Same Difference

You and I are not that different.
Our lives are just as valuable as
the next. The places we’ve been
help us understand the common
struggle in life: things we juggle.
Our experiences help us become
open-minded. They help us see
when others are stranded. We
have suffered all the same. We
understand that context matters
when we see mirrors shatter.
We feel similar pain and joy,
whether you’re a girl or boy:
a young woman or an old man.
Whether sitting or standing,
life is still a canvas that must
be painted to be viewed later.
As I say, life unfolds everyday
in miraculous ways. Together,
we can weather every storm
that comes. To be with you
and survive the storm helps
me find what I’m looking for.
Although, differences divide,
we must strive to look inside
and see what tries to hide.
We will live on all the same
unless we change the game.

Unplugged

Back in the day, kids found a way
to play until the sun vanished.
Kids knew how to enjoy each other
in some of the worst weather.
Kids weren’t static. They moved
about: looking for adventures.
Technology has evolved into a
monster that can’t be conquered.
Not all can see it. Those plugged
in will never see it for what it is.
Trapped, torn, and born into
a life of phones, computers,
and smart cars that know
where we are – where we been:
life has never been the same.
Impossible to break free, try to
think of ways to rid yourself of
the hypnotic spell once cast.
If you are plugged in, find time
to get to the source and pull
out the cord. Unplug and see
your life just how you looked
at these words. Take a break
from screens stealing the time
that we never seem to find.

Flip-Flop

My feelings flip-flop. They don’t stop.
My feelings hop right out of socks.
My feelings don’t care. They come
and go with very little to show.
Good, bad, happy, sad, mad, or glad,
my feelings flip-flop and flop-flip.
My feelings take me on more trips
than Ken Griffey Jr. had hits.
My feelings take form and assure
me that I am still a life-form.
My feelings are real; they can heal
and can hurt in the same storm.
Will my feelings flip or flop?
Will I slip and lose my grip?
Will I be able to carry and lift
this gift of life to the finish line?
My feelings will flip and flop,
and I will keep feeling them
until the light in my eyes dim.

Below the Surface

He was observed: made from scratch.
He was seen scratching away
at the surface: the stubborn dirt.
He scratched long into the day.
He wanted to reach the hurt.
Not before long, the day was gone.
He found nothing here, so he
scratched there. He couldn’t see
as he scratched deep into the night.
The sun came up, and he looked
down and said: “I can make some-
thing from all the stuff I found.”
Tired and dirty, he walked home
with stuff that can never be shown.
He was happy to have dug below
the surface: a place only he knows.

Inside the Outside

I fell inside the outside.
In my mind, I lose track
of time. I have been
inside the outside. I ride
outside to find a life
lived from the inside out.
Maybe, I can find myself
in a place without a face.
From inside to outside,
true feelings will arise.
From low to high, I fly
inside the outside of life
to get a better sight.
See life from this side
before good times hide.