Tag: do

The Boogeyman

jmacthedreamLeave a comment

Once a night, the Boogeyman visits 
kids who stay up, kids who are bad, 
and kids who don’t believe. Under 
the bed and inside your head,  
the Boogeyman creeps around. 
The Boogeyman lurks without 
a sound. He hangs around. He 
waits for the perfect moment 
to become visible. He attacks 
in the dead of the night when 
the parents cut off the light. 
During the day, the Boogeyman 
takes the shape of a politician, 
a teacher, a secretary, a mom, 
a dad, a pastor, a police officer, 
or a homeless man under 
the bridge. The Boogeyman 
returns to his true form after 
he conforms. Beware of his 
gaze. Don’t make eye contact 
as it serves as an unwritten 
contract. Have no fear. Don’t 
be scared. All you need to be 
is aware. Sleep tight tonight. 
If something doesn’t feel right, 
get up and turn on the light. 

Read the Room

jmacthedream5 Comments

You don’t have to be literate
to read the room. You don’t
have to know how to sweep
to use a broom. You don’t
need feet to own shoes.
Rooms are like books on
a shelf. People are like words
on a page. Sometimes, it takes
awhile for some to open up.
Each person has their own
definition of life. Views
and perspectives differ.
Beauty is in the eye of
the beholder. Lessons
are learned and days
grow shorter as we get
older. You don’t need
a folder to read the room.
Open your eyes and look
around. Take it all in
as you read the room.
From womb to the tomb,
leave no room for regret.
Read the room and learn
how fires burn. Read
each person’s face. Learn
just how the world turns.
Whatever you decide to do,
know that it is better to
read the room than to
leave the room. Look.
We can all be open books.

Behind the Scenes

jmacthedream4 Comments

I am the leading actor
in this movie of life.
The cameras are rolling
all day and all night.
The scenes are shot
from my eyesight
with or without light.
The film developed
is stored in my brain.
There are no ‘cuts’ or
‘do-overs’. The camera
keeps rolling whether
sleeping or bowling.
As my movie finishes,
my memory diminishes.
Once the movie is made,
all things in life fade.
Only if you saw behind
the scenes, you would
understand the man
that I am. You would
see all that I was:
the good, bad, and ugly.
See me for me and look
for all the good things
that I am and will be.


Carried Away

jmacthedreamLeave a comment

Today, I got carried away.
Instead of work, I play.
Sometimes I forget to live
without stress. The older
I get, the shorter the days.
Today, I got carried away
from what I was doing.
Half the time, I don’t know
which direction to go.
The other half of the time,
I don’t know if I should
go outside or stay in
and hide. These long legs
carry me away. One point
to the next. Feeling blessed
in my chest, I hold my head
high. I look to the sky. I see
wings carry birds away.
I feel the wind chill my skin.
I can count on my days
getting carried away.
My mind might stray, yet
my body will stay. Blue
skies littered with birds
help me find the words
needed to carry me away.
I look ahead and know that
one day, blues fade to black.

Don’t Know

jmacthedream1 Comment

I don’t know what you know.
I do know that I don’t know
what you have gone through.
You don’t know what I know.
Many don’t know how roses
grow out of concrete. I don’t
know how some people stay
on their feet. Some do know
how broken hearts can glow.
Most don’t know that it gets
much better. Life can change
much like the weather. We
don’t know that we can be
free. I don’t know exactly
when all will be well, but I
can tell that it will be soon.
Just like the suns and moons:
the forks and spoons; we live
knowing we need each other.
I know life is hard – unfair,
but to know that you care
helps me learn to be aware.