F AND M

 .

.

.

F AND M

.

.

Focus and morale are both your pal

So invite them wherever you go

Focus on the next step while morale gives you the pep

To overcome challenges and grow

.

.

.

.

.

.

PIT MANUEVER

 .

.

.

PIT MANEUVER

.

.

How do we get out of the black pit of despair?

A helicopter can not lower a rope and lift us out

We will not be able to magically levitate to the surface

Science will not invent an antigravity beam

So how, how do we escape in the dark 

When we don't even have hope as a lamp?

We can break open the only tool left in an emergency

Blind faith. 

It looks like a golden teaspoon

We pick it up and spoon by spoon we make a ramp

From the black loam of regret and resentment's volcanic ash 

Up to the surface where the world of the living

Can include us in the dance of life once again

.

.

.

.

.

.

CALAMITY CALIOPE

 .

.

.

CALAMITY CALIOPE

.

.

When a chronic problem, a painful memory, or unhappy thoughts

Keep circling around in that carnal carnival we call our brains

We are stuck going round and round 

We are stuck on a misery-go-round

Stuck even if the misery-go-round is racing day and night

Everything a blur

Because the ride isn't going anywhere, ever

The wild fierce horses of the misery-go-round

Plunge wildly ahead until we are dizzy and nauseous

We need a new steed, yes indeed

We need Shank's Mare, our reliable ability to walk away

Stop the music, the Serenade of Sorrows

Walk away because going in circles isn't progress

Leaving the gaudy carnival of clowns and troubled souls

We find a new path that will take us to where we want to go

.

.

.

.

.

.

A MAN FOR ALL REASONS

 .

.

.

A MAN FOR ALL REASONS

.

.

He was a lion lying low in winter

A sacrificial lamb in the spring

A blinding radiance in the summer

A wandering werewolf in the fall

.

.

.

.

.

.

BRRRGRRRWLLLRR

 .

.

.

BRRRGRRRWLLLRR

.

.

I know I am hungry

When my tummy sounds

Like a herd of hippopotomi

Being gently groomed by small friendly birds

Under the hot African sun

Until they seek the cool soothing mud

To roll and bask in, both deliciously hot and cool

Like a hot fudge sundae

Which reminds me

I'm hungry

.

.

.

.

.

.

POUNCE

 .

.

.

POUNCE

.

.

When the predator in me kicks in

I watch for my chance to pounce

To go for the advantage and win

No mercy, no not an ounce

.

.

When my inner predator rules

I wait for the place and time

I use all my skills and tools

To beat my opponent in Scrabble online

.

.

.

.

.

.

THE ELECTION OF 1860

 .

.

.

THE ELECTION OF 1860

.

.

The city slickers played stump the bumpkins

But the bumpkins were not stumped

Honest Abe was elected

The slickster? He was dumped.

.

.

.

.

.

.

FALLING FOR IT

 .

.

.

FALLING FOR IT

.

.

Conspiracy theories are like the rabbit hole

In Alice in Wonderland

Once you enter you start to fall

Never knowing where you might land

.

.

As you fall you see and hear incredible things

Some almost impossible to believe

But the deeper we fall the more confused we become

The baffled mind being easier to deceive

.

.

Once we resurface we wrack our brains

For a tangible benefit you can name

But hard as you try, you have to admit

Everything's still just the same

.

.

Whether you believe in conspiracies

With secret evil cabals

You must still live your mundane life

But perhaps with a higher cause

.

.

.

.

.

.

JUMPY

 .

.

.

JUMPY

.

.

I'm prepared to become alarmed at moment's notice

By the slightest hint that there is something wrong

I guess this is what you might call jumpy

Jumping over potential disasters all day long

.

.

.

.

.

.

DEMON STATION

 .

.

.

DEMON STATION

.

.

When you are chugging along on your train of thought

Don't get off at Demon Station

There are plenty of better places to stop

All across creation

.

.

Demon Station is a terrible place

Filled with rage, regret and anger

Just let your loco-motion go on

To avoid heartbreak and danger

.

.

You can wave to the Demons from the windows on the train

They will do their best to lure you

But stay onboard until True Self Terminal

Avoid the self-deception detour

.

.

.

.

.

.

INSOLUBLE

 .

.

.

INSOLUBLE

.

.

How do we find a solution

When there is no solution to be found

When a solution means we must all agree

On the methods to accomplish something

But we do not, can not, will not agree

No compromise will do

Then we have an insoluable problem

That we must learn to live with, work around

Carry on our day to day lives

Put a big fig leaf on the problem

Turn the apple so the worm hole can not be seen

Brush the dust of corrosion off our feet

Turn away, give up, until better minds prevail

.

.

.

.

.

.

MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION?

 .

.

.

MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION?

.

.

.

It's so easy to stop paying attention

Or have our attention distracted

For a few moments

There is a Watcher for this gap in our vigilance

Who immediately springs into action

To gum up the works, start a disaster

Slow everything down to a complete halt

What is this diabolical force

Waiting for us to screw up?

It has been called many things

But I call this demon Oblivioso

Because it only springs into action 

When our attention wavers

The only way to defeat this master of unintended consequences

Is to stay as vigilant as possible

Oblivioso is an easily defeated foe

As long as we are present in the moment.

.

.

.

.

.

.

THE TRAVELERS

 .

.

.

THE TRAVELERS

.

.

The Universe in its immensity

A neutron star with its density

Our glorious Sun's intensity

That's what I like about Space

.

.

Aliens might be out there

Life seems so precious and so rare

Are other civilizations just scarce?

That's what I wonder about space

.

.

It is all a huge swirling mystery

Terraforming will make history

The stars so enticing and glittery

Will lure us out into space

.

.

.

.

.

.

LOVINGKINDNESS 101

 .

.

.

LOVINGKINDNESS 101

.

.

Kindergarten, grade school, high school, college

All try to fill our heads with knowledge

But if Wisdom is your major course

Your University is the Universe

.

.

Your Teacher is your very life

We learn from good times and from strife

Life is a teacher both harsh and unfair

But we can ace the course if we persevere

.

.

.

.

.

.

The MAGICIAN"S BLESSING

 .

.

.

THE MAGICIAN'S BLESSING

May the vast sparkling ocean claim your tears

May the warm sun and a gentle breeze dry your weeping eyes 

And fill your sails so you may move on

May the bountiful mother, Earth, ground you and let the seeds

Of hope and renewal grow into a mighty forest

Trees, living wands, to shelter you and keep you safe

May the magic of love heal your heart, body and mind

So mote it be.

.

.

.

.

.

.

LAY UP YOUR TREASURES

 .

.

.

LAY UP YOUR TREASURES

.

.

How different it all might have been if we hadn't met a Certain Someone

The mighty river of our lives changing course by happenstance, place and time

The accident of our birth as helpless infants

The child's wide eyed faith we had in others 

These vulnerabilities couldn't be helped

Until as adults we are given the gift of discernment

Then we take our time to evaluate our situation

The types of people involved

How much committment, how many resources

Will be required of us

How different life is once we can choose

The wisest course, the noblest companions

The least rocky path

We did not know, could not know

What we know now

Our hard-won discernment bought at great price

And worth a King's ransom placed in our hearts and minds

Where no rust can corrode it, and no thief whisk it away.

.

.

.

.

.

.