anyone...
( half-price ) ...
with eyes that looked like cloudy skies...
'neath a brim of pale gray...
an elderly gent of long-ago lint...
opened his shop for the day...
he caught her eye on her morning walk by...
as he squarely adjusted the sign...
saying "all merchandise is on sale half-price"...
and watched her step up on inside...
she looked up and down... empty walls all around...
then she asked him... "what is this?... do tell!"...
"your shelves are all bare... but your sign over there...
says you have something to sell"...
"oh i do!"... said the man as his old fingers ran...
over the varnished veneer...
"had to put all my stock under safe double-lock...
it's out in the back room... my dear"...
"come see what i've got... it's quite a lot!"...
so she followed him through a small door...
to a room drenched in dust... under soft shades of rust...
with bags piled high on the floor...
"what's this?"... she asked... as he took to the task...
of dragging a bag to her feet...
"please give me a minute... and i'll show you what's in it...
it's something i think you will need"...
as he opened the bag... it's old tattered tag...
fell near the tip of her shoe...
she reached down to get it... but he said "just let it...
lay on the floor next to you"...
he reached slowly inside... under low saddened eyes...
in a long unbalanced stance...
then lifting so gently... while gazing intently...
he finally opened his hands...
"my dear... these are my dreams that i've kept stored back here...
cause i've had better things to do"...
"they've always been mine... but i've run out of time...
so i'll sell them half-price... to you"...
he opened them all... and the next thing she saw...
were hearts of every hue...
caring and daring... with each into sharing...
all looking a true brand of new!...
she stood there amazed!... as he glanced at... then gazed...
directly into her eyes...
"they're yours for the taking... but you've got to be making...
a payment for one-half the price"...
she wondered their worth... as she took out her purse...
but he told her... "no!... put that away!"...
"money won't buy... what it's taken my life...
to regret each and every day!"...
"you have what you need... if you want these indeed...
i' ve let them slide right through my years!"...
"a good-hearted try... is less than half-price...
of a lifetime regretting... my dear!"...
"take them... take care... and remember this year...
for it won't be here again"...
"with earnest endeavor... they'll last you forever"...
"live in your dreams!... my friend!"...
~~~~~~~
( inner sanctum ) ...
a purple burgundy smoking coat...
and a brassy bronze clothing hook...
looked about for their master's touch...
from a wooden paneled bedroom nook...
sunshine rays through window panes...
brought magic rides of carpet dust...
to patiently wait with all the rest...
in that latent film of silent trust...
early evening dropped in to visit...
its familiar hush almost welcome d ...
with empty spots still being filled up...
along the telltale rafters they held from...
under the cozy niche of companionship...
their parlor opened the inner sanctum...
embracing holds from invisible hugs...
of enfolding shadows lengthened...
in whispers too solemn for ears...
its circle of sacred aged friendship...
formed dear rings of humbling sound...
around soft bonding murmurs of kinship...
then with a steadfast hidden ceremony...
solitude's secret sealed that chamber...
as nightfall swept it towards history...
to the master's hand it came for!...
~~~~~~~~~~~~
- (treasure hunter
wonder
)...
(ya wonder... ya ponder... ya wonder again...
whaddaya got... that ain't under your skin...
seems so complex... where's the simple begin...
amazed with the maze... ya can't find yourself in)...
"i'm a treasure hunter" he said..."found one of the best...
would show ya right now... but those eyes need some rest...
maybe later your vision... won't have to guess...
where to look for that whiz kid... who aces his test"...
"your thought's undercover... no wonder you're blind...
twenty-twenty's a roamer... in'n'outta your mind...
got stuff to bring back... when ya get rid of your time...
this treasure i found... it was lost by mankind"...
(their legs stood there listening... brains brewing alot...
from the words of that man... about the treasure he got...
if he just showed 'em now... it'd make more sense than not...
why leave them waiting?... and wondering what?)...
"i'll return later on... but before i leave...
will tell ya tale... of how i find what i need"...
'i was lost on the road... couldn't find the street...
that led to a dock... and a sailor to meet...
a ship had come in... and with it on board...
was a seaman who claimed... he'd just met his lord...
(had to check it on out... always lookin' for more...
especially the stuff... i ain't seen before)...
i took a wrong turn... where the old sign used to be...
(it happens when townfolk... try so hard to help me)...
then drove past the stump... that was once an oak tree...
and followed my nose... smelling salt from the sea...
well the smell took me to... a smooth strip of sand...
with sea gulls and shells... but no boats and no man...
got outta my truck... started scoutin' the land...
huntin' for answers... to find out where i am...
my boots blazed the beach... kickin' around...
for the site of a pier... on the southside of town...
but distance was hazy... no shapes to be found...
seems all i came up with... was bein' let down...
then a noise had me notice... a jeep on the road...
with a sailor inside... in r & r clothes...
he pulled by my truck... gave his horn a quick blow...
as i headed to ask him... wh ich way i should go ...
"what you doing out here?"... flowed the seaman's grin...
"you seem to be lost... from the shape that you're in...
that sailor you're searching... it could be i'm him...
good thing i stopped by... shipping out soon again!"...
(well i stood there perplexed... no doubt about that...
wonderin' how this young seaman... knew where i was at...
i never tell no one... until i get back...
where i'm spendin' my time... on these trails i track)...
"there's part of your heart... it lives at the pier"...
said the sailor "it told me... i'd find you down here...
passed some of your spirit... round a bend way back there...
got yourself all spread out... and about everywhere!"...
"you think what you are... is all that there is?...
like the roll of a wave... there's way more than this...
to see nothing is easy... there's nothing to miss...
but don't let that fool you... as to what does exist"...
"there was no dawn on me"... went on the young guy...
"till light hit my hull... and opened my eye...
like the depths of the ocean... parts of us hide...
when our eyes won't look in... then we can't see outside"...
"it isn't the image we're in... that is great...
but the image of being... by the one who creates...
the way to be moves... it's too busy to waste...
life comes to life... too soon comes post-haste"...
"if you're looking for treasure... it lays in the seaways...
as your journey on board... sails into each place...
go salvage your pieces... they're laid with his grace...
and scattered in mist... that wakes up your face!"...
"must get back to my ship now... so for all that it's worth...
i hope you've found something... on this leg of your search...
don't seek what is made... seek the way of its birth...
it lives inside and outside... and beyond all this earth!"...
then the sailor grew silent... as i watched his form turn...
into this tale... that has my heart yearn...
now you folks have this story... and something to learn...
till i show you that treasure... the next time i return'...
~~~~~~~
(evermore so )...
it’s okay to be afraid...
it’s okay to cry...
death takes its piece of yesterday...
and wakens us to wonder why...
birth sows the seeds of new hello’s...
in garden rows of family ties...
buds that form our friendships now...
will blossom into old good-byes...
moments rooted in our lives...
life we touch along the way...
captured where our memor ies lie ...
sometimes seem so far away...
for all we take upon ourselves...
evermore waits with silent sigh...
watching souls who walk upon this earth...
grow wings in death and learn to fly ! ...
~~~~~~~
- (be on the wind)...
oh... what they would give...
to shift the course inside and live...
skipping stone for tide...
to find them on a better shore...
breakers trolling on...
rolling skies appear upon...
shadows losing corners...
of where they once had been...
be on the wind...
distance comes a sailin' in...
setting float to yesterday...
through breezes flowin' deep within...
oh... what they would give...
to drift the sun inside and live...
roaming rays for light...
to find them on a better shore...
shining grace upon...
clearer water's mirror on...
shadows losing corners...
of where they once had been...
be on the wind...
distance comes a sailin' in...
setting float to yesterday...
through breezes flowin' deep within...
oh... what they would give...
to lift the storm inside and live...
soothing waves for sea...
to find them on a better shore...
calming peace upon...
smoother season dawning on...
shadows losing corners...
of where they once had been...
be on the wind...
distance comes a sailin' in...
setting float to yesterday...
through breezes flowin' deep within...
oh... what they would give...
to open up inside and live...
treasure for the being...
to find them on a better shore...
gifts of life upon...
the current strip they're shipwrecked on...
shadows losing corners...
of where they once had been...
be on the wind...
distance comes a sailin' in...
setting float to yesterday...
through breezes flowin' deep within...
be on the wind...
distance comes a sailin' in...
setting float to yesterday...
through breezes flowin' deep within!...
~~~
(may moments tucked in here'n'there...
bring y a blessings from above...
and if it seems nobody cares...
may christ remind you...
"you are loved!")...
(spare a prayer for folks everywhere!)...
-
~~~~~~~
-
(
signs'a the times
)...
fast guys soared in... on bold calling cards...
holding crushed granite dust... in a firm touch run hard...
under spare hidden floors... storing wear and tear space...
through large silent partners... whose foreheads save face...
cornered by wait... that harbors this crowd...
their fate too important... for the time it allowed...
as what brought them together... stands out all too clear...
behind those old weathered signs... saying "these lines start here!"...
sly guys crept in... among fittings of tools...
preset to render... tight footholds of rule...
with custom grip handles... on leverage attempts...
fully charged batteries... add more implements...
cornered by wait... that harbors this crowd...
their fate too important... for the time it allowed...
as what brought them together... stands out all too clear...
behind those old weathered signs... saying "these lines start here!"...
smart guys piped in... over smoke rings of facts...
blown up to justify... what real life lacks...
chain-linking framework... to capture and lure...
within every border... without any cure...
cornered by wait... that harbors this crowd...
their fate too important... for the time it allowed...
as what brought them together... stands out all too clear...
behind those old weathered signs... saying "these lines start here!"...
slow guys crawled in... on hind legs that bled...
from hunting knife slices... where bare soles lay dead...
ripped to oblivion... through cutting edge ache...
mistaken identities... mar directions to take...
cornered by wait... that harbors this crowd...
their fate too important... for the time it allowed...
as what brought them together... stands out all too clear...
behind those old weathered signs... saying "these lines start here!"...
~~~~~~~
-
(lovesome)...
the salt of tears behind a thought...
that no one hears your pain...
those drops down lonely barren skin...
where cries can't drown their claim...
i've never met you face-to-face...
yet still i feel your eyes...
they're filled-up numb like friendly fire...
when strangers wonder why...
you may not recognize this touch...
of love brushed on your cheek...
for when it seems you're all alone...
there isn't much to meet...
just let me share there's something here...
that reaches past these lines...
(into each bittersweet dividing...
niches which bear time)...
a common bond so oft' forgot...
while in some frame of mind...
will bring upon its company...
from beyond a place inside...
and as that glimmer shimmers through...
no matter how it's shown...
remember it is here for you!...
and you are not alone!...
~~~