In My Life

I've never been a common man, to those who viewed my life
I've known a grief, that few men have, of death, of fear and strife
I faced a war, and came back home, to find more problems there
Disgraced, lost in addiction, and no one seemed to care

I suffered through addiction, and troubles that it brought
But won against my demons, from lessons I was taught
I found that it don't change your life, it only helps you cope
It would have been much easier, surrendering to dope!

I've never wished to harm a man, who'd given me no cause
Or turned my back upon a friend, who asked me for a pause
I've always tried to do what's right, and steer away from wrong
Tried to teach my kids the same, so they would grow up strong

I've known a life of sacrifice, but had my pleasures too
Tried to live my life with pride, no matter what i do
Troubles tried to sway me, and keep me from my goal
Those I learned to deal with too, it taught me to be bold

I've always tried to share a smile, no matter how I felt
Even through my hardships, and things that I was dealt
I learned that all my troubles, were from choices I had made
Always tried to do my best, no matter how it played

In life, I learned humility, sacrifice and pride
The values that allow you to emerge the other side
Making me a decent man, that most are glad to know
The rest I'll try to understand, and make up as I go

Katrina

Bitter winds blow damp and cold
Howling, on disaters lonely night
Water rising, deep and black
Come to claim treasures most cherished
Hope fades, as darkness falls cold and black
No sign of rescue near
Many welcomed to it's cold wet caress
Deaths wanton river seeks more

Gone now are the relics and spoils of mans past
His memories, cherished, displayed
Gone are the dreams
The fruits of his toil
Earned under sweating brow
Gone is the laughter that once filled the air
Replaced by the savage cold silence
And gone are the plans of days yet ahead
Lost, to disasters hungry river

Soon day will dawn to a landscape changed
Altered by natures great fury
Lost in his fear man will cry to be heard
With only the silence his answer
Darkly she lingers to offer caress
Inviting still, the injured and the weak
In days to come, more yet will seek peace
In the arms of deaths wanton river

Divorce decree
The eyes are like two shining stars, to brighten any day
For those who are around you or you pass along your way
You know a life of heartache, and it often makes you sad
But even through your bad times, there was much to make you glad

Many years of life you shared, with someone you held dear
Now it's lonely holidays, not much to bring you cheer
Your lonely heart is filled with fear, of facing life anew
Instead of love and caring, that used to get you through

It's hard to leave a past behind, a life that once you knew
Yet every day's a new day now, designed for only you
So many things to think about, a new life to create
To fill with only things you like, and nothing that you hate

Memories are treasures, and some are not so grand
Those we only think about, to deal with what's at hand
Others are of special times, a pleasure to recall
Good or bad, they're yours for life, you have to count them all

You'll always look behind you, while traveling through your day
And think on things you used to share, now done another way
So many things to make you think, you'd like to change the past
But when life's shared , you have to grow, or nothings gonna last

We cannot turn the clock back, it simply can't be done
It's time to store the memories, and start to have some fun
Life is always changing, we must shape it as we go
Making our decisions, that we hope will help us grow

Putting on a happy face, will chase that frown away
Seeking new found pleasures, will start to fill your day
It's simply life, enjoy it, look ahead, not where you've been
Let life become a happy thing, filled with peace and friends

Love Shared

She came to me on lonely night, loving, beautiful
With words soft, she touched me, calming my savage heart
Though fear touched her soul, she came to me, bravely
To offer her gift of love

My soul was dark, empty and searching, she offered light
My eyes covered in doubts black hood, she reached to guide me
While trouble and heartbreak were known to her, she offered hope
Willingly, I listened

We spoke of things which troubled us, with sad hearts, yet freely
We walked the corridors of our past, through disappointment and pain
Sharing all our souls could endure
She opened my heart, I begged her, enter

Our fears now shared, and hearts open, we begin our journey
Dark corners hold no fear, for it was fear, loneliness, which brought us here
We embrace each new tomorrow, together
In friendship, and love, we find happiness

Loves Promise

I will always await you, the light of my way
The warmth of your glow helps to start each new day
Without you I'm lost to a gathering gloom
Your love is my treasure, my world in bloom

Your torn between giving, sharing your love
Which you know I will cherish, and place high above
And the changes required to make this all be
Just trust in my love, have faith, you will see

You have given me feeling like never I've known
Proven you care by the actions you've shown
I wish just to love you, show you I care
Trust in me Sweetheart, I'll always be there

I will never harm you, I treasure your smile
When you think I am tired, I'll go one more mile
When you think there is nothing else more I can do
My love I'll keep giving, and showing to you

I'll always be giving, no matter the cost
Without you I'm lonely, dishearted and lost
For you are the treasure I seek in my world
My banner of beauty, my standard unfurled

This vessel is empty, when you are not there
To fill it with love, and the warmth that you share
It only has meaning, when blessed with your heart
I promise my love, until death do us part

My Angel

A darkened heart was mine to bear, with love locked up inside
I kept it closely guarded there, no hope for it to thrive
My life became my misery, I lived it very well
Instead of seeking happiness, I spent my life in Hell

No special love to nourish, made life a simple task
Why would a person live like this? Believe me, friends would ask
I always had an answer, like kids, or work, or time
And now my nest is empty, perhaps I've missed my prime

I found a million ways to hide the loneliness I felt
Mostly trying to survive the problems that it dealt
Excuses were my answers when asked to join a friend
My darkened heart would not allow a friend to enter in

I learned the words and actions to keep from being rude
But when I was alone at night, misery insued
I knew that it was me at fault, but knew no other way
Life was simply hard enough just getting through the day

Then I met an Angel whose light I could not block
She busted down the barricades and broke the rusty lock
I had no will to stop the light which warmed my darkened heart
It shone so bright it overwhelmed, I couldn't get a start

She dragged me from my darkness, offered me her hand
to lift me up, not pity me, to show me I could stand
She gave me possibilities to fill my empty life
Brought me out of darkness, delivered me from strife

Her wonder now encircles me, her light it keeps me warm
Helps me see things clearly, to keep me out of harm
I face each day with new found joy, I want to let her know
I'll always keep her near to me and never let her go

My Only Wish

Here's a little something, to brighten up your day
To let you know I miss you, whenever you're away
I sadly count the moments, whenever you're not here
I see them quickly slip away, whenever you are near

Your beauty takes my breath away, your kindness steals my heart
Each moment seems a lifetime, whenever we're apart
If I were granted just one wish, and knew it would come true
There'd be but one, my only wish, to spend my life with you!

My Queen

She sits on ivory throne of inlaid gold
This Queen of my realm
Love and passion, like white lion twins at her feet
She rules

Her wish my command, I await her desire
Her smile my great reward
She speaks, I listen with no word missed
Rushing to be the bearer of her craving

Noble, but with no question, I serve
Seeking only favor in her eyes
I pray for but her glance, a word
Recognition of my being

Days seem lifetimes, still I attend
Rapt in the shadow of her presence
Longing to be her chosen, I train
Honing skills for her pleasure

My Queen is she, of Pagan beauty
Worshipped on her throne
Her every wish I'll grant to her
For I am King in this realm

It is nice to see the doors to the store room thrown open.

Bravo

No sad farewells

We say our goodbyes, there is always a tear
For the ones we have loved and have held very dear
But I think of Angels, to watch over me
And know in my heart a new one there'll be

Yes I'll regret, of the love I have lost
And the help I was offered with never a cost
The hand that was there when I needed it most
Is now being offered by Angelic host

I still have a voice when I kneel down and pray
To tell loved ones I miss I will see them someday
Thank them for love shared right to the end
How proud that I am to have called them a friend

So though I may grieve, and miss them I will
They live in my heart, and near to me still
And when Life upsets me, as it always can
I know I'll survive, helped by Angelic hands

On with the flow!

Love can't be taken, it's given in kind
Felt in your soul, shared with your mind
Passed on to others, often returned
Blessed by their kindness, thoughts you have earned

It's value is priceless, it's ownership shared
It's lifetime eternal, not limit impaired
It's given to friends or objects you see
I like it best when it's given to me

I know I can't keep it all, I have to share
So I pass it to friends, to show them I care
You give it away, there's never a lack
Cuz the more that you give it, the more you get back

You don't have to wrap it or give it a bow
Just offer it up to those that you know
A box just won't hold it when it starts to grow
So you store it inside, where it turns to a glow

At times it gets hot, and that can be fun
When toasted with wine and shared with someone
Back and forth, back and forth, on with the flow
If we all just keep sharing, the world will glow

Dance electric dance
Passions fueled by lust, desire
Dreamed dreams to reality come
Waves of crashing ecstasy

Pleas on whispered voice are carried
Cries to never end
Music from two souls encounter
Flows like rivers, free

Thoughts of time are banished
The memories of days alone
Cares and fears discarded
Thrown from breathless heigths

Lips bring tunes
Played on flesh excited
Fires lighting eyes too long clouded
Breath shared in kiss unending

Embraced in electric dance they linger
To music of passions fulfilled
Sweet melodies of desires shared
Forever recorded within a smile

Reality

Dreams are journeys yet to be
Thoughts of things we'd like to see
Realities are sometimes bland
For life will deal the final hand

We choose our path, try not to fall
Make decisions big and small
We live our lives, we try to smile
Just carry on another mile

Day in, day out, the beat goes on
Till hope and strength are almost gone
Desires and dreams we used to share
Just disappear without a care

The days grow dim, like winters cold
To win the light we must be bold
We stand defiant, face our shame
Get ourself back in the game

Then a light comes shining through
We start to see what we must do
We pierce the dark and start to see
It's we who shape reality

Soon vision holds us straight and true
Our passion tells us what to do
Desire is our driving wheel
The combination, makes it real

Such Bliss

The joy and the wonder, you bring to each day
The thrill that I get, when your eyes turn my way
The scent of your perfume, the touch of your hand
You offer so freely, and never demand

Your smile is my sunshine, it brightens my day
My lonelyness demons, you chase them away
You listen intently, to all that I tell
Your touch is my courage, with you I can't fail

When life becomes dreary, and dreams seem obscured
You can change my whole outlook, with only a word
You bring life new meaning, restore hope and love
Could it be you're an angel?, My gift from above?

When burdens grow heavy, and days just go wrong
You always stand by me, encourage me on
When each day is over, you're always right there
To sooth and to comfort, showing you care

No matter my downfalls, and harm that they do
Lifting me up, helping me through
Guiding me back, to the place I must be
Never complaining, trusting in me

My life was so empty, till you came along
Now there is beauty, and laughter, and song
Ask why I care for you, I answer this
With you in my life, I can always know bliss

The Journey To Here

Today I met a new friend, who blessed me with a smile
I couldn't turn and walk away, we had to talk awhile
I found we were a lot alike, with words we'd stopped to share
We talked on many subjects, and they really seemed to care

We laughed at many silly things, that happened in our life
We shared an understanding, when the topic turned to strife
I really couldn't help but think, they truly understood
And sharing, with my new found friend, it made me feel quite good

We had but just a minute, in our busy, hectic day
And both had things, that must be done, yet paused here anyway
Many rushed and passed us by, like busy little drones
Gulping down their hurried drinks, and talking on their phones

We shared a smile about that too, when my friend said to me
"How can you live a happy life, and not enjoy a tree?"
I turned and looked, and sure enough, I hadn't even seen
The many trees, that lined the streets, and one right next to me!

Suddenly, I realized, they'd given me a gift
By pointing out what I had missed, it gave my soul a lift
How many times I'd past this place, and even yet today
And never even noticed trees, I'd passed along the way

I realized my thoughtlessness, the things I took for spite
Like something simple as a tree, that always missed my site
Here among the concrete, and the busy, dirty, street
I found a thing of beauty, and right beneath my feet

My friend moved on, but parted with a hand shake and a smile
I noticed I was smiling, and had been all the while
This stranger I had never met, had truly blessed my life
I found I had forgotten of my hardships and my strife

So I share with you this story, hoping it will help you too
To try and find the beauty, in anything you do
For when you pause, and look around, one thing comes quite clear
It's not the destination, but the journey, to right here!

The Power of Love

I'll keep this simple so you will see
why the blight of loneliness has fallen on me

I was just seventeen when I went to war
When coming home, things were not as before

I died in that war, by the harm of no man
Rather drugs I would use as the **** hit the fan

This I brought home with me, carried for years
Caused people who loved me to drown from their tears

I married, had children, but problems with life
I was powerless, lost, and it cost me my wife

My life spiraled downward, I wished I would die
When I saw my sons face, a tear in his eye

"Daddy, I love you!", that's all that it took
I came from my stupor, gave life a good look

I realized faults that I had in my life
Had to quit hiding, quit blaming my wife

I started my climb from my mammouth abyss
A hard road for certain, I promise you this

With the help of my children, my God and my pride
After thirty long years I now look from this side

I don't have much future, much money or "stuff"
But the love of my children, that's reward enough

The Winds of Autumn
Inspired by my poetic friend, ObscureLight
(Love ya buddy!)

Hail the tempest, these winds of Autumn
Carry the seeds of Earths children to their birth
Life giving rains to feed their hunger
The soil their protetor

Blankets of snow may soon bring challenge
But the children of Earth shall flourish
Icy fingers may clutch at their very heart
But as a good mother, the Earth will suckle them

Come Spring, her children will rise
Bring life to the air of this world
Beauty and shelter their cause
Destined to the cycle of life

In summer bear fruit to feed creation
Give seed to a new generation
Shed the garments of their beauty
To offer new life as Autumn again comes calling

Things Worth Remembering

Of things felt worth remembering, my list is truly long
From moments of my childhood, to that last good book or song
The first things that I found I liked, and those liked not so well
My first attempts at trying things, the many times I failed

My first view of an ocean, and climbing my first tree
The little boy that lived next door, always teasing me
The first time I saw Santa, that first bright Christmas tree
The joy I felt to look beneath, and find a gift for me

The first day spent away at school, it seemed so far from home
Learning how to write my name, and reading my first poem
My first new box of crayons, and all the things I drew
The smile I put on mommy's face, when saying "IT'S FOR YOU!"

The first time that I fell in love, the girl I took to prom
Meeting friends from other lands, and learning where they're from
My many, many questions, always asking why
I always thought it seemed unfair, that people couldn't fly

Then my childhood ended, I went away to war
The wonders of my happy life, replaced by fears and horror
I lost my hope and freedom, when they told me I must go
To take up arms, and hate a man, I didn't even know

No more simple answers, to my simple question "why?"
For who can answer simply, why another man should die?
Why should I, who have no cause, to hate this foreign man
Think that I might have that right, when I invade his land

So yes I will remember, for I have earned that right
And I will always question, when we send our boys to fight
Who are these men who start these wars, and what's their reasons why
And why are they not right up front, when bullets start to fly?

My list will still continue, for I am blessed with life
Valuing the simple things, remembering the strife
And when I am complaining, of something I have lost
I'll think, and pause, to say a prayer, for those who paid the cost

A poem by Ken Asher a former Marine, Viet Nam Veteran Aug.10, 2005

To A Distant Love

I'm missing you this morning, so my thoughts I send your way
So many miles between us, brings sadness to my day
I miss the arms that hold me close, the lips that speak my name
Even with my memories, It doesn't ease my pain

I'd like to stop the hands of time, that make you have to go
That last embrace, the farewell kiss, it breaks my heart, you know?
When you are near, my world is bright, and color everywhere
I lose myself, within your eyes, and find my solace there

My strength I find within your arms, my purpose in your kiss
I've never felt such love before, or ever known such bliss
It seems my world just starts to float, whenever I'm with you
My days are always sunny, and skies are always blue

With you I find my perfect peace, the joy I've sought to find
You gave to me this gift my love, when entering my mind
I visit you there often, while you are far away
I call upon the memories there, to get me thru these days

We have our special song we share, that always helps me too
Yet still, while I am doing this, I can't help missing you!
You are my life companion, I've searched so long to find
I wish your heart to fill with love, I gladly give you mine

What I Am, Am Not

I am the best friend, the one who has your back
I am the driver, when faculties you lack
I am the explorer, I'll be there as you seek
I am a crying shoulder, to aid you when your weak

I am the constant dreamer, with thoughts to make you smile
I am the open hand for you, to help you walk your mile
I am the smile, to cheer you up when you are feeling down
I am the arms, to hold you, when there's noone else around

I am the wall, to shield you from lifes ill blowing winds
I am the rock, to hold to, until your ship comes in
I am the fan, I'll give you praise to make you feel a star
I am the air, I'll be with you no matter where you are


I am not the cold heart, who turns their back on you
I am not the preacher, who tells you what to do
I am not the lawyer, I'm next to you in jail
I am not a coward, on you I'll never bail

I am not a judge, no need to plead your case with me
I am not a jail cell, I wish you to be free
I am not a rose bush, but I'll bless you with a flower
I am not a clock, but I'll share with you the hours

I am not the wealthy man, but I will always share
I am not a doctor, but I will always care
I am not a detour, but I will help you through
I am not complete, unless I am with you