At this moment
What are you doing
Are you winning
Or are you losing
Precious minutes
Here for your choosing
What legacy will you leave behind

At this moment
Are you loving
Those that have done
For you nothing
For the blessings
To keep coming
What legacy will you leave behind

At this moment
What are you giving
And when you give it
Do you mean it
And do you make sure
That they see it
What legacy will you leave behind

At this moment
Do you own it
Everything that
You've right or wronged it
If you right it, do you flaunt it
If you wrong it, do you hide it
What legacy will you leave behind

At this moment
They are watching
They are finding
What you are hiding
The truth is binding
There's no denying
The legacy you'll leave behind

As our States go into a state of confusion
In the passing of their passing of laws
Saying now that all their fine citizens 
Can freely lay out and get ******

As a matter of fact haven't they been doing that
For years if my minds working correctly 
I guess the difference now when they lounge around
They can freely puff on it legally 

So let's all take the bongs out of hiding
And add some fresh liquid to it
Invite over the neighbors you've never talked to
To share in a neighborly spliff 

It'll certainly make everyone happy 
When we come together and roll up a fatty
Don't worry if to this party you're a newbie
Here take a hit off this doobie

We'll order out pizza
And crank up Netflix
Watch My Little Pony 
And laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh and...

Wait...now where was I? Oh Yea!

So let's take all the bongs out of hiding

Hold on...have I already said that?
Dude, this is freaking me out!  Lol!

Oh okay, here we go...

You can now grow your own
On your very own farm
But instead of deep in the woods
It can now be your front yard

Of course all the neighbor kids 
You'll have to watch
As they pass by your place 
And pick from your crops

So then you'll have to invest
In a scary guard dog
To keep them at bay 
And out of your plot

But of course you'll be ****** 
And forget that he's there
Where he'll end up hungry
And start eating his share

There goes your profit 
There goes your crop
Plus all the time you'll spend behind the dog
With a baggy waiting for doggie do do drops

But then again the government
May not let you grow your own stuff
As you wait for the F.D.A.
To authorize all your drugs

And we all know when you get
The government involved
Bureaucratic common sense
Too often gets lost

Maybe this legalization thingy
Is not the best of ideas
Things seemed to run smoother
When we all kept our *** hid...

As our States go into a state of confusion
In the passing of their passing of laws
Saying now that all their fine citizens
Can freely lay out and get ******

As a matter of fact haven't they been doing that
For years if my minds working correctly
I guess the difference now when they lounge around
They can freely puff on it legally

So let's all take the bongs out of hiding
And add some fresh liquid to it
Invite over the neighbors you've never talked to
To share in a neighborly spliff

It'll certainly make everyone happy
When we come together and roll up a fatty
Don't worry if to this party your a newbie
Here take a hit off this doobie

We'll order out pizza
And crank up Netflix
Watch My Little Pony
And laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh and...

Wait...now where was I? Oh Yea!

So let's take all the bongs out of hiding

Hold on...have I already said that?
Dude, this is freaking me out!  Lol!

Oh okay, here we go...

You can now grow your own
On your very own farm
But instead of deep in the woods
It can now be your front yard

Of course all the neighbor kids
You'll have to watch
As they pass by your place
And pick from your crops

So then you'll have to invest
In a scary guard dog
To keep them at bay
And out of your plot

But of course you'll be ******
And forget that he's there
Where he'll end up hungry
And start eating his share

There goes your profit
There goes your crop
Plus all the time you'll spend behind the dog
With a baggy waiting for doggie do do drops

But then again the government
May not let you grow your own stuff
As you wait for the F.D.A.
To authorize all your drugs

And we all know when you get
The government involved
Bureaucratic common sense
Too often gets lost

Maybe this legalization thingy
Is not the best of ideas
Things seemed to run smoother
When we all kept our *** hid

She squeezes me like a lemon
In her hurry and her haste
Which only makes me sour
In the heat of summer days
If she would only add the sugar
Teaspoon at a time to taste
Pour me into a glass unused
And then ask me to stay

everyday
a lesson's learned
something borrowed
something earned
even from
mistakes we make
lessons are learned
everyday

everyday
a lesson's learned
some bring pleasure
others hurt
to be sure
the ones that hurt
more valuable
the lesson learned

everyday
a lesson's learned
concrete jungle
sidewalk dirt
it may seem like
a lot of work
but everyday
a lesson's learned

everyday

a lesson learned

some bring pleasure

others hurt

to be sure

the ones that hurt

more valuable

the lesson learned

Life is one big lesson
Be it easy, be it hard
There's no sense in guessing
You'll know soon enough when it comes along

I can tell you this from experience
With everything I've seen
The hardest lessons that you learn
Are the ones you most likely keep

You don't like what they say
Or the way that they play
A decision needs to be made
Don't let it ruin your day

There is one thing that I know
A mechanism in which to cope
Take the short end of the rope
Let it go

Because it's not just you but them
That seems to have the problem
With the handling of the angry stick
They keep beating you with

Before you lose all hope
Seeds need to be sown
And then to help them grow
Let it go

Take it from me
Time and again I have seen
The worst in these
Played out in history

They'll tie you up with guilty rope
Feed you all their worthless dope
But now that you know
Let it go

If you can let Love
Take you by the hand
Never under pressure
Never by demand
Let it have its say
On all the paths it takes
Clearing hate from the day
Let Love have its say

Better still let Love
Have its open will
In sickness and in health
Love is here to heal
Let it play its part
In everything you are
Love is where you start
Let Love play its part

If you can let Love
Take you by the hand
Comfort where it hurts
The very best it can
If it's not found the first time
Don't give up in trying
If you can let Love
Take you by the hand

when we are without our clothes
no one knows our rags nor riches
no one knows our highs nor lows
when we are without our stitches

when we are all naked stark
no one knows just who we are
nor do they know the part
that we play in life's shopping cart

you may ask what am i suggesting
perhaps we should all go naked
we'd then be on equal footing
and wouldn't that there be a blessing

With eyes the size of saucers
Spirits hanging low
Drool dripping downward
Lump in the throat

Face of confusion
Mass hysteria
Doubled down delusion
Mostly unaware

Left side a-twitching
Head spinning round
Frontal lobe missing
Knuckles dragging the ground

Temperature rising
Ears blowing smoke
With this there's no denying
I'm now ready to vote!

With eyes the size of saucers
Spirits hanging low
Drool dripping downward
Lump in the throat

Face of confusion
Mass hysteria
Doubled down delusion
Mostly unaware

Left side a-twitching
Head spinning round
Frontal lobe missing
Knuckles dragging the ground

Temperature rising
Ears blowing smoke
With this there's no denying
I'm now ready to vote!

Put on your mouth
If you've something to say
Add tongue and teeth
Lips to flap away

Don't forget ears
So you can hear
Leave out the wax
So words come in clear

To keep it tight
Dot both the eyes
To clearly see
Low on surprise

And who knows
The do's and don'ts
Better than
Your smelly noise

Now that you have
Your face in place
You're more than ready
To face the day

With the faces people make
They so often give away
What is deep inside their hearts
Faces showing who they are

You can read them like a book
With the way their faces look
Most often times it fits the crime
To what is churning in their minds

Face it, this is what we have
I'll face you, you face me back
With all of that being said
We'll one day face the consequence

Let's take this life
And live it for living
Take what we've got
And give what we're given
Let go the end
Grab hold the beginning
Stand with the few
Take on the many

We'll shower the days
With hope in the making
Lyrical ways
Will be ours for the taking
From the dawn of the early
To the dusk of the lately
No if's and's or but's
Not even a maybe

We'll hang with the tough
Long overdue
Giving in love
What others may lose
Standing as one
Up for the truth
In all that is done
In all that we do

Taking this life
And live it for living
Take what we've got
And give what we're given

i like to tell stories
that bring glory to me
no one i know
is more deservingly

at this moment you think
i am up on myself
but at this moment
isn't everyone else

with self centeredness
being the thought of the day
in the i want it all
and i want it my way

i can honestly say
without skipping a beat
i, me, and mine
are my top favorite three

so listen closely
to the stories i tell
interestingly about me
and nobody else

Lord, help me to be that as a child
When it comes to prayer
The innocence with which they're blessed
Under your gentle tender care

Deep within my soul I know
The child of innocence has found assurance
With your love and protection always there
Given at a moments notice

Because when a child's world is in turmoil
That is when they reach out their hands
Where no words need be spoken
As God the Father always understands

He is the child's Savior as he is for me
I need the faith of a child in the midst of catastrophe
Instead of thinking I can do it all on my own
I need only give him that faith knowing he has been here all along
And will continue to be long after I'm gone...

6 days of work
On the 7th day you rested
Seeing all was good
In all you had invested

Took the hand of man
And gave to him the charge
The taste of freedom and
You his loving God

To ward off loneliness
Made for him a helper
Inside of Edens bliss
Paradise the shelter

With only one stipulation
Listen what you're saying
Do not eat from the tree
The only rule you're making

Listened to that snake
Lying in his hissing
Made the fatal mistake
He was just a henchman

**********

Eating from the tree
Who told you, you were naked
Sin has been set free
Paradise has left ya

Look what you have done
Kicked out of the garden
Hear the whole earth moan
Nothing's more alarming

Nothing now has been the same
Since the apple then was bitten
Think I'll give this poem the name
Let the festivities begin

Could somebody out there teach me
The finer points of levitation
I can only get off the ground an inch at a time
There must be some mistake I am making

Am I not holding my breath long enough
Do I need to cross my eyes
Maybe I'm concentrating way to much
Perhaps I should clear my mind

Only levitating an inch off the ground
Makes it awfully hard to get around
There's far to many obstacles to run into
At that low of an altitude

I'm looking to add another five or six feet
That should keep me above ground clutter
Anything higher would only scare me
After all heights make me shudder

So if anyone out there could lend me a hand
I'm more than willing to pay them
If they could just teach me all they know about
The  fine art of levitation

Liars lie right before your eyes
Cause that's what liars do
They tend to lie most all the time
A fur piece from the truth

Lie their way straight to your face
Even if you hold the proof
Lying makes liar's take
And place the blame all on you

Liars lie with lies in mind
As if there's nothing wrong
They even lie in double time
If there's a chance of being caught

They'll wind the lying side extra tight
Even if they're proven wrong
Saying don't believe your lying eyes
Amidst what's going's on

Liars lie twice their size
If given half a chance
Hoping that you take the bait
Despite the circumstance

Pinocchio's as their lies grow
Never ever will they quit
Liars lie as a past time
So, just get used to it

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

What do you do when your country leaves you
Out in the dark, out in the cold
You raise concerns but no one believes you
In this world of lost condemned to hell souls

As leaders go these are mostly see through
Emperor's without their clothes
What's good for the goose is not for you dude
So sit down, shut your mouth and do as you're told

What do you do when your country lies to you
Do you like a cheap suit fold
In the back of the rack where they place you
Forgetting you're there until money is owed

Well good luck with that cause here's news for you
We've seen the truth and now we know
So sit down, shut your mouth we're through with you dude
We're Americans here and we can't be owned

i stuck my thumb
into the air
in a gesture
of i don't care
you can take me
anywhere
just take me far
away from here

because here is
not where it's at
i've had enough
of this and that
enough of hoping
that i get
enough of what
i've never had

which is peace
and prosperity
something that
is lacking me
hence my thumb
will set me free
as my thumb
speaks liberty

There is no candy more lonely
Than a stick of licorice
It's a love hate affair where you do or don't care
That doesn't dare come with a makeup kiss

You can chew on that fact some think nasty at best
While some smile with blackened teeth
You either do or you don't, will or you won't
Think licorice is a scrumpdillyicious treat

Once I was the lying kind
Whatever lie came across my mind
I'd stick rock solid hard with it
To the point of going down with the ship

If there was a chance that I'd get caught
I'd double down on that thought
Fabricate till my lips turned blue
Swear up and down that it was true

I would build so tall a tale
Twice the size of the Eiffel Tower
Having most there wondering
If it was French that I was spewing

Keeping people all confused
On if the lie was really true
Giving me more of a chance
To add a few more lies to it

You might up and wonder why
I would tell so many lies
Was the truth not good enough
Was it the thrill inside the bluff

The older now I seem to get
My mind slides as much as slips
Making it harder to misconstrue
So now I only tell the truth

You do believe that too...don't you?

You take out your little lie
Dressing it all up in white
As you clean it up a bit
Then you start believing it

Would you even know the truth
If it took a bite of you
Would it even leave a mark
Upon this your hardened heart

If we were to shine a light
Would your words all try to hide
Do you ever take them aside
Bleach those stains out pearly white

Put on them some deep dark shades
So as not to give away
Hate to break this news to you
But we see through this and it ain't the truth

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

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 tend to 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 say they are
The ones on top who wear a thin disguise

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

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

If you think you know
What all is really 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

These days I find, the more they lie
The better off I feel
And over time, wanes the desire
To know if it's fake or real

The world we're in, tends to lend
The short end of the stick
But don't worry none, they still have fun
Beating us with it

Don't dare take the lies and question why
There's no need to know the truth
Just behave and do what they say
If you know what's good for you

Over time we've turned a blind eye
To what is really going on
If you ask me from what I see
Do we even want to know

There's no need to dip your fingers in
Their massive slice of the pie
Just sit back relax, forget the facts
And keep believing all the lies

Until the day you die...

making this all up as i go
from one end to the other
any wild guess is as good as the rest
if you never blow your cover

sailing away with a straight face
without a soul being the wiser
what i don't know i fake it in tow
while majoring in the minor

this slight of hand is all i have
being slightly out of mind
making it up as fast as i can
balancing on this wobbly line

...called life

Life can lift you up
At the same time drag you down
Have you drink from its sippy cup
Then pour you all out on the ground

Life can be real rough
While smooth along the edge
Cook you up way past well done
Then deep fry what is left

Life can spin you left
Till you're not sure what is right
Like a genie in a bottle
Rub you wrong then ***** the lid on tight

Life can be a Sunday walk
All the way up to the end
Or a fairy tale where the frog
Never gets kissed into a prince

Life can be a breeze
That blows with ease or a hurricane
Choose any one of these
Life has your number and knows your name

Life started playing games with me
Instead of the other way around
It pulled the rug from underneath my feet
The kicked me when I was down

What hurts worse is life and I
We used to be the best of friends
I'd like to go back to the way things were
But feel it's to late to make amends

Out of the blue life up and moved
I hear he's not doing well
Seems the way he's treated all his friends
Is finally taking its toll

I must say that at times with life
And I've learned this lesson well
How to handle most of it
Is really hard to tell

With Life
I'm having an affair
I find
I can't live with out her

She's not new to the scene
Still she's all that I need
Life's the main reason
I eat, sleep, and breathe

I feel her happiness
Along with her pain
If I got the chance
I'd do it all over again

She is worth every minute
I spend in this world
As long as she's in it
I'll stick with my girl

Because Life and I
Are having an affair
Where I find
I can't live without her

There are some things you will never know
Unless some things you learn to let go

And some things that you'll never find
Unless you take the chance of life

How will you know if you can swim
If you never try and dive right in

Or find you're not afraid of heights
If the mountain you never climb

How will you ever learn to fly
If you never reach out for the sky

And how will you ever know of love
If you first don't give some things up

How will you ever know this life
If you don't give it a try

And how will you know the pleasure of it
If before you start you've already quit

God drew up the plans
and Jesus colored them in...

You're hoping for something
That'll bring you around
Better than the nothing
You've already found

Not sure you know this
But I've news for you
Life is a meadow
You go running through

Of the world and its promises
You've had your fill
Don't believe a word that they say
And you never will

You may taste the sweet freedom
And still be deeply in debt
But life is a gamble
So you best place your bets

A cause for relief
Always comes into light
And you need to let
Your little one shine

Here's a little something
A secret that's kept
Life is a pool
We all do laps in

You brain storm when you can
To be let off the hook
With the line still attached
You'd toss it back if you could

You may not believe
But take a look at the facts
Life is a fast train
Rolling on rusty tracks

It's mind over matter
But what really matters to you
Is not what you've done
But what you're going through

The reason being
You're most times out to lunch
Life is a menu
We order off of

It's not a piece of cake
But where's your piece of the pie
The truth in the knowledge
Is hidden deep in the lie

Though you try your best
There still is regret
Life is a fastball
Try and catch it if you can

You're hoping for something
That'll bring you around
Better than the nothing
You've already found

Not sure you know this
But I've news for you
Life is a meadow
You go running through

Of the world and its promises
You've had your fill
Don't believe a word that they say
And you never will

You may taste the sweet freedom
And still be deeply in debt
But life is a gamble
So you best place your bets

A cause for relief
Always comes into light
And you need to let
Your little one shine

Here's a little something
A secret that's kept
Life is a pool
We all do laps in

You brain storm when you can
To be let off the hook
With the line still attached
You'd toss it back if you could

You may not believe
But take a look at the facts
Life is a fast train
Rolling on rusty tracks

It's mind over matter
But what really matters to you
Is not what you've done
But what you're going through

The reason being
You're most times out to lunch
Life is a menu
We order off of

It's not a piece of cake
But where's your piece of the pie
The truth in the knowledge
Is hidden deep in the lie

*Though you try your best
There still is regret
Life is a fastball
Try and catch it if you can

Life...

I meant to pick you up
Instead I put you down
Now I'm here without much luck
Inside the Lost & Found

I dropped you on the road
Lost you along the way
I really miss you life
Is what I want to say

Life...

I treated you like a game
That I played recklessly
If I could give it a name
It would be "Only Think Of Me"

I threw you in the mix
Into the thick of things
To late now I've found out
How much life is meant for living

Life...

I think of what we could have had
A seamless harmony
Instead it all went bad
All because of me

I shoulder all the blame
The pain I put you through
If I had known it'd go down this way
I would have taken better care of you

Life...

I meant to pick you up
Instead I put you down
Now I'm here without much luck
Inside the Lost & Found

I dropped you on the road
Lost you along the way
I really miss you life
Is what I want to say

Life...

I treated you like a game
That I played recklessly
If I could give it a name
It would be "Only Think Of Me"

I threw you in the mix
Into the thick of things
To late now I've found out
How much life is meant for living

Life...

I think of what we could have had
A seamless harmony
Instead it all went bad
All because of me

I shoulder all the blame
The pain I put you through
If I had known it'd go down this way
I would have taken better care of you

life can be
short or long
break apart
hold on strong
here today
tomorrow gone
you never know
what's to come

can win the prize
lose it all
climb the heights
stumble fall
pay your dues
learn from don'ts
all in all
move along

pay your tab
take your leave
come and go
shallow deep
sweet and sour
with both feet
in the end
life can be

Life can be funny
You have to admit
A standing joke running
That never quits
A stand-up comic
With a Vegas bit
It's showtime with bright lights
So get used to it

Comes with a cover charge
With no running tab
Who ever is left
Gets the last laugh
Has a short intermission
To clean up the mess
With spinning head when you least expect
It starts over again

A real knee slapper
Bag of funny bones
A six-pack of canned laughter
So you don't have to laugh alone
A lemon meringue pie
Expertly in your face thrown
Life can be funny
...in case you didn't know

I see the streets of desperation
Looking on in apathy
I need no further explanation
As I sit at home and watch from my T.V.

I could use a good commercial break
On all the wars and deadly disease
This has to be some sort of mistake
A wrong channel I keep watching

I see in black and white the infighting
Not enough love to go around
I often wonder who does the writing
On these bogus shows I'm watching now

In this lost world of Nielsen ratings
Across this land of the latest crazy
Channel after channel of monsters created
All haunting me from my T.V.

I see the poor children as they go hungry
Channel surfing, gleefully
With stomach growling I'm wondering
What's in my overstuffed fridge for me to eat

I tune into the gaggle of world leaders
Hear the promises they never keep
I see them all as bottom feeders
Still when it comes to my vote they can count on me

With remote in hand, I strike up the band
Oblivious to what surrounds me
I try to make plans but end up yawning instead
Watching life quickly go down in leaps and bounds
all from my T.V.

With flat head shovel, steel tooth rake
Out to do whatever it takes
Nothing you see is that easy
When you're in the mood for life gardening

Aching muscles are for keeps
Patience hides in piles of leaves
Winter, Summer, Spring, or Fall
There's always something going on

With this plot in which I live
Myself, and I, my wife and kids
Pulling teeth like pulling weeds
All in a day of life gardening

Growing up at a steady pace
Equal parts of pleasure, pain
Trying my best to not cave in
With heavy heart and calloused hands

Plowing steady as she goes
Keeping straight my set of rows
Thankful for all my blessings
This daily dose of life gardening

I want to live in a Norman Rockwell painting
Where I'm surrounded by the simple times
If you don't know what I mean let me explain it
It consists of front porch swings and Mom's apple pie

Sunday afternoons in Grandma's kitchen
Lazy fishing days down by the lake
Or in a Soda Shop drinking Chocolate Malts with cherries on top
As I while away the day Norman's way

Riding bikes down hills the whole time laughing
Cowboys, Indians, and Pirates all in one day
With sunsets painted red and no strangers met
No secrets kept to wanna give away

Life on parade the American way
Pride in your family and friends
Helping each other no matter race, creed, or color
Starting each meal out with an amen

Picnics at the park, hot dogs and gaming
Potato sack and three-legged racing
Nothing like today's grind taxing both the heart and mind
Which to me desperately needs replacing
With life in a Norman Rockwell painting

Every ocean wave's hello, goodbye
With the coming and going of daily tides
As old men watch the swirling sands
Of time being pulled from out their hands

Every tree that drops their autumn leaves
At the first sign of a combative breeze
Never holds to strong root
Or produce much needed fruit

Every solitary rock that juts mid-stream
Is rounded along the edges deep
By the constant flow that never slows
Helping to soften the soul

Every open sky with a hue of blue
Still displays a cloud or two
Gently there to help remind
Not all is perfect in this life

How many dream to be free
Shackled by the waves and barren trees
Placed before for all to see
Above the clouds and below the streams

one thing we are never told
pictures taken in polaroid
have a way of fading over time

very much like you and me
and the picture we used to be
no longer has that kodachrome shine

it happens to the best of us
the color fade of wanderlust
bringing out the worst in black and white

one thing i'm relying on
although i'm barely hanging on
is the picture of us left in my mind