This book is dedicated to Olin Sikes
Thanks (or blame) goes to Jennifer Nelson, Shawn ‘Pig Pen’ Copeland, Dennis Laird and Alex Honke for helping me to inflict this dark vision upon the world
I promise the next one won’t be quite so gloomy, unless of course we all blow ourselves up before I can get around to it.
It’s All in Your Mind
Just pick a name
Any name will do
And I’ll write a poem about it for you
It isn’t that hard
If you know when to bend
And when to just let it stretch out to the end
It’s all in your mind
Or is it in mine?
They seem to have somehow become intertwined
I can’t take you there
I just point out the way
And you decide just what I’m trying to say
Five Again
Down in the sandbox the weather’s fine
And it’s recess all the time
Nothing to do
No homework’s due
And everyday’s a holiday
A vacant lot behind every house
With no authority about
Couldn’t care less
If you’re a mess
And all you have to do is play
Will the summer ever end?
If it does we’ll just pretend
We’re on an island in the sun
With Gilligan and all his friends
The day before kindergarten was fine
You didn’t have to be anywhere on time
The day before kindergarten was fun
But seemed to be over ’fore it had begun
A tire swing over every creek
Who cares if your canoe leaks
With no dismay
About yesterday
Tomorrow or much less next week
Up in the tree-stand where time stands still
Always pies on the window sill
No one to say
That you can’t just play
Till your time as a child slips away
Caravan
Life is change
Isn’t it strange
Only stays the same when it’s dead
Time is short
Or so we’re all taught
But somehow keeps moving ahead
Life is death
Beyond the last breath
Won’t know till the hammer drops
Time is long
When you got it wrong
But somehow it never stops
Time waits for no man
But is glad to give one a ride
On board a caravan
That is bound for the other side
Life is grand
According to plan
That’s tirelessly running it’s course
Time will cease
When you are released
Becoming one with the universe
Autumnal
I am the autumn leaves falling
I tumble
Roll
Drop to the ground
I am the harsh wind blowing
I gather
Blast
Knock houses down
I am lost in deepest waters
I sputter
Cough
Then I drown
Life’s cycle is not over
It’s just complete
Before the color’s faded