know your worth

Don’t sell yourself short.

Stand tall when you fall.

Know what you’re worth.

What are you made of?

When people talk junk,

know that it’s made up.

When you wake up, get up.

Look in the mirror and see

yourself as a grand prize.

You’re worth more than

you realize. Chest out. Chin

up. You’re a freaking rooster.

The rest of them are ducks.

No need to be a vacuum

when the world already sucks.

Blaze a path. No need to do

the math. Cha-ching. You are

rare art: the very best thing.

Know you’re worth more than

you ever know. Go and get it,

and never sell out. You know

what you’re about. Stand tall.

You are good enough. Know

that you are best in show.

You are priceless: the nicest.

You will never be worthless.

Don’t worry; that’s my request.

Chemical Warfare

There is chemical warfare each day.
Our bodies are the battlefields.
Caffeine, nicotine, oxygen, carbon.
Sometimes, living involves a bargain.
Most times, success is a moving target.
There are elements we can’t forget.
Hard times compound as bonds
break. There are certain feelings
we can’t fake. There are chances
we must take. There will be days
we hate. All we can do is wait.
Our fate is to be determined. Still,
we fill ourselves with the will to
kill chemicals spilled. Chemicals
swirl inside where our demons hide.
Feelings go low, then high like a tide.
Life is like a wave we must ride.
Dopamine, serotonin, adrenaline,
and cortisol. We must balance it all.
Life is short. Make sure you walk tall.

The Boogeyman

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. 

Shell Shock

The war is far from over. Each day
awakens another demon. To say
that life is a breeze must be a lie.
It is hard to stay positive when
you know, you too, will someday
die. All we can do is try to stay
sane. There is a war inside all
of our brains. There is some sun,
but mostly rain. Life can be fun
if we decide to run before father
time tucks us in. What we lose
in things is gained in wisdom.
When the dust settles, we will
see that past souls have risen.
The war is far from over, yet
the score is far from set. Bet
on yourself and don’t give up.
When feeling shell shocked, be
the rock that does not stop
staying on top. Win the battle
today. Strap on your saddle.
Ride closer to the finish line.
When the war is finally over,
our mission will be complete.
That’s when we will be okay.
That’s when we will feel peace.

Father Time

Don’t hit fast-forward.
Don’t press rewind.
Press play and watch
memories from the past
come to life. Take it
slow and pay attention
to the days that pass by
most of our closed eyes.
Look too far and miss
today. Don’t look at all
as our doubts grow tall.
Don’t rush. In our lives,
things may come and go,
yet we will come to learn
there is more to know.
Father time has his hands
full with grains of sand
flowing to his sandals.
Only he knows when
his palms are empty.
Only we can know that
this life is a blessing.