Pleasantly Surprised

Pleasantly surprised to find
that you turned out to be someone
that I could agree to disagree with,
and that we could agree to disagree together.
What are the chances that
the tornado of life that came
between childhood and now
would pick us both up and set us both down
in the same different place,
sitting across the table from each other,
sipping coffee and talking on the level.

My Soul Has Room to Grow

Funny how when I stretch my arms up in the air,
my soul has more room to grow.
This invisible thing near my chest and my brain
uses these cells to tell and to know.

Heaven Forbid

Heaven forbid we share and feed.
People will think we're a charity.
Heaven forbid that word get out.
People will think that's what we're about.

Heaven forbid we give food away.
People might come, and then they might stay.
And helping them out would be really tough.
Even if they did tithe, it wouldn't be much.

Heaven forbid we go too far
If we open our hearts, while the door's ajar
a hundred people could walk in,
each with their issues, their needs and their sin.

Heaven forbid we give too much.
People would take advantage of us.
They'd always keep asking for more, more, more.
We might not have that much love in store.


When God lived as a human being,
word got out that he made the lame walk,
he fed the hungry, gave sight to the blind,
and people came to hear him talk.
But he didn't want people to say who he was
until he was just about ready to die.
You and I, at this church, are we ready to die?
If not, maybe we should go take down our sign.

Nice Things

Would you rather have nice things or good days?
Would you rather get along or get a raise?
I look around and I'm always amazed
how our lives pass so fast. When they end the stuff stays.

Bringing Home the Bacon

Bringing home the bacon
can be heavier than it sizzles up to be.
I'm glad that it's not up to me.

Many Places Like Home

They say there's no place like home.
But I've found many places that are like home.
I just haven't found the place that is home.

Using Me

This kind of treatment
has got to stop.
It's not fair.
You're only using me
on your climb to the top
(of the chair).

The Worst Feeling Of All

When you feel worse when you thought you'd feel better–
that's the worst feeling of all.
It's when you close your eyes, spread your arms to fly,
that you can't break your own fall.

You'll Be Sorry

Being angry won't make you sorry,
so I'm done being angry now.
And when you're sorry, you'll be sorry,
and I will kill the fattened cow.

When I Lose All Hope In Humanity

When I lose all hope in humanity,
I'm glad I'm not a humanist.
Because then I'd be losing my religion,
and that would be a big decision.
When I lose all hope in humanity,
I feel more human and humanitarian.
Humans are stupid and they'll prove that it's true.
But I know who I am and what I've got to do.

If a Few More People Volunteered

There are so many people in this world,
and so many choosing to have hope
that if we got ourselves into this mess
then we can get ourselves out of it.
And they want to believe that
there are plenty of ways out of it.
To each his or her own.
All roads lead home.
And I'd be willing to believe that, too,
if a few more people volunteered
to live a spotless life
and then to die to give it away.

Monogamously

To have and to hold,
which means just for me!
I love being married
monogamously.

I Eat Alone

Since you're not home, I eat alone.
I multi-task (no time to waste!)
and miss out on how my food tastes.

Teach

Do we indoctrinate? Or preach?

Or just empower, guide, and reach?

And do we brainwash when we teach?

If so, then should we end all speech?

To Make You Get Your Story Straight

There is nothing like your very own child to make you get your story straight.
Those questions towards the base of your brain awake when they would rather wait.
The whole world asks these questions, clamoring to make their answers known.
And suddenly you have to answer when they're asked by one you call your own.

Scratching Our Heads

We'll plan our every move while lying in our beds
and find that we are still taken by storm.
Change will come; it seldom warns,
and we'll all be left scratching our heads.

Inert

The weeds grew while we were gone.
They knew it was their chance.
And apples started dropping–
those got eaten at by ants.
But the work that we were doing
with the rocks mixed in the dirt,
was still sitting there, very still,
being stubborn and inert.

Back

Once again, we're back.
Time to rest, unpack,
and tell myself, once again,
not to get too settled in.

In Lieu of Flowers

In lieu of flowers,
plant vegetables,
and then you'll keep
your table full,
and you'll still die,
just not as soon,
and we'll plant flowers
by your tomb.

She Is Sleeping

There she is, so fast asleep.
Her arms are limp, her head sunk deep
upon the sheets. So let us keep
the lights down low. Don't make a peep.
Just catch your breath and let her sleep.

Peace

When the river is not peaceful
because it's full and steep
we still trust that the ocean
will catch us, hug us deep,
and give our souls a Sabbath
to ride the waves and sleep.

Different Nations

Dear cousin who I haven't seen,
we've moved up a generation.
We've often lived so far apart–
for years in different nations.
But now that you're a doctor
and now that I'm a mom,
you'd think that one of us had moved
to Greece or Vietnam.
And not because our jobs are different
(although they really are)
but because our lives are both so full.
That's what makes our nearness far.

A Breath of Fresh Air

Some people feel that
water is boring,
a blank page is numbing,
and these white plates are too plain.
But have they ever felt that way about a breath of fresh air?

Living Casserole

When I am getting hungry,
even though I just, just ate,
I'd like some living casserole
to heap upon my plate.
And would that end my munchies?
Or would that make me yearn
for the work of God to do,
and still more calories to burn.

Far

Writing poems in the car
makes each line go far.

I Hate Nostalgia

Have I ever told you about how I hate nostalgia?
When I was a kid, everyone just focused on what was happening that day,
but right about the time I got to high school, everyone started talking about
how bad everything was getting,
and "this nation" this and "this nation" that.
It made me feel like I was about to enter the world
at the worst it had ever been.
It made me want to not grow up or bring children into this worst-ever world.
Because what would I tell them? About how it used to be better?
That's why I wish it was like when I was a kid,
when everyone just focused on what was happening that day.
I hate nostalgia.

Pictures in a Box

We found your pictures in a box.
After all, they were not lost.
Your bright red hair, your sweater vest–
it seems you saved your smile best.

Those You Forget

Those are the days you forget:

when you wake up and check what the rest of the world is doing

(the ones in the world that have a way to tell you),

then proceed to do what you need to do:

wash the clothes you'll need to wear,

cook the food you'll need to eat.

And those days we forget

keep us from going disheveled and hungry on the days we remember.

So lets not forget those who cannot remember

a day when they were well clothed and well fed.

For What It's Worth

"For what it's worth." What is it worth?
Think of today like a baby's birth
and when your baby marriage screams
when it should be cute and have sweet dreams,
just hold it like a tiny child
and don't let go. The ride is wild,
your fists will clench around your pride,
but let it go. Be groom and bride.
Your marriage will become your life
since that's how long you're man and wife.
This marriage will have a life of it's own,
as it comes to your lives as a babe to a home.
So care for it, swaddle it, teach it, and feed it.
Bring it to the doctor if it ever needs it.
And love your love's whole life on earth,
because that's what your marriage is worth.

But

Flying past the Super 8,
where we could stop if we were late,
but we aren't so, so we keep going,
but we could stop if it were snowing,
but the weather's actually hot,
but we could stop if it were not.

Enough Is Enough

We spend so much time working
to pay for things to take up the time we are not working.
In the free time we buy, we shop, we sort, we fix, we clean,
we use, we move, we dispose of, and finally we scream,
"Enough is enough!
Let's stop with the stuff!
Let's work for what's needed
and live just to love!"