The Angry Young Man Revisited

The angry young man steps down from his soapbox

Mourning the loss of his youth

Burned by the flame he so proudly brandished

On his pilgrimage in search of truth

Looking for answers and finding more questions

Most of them starting with why

His innocence gone along with his passion

He’s finding it harder to try

He dined in great mansions and walked in the gutter

And lost everything in between

He’s witnessed the suffering and felt all the sorrow

With scars from all he has seen

Some called him a dreamer, some called him a fool

A lost soul who wandered alone

But few ever knew the hunger inside him

This pilgrim in search of a home

The angry young man is tired and lonely

A champion without a cause

The self-righteous zealot whose zeal is now tarnished

Undone by his demons and flaws

He’s no longer young and he’s no longer angry

Just wishing he’d taken more chances

He turns on the music and turns off the lights

And sings to himself as he dances

2/26/2009

Immune

Outside a fire is raging

In here it’s safe and cool

I know there’s danger out there

But I just play the fool

There’s trouble in the desert

Too blind to wonder why

My world is here inside me

I see nobody die

Lambs are now led to slaughter

I try to fall asleep

Pretending they’re so happy

I smile while counting sheep

Lost in my own illusion

Too deaf to hear the call

I never saw the writing

I never read the wall

Tune out the empty feeling

I think I nearly cried

Inside these walls around me

The world is safe inside

cn 3/20/10

The Price For All I've Seen

People say I smile a lot
But sometimes I sit and cry
It’s really not a mystery
‘Though for years I wondered why
There’s a price for paying attention
To a world that’s cold and mean
And the tears I cry in silence
Are the price for all I’ve seen
I’ve seen wars for no good reason
I’ve seen young boys fight and die
I’ve seen things I cannot speak of
That would make a grown man cry
I’ve lost friends and I’ve lost family
And I’ve almost lost my mind
I’ve lost sleep trying to understand
Why people are unkind
You may think that I’m an innocent
A dreamer out of touch
Because I hope for peace and harmony
Is that asking way too much
Sing a song for the pretender
And the stories he has told
Don’t give in, no don't surrender
For a few pieces of gold
“Keep your heart and keep your spirit”
Like the words that old Kris said
“Don’t let the bastards get you down”
Keep the dream alive instead
So, when life gets the best of you
And the answers seem unclear
It’s the price you pay for all you’ve seen
So, go on and shed a tear

cn 4/4/10

After Lesser Review

Every day in every way

For better or for worse

The price I pay seems so cliché

A blessing and a curse

Lies and empty promises

Reasons with no rhyme

Numbers on a calendar

Hands that tell no time

You can’t replay the future

You can’t outrun your past

You cannot rock for ages

The end is coming fast

The world outside cannot get in

And no one’s getting out

All your dreams and visions

Have faded into doubt

Every empty hour

Spent pacing this damned floor

Led me to my resting place

Camped outside this door

Rain is running off this awning

And pouring down my shirt

Mingling with these tears of age

And puddling in the dirt

Is every song a love song

Was every heart once true

Is every lyric poetry

Is my heart right for you

Is every sleep so restless

Nothing's as simple as it seems

I hold you here forever

In my arms and in my dreams

cn 05202012

Good Night

Good night, Mrs. Wagner, goodnight

The angels are calling your name

The world you are leaving behind

From now on will not be the same

The soul of an innocent child

Who smiles in the safety of light

Ignoring the darkness around

And hiding from shadows at night

All that appears strong can falter

True love cannot conquer all

Strength surrenders to weakness

Like summer surrenders to fall

The portals of heaven are open

The sorrows of life fade away

Into the arms of the Father

And the light of the eternal day

Good night, Grandmother, goodnight

The light of your life fades so fast

Your sweet memory lives forever

A part of the little boy's past

8-3-97

Pieces of Clay

Somewhere on a pathway

Far from the lone main road

Are the fragments of a pilgrim

Who couldn’t bear the load

The vessel he was given

Just couldn’t stand the strain

A pot of clay that shattered

A victim of the pain

A puzzle pieced together

To paint a peace of mind

A journey for a holy place

A saint without a shrine

A rhyme without a reason

A fire without a flame

Just some shattered memories

Of one without a name

cn 012211

Greetings!

Welcome to From Where I Sit, my blog of poetry, etc.  Feel free to let me know what you think.

From Where I Sit

From where I sit, it’s simple

From where I sit, it’s clear

Some people search for reasons

While others live in fear

Some people look for answers

While some avoid the task

Afraid of what they may find out

They never dare to ask

Some people dream of mansions

Some people live for gold

While others dream of peace and things

That can’t be bought or sold

From where I sit, I have to smile

From where I sit, I cry

For all the beauty I have lost

And never knowing why

From where I sit, what matters

May matter just to me

But the view from where I’m sitting now

Is all that I can see

cn 01222011