The Rules

Comb your hair, 

Or groom it so it appears groomed

If you have hair...

And keep it washed. 

People can see and smell. 

Brush your teeth,

Brush them before you go to bed

And when you get out of bed. 

It's not something you don't do. 

Always. 

Take a bath, or shower. 

Wash yourself before you go to bed 

And when you get out of bed. 

It's not something you don't do. 

Always. 

Wash your clothes,

Iron them too. 

You'll hate wearing them if you don't.  

And people will either feel sorry for you,

Or judge you.  

Clean your room.

Put things where you'll keep them. 

Stay neat. 

Your mind will thank you for it. 

You wouldn't want to lose it. 

Offer help and lend a hand. 

Because what goes around does, 

in fact, Come around. 

Be glad.

Always. 

These are the rules.  

Destruction

Tear it all, Tear it all down

There's nothing good here to see,

Bring this all down

There's nothing here for you or for me. 

A stronghold won't stand

With uneven walls. 

It all must come down 

Before we all fall. 

So, 

Stand high on the heap,

Kick all the stones. 

Let go of the anger

Which dwells in your bones. 

Have hope and rethink,

Breathe in new air. 

Look down and take sight,

Stones freed, lying there. 

New mortar, new clay

Rest warm in the sun.  

And beckon your sight,

And visions not done. 

Grab hold of your spade,

Your hammer, your blade. 

Lay out your maps,

And best plans made. 

Set out to make right

All gone so wrong. 

Build up your house

While singing your song. 

True destiny is held

By all men who know. 

That one must destroy 

If only to grow.  

Two Things

Two things are so much alike

And two things are not all the same. 

In time they grow so much apart

And hold true the same if only by name. 

So many ways to go through days

So many things to say or not say. 

Set out in early hour to jump on the day,

And finish late the very same way. 

So many things they say or not say

So many ways they go through days 

But late in a day they sit back and think,

Two things are always in sync. 

On Lying

A good way to know if someone is lying

Is simply to say what they don't want to hear. 

In response, of course, to that thing,

That thing they may fear. 

A floor of sorts, laid out beneath them, but

Held up by nothing but hope. 

That may just fall through and down they would go, 

with no one around to throw down a rope. 

A hell created just for one's self

To chase, to taunt, to press the mind. 

And pare down a liar while running at pace. 

With plausible reason hard to find.

At last, with wishing so much

To go back with haste...

And tell all the truth 

to heal his soul,

To drink deep old wine, 

Breathe in fresh air,

Embrace a child, to pet a dog,

And eat fresh baked bread.

To live without fear,

And enjoy the taste. 

A Ghost In The House

I wish you could see me,

I want to be seen. 

I'm here just like always,

You may know me. 

Suspended I am, up here in this state. 

With all things you see,

Around me and through me,

You pass as I wait. 

I thrive In your living

And do reminisce,

You may know me by giving

Your forehead a kiss. 

With silent lucidity, 

I dwell here above. 

And keep my watch for you.

I do what I love. 

So live here around me,

And don't mind me please. 

You might know I'm here...

But please, for me,

Set your mind at ease. 

A Penitent Prayer

Lord you have given us more than we need

More than we deserve

And all of yourself. 

Our ways are not your ways

Though in our hearts we hear you. 

You tell us what you'll do with us

You tell us what you've done for us. 

You wait for us. 

You watch over us. 

You love us. 

Until we see you, Until we hear you. 

How can we repay you for this?

How can we comprehend this?

How could we comprehend you?

In the depth of our soul you're there

You already know 

You're already aware

Aware of ourselves, our time

Our days, our purpose. 

So beautifully you weave out our days

Forgive us and put us where we need to be. 

To say what needs to be said 

To give what needs to be given

To love, and love and love again

Until nothing is left unspent. 

You show us Lord, as much as we resist

How you will build us up 

If only to make us never to doubt you again

And you always do it again. 

Compelling us to stand, or sit, or kneel in awe

Breathless And helpless 

With glad arms upraised 

And heavy heads held low. 

Amen

A Rhyme for Anyone

[direction] [street name]

Got my [blank] down feelin [blank]

With my [guy/girl] ridin [blank]

Settin out to [verb, noun]

Hoping that the cops [verb, noun]

You see I'm [adjective] of the [blank, blank, blank]

When everybody got to [verb] so [adjective]

So suckas stay right there just where you are 

I got my [blank, blank] with your [blank]

Example Rhyme:

Southbound I-95

Got my top down feelin alive 

With my girl riding shotgun 

Setting out to have fun

Hoping that the cops take five 

You see I'm bored of the same old scene 

When everybody got to talk so mean

So suckas stay right there just where you are

I got my bag packed with yo green!

Raising Kids

A human body's quantity 

for hours asleep per day

Is one way to keep tabs on health

If I could think that way.  

But truth is all I'd really want was

Twilight to descend

And Mr. Sandman to come in

To make the madness end. 

Circadian rhythm was so fucked

I simply did not care

That Starbucks opened at 6 am,

I'd wait outside and stare. 

But,

A joyful world I dwelled therein where 

All my drive was spent,

And happiness bursts forth just while

I'd build another bedsheet tent. 

So pushing down the rising feeling

So much in my mind 

That all of me I gave to her 

So older she would find...

That I was present in all ways

Someone could ever be. 

And leaving sleep so much behind

So she'd remember me.