow rider

Chasing after stormy weather

Wrangling the hope that follows,

Kissing every childhood dream.

 

Saddled upon colored horses,

Rising from a distant land

From horizon to horizon

Spreading joy to every corner.

 

Leaping color upon color

Sweet magenta fades to blue

In disappearing majesty

To find the hue of sunlight’s glow.

 

Sweet, the arc of your bright bow

Quickly fades from mortal view.

Happiness is in your mount

Touching hearts in your brief time.

 

Hope Rises

From the ashes of despair

          On a wish

                    A dream

                              A prayer.

Thankful just to be alive,

          Vision quest

                    Renewed

                              Revived,

As the air comes wafting in,

          Scented breezes

                    Gentle friend,

New directions are revealed,

          Untold secrets

                    Unconcealed.

Lift the darkness from my eyes,

Clear the way so hope may rise.

 

Yes, I Can

They didn’t start out with intent

To shatter every untold mark,

To set a new goal to attain,

To reach the crest of Everest,

To pass the dark side or the moon

And go beyond the Sun and stars.

But somewhere there along the way

Someone took notice of their deed,

Pointed toward a lofty goal

And set a process in its place.

It became like Joltin’ Joe

Clipping fast to fifty six,

Or Ripken’s ironman marathon

As he reached the unreachable.

No one claimed that it was easy.

No one said there’d be no pain.

No one even saw it coming,

Just a happy happenstance.

Was it from a childhood dream?

Was it even in their plan?

Only one thing is for certain.

When asked,

The answer,

“Yes, I can.”

 

Pray for Tomorrow

Okay, so today was not so great,

Weighted with tribulation and trials

Til it seemed that it would have no end.

But it did end,

And I survived,

And what, at times, seemed that it might destroy

Only tended to make me stronger,

While burdens offered became lessons learned,

And blessed relief made the journey worthwhile.

 

Now, as my head touches feathery pillows,

Now, as my eyes cleanse the harsh light of day,

I peacefully pause to reflect on my blessings

And pray for tomorrow

With hope born anew.

 

Don’t Give Up

Sure, it’s hard.

No one said that it would be an easy ride.

Roads are long

And filled with potholes, detours, roadblocks and asides.

Is it worth

The consequences of decisions you abide?

Can you take

The pain you must endure to finally win the prize?

Questions,

Always questions must need answering so dreams survive.

Onward,

Always onward, looking upward, keeping hope alive.

Pausing only briefly for a sip from Inspiration’s cup.

Pressing on with head held high

Determined never to give up.

Best Laid Plans

Time again for the boys of summer

To start a journey that will last into

The depths of autumn ,

Dwindling down to the final two…

The final one.

 

But now, right now,

Everything is even,

Everyone is champion;

Number one.

Plans and schemes and drafts and trades,

Every scenario,

Every projection has laid a path

To be clearly followed.

All are winners at this early stage.

 

And we will follow

With pencil and passion

Living vicariously to the end.

Some heroes will fall.

Some dreams will fulfill,

Our only duty:

Enjoy the ride.

 

You’ll Never Know

Comes a time in every life

You’re standing at a crossroads

And you just can’t decide which way to go.

Do you turn right?

Should you go left or

Just go straight ahead?

Do you walk alone

Or just go with the flow?

 

I’ve heard it said the brave die young

To make their way to Heaven,

And I’d surely like to live beyond my prime.

But if I must make the sacrifice,

Then it’s just a given, and 

I’ll have to give it up before my time.

 

Are you afraid to take a stand

And be the only one?

Would you dare to spread your wings

And fly into the sun?

Happiness is standing close,

It’s just a smile away.

You can turn away or stand and watch it grow.

Do you turn right?

Do you turn left or

Just go straight ahead?

Unless you make a choice you’ll never know.

 

I’ll Get There Someday

Many pathways I have dreamed

Of traveling in my brief time,

Far too many distant places,

So much on a bucket list.

The distance between here and Heaven

Not so great as one might think.

Perhaps just a dream away,

A silent stroll into the mist.

Longings are but toothless phantoms,

Fearsome shadows void of flesh,

Victims of reality

That comes to chase the dream away.

Persistence and tenacity,

Like Superman and Captain Marvel

Arriving in the nick of time.

… I’ll get there someday.

 

Dreamers

Microscopic snapshots of

What might have been,

Could someday be.

Whimsy’s kite of fancy

Lightly fluttering on eagle wings,

Looking down as I look up

So desperate to keep control.

Time stands still as dreams unwind

To endless possibilities.

Let me follow where you lead.

Let me rise above the clouds

To go,

To seek beyond horizons

Past the stars and galaxies,

Passing gates and boundaries

To find Nirvana’s honey well.

Knowing that when I awake

It will be so…

It will be so.

 

There Will be More

So, you think this is it,

This is the end.

Maybe have to go back

And start over again.

Well, all I can tell you is

There will be more.

The fountain still runs,

The water’s still sweet,

And I’ll bring you flowers

The next time we meet,

And kisses await

When you open the door.

 

No one can know what lies up ahead,

A promise unspoken, words left unsaid.

You can fill up an ocean,

Look behind every door.

Still, there will be more.

 

Sometimes it seems

We run out of time.

It gets too late

For sweet talk and wine

And we get too weary

To see what’s in store.

There’s a new day tomorrow,

A new chance to start,

To chase all those dreams

Held deep in your heart,

And always remember

There will be more.

 

No one can know what lies up ahead,

A promise unspoken, words left unsaid.

You can fill up an ocean,

Look behind every door.

Still, there will be more.

 

Best Friends

Bobby Lee and me

We grew up together.

We were always the best of friends.

Swore our kinship in blood,

Fought the world side by side

Never thinking our friendship would end.

Taught to love God and country;

They were worth fighting for.

So, we joined up together,

Headed off to war.

Made the best of all the worst times

And finally made it back home.

 

But through it all, 

No matter how hard the fall,

If we needed someone to lean on

We knew just who we could call,

One who’d be there til the end,

‘Cause we were best friends.

 

Carried each other through thick and thin.

Marched all the way through Hell

And made it back again.

Now I have to carry him one last time

And go it alone.

Ashes to ashes, back to Mother Earth.

Praying for angels to kindle rebirth,

Lost in the memory

As I carry him home.

 

But through it all, 

No matter how hard the fall,

If we needed someone to lean on

We knew just who we could call,

One who’d be there til the end,

‘Cause we were best friends.

 

Let’s Grow Old Together

She said, “Darling, I’ve something to say.

Come sit next to me.”

I sat down with an anxious thought

Wondering what this could be.

Expectations came flooding in

With a feeling akin to dread.

But amazement soon took over

At the words that she said.

 

“Let’s grow old together.

Let’s take a vow.

Let me hold your hand and walk by your side

And show them all how

We belong to another world

Made for lovers and friends

Where the fires continue to grow

And love never ends.”

 

I couldn’t help but feel relieved

And a little surprised.

So, I took her hand in mine

And looked into her eyes.

I said, “Baby, don’t you know?

That’s just what I intend to do.

Gonna spend my lifetime making

Sweet love to you.”

 

Let’s grow old together.

Let’s take a vow.

Let me hold your hand and walk by your side

And show them all how

We belong to another world

Made for lovers and friends

Where the fires continue to grow

And love never ends.

 

Horizons

I always check horizons

To see what lies ahead,

Trying hard to be prepared

Just like my Daddy said.

You can’t know the future

But the pathway can be clear.

Keep your eyes on the horizon,

Face tomorrow without fear.

 

You can let your guard down,

Let your worries take control,

Face the day with blinders,

Let the devil have your soul,

Or you can make your mind up

To control your destiny.

Keep your eyes on the horizon

And set your spirit free.

 

There may be trouble up ahead,

It seems to be that way.

Simple doubts that block the sun

And turn blue skies to gray.

But I don’t worry ‘cause I know

It will work out in the end.

I’ll keep my eyes on the horizon

Like a trusted, faithful friend.

 

You can let your guard down,

Let your worries take control,

Face the day with blinders,

Let the devil have your soul,

Or you can make your mind up

To control your destiny.

Keep your eyes on the horizon

And set your spirit free.

 

Table for Two

I’d been dining so long at a table for one

From the first signs of daylight til way past the setting sun.

But my heart opened wide the day I met you.

Now the rest of our lives we can dine at

A table for two.

 

Small talk and wine

And the music so fine

As the lights fade to amber and blue.

Dessert will taste sweeter.

Everything’s better

At a table for two.

 

We were both standing and waiting alone in a crowd,

Silently wondering, but never saying out loud.

We took a chance on each other and our friendship grew.

Now we’ll spend the rest of our lives

At a table for two.

 

Small talk and wine

And the music so fine

As the lights fade to amber and blue.

Dessert will taste sweeter.

Everything’s better

At a table for two.

 

Made for each other, the fates have been kind.

I spend my days with nothing but you on my mind,

Cherishing every moment that I spend with you.

Waiting to get back and share

Our table for two.

 

Small talk and wine

And the music so fine

As the lights fade to amber and blue.

Dessert will taste sweeter.

Everything’s better

At a table for two.

Waiting Around

I’ve been waiting around for someone like you,

Someone who can lift me up

And make me feel brand new.

It makes me thank the man above

For the love that I’ve found,

Lets me know that it’s all worthwhile

Waiting around.

 

You travel many a circle looking for love,

Trying hard to discover

The one you’re dreaming of.

You kiss some frogs, you kiss some fools,

Sometimes you feel like a clown.

So you take all your wounded pride

And keep waiting around.

 

Blessings fall to the one who patiently waits;

The one who dares to take a chance

And leaves it all to fate.

When the one who was meant to be

Lifts you up off the ground,

Gives you joy that you never knew while you were

Waiting around.

 

One Red Rose

They say sometimes less is more

When you’re trying to express

To the one that you adore

How she brings you happiness.

Your eyes tell me there’s no need for words

To tell you how the feeling grows.

A sip of wine, a single kiss

And one red rose.

 

A rose of passion,

A rose of trust,

Deep with emotion

With a touch of lust,

Filled with secrets

Only your heart knows.

I can say it all

With one red rose.

 

I used to think that to win at love

I had to give you lavish gifts,

Expensive jewelry, fancy clothes

Meant to make your spirits lift.

Now I see it’s the simple things

That let you know why my love grows,

Like the words of a sweet love song

And one red rose.

 

A rose of passion,

A rose of trust,

Deep with emotion

With a touch of lust,

Filled with secrets

Only your heart knows.

I can say it all

With one red rose.