My throat is on fire
My jaws locked up
I trace a dull pain
Over my forehead
In my scalp
My shoulders round forward
To protect my heart
And warn others
Not to come near

My drooping head
Strains my neck
Even breathing
Irritates my tonsils
My insides fry
I sweat at night
And chill in the open air
My dreams are
Twisted

The invaders
Are just trying to live

But I will kill them.

.
.
.
.

Today
When I felt my heart closing up
I opened it
I thought one word
When I saw a stranger
Love
Smiles took over my face
Without effort
I relaxed
And expected the best
In my fantasy land
Where I had
Nothing to fear
Nothing to be angry about
Nothing to worry for
Just love
And I was given
So much
Love
Free food
Compliments
Support
And peace.

My nature is to react
I’ve had to train myself not to
But you are who you are
Even Jesus said
Reacting is dangerous
If he hits you
Turn the other cheek
If he takes your iPod
Give him your headphones
And your laptop
Many times my reactions
Are right
But mostly
They would be better
Tempered by thought
Reason
Separated from Emotion
And passed through a filter
Of Love.

Inspiration is
Waiting for the right tide
Being observant enough
Silent enough
To know when
You are ready
To act
To know when
They are ready
To listen
No use
Swimming upstream
You don’t need to go home
To lay your eggs
Just birth them upon
The mother wave

Walk
Read
Play Piano
Teach the Younger Ones
Help Animals
Straight A’s
Score Points
Sing
Scholarship
Valedictorian
Build Resume
Get Into Good School
Have Fun
Get Stronger
Throw Farther
More Scholarships
National Recognition
Good Job
High Salary
Steady Boyfriend
See the World
Research
Manage
Lead
Corporate Recognition
Build a House
Landscape
Own a Cat
Plan Parties
Share the Wealth
Expand
Study
Explore
Start a Business
Run a Business
Help the Government
Observe a Mentor
Teach
Learn
Teach Some More
Learn Some More
Expand
National Recognition
Grow
Transition
Get Married
Start a Family
Reconnect
…

Inability
To enjoy
The moment
State of mind
Hungry
FOOD
Sleepy
SOFT BED
Satisfied
I hear
Only complements
Cats are Alive and Alert
When they’re Awake.
But the ends are not meeting
I’m not sleeping
And I’ve gone away
Away…

Is poetry art?
Only if someone wants to read it.
Some say I paint landscapes
But I only always paint myself.
Art is not whatever you think it is
What you think does not matter
What you think did not create the art
It’s not about you
It never was
Don’t lie to us, Creator

Bill Maher says
Sometimes the design
Is not intelligent

Women carry and abort
Half-formed
Deformed
Fetuses

We believe there is
A divine plan for our lives
And there is, in a way
What is meant to be
Will be

Is that plan good?
Of course it is
How could we believe
Otherwise?
If you wait long enough
You’ll get your happy ending
And hope keeps you alive

Our existence seems at once
Completely random
And yet
Perfectly Orchestrated
When you hear
The other players
In the symphony

Through our relationships
Our interactions
The best we can do
Is to mimic the ease
With which

The wind blows
The dinosaurs died
The earth spins
Our hearts beat
A baby smiles.

We all want to change the world
The 50-year-olds look at Obama
The way I used to look at Britney Spears
What have I done lately?
Why isn’t a light being cast upon my efforts?
Am I trying hard enough?
Did I seize every opportunity?
If I have time to think about this,
Am I not busy enough?
Stop constructing your fantasy world
And take a few steps in this one
Never complain about what you control
Never complain about what you don’t control
Just never complain
Stop wishing you were making more money
Wielding more power
Feeling more comfortable
Stop inviting others into the gap
Between where you are and where you think you need to be
Especially if you don’t know how to get there
And don’t care enough to make it happen