Good Enough

I jumped the hedges, but not high enough

I ran the miles, but never fast enough

My muscles grew but not large enough

I played the piano but never well enough

I won the scholarship but not important enough

I spun the tale but not grand enough

I got off the tread mill but not long enough

So I studied but not hard enough

I acted and performed but no one cared

And the masses trudged on 

I sang with the orchestra no one listened

I became a man of letters, it mattered not

I struck up a deal but it was concealed

I fought with evil and God prevailed

I bled away but the world looked on 

I gave my best, but it was not good enough

Never, never, was it good enough

But before there was nothing left

I found love and that was good enough.

Wish It Were So - with audio

audio link

When I was a boy so little and so young

Mama taught me many songs that I still hum

Lots of funny tunes that we had sung

Telling tales of many journeys begun

About Rip van Winkle and  ESOPs fables

Three cornered hats and schnitzel tables

Mother Goose fairies’ gold would spin

And stories from Brothers Grimm

Well I’d let out a sneeze and the birds in the trees

Would fly and float down on the breeze

Then they’d sit right here upon my knees

And we’d whistle out sweet melodies

About flying in the heavens over deep blue seas

Then they’d tell me ‘bout the beautiful things that they see

The secrets of  the flowers and the buzzing of the bees

And the mysterious whispering breeze

Don’t you know I wish it were so

Don’t you know I wish it were so

All the colorful pictures

The princesses and witches

Don’t you know I wish it were so

We would sail the oceans blue and true

We would climb the mountains me and you

Love would fill our young hearts with the sun

And we would have nothing but fun

Well the dwarves would scare the little snitches

Who got too big for their bright red britches

Then we'd go outside and make angels in the snow
Don’t you know I wish it were so

There'd be Houses made of cake and candy

Lots of Boys and girls dressed so dandy

Warm cookies in the kitchen

And Huck Fin is gone a fishin

Don’t you know I wish it were so

Dancing in the pouring rain

Floatin paper boats down the storm drain

Our days were played in song and dream 
Don’t you know I wish it were so!

Don’t you know I wish it were so

Don’t you know I wish it were so

All the colorful pictures

The princesses and witches

Don’t you know I wish it were so

We would sail the oceans blue and true

We would climb the mountains me and you

Love would fill our young hearts with the sun

And we would have nothing but fun

The Fires Came

The fires came in hours and days consuming all within their way

Bougainvilleas of burning flowers spread terror across the hilly tapestry

As moist eyes and beating hearts packed a knapsack getaway

The firemen flew high above and dropped the chemicals down

An orange wall of smoke descended and crept over the land with its dirty gown

Soot in snowflakes clothing mingled with the air as it floated to the ground

The wildlife and the once green life cried to the heavens for help

Flashing police vehicles called for safety and warned of danger’s stealth

Electronic voices called out alarm and alerts concerning air quality and health

In every direction conflagration, dark clouds, blackened earth, glowing preen

Communities and families connected in love, keeping an eye on the unseen

The stream blustered and blistered, ebbed and flowed, destroying the dream

Suddenly quietly the wind tired and calmed down and fled away to sleep a spell

All souls searched the expanse of the deep, a geyser of emotions rose and fell

What would be the outcome, would there be a way home, none could tell

Then news came that one fire was out, even as others scattered about and enraged the several distant horizons

5%, 10% contained the voice spoke, as on the mountains smoke loomed in ominous plumes teetering toward town and citizens

Like dinosaurs from a Japanese movie or escapees from magic lamps in the forms of rising genies and jins

Darkness came and came again the winds accusing of sins, the peoples whispered breathless prayers from their beds

O God if you will let the wind be still, the fires put out, but in the distance called out dancing wavy golds and reds

Light broke again upon the scene, some rose to joy, others to glean what could be salvaged from the ravaged homesteads

Tears fell and the old ones shook their heads, they said: I don’t know what I’m going to do

Hearts melted away with lives and memories, sympathy and destiny to pursue

The earth ached longing to be free of the hot angry passion that scourged it's back black and blue

The mind was driven away back to it's recesses, accessing places, foraging in the past

Away from school and work regressed, abscessed into various stages of the looking glass

Playing and escaping the charging glowering gas, turning away in fear, exhaustion and collapse

As the week progressed one did not watch or assess the news knowing of the sadness it would bring down

Those who died and of those who lived, of lands burned, raped and pillaged with only more to come

It was as crazy as a week could be, as scary as it could feel,  people were happy to be alive and at home

Grateful to all who save and rescue, Thank you, God bless you, while grieving all those who are gone.

Santa Ana, Santa Ana you wear a red bandana

Santa Ana, Santa Ana put away your sword and cannon

Give the land a rest from the violence of your caress

Santa Ana, Santa Ana you wear a red bandana

Santa Ana, Santa Ana with a burning horde behind you

Give the peoples respite from the pain that you inflict

Promise now to leave us

Take away your curse

Without death's violent cost
Without without his ruddy kiss

Promise now to leave us

Take away your curse

Santa Ana, Santa Ana your hair is full of ire
Santa Ana, Santa Ana calm your anger, let it tire
May God bring winter rains upon us, the land to cleanse and bless.

Turn Again Toward Friday

I turn again toward Friday in lesson-ing turns

Turn again toward Friday of diminishing returns

To plow hard in the morning and then in-joy staying up late

And doing things again because again I forget

Then slumbering deeply with no, or little regrets

Yes I lean in toward Friday as the night draws near

Look into the blackness of the future almost here

Nursing and praying over hopes, plans and fears

Will Friday come again with laughter and tears

And my soul ’tis drawn along irresistibly thus

Along the pathway of banquets or dry stones and such

It is then I think on the mighty men of old

Who’s hearts dried up and like the rocks grew cold

But me fair mother n burly loving dad gave me aught to hold

That which gives flesh life and eyes a kind of blindness

To see past the world and all of its unkindness

Toward the glory of that which is yet to come

As I roll the road to Friday in the crowd of mother’s sons

Here comes Friday with love and successes

Long loving kisses and gentle caresses

But gone she goes again with the wind in her tresses

And where the sun shown the moments are gone

Weekend days of rest, family, chores, do best

Monday’s test to peck like birds and build the nest

Sailors in the seas, churning at the mirage of Friday’s behest 

Friday's Early Blather

Twas
Sometime
Early

The soul
Was
Yet surly

She said
more?

And he said
sure

Then
More words
Came out

A pause
Next a  t h o u g h t - f u l
Pout

In the
conference room

Sitting in
Leafy verbiage

Like
So many loons

And then
They talked about
Nothing

Like a
Walkabout
Clothing

Ideas flashing
Empty bottles
Clashing

With all
The
Blather

Worked them
Up into
A lather

Time flew by
Like a
Stagnant pond

And still
They prattled
On and on

How it was
Peculiar

About nothing
In particular.