Going, 1990

I came down to see you,
Because you make me smile,
But you weren't there to meet me,
After I drove those many miles.

The tears rolled down my face,
'Cause I knew that you were gone,
I wanted you to be there,
So I thought I'd write this song.

We had good times together,
You always made me laugh,
But all those great feelings
Are tearing me in half.

I hate to see you leave,
'Cause we make a great team,
You never said you're sorry,
I guess you're not what you seemed.

Goodbye my love,
And for all the times
I say Thanks,
And goodbye my love.

I'm going back home now,
I hate to see you go,
I won't be back to see you,
And I will miss you so.

God's Protection

 At my place of work, there is a walk-in freezer, which is a common storage place for food.  The temperature is kept close to zero, and the air is thin.  One night, I was getting some ice from the freezer, when the door slammed shut, trapping me inside.  I pushed on the inside latch, but it didn't work.  A sign inside the door said, "You cannot be locked in", but I was.
 My first thought was not to panic, because I knew that the more energy I used, the more oxygen would be lost.  For more than five minutes, I pounded on the door and screamed, but no one was there to listen.  The cold had made me numb, so the temperature was not important to my condition.  I reached the point where I thought I was going to die.  By the end of five minutes, I was gasping for air and began to hyperventilate.  I sat down on a box of tomatoes and prayed, "God, I don't want to die.  My main concern though is with the cooks that will come here tomorrow and find me dead.  If they find me here, they will be out chasing cars on the interstate."  I tried the door one last time before passing out, and it opened.
 Sometimes we forget that God protects us, as he protected those in Biblical times, but I am living proof that He is still there to help anyone who asks.
 May you trust God to protect you from the dangerous forces around you.

Get Up, With Apologies to Michael Jackson

Saturday night was great 'cause you had a date,
But just remember we sing at half past eight,
So when the alarm goes off--don't be late,
Just Get Up, yeah Get Up!

This choir is all depending on you,
We've been rehearsing--you know what to do,
And, what I'm saying is nothing new,
So Get Up, yeah Get Up!

Get up, Get up
All you have to do is Get Up
Don't let me have to tell you more,
Just put your feet down on the floor
And Get Up, yeah Get Up!

Okay, the time has come for me to go,
Your excuse is no good--that we know,
Let's fill the loft till it overflows,
So Get Up, just Get Up!
Yeah Get Up, oh Get Up.

A Funeral Wish or Watergate Forever, 1973

I find myself in
 a strange bind,
  the first poem
   I've written since Europe.

It's hard to find
 something to say
  after being drained
   of all love and compassion.

Now, all I can say
 is thanks to all
  generations to come
   and have already passed.

You see, generations
 bring peace, because
  haven't you heard
   of a "generation of peace"?

Yes, Mr. Nixon is
 the topic of this
  piece of verse, may
   he rest in peace.
                             Amen.

A Friend, 1981

May you always be happy,
And show happiness around you,
Reaching for the heights, and
Caring for those less fortunate.

In your life of beauty,
And in the lives of others,
Smile and laugh at life.

Many people will like you,
I know that I do, so
Teach love to everybody you see, and
Help me to see you, too.

Freedom

 What is freedom?  We have heard a lot about it and other words like "liberty", "independence" and "patriotism".  Are these old-fashioned concepts?  Do we take our freedom for granted?
 Anyone who has travelled to a Communist country will tell you about the different world without freedom.  Imagine someone checking your ID anytime they felt like it.  Or how about the government telling you what job you will have for the rest of your life?
 You can buy symbols for freedom in the USA.  Statue of Liberty Books, Liberty Bell T-shirts and posters with Rambo are just a few of the marketing ideas that have made money for enterprising people.  Where do you draw the line between showing your patriotism and buying a gimmick?
 No matter how you feel about presidents or politics; no matter if you are a Democrat or a Republican or an Independent; and no matter what ethnic background is your own--the fact remains the same:  a lot of people died so that you could be here today.  If that sounds corny, maybe it is.  But maybe, we need to remember that the melting pot we call "America" is a place that we call "home".  We are free.  Don't take freedom for granted.

For Later, 1978

Sometimes you want more
and maybe you need it
but then there are those
who'll have more than you.

This is what I feel about
your move maybe to go on
and view the world since
life here is not so good.

Well, all power to you in
what you want to do as
I am behind you but
remember times we used to know.

Quotes from plays or from
songs tend to make me know
more than maybe I do so
what is real is your thoughts.

To say, I hope you stay,
is to put your feelings aside
and what makes you happy will
be enough for me so thanks.

And the wind blew once again.