My daddy taught me when I was young
How to be a gentleman son

Open doors for all ladies
Say yes sir, no sir and may I please

Never speak unless spoken to
Keep this advice close to you

It will help where e're you go
And if your mother smells nice then tell her so

If your walking a girl down the street
Walk between her and where the cars do meet

And when going up and down the stairs
He didn't want to leave me unaware

Stay behind when going up
And when heading down stay in front

Because if a lady trips and calls
You'll be there to catch her fall

Never speak when your mouth is full
Cause no one wants to see your food

And elbows belong on your arms
Not propped up on the table son

These are just a few things my daddy taught me
To be a gentleman in the first degree

I'm not the only one I'm guessing
Who needs a refresher in this lesson
Not to have it stuck in but out of my head

These thoughts I can't escape
From mornings dawn to daylights late
Can someone please teach me how to forget

The ghosts of memories past haunt me
Not sure of the reason they want me
I just hope they don't keep trying my heart to the bitter end

All I want at this point is some peace
Not the daily reminding of me
In the desperate need of the lesson in how to forget

As I try and tackle time all I find
Is this tangled mess inside of my mind
The thought would be gone by now if left unsaid

But more or less remains the same
As these mind games they never seem to change
I just wish someone could teach me how to forget

This is how you write a poem
When you're holding nothing
Find a line and set to rhyme
Until it sounds like something

Settle on a subject
Although you may not know it
You might want to Google
So that you don't blow it

Hopefully you have spell check
So you're not labeled an idiot
If you lack in the vocab
Go back to the Google bit

Do it all for the fun and
Keep those rhymes a coming
That's pretty much how you write
A poem straight out of nothing

When asked what color I am
I say I bleed red
Or if asked what race
I kindly say human

The outside color doesn't matter
It's the inside that counts
I find nothing sadder
Than someone who hasn't figured that out

Will you stand with me
In the fact that all men are free
No matter the color that's put on each other
Religion or creed

Because last time I checked
We all bleed red
And the race that we're running
here's a little something
We're all human

These days I find
I struggle to breathe
Amongst the ruins
of humanity
Dust and Rubble
are about all I see
a simple life
so hard to conceive

These days we strive
but not for the best
It's all I, me, mine
forgetting the rest
One step forward
two steps back
With short memories
we've left what we had

Broken windows
glass in the streets
Deep in the hoping
barefoot we don't bleed
Here and abroad
sea to shining sea
But at what cost
to humanity

No one is digging
for the truth anymore
In need of mending
the tear is far worse
A hopeless ending
continually knocks on the door
Humanity in its bidding
has run out its course

while it is true
that i am not you
and i've no idea
where you've been
or what you're going through

i know the race
we are in is human
and we can run it together
no matter the color
of skin we're in

we all have a desire
that clearly beats from the heart
to live in peace
and harmony
whoever you are

and one day we will step
over the finish line
one people
hand in hand
all color set aside

i've got a humming bird heart
that flutters back and forth
whenever it's startled by
loves slightest noise

fancy's itself
as being free
but is always drawn back
to it's basic needs

this humming bird heart
flutters back and forth
always in search of
what it does not know

if it does not know
what it does not have
then how long can this
humming bird heart last

i've got a humming bird heart
that fly's on the wind
most times settles on nothing
then fly's off again

this humming bird heart
all it want's is to feed
from one point to another
and all points in between

taking for granted
the sweetness it craves
this humming bird heart
gives so much away

i've got a hummingbird heart
that flutters back and forth
whenever it's startled by
loves slightest noise

fancy's itself
as being free
but is always drawn back
to it's basic needs

this hummingbird heart
flutters back and forth
always in search of
what it does not know

if it does not know
what it does not have
then how long can this
hummingbird heart last

i've got a hummingbird heart
that fly's on the wind
most times settles on nothing
then fly's off again

this hummingbird heart
all it want's is to feed
from one point to another
and all points in between

taking for granted
the sweetness it craves
this hummingbird heart
gives so much away

I love you so much
I could eat you up
Take the left over parts
Put them into a box
Get them to go
Taking you home
To enjoy you more
When I'm alone
Your beautiful heart
The very best part
Out of all of the parts
That you have got
It is your eyes
I mainly see
That started this hunger
Inside of me
I take hold of your hand
Place it in mine
Give it a kiss
Before I give it a bite
You are so sweet
I can't get enough
Call it what you like
I call it love

You often hear the growling
But it's still hard to tell
From exactly where it's coming
In this hungry town

There's a mumur in the suburbs
A far cry in the getto
I've seen the likes and they don't lie
Hunger pangs are hard to let go

Some are hungry for a change
Some are hungry for their habits
One to save, one to break
Both have got to have it

There is no use in hiding
No sense in the denying
You can tone it down but it's still around
The sound of babies crying

There's a hunger out for power
A hunger to hang on
You can fertilizer a flower
Doesn't mean that it will grow

There's a hunger that stands in wonder
The day it's fully grown
Down on every corner
In this hungry town

Ready or not here he comes
Best you batten down the hatches
Unless you were one of the smart ones to run
Like a crazed hound in July chasing rabbits

Alright, alright, alright
As you turn and face the wind
Open the door to a Category 4
And let Dorian come screaming in

Oh me, oh my, oh my, oh me
Is that Grandma in the yard below
Hanging tight with all her might to the clothes line
With her cat Skeeters wrap around her big toe

This is getting rather exciting
As I see trees by the dozen crack in half
With my Boy Scout skills I might need to later build
A family size raft including the cat if there anything left

But for now we'll all hunker down
Try and stay away from the windows
And all the flying debris that I decided to leave
In the yard scattered amongst the plastic Flamingos

I'm here wondering at this very moment
Which of the two could be worse
The fate of being blown away by a hurricane
Or eaten by a gator face first

Still you've got to love living in Florida
With 20 foot waves crashing to shore
As I step outside to grab that branch floating by
I think I need to start whittling some oars

Ready or not here he comes
Best you batten down the hatches
Unless you were one of the smart ones to run
Like a **** Hound in July chasing rabbits

Alright, alright, alright
As you turn and face the wind
Open the door to a Category 4
And let Matthew come screaming in

Oh me, oh my, oh my, oh me
Is that Grandma in the yard below
Hanging tight with all her might to the clothes line
With her cat Skeeters in tow

This is getting rather exciting
As I see trees by the dozen crack in half
With my Boy scout skills I might need to later build
A sturdy family size raft

But for now we'll all hunker down
Try and stay away from the windows
And all the flying debris that I decided to leave
In the yard scattered between plastic Flamingos

I'm here wondering at this moment
Which of the two could be worse
Being blown away by a hurricane
Or eaten by a gator face first

Still you've got to love Florida
With 20 foot waves crashing to shore
As I step outside to grab that branch floating by
I think I need to start whittling some oars

Barreling wicked from the East
Heart, that of a beast
No way for her to be tamed

Like a sloppy drunken *****
Wobbling in her course
Once you've met you won't soon forget her name

A warning set for those
Left behind holding to little hope
Crying comes on as hard as rain

In the powers that are to be
Feeding her insatiable needs
Taking out whatever gets in her way

Hellish in her wrath
To those who cross her path
Never again will life ever be the same

Hurricane...

Hold on there, just one sec
Now that I think about it
I can with all confidence
Say yes, we're all hypocrites

The things we say not to do
We turn around and do them too
That my friend is nothing new
All the trails lead back to you

We may hold out hunks of hope
But there is not a single soul
Who against their will, eventually won't
Cave to their own does and don'ts  

We try and try to do our best
Hard as that is we just can't
Pointing fingers, shaking heads
What about this don't we get

I've stopped long enough to think about it
To side on the side of a matter of fact
The last time that I checked
Yes, we are all hypocrites

Aren't we all just hypocrites
Playing a part we aren't
Pretending to be someone other than me
Behind the scenes in this plot

Of this righteously written story
We've placed ourselves into
Me playing someone other than me
You also fudging the truth

There's nothing new in what we go through
From day one under the sun
All hypocrites in the way that we live
Each and everyone

Putting up a facade with all that we've got
Turning a blind eye to the fact
Of reality in our pretending to be
Hoping not to get caught in the act

We should have known
Bet we could have guessed
More or less just a mess
All of us hypocrites...

Can I let you in on a little something
That to me has been wrong way rubbing
While some folk might think it's nothing
Like kissing on a second cousin

But something about this don't seem right
Now I ain't trying to start no fight
All depends on your appetite
On what you do and do not like

But me, I don't like all the complaining
Especially from those misbehaving
Gets my head all into aching
Which happens a lot these days lately

They expect us all to follow along
But what if we don't dance to that song
Can you tell me what about that is wrong
Aren't we all individuals

I guess they expect you to go with the crowd
Not to think or do by yourself
Be a good little sheeple now
Tell you when and where to bow down

Have they ever thought of discussing
In a calm voice without the cussing
Maybe then we'd all learn something
Cause all of this whining is unbecoming

That's about all I gotta say
I'm tired of being rubbed the wrong way
To me, this ain't okay
Oh and by the way...have a nice day

Let’s preface this with
I am a mess
If you happen to wonder
If you haven’t yet guessed

If you haven’t hung out
With me long enough
Give it a minute
It ain’t all that tough

It’s not like I really
Started this way
It took years of practice
Countless mistakes

To get to the point
Where I am today
Making my way
Through this melee

Not trying that hard
At doing my best
If you haven’t guessed
I am a mess

I am a page
Inside a dusty book

Easy to read
Line by line
But a whole paragraph
Might blow your mind

Part tear stained
Definitely dog eared

Easily able
To put me down
Knowing where I am at
When you come back around

I am a page
With lots to say

At times
I make perfect sense
But on that front
You still take a chance

Coffee stained
Slightly torn page

Many flaws
But easy to see
Through it all
Well worth the read

I swear I'm not a Zombie
As some of you might think
I'm just a man without a plan
Surviving on too little sleep

I stumble along as if nothing's wrong
Through my daily day to day
Exhausted by the fact that I
Spend most my nights awake

Without much thought my pillow talks
Loudly in my ear
Discussing demands and other plans
Daring me to persevere

Where in that state I lie awake
Mostly from concern
Of what is next to fill my head
As the world around me turns

Making me as some might think
One of the walking dead
But I swear I'm not a Zombie
Just a man in need of rest

I am...
The tunnel in the vision

I am...
The ink drying in the pen

I am...
The thought when you made your decision

I am...
The last time that you spent

I am...
The master of illusion

I am...
The hunger that you crave

I am...
The past time of delusion

I am...
The tomorrow that left yesterday

I am...
What once was but never will be

I am...
The point that has not been seen

I am...
The cost when you wish you were free

I am...
The Mystery

I believe...

For every heart that's filled with pain
For every drop of acid rain
Everyone can love the same
If every thought is built on change

I believe...

That giving all you have's a must
That relationships are built on trust
If you don't exercise your heart it rusts
That love is the total of the sum

I believe...

That every juncture in this life
Is an opportunity to do what's right
Never is it wasted time
If you hold tight to the ties that bind

I believe...

Not only is the stomach fed
But also the heart, the soul, the head
Until there is no hunger left
And all the needs of man are met

I believe...

The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Blesses those who love them most
Up and down humanities coast
For the Bible tells me so

I believe...

In giving everyone a chance
The answer to this life is yes
That every taken breath should be a quest
And that life should only end in death

I'm not looking for your pity
That party's done left town
If you ever decide you miss me
You won't find me around

Though who here am I kidding
If you must know the truth
As sure as I am living
I can't seem to get over you

As long as I've been standing here
In both word and deed
We know the truth is clear
I'm no good for you nor you for me

It's a hapless situation
But what's a man to do
When he has a heart that's beating
I can't seem to get over you

A rocky path that must be followed
Leading heaven only knows
To a promise that is hollow
With far less highs than there are lows

It's a daily situation
And me here without a clue
As life around me caves in
I can't seem to get over you

Leaving the warmth of the womb
Bright light of the delivery room
Life forced on the young to soon
           *...i cried

The very first scrape of the knee
Wanting but not knowing the need
Youthful planting of seed
     ...i cried

Love found and love kissed goodbye
Emptiness that could fill up the sky
Times discarded by the wayside
                                ...i cried

Life that gets in the way
Never with the right words to say
Where happiness once ruled the day
   ...i cried

Through blurred vision it all fades to fast
What once was the future, now is the past
Fingers to nimble to grasp
                         ... i cried

What's left before is the grave
Friends to late to save
Tomorrow come what may
                                                           *...i cried

I had the strangest feeling
That if I cut my hair
All of my crazy poem ideas
Would suddenly disappear

Like Samson with Delila
I'd loose that added edge
If I didn't keep this mop top
On top of my knotted head

All the poetry would be zapped from me
And I would lose my purpose
Start rhyming things like moon with June
At that point my pen would be worthless

But I couldn't take it anymore
It was driving me insane
So I got out the heavy duty shears
And did something about this mane

I now see the pile in front of me
Expecting the Philistine's to crash through the door
But the only action that there is
Is me sweeping my curley remains up off the floor

I now face the day in front of me
Showing no lack of courage
Continuing in my quest
Of looking for that elusive word that rhymes with orange

I'd like to know...
How far we'll go
In the selling off
Of our souls

With lives at play
Everyday
How much more
Will we give away

I'd like to know...
Before I give up hope
How far down
The rabbit hole we'll go

As life's ladder
Loses it rungs
Where greed is equal
To the sum

I'd like to know...
How far we'll go
Before we reap
The seeds we've sown

From trying to do
It all on our own
Then again maybe
I don't want to know

I'd like to take this moment
While I'm here to thank the world
The opportunity it's afforded me
In the breaking of life's mold
From the youngest age of tenderness
To the aching bones of old no less
From everything that I have seen
I'd like to thank the world

~

If it's even listening
I'd like to thank the world
From past and present history
With the lies that have been told
To what stands out in front of me
What little is left that I can see
From the way it bites to the way I bleed
I'd like to thank the world

~

For continually knocking me off at the knees
I'd like to thank the world
For keeping me up with the latest disease
I'd like to thank the world
As I take this time to toss in my lot
With all my have's and my have not's
For everything I haven't got
I'd like to thank the world

~

For every promise that's been lost
I'd like to thank the world
For daily punches in the gut
And the pain that that's unfurled
From the beginning to the end
The way it drives me round the bend
With the sorrow that it gives
I'd like to thank the world

I'd love to be the harbor boat
That gently tugs, keeping you afloat
Or perhaps even better yet
The soft comfort of your unmade bed

I'd love to be the garden trowel
The one you use when you plant spring flowers
Or perhaps even better still
The lucky coin in your wishing well

I'd love to be the big red barn
With bales of hay to keep you warm
Or perhaps even more than that
The loving purr from your favorite cat

I'd love to be your private Learjet
To take you places you've never been
Or perhaps given half a chance
The diamond ring slipped on your left hand

I'd love to be your automobile
The comfort you feel from behind the wheel
Or better yet to tell the truth
I'd love to be all this and more for you

I'd love to be the harbor boat
That gently tugs, keeping you afloat
Or perhaps even better yet
The soft comfort of your unmade bed

I'd love to be the garden trowel
The one you use when you plant spring flowers
Or perhaps even better still
The lucky coin in your wishing well

I'd love to be the big red barn
With stacks of hay inside to keep you warm
Or perhaps even more than that
The loving purr from you favorite cat

I'd love to be your private Learjet
To take you places that you've never been
Or perhaps given half a chance
The diamond ring slipped on your left hand

I'd love to be your automobile
The comfort you feel from behind the wheel
Or perhaps to tell the truth
I'd love to be all this and more for you

I'd love to be your room
The one that you run to
To get away from the stress life makes
The room that makes you feel safe

I'd love to be the golden ****
The first and last thing that you touch
In your comings and your goings
Where you'd feel safe under my lock

I'd also like to be the key
That opens up that door
Or where you lay to paint your nails
Just to be the floor

Oh to be the window seat
That you sit upon
As you look out on the day
Dreaming of the one you love

To even be the vanity mirror
The one that holds your gaze
The music from your stereo
When your favorite song is played

The sheets on your bed, your pillow too
All of this and so much more
What's most comfortable for you
Is why I'd love to be your room

You say you don't know how to pray
Just spend one long and lonely day
In the middle of the storm
Not knowing if you'll make it home

Or in the doctors outer room
Hopefully there for some good news
Waiting for results to come in
On the longest day you've ever lived

It can be hard to ignore
You've said a few prayers before
If you've ever had a child that's sick
I'm sure a few have crossed your lips

There are so many opportunities
To fall down daily on your knees
As each day can be a fight
To try and do what is right

There's no formula in how to pray
Just open up with what you have to say
What is on your heart and mind
With God you're just spending time

I don't know why
I did what I did
I don't know why
I kept my feelings hid
I don't know why
Excuses need be made
But I do know why
All these thoughts have stayed

I don't know why
My mind lingers on the past
I don't know why
I can't let go what I left
I don't know why
I struggle like I do
But I do know why
It's so hard to accept the truth

I don't know why
I can't figure this life out
I don't know why
I'm always filled with doubt
I don't know why
This mountain I can't move
But I do know why
I can't get over you

I don't really miss you
And the times that I kissed you
Or how good it felt to have you in my arms

If you don't believe me
You can come over and see me
I don't see how that could do any harm

Would you mind wearing that red dress
The one that I like best
Give me a call, I'm here all the time

I could make dinner if you like
And we could discuss it all night
Then you will clearly see that I'm not lying

When I say I don't miss you
And the times that I kissed you
Or how good it felt to have you in my arms

And if you still don't believe me
I'll let you kiss me then you'll see
After all what could be the harm

Now that I've hit the big time
The one thing that I find
Tell you now that I ain't lying
I don't want to grow up

It ain't how they presented it
Too much trouble in the mix
I've had enough to the point of quit
I don't want to grow up

With all the wrinkles on my face
Where there's not an ache there is pain
At times can't remember my own name
I don't want to grow up

No pleasure to be had in this
Add it to the could care less list
I used to hit now all I do is miss
I don't want to grow up

Sure I'm not the only one in the crowd
The only one to find this out
Being nothing like I heard about
I don't want to grow up

Is it too late to change my mind
Come back to this some other time
Could someone help me out of this bind
Cause I don't want to grow up

When it comes down to it all
I'd rather be a dog
Laying in the shade all day
With nothing going on

When I want fun I'll bark and run
Chase a ball to kingdom come
Lick anyone that comes along
Mess on the floor and then play dumb

Thought about this more than some
I'd rather be a dog
My favorite pastime all day long
Gnawing on a bone

If I get bored I'll scratch myself
Being fed by someone else
With table scraps I'll gladly help
With no sane reason I'll madly yelp

If I should ever get the call
I'd rather be a dog
Short or skinny, fat or tall
I'd rather be a dog

I'd  bark if I need to go out
Sniff here and there then there about
Dig up every last inch of ground
Go heebie jeebies at the slightest sound

I've thought about this long and tall
I'd rather be a dog
Never would I be a cat
As if that's a choice at all

I dreamed I saw a field of Golden Starships
A crowd with suitcases standing by
For those first come to those first served
Heading for a new home in the sky

Like animals escaping from a flood
They were lined up two by two
Some for adventure some have just had enough
With no earthly idea of what they should do

There were those in their families there to wave their goodbyes
With only precious moments left
I know it's just a dream but I'm still curious
As to the last thing that they said

With the ships loaded down and the countdown begun
I knew it was time to leave
As I opened my eyes to the new mornings sun
Waking up from my dream

i dreamed of you again last night
you may wonder how i know
the fact my pillow was soaked with tears
in the morning when i awoke

i dreamed of you again last night
what number does that make
not sure that i can count that high
or even dare to say

i dreamed of you again last night
like you weren't even gone
like the accident never happened
like the kids still had their mom

i dreamed of you again last night
and if you must know the truth
i can tell by our kids pillows
that they dream of you too

I drive a truck
Which makes me a manly man among men
To those sissified 70's
I never caved in

Heck yea, that's country not disco
You hear blaring in the back
Which sometimes rattles the triggers lose
On my shotgun rack

And yes I do live down South
But not a redneck per say
My camouflage leisure suit
I only wear holidays

Or out to special dinners
Say Denny's or Huddle House
You know those fancy places
Where there's no spitting allowed

So getting anything more outta me
I wish you good luck
Now where was I going with this?
Oh yea...I drive a truck

If I should ever lose my sight
No longer seeing through these eyes
I still will gaze upon the prize
For my eyes have seen the truth

If words no longer fill my mouth
If what I had to say did not come out
Never would there be a doubt
I would continually sing praise to you

If both my legs they were cut off
I still would stand for the cause
Continuing in my faithful walk
Where each day in you I stand anew

If for a moment or two I lose heart
It still will know how Great Thou Art
To the very end from the very start
Sweet Jesus I will always be in love with you

If I should ever lose my sight
No longer seeing through these eyes
I still will gaze upon the prize
For my eyes they've seen the truth

If words no longer fill my mouth
If what I had to say did not come out
There would never be a doubt
I would continually sing my praise to you

If both my legs they were cut off
I would still be standing for the cause
Continuing in my faithful walk
Each day in you I stand anew

I know I'll never lose my heart
For it loves and knows How Great Thou art
To the very end from the very start
Jesus, I will always be in love with you