I've always proudly worn my pride
On the fact that I was right
Could it be perhaps that I was wrong

On most of what I knew
In everything I do
Heaven forbid, perish the thought

It hurts more than you know
When you find out you've been told
Over time a hefty share of lies

Just to keep you in the dark
Of who and what they are
The ones on top who wear a thin disguise

They like you where you are
Kept tight in a jar
Keeps the focus off their slight of hand

So they can do their tricks
Without you knowing it
Whether they're on the Right or Left

If you think you know
What all is going on
You might want to sit down and think twice

That what you think is true
Might be you without a clue
Whether it's coming from the Left or Right

A gaggle of Mad Scientists
Shrunk me down in size
Placed me in a tiny syringe
Injected me into a woman's mind

They gave me special instructions
While there to  look around
Report back to them immediately
All the mystery's to be found

I entered into this giant room
Dozens of doors surrounding the sides
I believe to be the main control center
I am a man in a woman's mind
(Wait a minute...that doesn't sound right)

I skip the rooms RESENTMENT, JEALOUSY,and GOSSIP
No need to open those
I've seen what they can do to a person
Best to keep them locked and forever closed

I come to the door labeled ***
Being a man I try the **** first
Of course it's locked so I knocked and knocked
Go figure, there was no answer...

Before I realized what I was doing
I opened the door labeled NAGGING
All my ears hear is Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah
What in the world was I even thinking

I may be crazy but I ain't stupid
I also pass by the door I'M UGLY, I'M FAT
Why can't women see what the rest of us see
The inner beauty that they all seem to have

Right next door is the room that holds her feelings
I've never been so scared in my life
I do this in the name of science
And for the better of all mankind

As soon as the door swings open
I immediately break down and cry
I've got all of these mixed emotions
And I don't even really know why

I'm not sure if science was ready for this
As I climb out the ear canal blocked by a phone
Not much that a man can do in there
Best to leave well enough alone

I finally broke down and placed an ad
Desperate for that which I once had
Hoping for help in helping me out
Not sure it'll happen since I still have my doubts

First thing I have on top of my list
That I most miss is my childhood innocence
If anyone knows where it is
Could you give me a call, I'll pay top dollar for it

Then there's the love I'd keep beside of me
Wherever I went unconditionally
Sharing with those I felt were in need
Now I need it back, desperately

I remember when I held forgiveness by the hand
Yet over the years I cynically let it slip
The craziest thing about this is
I struggle to forgive myself for losing it

I've started out looking for just a few
I figure if I get these back I'll be doing good
Next I'll be looking to get back my clue
If I had that I'm sure I'd know what to do

Which brings back the purpose for this ad
Desperate for that which I once had
Looking for help in helping me out
Hope against hope these can be found

wake up every morning
stifling a yawn
first breath should be a warning
not giving it much thought
it's in the beast of nature
not wanting to be caught
forgetting whose the maker
as we start playing god

as the day progresses
accepting this our lot
making more than messes
out of everything we've got
never learning lessons
from the battles we have fought
someone should have kept us
all from playing god

now i lay me down to sleep
all prayerfully in song
pray the Lord my soul to keep
first time today we've given thought
at times it's hard to see
or even think about
when daily we are busy
out there playing god

There's a few too many years on these old bones
Where my soul calls itself at home
As the lights are dimming inside of these eyes
Pulling the shades down on this house's life

With the shingles thinning on top of my head
What used to be dark is now more gray instead
With the bottom floor being aching feet
As this foundation struggles to steady me

Not to mention the pressure on these old pipes
To keep my hearts furnace burning both day and night
Which keeps the heat at a steady flow
Little wonder my hands and feet are always so cold

With my siding sagging more than it should
I'd pay for home improvements if it'd do any good
But in the meantime I'll stay bundled inside
This old house that I call my life

I hope you find
Something you like
And fall in love
With all you find

Times like these are hard to choose
Who's to win and who's to lose
All depends on what you do
And where you line up with the truth

Doesn't much matter where you are
When it comes to fighting wars
Who can say whose keeping score
As we fall on our on swords

Where's the good in all the harm
Brothers against brothers in arms
Can we not see what's going on
As this world buys the farm

With scissor hands we cut the cord
Without a plan can we afford
To show ourselves for all we're worth
As we fall on our own swords

We unequally divide a fabric torn
With needle eyes, can't see to sew
Would all this change had we known
In all this that there's little hope

As hate and deception bore in our hearts
We continue the fighting of this war
With only one outcome that is sure
As we all fall on our own swords

Why ever learn a song
If you're never going to sing along

Why buy the shoes that tap
If you never take the chance to dance

Why even take the tip
If you don't do a thing with it

Why open up the can
If you're not going to spoon what's in

Why count your lucky stars
If you spend all your time indoors

Why pull a rabbit from your hat
If that's the only trick you have

Why count up to two
When you only ever think of you

Why try and learn to swim
If you're not willing to dip your toes in

Why ever learn to fly
If you never reach for the sky

Why question why
If you're never going to try

I bought a box of smiles
Now I'm in a perdicament
Since there's only a few
How do I best use them

Do I pull out a smile when I see a child
Or wait for a funny situation
Do I cut one in half to add to a nervous laugh
When I'm clearly caught misbehaving

Do I share one with my neighbor
Whose husband is gone and she's all alone
Use them now or save them for later

Or do I put one on when I see a couple
Hand in hand walking down the street
I know how that feels cause it gives me chills
When my girl and I do the same thing

Should I head to the beach and in the box reach
For a smile on a bright sunny day
Or just sit tight for whatever might
Any day come my way

I never knew there were so many different reasons
For which a smile is meant
So I just took one out, the perfect smile
And wore it everywhere I went

Realizing soon after that
That smiles never really wear down
So I opened the box, took out the whole lot
And passed all the smiles around

Now everyone I see smiles back at me
All they needed was someone to share them
I still have a few so here's one for you
They're so popular now everyone wears them

The world sometimes to me
Seems like a kitchen sink
With problem dishes piled high to the rim

Clogging up the drain
In the name of placing blame
With no one willing to wash them

Where soon enough we find
We've left the crust to dry
With the ***** secrets that our dishes have

With no way to rinse
And even if we did
There still would be the lingering stench

Leaving them there
Year after year
No one willing to roll up their sleeves

And lend a helping hand
To clean up the mess of man
We've all made in the world's kitchen sink

Look what I found when I opened my eyes
I found a world much like me
Though we may share different views
We all want to see the same things

Look what I found when I opened my mind
I found we all think much the same
In this world we think that it's time
For all of mankind to make a change

Look what I found when I opened my heart
All the cares of this world
I never knew what those cares were
Until the day I opened my heart

Look what I found when this I realized
We all want happiness and a chance to be free
Look what I found when this I realized
The world's pretty much like me

Don't just love those that love you
Although it's easy to do
You've got to step out in faith
And also love those who hate
Don't just love those that love you

Don't just take the easy road
When there is one less traveled on
It's a narrow path
Worth everything that you have
Don't just take the easy road

Don't ever take life for granted
Here one minute gone the next
When your concern should be
That of eternity
Don't ever take life for granted

Don't ever say a word untrue
Don't give away that part of you
When a simple lie
Can tear you up inside
Don't ever say a word untrue

Don't always take the easy way
Don't say what you think they want you to say
You've got to stand strong
Who will if you don't
Don't always take the easy way

Don't only love those that love you
Although it's easy to do
You've got to step out in faith
And also love those who hate
Don't only love those that love you

if you want to change
what you're all about
it's best you start
from the inside out

where the cracks aren't
so easily seen
you most often have
the greatest need

as you work on it
with trowel in hand
a lifetime spent
with filling in

word to the wise
take this advice
start with the cracks
on the inside

it started out just me and you
now it's us
x 2

who would have guess or even knew
that we would do
x 2

heard loves song both hummed along
in tune
x 2

a family who perfectly grew
from me and you
x 2

the best of me the best of you
two
x 2

I'm having trouble with
The voices in my head
While I speak simple english
They speak fluent french
So I never really know
Just what is being said
Which makes it hard to understand
The voices in my head

I'm never really sure
Exactly what to say
Did I arrive here early
Or am I much to late
Either way I hate to make
The voices sit and wait
While I pull out my French-English Dictionary
And flip through every page

So now every Tuesday
Since this Tuesday last
I have been preparing
By taking a French class
So I'll be at the ready
To give an answer back
In case the voices in my head
Continue speaking French

I've got an idea
I'm pretty sure will work
Let's all pitch in together
And ruin everything we touch

We'll start off quite haphazardly
With the world we live in
Taking to task our best to trash
The air, the sea, the land

We'll take what nature's given us
In the finest we could eat
Then add chemicals at intervals
Nah, just pour it in quickly

We'll all choose sides to live by
And base it all on love
Then learn to hate those in our way
That do not think like us

We'll ruin our relationships
With technology of the day
Doing all we can with phone in hand
Instead of dealing face to face

We'll start murdering the innocent
And call it all a choice
It's much easier to do away with them
When they don't have a voice

We'll pick up guns and call it fun
Then start shooting everyone
Then complain whose to blame
Till again nothing gets done

We'll even give it a shot tossing in our lot
Being our own gods
Pull moral compass out point it due South
As we all get lost

Of course it's just an idea
Of ruining everything we touch
As long as we start with what we're good at
What could possibly go wrong

is it ignorant to know the answer
is it ignorant to know the truth
is it ignorant to want to share
my beliefs with the likes of you

is it ignorant that those beliefs
differ from this world of loss
is it ignorant to heed the sound
when you've learned to count the cost

is it ignorant in the land of plenty
to let so many go unfed
whether food for the stomach
or for knowledge of the head

is it ignorant to know and see
what the hardened heart won't accept
is it ignorant to want to keep
this world away from ignorance

is it ignorant to see the plan of man
for the ignorance that it is
is it ignorant to raise my hand
and say love is where i'll make my bed

I hate you
And you hate me
For the things
We think we believe
Not looking at each
Individually
But as a whole
Collectively

I have a mind
And so do you
So why do we
Misconstrue
What you think of me
And I think of you
Which more often than not
Is far from the truth

Just because we voice
Our opinions out loud
Doesn't mean we think
Along with the crowd
Last time I looked
Pretty sure I found
That both you and I
Make our own sound

Which means...

I do not hate you
And you do not hate me
For a lot of the things
That we both believe
Looking at this
Individually
Can't we both agree
Collectively

Who ever said
That life was all fun
I'm sure never lived
Around anyone

If you live long enough
Around anyone
Sooner or later
They'll disappoint

From acquaintances
To the closest of friends
Even yourself
If truth be said

There's not a time
That you won't find
Someone let's you down
Somewhere in life

If they drop the ball
Then it's your call
If you forgive and forget
Then move along

Because whoever said
That life is all fun
I'm sure never lived
Around anyone

I see you're like me
Still up to your tricks
Once you found out
Your mouth is magic

It can make a heart float
With no strings attached
Or with the right bite
Saw people in half

No need for a sleeve
To hide your tricks in
Sound from your mouth
Is where the magic begins

Take people you know
And make them disappear  
As it's on with the show
While showing no fear

Or draw a crowd
That magically smiles
As the mouth waves the tongue
Like a wand about

It doesn't use mirrors
To hide the effect
Though it's never been best
At secrets kept

Try and be careful
When using it though
When the mouth starts in on its tricks
You never know the direction it'll go

Where is that little girl of innocence
The one that grabbed the reigns
and learned to dance
That laughed out loud
every chanced she had
Where is that little girl of innocence

Where is that little girl who used to pray
For the less fortunate
in hopes they would be saved
From the heavy hand of sorrow
that too often gives itself away
Where is that little girl who used to pray

Where is that little girl who used to smile
Has her world grown weary
with every passing mile
You can speculate all you want
yet still wonder after awhile
Where is that little girl who used to smile

Where is that little girl who used to dream
Did she find out what life's about
and woke up with a scream
Where reality so it seems
justifies all the means
Where is that little girl who used to dream

Where is that little girl I used to know
Did she lose her innocence
along the dirt road
I pray the day I see
her smile once again shown
As I dream of the little girl I used to know

I believe in the ever after
I believe in the here and now
I believe that you and I
Will make it through somehow

I believe what I do
And what I do not see
But mostly what I believe
Is what I believe

I believe there is good
In the heart of man
But I believe in an instant
We can let the evil in

I believe if we aren't careful
All this will come undone
And if we don't let love dry long enough
It will begin to run

I believe there's an answer
If you look hard enough
Which one you come up with
Is a matter of the heart

I believe if yours is beating
To the rhythm that love makes
There's not a thing that you won't do
To give that love away

I believe in the power
That a hug can hold
And I believe you can achieve anything
If negativity is let go

I believe there's a ring
That holds a special key
And once you open that door up
Then you too will believe

how did i ever end up here
deep in the south of mainly nowhere
if i could find something in which i cared
then i might actually be somewhere

how did i ever get this far
in this adventure of never quite sure
sinking boat, plummeting plane, or crashing car
in my trip to the southern most tip of no further  

how do i get there from here
if the ways and the means is never that clear
i've been on this journey far too many years
to have to wonder how i ended up here

I like to sip
Life through a straw
The tighter the grip
The more in control
The more in control
The smoother the flow
All when you sip
Life through a straw

What ever flavor
That floats your boat
Sip with a crowd
Or go it alone
Bound to find out
Things you don't know
Whenever you sip
Life through a straw

Never enough
Whatever size cup
With an acquired taste
You'll grow to love
Add to your dreams
With cherry on top
All this when you sip
Life through a straw

Here's a shout out
To all the Ladies out there
Who want a boyfriend so bad
But haven't found him just yet

Don't worry girls
It's not a hopeless cause
The man of your dreams
Hasn't found you yet is all

You see he's out there
And he's searching  too
Looking for the perfect women
And that perfect women is you

When it does happen
You will know this is it
Because both you and he
Will be the perfect fit

So go out and enjoy
Galentines with your girl friends
Because this time next year
You may all have boyfriends

You see the plight of man
And the mess that he is in
You want to change his world
But where do you begin

This line that you have crossed
Spurs thoughts inside your mind
His does along with don'ts
Hoping that he finds

The root cause to those faults
As plain as they can be
You see them more than not
As surely as you breathe

You hope to change his mind
Open up the door
All of this is fine
But you first must change the heart

The heart is where we love
The heart is where we care
And unless it's soft and pliable
You will get no where

The best way for you to get this done
Is to start out on your own
When a heart is filled with hate
No battles will be won

Because hate can not beat hate
It only fuels the fire
If you truly want to change the world
You first must change the heart

one of these days
i'm going to sit
and make a change
do my best
to do what's right
be understanding
as well as kind
and when i do
i'm starting with you
listen attentively
to your issues
try not to fix
your needs
according to me
which brings me
to the day
i see it's me
that needs to change

Father God please forgive me...

For the thoughts that come across
For the ones that don't
The means to an end
When I know better yet do it again
For the times I'm lead astray
When under pressure I sometimes cave

For the things that I have done
When they have not been done in love
When I look elsewhere to fill my needs
To fill my needs selfishly
For not spending enough time with you
When I don't stand for your truth

When I forsake my first love
Saying I care but not enough
When I tend to believe the lies
For not forgiving those in kind
When in my heart I feel hate
Before it is too late

Father God please forgive me...

What if love was contagious
Like some sort of disease
Affecting all religions and races
Bringing the world to its knees

Where a cure is never found
Where no one even tries
A disease that for years sticks around
Contaminating all of mankind

From a kind word being said
To a hug when it's needed the most
In hopes it quickly spreads
With everyone being the host

What if love was a disease
And it was highly contagious
No need to put us all in quarantine  
Because love is a disease that would save us

You close the door to your private bunker
As crazy spews like Agent Orange
In constant counting faze waiting for the day
World War 3 will begin

You've never been much on solutions
Though the problems you recall
But as an excuse it's great to use them
Waiting for your sky to fall

Your kingdom come is built on worry
Sure that today will be your last
I'm asking you what's the hurry
Life is best when it is lived

You know they're here and they are watching
With your back up against the wall
Hard pressed in all your dodging
When your sky begins to fall

Close the latch, lock the clasp
Flip the switch on no turning back
Keeping a constant an eye out
For the Zombie Apocalypse

Make sure you pay the cable
For the T.V. on the wall
So you can watch it all in HD
As your sky begins to fall

I've got two lips that speak of you
In between themselves
Up and down they flap around
About you and no one else

They can't seem to keep a secret
Given up on trying
They love you and really mean it
Smile as you walk by

I've got two lips that whistle
So much more than Dixie
If you lean in to their whispering
You'll hear them say please kiss me

They will unashamedly turn up
In a Northern direction
Whenever your lips show up
Hoping for affection

My two lips have had this wish
To meet up with yours
And seal their fortune with a kiss
Making this a crowd of four

Where our four lips will talk about
Everything under the sun
Making out our favorite sound
Of how much they're in love

i'm more up
than ever down
far more a smile
than a frown
if there's a jump
i'll take the leap
with all of this
...a part of me

if there is laughter
to be heard
i'll dig and dig
till it's unearthed
less with answers
than questioning
foot loose and free
...a part of me

i'm more lost
than could be found
sometimes in
most times out
shallow at both ends
not too deep
quite swimmingly
...a part of me

crooked lines
straightaways
my road you'll find
times misbehaved
finders keepers
losers weep
all this time
...a part of me

with less goodbyes
and more hellos
the more of me
you get to know
the more you see
in word and deed
the more you'll want to keep
...a part of me

It's raining again today
How many days does this make
Praying for heaven sake
For this pain to go away

But of course it never does
It keeps digging itself up
All of this just because
Pain is all a part of love

Always coming back for more
Trying to even up the score
The battle between the head and heart
Where pain and love get their start

Is there a cover charge
A fee at the door
A price they say we all must pay
If we're to get along

Do we need to show I.D.
Proof of who we are
Sign a pledge of promise kept
For this and so much more

Is there a certain pass
That they give out freely
To all of those that are running low
Till we're back on our feet

Do we need a body guard
With their own chaperon
Someone with clout to help us out
So we all get along

Out of all that I don't have
The one thing that I most miss
When it all comes down to this
Would be my lost innocence

I find it hard to accept
That which I lost I should have kept
Out of every thing that I had
I most miss my innocence

Imagine this if you can
Never taken that first step
Things would be so different
If I still had my innocence

Which makes me often wonder at
All the reasons that she left
And the fact I've not seen her since
I miss my sweet innocence

If I ever have the chance
To try and win her back again
I would bet all that I have
On both the red and black of my innocence

Hold on to your heartbeat
As this might bust a vain
When it comes down to it
We're all pretty much the same
Whether you are black or white
Either straight or gay
Like to stay up late at night
Or get up early in the day

We're all in this together
As we make our way
From damsels in destress
To heroes wearing capes
As you can see when we all bleed
Red's the color that we make
So why not hug it out in love
Instead of pushing away with hate

We all come with the same body
Different sizes, different shapes
Some are done quite naturally
While others are man made
You might live life freely
Or you might be a slave
It all depend on the habits
To which you have caved

But like I mentioned at the start
If your heart did not go bang
That you and I are bound to find
We're all in the same game
The only difference that makes any sense
Is that of woman and man
Otherwise in Gods eyes
We're all pretty much the same

We must live in a zoo
The way that you do
Cry Crocodile tears
Always on cue

As you Monkey around
With every guy in town
Slick as a Snake
With the decisions you make

Craning my neck
Like the tallest Giraffe
As my  Elephant mind
Never forgets

And when I bring it up
Say that I've had enough
You scream in my face
Like a wild Whooping Crane

Are you serious
Says this Laughing Hyena
I can't take it no more
Like a Lion I roar

It's hard to keep up
With you Miss Cheetah
Thick skin I have grown
Like a Rhino

I'm tired of your lies
This Owl's become wise
Now that I think of it
This all seems to fit

So I'll see you later
Alligator
It's too hard to cage you
I'm outta this Zoo

The stories you tell...

we all find out
some good some bad
some fiction some fact
can harbor a frown
dragging you down
bring on a smile

The stories you tell...

embellish the words
throw in some curves
out of left field
some false and some real
pour out suspense
while riding the fence
a little do it yourself

The stories you tell...

lift to the heights
with truth and lies
stooping quite low
as if we don't know
some old some new
all done on cue
the raising of doubts

In the stories you tell...

when you're shooting ******
don't make any long term plans
if that includes for you to live
poking holes where nothing's left
when you're shooting herion
as your veins have all but collapsed
the window's closed on all your bets
life is a big whooping mess
when you're shooting ******
one day it will do you in
takes more than it ever gives
life is measured out in death
when you're shooting herion
living in a beggars den
where no one you know is your friend
living a life that is unkept
when you're shooting herion
voices ringing in your head
whispers what the devil says
hell in every feeble step
when you're shooting herion
can't see to climb out from the depth
the one thing you won't accept
is the one who want's to help
when you're shooting herion

You try and keep on telling me
Something I do not know
That everything in life
Is not all one big joke

You seem to always say
That humor has its place
But in every circumstance
That's not always the case

You don't seem to understand
How humor fits the plan
If laughter was not my only sound
The smile on this clown would eventually break down

It's the only way I really know
It's all or nothing when going for broke
My boat would hit rock bottom
If this river of laughter ever lost its flow

Because life these days can be blistering
If you cry instead of trying to sing
And nothing makes the heart sing more
Than a good daily dose of laughter

So I'll continue to laugh at the days
As I giggle bad feelings away
You may not but this I know
Though every thing in life is not a joke
It's the only way I find I can cope

Tabitha Tadpole can't seem to get it right
She has been a tad slow for her entire life

While all her friends are out playing leap frog
Tabitha has yet to see her tail fall off

All the ribbits that she hears makes it very clear
Tab can't seem get herself out of first gear

With all her friends time being spent growing shiny teeth
Tongues that slurp, lungs that burp, legs to help them leap

Tabitha finds she can only swim about
How to morph into a frog, she's yet to find that out

Though she's never lonely in her dark green slimy pond
There's thousands more tadpoles like her where Tabitha comes from

While all the friends that she makes one day hop away
As all tadpoles turn into frogs when natures call they all obey

All except for Tabitha who may never know The taste of fly's when they tickle the sides as they slide down the throat

Poor Tabitha may never figure it all out
And until then she'll continue to swim chasing her own tail

There's something about a poem
That makes me want to rhyme
Get straight to the point
Read between the lines
Open up the stream
That flows into the mind
There's something about a poem
Where I love to spend my time

There's something about a poem
That has a certain beat
Inviting you along
Helps you find your seat
Like a favorite song
A poem can also sing
There's something about a poem
That sets the spirit free

There's something about a poem
Has a comfort all its own
Happily holds your hand
Taking off the load
Helping you to cope
With its open door
Makes you feel at home
There's something about a poem

I sometimes feel like...
a wobbly tornado
making my way
what ever direction the wind blows
with back and forth motion
and no way of knowing
how destructive the path
that I am flowing

I sometimes feel like...
a wave on the ocean
tossed back and forth
in erratic motion
the salt from my tears
help with my knowing
how shallow or deep
these days I am coping

I sometimes feel like...
a cloud in the sky
while on top of things
some still pass me by
dealing with fluff
in the midst of this life
amongst other stuff
as I look to the sky

I sometimes feel like...
the wildest of flowers
in a field filled with weeds
passing the hours
wanting someone to come along
and pull me out
or take a sling blade
and cut us all down

I sometimes feel like...
a musician on tour
I know that I'm here
but at times why, I'm not sure
could be any number of things
between the why's and what for's
but one things for sure
I feel like all this and more