Hear the Clock

Tick-tock,

Hear the clock.

Tip-tap,

Hear me clap.

Drip-drop,

Hear it plop.

Ding-dong,

Hear the gong.

Left-right,

Through the night.

Up-down,

All around.

Bump-bump,

My heart thumps.

Tick-tock,

Hear the clock.

The Human

Cords of muscle,

Ropes of sinew,

My dear skin

They’re underneath you.

Beating hearts and

Tubes of blood,

To break them now

Would cause a flood.

Living, breathing,

Pulsing, beating,

A human is

A lovely thing.

Thunderstorm

With a plip, and a plop, and a ra-ta-ta-tat,

The rain beats a rhythm that goes just like that.

With a crack, and a bang, and a cragga-snagga boom,

The lightning weaves its way across the great gray loom.

You watch for the signs from your cozy dorm,

Watching for the signs of the thunderstorm.

I watch from the safety of my sunny dale,

Watch for sounds of thunder, wind and hail.

Ra-ta-ta, ra-ta-ta, ra-ta-tat-tat,

Pit-a-pat-a-pit-a-pat-a-pit-a-pat-pat,

With a plip, and a plop, and a ra-ta-ta-tat,

The rain beats a rhythm that goes just like that.

The King of Hearts

I lay my hand down on the table,

Looking at my cards.

I take my prize from the big bowl;

For he has won me crystal shards.

There he is, in my hand,

His sword stuck in his head.

The King of Hearts, who’s sitting there,

Really should be dead.

I hear he’s known for suicide,

But he has won this game.

I kind of want to run and hide,

The “Suicide King” is his name.

There he is, in my hand,

His sword stuck in his head.

The King of Hearts, who’s sitting there,

Really should be dead.

I

I might try.

I might cry.

I might like it.

I might hate it.

I might love it.

I might not.

I might eat it.

I might stop.

I don’t know,

I don’t care.

I see you

I stand there.

I don’t know.

I don’t care.

I don’t think.

I don’t share.

I don’t believe it.

I can’t perceive it.

I am confused.

I am amused.

I don’t think so.

I don’t know so.

I don’t want so.

I can’t see so.

I love you.

I can’t let go.

Emotion

Envy.

It’s a sneaking worm.

It creeps into your day.

It attaches itself to your mind.

It digs in its razor claws.

And doesn’t let go.

Then it feeds off of you.

It grows and swells.

Until it becomes Hate.

Hate.

It’s a terrible thing.

That refuses to flee.

It doesn’t like Love.

Love is its enemy.

When you let it go,

It is like taking

Off a pack

Full of rocks

And sending it off a cliff.

Then you are filled with Love.

Love.

It’s a gentle breeze.

A falling leaf.

It creeps up behind you.

It embraces you.

It wants you to be happy.

It brings people to make you glad

And people to keep you from being sad.

Love is kind and Love is sweet.

It holds you in its strong arms.

And it keeps you safe.

Safe from Hate, Envy, and Rage.

Rage.

It’s a roaring lion.

A ferocious tiger.

An angry viper.

Its heart is cold.

Its flesh is hot.

It never, ever truly leaves.

It burns with a passion.

Its fire is strong.

But Love is stronger.

And you are stronger.

A Toad

Up the sidewalk,

Up the road,

Off to the pond to catch a toad.

Hush! Listen,

For his croak,

Don’t fall in or you’ll get soaked!

Look! There!

There’s the toad!

His language is all in code.

Leap! Jump!

Watch him soar!

Flying toads now have the floor.

Down the sidewalk,

Down the road,

Back from the pond with our new toad! 

Crystal Drops

Crystalline and delicate,

Like tiny little knives they cut,

Slicing through the air,

Fragile crystal drops.

Miniscule and elegant,

Brave young men and girls they taunt,

Shimmering with grace,

Dancing crystal drops.

Beautiful but dangerous,

Leaping, turning, spinning much,

Free and ornate,

Dancing crystal drops.

Causing pain to entertain,

But healing at the same time,

Holding power, yes,

They are words, these drops.

Why Is It That?

Why is it that the only time
The darkness comes
And overwhelms me
Is when there's no-one there
To tell me everything's okay?

Why is it that the weight
Is so heavy
And breaks me
When nobody is there
To help me lift?

Why is it that the Demons
Only strike
To consume me
When nobody is there
To guard my back?

Why is it that I'm only lost
When nobody is there
To show me the way
Back
Home?

A Reason to Live

(For the same friend)

Give me a reason to live,
A reason to breathe.
Give me a reason to stay afloat
In my tumultuous sea.

A reason, a reason,
That I can do.
The first one?
I love you.
The sun will rise tomorrow,
In fire and flaming light.
You'll be alive tomorrow,
And your future is oh so bright.
The wind on your face,
The breeze in your hair.
Clear, cool water,
Crisp, fresh air.
Soft pillows,
Small children's sweet smiles.
Loud laughter
Echoing for miles.
Rich milk chocolate,
Cake, sugar, cream.
Friends to cry on,
To support when you lean.
Kittens and puppies,
And little birds too,
But the best of all?
The people who love you.

Penguin Can't Fly

(For a friend)

All the birds gathered
Together one day,
To hear the words
That God would say.
"You all have your gifts,"
He said with a smile,
"And I want you to use them,
In rough weather and mild."

First the great Eagle,
With his magnificent wings,
Flies way up high.
And the Songbird? She sings.
The Crane and the Heron,
With legs very long,
Waltz in the water
To the Chickadee's song.

The lovely Robin,
With her ruby breast,
Listens for worms
To bring home to her nest.
One by one each bird flew away,
Except a few who could not.
"Ostrich, Emu, Cassowary,"
God said, "don't fret.
You can run! Fast, you are very!"

But one bird was left alone,
With his tiny webbed feet.
"Father," piped Penguin,
"Did you forget about me?"
The Father looked down
At the last feathered one,
And thought hard what to do.
"You can't fly, you can't run."

While God was thinking,
Penguin waddled away,
He was very sad,
And it was not a good day.
Penguin wandered off
And found a tall cliff.
"Nobody loves me,"
He said with a sniff.

God came running,
But He was too late,
For little Penguin
Had decided his fate.
"I'm sorry, Father!" Penguin called.
"But I cannot fly!
I am not wanted,
So I'll jump and I'll die!"

God looked at the edge,
And the sea down below,
"He has a talent,
What is it? I know!"
Penguin had jumped,
Perhaps on a whim,
"Penguin! You can't fly,"
God said, "But you can swim!"

Penguin COULD swim,
And as he fell down,
He realized that maybe
He wouldn't drown.
You see, Duck swims too,
But Penguin's the best,
No other bird
Has such lungs in their chest.

Maybe this story
Is a tangle of words,
And maybe to you,
It's just about birds.
But maybe you'll look
And maybe you'll see
The message to you
Whispered from me.

Maybe you can't fly.
Maybe you can't run.
But you have a talent,
I know, at least one.
You're special, you know.
God made you that way.
You might not know yet,
But you will, someday.

Don't you give up,
Despair shouldn't win.
Maybe you are simply
Like our friend Penguin.
The end isn't near,
You are the best at something,
And you'll find out what it is
If you don't jump, you wonderful thing.

Snow-Ships on a Winter Night

When the snow falls,
Gliding through the quiet winter night,
It glistens, it sparkles,
Coating everything in brilliant white.

When the trees groan,
Underneath the quiet snowfall's weight,
Do the stars dance?
Do the children all go eat soft flakes?

Wind is racing;
The frost nips at a small pink nose.
We are sliding,
Can't you see how fast it goes?

We are bundled
Up in layers of nice winter coats.
We are sailing
Down the hill on simple snow-sea boats.

And the snowflakes,
Drifting through the quiet winter night?
They are dancing,
Making such a beautiful, frozen sight.

Alone

I like long walks in the forest,
I like to be the only one home.
I like the deep darkness of nighttime,
I like to play games on my own.
I like to write stories and read them,
I like it when I'm alone.

I like deep silence and solitude,
I like to wander and hike alone.
I like thick snowfall and gentle peace,
I like to watch raging lightning storms.
I like to work on my own.
I like to take care of myself,
I like it when I rule my home

But then I turn around,
And then I really see
The world moves on when I'm alone.
The people move on without me.
And finally I realize the truth:
I like to be alone, but don't fancy 'lonely.'