As life gets heavier,
my grip naturally tightens.
I am playing tug of war,
and on the other side
of the rope is the fear
that I lose all hope.
I am always trying
to stay grounded when
my mind is flying.
I am trying to live
instead of thinking
of death or dying.
When I try to pull,
I feel that the hole
in my soul becomes
filled: almost full.
In this life, I tug, tug,
and tug. I attempt to
stand on top of a rug
that is being pulled
from under me. See,
these rope burns
come easy. I won’t
slip or lose my grip
until the sweet taste
of victory drips off
of my quivering lips.
Tag: full
Gray Days
Some days are gray days.
Dark clouds. Heavy rain.
No umbrella can help
us stay dry. Some days,
gray days fade to blue.
Most days, raindrops fall
turning seeds into trees.
Some days, the breeze
reminds us of the cold
world we occupy. We try
to get through the gray
days. On the worst days,
we find ways to follow
the light that pierces
the darkness. We have
seen many gray days.
We know it to be tough
when smooth becomes
rough. We know that
life has its ups, downs,
and roundabouts. Life
is full of green grass,
blue skies, gray days
and we are full of life.
Look past the haze;
do not let gray days
take the sunshine away.
One Left
At the start, there were many
just like me: a town full of us.
Now, my heart stays empty.
A store once stood where I
am standing. A church, once
alive, has been laid to rest.
A school that once thrived
is now a page in the history
books. A hospital that once
stood strong is long gone.
Many fled the tiny town,
and some stayed to face
the inevitable destruction
coming their way. Lives
were lost in the small war.
All I could do was watch
as fire surrounded, leaving
me stranded. Many years
later, there is only one left.
I am the man who made it.
I survived life’s greatest
test, and I see the world
for what it is. I am blessed
to be the only one left.
No Vacancy
As the day moves, I seem to lose
track of time. I seem to forget
where my thoughts went. Still,
I feel fulfilled even when milk
is spilled. Thoughts, memories,
and feelings take refuge inside
my wide eyes. All I have seen,
heard, and felt does not melt.
What remains stays in frame.
All that I am is made up of old
times and slant rhymes. Still,
there is no room to goof off.
Now, as I move on, there is
no love lost – no cross to bear.
No fear: no vacancy: no way
to tell when all will be well.
Life is full of ups and downs
and broken crowns. It’s time
for stars to align. Believe it
to be true; it starts with you.
The Great Escape
You don’t have to do much
to get tripped up. The mind
contains chains that hold
down brains. The mind
can wander down on trails
derailing trains of thought.
The mind is a cage holding
in memories once caught.
Inside your mind, find time
to escape the cage keeping
you from chasing dreams.
When the walls start closing
in, breathe in the care-free
air. Close your eyes and look
inside. Free yourself – believe
there is more to every life.
Break free from yourself.
Run! Flee! Find happiness:
a life full of freedom and bliss.
IN YOUR DREAMS POETRY 