Untitled

The grass that blows in
the dark of night is just
as green as in the light
of day, but you just can't
see it happening.


This is true with so many
things that are not necessarily
in nature.


A person could be like the
grass.  He exists within
himself while existing with
other people, but the insides
is what you can't see.


So how can you see the
inside thoughts of a person?
You can't, until you read the
thoughts on this paper.

Untitled

Why do you say you're for peace?
Won't you tell me please?
You want to work all you can,
But you don't give a damn.
You fight for what you think is right,
But you don't know what's best,
To you, Peace is just a word,
That somewhere you heard.

An Untitled Drama

I cry inside for
help to anyone
who will hear me
but I'm always happy.


I yell out to
anyone who's present
but I am
always quiet.


Someone once said
that I was hard
to get to know,
but who do they know?


When I examine myself
I find that I'm
different people
to different people.


Why must it be that
way?  It's easy to
explain...others are
like that too.


"Oh, not they're not!",
says the world.

An Untrue Happening

 The time could have been the present, the past, or maybe the future, but instead it was 8:06 p.m.  Jack Franklin Sims was watching television in his favorite position--straight down.  Jack was the president of a large corporation in the Midwest.  His wife was out-of-town during this particular day.  She was off on a trip of good-will to help the poor in a nearby town.
 The T. V. show was over.  Jack got an idea.  Why not do something that had never been done before?  Why not go to Saturn and back before his wife got home?  He would have to go before the next day, when his wife was coming home.  It was just a few million miles away.  He could make it, if he hurried.
 Sims went outside to his work-house.  He took some tin and wood, and he put together a first-class rocket.  Gasoline was used for fuel.  It was 9:15 p.m., when he finished.  The countdown started.  At exactly 9:16 p.m., the engine was ignited.  There was a big explosion.
 Mrs. Sims came home the next morning.  She found a large crater in the backyard.  On investigation,
she found what seemed to be the remains of a person.  Little did she know that Jack Franklin Sims was out of this world, in more ways than one.

Understanding Jimmy, 1974

Where is the season of
 pity that all the right people
  were focusing their wares?


Where is the season of
 sorrow that comes when someone
  is dead or is buried through hearts?


Where is the season of
  pain that comes when a friend
   is lost from society which gave his birth?


Where is the season of
 sadness that comes when you
  cannot do anymore for anyone?


Where is the season of
 humanity that comes when they
  accept people and not labels?


When does the season of
 an individual disappear from
  the scene without a trace?


When does it happen?
Where does he go?

Untitled, 1974

It's so nice to be famous,
Yes, it's so nice don't you see?
Yes, it's so nice to be famous,
Star of stage, screen, and T.V.

Untitled, 1979

Scribbling on a wall
a boy tried to say
that he was still alive,
but nobody saw it,
so it doesn't matter
to the world if
he did it or not.


It's like--if you yell
and no one hears you,
then your yell is worthless,
because the world still turns,
and clocks still tick,
and children still say their
prayers before they go to bed.


Obituaries are for the living.

The Uncle Don News Report, 1972

Announcer.   And now, live and direct from the Ohio State University Locker Room in Portland,
                      Oregon, pulling no punches and striking several blows to the face, here is the five
                      minute Uncle Don news report with Uncle Don, Lloyd Loser with the sports, and
                     Willie Wrong with the weather.  Tonight's editorial comment will be given by Dr.
                     Charles Editorial.  And now, here's Uncle Don.


Singers.        We've got good news and bad news and true news and blue news...


Uncle Don.   But first the news.  This just in--a whale was found today swimming in a fountain in
                     St. Louis, Mo.  No one was able to explain the whale's being there, except to say that
                     was a whale of a story...Two H-bombs were exploded over central Kansas, it was
                     learned today.  No reason was given, since the incident happened nearly five years ago.
                     Who will be or has been next?...Federal agents today seized 434 pounds of saltine
                     crackers that were being smuggled out of the country.  The smugglers were quoted as
                     saying, "Well, what about the starving Chinese?"  Now for sports, here is Lloyd Loser.
                     Oh, Lloyd lost again, here's a commercial.


Announcer
& Singers.    Double the goodness, double the cavities, with "Double chew", "Double chew", "Double
                     chew" gum.  Yes friends, "Double chew" gum gives you two chews in every stick.  And
                     now, you can save those wrapper and get some valuable prizes including a free trip to
                     your dentist's office.  Be the first one on your street to get the double chew goodness
                     of "Double chew" gum.  Now back to our program.


Lloyd Loser. It's sports time!  Yea!  Ole!  Hooray!  Watusi!  Well today we're going to cover several
                      sports with a wet blanket.  It rained all day, so no sports.  Now, over to Willie Wrong.


Willie Wrong. Wow, this has been a great day!  The sun was never brighter until today, except in
                         Portland, where there were floods.  You've got to try harder you guys.  The high
                         today was 38 degrees, while the low this morning was 103 degrees.  Let's check
                         that humidity.  It reads 20 minutes after eight.  The barometer is steady between
                         2 and 36.  Now over to Dr. Charles Editorial.


Editorial.        Tonight's editorial deals with the rising cost of living in Carson Falls, West Virginia.
                       Since the recent atomic holocaust in the small town, business has been slow.  Is
                       there any reason why Carson Falls, W. Va. has to suffer like the rest of us?  Yes,
                       because it is a town in the gold ole U. S. of A., and comes under the same rules as
                       the rest of us.


Announcer.    The preceding comment is the opinion of Dr. Editorial.  Write your nasty letters to
                       him, instead of this station.  For a printed copy of tonight's editorial, send $5.00
                       plus a picture of your dog to:  Editorial Number 604 on "Carson Falls", 8604
                       Zenith Rd., Apt. 17, Brucehill, Wisconsin.  Now back to Uncle Don.


Uncle Don.   That's all for tonight.  Join us again at 11:30 tonight, for the best in entertainment.
                      We'll have with us the latest death toll from the war in Upper Volta.  Until then,
                      for Willie Wrong, Lloyd Loser, and the entire staff, goodnight, and remember, it's
                      not the news that we report, it's just the truth.


Announcer.   This program was brought to you by the Magnificent Aerial Farming Institute of
                      America or MAFIA.  They can help you when you need them.
        

The Uncle Don Variety Show, 1972

Announcer.   And now, live, direct, and unexpurgated from Billy's Barber Shop in Berkeley,
                      Brooklyn, and Boone's Farm, here is the Uncle Don Variety Show.  We've got acts
                      never before seen on T. V.  Some of them will never be seen or heard from again.
                      So now, with music, comedy, and the spice of life, here's Uncle Don.


Uncle Don.   Thank you, yes, here is the variety show.  We don't promise that you will like
                      everything, but please like something or we will be cancelled.  Let's get started with a
                      comic from Caraway Seed, Nevada.  Here is Joe Kocomo.  Let's hear it for Joe.
                      (complete silence)


Kocomo.       Well thank you, a great audience, great audience.  I am reminded of the priest, who
                      blessed a marriage, and then found out that they didn't have any money to pay him.
                      (silence)  You know what the world's best bomb is?  It's me.  (silence)  A funny thing
                      happened to me on the way here tonight.  A 6000-pound gorilla carried me up the
                      Empire State Building and thought that I was a banana.  (silence)  You've been a
                      great audience, thank you.


Uncle Don.   That was wonderful, Joe.  Let's hear it for Joe Kocomo.  (one person claps in back of
                      audience)  Now, while the stage crew is setting up the stage for our next act, out in our
                      audience tonight, sitting out there is John Wayne, former movie star, and he is now
                      the Duke of the Zambezi River Valley.  Stand up, your royal highness.  Our next act is
                      rather strange.  It comes from the Australian outback.  Here is an actual aborigine
                      singing, "I Can't Stop Loving You".


Aborigine.     Megumba, myowi, patuli kai, the words I don't know, 'cause my throat's so dry.


Uncle Don.   Oh, let's hear it for this great singer.  (everyone cheers and claps)

The Unfinished Rain, 1970

Rain is bright and breezy,
Although you might think it's queasy,
That men might say it's gay,
And women might say it's okay.


Rain is wet,
Even for your pets,
Who says we are the ones who are the bores?
We just want it to rain some more.

Joy, 1971

I've got joy,
I've found love,
My ship has come in.


I've got joy,
No more death,
No more suicide,
Because of joy.

Twenty Months, 1971

I don't know what to do,
I don't know what to say,
There is nothing I can do,
My father is mad at me,
My mother can't stand me,
I am afraid.


Try to get a gun and shoot myself,
Try to get a knife and stab myself,
Try to get poison or a plastic bag,
I got to take my own life,
And I got to do it now.


I don't know what to do,
My mind is all in a spin,
My brain is blowing up!


I can't stand it,
I can't stand it,
I'm all alone.


Social pressures,
Men and women,
Don't know what to do.


The time is high,
I'm very mad,
I'm being thrown with some killers of the mind,
And I don't like it a bit.


Everyone seems kind,
But they're putting on a face,
They criticize me,
They hate me,
But I can't do a thing about it.

True Love, 1973

She and I were
 lying in the grass
  one day and dreaming
   at the sky.


We thought of
 marriage, children
  and even the
   thought of happiness.


But we saw it
 could never work
  since we never
   saw eye to eye.


So, we stood up
 stretched our legs,
  ran through the grass
   and went our separate ways.


The poem should end here,
 but one postscript.


We met once again,
 on a concrete meadow,
  we said hello and smiled,
   but what was once is now a dream.


Dreams are not real,
 but they should be.


Peace.

The Trip to Six Flags over Georgia, 1970

We are going to a party,
To the lands of Aaron and Carty,
We're going to have a lot of fun,
Nowhere is there anything better under the sun.


There are many things to see and do,
Some are old and some are new,
This place represents six lands,
This place was built by many hands.


It's got boats and it's got trains,
Whoever thought of it sure had brains,
It is a very big park,
And you don't hear a single dog bark.


It is a very nice place,
Everywhere you see a smiling face,
This is in Georgia, not in Texas,
There are a lot of sunburned necks as the sun beats down on us,
No one makes a fuss.


We are having a lot of fun,
We've got two miles to go, maybe one,
I think I see it,
Break out the survival kit.

A Tribute to A Friend

Sunrise brings the birth of day,
The morning dew bathes the hour,
Birds provide the opera in trees,
And, life again is fresh to share.


Your self has helped me to know,
That life, like nature, is sweet,
And despite trouble or strife,
You're the one who's really neat.


Your stature would make a lion cower,
Your character is beyond compare,
Your life is liked by everyone,
When things are bad, you are there.


Sunsets are coming--they always do,
Life will shorten into the night,
The birds will retire in silence,
But you will always be the Light.

The Trance

 The being on inner nature surrounding the outer banks of the self within nature is founded on reality.  Within your self, your being, your existence there remains your past, the reminding past, circling through yourself, over and over again.  Spiraling around and around.  Repeating yourself.
 Creating a being is more than reality.  It is a way of life.  The above paragraph was written while coming out of a trance.  If it doesn't make sense, then I have failed.  The entire structure of the paragraph involves the thought processes in the sub-conscious state.  Realize this, and you have understood the basis for a trance-like state.  Otherwise, keep thinking of an absolute nothing.
 A trance can be obtained through many means.  One can go into a trance through music, natural environment, or concentration on an object or two.  The trance-like state is used to expand one's mind and open it to wider perceptions.  Some people call hypnosis, a trance-producer.  In some cases, this is true.  The actual trance, through concentration, can give one a hypnotic state.  Concentrating on your very being results in a trance.
 Personally, I use three methods in obtaining trances.  1.  The music from the movie--"2001-A Space Odyssey".  1.  Concentrating on the muscles, bones, and skin of the body.  3.  Concentrating on expansion of one's self or some object.  Example: a leaf.

Analogy Of Importance

 One upon a time, (cliché), there were two boys--Super and Frankie.  Super lived in a big city, and Frankie lived in a small town.  Both boys had black hair, both had blue jeans, and both wore glasses.  The difference was the length of the hair.  Super's hair was long and bushy.  Frankie's hair was in a crew cut.  Super was called a freak.  Frankie was called a hick.  Which would you choose for a friend?  Personally, I'd choose the freak, because he would be more important in this world, today.  You don't think the hick is important in this world, do you?

To the...

To the sun:
 the brightness excels your smile,
 the light shines around your space,
 within the dark reaches of life--
 you make it real,
 you bring the world closer to me,
 so do your thing, please before we die.


To the moon:
 GROW UP!  Won't You?

To the Sore Throats

Sore throats are made to
 be felt and not seen,
  which makes them
   so difficult to tell about.


You can't speak or else
 it will hurt, but you
  have to tell someone
   that you have a pain.


So, here's to you who
 have sore throats and
  to some, who have
   more than others.


Don't talk, laugh, or
 strain your voice,
  because it makes
   more pain for you.


Rest in bed, drink
 plenty of liquids, and
  take aspirin to relieve
   your fever and pain.


Don't cough your way
 into oblivion, because
  then you won't have
   a throat to heal.


COUGH!

To Somebody, 1972

In the light of darkness,
In the speed of ants
            laugh
                    sadness.


Peace be still
Someone said
That man is dead
But life lives on
Through this somebody that I know.


Forever and ever
Until the sun shines through darkness.

To Kill or Not to Kill, 1969

 It was a cold and rainy day.  It was winter time.  The day was Tuesday.  The date was November 26, 1986.  The time was 10:00 in the morning.  A small two-door foreign car stopped at the crossroads of a farm road and a main highway.  A small, but fat old man stepped out of the car.  The man had on an old dark green raincoat with a little hat on his head.  He put a metal box, like that of a tackle box, down on the ground.  He got back into his car and drove off.  An hour later a man in a station-wagon drove up to the crossroads and stopped.  On the car door, there was a sign that says "Red Cross Farm".  The man was tall and broad-shouldered.  He was wearing jeans with a large, husky coat on.  He got out of the car, picked up the metal box, and drove off.
 The same time in Washington, D.C., a meeting is taking place in the White House.  Those attending the meeting are the President, the heads of security for the President, the Treasury Department agents assigned to the president, the leaders of the Secret Service, and officials from the F.B.I.  The meeting is on the subject of security measures for the upcoming trip to the Midwest.  The President is planning a large, open-air, meeting to promote a new project in the Midwest.  The President, Vice-President, and Secretary of Agriculture will be at the meeting in the Midwest.  The President says, "Now, I know this is going to be an open-air meeting, but I do not see why we need to have so many security agents everywhere".  F.B.I. agent William Jefferson, who is the head of the F.B.I.'s work in the Midwest, says, "But Mr. President, there have been a number of shootings in the Midwest lately".

Toi Chi Sun

 Toi Chi Sun is a form of self-defense, which has its roots in three Oriental countries:  Korea, China, and Vietnam.  It uses Korean technique of kick (front, side, and back) and hand (knife, hook, etc.).  It also uses the exercise technique of China, where control is a prime factor.  Finally, it uses the surprise and attack technique of Vietnam.
 To Chi Sun teaches that Karate does not have to be shown publically to be achieved.  It is not taught, so that a person can break boards.  It is taught, so that a person can defend himself against any opponent.
 I have been studying this form for approx. 5 years.  It is done through concentration.  The moves are based in the sub-conscious, and are transferred to the conscious during an attack.  Adrenalin is pumped into the muscles, and strength is achieved.  This strength is continued for about six hours, at which time, I start to lose the strength.
 Proponents of this form are:  Moja Rone--San Francisco Karate Expert and Author, Baghavid Gita--Indian Philosopher, Lawrence Southerland--Karate instructor in Anderson, S. C., and other people regarding to Oriental Arts.
 It all comes down to one idea.  Toi Chi Sun is mind over body.  The same idea can be used to stand pain, cold, hot, strain, stress, and anxiety.  This form is known in Vietnam as Toi Chi Lin Da Shau.

Today in Uncle Don Land, 1971

Announcer.   And now, direct from our studio in Cell 143-B of the Oregon State Correctional
                      Institution in Portland, Oregon, it's "Today in Uncle Don Land".  Along with Uncle
                      Don, we have Lynn Novice, our newsman--Jerry Plate, and our weatherman, who
                      just got out of jail, Joey Jive.  And now, here's Uncle Don.


Uncle Don.   Well folks, here I am again.  We've moved our studio, because the police raided our
                      other studio.  I have some sad news.  Lynn Novice won't be with us--because she was
                      hit by a truck.  On our show, we've got the head of the "Smuggling Heroin League"--
                      Jose Smith; the vice-chairman of the "Bring our Boys Back from Berlin Foundation"--
                      Fred Fink; Charlotte Chum--head of "Women Of Power" or "WOP"; and the "Bop
                      Boys", who will sing for us.  Here's our weatherman, Joey Jive, to give us the weather.


Joey Jive.      Thanks Uncle Don, it sure is good to get back into jail.  Let's look at the map.  For you
                      people that are revolting in Eugene today, the weather will be fair and windy--so
                      those firebombs will spread faster through those buildings.  For those in Salem--you
                      will have rain--so wait until tomorrow to blow up the city.  That's all for today.  Our
                      high in Portland is acid, and our low is bennies.


Uncle Don    That was great Joey.  Here is a commercial from "Bobby Sox".


Announcer.   Remember those Bop days?  Well, they're coming back.  ...And the way to stay with
                      the times is with "Bobby Sox".  It will not only rejuvenate your feet, but it will also
                      knock your shoes off.  Drink it with a friend.  "Bobby Sox"  is MY cup of tea!


Uncle Don.   Here's our first guest--Jose Smith.  He is president of the "Smuggling Heroin League".
                     He provides powder for needy people in America.  Welcome Mr. Smith.


Smith.          Wow!  Far out!


Uncle Don.  Are you on anything?


Smith.          Yes, my chair--Ha Ha Ha!


Uncle Don.   Well, tell me what the "Smuggling Heroin League" is all about.


Smith.           We have an organized society of ships between Nome, Alaska and Veracruz, Mexico.
                      Everyday, thousands of junkies get fixes, because of our loyal, dedicated wetbacks.


Uncle Don.   Well, that's real nice.  (Uncle Don pushes a little button behind his chair.  Suddenly,
                      50 policemen rush into cell 143-B and take Jose Smith away.)  Well, as you can see,
                      I'm not only a loveable, well-liked person--I'm also a narc.  Let's go to Jerry Plate
                      for the news.  Jerry,


Plate.             Thanks Uncle Don.  Today we had several riots, demonstrations, and card playin's.
                      The most interesting item was an attack by flying fish on salmon.  Salmon won by
                      a final score of 3-2.


Uncle Don.   Well thanks Jerry, that was SOME report!  Now for an advertisement from our
                      sponsor--Bunseam Bread.


Announcer.   Bunseam Bread gives you W.A.S.P.--Wonderful American Super Protein.  It will
                      make you grow higher and your neck redder.  Bunseam Bread is great for your ego.


Uncle Don.   Now, our nest guest is Fred Fink.  Mr. Fink is the vice-chairman of the "Bring our
                     Boys Back from Berlin Foundation".  He has a great deal of education at P.S. No. 147
                     in Brooklyn, where he was a student for 36 years.  It certainly is a pleasure to have you
                     here, Mr. Fink.


Fred Fink.    Thank you.


Uncle Don.   Tell us what the foundation does.


Fred Fink.    Our foundation gives money to the soldiers in Berlin.  We give them about $6.00 a
                     month.  This money goes toward an airplane ticket, so that they can come home.
                     Unfortunately, it takes about 20 years to get enough money to come home.  That's
                     why we need everyone's support in our effort.  If we could be able to give every
                     soldier $12 a month, instead of $6, it could cut the arrival time in half.  In other words,
                     it will take 10 years, instead of 20.


Uncle Don.   Well, I'm sure that you'll get all the support you need.  Where can people send their
                      money?


Fred Fink.    They can send it to "Bring our Boys Back from Berlin", P.O. Box 1902, Cell no. 607,
                     Leavenworth, Kansas.  If you send a check of more than $1.50, you will get a free
                     membership to the foundation.


Uncle Don.   Thank you for stopping by, Fred.  Now folks, here's a word from our sponsor, Seppi
                      Cola.


Announcer.   Seppi Cola is the official drink of the Mafia, the Syndicate, and all those other
                      protecting organizations.  Seppi Cola gives you B.I.R.C.H.--Better Ink-Rich Cold
                      Honey, a new secret formula for sweeter cheeks.  Seppi Cola seeps into your body
                      and gives you a feeling you'll never forget.  Seppi Cola--buy it today.


Uncle Don.   Yes, that's Seppi Cola.  Now,  here's our musical feature.  Uusually we like to
                      introduce a new group during this time slot, so here's a new group that call
                      themselves the "Bop Boys".  The members of the group are Spade, who plays the
                      piano and sings, and Oglethorpe, who plays the kazoo and sings.  They write their
                      own songs.  They bring back the sounds of the fifties and put them in a modern
                      flavor.  Ladies and gentlemen, the "Bop Boys".


Bop Boys.     (singing)  Doo wah wah wah, Doo wah wah wah, Doo wah wah wah, Doo wah wah
                      wah, Doo wah dee.  (speaking)  Hello ladies and gentlemen, and we're the Bop Boys.
                      We gon' sing some beach songs, some car songs, some love songs, but first of all we
                      gotta do our introductory song.  You see, we play rock and roll. 
                      (singing)  Shing-a-ling bop a doo, Shing-a-ling bop a doo, Shing-a-ling bop a doo--
                      We're gonna sing a song for my baby who's blue
                      Bee bop a doo, Shing-a-ling too
                      Gonna do the fish for my baby who's blue
                      Gonna do the twist with my blue suede shoes
                      Doo bop a doo bop a doo bop a doo doo.


Uncle Don.   That was great boys.  Folks, if you enjoy, send your vote to Cell 143-B of the Oregon
                      State Correctional Institution, and maybe these boys will come back next week.
                      (aside)  That was awful!  Now, here is our last guest--Charlotte Chum.  Miss Chum
                      is head of "Women Of Power" or "WOP".  Good morning Miss Chum.


Chum.           Hi there.


Uncle Don.   Tell us briefly what your program covers.


Chum.           Well you see, it's like this, "Women Of Power" was organized to give women a voice
                      in their exploitation.


Uncle Don.   Could you tell us where women are being exploited?


Chum.           I can give you 3 examples:  "Bunseam Bread", "Bobby Sox", and "Seppi Cola".


Uncle Don.   (whispering)  You can't say that.  They're our sponsors.


Chum.           (shouting)  You can't tell me what I can and cannot say!


Uncle Don.   Well, I see by our director, Al Capone, that it's time to say so long for Jerry Plate,
                      Joey Jive, and the deceased Lynn Novice for now.  Tune in tomorrow--same time,
                      same channel, different studio.


Chum.           "Women Of Power" will live for 1000 years.  Long live "WOP"!


Uncle Don.   Goodbye folks!

A Thought on Tomorrow, 1974

 Tomorrow will be June 17, 1974, which is a point in my life.  It is my 21st birthday, brought to you by the John Dursts.  I feel that it is just another birthday, but it is also a time when I will be passing into adulthood, according to the society in which I live.  I will be able to do many things, that I have previously not been able to do, legally.  Even though many things have been given to 18 year olds, the 21st birthday is still the old standard of becoming an adult.  Am I ready for this responsibility?  It seems that I will have some responsibility but not much more than I already have.  What's so different about becoming 21 years old that when I was 20?  I am no longer a teenager.  I am an adult.  Am I?  I'm supposed to be.  But, am I?  Perhaps, I'll be an adult tomorrow.  Who knows?  Zap, I'm an adult!  Am I?  Of course I am, because society says that I am.  Don't argue with society.  You can't fight city hall.
 Tomorrow will be June 17, 1974.  What's the difference?

This Poem Needs No Title, 1975

I try real hard to
 succeed when the world
  crashes all around me.


I wish that certain
 persons would recognize
  me for being me and not
   some crazy hippie they
    met at a party years
     ago when life was nice
      and you could still say how
       pretty she looked and now
        I'm criticized for my ideas
         and my mind breaks down
          to a level before being born
           and I'm a vegetable or sorts
            but why does it have to be that
             way, or haven't you heard?


The coroner ruled his
 death as a suicide and
  the preacher led them in prayer.

35 Years, 1972

Happiness to happiness
All the day through,
Promises and
Perils that have gone before
You.


Always seeing
Not knowing what to do,
Noticeable changes
In life,
Very funny laughter
Ever present,
Running through fields at picnics,
Saying, "I Love You",
Almost without
Reservation,
You have been married 35 years.

That Girl's Too Young for You

That Girl's Too Young,
That Girl's Too Young,
That Girl's Too Young,
That Girl's Too Young for You.


Everybody says to act your age,
But I feel young around her,
I feel like I've turned the page,
'Cause she is always there.


That Girl's too young for you.


She's kinda small--
And I'm kinda tall
Her hair is thick and long,
I can't wait to get her call
So that's why I sing this song.


That Girl's too young for you.


Who cares what others say,
We're together and that's what matters
When I'm with her life is okay,
I've got a full bladder (ha ha).

A Testimony, 1982

 When one examines the word "testimony", there are several different meanings.  Some meanings may be religious in nature or perhaps judicial, but the word itself is harmless until you think about it.  When I hear this word, I think of someone giving his testimony, but who gets the testimony?  What is supposed to be the end result of a testimony?  Is it merely a vehicle to express one's feelings or can it actually mean something to those who hear it?  When does a testimony stop being a show-off kind of thing and start being inspirational?  These questions are probably best answered by the person giving the testimony.
 There are several kinds of testimonies, in a religious setting.  Some people use Bibles or quote scripture for their testimony.  This approach is good, as long as the Bible is used properly and not as a crutch.  Other people use the sincere approach in their delivery, which is pleasing to the ear but may be somewhat of a front for which they really feel.  Still others use the shock approach, where they tell their life story, using the juicy stuff.  Many times, the shocker is also the testimony designed to obtain sympathy from the audience for the speaker.  Whatever kind of testimony is used, there should be one key element involved in all testimonies--truthfulness.
 Some people have said that they do not have a testimony.  They say this because they are used to the shocker approach, and they don't think they can live up to the kind of life that might be more exciting than theirs.  This philosophy just isn't true, since everyone has a testimony if they opened their eyes and taken a breath.
 In conclusion, a testimony can be very effective if used properly.  As long as you are true to yourself, you will be true and receptive to the needs of others.  That's what a testimony is all about.

Tantrum, 1973

Whatever happened to baby Jane?
She cried and laughed and
Threw a tantrum.  Then the
World blew up and gave her
A lollipop to quiet her down.

Take It, 1968

I ran all around,
In search of a man,
I had to give him
A bright new car,
I said take it, take it, take it.


The man said, "Why?"
I said, "Because I want you to
Take it, take it, take it."


He said he would not do it,
I said that yes he would,
He said, "What is in it for me?",
I said just take it, take it, take it.


He took it,
He has taken it,
And now I have no one to say to,
Take it, take it, take it.

Tithe to Tell, 1969

If you know how a church gets some chairs,
You know that somebody cares,
A person might be saved by you,
And we will have to do.


Tithe to tell,
Ring the bell,
Tithe to give,
Eternally you will live.


A person needs to give his all,
Trace it back from now to Paul,
If you know just what to give,
You will eternally live.


Tithe to tell,
Ring the bell,
If you gave,
Then you will save.

The Time God, 1974

For the moment flies by
Without too much spectacle,
But Cecil B. DeMille would
Have been proud of the moment.


The time created by man
Was never an existing source
Until its creator made it so
And the sun couldn't say no.


Time is man's god and
Man is its slave, so
When do the gods of
Peace make the time?

Time Flies, 1992

Where are the songs we used to know,
When we were young and free?
No worries, No problems, No hard times,
Just love for you and me.


Don't know where the time went,
I looked around and it was gone,
The sunrise, The morning, The sunset,
I waited a little too long.


For many the time passed quickly,
For others the time dragged slow,
I don't know why it is like that,
You gotta go with the flow.


I was born too late to be old,
At least, that's what my parents say,
I am just a little wiser now,
But I don't feel okay.


Too young to be old,
Or so I am told,
Too old to be good,
Like everybody would.


It's not that bad I guess,
To be someone like me,
I just wish it wasn't as hard,
As it really seems to be.

Untitled, 1978

Keep me in your
Arms if you think you
Really can and if you
Even think you may.


Not to say you're
More than me, but
In my life the
Living is such that
Life takes me in.


Every time with you
Reaches all corners of my being.

Swing the Light

Well, here is death shining our pretty faces
 on the purple piece of cotton,
However, death doesn't occur until purple
 fades to blue.


Seeing a life that death has taken
 is satin and calico to me.


Now the green wool is scratching the
 reality of truth and faking the
  bombs that explode the hopes
   of sunken conch shells.


Turnips and beets are red
 like the night of day that
  shocks the cream-colored cowboys
   into a spastic lima bean.


Power to the vegetables and
 then eat them up--Yummy!

Surfin' Around The World

I rocked in Sweden,
I rolled in New York,
I danced in Scotland,
Now I'm surfin'
Surfin' around the world.


I ate in Paris,
I loved in Moscow,
I cried in London,
Now I'm surfin'
Surfin' around the world.


Surfin' makes me high,
I'm surfin' to the sky,
They all ask me why,
I'll surf  'till I die,
I'm surfin'
Surfin' around the world.


I'm waitin' for that last wave,
So I'll ride to the moon,
And the girls will all love me,
While I'm surfin'---surfin' around the world.

Sunday School Show, 1983

Laverne.   Good morning, everybody.  My name is Laverne, and it's really great to see all of you
                  kids out there, and I see some older folks, too.  Hi, you guys.  You know what?  I've got
                  a friend of mine that you might like to meet.  Herman!  Herman!


Herman.    Yeah, Laverne?  What do you want?


Laverne.   I wanted you to meet all of these nice people and for them to see YOU.


Herman.   Oh no, Laverne!  I'm not ready for Sunday School.


Laverne.   These kids don't mind, Herman, do you kids?


Herman.   But, I think I left my coat and tie at home.


Laverne.   That's okay.  We like you just the way you are.


Herman.   Thanks, Laverne.  I'm glad you are my friend.


Laverne.   And, I hope that before too long, everyone here will be your friend, too.


Herman.   Oh, I know they will.


Laverne.   Herman?  I think this church is real lucky to have such nice people here.


Herman.   Me, too.


Laverne.   Do you know those older people back there?


Herman.   Some of them look kinda familiar.  I think they were here last year.


Laverne.   That's right.  I heard that everyone of them was real nice.


Herman.   And, some of them are good looking, especially the girls.


Laverne.   Herman!  Keep your mind on Sunday School.


Herman.  Okay.  Do you think we're going to have a good time this week?


Laverne.  Where?


Herman.   Here.  If I remember from last year, we're going to have Bible School.

Sunday Night--FBC, 1982

Bennie.     Good evening, everybody.  Tonight, y'all are in for a real treat.  We're going to tell about
                  the Singles Mission Trip that we went on last week.


Herman.    Hey, Bennie.  What's going on?  Who...Who are these people?


Bennie.     Herman, don't you recognize them?


Herman.    No, I've never seen them before.


Bennie.     These people are from First Baptist.


Herman.    Is that where we are now?


Bennie.     Of course it is, Herman.  You're a member here, too.  Remember?


Herman.    No.  I can't think.  I just got back from Tennessee.


Bennie.     So did I.


Herman.    Were you there?  I don't remember.


Bennie.     Of course I was there.


George.     Hi guys.


Bennie.     Hi, George.


George.    Where's Laverne?


Herman.   Who?


Bennie.     Laverne went with us to Tennessee last week.


Herman.   I don't remember her.


George.    Bennie, what's wrong with Herman?


Bennie.    He's burned out.


George.    Oh.  So where's Laverne?


Bennie.    She enjoyed our missions trip so much that she decided to stay another week.


Herman.   Who are y'all talking about?


Bennie.     Laverne!


Herman.   Oh, I've heard of her before.  Who is she?


Bennie.    Skip it.


George.   So, why is Herman burned out?


Bennie.   He didn't get enough sleep.


Herman.  Yeah, but I think I had fun doing Bible School.


George.    We all had fun, but most of all we learned a lot about ourselves and other people.


Bennie.    That's right.  But you know what, guys?  We weren't the only ones that went.  There's
                 a bunch more sitting out there.


George.    I wish they'd stand up.


Herman.   If they felt like me, they might not want to stand up.


Bennie.    Sure they will if we ask them.


George.   Will all those people who went to Tennessee with us, please stand up.  Thank you.


Herman.  See?  Some of them had a hard time standing up.


Bennie.    Yeah, but you know what?  We're really lucky to have a church like this that would
                 help us to go to places like Tennessee.


George.   We sure are!


Herman.  What church is that?


Bennie.    FIRST BAPTIST, Herman!  They've helped us through prayer and financial support.


George.   And don't forget those great cookies.


Bennie.   Yes, and the cookies.  But the main thing we wanted to do tonight is to thank the church
                for letting us go.


George.   I'll never forget the children's faces.


Bennie.   And the closeness we all felt toward God.


Herman.  I wish I could remember.


George.   Well, Herman, to help you remember, and for those other folks to see--we are all going
                to share some of our experiences in Bible School.  Right now, Rebecca McPhail and
                Joel Jones are going to speak to us and we're going to have slides.


Bennie.   Yeah, it's going to be great.


Herman.  These are great days.


George.   Herman!  C'mon y'all, let's go get a seat down front.  I don't want to miss a thing.

Sunglasses, 1997

Soaring down the coast
to south of nowhere
knowing fun awaits
for the curious.
And who is there to greet me
Are the natives who laugh
At least for a little while,
Or until that drink is ready.
So where are the kids
We once were and
Why are things so strange
Because everything was good
For us until life got in our way,
One Way to paradise,
Or is it a round-trip,
Ask the captain and see
how far he is going.

A Summer's Evening, 1978

Coming down
 across the lawn or
        through your back door
                     were
 three little kids and
  mostly girls but who
                could tell.


And barriers are such
                           that
        keep us from what
we are or want to do
         and say so
             forget it.


What?
     The girls are calling
and they need
                        you
to add a little fun
      in their lives
                  so go.


But...
     Don't worry about me
          I'll just worry about
                you
and reach for the sky
    or at least the
        light switch.

Suicide, 1973

Why can't time stop
Or just go backwards?


Why does it have
to continue?


You sit and ask if
we could ever find
each other again in a
shade of woe.


Remember the times
we had together,
running through the grass,
singing and laughing at the rain,
kicking up the snow like powder,
and wondering why did it have to end?


Bringing it all home
you sit and ask if
the world is not right and
if not, would I have to
end it all to stop my
despair.


SUICIDE MUST BE THE ANSWER.

A Story of Time, 1974

And she walked into his life
Or rather stood,
And he walked into her life
Or rather walked away.


She called out his name
He did not hear and so
Started a beautiful time.


Whether by accident or by
Fate, times got better until
He found out that she was married.


Marriage was a barrier to
Love, but not to friendship,
Which drew them closer as
Time went on.


But time had to end,
Because he had to leave,
And she found out and
Said, "Well, bless his heart".


The last day came,
The day went to night,
And the night was dark
With sadness,
But they never said
goodbye.

A Story of Power, 1974

 Once upon a time, there was a king who ruled the land quite strongly.  One day, he was hit by a truck and almost died, but he resigned instead.  The moral of this story is that people, who are strong, are more accident prone in levels of power.  Take Nixon for example.

The Story of A Person and A Group, 1974

Whether there was a reason
Behind the leaving of the person
Or whether there wasn't a reason
Really doesn't make too much difference.


What really matters is that the
Time came for a change and
The change wasn't a quick decision
Made by any one person.


One day, many years ago,
Or just a few, a person
Joined a group full of love,
Which slowly turned to hate.


Now, the hate has spread
Throughout all facets of the
Group, and a hope of a
Peaceful settlement is nothing.


One person left a group
A long time ago, or maybe
It was just a couple of
Minutes, and so went love.

Stop, 1970

All life is hurry,
If we don't, we worry,
We don't have time to think,
And all women want is mink.


If we would stop and say,
That everybody go their way,
I wish that people would go slow,
And not say, "And away we go".

Standing, 1990

Standing
I'm just standing
And I'm waiting
For you to come home.


Hoping
I'm just hoping
That you're coming...
Coming back to me.


Yes I'm standing
And I'm hoping
'Cause I'm waiting
To see your face.


Waiting
I'm just waiting
Time is dragging
'Cause you're not here.


Crying
I'm just crying
'Cause I'm standing
And you're not coming home.

Spring

Hey, take the wind,
ride the waves, ring
the bell, sound the
trumpets.  It's spring!


Spring comes only
once a year, which
is fortunate, because
the emotional system couldn't take more.


It's the season to
romp in the fields,
roll in the grass,
and play with little children.


But most of all,
it is the season for
boys and girls to
share the joys of living.


Zing-a-wing,
It's Spring!

A Special Girl, 1970

I met this girl a few months ago,
When I saw her, I knew that I loved her so,
It was love at first sight,
I think about her day and night.


She is always in my dreams,
I think she is supreme,
She is so nice and neat,
I love her from her head to her feet.


I love the way she wears her hair,
For this girl, I really care,
When she comes and sits by me,
I look at her and I like what I see.


This is my special girl,
She's like a flag, when it unfurls,
She will be mine,
Until the end of time.

Untitled, 1971

You wonder what,
You wonder why,
Your quest for life,
With thrills.


A world of hate,
A troubled world,
You act as though
You demonstrate unlawfully.


You satisfy your own,
You long to get away,
You take a trip,
You know you must find...

A Special Day in Two Lives, 1981

You met what seems like a thousand years ago,
And here you are together to make your trip go longer,
You both have been my friends for a few years,
And I am glad to have watched you grow with me.


A poet's words cannot express the love I have for you,
Nor can I begin to tell you what you have meant to me,
But as the sands of time cover our tracks,
We can still look back and remember what was.


And now as you go hand in hand to the future,
May God keep you in his hand, too,
May you have fun in your lives,
And enjoy what God has for you to do.


Too often life goes by and we do not say thanks,
And too often we rush through things and do not think,
And too often we stop and then it is too late,
But as life blesses you, remember that you have blessed me.


Thanks, and may God bless you always.

Sounds, 1970

Why wasn't life made to be
The kind of life I want for me?
Everyday pressure mounds,
And there are many sounds.


Sounds of day and sounds of night,
Sounds of blacks and sounds of whites,
We've got all the sounds of life,
The husband worries about sounds from his wife.


Let us have peace,
Let sounds cease,
Let us be silent,
And not get so violent.

Sometimes, 1970

Sometimes life is a bore,
And sometimes life is nice,
Sometimes I don't care any more,
And sometimes it is paradise.


But most of life is fine,
Except some of mine,
Life is sometimes right for me,
But sometimes not, don't you see?


I wish that it would be all right,
I know that can't be true,
Life is just day and night,
Sometimes I'm happy and sometimes I blue.


Nothing is left for me to say,
For me, this has been a good day,
Sometimes I roll up into a ball,
I'm glad I didn't run into a brick wall.

Sometimes I

Sometimes I see the light of sadness,
Sometimes I feel the pain of beauty,
Sometimes I can't see myself in happiness,
And you know what I mean.


It's a pleasure to be involved,
It's a pleasure for me to dissolve,
It's a pleasure for me to live a life,
'Cause it's a pleasure for me to be with you.


Sunny, sunny, sunny days,
Where will it end, my friend?

Some, 1971

Sometimes I can't find the words,
But I want to be heard.


Some things I always wanted to say,
But I didn't think they would be okay.


Somewhere I can have life,
But someone always has a knife.


Sometimes, some things are somewhere,
But those things are too high in the air--
To reach,
So I teach--
Someone else to catch them,
But instead they pray to Him.


Sometimes I CAN find the words,
But people don't listen for what is heard.


Some things I HAVE been able to say,
But some people didn't think they were okay.


Somewhere I have FOUND life,
But he still has that knife.


Sometimes, some things are somewhere,
But those things are too high in the air.

Solving God, 1973

So we laughed
 we cried and wanted
  to know what
   life was all about.


We tried
 we failed and
  so we left.
   Peace.

They Napalmed Our Boys in Illinois, 1971

In 19 hundred and 68,
Abbie and Jerry were told to wait,
The Democratic Convention was going to meet,
The revolutionaries were supposed to beat.


They called in the fuzz and the R.O.T.C.,
There was something that Abbie didn't see,
They napalmed our boys--
In Illinois.


The confrontation was in a Chicago park,
It went on till way past dark,
The SDS used glass and rocks,
The fuzz had the area sealed off for blocks.


Now it's 19 hundred and 72,
And everyone is very blue,
The Demo Convention is in our 51st state,
The army used this place as bait.


Abbie and Jerry took their forces,
The army found out from reliable sources,
So to prevent a riot, they napalmed--
Our boys in Vietnam.

The World (part 2), 1969

The world is but an empty place,
With nothing here but air and space,
The Earth is just a troubled sphere,
And all that we hold dear.


Everything is either fun or sad,
And some people are always mad,
A few people always talk,
While others only walk.


Why do we have all these troubles?
As many as water has bubbles,
We have wars and we have hate,
Why can't some people stand and wait?


I said before that we will die,
If we don't, I'll wonder why,
The whole problem is nobody cares,
People will fight at the drop of a hair.


Some people say let people live,
Other people say let them give,
We have wars and people kill,
And they do it against their will.


The world is nothing but a ball,
Some people die and some just fall,
If the world dies, so do we,
Everyone, you and me.


This is all I have to say,
Now you go and live your day,
But remember what I have said,
Or you might find yourself on your DEATH BED!

The World (part 1), 1969

I was listening to the news today,
Not all of it was happy and gay,
I heard of wars in the Middle East,
And it turned out to be a blood feast.


I heard about a war in Vietnam,
Where the land is anything but calm,
40,000 men have died from here,
Parents are shedding many tears.


I heard about starvation and people that are sick,
Oh, I wish I could give myself a good swift kick,
Why doesn't anybody care,
It just isn't fair.


If we, the people, could do something about it,
Everyone do just a little bit,
The world would be a better place,
That we, the people, could stand and face.


We have problems with land, water, and air,
In a few years, people on this earth will be rare,
If there are no problems, then I lie,
Because at the rate this world is going, we are going to DIE!

'67 Chevy, 1991

Riding down the highway
 In my '67 Chevy,
Doin' 160 on the open road,
Passin' all the cars that I see
 In my '67 Chevy.


Burning down the highway
 In my '67 Chevy,
Comin' on a guy by the road,
Realizing 20 miles later,
Goin' to fast to stop
 In my '67 Chevy.


I eat up the gas
'Cause I'm going so fast
No cop can catch me
 In my '67 Chevy.


Riding down the highway,
 In my '67 Chevy
Seeing the USA in one quick flash,
And I clean my dash,
 In my '67 Chevy.

Sing Sing Sing (to the tune of "Say Say Say", 1984

Sing, Sing, Sing every time that you hear that we are singing,
You, You, You are the one who makes our choir sound good,
What can I do to get through to you,
'Cause we need you, yeah you,
We're a choir made up of many types,
When you look at us, you know we're good, good, good.  Yeah.


Come, Come, Come Monday nights when we rehearse together,
So, So, So you will be prepared for each Sunday,
When we sing, you know you will hear
They liked your singing, They did,
You'll be blessed while you'll bless some folks,
So make One Voice a weekly, even a daily, thing, thing, thing.


You never have to worry, if you think crowds scare you,
All you have to do is look at Jon--that's what he's for.  Ah.


This, This, This is the end of one bad song, Yeah.
And, And, And if you don't want any more, then this is what you should do,
The first Sunday and the third Sunday is when we sing, Baby.
Watch the mail and come to choir,
You're the one we have choir for, for, for, Yeah.  Oooh.

Shine Light Shine, 1974

The sky
 cries out in
  the darkness of
   our lives and makes
    us see the light.


We see the light
 as it blinds
  the hell
   out of
    us.


Let there be light
 for all to see,
  but don't let your
   light shine brighter
    than everyone else's.


If you shine brighter
 than everyone else's light,
  you will find that your
   light will dim so much
    faster than theirs.

Shepherds/Joy, 2006

1.  Hey, wake up!
2.  (groggy) What?
1.  Look at the light!
2.  Wow!  I must have overslept.  What time is it?
1.  It doesn't matter.  He's come.
2.  Who, Christ?
1.  Yes!
2.  The shepherds are jumping up and down!
1.  Yes!  We are ALL excited!!
2.  Where is He?
1.  The voice from the light said he was born here tonight.
2.  Hey, wait a minute.  You mean we have been waiting out here in the cold for the birth of a baby?
1.  It's God's son--Jesus Christ!!  Let's go see Him.
2.  Do you think we should?
1.  The voice in the light said to GO and SEE the BABY!
2.  Okay.  Let's go (they exit)

Shells--The Sequel

 When we last read about the Shell family of Myrtle Beach, they had been split up by forces beyond their control.  Papa Shell became a doorstop in the home of the condo salesman's "niece".  Mama Shell was donated to the South Carolina State Museum.  Baby Shell was thrown back into the surf by a little boy.  We now rejoin the Shells two months later.
 The condo salesman visited his "niece" one night to watch "Friday the 13th Part V" on her VCR.  The TV was now where Papa Shell was resting on the floor.  He heard this story about Jason coming back from the dead and killing everybody in the movie.  Papa Shell was inspired.  He thought that if Jason could do it, then he could too.  He started rocking back and forth making a noise that sounded like somebody was knocking at the door.  The "niece" told the condo salesman to get the door, because she was too scared.  As he walked toward the knocking, he kicked Papa Shell.  Papa Shell grabbed the salesman's foot and wouldn't let go.  The salesman yelled, but his "niece" didn't hear him.  She was too busy yelling at Jason on the TV.  The neighbors called the police when they heard the noise.  When the police got there, they found the salesman was dead and the "niece" was babbling something about Jason.  A policeman picked up Papa Shell and though he could donate him to the South Carolina State Museum as a tax write-off.  At last, Papa and Mama Shell could be together again.
 Unfortunately, Mama Shell saw another shell in the museum and fell in love.  When Papa Shell arrived at the museum, he was told the awful truth--Mama Shell had found somebody else.  Dejected, Papa Shell sat in his case and watched the world go by,  Mama Shell married this new shell and they lived happily ever after, in the case next to Papa Shell's case.
 Meanwhile, Baby Shell was spending his time dodging feet and sharks in the surf.  He remembered something his Mama said, "Go to school".  He looked around and saw a school of fish swimming by.  He joined the school.  The fish looked at him and saw that Baby Shell was different.  In fact, they thought he was wearing a mask.  A flounder took pity on Baby Shell and became his friend.  The shell studied economics and made straight A's.  Soon, he was ready to graduate.  Baby Shell was captured by a man with a pipe.  The man took Baby Shell with him back to Columbia, where he is now the chief advisor to the man with the pipe at a store called Belk.
                                                     The End

She Left Me, 1990

I didn't know her name,
At least that's what I claim,
I met her in the dark,
I had my car in park.


She jumped into my jeep,
Her eyes were very deep,
Her beauty was like tan,
I knew I was her man.


I drove about two blocks,
I was tingling down to my socks,
We stopped at a traffic light,
And like a bird she took flight.


She left me all alone,
She left me like a dog and no bone,
She left me on the street,
She left me sitting in my seat.


Now I look for her everywhere,
I remember her long blonde hair,
But I don't know her name,
I guess it was all a game.

She

She hurt me,
She smiles at me,
She killed me,
When she left me.


Just like before,
There was someone else,
And now I wish he were dead,
So she could be with me.


I know it's awful,
I know it's bad,
But maybe she will
Take pity on me.


I love her so much,
And she knows that I do,
But she still has him.

The Adventures of Sergeant Boogie

Sergeant Boogie is his name,
Being a super hero is his game,
Bruce the Bear is with him, too,
And they'll always say this to you:
Boogie, Boogie, Boogie...


 In our last episode, Sergeant Boogie was stopping the war in Upper Volta.  Today, we find him in Outer Mongolia helping the Russians fight the Chinese.  Why, you ask, would Sergeant Boogie fight the Chinese?  Mainly because he wants to stop Mao's new book--The Gook Book.  We hear Sergeant Boogie saying:
 "I say, Bruce, those Chinks are retreating"!
 Bruce grunts.
 "That's right, Bruce.  Oh no, here comes their secret weapon.  It's a giant aardvark.
 Bruce grunts.
 Just then, the aardvark starts to fight with Sergeant Boogie.  Tune in next time, when we'll hear Sergeant Boogie say, "I've got ants in my pants and I need to dance."

Semi-Tough

 A cold rain fell the first day.  About two thousand people showed up.  They shot a couple of scenes, but the majority of the time was spent being entertained by stuntmen.  The second day was when we got down to business.  This time about fifty people came.  We were told to wear short-sleeved shirts and look like Florida.  When the director told us to get ready, everyone took off their heavy coats and look hot, and then he would yell "cut" and the coats would go back on.  Long underwear was a life-saver.  The director, Michael Ritchie, would move us fifty people all around the stadium as a group and then set up the camera shot in front of us.  To do so gave the illusion of a full stadium.  If you look very closely on either side of the screen, you will see empty seats.  Since it was a football game, or more accurately a series of football games, not everyone was for the same team.  So, the director split us up into two groups--those born before July and those born after July.  Each group would cheer for their respective teams.  Some people figured out that if they stood up and cheered, then they would be seen more, so their birthdays kept changing.  One day during the week the assistant director wanted to play a joke on one of the football players.  All fifty of us marched across the field and hit the player in the back.  It was very funny.  The lesson learned from "Semi-Tough" was that a film crew shoots much more film than what shows up on the screen. 
 My latest venture as a movie extra is in the November release--"Chattahoochee"--directed by Mick Jackson and starring Gary Oldman and Dennis Hopper.

A Seminary Experience in Time, 1977

Bring us down one more time,
Bring us down to you,
Bring us down if you don't mind,
It's just a little hard by ourselves.


See us once if you please,
See us once, okay?
See us once and then we'll go,
It's just a little hard right now.


Don't you know what I ask?
Don't you know what I say?
Don't you know that it's your job?
It's just a little hard to understand.


What did you mean when you said that?
What did you do about that?
What did we do that was so wrong?
It's just a little hard to tell.


Bring us down, can't you?
See us right now, won't you?
Don't you know we love you?
What did you say?
Who cares?

Seeing is not Believing, 1971

 It was a hot day.  The dispatcher told us that a man had reported a shooting.  Patrolmen Davies and Washburn came along with me.  It was 4:30 in the afternoon.  My name is Crawford.  I'm a police detective.
 When we go to the scene of the crime, we got out of the car and looked for clues in the front yard.  There were no clues.  We approached the victim's house with caution.  We didn't know what to expect.  Patrolman Washburn knocked on the door.  We waited for a few minutes, and no one came to the door.  Then a man appeared at the door.  He seemed frightened.  I asked him what his name was, and he said that it was Murray.  I told Mr. Murray who we were and asked if we could come inside his house.  He said it would be alright.
 We entered the little, 4-room house and sat down.  I asked the man to tell us what happened.  He said that there was a prowler outside last night.  The prowler was roaming around his back yard.  He said that he saw the prowler climb up his (Murray's) sliding board to get a better look of the neighborhood.  The prowler saw him observing his actions, so he pulled out his gun and shot at him.  He said that the prowler then ran away.  I asked if anybody else heard the shot.  He said, "No".
 Patrolman Davies went outside to look for footprints.  He found some near the slide.  He also found a bullet and gun powder marks.  This proved that someone was on a slide firing a gun.  I asked Mr. Murray to stay inside his house, while the three of us reenacted the crime.  I was Murray, and Washburn was the prowler.  He got onto the slide.  My feet were lying in the footprints of Murray.  The stage was set.  Washburn pointed his gun at me, and I realized something.  There was a tree exactly two degrees to the right of the barrel of the gun and thirty feet from the slide.  That put the tree between Washburn and myself, with the angle being two degrees.  If  Murray was telling the truth, then the prowler would have to have been an excellent marksman to bypass the tree without leaving a scratch.  Since the prowler was carrying a gun only for protection, and since the prowler was put under a great deal of strain during that night, and since there was a great deal of surprise involved in the shooting, it was plain to see that there was never a prowler, and Murray framed the entire incident.
 When we got back in the house, Mr. Murray was ready to identify the prowler as John Barmer.  We called headquarters and asked them to research John Barmer.  The reason for this was to see if there were any connections between the two men.  There was a connection.  Murray had been cheated by Barmer in a poker game.  This was Murray's way to get back at Barmer.
 The next day, we went back to Murray's house.  He was surprised to see us.  We told him about why we came back.  I explained to him about the tree.  I told him his rights.  He asked what he was going to be charged with.  I said, "Fraud".  We then went to John Barmer's house and informed him what had happened.  I told him that he had better not cheat, because it got other people in trouble, too.  Case dismissed.

Seeing, 1971

Seeing is believing,
Unless you don't want to believe,
Then you don't see,
Unless you are me.


I don't see,
But I believe,
That's what's wrong,
It's not the music--it's the song.


Unless YOU see what is real,
And YOU don't see what is unreal,
Then how do YOU know what is right,
With all YOUR sight.


Sing your sights,
Count your lights,
Faith in you is all powerful,
Count the petals on all your flowers.


Seeing is believing.

The Secret Information and Sayings of the Gitchees, 1971

Names:          Sam Gitchee, George Gitchee, and Louis Gitchee


Occupations: Sam is the mayor, George is the grocer, and Louis is the police and fire chief.


Living Area: 2 square feet; 7 miles south of Providence, Rhode Island, in the Atlantic Ocean, on a
                     rock.


Description: The 3 surviving Gitchee Indians live one on top of another in a totem pole fashion.  The
                     offices that each Gitchee holds are changed through an election every 6 months.  The
                     Gitchee on the bottom of the pole wears a SCUBA outfit when the tide comes in.  The
                     Gitchees are there, on the rock, 364 days out of the year.  On July 7, they travel to their
                     mecca--which is Goomee.  (The English name for Goomee is Providence.)  Rhode
                     Island does not claim the Gitchees, but they were there before the Rhode Islanders.


Sayings:       1.  A Gitchee in the hand is worth two on a stone.
                     2.  Look before you Gitchee.

Secrecy, 1975

If you say "CIA" real fast,
it comes out "say".


I only hope that the CIA
won't Say anything that they
don't have to.

Searchin', 2002

I've been searchin' for my baby,
I've been searchin' for my child,
I've been searchin' for my baby,
I really do miss her smile.


I've been searchin' for my baby,
She's been gone for a while,
When we kiss, she drives me crazy,
I've been on the road a lot of miles.


When I find her--what a joy,
When I find her and we hug,
'Cause she knows I'm her boy,
And she'll give my heart a tug.


I've been searchin' for my baby,
I've been searchin' high and low,
If you happen to see my baby,
Tell her that I lover her so.

School

From the time I
 Was six, I found
Myself within a world
 Of schoolwork.


School with friends,
 Math and all
That speling, but
 What else is there to do?

A Sacreligious piece of verse by a Porter at Belk, 1973

Now I layaway me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my employees packages will take,
If I die before I wake,
I pray that He'll at least take deliveries.
Amen.

Fajardo (to tune of Tomorrow), 1984

It always rains in Fajardo,
At least once a day in Fajardo does it rain,
Just thinking about Fajardo,
The people speak Spanish in Fajardo all the time,
When I think about rain and bugs and sunburn,
I just smile and then I have to say...


You'll always have fun in Fajardo,
The tourists never come to Fajardo just us kids,
Fajardo, Fajardo I love ya', Fajardo,
You're only $600 away,
Fajardo, Fajardo Don't leave me, Fajardo,
You're only $600 away.

San Juan (to the tune of Downtown), 1984

When you wish that you never left home--
 then you must always be in SAN JUAN.


When you have the lizards run on your toes,
 then you must really be in SAN JUAN.


Just look both ways before you go out into traffic,
And then you close your eyes and pray you'll cross the street alive.


Then when you do, you find that the shop is closed
And you must try again--they'll tell your next of kin
About SAN JAUN
 Where all the cars have dents.
SAN JUAN
 Each house has a 10-foot fence.
SAN JUAN
 Where nothing makes sense to me.


In SAN JUAN, SAN JUAN, SAN JUAN (Fade)

A Rock

A rock is the symbol
 of authority, but it
  also sits around
   and stares at the world.


It has no chance to move,
 unless kicked up by an animal
  or brushed against by
   a very strong water current.


Why can't a rock live a
 life like the rest of
  us and not sit all by
   itself in nature?


A rock shall not be moved
 like a sit-down strike
  of the middle 1960's
   but as far as we're
    concerned it's dead.

Run-Out, 1974

Happiness is for others
Where they work and play,
There was a time when I
Could say that I was happy, too.


Peace is for the war-torn,
Whose land has been bombed,
There was a time when I
Could say that I had peace, too.


People created other people,
And wandered off to kill,
This made me quite upset,
But it's all over now.


Time is for the living,
And this is that problem,
Because without time we don't live,
And I've run out of time.

Returning to Joy, 1974

Flowers bloom in the sky,
Birds sing flying by,
And I wish that my love
Would stay.


People hear what they will,
But they touch what they kill,
And I wish that my love
Would stay.


I see people wanting to love,
And these people can't seem to love,
But I know that they're filled with love,
But no one loves them,
No one sees them.


Candles light the way of spring,
Children trying to do their thing,
Why is life so cruel to me,
It's only a dream to see.


Yes, why is life so cruel to me,
There are no answers,
Because I can't see.


There is not anyone who
can tell me a thing.


There are no answers,
because I can't see.


No one to tell me anything.


No answers,
because I can't see.


No one to tell me anything.

Return to Civilization, 1975

Four years ago, or maybe
 one, the last or just a
  postponement occurred in
   a church, or was it a bank.


The mood changed at 12,
 or was it 9, or maybe 11,
  but whenever it was it
   happened and smiles were
    followed by waves.


And families all agree that
 people are perfect--you see,
  or just very talented individuals.


The earth opened and we fell in,
 and it immediately closed up,
  And I wished that we
   could have looked-up more.

Remember When..., 1970

I thought the people would be backwoods,
I didn't think that they could be good,
But how wrong could I be?
Because there was something that I didn't foresee.


The people I met were filled with cheer,
And they seemed to be sincere,
I finally met some people that understood me,
And my life was filled with a jubilee.


There was she and he and him and her,
Of those I met, there were a few I preferred,
In six months time I've become well liked,
From the adults to the little tykes.


My friends are not as old as I,
I was once very shy,
Now I have these people to talk to,
This is all very true.


I went to many places,
With all those nice faces,
I'm glad I got with those people,
Under the tall steeple.

A Reflection on Now (July 1, 1973)

 In a few days, I will leave the U. S. for 21 days to go to Europe.  I reflect on possibilities--plane crash, hijack, train wreck, boat sinks, disease, war, car accident, or anything that could cut my trip short.  If by chance something should happen, always get words written by me that are contained in the box of works to see why I go now.  Peace!

A Recipe, 1981

 What do you get if you mix 37 "mature" adults, 60 children, a plate of Polish sausage, a fire hydrant, 12 gallons of paint, and a lot of prayer?  You get PHILADELPHIA!
 The mission trip to Philadelphia during the first week in August means different things to everybody who went, but there were some things that are almost universal.
 It was Dave Pritchard singing the "Lord's Army" song at the puppet show.  It was Marcia Smith's kids zonked out after doing the slide.  It was a cut-throat game of kickball...sorry Cathy D.  It was a little hike that four people did coming back from a ball game...what did that policeman say, Kaye?  It was the third grade cheer...one more time, Ron.  It was the mental dexterity displayed by Jennie Rivers, John Swindler, and Kitten McGregor, while they tried to work with the fourth grade and remain sane.  It was Henry, Cindy, and Abby playing choo-choo train with the pre-schoolers.  It was George Smith learning how to use a camera and doing all the sites in an hour's time.  It was the natural ability seen by Johnny Kinsey and Wayne Catoe in teaching the Bible.  It was Myron Broadwell's travelogues...who did you say sculpted those light poles?  It was Neal Knighton's sense of direction and his historical trivia questions.  It was Jim Schmid's patience with those of us, who had never picked up a hammer before.  It was Jan Butler, who was a real trooper, despite her eye...hope it gets better.  It was all of the craft people, who made the things for the kids, and finding them later torn up on the street.  It was the puppet people, who had to endure five shows a day, including a Day Camp, who came from another part of the park...but it was worth it.  It was James Staggs eating 20 (count 'em) pieces of chicken at Amish country and lived to tell about it.  It was Ben Wyman laughing at EVERYTHING.  It was "Miss Myrl" telling the fifth grade to be quiet.  It was Jennie looking like a Martian after paint day, but who cared with the open fire hydrant?  It was Joanne's and Patty's level heads, when all around was chaos.  It was everybody else not mentioned specifically, who added to the fun.
 It was also the children, which is why we went.  The first day, we had 60 children to contend with, which was many more than we dreamed would be there.  They captured our hearts and our love.  To see kids begging Johnny if they could be next in riding on his shoulders, and to see them waiting at the door of the church to go to the park...we saw why we were there.  It was for Richard and Peter and Marva and Carol and Mike and Abraham and Veronica and Justin and Zoom and every other child who was touched and who touched us.
 The high point for many people happened Wednesday night.  During the church's prayer meeting, we had been asked to provide the music for the program.  Listening outside of the church, unknown to us, there was a little girl.  After the service was over, a knock came from the door.  It was the girl.  She wanted to know if the music was over.  So, John Swindler sang a song especially for her.  There wasn't a dry eye in the crowd.  The child had taught us something, and it continues with us today.  The lesson we learned was to never take anything for granted, whether it be friends or what.
 There is so much else that could be put into this recipe of fun and reflection, such as the owner of the deli next to the church.  He was named Chester, and he helped us out a lot.  There was Diane, who was the missionary for the trip.  There were the two summer missionaries.  But, most of all, there was prayer.  Prayer from FBC and from each other.  Thanks for that.  God blessed us in Philadelphia, and will continue to in the future.