They say time’s of the essence
I feel it in your presence
And when I think back
To sweet adolescence.
It can cause you to drift
It can amend a rift
It might even cause
Your perspective to shift.
Fix what’s defective
Dull things reflective
Or maybe even render
Something ineffective.
For all what it’s worth
For all that it hurt
Never forget
It made you that girl.
On you shoulder, no chip
In your stride, not a skip
It simply made you
Didn’t cause you a blip.
So now you have perspective
Give yourself objectives
Toughened up
Rather than becoming defective.
Sunday
Is no fun day
Because the next
Is miserable Monday.
Doom
And gloom
Feeling blue
Moping in your room.
Alarm
You un-disarm
Early mornings
Really aren’t a charm.
Again
We feign
Another week
Oh, such pain.
We were shooting hoops
When the shooting occurred
It was a clear day
Then everything was blurred.
Right through his heart
The bullet pierced Jay
He didn’t deserve it
I tell myself every day.
His lifeless body lay
In blackcurrant red blood
The last sound I heard him make
Was his corpse going ‘thud’.
It was someday
Back in the nineties
Playing basketball
With Joe and Mikey.
The sky turned white
The clouds, they parted
I wasn’t winning
But was about to get rewarded.
The ground disappeared
I projected into the sky
No longer could I see
Joe and Mike.
Suddenly I felt free
Weightless, unearthly
Highly important
Beautiful and worthy.
Then I met my maker
My giver of life
Who welcomed me in
With a gleaming smile…
Accept your fate
Second best, always
Time and time again
365 by 23 days.
Love yourself
Only you can do
Between you and yourself
You’ll never have to choose.
Don’t settle
Never accept less
Give yourself
The very, very best.
You can do it
Don’t underestimate your strength
You’re truly your only friend
Right ’til the very end.
That’s the life
They teach us at school
Get top grades
Don’t be a fool.
Go off to college
Get a PhD
To get a top job
And start a family.
Work your way up
Get to the top
Earn enough money
To support ma and pop.
Take vacations
At least twice a year
With the wife and the kids
And toast over a beer.
Far from reality
Life isn’t a breeze
Yet that’s the expectation
They feed us, with ease.
Don’t settle for less
What if less settles for us?
What do we do then?
That, they won’t discuss.
Life gives you lemons
Just make lemonade!
I wish it was as simple
As it is to say.
Truth be told
I’m no longer sad
I don’t feel to yell
Even though I’m mad.
I can’t answer
When I ask myself why
All I know now
Is I don’t even feel to cry.
Once was a time
My mind was blown
Didn’t want to leave
Now I’d rather be alone.
Keep your distance
Your hands to yourself
Lately I’d much rather
You touch somebody else.
Expect disappointment
One thing I learned
Set my expectations too high
Then I got burned.
Should I just do this
All alone?
Put my trust in no one
Fight for my own thrown?
Do I trust my instinct
To always believe
That I’ll never need anyone
Except for me?
I lived through it all
I saw the effects
And I need to feel free
Stuff being suppressed!
Or do I take a chance
Gamble it all?
Wish I hadn’t done it
If I ever was to fall?
Imagination runs wild
Always been a dreamer
But that I couldn’t fathom
And that was just a teaser.
Saw a couple red flags
Perhaps I should have known
People raised questions
Though I thought we were grown.
OK, be strong
Forget being gnarly
Put your guard up
Even if it’s just partly.
Two strikes, now.
Or should that be one?
Am I in my right mind
To say this is done?
Proceed with caution
But carry on with your plans
Get off those narcotics
That put you in a trance.
Here we go again
Analysis I can’t ignore
I don’t have to say a word
Just watch me walk out the door.
