I do not like the sound
of what I just found out
After all the aftershock
might just take me down
It's hard to whisper CANCER
when CANCER screams out loud
A sucker punch in the gut
to knock the breath right out

Leaving in the questioning
of how much time is left
Also in the wondering
of how you measure it
What is the first to give out
the body or courage
And is there a way that I can change
from out of this death mask

Pull the covers tighter
the days are growing cold
Feel free my love to tidy up
sweeping hair from off the floor
This isn't at all how
life was to unfold
Never thought being this young
would make me feel so old

I wish you could take this from me
and toss it in the trash
Digging deep at this disease
until there's nothing left
I don't know who to quote
but I'm sure someone has said
It's hard to whisper CANCER
with CANCER screaming in your head

They stand in fragile circles
Lighting candles for their dead
As the memories that float on the breeze
Are all that they have left

The tears that pass between them
Have a somber silence that's deafening
You can feel the souls they're crying for
Touch them on the winds of change

As they light another candle
Another day goes by
With the tears that keep on flowing
Where they are forced to wonder why

my mind aligns with valentines
and the days of candy hearts
conversations in the sayings
that kept us balanced on this applecart

passing them like kids in innocence
with a twinkle in our eyes
not really knowing what it meant
when it said Will U B Mine

when did we let go of those times
drifting off so far
from the sweet and simple life
the days of candy hearts

Candy's always first in line whatever the cause is
Doesn't much matter what it's all about
Feels it's her place to counter balance the losses
Until the truth is known or a cure is found

Candy wakes early scanning the papers
While the bluelight in the background plays local news
Finding what park or office to picket
Because all the causes gives her something to do

Wears wristbands of colors supporting others
Red, yellow, pink, green, orange, blue
Even has one that swirls like a rainbow
That she proudly wears for a gay friend or two

She likes to think that she's socially conscious
And with nature and life she is in tune
Proud of herself cause she knows she has got this
Though without a cause she'd have nothing to do

One thing Candy's learned is it's never ending
As ones taken down another is found
The way the world is we're just beginning
Lucky for Candy there will always be causes around

Are we not all cannibals
Tearing each other limb from limb
Where the damage we do far out weighs the cost
Me against you, us against them

Are we now all in a war of words
Collateral damage along the way
Nevermind the facts, mangle the truth
Shooting from the hip with shots of hearsay

Have we lost our grip on kindness
Increasingly giving our souls away
Ignorance of this is all but bliss
The thought of revenge is the thought of the day

Are we now all mere animals
Eager to fight ready to bite
Our nature being the only law
Turn a blind eye, sign of the times

Are we not all ourselves at fault
Experts at placing on each other the blame
Excuses are made whenever we're caught
Cannibals above all when given a name

Cannibals love
To make dinner with friends
Until there are
None of their friends left
Although to them
It doesn't much matter
They'll even have
Dinner with strangers
And take-home doggy bags
To enjoy them later
From medium to rare
Well done to raw
Their Savoir-faire
Is they'll eat them all
Although there's one thing
Cannibals seldom eat
And that's vegetables
It leaves green in their teeth
Cannibals wash
It all down with Pepsi
They think Coke is a joke
Those backwoods Pygmy's
With so much going on
In todays does and don'ts
Everyone knows
Friends go better with Coke

First thing I do is check the date
Good thru two thousand eighty five
Haven't had a can this fresh
Since Calvin Coolidge was alive

You can call it quirkiness
Each time I give the top a thump
Best way to tell if it's perfectly jelled
To the consistency that I love

If you know what I'm taking about
Well right you are and yes I am
That delectable treat of mystery meat
Known around the world as A Can Of Spam

Spam only comes in one savory flavor
King of canned meat there is only one
You remember long after your dining pleasure
By the amount of film left on your tongue

Do as I do and save the lid
A smart move you would be making
Comes in handy after dining
To help along with the tongue scraping

First thing I do is check the date
Good thru two thousand eighty five
Haven't had a can this fresh
Since Calvin Coolidge was alive

You can call it quirkiness
Each time I give the top a thump
Best way to tell if it's perfectly jelled
To the consistency that I love

If you know what I'm taking about
Well right you are and yes I am
That delectable treat of mystery meat
Known around the world as A Can Of Spam

Spam only comes in one savory flavor
King of canned meat there is only one
You remember long after your dining pleasure
By the amount of film left on your tongue

Do as I do and save the lid
A smart move you would be making
Comes in handy after dining
To help along with the tongue scraping

I gave them my love
Deep down to the core
All that I had
Till I had nothing more

Lapped it all up
Like a thirsty dog
Then gave me a look
Is that all you've got

I pulled out my cash
Intending to buy
All the love I could
I can not deny

But love can't be bought
At least not for long
When boredom sets in
It moves on along

With this moral made
Before you give love away
Make sure there's enough
Of love you have saved

So you don't try in a jam
To buy it all back
When there's nothing left
Of the love you once had

I can't help but wonder
About the oddest things
Like what's the sense in 9/10 of a percent
In the price of gasoline

Or how did the fly
Get the name fly
When they were passing out bug names
Was he the first in line

And does it make a flower sad
When from the ground it's plucked
Then does the same flower laugh
When it's given away in love

Why has green always meant go
And red meant to stop
But yellow has changed over the years
To you'd better haul ****

And if the saying
Money doesn't grow on trees
Why at the grocery
Nothing is free

If you don't think
You know what I mean
Just look around
You too will be wondering

The simple things in life
Come pretty easy to me
Like tying my shoes
Or knowing when I should eat

I have no problem per se
In rolling out of bed
Or in the combing of hair
That sits on top of my head

It's being an adult
That has my hands tied
No matter how hard I try
I just can't seem to get it right

I can sit in front of the T.V.
Give it my best binge
Watch the world collapse around me
With remote still in hand

I am fairly adept
In the realm of color schemes
So I rarely need help
When it comes to dressing me

And never have I forgotten
How to ride a bike
But being an adult hurts my noggin
As I can't seem to get it right

I'm a pro at teeth brushing
And keep them pearly white
And no longer feel the need
To use a night light

All of this and more I can do
Finding it easier than said
Oh and before I forget
I can even make my bed

Walking tall amongst it all
With sturdy legs enjoying the ride
But apparently this adult thingy's not for me
As I can't seem to get it right

You do a lot of things I don't
I do a lot of things you won't
But hey, here's a novel thought
Why can't we all just get along

I do things you do not like
You do things I would never try
In the Great by-and-by
Why don't we all try to be kind

You don't like the things I say
I don't like the way you behave
But what better day than today
To stop and say that it's okay

I'm just trying to make a point
We all call heads on this two-sided coin
In this I'm sure I'm not alone
Why can't we all just get along

Can't you see that I am you
Can't you see that you are me
The life blood that flows through your veins
A mother gives unselfishly

Can't you see the hurt you keep
Can't you see the desperate need
Is found inside the letting go
The only way that you'll be free

Can't you see the times we had
Can't you see how it all went bad
With rumors and innuendos
Dancing inside your head

Can't you see things aren't the same
Can't you see you're part to blame
Life's problems are not always one sided
In the chaos they create

Can't you feel the longing ache
Can't you see how tears are made
Can't you forgive mine and your mistakes
When you gaze into your sweet child's face

Because I am you and you are me
A mother's love goes that deep
Can't you see what I mean
I mean can't you see

Can We try and come together
put the past behind
form different opinions
forget when we said, i hope you die

Can We move beyond that moment
of hatred in our hearts
take ahold compassion
right here, right now, a brand-new start

Can We prove to generations
that this is how it's done
change the face of hatred
into a face that exudes love

Can We do this all in honesty
erase the line we've drawn
i'll do this for you, if you'll do this for me
forget the battles that we've fought

Can We try our best to do this
let bygones be bygones
do this before we miss it
Can We now do it all in love

My mind often conjures
Up sweet memories
From days spent in youth
Beneath Loblolly Pine trees

With feet in red clay
Blue Carolina skies
If you catch me in daydream
That's where you'll find

Running through fields
Of tall Johnson grass
Rolling down hollers
Powered by laughs

Not a care in the world
Old or brand new
Kids being kids
Whistling Carolina tunes

My Papaw's old store
With worn wooden floors
Old men sitting round
Telling lies longer than yours

Fishing and hunting
Sport my memories
Keeping alive
These Carolina dreams

I enjoy a good cartoon
As much as anyone around
But can't remember when I moved
Into the middle of Cartoon Town

People now have about Mickey Moused
Everything to death
Don't have the nerve to say it out loud
So for now it's underneath my breath

It's hard to keep the daily Goofy
Out of the public square
Where once it was my duty
I'm now out to lunch like Yogi Bear

Is it that I'm just used to it
Exit stage left numb
Sufferin' Succotash Sylvester
Smack dab in the middle of Cartoon Town

Being quite the colorful array
Of 2D insanity these days
Where Fred and Wilma Flintstone
Are not the only ones to cave

With Bozo the Clown and his friends around
There's too many now to count
Every character you see you care to meet
In the middle of Cartoon Town

I'm a man of many faces
I've carved out over time
I carry them around with me
In a leather bag strapped to my side

Usually I'll leave it up to others
How it is they set the mood
The way we interact
To what face it is I choose

I have a face I use for concern
One I have that looks deep in thought
I'm still working on the one that looks like it's in love
But I'm not sure I'll use it a lot

I've got one that's fairly happy
It's taken years to carve it out
Five different ones in stages of sadness
Two that are riddled with doubt

I hold onto one that no longer fits me
I haven't worn in quite some time
It's the face that I was born with
The innocence of a child

One I've carved over and over
Cause I wear it out all the time
It's the one with the look of disbelief
When it gazes on the state of mankind

I have a face with which I greet strangers
One I use with friends
Also a face that says I'm sorry
If I need to make amends

But there is one I don't carry with me
The face I leave at home
For when I lock my door at night
It's the face I call alone...

I'm a man of many faces
I've carved out over time
I carry them around with me
In a leather bag strapped to my side

Usually I'll leave it up to others
How it is they set the mood
The way we interact
To what face it is I choose

I have a face I use for concern
One I have that looks deep in thought
I'm still working on the one that looks like it's in love
But I'm not sure I'll use it a lot

I've got one that's fairly happy
It's taken years to carve it out
Five different ones in stages of sadness
Two that are riddled with doubt

I hold onto one that no longer fits me
I haven't worn in quite some time
It's the face that I was born with
The innocence of a child

One I've carved over and over
Cause I wear it out all the time
It's the one with the look of disbelief
When it gazes on the state of mankind

I have a face with which I greet strangers
One I use with friends
Also a face that says I'm sorry
If I need to make amends

But there is one I don't carry with me
The face I leave at home
For when I lock my door at night
It's the face I call alone...

every day I catch sun rays

and put them in my pocket

take them home

place them in my drawer

shut it tight then lock it

all the rays I save for gloomy days

then give them all away

for every day I hope to make

a bright and sunny day

I started a wave

Right where I was at

Out in the open

I raised up my hands

Over my head

Then I let them fall

Someone down the street

Well they saw it all

So they in turn

Raised their hands up

As fast as they did

They let them both drop

A chain reaction

Took over from there

Spreading out quickly

Just like a wild fire

It went from city to city

Then state to state

Soon country to country

In one gigantic wave

It circled the globe

Then came back to me

I saw it approach

As it came down the street

Today with the wave

I made a world of new friends

So much so I raised my hands

And sent it again

I started a wave

Right where I was at

Out in the open

I raised up my hands

Over my head

Then I let them fall

Someone down the street

Well they saw it all

So they in turn

Raised their hands up

As fast as they did

They let them both drop

A chain reaction

Took over from there

Spreading out quickly

Just like a wild fire

It went from city to city

Then state to state

Soon country to country

In one gigantic wave

It circled the globe

Then came back to me

I saw it approach

As it came down the street

Today with the wave

I made a world of new friends

So much so I raised my hands

And sent it again

We're back in time
Where cavemen rule
I've got mine
And I want yours

Swinging clubs
With angry grunts
Simple minds
Out to lunch

Fighting fascists
In a fascist style
What the hell
Is going on

In this monkey see
Monkey do
Monkeys seem
To all lose

In this daily rage
Of social discourse
Use your brain
Before it gets worse

With this caveman rule
Of do or die
Not a soul
Will survive

There is this man in Central Park
Has the most extraordinary cart
Doesn't sell hot dogs or magazines
What he sells are the best of homemade dreams

He makes them right there on the spot
Handle with care cause they come out hot
Has a magical toaster he drops them in
Before he sets them in the cooling bin

He has dreams that dream of traveling
Either by land or calming sea
Buy any dream that you desire
His most popular is the dream to fly

He has dreams of fixing past mistakes
The dreams he makes are not too late
He even has dreams of being rich
But those cost too much happiness

There are dreams where you can fall in love
That's on his dessert menu if you care to look
It's one of his sweetest treats
Love dreams even come in sugar free

He takes very seriously the dreams he's sold
Nothing artificial it's all a-la-natural
Next time you're in Central Park stop by and see
Let him make up for you, the perfect dream

There is this man in Central Park
Has the most extraordinary cart
Doesn't sell hot dogs or magazines
What he sells are the best of homemade dreams

He makes them right there on the spot
Handle with care cause they come out hot
Has a magical toaster he drops them in
Before he sets them in the cooling bin

He has dreams that dream of traveling
Either by land or calming sea
Buy any dream that you desire
His most popular is the dream to fly

He has dreams of fixing past mistakes
The dreams he makes are not too late
He even has dreams of being rich
But those cost too much happiness

There are dreams where you can fall in love
That's on his dessert menu if you care to look
It's one of his sweetest treats
Love dreams even comes in sugar free

He takes very seriously the dreams he's sold
Nothing artificial it's all a-la-natural
Next time you're in Central Park stop by and see
Let him make up for you, the perfect dream

She ain't nothing but a cereal killer
She's ****** with a gallon of milk
If you need convincing, Cap'n Crunch is still missing
And that Chocula guy is down for the Count

She ain't nothing but a cereal killer
Gets her Kix pulling off her Trix
As she bids them Cheerio being more in the know
Than a bowl of FrankenBerry buried below Honey Oh's

She ain't nothing but a cereal killer
Winning them over with her Lucky Charms
No way to deny she eats them alive
As she Frosts Tony the Tiger like Corn

She ain't nothing but a cereal killer
Finds pleasure in the Shredding of Wheat
Using Fruity Pebbles to go along with her evil  
As she spoons out her ***** deeds

She ain't nothing but a cereal killer
Easily making history out of Rice Krispy treats
What ever you do keep an eye on her Fruit Loops
That kind of crazy nobody needs

Chained to my past
Of when I was a kid
All the secrets that I've kept
All the shame of it

Chained by thoughts of failure
And not being good enough
Chained by all the thoughts that I
Would rather give it up

Chained by indecision
Should I follow or should I lead
And which way every day
Will my chains be taking me

Chained by broken heartache
Afraid it will come again
I wear these chains like I do my name
Or the comfort of a friend

Chained by what I can't or don't
Feel I can let go
Would I have these chains this very day
If all this I would have known

You write the note upon the wall
Hoping for permanent but all you have is chalk
Could this have been a Freudian slip
Knowing sooner or later you'll be back

You set your bags out by the walk
Thankful chalk is the only times these walls talk
For there's no telling what they would say
Keeping more secrets than they could ever give away

The cab pulls up into the drive
You turn one last time for a sad goodbye
Stepping into the waiting car
Thinking back on when you two once were

You wipe the dust from off your hands
The fact you chose blue was that also your plan
Looking for something more permanent  
But in life chalk is all you have left

You wrote the note upon the wall
Hoping for permanent but all you have is chalk
Could that have been a Freudian slip
Knowing sooner or later that you'd be back

You set your bags out by the walk
Thankful chalk is the only time these walls talked
For there's no telling what they would say
Keeping more secrets than they give away

You wipe your life and chalk dust from off your hands
With both being blue, was that also the plan
Yet still looking for something more permanent
But in your life chalk is all you have

Oh Chameleon,
You change before my eyes
From blue to red then back again
As you don a thin disguise

Oh Chameleon,
You keep changing on the run
From yellow to green to me it seems
Your hiding out from love

Oh Chameleon,
Your not out of the woods just yet
From orange to grey with the things that you say
Were you ever really here before you left

I try not to give it much thought
But chances are soon enough one of us will be gone
And probably not the same time
Funny how people are selfish when it comes to dying

Where mostly we go it alone
Most often without even knowing
Spending each day on the edge of the cliff
Waiting till we step off of it

Is it that we're afraid of goodbyes
Not wanting to spend too much time
Leaving the awkwardness of it
On the backs of the living who are better equipped

And when we arrive on that fateful day
I hope I'm the first to go out with a bang
I couldn't imagine being left behind
It wouldn't be life without you by my side

So do me this one small favor
Please stick around till I'm no longer here
I try not to give it much thought
But chances are soon enough one of us will be gone

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

Change is here
Change is there
Change it seems is everywhere

Change is what
Is always up
Whenever we have had enough

Change is good
Change is cruel
Change is something we all do

Change can bring
About a change
Some is sane, some deranged

People often
Change their minds
If you give them enough time

Change after all
Can be costly
But that depends on you and me

The old man on the corner
Wants a change
The young man next to him
Wants much the same

The only difference is
Between the both of them
Is the direction
They think change should move ahead

The old man wants a change
Back to the good old days
The young man wants to move beyond
This continuous running in place

Leaving little hope
Of nowhere to go
When the past is something
The youth of today have never know

Making the old man afraid
Of where the future lays
Perhaps in a way we should pray
That the heart of each should be the change

What it was and what we see
Never was it meant to be
Teenage years of ecstasy
Turned adults who cease to dream

Jumping from the lap too fast
Into a field of broken glass
What you had you can't have back
In your bid to buy back the past

Take the hand of the Lemming next to you
As you enjoy the plunging view
Would you have changed had they told you
And would the change continue

Everyone must feel the pain
Secrets held tight in the grave
What we have is in the change
Harken back those teenage days

You get no arguments out of me
Life certainly ain't what it used to be
You can bet your life these are different times
In need of a change if not a tweek

Not talking High School Hops or Soda Shops
Poodle skirts matching pink sweater tops
Don't know about you but I'd change a thing or two
From today's spinning top I'd take it back a notch

I'm not saying it all needs to change
Moving forward can be a good thing
But this ride of life slips as much as slides
Leaving things behind if you even think to blink

We need to keep the family of man intact
Where I've got yours and you've got my back
To tell you the truth I'd change a thing or two
Before we wake up to nothing left

I often say those were the good old days
And I'm saddened these days are not the same
But those young in heart and mind best enjoy these times
Cause like me later in life they'll wish the same

Can't we at least slow down the progress made
Keeping the good while tossing the rest away
Nothing drastic mind you just change a thing or two
Before we find we're too late

In the midst of this relationship
Colors ever bright
Morning, noon, and night
Sparkle in its shine

The way we come together
Deep green on the vine
Lovers both intwined
Sharing in the light

The colors in-between us
Reds, yellows, and blues
I always promise to
Change colors with you

From the brightness of beginnings
To the fading of pastels
Soft to the touch is felt
Colors still work well

The love that's held be-tween us
As twilight takes our day
Colors start to fade
Into hints of gray

With all that's painted on us
Our canvas tight and true
I always promise to
Change colors with you

This morning I'm going to the community bank
So that I can take out a loan
Once they give me the loan
I'm coming straight to your home
With the change for your way of life
Cause your way of life needs some change
Before you go completely morally bankrupt
I thought it best be today

I see you too often out on the streets
Begging life from total strangers
This one may be sweet
But the next one may be danger
That's why I brought this change for your way of life
Cause your way of life needs some change
With all the grief that you've been given
I knew this would be the perfect day

Of course this change I'm giving you
Doesn't come interest free
I'm more than a little bit curious
How this change you will receive
This change for your way of life
Cause your way of life needs some change
I just hope that it is soon enough
And I pray that you spend it today

I have seen those that suffer
At the hands of their own make
Thinking problem solved if they could all
Just up and move away

But they don't know what comes will go
With you to the place you are
Unless you change your attitude
And have a change of heart

Because problems will all follow you
Whether or not you want them to
You can break the chains and let them loose
But with no change of heart they'll do what they do

So before you plan out your escape
Thinking to run and start anew
It's not the ones you hang out with
But what hangs out inside of you

You can try a brand new landscape
Where no one knows who or where you are
But all will stay the same unless you take
With you a change of heart

I've seen my childhood memories
In broad daylight come and go
What ones didn't fade away
Away they were thrown

From Granddaddy's Carolina farm
To the old country store
As progress keeps on moving on
While opening and slamming doors

What used to be roaming free
Home on the range
Is now a giant discount store
Open 24 hours a day

Where you can go and buy yourself
Most anything you need
Don't forget and leave your soul
Somewhere in aisle 3

And what was once neighborly love
Is now behind an 8 foot wall
With no idea of how they are
When we don't even call

With the fruit of our existence
Rotting on the vine
We should have picked it long ago
The minute it was ripe

I could go on with this forever
As each day brings a new change
Some are good, some are bad
Some should have stayed the same

But the biggest change that I've seen
From every thing that tends to leave
Is the bitter change
That I often see in me

I don't think I like what I see on T.V.
The daily drivel bombarding me
Purposely designed to forever keep
The masses on the edges of their seats

One catastrophe leads another
Brothers in battle against each other
Continually tightening the lid to not blow their cover
Throwing the baby out, with the bath water

This constant spin is doing me in
Burning both ends of the candle
Remove all the dents and begin again
Could we possibly change the channel

All the things I see on my T.V.
Guaranteed to bring me to my knees
Can you explain to me how we think we are free
With everything my T.V. is telling

Raising fists in fits of anger
All of this looks so familiar
A few know the truth but really don't care
With that attitude you'll get us nowhere

I hear them say those were the good old days
Past generations would call us numbskulls
With brains half-baked during the commercial break
Could we possibly change the channel

My ultimate goal is to change the channel...

We'd been running this race in hopes of first place
With backs against the wind
While some would say we're far too late
Losing our chance to win

Would time have proved wrong had we kept going on
If we'd kept the steady beat
Something we'll never know as stories go
Changing horses in midstream

What once was dry land is now tear soaked mud and
The previous parties prints hard to find
The majestic horse that ran this course
The owners to this day still pine

Plans set to seed on this dastardly deed
No cheat too extreme
With loosened saddle straps and few morals left
Changing horses in midstream

No secret kept to how this horse was whipped
Feeding the crowd into a frenzy
Some follow along with what they've been told
Only took a few to fool the many

They may rue the day it all got away
Thinking a dead horse you can beat
But what can you say, should have let it lay
Changing horses in midstream

As the golden hammer
Pounds the rusty nail
How much more can a people take
Laying open on the side of the bleeding highway
Storms in the distance coming into existence
Rising itself, preparing itself
To wash away the inhabitants of the lost
Giving over to the brutality of humanity
Oh generation, where can you turn
Travelers of this dying sphere
Awaken! Awaken! Youth of tomorrow
Consumers of the day
Set course for the unknown
Where in reality
The hammer is the slave

Charles Bukowski ate my girlfriend
He started with her head
Fiddled with her like finger food
Putty in his hands

Charles Bukowski took my girlfriend
Slapped her hard upside the face
Now she likes it *****
So this poets been replaced

I'd like to say so long Charlie
As far as I'm concerned
You can hit the literary highway
Never to return

Charles Bukowski took my girlfriend
And showed her a good time
As I'm watching from the shallow end
Of my kiddie pool of simple rhyme

Charles Bukowski ate my girlfriend
Chewed her up then spit her out
Now that good for nothing Charlie
Is all she talks about